Key player returns for WP
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Western Province have undergone wholesale changes for their Currie Cup Round three clash against the Sharks in Durban.
Local club stars Fazeel Robertson and Labib Kannemeyer will be among six players making their senior Western Province debut in the Currie Cup match on Sunday.
Wing Robertson, from St Georges RFC in Strand and scrumhalf Kannemeyer from SK Walmers are part of a group of eight local club players identified by Western Province Rugby’s High Performance Club Rugby programme.
Experienced centre Juan de Jongh will captain a team that will also see flank Paul de Villiers, lock Gary Poter, loose forward Armand Maritz and utility back Edward Coulson make their Western Province debuts.
De Villiers and Maritz are the last two captains of the Western Province U.20 team, while Porter and Coulson are also products of the system having attended the Western Province Rugby Institute and represented Western Province U19 in the past.
Rising star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu returns to the starting XV.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu will start at fullback in the absence of Clayton Blommetjies.
Western Province Head Coach John Dobson said that it is encouraging to see more depth being created by both the integration of the club players and young players coming through the system.
“The club players have really impressed and both Fazeel and Labib deserve this opportunity. It is also really good to see our junior system bringing quality players through as well.
“These players will have some experienced heads around them, with two Springboks in our starting line-up, so we are looking forward to seeing what these combinations can produce in Durban on Sunday,” he said.
Western Province: 15 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 14 Fazeel Robertson, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Bruce Sherwood, 11 Duncan Saal, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Dylan de Leeuw, 20 Louwan Horn, 21 Armand Maritz, 22 Labib Kennemeyer, 23 Edward Coulson.
Date: Sunday, March 26
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 14.00 (12.00 GMT)
Referee: Christopher Allison
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen
