DHL Western Province needs to beat the Cell C Sharks, who are on a seven-game winning streak, on Saturday at 17h00 in Cape Town to have any sort of chance of making the semi-finals. A bonus-point victory will boost their cause, although they do have a better points difference than the Vodacom Bulls and Windhoek Draught Griquas, and may advance ahead of those teams if they finish the league stage on the same number of log points.
There are six changes to the DHL Western Province starting line-up.
Head Coach John Dobson has made three changes to the backline and three in the forward pack for the final match of the regular season.
Hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, lock Ruben van Heerden and flank Willie Engelbrecht all come into the starting line-up, having featured among the replacements last week.
In the backline, Godlen Masimla is at scrumhalf, while centre Cornel Smit and wing Mnombo Zwelendaba will also start at DHL Stadium.
Dobson said that his team want to show what playing in the blue and white hooped jersey means to them.
"There is a lot of pride in this group in who and what we play for and we want to show that in our performance on Saturday.
"It will take a big effort from every player against a strong Cell C Sharks team, but our focus is on showing our loyal supporters what it means to us to represent them," he said.
The Cell C Sharks will be seeking another character-driven performance in the Currie Cup on Saturday.
With a home semi-final secured and looking to maintain their position on the top of the log which would translate into a home final should they get there, a win in Cape Town is not negotiable as the Cell C Sharks chase an eighth straight victory in their march towards glory under coach Joey Mongalo.
This team has had an injection of URC players as the tournament reaches the business end, Phepsi Buthelezi leading a team that shows 14 changes from last week’s starting XV with an eye on having a rejuvenated squad available for the knock-outs.
Assistant coach JP Pietersen explains: “It’s been a very long Currie Cup and the majority of the boys have played throughout. We had a chat as coaches about freshening them up, getting them hungry for a home semi, that’s one thing we’re 100% sure of. We want to put all our energy into the home semi.
“In saying that, we still need to do the job in Cape Town so we can get a home final.”
Pietersen points out that continuity has been important throughout the campaign, but given the demands on the bodies, player welfare and management is key at this stage.
“The group has really put their hands up and the cohesion is really good. You have to give the boys credit for this, they’ve won games and it’s been easy to stick with them.”
Key to the unbeaten streak is not only in the performances but in the players’ positive and ambitious mental state.
“You can see in the results that this is a group that’s been together and played together for a long time, the cohesion is there. But as coaches, you can coach as much as you can, but the want from the players is there.
“That’s very satisfying for the coaches, we give them the platform to express their talent and they have shown the desire to not simply be competitive in the Currie Cup, they want to win it.”
Teams
DHL Western Province: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Ben-Jason Dixon, 3 Neethling Fouche (c), 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Alistair Vermaak. Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Juan de Jongh, 23 Luke Burger.
Cell C Sharks: 15 Thaakir Abrahams, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Marnus Potgieter, 11 Phikolomzi Sobahle, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Phendulani Buthelezi (c), 6 Thembelani Bholi, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Hyron Andrews, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Khwezi Mona. Replacements: 16 Dameon Venter, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Nick Hatton, 21 Celimpilo Gumede, 22 Tiaan Fourie, 23 Nevaldo Fleurs.