No changes for WP
October 24, 2001

Western Province coach Gert Smal on Thursday predictably stuck with the side that beat the Free State Cheetahs in the semifinal for Saturday's Currie Cup final against the Natal Sharks at Newlands in Cape Town.

There are still some concerns about centre De Wet Barry (pictured) who is battling to recover from a dead leg, but Smal said he is confident the player will be ready. "He must be ready," Smal said with a broad smile.

While the visitors would be hoping for a wet field, Smal is not bothered by the weather conditions. Before their Top Eight encounter two weeks ago in Durban the Sharks watered the field the previous day in order to hand their heavy pack the advantage.

Smal, however, said he would not change his starting line-up if it rains on Saturday. "I think we've got a team that is capable of adapting to any situation," Smal said. "We'll look at our game strategically and tactically and adjust to the weather conditions."

Saturday will be a big game for several WP players. No 8 Bob Skinstad and flank Hendrik Gerber will both play their 50th games for WP, with wing Breyton Paulse playing his 49th game. He has scored an unbelievable 51 tries and the WP team would be looking to this try-poacher again on Saturday to provide the spark.

Flank Corne Krige will start for the 66th time in the blue and white and will captain WP in a second consecutive Bankfin Currie Cup final. It is also the swansong of stalwarts Braam van Straaten (centre) and Charl Marais (hooker).

Both will soon be playing their rugby in England. Marais will hook up with Sale after the Currie Cup, while van Straaten will join Leeds after the Springbok tour to the United Kingdom and the United States.

Stage fright shouldn't be too big a problem for the home side on Saturday, as 15 of the players featured in last year's final against the Sharks in Durban. Loose-forward Adri Badenhorst and loosehead prop Toks van der Linde were in the starting XV last year, but are on the bench for Saturday, with Skinstad and Cobus Visagie getting preference.

Barry and scrumhalf Neil de Kock were substitutes last year, but will start this year thanks to the injury to Robbie Fleck and the demise of Dan van Zyl.

Also missing from last year's final squad are flank Rob Brink, who is with Ulster in Ireland, prop Faan Rautenbach who was not selected, and Jeffrey Stevens, who just came back from a serious knee injury.

Scrumhalf Johannes Conradie, utility back Werner Greeff and wing Egon Seconds, who are all on the substitutes bench, will play in their first Currie Cup final if they make it onto the field.

Fedsure Western Province: Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, De Wet Barry, Braam van Straaten, Pieter Rossouw, Chris Rossouw, Neil de Kock, Bob Skinstad, Hendrik Gerber, Corne Krige (capt), Hottie Louw, Quinton Davids, Cobus Visagie, Charl Marais, Rob Kempson. Substitutes: Pieter Dixon, Toks van der Linde, Thys Stoltz, Adri Badenhorst, Johannes Conradie, Werner Greeff, Egon Seconds.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.