Province change seven for Griquas

Western Province coach Allister Coetzee made seven changes to his team for Saturday's Currie Cup clash against Griquas at Newlands.

Joe Pietersen, Louis Schreuder, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Frans Malherbe and Steven Kitshoff are all starting, while Gio Aplon and Don Armand are in positional changes.

In the backline, Pietersen will wear his regular No.15 jersey, after returning from injury against the Sharks last Saturday, with Aplon switching to the left wing.

Coetzee said that having Pietersen back in the starting line-up rounds off his back three nicely, with experienced players in every position for what could be another wet game.

"During Super Rugby Joe [Pietersen] was our number one [fullback] and then he got injured and he was out for three and a half weeks and we needed to give him some gametime coming back off the bench and he is back in his starting position.

"Gio [Aplon] has had some good runs there from the back and we recognise that but for the team Joe has got to start at 15 and Gio back on the wing, it doesn't weaken us at all, in fact it strengthens the side. It is almost like the Super Rugby back three again with Gerhard [Van den Heever] starting, it is an experienced back three.

"If it is going to be wet and really coming down then you have got a kicker with a left foot in your team and a right foot at the back.

Schreuder will start at scrumhalf, with Nic Groom dropping down to the bench after starting two matches in a row.

Coetzee said that the competition between Schreuder and Groom has been highly encouraging, and explained that the switch was purely rotational in order to give Schreuder an opportunity.

"Hopefully it is about our nines helping Demetri [Catrakilis] give direction to the side, getting us to play in the right areas of the field. They both have been really playing well, I have said it before that I am really happy with the three scrumhalves we have got and these two are really doing well in particular so therefore I have to make sure that they get equal time and enough starting time as well," he said.

Up front Springbok squad member Frans Malherbe returns at tighthead in a double front row change; the youngsters (Malherbe and Steven Kitshoff) starting and the experienced duo of Brok Harris and Deon Carstens providing cover via the bench.

Coetzee said that whilst rotation was also a factor in these changes, the greater mobility that Malherbe and Kitshoff offer was also a consideration against a Griquas team that enjoy playing with width.

"Deon [Carstens] has done well and so has Brok [Harris] but for this in particular we feel that that is the front row to go with, these guys [Griquas] hold on to the ball and they play with the width of the field that is why they have a good passing game as well so mobility probably yes, it is what we will be needing this weekend.

"It is the same front row that played up there [Kimberley] in the first round and I must say that they did exceptionally well there.

Elsewhere in the pack Don Armand shifts from lock to flank to cover for the suspended Tyrone Holmes at No.7. This will see WP Under-21 captain Wilhelm van der Sluys earn his first Currie Cup start for Province at lock.

There are two new faces on the bench this week.

Flyhalf Gary van Aswegen (in for Kurt Coleman – broken jaw) and loose forward JJ Gagiano.

Van Aswegen last featured for WP in the opening match of the season, whilst Gagiano will make his Currie Cup debut should he take to the field on Saturday.

Western Province: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Helmut Lehmann, 19 JJ Gagiano, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Gary van Aswegen, 22 Damian de Allende.

Date: Saturday, September 22

Venue: Newlands, Cape Town

Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00)

Referee: Stuart Berry

Assistant referees: Sindile Mayende, Marc van Zyl

TMO: Deon van Blommestein