The team’s the thing, insists WP’s Dobson
Rudolph Jacobs
Western Province coach John Dobson believes the team dynamics weigh heavier in their Currie Cup clash against Griquas this afternoon than the return of their Springbok players.
Province had been boosted by the return of centre Damian de Allende, fullback Dillyn Leyds and prop Wilco Louw, all three players in dire need of game time.
De Allende and Leyds saw very little action with the Boks from the bench, while the uncapped Louw was an unused squad member after Coenie Oosthuizen broke his arm.
“It is great to have some players back from Springbok duty, but the focus is on delivering a convincing team performance,” Dobson said.
Leyds will link up at the back with wings Seabelo Senatla and Werner Kok.
De Allende forms a midfield partnership with Huw Jones, who shifts to outside centre with EW Viljoen out with an ankle injury.
Province still have a chance of a home semifinal but then they have to win all four remaining games, which includes trips to Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban after this weekend.
While lock and captain Chris van Zyl will run out for his 50th Currie Cup game, Dobson mixed and matched combinations.
In the absence of scrumhalf Jano Vermaak, who is being rested, Dewaldt Duvenage links up with Damian Willemse at halfback with Justin Phillips and Rob du Preez set to make an impact in the second half.
The only two changes to the forward pack come in the front row as Louw returns and hooker Chad Solomon makes his first start.
Sport isn’t immune to body shaming. You can be pretty sure fans have, at the very least, snickered when they’ve seen Rory Kleinveldt and Robbie Frylinck walking onto a cricket field.
That’s not even the worst thing about it. Because those two players are undeniably on the more hefty side, some people believe they shouldn’t be taken seriously as cricketers.
It’s the classic problem that plagued baseball scouting for decades: if a player doesn’t “look” like a player (streamlined and fit), you shouldn’t pick him. Thankfully, this was a good week for that perception to be shattered – again.
On Wednesday, Kleinveldt wrote himself into the record books when he took an incredible 9/65 for English county Northamptonshire in their four-day match against Nottinghamshire.
For some it will be a freakish achievement, one that doesn’t reflect well on English cricket.
The 34-year-old Kleinveldt’s career has had its hiccups.
He was probably never good enough to play Test cricket (he played in four) and was banned for smoking marijuana in early 2012.
However, when you look past all his flaws, Kleinveldt should be celebrated as one of South African cricket’s best servants.
In England, he’s a cult hero for Northamptonshire for his dedication and determination.
He easily plays at least 50 games in all formats between Northants and the Cobras per season, a pretty big workload for a guy perceived as unfit.
And when you consider Kleinveldt’s taken 423 first-class wickets, that workload doesn’t put a drag on his performances.
This is the type of guy you want playing in your domestic structures.
About 13 400km down south in Centurion, Frylinck continues to prove naysayers wrong.
As the Titans breezed to 450 in the first innings against the Dolphins, Frylinck’s seamers brought him 4/71. In a mediocre Dolphins reply, he smashed a 57-ball 50.
Popular opinion is that Frylinck is a good T20 bowler, a crafty player with nice variations.
But ask the Highveld Lions and they’ll tell you he can be pretty unplayable with the red ball.
Last season, he took 14 wickets in a Sunfoil match against them (including 8/30) and 26 at an average of 17 over the season. He bowled more overs than any of his Dolphins team-mates.
Again, Frylinck shouldn’t be overestimated as a player ashe keeps the franchise system healthy.