Deon Fourie will captain DHL Western Province in his 100th match as the team’s Carling Currie Cup campaign draws to a close against Sanlam Boland Cavaliers at DHL Stadium on Saturday.
The experienced Fourie, who brought up his DHL Stormers century in the inaugural Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final in 2022, leads a star-studded team for the Cape derby, which kicks off at 14h45 on Saturday.
Having made his DHL Western Province debut back in 2006, Fourie went on to lift the coveted Carling Currie Cup trophy as captain in 2012, and on Saturday becomes only one of two players, alongside current Forwards Coach Brok Harris, to play 100 games for both DHL Western Province and the DHL Stormers.
He starts at openside flank in a team featuring 13 changes to the starting XV, with fullback Luke Burger and tighthead prop Zachary Porthen the only two retaining their places.
Porthen is joined by hooker JJ Kotze and Vernon Matongo in the front row, with Ruben van Heerden and JD Schickerling linking up in the second row.
Fourie will have fellow Springbok Evan Roos alongside him in the loose trio, with Marcel Theunissen at blindside flank.
Stefan Ungerer and Jean-Luc du Plessis form the halfback pairing, with Jonathan Roche and Ruhan Nel in midfield.
Burger will have Seabelo Senatla and Leolin Zas at the back with him, while there will also be first appearances of the season from prop Vernon Matongo, lock Adre Smith, scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage and utility back Wandisile Simelane from the replacements bench.
Head Coach Labeeb Levy said that the focus this week has been on ending the campaign on a high.
“All of the players coming in have been hard at work in pre-season and training alongside our squad for some time.
“We are determined to end the season with a quality performance in front of our fans against an impressive Sanlam Boland Cavaliers side,” he said.
Levy paid tribute to Fourie, who has been a true stalwart of the club.
“Deon is a phenomenal player and an incredible example to all those around him. To think that he made his debut 19 years ago is quite something, and he is as competitive today as he ever was. This is an amazing achievement by one of the great DHL Western Province men,” he added.
DHL Western Province: 15 Luke Burger, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Vernon Matongo. Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Cabous Eloff, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Connor Evans, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Wandisile Simelane.