'Rossouw-like' Elstadt gets WP call
Stellenbosch forward Rynardt Elstadt will make his Currie Cup debut on Saturday when Western Province travel to Bloemfontein in their season-opening clash against the Free State Cheetahs.
Elstadt – a regular for WP during the 2010 Vodacom Cup, which limited his Varsity Cup appearances for the title-winning Maties team – can play in the second row or at blindside flanker.
At 1,98 metres and 112 kilograms it is easy to understand his versatility between the second- and back-rows, with WP coach Allister Coetzee last week describing the Maties star “as a player in the Danie Rossouw mould”, who is “very physical and aggressive”.
Elstadt and Stormers starlet Tim Whithead (from UCT) will make their Currie Cup debuts for Province – along with back-up flyhalf Lionel Cronjé, who is on the bench.
Whitehead, of course, made his Super 14 debut earlier this season and he will combine at centre with Maties (and former Pukke) ace Paul Bosch; joining other Varsity Cup stars like Martin Muller (UCT) and Conrad Hoffmann (Stellenbosch) in WP’s 22-man squad.
The Western Province team: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Fabian Juries, 13 Tim Whitehead, 12 Paul Bosch, 11 Frikkie Welsh, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Rynardt Elstadt, 6 Pieter Louw, 5 Anton van Zyl (captain), 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JD Moller, 18 JC Kritzinger, 19 Martin Muller, 20 Pieter Myburgh, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Lionel Cronjé.
Kick-off: 5pm
