As rugby fans gear up for another thrilling Currie Cup season, Western Province is coming in hot—with a squad that blends youth, experience, and serious national talent.
Their first challenge? A classic North-South derby against the Bulls, kicking off at 17:10 this Saturday at Cape Town Stadium.
And yes, tickets are already up on Ticketmaster.
Junior Springbok Stars Join the Ranks
Eight players from South Africa’s victorious Junior Springbok team have earned spots in the Western Province senior squad.
Captain Riley Norton—who led the national U20 side to glory at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy—is joined by teammates Xola Nyali, Wandile Mlaba, Oliver Reid, Herman Lubbe, Siya Ndlozi, Dominic Malgas, and Gino Cupido.
While they’ve just returned from international duty, fans will need to wait a little longer to see them in action—they’ll only be available for selection starting next week.
Sevens Power Added to the Mix
Western Province isn’t just bringing in youth—they’re also packing pace and flair with a handful of Springbok Sevens players.
Familiar faces like Tristan Leyds, Zain Davids, Sako Makata, Justin Geduld, Ronald Brown, and Shilton van Wyk are all part of the extended 54-man squad.
Proven Talent and Fresh Club Players
Alongside the flashy internationals, there’s a solid core of experienced players—like Courtnall Skosan, Scarra Ntubeni, Gary Porter, and Sti Sithole—bringing balance and leadership.
Many of them have progressed through the youth system, especially from the U21 side that recently clinched back-to-back national titles.
And in a welcome move for grassroots rugby, 13 players from local clubs have also been called up.
They’ve been working hard in training for the past six weeks, eager to show they belong in the senior ranks.
Here are some of the names to watch:
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Props like Arno Gustafson and Nick Roebeck (Hamilton RFC), Mhleli Khuzwayo and Matthew Beckett (UCT), and Francois Staples (Dur-Bell)
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Hooker Abri Coetzee (Hamilton RFC)
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Lock Carlo van Greunen (Dur-Bell)
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Loose forwards Enos Ndiao (UCT), Roland van der Heever (SK Walmers), Erhard Lambrecht (Helderberg), and De Wet Marais (Maties)
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Scrumhalf Ezekiel Ngobeni (Maties)
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Centre Brendan Venter (Helderberg)
Coach Levy Praises Energy and Work Ethic
Head coach Labeeb Levy is feeling confident about the campaign ahead, praising both the squad’s work ethic and team spirit.
“It’s been amazing to see how this group has come together under a new coaching setup,” he said.
“There’s a lot of energy, and that’s going to show on the field.
We’ve got incredibly talented young players, some experienced heads, and real quality from the Sevens circuit.”
Levy also gave a nod to the local club players: “We’ve brought in the best from the club scene, and everyone is putting in the effort to proudly wear the blue and white hoops. The supporters deserve that.”
Full Squad Breakdown
Forwards:
Abri Coetzee, Adam De Waal, Aden da Costa, Alex Groves, Andre Goedhals, Arno Gustufson, Cabous Eloff, Carlo van Greunen, CJ Velleman, Danio Botha, De Wet Marais, Enos Ndiao, Erhard Lambrecht, Francois Staples, Gary Porter, Gideon van Wyk, Herman Lubbe, Keagan Blanckenberg, Luca Bakkes, Louw Nel, Lukhanyo Vokozela, Matthew Beckett, Mhleli Khuzwayo, Nick Roebeck, Oliver Reid, Patrick Kitete, Riley Norton, Roland van der Heever, Scarra Ntubeni, Sti Sithole, Wandile Mlaba, Xola Nyali, Zachary Porthen, Zain Davids
Backs:
Asad Moos, Brendan Venter, Courtnall Skosan, Damian Markus, Dominic Malgas, Ezekiel Ngobeni, Gino Cupido, Imad Khan, Jared Africa, Joel Leotlela, Jurie Matthee, Justin Geduld, Kyle Smith, Luke Burger, Quewin Nortje, Ronald Brown, Sako Makata, Shilton van Wyk, Siya Ndlozi, Tristan Leyds
Is the Currie Cup Still What It Used to Be?
There’s a lot of talent on display, but some fans are asking the big question—has the Currie Cup lost its shine?
Between fixture congestion and changing priorities in the rugby calendar, many wonder if this iconic tournament still holds its place at the top of the South African rugby scene.