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Cape Town - Western Province will field an unchanged line-up in Saturday's Currie Cup final against the Golden Lions in Johannesburg (13:45 kick-off).
Coach John Dobson has wisely not tampered with the match-22 that beat the Blue Bulls 23-18 in last weekend’s semi-final in Pretoria, with outside centre Johnny Kotze (knock to the knee) cleared to take part in the final.
Kotze will start in his first-ever Currie Cup final, one of seven players doing so, while a total of 12 players in the match-day squad will be wearing WP colours in a final for the first time.
“We have a massive task ahead of us on Saturday, so it was good to retain this kind of (selection) continuity ahead of the final,” Dobson told the WP Rugby website.
“The Lions deserve to be hosting this weekend’s final. They’re unbeaten and have been consistently brilliant throughout the season, so we are certainly up against it.”
The WP Under-21s will also be involved in a final at Ellis Park on Saturday, emulating their senior team’s achievement of four consecutive final appearances.
“There is a certain amount of resilience in this team of ours,” said Dobson, who was the WP Under-21 coach from 2010 until 2014.
“I thought the guys showed good signs against the Bulls last week, but we certainly need to take it up a notch against this Lions side who will be looking to make up for last year’s final and ensure their current unbeaten run is rewarded with some silverware.”
Juan de Jongh will again skipper the WP team on Saturday, with loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff playing in his final match for the union before he departs for France at the end of the season.
Teams:
Golden Lions:
15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Courtnall Skosan, 13. Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12. Howard Mnisi, 11. Anthony Volmink, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Warren Whiteley, 7. Kwagga Smith, 6. Jaco Kriel (captain), 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Lourens Erasmus, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Jacques van Rooyen
Substitutes: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Ruan Dreyer, 18. Fabian Booysen, 19. Stephan de Witt, 20. Jaco van der Walt, 21. Stokkies Hanekom, 22. Sampie Mastriet
Western Province:
15. Cheslin Kolbe, 14. Dillyn Leyds, 13. Johnny Kotze, 12. Juan de Jongh (captain), 11. Seabelo Senatla, 10. Robert du Preez, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Nizaam Carr, 7. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6. Rynhardt Elstadt, 5. Ruan Botha, 4. Jean Kleyn, 3. Wilco Louw, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16. Michael Willemse, 17. Oli Kebble, 18. Chris van Zyl, 19. Jurie van Vuuren, 20. Jano Vermaak, 21. Kurt Coleman, 22. Huw Jones
