Deon Fourie will captain Western Province in his 100th match against the Boland Cavaliers at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
The experienced Fourie, who brought up his Stormers century in the inaugural Vodacom URC final in 2022, leads a star-studded team for their final match of the 2025 Currie Cup.
WP are currently bottom of the log with six defeats from as many matches.
Having made his WP debut back in 2006, Fourie went on to lift the Currie Cup as captain in 2012 and on Saturday becomes only one of two players alongside current forwards coach Brok Harris to play 100 games for both WP and the Stormers.
He starts at openside flank in a team featuring 13 changes to the starting XV, with fullback Luke Burger and tighthead prop Zachary Porthen the only two retaining their places.
Porthen is joined by hooker JJ Kotze and Vernon Matongo in the front row, with Ruben van Heerden and JD Schickerling linking up in the second row.
Fourie will have fellow Springbok Evan Roos alongside him in the loose trio, with Marcel Theunissen at blindside flank.
Stefan Ungerer and Jean-Luc du Plessis form the halfback pairing, with Jonathan Roche and Ruhan Nel in midfield.
Burger will have Seabelo Senatla and Leolin Zas at the back with him, while there will also be first appearances of the season from prop Vernon Matongo, lock Adre Smith, scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage and utility back Wandisile Simelane from the bench.
“All of the players coming in have been hard at work in pre-season and training alongside our squad for some time,” said WP head coach Labeeb Levy. “We are determined to end the season with a quality performance in front of our fans against an impressive Boland Cavaliers side.”
Levy also paid tribute to Fourie.
“Deon is a phenomenal player and an incredible example to all those around him. To think that he made his debut 19 years ago is quite something and he is as competitive today as he ever was. This is an amazing achievement by one of the great Western Province men.’
WESTERN PROVINCE – 15 Luke Burger, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Deon Fourie (c), 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Vernon Matongo.
Bench: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Cabous Eloff, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Connor Evans, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Wandisile Simelane.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
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