Leolin Zas may just be the new blood Western Province need to rejuvenate their Currie Cup campaign. The Baby Boks flyer will make his senior debut for WP against the EP Kings at Newlands on Friday night (kickoff 6pm) at left wing.
Province were flat against the Golden Lions last week and hardly showed any sort of fight and urgency in the heat of battle at Ellis Park.
WP have been hot and cold this year, especially at the back. Kobus van Wyk, Seabelo Senatla and Cheslin Kolbe haven’t quite been at their best after their heroics last year.
In 2014, the trio set the tone with a few moments of magic that lifted the spirits when WP were struggling to get going. And because they brought those moments of brilliance to the party, that WP side believed that they could beat anyone.
Senatla especially looks tired. He had a hectic season with the Springbok Sevens team, before playing four matches for the Stormers in Super Rugby and then another nine consecutive fixtures for WP.
His calf niggle could maybe be a blessing in disguise, as he needs the week off to recharge ahead of the playoffs.
Zas, 19, seems like the sort of player whose exuberance can be the spark that reignites WP’s fire that was put out by their 62-32 defeat against the Lions.
The Worcester-born player scored some magnificent tries at the Under-20 World Championship earlier this year, while he has also been one of the standout performers for WP in the provincial Under-21 competition.
“Robbie Fleck (WP U-21 coach) told me a few months ago that this guy can play Super Rugby. He is very physical, he is fast and he has a good work ethic. He has got a few things to work on, but he is exciting,” WP coach John Dobson said yesterday.
Zas is one of four changes in the WP backline, with Dillyn Leyds and Huw Jones coming in for the injured Kolbe and Johnny Kotze at fullback and outside centre respectively. Scrumhalf Godlen Masimla will also start his second match of the campaign.
In the pack, lock Ruan Botha is out with a chest injury and will be replaced by Chris van Zyl. Oli Kebble and Michael Willemse come in for Steven Kitshoff and Bongi Mbonambi at loosehead prop and hooker respectively, with the duo dropping to the bench.
However, tighthead prop Wilco Louw, who has started in all nine matches for WP this campaign, will have to soldier on due to the Cape side’s lack of depth at No 3 and the Kings’ scrum threat.
“We wanted to give Wilco a break because he has started every game. But the Kings have got a good scrum and we felt we couldn’t,” Dobson said.
“The way Oli Kebble is going this year, he will be a good fit at loosehead. Michael Willemse is a good scrumming hooker and we have to get him match fit in case something happens to Bongi.”
Jurie van Vuuren will wear the No 6 jersey against the Kings and will play towards the ball. In the absence of the injured Chris Cloete and Rynhardt Elstadt, Sikhumbuzo Notshe has played that role, but it seems Dobson wants to keep some sort of continuity going into the semi-finals, as Elstadt is likely to replace van Vuuren for the playoffs.
All these changes in the forwards may have an impact on WP’s set-pieces, but Dobson is confident that they will cope.
WP Team
15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Juan de Jongh (captain), 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Jurie van Vuuren, 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Oli Kebble. Bench:16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven kitshoff, 18 Jan de Klerk, 19 Justin Benn, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Jaco Taute. - Cape Times