DHL Western Province are expecting a Platinum Leopards team desperate for only their second Absa Currie Cup victory this season when these two teams meet at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.
Leopards coach Leon Boshoff has decided to shuffle his team quite a bit in an effort to rest certain players, but also to give some of his fringe squad members an opportunity to get some valuable game time.
DHL WP assistant coach Matt Proudfoot, who earlier in his coaching career worked in Potchefstroom, said: “We are expecting a side that will be desperate for a win. They have made a few changes so they will be looking for improvement.
“I’ve coached many of their players so I know that they will throw everything they have at us. We are expecting it to be very tough physically as well as at the set piece where they will probably look to rattle us a bit.”
With Demetri Catrakilis out injured, Isma-eel Dollie, a former Emerging Springbok, will start at flyhalf for DHL WP.
In the Platinum Leopards team, Boshoff has decided to rest players like their captain Morné Hanekom, Joubert Engelbrecht, Brendon Snyman and BG Uys, giving Robert Kruger, Snoepie Coetzee and Hennie Skorbinski their first starts in the Absa Currie Cup this season.
Last three games in Absa Currie Cup:
- 23 July 2010: DHL WP won 42-23 in Potchefstroom
- 11 September 2010: DHL WP won 59-17 in Cape Town
- 22 July 2011: DHL WP won 47-9 in Potchefstroom
Your Rugby Weekend Match Schedule:
- Friday, 9 September: Border Bulldogs vs SWD Eagles – kick off at 17:05 at Buffalo City Stadium, East London. Referee Rasta Rashivenga
- Friday, 9 September: MTN Golden Lions vs GWK Griquas – kick off at 19:00 at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg. Referee Mark Lawrence
- Saturday, 10 September 2011: The Sharks vs Ford Pumas – kick off at 15:00 at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban. Referee Jaco Peyper
- Saturday, 10 September: Tasol Solar Griffons vs EP Kings – kick off at 15:00 at North West Stadium, Welkom. Referee Pro Legoete
- Saturday, 10 September: Valke vs Regent Boland Cavaliers – kick off at 15:00 at Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park. Referee Stuart Berry
- Saturday, 10 September 2011: DHL Western Province vs Platinum Leopards – kick off at 16:00 at DHL Newlands, Cape Town. Referee Sindile Mayende
- Saturday, 10 September: Toyota Free State Cheetahs vs Vodacom Blue Bulls – kick off at 17:05 at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein. Referee Marius Jonker
- Sunday, 11 September: South Africa vs Wales – kick off at 10:30 at Wellington Regional Stadium, New Zealand.
