Bester deputises for Bolla
by Gavin Rich 18 January 2012, 15:58
With Bolla Conradie perhaps set to play a more regular role at the Stormers during the Super Rugby season, Boland Cavaliers coach Loffie Eloff has taken the opportunity to blood a new captain for Saturday’s friendly against the Cape franchise in Wellington.
Conradie led the Cavaliers to victory in the Currie Cup First Division last year, but on Saturday he will be vice-captain of the Stormers team that tackles the Bolanders in this first match of 2012. No 8 Junior Bester gets a chance to stake a claim to be regular skipper in the Vodacom Cup as he takes the leadership reins for the first time.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said during a training camp in Hermanus last week that he had been impressed by the commitment of veteran Conradie, who played several tests for the Springboks in the middle part of last decade and whose last game was during the home series against Wales in the initial part of Peter de Villiers's reign as Bok coach in 2008.
Ironically Conradie played in that series as an emergency replacement for Ricky Januarie, who was dropped for disciplinary reasons just three days before the first test against Wales in Bloemfontein. It is ironic because it is because of Januarie's departure to the UK that Conradie could be back in the frame for Super Rugby in 2012.
Three players will be making their Boland debuts in the match, with lock Nolan Clark from EP Kings, flyhalf Ricardo Croy (formerly Pumas) and another former Pumas player in centre Siviwe Magaba filling the void left by the departure of former stalwarts Ligtoring Landman and PJ Vermeulen to Griquas and the injury to regular flyhalf Elgar Watts.
Gates open at the Boland Stadium in Wellington at 2pm on Saturday afternoon and prices are R40 for adults and R20 for scholars. A squad of 30 has been called up by Boland director of coaching Loffie Eloff to play a match which will be contested over four chukkas.
Boland team: Jacquin Jansen, Alistair Kettledas, Jonathan Francke, Siviwe Magaba, Brandon April, Richard Croy, Neil Papier, Junior Bester (captain), Thor Halvorsen, Milroy Isaacs, Nolan Clark, Jerry Sefoko, Peet Vorster, Chris Buckle, Charl du Plessis. Reserves: Martin Nel, Ludwig Ras, BJ Julies, Jaco du Toit, PJ van Zyl, Franzel September, Zandre Jordaan, Juwell Samuels, Armand Marais, Jeremy Plaatjies, Cola Williams, Senan van der Merwe, Trevor van Rooyen, Adriaan Klaasen, Adam Barlow.