Elstadt and Willemse return for DHL WP

Sep 7 • General News • 1341 Views • Comments Off on Elstadt and Willemse return for DHL WP

Flank Rynhardt Elstadt and hooker Mike Willemse will both start for DHL Western Province against the Xerox Golden Lions, at Emirates Airline Park on Friday.

Elstadt returns after a spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury, whilst Willemse has been recalled from the Eastern Province Kings (where he was on loan), following injuries to hookers Scarra Ntubeni, Chad Solomon and Martin Ferreira.

Jurie van Vuuren starts at blindside flank, which means that Kobus van Dyk shifts to No.8, with Jan de Klerk in the starting line-up at lock in place of JD Schickerling who has a shoulder injury.

There are no changes to the backline that featured in the win against the Cell C Sharks at DHL Newlands, although there are two new forwards on the bench in the form of Jacques Vermeulen and Eital Bredenkamp.

DHL Western Province coach John Dobson said that it is crucial for his team to follow up their morale-boosting win against the Cell C Sharks with an improved performance in what will be a replay of last year’s Currie Cup Final.

“We want to continue on an upward curve, which means that we will have to raise our game up in Johannesburg.

“We have lost a few players to injury, but the team is focused on going up there and doing whatever it takes to come away with a win,” he said.

DHL Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Werner Kok, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Chris van Zyl (captain), 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Mike Willemse, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 JP Smith, 19 Jacques Vermeulen, 20 Eital Bredenkamp, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Scott van Breda.