Ex-Bok hooker to captain WP in friendly against Zimbabwe

Former Springbok hooker Scarra Ntubeni will captain a Western Province XV in a friendly match against the Zimbabwe Goshawks in Harare on Friday.

Ntubeni, 32, played one Test for the Springboks against Argentina at Loftus Versfeld in 2019. His career has been plagued by injury but he's featured consistently for WP in this season's Currie Cup campaign where they finished fifth.

WP coach John Dobson has opted for a youthful side.

Ntubeni will start in the No 2 jersey, with props Leon Lyons and Corne Weilbach either side of him in the front row. Adre Smith and Connor Evans will start in the second row.

Ben-Jason Dixon, Armand Maritz and Chad Solomon make up the loose trio, with scrumhalf Godlen Masimla and flyahalf Jurie Matthee continuing their halfback partnership.

Cornel Smit and Mnombo Zwelendaba will link up in midfield, with Luke Burger, Lloyd Koster and Chris Hollis forming an exciting back three outside them.

15 Lloyd Koster, 14 Chris Hollis, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Luke Burger, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Andre-Hugo Venter, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Chad Solomon, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Adre Smith, 3 Corne Weilbach, 2 Scarra Ntubeni (captain), 1 Leon Lyons

Substitutes: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Armand Maritz, 20 Labib Kannemeyer, 21 Jonathan Roche, 22 Jean-Luc du Plessis

Dobson said the trip to Zimbabwe would be a nice learning curve for the players.

"We have seen some of these players really put their hands up in the Currie Cup, so this is a good opportunity for them to gain some experience in a different environment.

"We are excited to see how these combinations go against what will be a tough and competitive Goshawks team," the coach said.

Friday's clash at the Harare