Win or lose, WP coaches safe

Cape Town - Western Province president Thelo Wakefield says the WP coaches won't be sacked if they lose the Currie Cup final to the Golden Lions this Saturday.

Wakefield earlier this season demanded that WP win the Currie Cup after the Stormers finished the Super Rugby season in a lowly 11th position - their worst effort since finishing 10th in 2009.

He said at the time that coach Allister Coetzee's position of senior professional coach was being evaluated by Director of Rugby Gert Smal.

Coetzee and his assistants - Robbie Fleck and Matt Proudfoot - responded well and took WP to top spot on the overall Currie Cup log.

At the weekend, they beat the Blue Bulls 31-23 in the semi-finals and will now host the Golden Lions in Saturday's final at Newlands (17:00 kick-off).

WP also hosted last year's final but lost 33-19 to the Sharks and it appears another final loss would not mean the end of Messrs Coetzee, Fleck and Proudfoot.

"I wouldn't say there is a sword hanging over their heads. Allister, Matt and Fleckie have done well to bring us this far," Wakefield told Die Burger.

"(But) they need to realise how important the Currie Cup is for our fans. The three flowers of our emblem - the red disa - are the players, leadership and fans."

With Coetzee as head coach, WP/Stormers teams have contested four finals and won only once - which was the 2012 Currie Cup final against the Sharks.

The Stormers lost the 2010 Super Rugby final against the Bulls, as well as the 2010 and 2013 Currie Cup finals against the Sharks.