Gents to u remember your first experience at Newlands.

Mine was in the early eighties and my old man took me. Craven Stand, i don't know if we had standing room tickets cos that was all we could afford or if we weren't allowed anywhere else.

Coming up those steps and seeing that field was awsome. Carel Du Plessis and the likes seemed huge.

No matter the politics, that day made me a WP SUPPORTER.

 Similar experience , I remember seeing the old carpet grass WP had back then ! It was the first time ever I saw grass like that. U guys remmeber that ? The team on that day had in Tiaan  , Ger Smal I think , jassis , whats that hookers name now ? erm erm......fo kit man ! and Neil Hugo at lock I think 

Shaun Povey?

United Bank was the sponsor of the Currie Cup and WP fullback was Calla Scholtz

Martin van Schalkwyk?

The WP I grew up on :

15 Calla Scholtz
14 Neil Burger
13 Faffa Knoetze
12 Goggie VHeerden and Michael Du Plessis
11 Carel Du Plessis
10 Colin Beck
9 Divan Serfontein
8 Morne Du Plessis
7 Gert Smal
6 Schalk Burger
5 Neil Hugo
4 Div Visser
3 Hempies Du Toit
2 Shaun Povey
1 ???

Not the team but players in those positions I remember vividly .. also from different eras in WP rugby ..

I think i am a bit younger than you Josh, I am of the Keith Andrews and Andrew Patterson days.

Tiaan Strauss, Laurent Cabbanne and then some of the guys you mentioned.

No1. Henning van Aswegen?

I cant remember my first WP Game at Newlands, but my first Stormers game was the 1999 Semi Final at Newlands againts the Highlanders, I got to see All Blacks Josh Kronfeld, Taine Randall, Tony Brown, Jeff Wilson, Pita Alatini. Although I am a Stormers supporter, Since that day my favourite NZ team is the Highlanders. They got a bit of a hiding this morning.

In 1970 my parents moved from PE to C/Town and we lived in a block of flats in Protea Road, Newlands. Used to go to club games every Saturday. I remember the All Blacks in I think 1974, with Colin Meads and Kirpatrick. I remember Ian McCullum marking the ball in front of me and I think Meads(a giant of a man), who had been charging down on him, patted him on the head, Chris Pope scored a try. I remember 1976 when WP played Vrystaat (I think the final?) when Peter Whipp and Oosthuizen were outstanding. Showing my age!

Oh yes as well as Kobus Burger ... the left wing ..
I remember him getting a massive tackle and head knock .. the commentators were fearing the worst cos Burger Geldenhuys put in the hit .. He just got up and shrugged it off ...

Henning Van Aswegen thats right ...
That WP manne used to play rugby ek se .. champagne rugby ..

Don't forget Danie Gerber

Danie only came into the piece much later my friend .. he was an EP boytjie ..
there u look at Garth Wright, Frans Erasmus , China Bell .. Adri Geldenguys NTVL : Louis Moolman , Heinrich Rogers .. Uli bully .. Burger Geldenguys .. Nasty Booter .. and whats that fullbacks name again ??? Johan Heunis ja ...
Free State had the likes of De Wet Ras .. Wessel Lightfoot .. jirre but thats years back hey ...

Josh K wrote: The WP I grew up on :

15 Calla Scholtz
14 Neil Burger
13 Faffa Knoetze
12 Goggie VHeerden and Michael Du Plessis
11 Carel Du Plessis
10 Colin Beck
9 Divan Serfontein
8 Morne Du Plessis
7 Gert Smal
6 Schalk Burger
5 Neil Hugo
4 Div Visser
3 Hempies Du Toit
2 Shaun Povey
1 ???

Not the team but players in those positions I remember vividly .. also from different eras in WP rugby ..

Throw in John Villet, Robbie Blair and Hennie Bekker and this was a super team.I don't think any WP team have come close to demanding the amount of respect that they had. Each man was a "giant" in his position. Vivid memories of Faffa running round his opposition, Niel Burger over them, Calla cutting the line at will, Niel hugo tremendous line-out forward and the rampaging runs of Schalk Burger and Div Visser. Ofcourse who can forget the silky smooth stepper in Carel Du Plessis and the commander in chief Divan Serfontein. All great players in there own right. 

And they were players with tremendous skill too .. who can also forget Colin Beck ... vandag se mannetjies moet maar een kant staan vir die manne .. Carel had more of a swerve than step , but it was so drastic it would take his opposition time to recover the distance he gained .. IMO one on a lifetime players .. I'll never forget when Calla played with his white boots, the commentators went on and on .. had an off day with the boot too ... also will remember how his career ended against FS ... what a shame.