WP u21 & u19 Teams Announced to Take on The Blue Bulls

Jul 26 • General News • 7274 Views • Comments Off on WP u21 & u19 Teams Announced to Take on The Blue Bulls

Leyds at fullback for DHL WP U21s

Dillyn Leyds will line up at fullback for the Western Province Under-21 team when they take on the Blue Bulls Under-21s at City Park in Athlone on Saturday (15h30).

Leyds scored a hat-trick of tries in last Saturday’s 55-10 win over the Leopards U21s – also at City Park – and he moves from the No.14 jersey to the last line of defence in place of Cheslin Kolbe.

The elusive JP Lewis will take Leyds’ place on the right-wing, with coach John Dobson making just three changes from last weekend.

The third, and final, change sees versatile forward Carel du Preez take the place of lock Gerbrandt Grobler, the latter – along with fullback Kolbe – being rested ahead of the 2013 Absa Currie Cup competition.

“I was pleased with some aspects of our play (against the Leopards), especially our scrumming, but we need to reduce our error-rate and ensure that we get through more phases, and, simply put, play more rugby,” said Dobson this week.

“I guess that we had to make only 59 tackles against the Leopards probably means that we are headed in a better direction… but giving them 17 scrum feeds was crazy.

“We are up for this game, but it will take a special performance to beat this Bulls team. Especially without Cheslin and Gerbrandt, who are being rested in preparation for the 2013 Absa Currie Cup.”

WP lost to the Bulls in last year’s Provincial Under-21 Final in Durban and the WP Under-21 coach is well aware of the challenge of taking on the Blue Bulls.

Dobson told WP “It was obviously an improved performance in the Leopards game (last week) after the aberration of Bloemfontein. But having said that it was still not the quality of performance that will beat a team like the Bulls with the amazing depth and talent they have. They are the depending champions and absolutely star laden.

“But this DHL WP team is also a talented one and this should be a fantastic encounter at a venue we love playing at. We have been made to feel very welcome at City Park, a ground with such a rich history; it’s a wonderful surface that our players feel very welcome at.”

Saturday’s Under-21 match, the second of two matches at City Park, will get underway at 15h30.

The DHL WP Under-19s, also playing against the Blue Bulls, are playing at 13h30 – shortly after the official unveiling of the ground’s new facilities (at 12h30). Entrance is FREE for everyone.

The DHL Western Province Under-21 team to take on the Blue Bulls is as follows:

15. Dillyn Leyds
14. JP Lewis
13. Patrick Howard (vice-captain)
12. Kobus van Wyk
11. Devon Williams
10. Tim Swiel
9. Godlen Masimla
8. Rayn Smid
7. Sikhumbuzo Notshe
6. Josh Katzen (captain)
5. Jean Kleyn
4. Carel du Preez
3. Justin Ackerman
2. Stephan Coetzee
1. Oliver Kebble

Reserves:
16. Freddie Kirsten
17. Sti Sithole
18. Jurie van Vuuren
19. Eital Bredenkamp
20. Justin Benn
21. Jean Nel
22. Craig Barry

Referee: Oregopotse Rametsi

New captain for DHL WP Under-19s

The DHL Western Province Under-19 team will have a new captain in tomorrow’s crunch Provincial Under-19 match against the Blue Bulls U19s at City Park in Athlone (kick-off 13h30).

Regular skipper Jan Uys took a blow to the head last week – against the Leopards – and lock partner Sebastian Ferreira will lead the team into battle, alongside new second row partner Sebastian Negri.

In other changes up front, Steven Meiring moves from No.6 to No.8, with Gareth de Bruin starting on the side of the scrum, and Chad Solomon will make his first start of 2013 at hooker.

Coach Nazeem Adams has kept his backline unchanged, however, and he explained: “Steven is a natural No.8, so we have moved him back there and the inclusion of Gareth (at No.6) gives us even more speed amongst our loose forwards.

“Chad is also 100% fit now, after battling with a hamstring niggle, and his return at hooker will help our set-piece consistency, which, of course, is always crucial – especially against a big pack like the Blue Bulls’. Ramone (Samuels) is a fine player, but still in the early stages of his move from loose forward to hooker and he has done well so far.”

The DHL WP U19s are searching for their first victory of 2013, after drawing (18-18) to the FS Cheetahs in Week One and then suffering a heart-breaking 27-28 defeat to the Leopards last Saturday.

The Blue Bulls U19s, meanwhile, have played one match thus far – against the Leopards – which they won convincingly.

“It’s always tough against the Bulls – at any level. We’ve seen footage of their match against the Leopards – they’re a big team and very physical.

“We need to be up for it, physically and cannot afford to give them any space,” said Adams.

“The key for me, however, is that we can produce an improved performance. We’ve been our own worst enemies this year, drawing and losing our games in the closing stages, so, like I said last week, we need to show a killer instinct and learn to finish a game if given the opportunity.”

Saturday’s match, one of two games at City Park, will get underway at 13h30 – shortly after the official unveiling of the ground’s new facilities (at 12h30). Entrance is FREE for everyone.

The DHL Western Province Under-19 team to take on the Blue Bulls is as follows:

15. Jason Worrall
14. Tiaan Mouton
13. Michael Haznar
12. Faffa Botha
11. Michael Mvelase
10. Chris Smith
9. SP Ferreira
8. Steven Meiring
7. Luke van der Smit
6. Gareth de Bruin
5. Sebastian Negri
4. Sebastian Ferreira (captain)
3. Michael van Tonder
2. Chad Solomon
1. Liam Hendricks

Reserves:
16. Ramone Samuels
17. Nico Steenkamp
18. Nathan Gogela
19. Josh Moon
20. Attie van Rensburg
21. Pieter Schoonraad
22. Kyle Leibrandt
23. James Verity-Amm

Referee: Rodney Bonaparte