Province and Lions have the ingredients for a blockbuster

FRIDAY evening is not a traditional night for rugby in Cape Town. It is often the time allocated for a movie night with a loved one. However, if you do find yourself at Newlands this Friday, you can expect everything your local cinema has on offer – even the popcorn!

Western Province host the Golden Lions in what is expected to be a pulsating Currie Cup encounter. Both teams play a fast-paced brand of rugby that is set to provide even more action than any skop-skiet-en-donner movie.

Province and the Lions are also equally guilty of picking up yellow and red cards, so there will no doubt be a fair amount of drama.

And if you are more into the superhero type of movies, there’ll be a healthy offering from both teams. On the WP side, there’s none bigger than Dillyn Leyds with his special powers consisting of a “no-look backflip” pass , while his flying wing partner Seabelo Senatla leaves Superman in his dust, such is the electrifying speed the SA Sevens star is able to generate.

But what happens when you combine pace with power? No, it’s not Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, but an exciting loosetrio consisting of Nizaam Carr, Cobus Wiese and Jaco Coetzee who are set to give their Lions counterparts Fabian Booyzen, Robert Kruger and Cyle Brink a torrid evening in Cape Town.

Every movie needs a ringleader though. An individual capable of formulating the plan to outwit the enemy before choosing the precise moment to strike. Step up Damian Willemse, the teenage WP pivot who sliced through the heart of the Bulls defence last week at Newlands with such grace and fleet of foot it left the audience gasping in awe.

“That was a piece of individual brilliance. That’s what he can bring to the team. I also think if the guys around him, play towards him, and react to him, it always gives him options which makes him even more dangerous,” WP attack coach Dawie Snyman said.

Snyman certainly wants to see more such feats from Willemse this week, but knows it is only possible if his teammates around him create the opportunities.

“We obviously want to move the ball to where the space is available. It comes through communication on the outside. So, if the guys have certainty about where the ball is going to go, where the space is, it gives players confidence to look for that space. It’s not just a credit for the guys on the inside but also the guys on the outside who gets the right information through to who can find the space,” Snyman explained.

“We will definitely look to build on what we did on Saturday. We have always felt there has been one gear missing to get our rhythm. The guys have been together now for three/ four games. It is now about building on that and keep on improving.”

But what about the “villain?” The Lions won’t be without any firepower of their own. The visitors will still be smarting after surrendering a 26-point lead to the Sharks last week.