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Taute cleared for final return

Cape Town - Nizaam Carr and Jaco Taute have both been named in the Western Province run-on team to face the Golden Lions in Saturday's Currie Cup final at Newlands.

Eighthman Carr, one of the stand-out performers in this season's competition suffered a hip injury which forced him to withdraw midway through the first-half of last week's semi-final against the Blue Bulls.

Inside centre Taute picked up a rib injury which sidelined him for two weeks.

Although mercurial fullback Cheslin Kolbe did not train on Thursday, Province coach Allister Coetzee said there was nothing wrong with the player who had been rested.

Province had reverted to the traditional 4-3 split on the substitutes bench after opting for the 5-2 (five forwards, two backs) combination last week.

This meant there would be an extra backline player instead of a prop available for the final.

Last week, Province ran out of loose forward cover because of injuries during the match and centre Michael van der Spuy finished the match playing at flank.

"We've not gone for an extra prop this week because we wanted to make sure we've covered all our basis for the final," Coetzee said.

"We've decided to go with a 4-3 split and we would also want to make sure that everyone on the bench gets game time this week.

"We did want to fiddle with the team by playing Rynhardt Elstadt (flanker) at lock but Gerbrandt Grobler played well last week.

"That is why we chose him (Grobler) to provide lock cover from the bench."

In last year's final, Sharks produced a spate of chip kicks which helped to dismantle Province's defence.

"We have learnt from that experience and when the opposition does chip kick, it is a matter which we view as a team responsibility," Coetzee said.

"We are playing at home and there is added tension. The team has been relaxed all week and we did the things we normally do."

Earlier this year, Province president Thelo Wakefield said winning the Currie Cup was "not negotiable" for the head coach and his assistants.

This was loosely interpreted as a prerequisite for the coaches to retain their positions.

"This team and its management are not driven by fear," Coetzee said.

"Officials have a right to say what they wish to say.

"We want to produce a performance that is necessary to win the competition, and that's our mindset when we run out at Newlands on Saturday."

Province skipper Juan de Jongh said the Lions were highly impressive in their semi-final against the Sharks last week.

"We all saw what they did against the Sharks last week but we back ourselves. Our focus is to do what we plan to do and, on a personal note, I want to bring my 'A' game to the final."

Teams:

Western Province:
15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Alistair Vermaak

Substitutes: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Brok Harris, 19 Gerbrandt Grobler, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Michael van der Spuy

Golden Lions:
15 Jaco van der Walt, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Schalk van der Merwe

Substitutes: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Willie Britz, 20 Warwick Tecklenburg, 21 Mark Richards, 22 Harold Vorster

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