WP coach Allister Coetzee made seven changes to his team for Saturday's Currie Cup clash against Griquas at Newlands.

Joe Pietersen, Louis Schreuder, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Frans Malherbe and Steven Kitshoff are all starting, while Gio Aplon and Don Armand are in positional changes.

In the backline, Pietersen will wear his regular No.15 jersey, after returning from injury against the Sharks last Saturday, with Aplon switching to the left wing.

Schreuder will start at scrumhalf, with Nic Groom dropping down to the bench after starting two matches in a row.

Up front Springbok squad member Frans Malherbe returns at tighthead in a double front row change; the youngsters (Malherbe and Steven Kitshoff) starting and the experienced duo of Brok Harris and Deon Carstens providing cover via the bench.

Elsewhere in the pack Don Armand shifts from lock to flank to cover for the suspended Tyrone Holmes at No.7. This will see WP Under-21 captain Wilhelm van der Sluys earn his first Currie Cup start for Province at lock.

There are two new faces on the bench this week.

Flyhalf Gary van Aswegen (in for Kurt Coleman - broken jaw) and loose forward JJ Gagiano.

Van Aswegen last featured for WP in the opening match of the season, whilst Gagiano will make his Currie Cup debut should he take to the field on Saturday.

Western Province: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Helmut Lehmann, 19 JJ Gagiano, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Gary van Aswegen, 22 Damian de Allende.

Date: Saturday, September 22
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00)
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistant referees: Sindile Mayende, Marc van Zyl
TMO: Deon van Blommestein