Publications
Partners
Stephen Nell
Pretoria – Western Province will be biting their nails on Monday while hooker Tiaan Liebenberg consults a specialist to assess the ankle injury that he suffered in Friday night’s defeat to the Cheetahs.
Province coach Allister Coetzee is already at peace with the fact that Liebenberg is doubtful for Friday night’s Currie Cup match against the Lions in Johannesburg.
Deon Fourie may therefore have to wear the No 2 jersey, with Hanyani Shimange possibly coming onto the substitutes bench.
Fourie’s class notwithstanding, it will be a significant loss if Liebenberg has to sit out for any period of time as he has been playing excellent rugby this year.
There is some good news for WP – JC Kritzinger has recovered from a hamstring injury and will therefore add to their depth at prop.
Coetzee should also get clarity on the fitness of centre Tim Whitehead and loose forward Pieter Louw on Monday. They missed the weekend’s 24-29 defeat to Free State with respective hamstring and rib injuries.
Whitehead’s late withdrawal last week prompted Coetzee to move Frikkie Welsh to centre and pick JJ Engelbrecht on the wing.
While WP scored three tries to Free State’s two in the defeat, the Capetonians’ attacking play was unimpressive.
It’s probably down to the one-dimensional backline that they picked. Dewaldt Duvenage, Willem de Waal, Paul Bosch and Welsh all have their individual strengths, but collectively there was too little creativity.
There is also now the possibility that WP may have to cope without Gio Aplon on the wing this week as he will be training with the Springboks in Bloemfontein on Monday.
The Bok management will decide on Monday evening whether they intend picking him. If that happens, WP will hope that Whitehead is fit so that they can move Welsh back to the wing.
Their consecutive losses aside, WP are not in a bad position. They are second on the log and should have Aplon, Juan de Jongh and Jean de Villiers available from next week.
Coetzee, of course, has the option of picking Conrad Hoffmann, Lionel Cronjé and Morgan Newman. However, the WP coach is a disciple of continuity.
Pretoria – Western Province will be biting their nails on Monday while hooker Tiaan Liebenberg consults a specialist to assess the ankle injury that he suffered in Friday night’s defeat to the Cheetahs.
Province coach Allister Coetzee is already at peace with the fact that Liebenberg is doubtful for Friday night’s Currie Cup match against the Lions in Johannesburg.
Deon Fourie may therefore have to wear the No 2 jersey, with Hanyani Shimange possibly coming onto the substitutes bench.
Fourie’s class notwithstanding, it will be a significant loss if Liebenberg has to sit out for any period of time as he has been playing excellent rugby this year.
There is some good news for WP – JC Kritzinger has recovered from a hamstring injury and will therefore add to their depth at prop.
Coetzee should also get clarity on the fitness of centre Tim Whitehead and loose forward Pieter Louw on Monday. They missed the weekend’s 24-29 defeat to Free State with respective hamstring and rib injuries.
Whitehead’s late withdrawal last week prompted Coetzee to move Frikkie Welsh to centre and pick JJ Engelbrecht on the wing.
While WP scored three tries to Free State’s two in the defeat, the Capetonians’ attacking play was unimpressive.
It’s probably down to the one-dimensional backline that they picked. Dewaldt Duvenage, Willem de Waal, Paul Bosch and Welsh all have their individual strengths, but collectively there was too little creativity.
There is also now the possibility that WP may have to cope without Gio Aplon on the wing this week as he will be training with the Springboks in Bloemfontein on Monday.
The Bok management will decide on Monday evening whether they intend picking him. If that happens, WP will hope that Whitehead is fit so that they can move Welsh back to the wing.
Their consecutive losses aside, WP are not in a bad position. They are second on the log and should have Aplon, Juan de Jongh and Jean de Villiers available from next week.
Coetzee, of course, has the option of picking Conrad Hoffmann, Lionel Cronjé and Morgan Newman. However, the WP coach is a disciple of continuity.
