Tsimba issues come and get me plea to WP

Former Cheetahs star Kennedy Tsimba has had his chips with the Blue Bulls and is keen to revive his rugby career at Western Province.

Tsimba approached WP on Wednesday after confirming that he would not be signing another contract with the Bulls.

"We'll definitely have a look at it. Kennedy has struggled a lot with injuries, but he was absolutely brilliant when he played for the Cheetahs. He's got bucket loads of talent. But at this stage it's only one option that we're investigating," said WP coach Kobus van der Merwe.

Zimbabwean international Tsimba has been out this season with a knee injury, but was cleared in August for a return to action. He played in a friendly match two weeks ago.

"Province are one of the teams that I have always wanted to go to. I've always admired them. People often ask me why I don't go there," said Tsimba.

Regarding his contract with the Bulls, Tsimba said. "The problem is the style of rugby. They probably feel that I play with too much flair and am a risk. At WP and the Cheetahs, that is part of the game plan," he said.

The Bulls also have Derick Hougaard and Morné Steyn, and are in negotiations to sign Springbok discard Jaco van der Westhuyzen as a fullback. Van der Westhuyzen will give them additional cover at No 10.

Tsimba is also unlikely to get a move back to the Cheetahs, who felt he was disloyal when he left them to move to Pretoria two seasons ago.

However, he was never given an extended run of games at the Bulls and sustained a torn ligament in his knee when a teammate fell awkwardly on him at a training camp in George towards the end of last year.

There will be some risk involved signing Tsimba. Apart from having been out of the game for a season, he is 31, though he believes that he still has a few seasons left.

"These past two years have made me very hungry to play. It's not so much about the money anymore. I've felt very good in training. It's just a case of regaining my match sharpness," said Tsimba.

The potential benefits are that Tsimba can offer vast experience and will give the Stormers an additional goalkicker in their ranks next year. Province will have Naas Olivier, Peter Grant and Werner Greeff as potential flyhalves, but are still looking to add to their options.

"I understand that there are three good players in every position at the big unions and it comes down to which one is performing at the time. All I ask is that you don't get dropped when you're playing well," said Tsimba.

- Olivier, meanwhile, will get the chance to redeem himself from his poor kicking display in last week's defeat to the Lions when WP take on Griquas in a must-win match at Newlands on Saturday.

Griquas are struggling with injuries to front-line players, with scrumhalf JP Joubert the latest casualty. Rookie Tobie Botes will start at No 9.

Coach Dawie Theron said on Wednesday that they would concentrate on winning the battle for quality first phase possession. "If you want to compete against teams that are contenders for the semifinals you have to control the set phases. You have to attack their lineouts and scrums," he said.

Griquas team:

Tiger Mangweni, Vuyani Dlomo, Ockie Vermeulen, Tertius Carse, Alshaun Bock, Conrad Barnard, Tobie Botes, Frans Viljoen, Heinrich Stride, Gareth Krause, Wayne van Heerden, Lodie Britz, Kerneels Rautenbach, Rich Verster, Eugene van Staden.

Substitutes: Dean Hopp, Jané du Toit, Brendan Snyman, Jacques Burger, Marius Schoeman, Jaco Bekker, Bobby Joubert.