There are seven changes to the DHL Western Province team for the Carling Currie Cup encounter with the Phakisa Pumas at DHL Newlands on Friday.

Three of the changes are injury-enforced and the other four are rotational for the third round clash, which kicks off at 19h00 on Friday.

Injuries to Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel and Juarno Augustus see Tristan Leyds, Michal Haznar and Jaco Coetzee make their first starts in the blue and white hoops of DHL Western Province this season.

Leyds is on the wing, while Haznar will link up in midfield with Rikus Pretorius who is back in the starting line-up. Paul de Wet starts at scrumhalf in the other change to the backline.

In the forward pack Coetzee is at No.8, while the other two changes see lock David Meihuizen and hooker Scarra Ntubeni come into the starting XV.

DHL Western Province John Dobson said that his team are looking forward to playing at DHL Newlands again on Friday evening.

"It is a short week for us and we can't wait to get out there at DHL Newlands and put together an 80-minute performance.

"We are looking forward to seeing what the players coming in can add as we target an accurate display on Friday," he said.

DHL Western Province: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Michal Haznar, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Tristan Leyds, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Jaco Coetzee, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements (from): 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Johan du Toit, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Kade Wolhuter, 23 Dan du Plessis, 24 Kwenzo Blose, 25 Marcel Theunissen, 26 Sihle Njezula.

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PUMA!

https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/province-coach-not-worried-by-transfer-rumours/

Western Province head coach John Dobson has emphasised that the transfer rumours surrounding a few of his players have not been disruptive to the team. DYLAN JACK reports.

Province are going into Friday’s match against the Pumas at Newlands under pressure after two successive last-minute losses to the Lions and Vodacom Bulls have damaged their hopes of securing a home semi-final in the Currie Cup.

However, with a number of senior players seeing their contracts come to an end after the British & Irish Lions series next year, there are plenty of transfer rumours swirling around the Cape side.

On Tuesday, Netwerk24 reported that should the potential deal between American consortium MVM Holdings and the Sharks go through, someone such as Province and Bok captain Siya Kolisi – a high-profile Roc Nation representative – could be drawn to move to Durban.

Rumours of Damian Willemse being a high-profile target for the Bulls started as early as April this year and have not gone away, while Dobson confirmed that promising lock David Meihuizen is the subject of a big-money investment as Scotland’s next project player.

‘There is a lot of rumour at the moment and there is a lot of smoke,’ Dobson said during an online media conference on Wednesday, when asked about the rumours. ‘There is so much smoke that you suspect there must be a fire. Nobody has told me officially that they are going anywhere yet.

‘I know that Harlequins are after a couple of our forwards. There was an article yesterday about Siya being in demand elsewhere in South Africa. There is the perpetual rumour about Damian Willemse to the Bulls. There is a lot of smoke, but the window isn’t open for those players for another couple of months.

‘David is different. He’s not a guy trying to run off his contract. He has got to make a call on his future. Obviously, I haven’t explored it in detail yet, but he is eligible for England and Scotland. He is in high demand from Scotland. There have been informal approaches via his agent. In Scotland, if you get a 2,08m and 123kg player, that’s a big unit. I know he qualifies for England and Scotland.

‘Siya is our leader,’ Dobson said when asked about the Kolisi rumours. ‘I literally asked Siya yesterday [Tuesday] if we need to have a chat and he said, “Let’s get through Friday”, which is the responsible and mature thing. I don’t think there is anything formal. There can be nothing formal until the contracting window starts. At this stage, I would think the Siya thing is just smoke.’

Despite the constant rumours surrounding the Province players, Dobson said he has no doubt in their ability to stay focused on the Currie Cup.

‘Obviously, you want to focus just on the rugby. Our group really is tight. I have no doubt that they are focused on the competition. That’s not the reason we lost the last two games.

‘You have to be realistic. I can’t wait until next year and David Meihuizen comes to me and says he got 30 minutes in the whole Currie Cup. I have to be cognisant of that.

‘As with regard to other approaches and contractual issues and people from other unions wanting players, that window is closed now. It’s not something I am overly worried about now. It’s not something we are actively dealing with. We can’t have the situation where the guys are coming off contract late next year or after the Lions series and for reasons beyond our control they leave. Let’s say JD Schickerling, for example, goes – I can’t have a situation where I haven’t brought David Meihuizen through.

‘We have to make sure we are bringing through the next tier. I think we have done remarkably well, despite disappointing results over the last two games. With respect to guys like Leon Lyons, Sazi Sandi, Nama Xaba or David Meihuizen and Marcel Theunissen, we have exposed a lot of guys. It is part of our plan. We are going to be playing in a new competition and many competitions next year and we have got a lot of players coming out of contract next year, so I have to create more depth in the squad.

‘Obviously, the primary focus is winning, creating more depth in the squad and creating an environment where players want to stay at this union is an important part of our journey. Unfortunately, adapting our playing style is also part of this because we are going to be playing in a different competition.

‘In answer to the question, it isn’t disruptive. The only formal chat I have had is with David and that’s because Scotland are offering him an absolute fortune and he is a guy we want to keep here.’

Leeubok wrote: Waarom sal enigiemand miljoene wil betaal vir Siya Kolisi? Was die ou ooit op die veld teen ons?

Ekt moes myself herhinder teen halftyd dat hy speel, want hy was nêrens. Die enigste impak op die game wat hy gehad het, was met hulle drie, toe hy duidelik direk na ons defenders gehardloop het om hulle aktief te probeer keer om die tackle te kan maak.