Utility back Dillyn Leyds in action for Western Province
With utility back Dillyn Leyds deemed surplus to Springbok requirements this weekend‚ Western Province coach John Dobson included the playmaker in his starting lineup to face the Golden Lions at Newlands on Friday.
Leyds’ inclusion is one of two changes to the starting lineup from the team that beat the Blue Bulls 45-34 at Newlands last weekend.
Flank Cobus Wiese‚ who hasn’t played since the Stormers’ round six win over the Chiefs in Super Rugby‚ starts a Currie Cup game for the first time.
Golden Lions coach Swys de Bruin has also looked to Super Rugby stars to bolster his team after their tepid start to the campaign.
Lock Andries Ferreira and centre Harold Vorster‚ both influential in the Lions’ run to the Super Rugby final‚ make their first Currie Cup starts of the year.
The Lions have won only one of four matches‚ but two rounds clashed with Super Rugby‚ so their real worth can only start to be measured now.
Dobson said that his team will have to be at their best at Newlands on Friday after a short week of preparation.
"This is another real challenge for this team‚ but the players have embraced that and we are excited about taking another step forward in our game‚” Dobson said.
"We are proud of our record at Newlands and would like to continue getting positive results at home.”
Western Province: 15 SP Marais‚ 14 Seabelo Senatla‚ 13 EW Viljoen‚ 12 Huw Jones‚ 11 Dillyn Leyds‚ 10 Damian Willemse‚ 9 Jano Vermaak‚ 8 Nizaam Carr‚ 7 Cobus Wiese‚ 6 Jaco Coetzee‚ 5 JD Schickerling‚ 4 Chris van Zyl (captain)‚ 3 Wilco Louw‚ 2 Scarra Ntubeni‚ 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels‚ 17 Caylib Oosthuizen‚ 18 Michael Kumbirai‚ 19 Eddie Zandberg‚ 20 Steph de Wit‚ 21 Dewaldt Duvenage‚ 22 Dan Kriel.
Golden Lions: 15 Sylvian Mahuza‚ 14 Madosh Tambwe‚ 13 Harold Vorster‚ 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg‚ 11 Antony Volmink‚ 10 Jaco van der Walt‚ 9 Marco Janse van Vuuren‚ 8 Fabian Booysen‚ 7 Robert Kruger‚ 6 Cyle Brink‚ 5 Marvin Orie‚ 4 Andries Ferreira‚ 3 Jacques van Rooyen (captain)‚ 2 Robbie Coetzee‚ 1 Corne Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse‚ 17 Johannes Jonker‚ 18 Rhyno Herbst‚ 19 Hacjivah Dayimani‚ 20 Jack Hart‚ 21 Siya Masuku‚ 22 Aphiwe Dyantyi.
- TimesLIVE