Western Province captain Juan de Jongh’s Currie Cup campaign is all but over. His replacement, Nizaam Carr knows what it takes to win at Loftus Versfeld, and the athletic No 8 will draw on that experience when he leads the defending champions out against the Blue Bulls on Saturday night (7.10pm).
“I remember my first time playing at Loftus,” Carr told reporters at Newlands Stadium yesterday. “Walking towards the cloakroom, everything was blue; the floor was blue; when you came out you saw the seats were blue; people had on their jerseys – they were blue – so when you look up into the stands all you see is blue.
“Your mindset has to be spot on. You have to believe you’re going to beat them and you must have that desire; your will must be greater than the opposition. If you go there with even a small amount of doubt, you won’t win at Loftus.”
The challenge of shutting doubt out of the mind at the start of a match-week that culminates with a trip to the Bullring became even more difficult for Carr and his teammates yesterday when De Jongh was effectively ruled out for the league phase of the competition with an injury suffered during Saturday’s 9-3 win against the Cheetahs.
“It’s a grade-two to grade-three tear of Juan’s (knee ligaments) and he’s gone for eight to 10 weeks,” said John Dobson. “He’s practically out for the rest of the season.”
Though the WP coach is flush with centre options, De Jongh is a 14-Test Springbok and a two-time Currie Cup champion. On a more practical level, the midfielder is known for herding the WP attack away from the touchlines and he has over the years developed into a sheep-gate on defence.
“It’s a huge blow,” added Dobson. “We’ll miss his defence, how he was straightening us up on attack and his leadership.
“I was looking forward to him causing the national selectors some headaches because I think he’s still got a lot to offer Bok rugby, but it’s going to be next season now. He’s quite hard to replace but, fortunately, the one position where we have got a bit of depth is centre.”
Johnny Kotze is set to take over at outside centre in what will be his Currie Cup starting debut, and Huw Jones is expected to cover both midfield positions from the bench.
While De Jongh’s long-term withdrawal is a blow, the release of hooker Scarra Ntubeni from the Bok squad is an immediate boost.
The KES old boy started nine times for the Stormers this season and his return to Cape Town adds a veritable set-piece weapon to the WP armoury.
It is also sure to increase the intensity of the competition for the No 2 jersey, currently worn by former Bulls rake Bongi Mbonambi.
“Bongi was outstanding against the Cheetahs,” said the WP coach, “so it will be interesting how to manage this – they’re two good hookers. Scarra needs to be eased in and Bongi... whenever a guy goes back (to his old team) he has a point to prove.”
It is the Blue Bulls, under new coach Nollis Marais, who may feel they are the ones with a point to prove after Province snapped a seven-game slump at Loftus, between 2006 and 2012, to win on consecutive visits over the past two seasons.
“That is a good stat,” Carr noted. “We have a lot of players who have won up there more than they have lost.
“We know what’s coming. They’ll be direct; their DNA is to want to run over you, not around you.
“If we defend well, especially at the fringes of the ruck... the rest will take care of itself.” - Cape Argus