The decision by SA Rugby to postpone the Currie Cup playoffs by a week could be just what Western Province need to be serious contenders for the title.
SA Rugby announced on Tuesday that the semi-finals will now take place a week later than scheduled and have been moved to October 15, with the final on October 22.
The last-four games were initially set for October 8, but that is the same day that the Springboks take on the All Blacks in their final Rugby Championship clash at Kings Park in Durban.
The Sharks are currently in second position on the Currie Cup log with 25 points after seven matches, four behind the unbeaten Free State Cheetahs, who have a game in hand. The Durban outfit have a bye this weekend, and round off their league campaign against the Golden Lions at Ellis Park on September 30.
If they win that game, they are likely to secure a home semi-final, which would’ve clashed with the Bok Test if the Currie Cup game had to continue on October 8.
But what the change in dates has done is give Western Province more time to get some key injured personnel ready in time for the semi-final, which could be against the Cheetahs, who should beat the Pumas (away) and Griquas (home) in their last two games, in Bloemfontein.
WP are currently without a number of stalwarts due to injury ahead of Friday’s match against Griquas, including centres EW Viljoen and Daniel du Plessis, wings Khanyo Ngcukana and Seabelo Senatla, scrumhalf Godlen Masimla, loose forwards Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Rynhardt Elstadt, lock JD Schickerling, hookers Scarra Ntubeni and Chad Solomon, and prop Oli Kebble.
That is not to mention long-term injury casualties such as Dillyn Leyds, Jean-Luc du Plessis and Kurt Coleman who didn’t feature in the Currie Cup at all, while others released from their contracts to join overseas clubs are Jaco Taute, Kobus van Wyk and Jean Kleyn.
But the “bye week” between WP’s last league game against Boland on September 30 at Newlands and the semi-finals – which they should qualify for if they beat Griquas and Boland with bonus points – could see some of the injured players return on October 15.
Viljoen, who can also fill in at fullback and wing, Notshe, Schickerling and Kebble are almost sure to be fit by then, while outside bets are Ngcukana, Senatla, Masimla and Elstadt.
WP coach John Dobson spoke about the lack of depth following the win over the Pumas at the weekend, and was satisfied that his team are still in contention for the semi-finals, but that they face a massive task to try and topple Griquas in Kimberley on Friday (7pm kickoff).
“We are very much maligned, and a lot of it is deserved. But what people don’t realise is that the Lions at Ellis Park last week had 13 players who played in the Super Rugby final, and we had three from our quarter-final. And we are now a point above them on the log. So, given all our travails and issues, we’re fighting,” Dobson said.
“The thing was literally just to get the confidence again with the four tries. If we’d got three, we would’ve been in a much worse condition than what we are now. Now there’s a bit of excitement about next week.
“They’ve got some big 130th birthday celebrations next week, and the old boys are going to be there and they’re having a great season. They said before this game that they’re targeting the Western Province game. So we are under no illusions – it is a quarter-final for us, and they’re a big, older pack.
“It’s Old Mother Hubbard Time. I said to the guys, there’s a Shakespearean quote from Henry the Fifth – ‘We few, we happy few’.”
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Independent Media