Western Province VS KZN Sharks: Preveiw

The 2009 Currie Cup has begun! Saturday afternoon sees two giants of South African rugby go head to head in a battle that could very well set the tone for the season to come. WP have a point to prove after 8 long years of Currie Cup drought, while the defending champs the Sharks will look to start the grueling task of retaining the most coveted domestic prize. The Sharks 22 include 7 current Springboks and have strength across the park, their only weakness being at the flyhalf position where rookie Guy Cronje will have to front up against the formidable Springbok Peter Grant and the resurgent force of Emerging Bok Willem de Waal.

Star All-Black lock Chris Jack will make his Currie Cup debut in this match, does this mark the beginning of SA Rugby fulfilling its potential for creating truly professional (in every sense of the word) rugby in South Africa? Where we can afford to import some great international players to help boost struggling provinces. This weekend marks the return to top flight rugby for Hanyani Shimange. The once understudy to Springbok captain John Smit and second choice Springbok hooker for two years, fell off the raidar when Jake White dropped him before the 2007 RWC in France. Now he is back in the provincial fold and lets hope he stays there, where he belongs. Im sure every blue blooded Province supporter will agree that they could use another Tri-Nations winner in the ranks and this forgotten Bok journeyman may just be back with vengeance.

When looking at the team sheets, one cannot help but feel that the Sharks outfit may be too much for a developing Western Province. However WP's Springboks (Grant, Januarie, Watson, Liebenberg, Shimange and Chavange), Emerging Boks (Newman and de Waal), the Fijian Flier Sireli Naqelevuki and of course All-Black Chris Jack must not be underestimated. WP's great rugby pedigree may just make a come back this year.

KO: 17:05 (C.A.T)
Newlands Stadium Cape Town

Squads

Sharks: Stefan Terblanche; Odwa Ndungane, Andries Strauss, Riaan Swanepoel, Luzuko Vulindlu; Guy Cronje, Rory Kockott; Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Jacques Botes, Johann Muller (capt), Steven Sykes, Jannie du Plessis, Craig Burden, Deon Carstens. Reserves: Skipper Badenhorst, Patric Cilliers, Albert van den Berg, Justin Downey/Ryan Kankowski, Charl McLeod, Monty Dumond, Chris Jordaan.

Western Province: Joe Pietersen, Frikkie Welsh, Morgan Newman, Peter Grant, Sireli Naqelevuki, Willem De Waal, Ricky Januarie, Luke Watson (capt), Pieter Louw, Pieter Myburgh, Anton Van Zyl, Chris Jack, Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg, Wicus Blaauw. Reserves: Hanyani Shimange, JD Moller, De Kock Steenkamp, Deon Fourie, Dewaldt Duvenage, Juan De Jongh, Tonderai Chavhanga.

MM

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