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WP, Cheetahs swap flyhalves

Johannesburg - Western Province have lost the battle for another top young flyhalf as former Tygerberg flyhalf Dewald Claassen looks set to sign for the Cheetahs this week.

According to SuperSport.com, Claassen initially went to Bloemfontein on a trial basis, and has been snapped up by the Cheetahs as one of their under-19 flyhalves for the season, after he was ignored by Western Province.

WP in turn have apparently signed Grey College flyhalf Pieter Jordaan.

While not as high profile as Handré Pollard, whose recent announcement he was moving to the Blue Bulls caused shockwaves in the Cape, Claassen played both flyhalf and fullback for Tygerberg and was perhaps in the wrong school or he would have made the Craven Week squad.

A prodigious kicker of the ball, who can often get it over 50 metres, Claassen was also in the Tygerberg team that won the National @lantic Sevens title two years in a row, and is a big, strong running flyhalf who is likely to fit into the Cheetah style of play well.

A natural sportsman, Claassen also played first team cricket while at Tygerberg and was also a star javelin athlete.

“Western Province will miss him, I rated him highly,” Tygerberg’s coach Gavin Barisford explains, “He is a solid kid, and was fantastic in the team that won us the national sevens title. He is big and strong and takes the ball up well. It’s a pity for Province, but I wish him well.”

WP also have former Springbok Carel du Plessis’s son Jean-Luc and Bishops’ Tim Swiel in their ranks who are likely to be kept as their three flyhalves for the near future.
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