Province vs Saracens (November 9 - 15:00 SA)

[Fulcrum29]

The 2014 Currie Cup champions (Western Province) is to play the Saracens on Sunday, November 9 (13h00 UK / 15h00 SA).

In preparation, Province enlisted new players, probably securing the players to adapt to the Lions scrum technique.

New heavies:

Hookers

- Bongi Mbonambi (Bulls -> Province)

Props

- Vincent Koch (Pumas -> Province)
- Wilco Louw (Bulls -> Province)

http://wprugby.com/dhl-wp-choose-24-for-saracens-excursion/

The team:

24 player touring squad

- Manuel Carizza
- Demetri Catrakilis
- Kurt Coleman
- Juan de Jongh (captain)
- Rynhardt Elstadt
- Gerbrandt Grobler
- Nic Groom
- Pat Howard
- Oli Kebble
- Jean Kleyn
- Vincent Koch
- Dillyn Leyds
- Wilco Louw
- Bongi Mbonambi
- Sikhumbuzo Notshe
- Scarra Ntubeni
- Michael Rhodes
- Louis Schreuder
- Jaco Taute
- Michael van der Spuy
- Jurie van Vuuren
- Kobus van Wyk
- Alistair Vermaak
- EW Viljoen

Management

- Gert Smal – Director of Rugby
- Allister Coetzee – Head Coach
- Robbie Fleck – Backline Coach
- Matthew Proudfoot – Forwards Coach
- Greg Hechter – Assistant Coach
- Chippie Solomon – Team Manager
- Dr Jason Suter – Team Doctor
- Dr Henning Gericke – High Performance Coach
- Vlok Cilliers – Kicking Coach
- Wayne Hector – Physiotherapist
- Stephan du Toit – Strength & Conditioning
- Human Kriek – Technical Analyst
- Greg Daniels – Masseur

The team will obviously exclude Nizaam Carr and Seabelo Senatla as they are touring with the Springboks in green and gold.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Recruitments

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/WPs-three-new-heavies-20141106

WP's three new 'heavies'

Cape Town - All three of the Stormers' new front-row recruits for 2015 will be in action for Western Province in Sunday's one-off meeting with top English club, Saracens.

Hooker Bongi Mbonambi and props Vincent Koch and Wilco Louw linked up with the 2014 Currie Cup champions at their HPC training base in Bellville on Monday and all three will be jetting out to London for the clash at Allianz Park.

Between them, the trio boast a collective weight of 353kg and while they don’t quite have the experience to match the likes of Tiaan Liebenberg, Brok Harris and Pat Cilliers - who they will replace in the Stormers squad next year - they have wonderful opportunities to carve out their own reputations in the Cape.

Of the trio, 23-year-old Mbonambi boasts the most top-level rugby experience, having featured at Super Rugby and Currie Cup level for the Bulls since 2012 - playing a combined total of over 30 games.

The powerful hooker also featured at Varsity Cup level for the title-winning UP-Tuks team, where Empangeni-born Vincent Koch - who was schooled in Wellington and played Craven Week for Boland - first made a name for himself before he joined the Pumas on a full-time basis in 2013.

Koch, 24, helped the Pumas claim the Currie Cup First Division title in convincing fashion last season, before also spearheading their impressive charge in the 2014 Premier Division which saw them just fall short of the semi-finals after a golden mid-season run.

The youngest member of the Stormers’ new front-row trio is SA Under-20 powerhouse Wilco Louw - a constant selection in the team that went down narrowly to England in the final of the 2014 IRB Junior World Championships in New Zealand in June.

At 133kg there is no doubting his size, but when you first shake his hand you have no doubt about his strength either.

Louw turns 21 in July 2015, which makes him eligible for the Western Province Under-21 team next year too.

However, the Ceres-born prop - who finished his schooling at HTS Drostdy - will no doubt come into contention for Super Rugby honours like many before him in the Cape; Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe and Oli Kebble all very young props who have flourished here in recent years.

“Tighthead prop is a crucial position in rugby and we’ve acted quickly to identify and sign quality players to step in and provide valuable depth in (and to compete for) the No 3 jersey,” WP Director of Rugby Gert Smal told the WP Rugby website earlier this week.

“Frans Malherbe is a Springbok incumbent, were it not for his injury he would be on tour with the national squad at present, so we are satisfied that we have three quality players at our disposal (in Frans, Vincent and Wilco) ahead of next year’s Super Rugby tournament.”

Sunday’s clash against Saracens in North London will give Cape rugby fans an opportunity to catch a glimpse of their new front row stars, a sure taste of what is to come from our new signings in 2015.

The Sanlam Private Investments Challenge - between Saracens and WP - will be televised live on SuperSport One (kick-off 15:00 -SA time).

Player profiles:

Mbongeni ‘Bongi’ Mbonambi

Position: Hooker

Date of Birth: January 7, 1991

Height: 1.86m

Weight: 102kg

Other rugby honours: SA Schools (2009), SA Under-20 (2011)

Vincent Koch

Position: Prop

Date of Birth: March 13, 1990

Height: 1.85m

Weight: 118kg

Other rugby honours: SA President’s XV (2013)

Wilco Louw

Position: Prop

Date of Birth: July 20, 1994

Height: 1.85m

Weight: 133kg

Other rugby honours: SA Schools (2012), SA Under-20 (2014)

 

[Fulcrum29]

Saracens will be pushing their best on the day

http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/sport/rugb...ub_western_province_at_allianz_park_1_3835008

Saracens star’s looking forward to facing former club Western Province at Allianz Park

Saracens’ Neil de Kock is looking forward to facing his former club Western Province as South Africa’s Currie Cup champions visit Allianz Park on Sunday.

The Cape Town-based side, captained by South African international Juan de Jongh, are flying in to north London to face Sarries in what will be a fiercely-contested clash between two of the world’s best teams.

De Kock spent six seasons with Western Province between 2000 and 2006 and the scrum-half, who has been capped 10 times by South Africa, is excited about the match.

“Personally, I think it’s a wonderful fixture. I haven’t played in South Africa for eight or nine years, so it will be a great challenge,” he said.

“I had six and a half brilliant years at Western Province, it’s a place that is very close to my heart. Hopefully we will be able to give them a good test and a good run at Allianz Park.”

Saracens will be missing George Kruis, Owen Farrell, Brad Barritt and Billy Vunipola, who have been selected in the England squad that will take on New Zealand in Saturday’s international at Twickenham as Stuart Lancaster’s outfit continue to build towards next year’s World Cup.

However, Sarries can call on England internationals Charlie Hodgson, Chris Ashton, David Strettle and Mouritz Botha, along with Scotland’s Kelly Brown and Argentina’s Juan Figallo, while Alex Goode and Richard Wigglesworth have returned from the England fold.

Saracens’ director of rugby Mark McCall said: “Western Province are one of the strongest sides in South Africa and we’re looking forward to the challenge. We will field our strongest possible side.”

Western Province will be bringing the Currie Cup to London following their domestic league success a few weeks ago.

It will be the first time the cup has been out of South Africa and fans will have the chance to have their picture taken with it at the game.

Tickets for Sunday’s match are on sale from www.saracens.com or call 0844 847 1876.

It is a particularly busy weekend for Saracens as they also visit Welsh side Ospreys in their second LV= Cup match tomorrow (Friday).

Sarries earned a 25-20 home win over Harlequins in their cup opener on Sunday. But assistant coach Joe Shaw said: “We will be taking a few more youngsters to Wales on Friday as we have the game against Western Province here on Sunday.”

 

[Fulcrum29]

Joost will be supporting the Currie Cup winners and raising awareness for Motor Neuron Disease

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Joost-to-watch-Saracens-v-WP-20141105

Joost to watch Saracens v WP

Cape Town - Former Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen, will attend the match between Saracens and Western Province at Allianz Park, London, on Sunday.

The scrumhalf, capped 89 times by South Africa, is raising awareness for Motor Neuron Disease, a condition he has been fighting since 2011.

Both teams have named their squads for the game which will be live on BT Sport in the UK and Supersport in South Africa.

Kick-off is at 15:00 (SA time).

Saracens squad:

Forwards; Richard Barrington, Mouritz Botha, Kelly Brown, Petrus Du Plessis, Juan Figallo, Will Fraser, Jamie George, Jim Hamilton, Rhys Gill, Alistair Hargreaves (C), Ernst Joubert, Scott Spurling, Jackson Wray.
Backs; Chris Ashton, Neil De Kock, Mike Ellery, Charlie Hodgson, Nils Mordt, Ben Ransom, Ben Spencer, Tim Streather, David Strettle, Chris Wyles.

Western Province squad:

Manuel Carizza, Demetri Catrakilis, Kurt Coleman, Juan de Jongh (captain), Rynhardt Elstadt, Gerbrandt Grobler, Nic Groom, Pat Howard, Oli Kebble, Jean Kleyn, Vincent Koch, Dillyn Leyds, Wilco Louw, Bongi Mbonambi, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Scarra Ntubeni, Michael Rhodes, Louis Schreuder, Jaco Taute, Michael van der Spuy, Jurie van Vuuren, Kobus van Wyk, Alistair Vermaak, EW Viljoen

Big rugby weekend.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Good to see they're broadcasting this. Wanted to watch the Barbarians vs. Leicester game, but it was nowhere to be seen.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Good to see they're broadcasting this. Wanted to watch the Barbarians vs. Leicester game, but it was nowhere to be seen.

Yep, they didn't televise the game. Poor actually, rugby like this needs exposure.

I see these two Canadians had a good game: http://www.nsnews.com/sports/marshall-suits-up-for-famous-rugby-squad-1.1495960 Nam may be in trouble on Friday

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Yep, they didn't televise the game. Poor actually, rugby like this needs exposure.

I see these two Canadians had a good game: http://www.nsnews.com/sports/marshall-suits-up-for-famous-rugby-squad-1.1495960 Nam may be in trouble on Friday

Good on 'em.

I see the Baabaas made mincemeat of Leicester. 59-26.

[video=youtube;TyCYo5Ot514]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyCYo5Ot514[/video]

*edit*

I see Jacques Botes scored the last try of the game, and that was his last touch of the ball as a professional rugby player. Great send off!