Head coach Jerome Paarwater named a strong 31 man Tusker Simba XV squad to play at the weekend against the visiting DHL Western Province. The side sees a host of changes most notably the inclusion of several players from the sevens team in the starting XV.
This will be the second time that the Tusker Simba XV will face the Western Province this year after the two faced off in April in the Vodacom Cup. From the squads that played in April, only 21 players remain from the two squads, 13 from the hosts and eight from the visitors.
The hosts have made a total of 12 changes to the starting 15 from the one that took to the pitch in Newlands, completely turning over the backs and changing 5 in the forwards. All the backs are mainstays of the sevens side and indeed on another day would have ably started for the Kenya sevens.
The Emonyi trio of Humphrey Kayange, Collins Injera and Michael Agevi start at outside centre, open winger and full back respectively. William Ambaka who is back from freshly promoted Lou completes the back three.Patrice Agunda starts at inside centre with veteran Fly half Lavin Asego pairing up with Michael Wanjala to complete the backs line up.
In the forwards, Moses Amusala replaces Joseph Kangethe at Loose head, pairing up with Sammy Warui at hooker and James Kangethe at tight head. Captain Wilson Kopondo pairs up with Oliver Mangeni at lock with Mike Okombe, Davis Chenge and Martin Owilla in the back row.
Of the 23 that made the trip to Kenya, Devon Williams who scored four tries last time out, Lungelo Chonco, Sti Sithole, Ian Groenewald, Carel du Preez, Jan Uys, Freddie Muller and Gary van Aswegen faced the Tusker Simba in April. Head coach John Dobson has carried with him a relatively young side that features some of the faces that impressed in this year’s Varsity cup.
Full back EW Viljoen and Fly half Robert Du Preez will be key for the Provinvce with Devon Williams also dangerous from the wing.
The most exciting inclusion for me in the Tusker Simba XV is that of fly half Lavin Asego, his boot and vision will be vital to the side. Especially when you look at the calibre of players who will be running off him. Mike Wanjala will certainly cause the WP defence some trouble at the base, with his pace.
We will all be waiting to see these backs run at the visitors’ defence, but all this will come once the forwards set the necessary platforms. Mike Okombe will be vital at blind side flanker, he will probably be tasked with the fetcher role. Owilla and Chenge will be key in attack, so will Kopondo, Kangethe and Amusala.
The replacements are also a sight to behold, the likes of Andrew Amonde, Billy Odhiambo, Leo Mugaisi, in fact we have another strong team out on the bench. If they all get a run out on Saturday then there is no way we will lose this one.
The result wont matter for the technical bench, as you feel they will be looking to put the final touches on the combinations as we head into Madagascar. That being said I feel that this side is capable of avenging that 65-29 loss in Newlands.
We know that the Western province will be brutal at the forwards like they were in the earlier fixture. If we can keep a lid on this and match them in the set piece then we have the backs to kill off this one.
A big win here will do the side a load of good, as they head into the last phase of preparation for the World cup qualifiers.
Here are the Line ups..
WESTERN PROVINCE :
15. EW Viljoen, 14. Chevandre van Schoor, 13. Pat Howard, 12. Michael van der Spuy, 11. Devon Williams, 10. Robert du Preez, 9. Dylon Frylinck, 8. Rayn Smid (captain), 7. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6. Lungelo Chonco, 5. Jean Kleyn, 4. Ruan Vermaak, 3. Justin Ackerman, 2. Stephan Coetzee, 1. Sti Sithole.
16. Neil Rautenbach, 17. Digby Webb, 18. Ian Groenewald, 19. Carel du Preez, 20. Jan Uys, 21. Freddie Muller, 22. Gary van Aswegen, 23. Craig Barry.
TUSKER SIMBA XV :
1. Moses Amusala, 2. Sammy Warui, 3. James Kangethe, 4. Oliver Mang’eni, 5. Wilson Kopondo (Captain), 6. Michael Okombe, 7. Davis Chenge, 8. Martin Owilla, 9. Michael Wanjala, 10. Lavin Asego, 11. William Ambaka, 12. Patrice Agunda, 13. Humphrey Kayange, 14. Collins Injera, 15. Michael Agevi.
16. Duncan Mwangi, 17. Curtis Lilako, 18. Isaiah Nyariki, 19. Emmanuel Mavala, 20. Ronnie Mwenesi, 21. Brian Nyikuli, 22. Andrew Amonde, 23. Tony Owuor, 24. Lyle Asiligwa, 25. Ken Andola, 26. Billy Odhiambo, 27. Nick Barasa, 28. Fabian Olando, 29. Leonard Mugaisi, 30. Tony Onyango, 31. Cyprian Kuto.
KWISHA….Nimeruka Nje!!!
