 |
 |
| Online Services |
|
| More Services |
|
| More Rugby Stories |
| Currie Cup semifinals battle resumes |
| September 24 2009 at 02:43PM |
Get IOL on your mobile at m.iol.co.za |
|
Western Province coach Allister Coetzee and Griquas boss Dawie Theron both believe that victory at Newlands for their team could guarantee their union a home semifinal in this season's Absa Currie Cup.
Theron has made five changes to his match day 22 for Saturday's important clash at Newlands. Loose forward Sean Plaatjies and lock Brendon Snyman have been promoted to the starting 15 which results in Rohan Kitshoff and Heinrich Stride being both relegated to the bench. Prop Zane Killian, who broke his finger during last weekend's match against the Lions, is replaced by Albertus Buckle. Emerging Springbok winger Bjorn Basson has also recovered from his ankle injury and is also selected on the bench. "We feel positive that we can win the Currie Cup," said Theron. "We play the Blue Bulls (away) and then the Sharks (home), so this is a vital game for us in us trying to secure a home semifinal. If we can achieve that, then anything is possible from there on." Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has selected six of his available Springboks in preparation of their "must win" fixture against the Free State Cheetahs at Loftus on Saturday. Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw, Pierre Spies and Morné Steyn, are all included in the Pretoria team's starting line-up following their involvement in the Springboks' successful Tri-Nations campaign. Wynand Olivier and Gurthrö Steenkamp, who were also part of the successful Bok squad, play their second Currie Cup fixture following their return from Australasia. Matfield, who will take over the captaincy, and Rossouw will form the lock combination while Pierre Spies forms a strong loose trio with Dewald Potgieter and Deon Stegmann. Steyn will start at flyhalf, resulting in Francois Brummer being relegated to the bench. Three other changes have been made to the Bulls starting team. Jaco Pretorius return to the midfield and will partner Olivier, Francios Hougaard moves to wing, while Derick Kuün retains his number two jersey in place of Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle. Free State Cheetahs on the other hand will welcome back fullback Hennie Daniller while the inclusion of former Springbok Sevens star Fabian Juries will allow the Bloemfontein team to continue playing an expansive, attacking game plan against the hosts in Pretoria. "We have a certain way of playing and we are not going to change that now because we are playing a side like the Blue Bulls," said coach Naka Drotske. Meanwhile The Sharks coach John Plumtree has made seven changes to his team that will face the Platinum Leopards at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Friday at 7.10pm. In the backline, wing Luzuko Vulindlu returns to the starting line-up after recovering from injury, while Springbok utility back Ruan Pienaar starts in the number nine jersey in place of Charl McLeod. Regular Sharks scrumhalf Rory Kockott is selected on the bench. Flanker Michael Rhodes is selected in place of the injured Jean Deysel (knee), while Patric Cilliers and Skipper Badenhorst have been promoted to the front row. Bismarck du Plessis and Deon Carstens will provide cover off the bench. Lock Alistair Hargreaves replaces Steven Sykes, who is also selected on the bench. In the other Currie Cup Premier Division match of the weekend, the Lions host the Boland Cavaliers at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg on Saturday (3.00pm). Scrumhalf Chris Jonck will wear the number nine jersey following the news that regular scrumhalf Jano Vermaak has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury. Coach Hans Coetzee has also selected centre Alwyn Hollenbach at fullback with Earl Rose relegated to the bench. Jannie Boshoff will start at centre. TEAMS The Sharks - Stefan Terblanche (c), Luzuko Vulindlu, Waylon Murray, Andries Strauss, Lwazi Mvovo, Juan Hernandez, Ruan Pienaar, Ryan Kankowski, Michael Rhodes, Jacques Botes, Albert van den Berg, Alistair Hargreaves, Jannie du Plessis, Skipper Badenhorst, Patric Cilliers. Reserves: Bismarck du Plessis, Deon Carstens, Steven Sykes, Keegan Daniel, Rory Kockott, Monty Dumond, Adrian Jacobs. Leopards - Danie Dames; Jovan Bowles, Deon van Rensburg, Berndt Theissinger, Jan van Zyl; Clayton Durand, Jean Tiedt; RW Kember, Thabo Mamojele, André Swanepoel (c), Draad Linde, Ligtoring Landman, Os van der Walt, Gavin Williamson, Divan Kotzé. Reserves: Pellow van der Westhuizen, Nardus Lombard, Bennie Adams, Riaan Swanepoel, Chris Erasmus, Neil Jacobs, Shuaib Samaai. Western Province - Joe Pietersen, Tonderai Chavhanga, Frikkie Welsh, Juan de Jongh, Gio Aplon, Peter Grant, Dewaldt Duvenage, Luke Watson (c), Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Anton van Zyl, De Kock Steenkamp, Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg, Wicus Blaauw. Reserves: Deon Fourie, JC Kritzinger, Martin Muller, Pieter Louw, Ricky Januarie, Matt Toomua, Sireli Naqelevuki. Griquas - Riaan Viljoen, Dewald Pretorius, Jaco Bekker, Barry Geel, Trompie Nontshinga, Naas Olivier, Sarel Pretorius, Sean Plaatjies, Davon Raubenheimer, Jonathan Mokuena (c), Jacques Lombard, Brendon Snyman, Ruaan du Preez, Rayno Barnes, Albertus Buckle. Reserves: Andries Kruger, Simon Westraadt, Heinrich Stride, Rohan Kitshoff, Donald Stevens, Wilmaure Louw, Bjorn Basson. Blue Bulls - Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van den Heever, Jaco Pretorius, Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Heini Adams, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield (c), Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Derick Kuun, Gurthro Steenkamp. Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Ross Geldenhuys, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Pedrie Wannenburg, Dean Greyling, Francois Brummer, John Mametsa. Free State Cheetahs - Hennie Daniller, Fabian Juries, Corn? Uys, Meyer Bosman, Lionel Mapoe, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, JP Joubert, Ashley Johnson, Frans Viljoen, Heinrich Brüssow, David de Villiers, Nico Breedt, WP Nel, Adriaan Strauss (c), Wian du Preez. Reserves: Richardt Strauss, Coenie Oosthuizen, Izak van der Westhuizen, Hendro Scholtz, Tewis de Bruyn, Louis Strydom, JW Jonker. Lions - Alwyn Hollenbach, Dusty Noble, Jannie Boshoff, Doppies la Grange, Johan Jackson, Herkie Kruger, Chris Jonck, Willem Alberts, Derrick Minnie, Baywatch Grobbelaar (c), Franco van der Merwe, Willem Stoltz, Gert Muller, Hans Van Dyk, JC Janse van Rensburg. Reserves: Derek Harwood, Kevin Buys, Nico Luus, Todd Clever, Earl Rose, Walter Venter, Jaco Taute. Boland Cavaliers - Hayden Groepes, Deon Scholtz, PJ Vermeulen, Danr? Gerber, Wendal Wehr, Elgar Watts, Marnus Hugo, Junior Bester, Hilton Lobberts, David Hendricks, Rito Hlungwane (capt), George Earl, Janro van Niekerk, Schalk Ferreira, Michael De Neuilly-Rice. Reserves: Harry Vermaas, Jacobie Adriaanse, Nico Esterhuyse, Angelo Brinkhuys, Charlie King, Dewey Swartbooi, Justin Peach. - Sapa
|
Social bookmarking allows users to save and categorise a personal collection of bookmarks and share them with others. This is different to using your own browser bookmarks which are available using the menus within your web browser.
Use the links below to share this article on the social bookmarking site of your choice.
Read more about social bookmarking at Wikipedia - Social Bookmarking
Use the links below to share this article on the social bookmarking site of your choice.
Read more about social bookmarking at Wikipedia - Social Bookmarking
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
| Breaking News | Most Read Stories |
|
|
| Entertainment | Motoring | |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
