John Dobson has hinted that Friday’s clash between Western Province and the Pumas might be moved from Cape Town Stadium to protect the pitch for the Vodacom URC final.
During a DHL Stormers media conference on Monday, Dobson was asked if WP will play the defending Currie Cup champions at the stadium this week, and replied: “The field preservation is important.”
The Stormers and Munster are set to contest the URC grand finale next Saturday, and given the need to ensure the grass at the Mother City venue has time to recover, relocating this week’s scheduled match is not far fetched.
The ground underfoot has been an issue for most of this season with the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, or even City Park in Athlone, possible alternatives.
STATE OF THE CURRIE CUP: Chasing pack gain ground
Meanwhile, Dobson also emphasised the disruptive nature of risking any player on Friday night who would undoubtedly feature in the URC final eight days later, echoing the Stormers’ quarter-final preparations against the Vodacom Bulls.
Province’s bonus-point 25-21 win against the Griffons in Welkom last week catapulted the Capetonians up the log to fourth, with four rounds left in the competition before the playoffs.
“Price on winning URC final to losing a potential WP home semi-final is the price to pay,” Dobson added
He spoke strongly about resting key figures for the Stormers after a light session on Tuesday, followed by a full week of training leading up to the showpiece next Saturday: “The fact that we can rest a bit now, and have a full training week next week, it’s a big thing for us.”
Photo: Nic Bothma/BackpagePix