BROK MY WORLD

WESTERN Province will be giving a few club rugby players a shot at earning a professional contract after being called up to represent the union in the Currie Cup Premier Division this year.

Retired Stormers prop and Western Province assistant coach, Brok Harris, said the Kaapse span will be relying heavily on club talent as well as players in their Under-20 ranks to try and win this year’s competition.

The last time Province won the Currie Cup was in 2017, but in the last three season’s they have failed to reach the playoffs.

This year, Harris says, WP are looking to end their title drought and feels that giving youth and grassroots talent a shot, could be the way to go.

And that is why club players Carlo van Greunen (lock), Brendan Venter (centre) and De Wet Marais (flank) have been given a shot at making a name for themselves in this year’s Currie Cup.

Harris wysed: “The guys that we have identified will be part of our campaign till the end. It won’t be a thing of in and out – we only need you for two weeks – kind of thing. It is for the entire duration of the Currie Cup.

“They have contributed, they have worked hard, been pushing for guys who don’t have contracts, they have been pushing. So, they can play for a [professional] contract.”

Harris added that U20 talent will also be utilised, but that returning Junior Springboks like championship-winning captain Riley Norton will be rested after leading his country to the world title.

He said: “We are going to give them a little bit of a break. I think it is a great occasion, the first time in 13 years, so well done to them. The guys who have trained with us will play.”

And of there being no chance that big-name Stormers will be used during the Currie Cup, Harris added: "They are going into pre-season... we don’t have a big squad like the Bulls.”

WP tackle the Blue Bulls in their Currie Cup opening game at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.