WP bolstered for Johannesburg trip

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Western Province have been boosted by the inclusion of some experience for their Currie Cup encounter with the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Props Ali Vermaak and Sazi Sandi, lock Adre Smith and loose forward Junior Pokomela come into the starting forward pack, while in the backline Ebenezer Tshimanga will make his first start on the wing.

Centre Rikus Pretorius makes his return on the replacements bench, having been sidelined with concussion.

Western Province head coach Jerome Paarwater said that he is looking forward to seeing what the players coming in can add up in Johannesburg.

"It is great to have some experience coming in for this game against what will be a motivated Lions side.

"We know that we will have to be at our best if we are to make it another win away from home, so we will need full focus for 80 minutes," he said.

Western Province: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Ebenezer Tshimanga, 10 Timothy Swiel, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Junior Pokomela, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 Adre Smith, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 Jacques van Zyl, 1 Ali Vermaak.

Replacements: 16 HP van Schoor, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Thomas Bursey, 22 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 23 Rikus Pretorius.

Date: Saturday, May 28

Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

Assistant Referees: Ashleigh Murray-Pretorius, Local

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen