DHL WP face testing trip to PE

Apr 21 • General News • 2121 Views • Comments Off on DHL WP face testing trip to PE

DHL Western Province will begin their SuperSport Rugby Challenge campaign on Sunday at Wolfson Stadium in Port Elizabeth, where they will face the EP Kings.

Hooker Chad Solomon will captain a team which includes eight players with Vodacom Super Rugby experience in the matchday squad.

There will also be some exciting new talent exposed at Wolfson Stadium, with props Niel Oelofse, Michael Kumburai and Caylib Oosthuizen, hooker Dean Muir, flanks Johan du Toit and Jaco Coetzee, centre Harlon Klaasen and wings Valentino Wellman and Michal Haznar all set to make their competitive debut for DHL Western Province.

Oosthuizen and Kumburai start either side of captain Solomon in the front row, with Muir, Oelofse and the experienced Ashley Wells providing cover on the replacements bench.

In the second row, Eduard Zandberg will partner Jurie van Vuuren, whilst Du Toit will link up with Luke Stringer and Kobus van Dyk in the loose trio with Coetzee on the replacements bench.

In the backline, Godlen Masimla and Brandon Thomson form the halfback pairing, with Justin Phillips set to provide impact in the second half.

Scott van Breda forms an exciting midfield pairing with Klaasen and out wide Wellman and Khanyo Ngcukana will play on either side of fullback Grant Hermanus with Haznar getting an opportunity on the replacements bench.

The clash will be the third match of the day at Wolfson Stadium, with action getting underway with a club match between local sides African Bombers and PE Harlequins, followed by a SuperSport Rugby Challenge match between Border Bulldogs and Boland before DHL Western Province face the EP Kings at 15h00, with all matches live on Supersport One.

DHL Western Province coach John Dobson said that his charges will have to be on their game from the word go if they are to get their campaign off to a winning start.

“We are playing a dangerous EP Kings team which boasts considerable Vodacom Super Rugby experience on their home turf, so we will have to be sharp and focused from the outset if we are to come away with a win.

“The players have put in some hard work in preparation for this match, so we are excited to test ourselves in what should be a tough encounter,” he said.

DHL Western Province: 15 Grant Hermanus, 14 Valentino Wellman, 13 Harlon Klaasen, 12 Scott van Breda, 11 Khanyo Ngcukana, 10 Brandon Thomson, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Johan du Toit, 6 Luke Stringer, 5 Eduard Zandberg, 4 Jurie van Vuuren, 3 Michael Kumburai, 2 Chad Solomon (captain), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Dean Muir, 17 Neil Oelofse, 18 Ashley Wells, 20 Jaco Coetzee, 21 Justin Phillips 22 Michal Haznar.