Western Province coach John Dobson is bringing some intrigue back at the union.
Dobson announced last Thursday that Springbok Damian Willemse would play at flyhalf for WP in the north-south derby against the Blue Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.
Straight after his team announcement, rumours were doing the rounds that Willemse would play at fullback, with Dillyn Leyds suffering from a calf injury.
In his team announcement, Dobson also said that apparently the Bulls would target some of his players.
So het hulle gehoor.
Here’s the thing; Dobson knows how to use the media to create a stir. He knows the media industry and he is doing it well.
But where do you draw the line with the mind games?
It was confirmed before kickoff on Saturday that Willemse would play at fullback, with Josh Stander at flyhalf.
That obviously had such a big impact on opposition flyhalf Manie Libbok that he simply couldn’t catch a ball.
It would have had an impact on the Bulls’ game plan, even if the rain stayed away.
The two teams face each other again this weekend in the semifinal of the Currie Cup and I’m sure we will see more mind games heading into this clash.
At some point, though, these kind of games have a way of catching up with you. For now, though, let’s wish Dobson and his team well ahead of the Newlands tie.