MAIN OU: Stormers director of rugby John Dobson
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson won’t play Russian roulette with his big guns when he selects a Western Province team today for tomorrow’s 3pm Currie Cup game against the Griquas in Kimberley.
Out of contention for the Currie Cup semifinals, Province made a return to winning ways this past Sunday when they klapped the Pumas 39-30 at the Danie Craven Stadium, with Dobson giving big names like Adre Smith, Dave Ewers, Joseph Dweba, Ruben van Heerden, Manie Libbok and Steven Kitshoff a run.
And for some of them – besides Kitsie and Libbok - it was a first competitive game since the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against Glasgow Warriors in June.
With the URC on the horizon later this month, Dobson says of wrapping his stars in cotton wool: “We’re going into this game with a very different mindset and we’ve got to be careful about that because that’s how we risk injuries.
“We can’t go full-out on Friday with the short turnaround like I would’ve liked so it’s a challenge. The team will look more like our Currie Cup team for much of this season.”
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