Western Province are calling on the real Joshua Stander to please stand up.
With flyhalf Damian Willemse in Argentina with the Springboks and Jean-Luc du Plessis battling with a hip injury again, coach John Dobson believes Stander has what it takes to bring some attacking flair to the WP backline as they look to successfully defend their Currie Cup title this year.
Du Plessis is battling with the same hip injury that kept him sidelined from March 2017 up until the end of this year’s Super Rugby tournament.
Dobson reveals that the medical team doesn’t really want to operate again, but if they do Du Plessis might be set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Fullback Dillyn Leyds has been used as a makeshift flyhalf before, but Dobson believes the team will lose a lot with him not manning the back of their line.
As for Willemse, Dobson says: “Obviously you don’t want him to come back, but he’ll change our campaign at the same time.
“The original plan was that he might come back during the [Springboks’] Australasia tour, but he can change that with his performances on the field.
“I think we all know the quality of Damian, so we’re not planning one second around him because he’s such a good player.
“I will expect him to do very well at any level.”
The plan then involves Stander, who has been viewed as a bit of a conservative selection at flyhalf.
Dobson, though, says the 24-year-old might surprise with his flair and his a shoo-in to wear the No.10 jersey against the Free State Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday.
Dobson explains: “We’re happy with how Joshua Stander has gone [in the SuperSport Challenge].
“What has happened with Josh is that he’s come into a new environment with a new style of play - he wasn’t really part of the John Mitchell-era at the Bulls.
“So he is now finding a bit more of his attacking game – if you’ve seen him at school, he was a really exceptional attacking flyhalf and hopefully we get him back to playing his natural game.”