The Boland Cavaliers are gearing up for a crucial Currie Cup clash against Western Province in Cape Town this Saturday, and they've received a significant boost with the return of experienced lock Marlyn Williams to the starting XV.
Williams, who previously captained the Cavaliers before being sidelined by injury, will reclaim his spot in the second row, with Jurie van Vuuren moving to the bench. This return provides invaluable experience and leadership to the Boland pack as they face a determined WP side.
There are also changes in the backline. Chriswill September returns at scrumhalf, forming a partnership with flyhalf Juan Mostert. Unfortunately, Ashlon Davids remains unavailable. David Brits reclaims the No. 13 jersey, shifting Erik Lambrecht to the bench. A late injury to James Tedder during training sees Domenic Smit stepping into the fullback position.
Excitingly, Jayden Bantom, who recently joined Boland from Eastern Province after the SA Cup, could make his Currie Cup debut off the bench. This provides a fresh injection of talent and energy into the squad.
In the front row, Llewellyn Classen will provide hooker cover, replacing HP van Schoor. Lamla Nunu comes in at loosehead, and Mthokozisi Gumede shifts to tighthead cover. Van Vuuren offers loose forward depth with Khwezi Mafu sidelined.
Boland currently sits second on the log heading into the final round of league-stage matches. While WP is still searching for their first win, they've been strengthened by the inclusion of Stormers players looking for game time ahead of the Vodacom URC. This makes them a dangerous opponent despite their position on the log.
Here's the Boland Cavaliers team:
15 Domenic Smit, 14 Donavan Don, 13 David Brits, 12 Lunathi Nxele, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Juan Mostert, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Thurlow Marsh (c), 7 Sibusiso Sangweni, 6 Sauliegh Arendse, 5 Marlyn Williams, 4 Michael Benadie, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Wayrin Losper.
Bench: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Lamla Nunu, 18 Mthokozisi Gumede, 19 Ameer Hendricks, 20 Jurie van Vuuren, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Erik Lambrecht, 23 Jayden Bantom.
Key Match-Ups to Watch
The battle in the second row between Williams and the WP forwards will be crucial. Also, the performance of the new halfback pairing of September and Mostert will be key to dictating the tempo of the game. Can Boland maintain their strong position on the log, or will WP finally secure their first victory?