I’m just excited to be playing this weekend, says Sergeal
SERGEAL PETERSEN says he’s looking forward to making his first contribution at Newlands when they kick off their Currie Cup campaign against his former team, the Free State Cheetahs, on Saturday.
Province’s opener will be Petersen’s first appearance in the Cape since arriving during the Super Rugby pre-season, as a knee injury sustained during a Rugby Challenge warm-up match back in March kept him on the sidelines.
So his appearance sure is one to be anticipated.
During the pre-season, Petersen and fellow Cheetahs wing Raymond Rhule as well as JJ Engelbrecht were the speedsters the Western Province Rugby Union brought in after losing the backline arsenal of Kolbe and Leolin Zas. And while Rhule and Engelbrecht have played their parts with the Stormers during Super Rugby (Rhule has since departed to France to join Grenoble), injury has deprived Petersen of his chance.
While Petersen hasn’t yet had the chance to show his game-breaking ability in either “chaotic” or more structured game situations, it’s well-known that he sure offers talent and promise.
During WP’s two-match tour to France, Petersen started on the left wing against both Narbonne and French powerhouse Montpellier. And while that tour made him feel like “part of the team for the first time”, it’s the chances that he hopes to get going forward that the quick-moving Petersen is relishing the most.
“It was an awesome tour and it was great to be involved, before the tour I hadn’t contributed anything to the team. We gained a lot from both games.”
“I’m just excited to be playing this weekend.”
Petersen is of course not the only game-breaking wing or back WP’s backline boasts.
There’s the likes of fullback Dillyn Leyds – whose devastating skill, counter-attacking potency and general attacking know-how is well-documented – while Craig Barry is also somebody who has also shown his attacking prowess while in the Cape.
“I’m happy to be a part of this team and to get back into the swing of things. I’ve been here for eight months and this will be my first contribution at Newlands,” Petersen said. “Dillyn is one of the best attackers I’ve seen, and that’s probably why I came to Western Province...not only because of Dillyn, but because of the style of play that the Stormers’ backline brings.”
“I think that can suit my game and make me a better player the more I play with the guys and the more I gel with them.”
Again, Petersen is only one star in a massively talented Province backline, but it’ll be great to see how he can shine when he gets his chance in the blue and white stripes.