Captaincy change for Province?
Western Province may be forced to change their captain and highly successful loose forward combination for the Currie Cup Final.
Province coach Allister Coetzee admitted that a neck injury sustained by captain Deon Fourie could necessitate a change ahead of their showdown with the Sharks at Newlands on Saturday.
"The doc [team doctor] is seeing two players who I am concerned about," Coetzee told Monday's media briefing.
"Deon Fourie has a neck muscle spasm and a bit of a knock to the muscle," the WP mentor said, adding: "There is a bit of bleeding there.
"I'll give him as much time as possible to recover."
He also revealed that lock De Kock Steenkamp has a few "bumps and bruises".
"He [Steenkamp] is of a lesser concern for me," Coetzee said.
The WP coach said veteran Bok loose forward Schalk Burger, still working his way back to full match fitness, could start the game at a push.
However, he is more likely to get another run off the bench in the Final.
"I just think the balance [among the loose forwards] at this stage is spot on," Coetzee said, adding: "He [Burger] comes on in the last 20 minutes and with Deon [Fourie] bring the team home.
"He makes good decisions and his experience counts a lot.
"I think Schalla [Burger] still needs a bit of game time off the bench before we can say he can start. You want your starters to cope at least for 60 minutes."
If Fourie fails a fitness test the WP coach has a few options.
"Siya Kolisi could move to No.6 and Rynhard Elstadt could start," he said, adding: "Or you could start Schalla.
"Once we hear more from the team doctor, and have had our meetings and have done all our analysis, we will discuss the selection options we have available ahead of the Final."
