Kurt Coleman will start at flyhalf in place of Demetri Catrakilis when Western Province take on Griquas at Newlands this Saturday.
Overseas-bound Catrakilis has been in indifferent form so far this season, but the plan was always for Coleman to receive an opportunity to start at this point, and he will form a new halfback combination with Nic Groom.
Meanwhile, Springbok training squad members Scarra Ntubeni and Steven Kitshoff will start in the front row. After missing out on selection for the Boks’ World Cup squad, Kitshoff returns at loosehead prop in place of Alistair Vermaak, while Ntubeni replaces Bongi Mbonambi in the starting lineup after playing off the bench last weekend.
In total, coach John Dobson has made five changes to the starting lineup, with Chris Cloete set to start at openside flanker, with Rynhardt Elstadt filling in for Sikhumbuzo Notshe at blindside.
‘Scarra and Kitsie [Kitshoff] will provide experience and energy up front and both are deserving of their starts, despite Kitsie joining us only this week,’ Dobson commented.
‘Demetri has been our first-choice flyhalf for some time, but we feel the time is right to give Kurt a go – as was always our intention after four games – and, of course, look at a younger player like Rob du Preez in a bid to give him game time.’
Western Province – 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr (c), 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 JP Smith, 18 Chris van Zyl, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Godlen Masimla, 21 Rob du Preez, 22 Dillyn Leyds.
Photo: Gerhard Steenkamp/BackpagePix
