Herman Mostert

Cape Town - Western Province received another blow on the injury front, with prop forward Wicus Blaauw ruled out due to a wrist injury.

The burly loosehead injured his left wrist in WP's 49-21 victory over the Leopards at Newlands on Saturday.

Blaauw was sent for X-ray's on Sunday and it was confirmed that he has torn ligaments in his wrist.

He will undergo surgery on Thursday, effectively ruling him out for the remainder of the season, which paves the way for young 19-year-old Steven Kitshoff to move up again from the Under-21 side.

This news just adds to a long list of injury woes suffered by the Cape side this year. They are already facing a flyhalf crisis, with sixth best pivot, Isma-eeel Dollie, filling the No 10 spot on Saturday after Demetri Catrakilis was ruled out with a bicep injury. Catrakilis is only expected to be back in three or four weeks' time.

But Dollie's performance over the weekend was below par, which could force coach Allister Coetzee to try out scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage at flyhalf in their derby clash against the Blue Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday. Duvenage performed well in a Super Rugby game for the Stormers against the Blues in Auckland earlier this year.

WP have already lost eightman Duane Vermeulen (knee injury) for the rest of the season and have been hampered week in and week out with injuries in key positions.

Centre Tim Whitehead is also out with a knee injury and won't be back for at least three more weeks, loose forward Pieter Louw is out with a fractured rib cage, while hooker Deon Fourie (broken nose), loose forward Siya Kolisi (hamstring) and lock Adriaan Fondse (elbow) only returned fit before last weekend's game.

Despite the Capetonians lying in a healthy second spot on the log standings, the cumulative affect of injuries and losing several Boks to the World Cup is sure to make their run-in to the knockout phase of the Currie Cup a tough one.

After their clash against the Bulls, they face the Cheetahs at home before embarking on two tough away trips against the Sharks in Durban and the high-flying Lions in Johannesburg.

Coach Allister Coetzee will thus be keeping his fingers crossed that the injury curse does not strike again in the coming weeks.