Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Western Province will be without hooker Scarra Ntubeni and fullback Cheslin Kolbe for this Saturday's Currie Cup meeting with the Pumas at Newlands (15:00 kick-off).
Ntubeni has a calf muscle injury and Kolbe has bone bruising on his ankle, both having picked up injuries during WP’s 29-14 win over the Blue Bulls last weekend.
In some good news, however, hooker Michael Willemse is over his long-term MCL (knee) injury and is back at full training, as is centre/fullback Jaco Taute (groin).
In Kolbe’s absence, coach John Dobson said Dillyn Leyds would fill in at fullback.
“I always said, at one point, that Cheslin might need a bit of a break. I didn’t
know my hand would be forced, but I certainly don’t think we’re weakening the
team with Dillyn Leyds - who is a great footballer - expected to play at
fullback and Kobus van Wyk bringing so much energy on the wing when he came on
against the Bulls,” coach John Dobson told the WP Rugby website.
“A back three of Leyds, Senatla and Van Wyk is a really nice back three and won’t change things too much for us - they’re all good in the air and they’ve done reasonably well with our wide breakdowns. I am happy with that balance, for sure.”
The full Western Province injury report:
- Fullback Cheslin Kolbe (bone bruising) will sit out this week, but he should be back in the selection mix next weekend (v Lions).
- At this stage, hooker Scarra Ntubeni (calf muscle) could be out of action for three weeks with his injury.
- Loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff has a small chest niggle. A call on his participation will be made later in the week (when the team is announced on Thursday afternoon).
- Flank Rynhardt Elstadt might well be back this week, after being a late withdrawal from the team to face the Blue Bulls with a thigh injury suffered at captain’s run last Thursday. A call on his participation will also be made later in the week.
- Flyhalf Kurt Coleman will not be considered for selection this week, having missed the last two matches (Sharks and Bulls) with a groin injury.
- Centre and 2015 squad captain Juan de Jongh (MCL - knee) is continuing to make good progress from his long-term injury and should be ready for a return sooner than anticipated, having taken part in a split field training session on Monday.
