Taute at inside centre for DHL Western Province

Aug 28 • General News • 2301 Views • Comments Off on Taute at inside centre for DHL Western Province

Photo: Etienne Burger

Jaco Taute will make his first Absa Currie Cup start in DHL Western Province colours, after being named at inside centre for Saturday’s meeting with the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Pretoria (kick-off 17h05).

Springbok Taute replaces the injured Michael van der Spuy (hamstring) in the No.12 shirt in the only change to the DHL WP starting XV from last weekend’s 27-14 win over the Golden Lions.

Former SA Under-20 star Pat Howard, a Round One try-scorer against the EP Kings, replaces Taute on the bench – meaning just two changes overall to the Province 22 from last week.

Taute scored a valuable try off the bench last week after replacing Van der Spuy in the 59th minute and his experience will be a major boon for the unbeaten and table-topping DHL Western Province outfit ahead of Saturday’s clash at Loftus Versfeld.

DHL WP coach Allister Coetzee told www.wprugby.com: “This is a great opportunity for Jaco. I’ve said before that his size and skill-set could make him into the ideal centre and he now has an opportunity to show us just that.

“Jaco is still very young (at 23 years of age) but he’s already very experienced having played Test and Super Rugby at centre before.

“But his skill and strength aside, his communication is his biggest attribute and I look forward to seeing him operate in the No.12 jersey.

“Your depth is tested quite severely during the Absa Currie Cup,” added Coetzee, “so having versatile players like Jaco (in our squad) is a good thing – especially ahead of a big game like Saturday.”

The Bulls picked up a welcome 30-25 win over the EP Kings last weekend and will be determined to make it back-to-back victories in front of their home support as they also look to avenge their Round Two defeat to DHL WP in Cape Town two weeks ago.

“We will respect any team we play against and it doesn’t get much bigger than playing against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld – no matter what happened last time between us,” said Coetzee.

“The Bulls did well to beat the EP Kings. Don’t look at the scoreline, they’ve come off a difficult few weeks and it was a big and valuable win for them.”

The DHL WP team for Saturday (v the Blue Bulls, away) is as follows:

15. Cheslin Kolbe
14. Kobus van Wyk
13. Juan de Jongh (captain)
12. Jaco Taute (First Absa Currie Cup start for DHL Western Province)
11. Seabelo Senatla
10. Demetri Catrakilis
9. Nic Groom
8. Nizaam Carr
7. Michael Rhodes
6. Siya Kolisi
5. Manuel Carizza
4. Jean Kleyn
3. Pat Cilliers (vice-captain)
2. Stephan Coetzee
1. Alistair Vermaak

Replacements:
16. Neil Rautenbach
17. Brok Harris
18. Ruan Botha
19. Rynhardt Elstadt
20. Louis Schreuder
21. Kurt Coleman
22. Pat Howard

Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge, Cobus Wessels
Television Match Official: Willie Vos