Western Province are expecting “a bit of Cape flats in your face in Welkom” according to coach Labeeb Levy when they tackle the Griffons in the Currie Cup there on Friday at 3pm.
Expecting a hostile reception from the tournament’s wooden-spooners, Levy explains ahead of their trip to North Free State: “For a lot of the youngsters [in the squad] - a number of them come from big schools into Craven Week and into SA U20. They don’t play club rugby, they don’t play against Tygerberg against False Bay where they get the hardebaard, onbeskoftigheid, in-your-face-type rugby.
The Welkom experience is going to be good for them, it’s not Moses Mabhida or Kings Park or Cape Town Stadium… it’s a different vibe…
Things are continuing to heat up as we head into round 1️⃣0️⃣of the #CurrieCup 🔥![CDATA[]]>😬
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“We’re gonna get a bit of Cape flats in your face in Welkom.”
The son of former Springbok hardman Andre, Andre-Hugo, 21, knows all about how unwelcome Welkom can be.
Having grown up in Free State and having regularly played age-group level rugby against the Griffons, he says: “Growing up in the Free State I can tell you one thing, it’s not going to be easy.
“Playing the Griffons somewhere else might be different, but playing them on their own turf is like playing Griquas in Kimberley. The field is hard, hard crowd and I don’t know why but for some reason they are really a tougher side in Welkom as opposed to anywhere else.”