CAPE TOWN - Western Province coach John Dobson has made some notable changes to his backline for their Currie Cup match against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday (kick-off 7pm).
While the starting pack remains unchanged, there are three changes and two positional switches in the backline for the Round Two clash.
The biggest one involves Damian Willemse, who will start at fullback in the place of the injured Warrick Gelant, who will be out for six to eight months with the knee-ligament tear he sustained in their opener against the Bulls at Newlands. Willemse's shift sees Tim Swiel, who has come off the bench to provide cover at flyhalf since the start of the domestic season, moving into the No 10 jersey.
While Willemse hasn't produced his best since rugby returned, he produced an absolute masterclass for the Stormers in their 30-13 win over the Cheetahs - a game in which he hit his target every single time he went for posts, aced his kicks from hand and, overall, controlled the game (which Dobson afterwards said was an incredibly tough, physical one) extremely well.
But in their opening Currie Cup match against the Bulls Willemse failed to emulate that performance, although it should be said that the team, as a collective, struggled.
Swiel himself isn't without faults and doesn't offer what Willemse does on his good days, but the switch could perhaps bring some reliability where the kicking tee is concerned, as it's an area where Willemse has struggled for consistency so far.
Godlen Masimla will start at No 9, which brings a new halfback combination for the Lions game, as he rotates with Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies.
It's a change that could do the team, and Jantjies himself, some good. Since South African sides got back onto the field, he's been far from the superstar he was last year, and there's just been a drop in his usual snappy, immaculate service, while that overall injection of energy he brings to a game has also been significantly less. And while Dobson said it's just a rotation, it could perhaps jolt the World Cup-winner into upping his game.
There's also some change in midfield, with Ruhan Nel starting at outside centre alongside Dan du Plessis, who moves to 12. Rikus Pretorius, who has been the starting inside centre for the Cape since Welsh international Jamie
Roberts' departure, moves to the bench. This is the one change that could bring about the biggest change to Province's performance.
Nel has made an immediate impact every time he's come of the bench since he returned from injury, and it was again the case this past weekend. The direction he brings to this backline and the sparks he provides, in the form of creating space and fine attacking touches, has been unmissable. Also, the fact that he is an outside centre (as opposed to playing two 12s in midfield, as has been the case), should also make a difference.
Also back among the replacements are lock David Meihuizen, flank Marcel Theunissen and scrumhalf Paul de Wet.
Western Province: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Johan du Toit, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Tristan Leyds, 24 Jaco Coetzee, 25 Kade Wolhuter, 26 Rikus Pretorius.
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