By Altus Momberg
A good performance for the Stormers against the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday will see hooker Pieter Dixon get a call-up to the Springbok rugby trials next week.
This as South Africa's top hookers are either injured or suffering loss of form.
Few would have given Dixon a chance after he broke his arm during the first Super 12 game of the season against the Sharks, but this time he might just be the beneficiary of injuries to others.
This was supposed to be Dixon's breakthrough season in Cape Town. After two years of playing in Charl Marais's shadow, the former
Maritzburg College player was set to establish himself in the position.
Western Province's only other contracted hooker was Tjoepie van den Heever, a former Stellenbosch player recently bought from Border, but not too many of the Newlands faithful had seen him before. Dixon was obviously the first choice man.
Then came the broken arm. Van den Heever performed well in his first season and talk was of Van den Heever replacing Dixon as first choice hooker in the Cape.
Van den Heever's throw-ins have been inconsistent at best this season and although Stormers coach Gert Smal was at pains to explain that the lineout troubles weren't the fault of the hookers alone, it must have played a part in the coach's decision to return Dixon to the starting line-up.
Dixon has only played 30 minutes in a Vodacom Cup game, and 25 minutes for the Stormers in their last game against the Cats since returning from injury. But the 24-year-old will start against the Bulls on Saturday and a good performance may just be enough to get him a stay at the Police Academy next week.
The Stormers hooker said yesterday he was not really thinking about the Springboks at the moment. "I'm just happy to be back on the field after the injury. You can't think about the Springboks and selections on the field. If you do that you lose focus and your game can go to pieces."
He added however that his ultimate ambition was to represent SA at some stage and that may just happen this year
John Smit and Lukas van Biljon, the two hookers who between them started all of South Africa tests last year, are both injured, while no other hooker has really put his hand up during the Super 12.
Cats first choice Delarey du Preez has been consistent, but not inspiring and questions also remain about his throw-ins. During last season's bust up between the then Cats coach Laurie Mains and captain Rassie Erasmus, Mains accused Erasmus of undermining Du Preez's confidence. Du Preez was later dropped to the bench.
James Dalton has played at hooker for the Bulls this season but it has been difficult for any player in Pretoria to stand out. Questions also remain about Dalton's temperament. He did play for the Lions and Springboks with the current Bok coach Rudolf Straeuli.
Meanwhile Schalk Brits, one of SA's most promising hookers, has been struck down as well. Brits, who has impressed for WP in the Vodacom Cup this season, broke an ankle at the SA under-21 trials in Johannesburg and will be out for 10 weeks.
Stormers: Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, Marius Joubert, De Wet Barry, Pieter Rossouw, Werner Greeff, Johannes Conradie, Adri Badenhorst, Hendrik Gerber, Corne Krige (capt), Hottie Louw, Quinton Davids, Faan Rautenbach, Pieter Dixon, Daan Human. Bench: Tjoepie van den Heever, Cobus Visagie, Thys Stoltz, Bob Skinstad, Noel Oelschig, Wayne Julies, Chris Rossouw
Bulls (possible):
Johan Roets, Wylie Human, Ettienne Botha, Adrian Jacobs, Giscard Pieters, Franco Smith, Hakkies Husselman, Chris le Roux (capt), Danie Rossouw, Pedrie Wannenburg, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Piet Boer, James Dalton, Christo Bezuidenhout. Bench: Danie Coetzee, Wessel Roux, Marco Wentzel, Johan Wasserman, Norman Jordaan, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Gavin Passens
Kick-off: 3pm (live on M-Net)
Referee: Michael Katzenellenbogen
- This weekend's other Super 12 fixtures
Friday
Hamilton: Waikato Chiefs v Wellington Hurricanes (live on CSN at 9.30am)
Canberra: ACT Brumbies v Auckland Blues (live on CSN at 11.30am)
Saturday
Dunedin: Otago Highlanders v Queensland Reds (live on CSN at 7.30am)
Christchurch: Canterbury Crusaders v NSW Waratahs (live on CSN at 9.30am)
Durban: Sharks v Cats (live on M-Net at 5pm)