Province pack under pressure
1 Jun 2006
With the loss of Eddie Andrews to national duty and Neil Fullard to injury, the Western Province scrum looks set to take a few more knocks this year.
However, the Province players remain optimistic about their Currie Cup season which kicks off against the Pumas in Witbank on 24 June.
“A lot of negative things have been said about our scrums, but people forget that we started well in the Super 14 and got plenty of good shoulders in,” WP hooker Schalk Brits told keo.co.za.
Brits does however admit that the pack did experience a problem of consistency in the competition.
A positive that came from the Stormers unsuccessful campaign was the emergence of Brits and Ross Skeate as a quality line-out combination. This proved to be the Cape Town franchise’s main source of secure ball in the set pieces.
“It’s a great advantage having Ross in the team, as it is having Luke [Watson], and I feel that it is a great loss to the Springboks that they weren’t selected.”
The result is that WP have retained some very strong players and so may have the advantage over the supposed stronger packs of the Bulls or the Cheetahs, who have lost more players to the national squad.
The players will also be looking to improve their continuity, as one or two disorganised phases was the best they could muster on attack in the Super 14.
“Our line-outs are our greatest strength, but we did have a few problems in putting the phases together as the Stormers,” said Brits. “That has been our main focus in training for the Currie Cup so far.”
By Jon Cardinelli
68 Comments
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1 Jun 2006, 11:12 am
AJ cuts his own hair and brent needs the extra weight…
1 Jun 2006, 11:21 am
What does AJ cut it with? a weed eater? The only weight that Russel will get is if he puts sand in his shoes.
1 Jun 2006, 11:25 am
BULLE IS BAAS
1 Jun 2006, 11:27 am
Ek het ook altyd gedink die Bulle is Baas, maar as hulle nie hulle spel patroon verander kry hulle hierdie jaar kaas.
1 Jun 2006, 11:28 am
DIE BLOU BUL KAK NET OP DIE VLOER
1 Jun 2006, 11:36 am
Kudo
Sorry, you right.
Was meant to say Doug Wheatley? He is a South African, played a couple of seasons in the UK. Think he still played one or two games for the Stormers, think he was still sent off in a game last season.
Wonder what happened to him?
1 Jun 2006, 11:49 am
Koos
Acording to you Eddie is of no use. But if I remember it corectly he and B.J were the only two Tightheads that could compete against thelikes of Woodkock and Somerville. Now either you said it backwards or you dont know what your talking about. I agree with Mongrel. If they can get Visagie on the tighthead and Moller on the loosehead the bulls and the cheetahs will kak
1 Jun 2006, 12:18 pm
Welshbok, (11),
You are an idiot. Far from chasing Pat Barnard away, Mallet was trying to find a loophole in the contract so that he could stay at WP.
Pat Barnard went looking for an overseas job because he was not getting recognition from the previous coach and management.
1 Jun 2006, 12:20 pm
I’m not concerned about the WP forwards at all. They were a lot better than the backs in the Super 14.
The question mark for me is the backs, without the Springboks, and without the Boland wings.
1 Jun 2006, 12:41 pm
The best thing that can happen to WP is they get a total snotklap in the curricup aswell.
then we willbe rid of the pricks parading as coaches there.
1 Jun 2006, 12:47 pm
The backs are the problem guys!!!!!!!
If I see Grant in the starting line up as flyhalf Im not going to even watch the games. O and can somebody please tell the guys at province De Kok is past his prime.The time has come to blood new players..No-name-brands to make an impact!
1 Jun 2006, 13:06 pm
their backs(ides) are their problems… well said spokie ha ha…
1 Jun 2006, 13:11 pm
how bout paul delport he was the victorious u/21 scrummie ahead of ruan pienaar
hes been stuck behind bolla”the tongue” conradie and “the ****”.
its about time he gets given a decent run, and what has happened to tertius carse?
1 Jun 2006, 15:07 pm
How did we let Pat Barnard go? I would have him in the wp pack ahead of “steady” Eddie. We have great srumhalves. Perhaps we should let Aplon loose.
1 Jun 2006, 15:25 pm
Eddie is not a loss, it is a blessing in disguise!
1 Jun 2006, 16:22 pm
Meester Cardinelli
Good news, the youngsters taken to Bok camp will be released for WP, so they’ll be back up to full strength.
1 Jun 2006, 19:06 pm
Rumours have it that Skeate’s agent has been in contact with clubs in France…
1 Jun 2006, 19:48 pm
“Supposed stronger packs”
Eight Hillbrow hookers would be stronger than the “Fruitsalad Eight”
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