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Cape Town - Western Province are wary of the threat burly Griquas lock/flank Hilton Lobberts could pose in their Currie Cup clash in Kimberley on Saturday (15:00 kick-off).
Lobberts returned to Cape Town from playing for San Dona in Italy in June and trained with WP with the eye of playing in this year's Currie Cup.
However, he was snapped up by Griquas where he is certain to get game time. Lobberts will therefore be eager to impress against a group of players he knows well, and WP know all too well how tough a player he can be.
Their own hard-man, Rynhardt Elstadt, will be tasked to combat the aggressive Lobberts, but forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot said the WP pack as a whole needs to keep Lobberts at bay.
"Hilton is a fantastic player. He would want to prove a point, and I think he's playing for a coach that respects him and whom he respects," Proudfoot told the Cape Times.
"He has a good relationship with Pote (Human), and Pote brings the best out of him. Pote coached him at the Bulls in the past. From my perspective, watching Hilton play is the way rugby should be played - he gives 100 percent for his team.
"Yes, it's going to be difficult playing against him. He is a good oke, and he is a close friend of the guys, but that's what rugby is about.
"He's definitely one of their enforcers. I am happy for Hilton. I just love watching him play, and it's good to see a forward playing traditional forward rugby.
"It’s not about Rynhardt stopping him, but about being accurate and not giving Hilton opportunities. Hilton will always be aggressive."
Both teams are expected to name their teams later on Wednesday.
Lobberts returned to Cape Town from playing for San Dona in Italy in June and trained with WP with the eye of playing in this year's Currie Cup.
However, he was snapped up by Griquas where he is certain to get game time. Lobberts will therefore be eager to impress against a group of players he knows well, and WP know all too well how tough a player he can be.
Their own hard-man, Rynhardt Elstadt, will be tasked to combat the aggressive Lobberts, but forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot said the WP pack as a whole needs to keep Lobberts at bay.
"Hilton is a fantastic player. He would want to prove a point, and I think he's playing for a coach that respects him and whom he respects," Proudfoot told the Cape Times.
"He has a good relationship with Pote (Human), and Pote brings the best out of him. Pote coached him at the Bulls in the past. From my perspective, watching Hilton play is the way rugby should be played - he gives 100 percent for his team.
"Yes, it's going to be difficult playing against him. He is a good oke, and he is a close friend of the guys, but that's what rugby is about.
"He's definitely one of their enforcers. I am happy for Hilton. I just love watching him play, and it's good to see a forward playing traditional forward rugby.
"It’s not about Rynhardt stopping him, but about being accurate and not giving Hilton opportunities. Hilton will always be aggressive."
Both teams are expected to name their teams later on Wednesday.
