Photo Credit: Speedshots.co.za
The Carling Currie Cup teams will look to start 2021 with a bang as the competition reaches the penultimate pool round on Saturday and every point counts with five teams still in the running for semi-final places. DHL Western Province will have the opportunity to leap into the No 1 spot on the standings if they defeat defending champions, the Toyota Cheetahs, in Bloemfontein at 16h30 on Saturday.
They will, however, face an epic battle as the Free Staters are currently in fifth place on the log with 26 points, only two points behind the fourth-placed Cell C Sharks. A victory would keep the Toyota Cheetahs in the race to possibly defend their title, however, a defeat could dash their hopes of reaching the semi-finals, depending on the other results.
Both the Toyota Cheetahs and DHL Western Province will be hunting their third victory in a row when they cross paths in Bloemfontein, and given the high stakes for either team, the match is expected to be gripping.
The Capetonians won their last match-up 30-13 in November in at Newlands, but with the pressure for semi-final places and favourable log positions for a possible home semi-final at boiling point in the Carling Currie Cup, neither team will give an inch.
The Free Staters have won four of the last six Carling Currie Cup matches between the teams, with three of those wins being in Bloemfontein.
Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie made two changes to his starting team for their decisive Carling Currie Cup clash against DHL Western Province.
Rhyno Smith will start on the right-wing in place of the injured William Small-Smith amongst the backs, and upfront Wilmar Arnoldi (hooker) is back from an injury and takes over from Marnus van der Merwe, who in turn moves to the replacements bench.
Van der Merwe’s inclusion on the bench is one of three changes among the impact players, with Chris Massyn (flank) and Erich de Jager (prop) also being drafted into the matchday squad.
David Meihuizen will start at lock in the only change to the DHL Western Province team to face the Toyota Cheetahs in their sixth-round Carling Currie Cup clash in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Meihuizen joins JD Schickerling in the second row for the Carling Currie Cup encounter against the Free State side, which kicks off at 16h30 on Saturday at Toyota Stadium and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Jaco Coetzee, a late replacement for Springbok captain Siya Kolisi last weekend, retains the No 6 jersey, next to Johan du Toit and Juarno Augustus in the loose trio.
The front row duo of Scarra Ntubeni (hooker) and Neethling Fouche (prop) are back from injury to take their places on the replacements bench, along with loose forward Marcel Theunissen.
DHL Western Province head coach John Dobson said that his team is intent on delivering an accurate performance in Bloemfontein.
"The continuity in selection this week will hopefully help us to build some momentum and play with some fluency," said Dobson.
"We know that it will take an 80-minute performance in Bloemfontein this weekend if we are to come away with the result that we are looking for."
Teams:
Toyota Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rhyno Smith, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruben de Haas, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Carl Wegner (capt), 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Boan Venter. Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Erich de Jager, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Victor Sekekete, 20 Chris Massyn, 21 George Cronje, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Tian Meyer.
DHL Western Province: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Johan du Toit, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain). Replacements (from): 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Ruhan Nel, 23 Tristan Leyds, 24 Leon Lyons, 25 Chad Solomon, 26 Ben-Jason Dixon.