Bosch bolsters WP midfield
Varsity Cup-winning Maties centre Paul Bosch will make his first Currie Cup start for Western Province when they take on neighbours Boland at Newlands on Saturday.
Bosch, who played for Pukke in the 2008 Varsity Cup, made the trek to Stellenbosch this season and has featured sporadically for Western Province in the 2009 Currie Cup.
However, with fellow Maties ace Juan de Jongh being rested this weekend, Bosch has an ideal opportunity to show the WP coaches that he deserves to feature in the play-offs and, indeed, the 2010 Super 14 for the Stormers.
SA Students ace Bosch is a physical man – at 92 kilograms and 1,80 metres – but he can also do more than bash the ball up. And, with the likes of Joe Pietersen, Tonderai Chavhanga and Sireli Naqelevuki forming a potent back three, he has plenty of pace and power should he get the ball wide quickly.
New Australian recruit Matt Toomua will start at No.10 for the ‘Blue-and-White’ hoops, with Maties utility Conrad Hoffmann warming the bench as the official flyhalf cover.
Hoffmann was a star performer for the Maties last Friday as they put UCT to the sword with a 36-13 WP Super League victory at Groote Schuur.
The Western Province team: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Frikkie Welsh, 12 Paul Bosch, 11 Sireli Naqelevuki, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Luke Watson (captain), 7 Pieter Louw, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 JC Kritzinger, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JD Moller.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Duane Vermeulen, 20 Bolla Conradie, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Juan de Jongh.
Kick-off: 3pm – Saturday, October 3
