Springbok discards lift WP

Cape Town - The return of Springboks Gio Aplon and Francois Louw will help bolster a Western Province side that will attempt to return to winning ways when they clash with the Cheetahs in a Currie Cup match at Newlands on Friday evening.

Without their Springboks last week, Province were a pale shadow of the side that managed an unbeaten run of six matches and were soundly defeated by the Sharks in Durban.

However, while Schalk Burger, Bryan Habana, Juan de Jongh and Jaque Fourie are still duty bound with the Boks, the presence of Aplon and Louw will help the side to raise their game.

Province coach Allister Coetzee again reverted to a five forwards on the bench after he went for the conventional four forwards/ three backs split last week.

As a result Province have a full front at hand on the bench.

Western Province team:

Conrad Jantjes, Gio Aplon, Tim Whitehead, Paul Bosch, Frikkie Welsh, Willem de Waal, Dewaldt Duvenage, Duane Vermeulen, Nick Koster, Francois Louw, Anton van Zyl (captain), Adriaan Fondse, Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg , Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: Deon Fourie, Buhle Mxunyelwa, JB Moller, De Kock Steenkamp, Pieter Myburgh, Conrad Hoffmann, Lionel Cronje.