WP gets Leyds back for Cheetahs showdown
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are a number of changes to the Western Province team that will face the Cheetahs in a Currie Cup encounter in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.
Following a three-week break, Western Province will get their campaign back underway at the Free State Stadium.
Tristan Leyds makes his return from injury to start at fullback, with Sergeal Petersen and Angelo Davids on the wings.
Cornel Smit and Mnombo Zwelendaba will link up in midfield, while there is an all-new halfback combination of Kade Wolhuter and Thomas Bursey.
Captain Nama Xaba is joined in the loose trio by Marcel Theunissen and No.8 Keke Morabe, with Connor Evans and Ben-Jason Dixon linking up in the second row.
Hooker JJ Kotze also makes his return from injury and will start with props Kwenzo Blose and Lee-Marvin Mazibuko on either side of him. Hooker Lukhanyo Vokozela is in line to make his senior Western Province debut from the replacements bench.
Western Province head coach Jerome Paarwater said that his team are ready to give it a full go in Bloemfontein.
“The time off has been valuable for us to look at our game and work on a few important things.
“We are excited to have some key players back in the mix and we are looking forward to seeing how some of these new combinations go against a good Toyota Cheetahs side in Bloemfontein,” he said.
Western Province: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 Ben-Jason Dixon, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Kwenzo Blose.
Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Simon Miller, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Timothy Swiel, 23 Rikus Pretorius.
Date: Wednesday, March 16
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.45 (15.45 GMT)
Referee: Morne Ferreira
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni and Jaco Kotze
TMO: Quinton Immelman
