CAPE TOWN – Western Province will be without loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff for their Currie Cup semi-final against their Sharks at Newlands on Saturday (4.30pm), while Siya Kolisi returns to take over the captaincy.
Kitshoff has been ruled out of the match through Covid-19 protocols. Kolisi, who has missed the previous two games for the same reason, returns at openside flank for the play-off match.
There are two further changes to the pack.
Lock Salmaan Moerat replaces David Meihuizen, while Alistair Vermaak comes into the matchday squad in the absence of Kitshoff.
The backline remains unchanged.
‘We have earned the right to play this semi-final at Newlands and we want to deliver a fitting performance on Saturday,’ head coach John Dobson said.
‘We have had time to prepare properly and we are fielding a number of settled combinations, so the challenge is to go out there and put together an 80-minute performance and secure our place in the final next week.“
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 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Ernst van Rhyn, 21 Jaco Coetzee, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Ruhan Nel, 24 Sazi Sandi, 25 Tristan Leyds.