Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has recalled All Black lock Chris Jack to the starting line-up to face the Sharks in a crucial top-of-the-table Currie Cup clash in Durban on Saturday.
Jack replaces Adriaan Fondse in the second row in the only change to the starting team that beat the Lions 25-20 at Newlands last weekend.
Fondse's season has come to a premature end after suffering a knee injury last weekend, with promising lock, De Kock Steenkamp moving onto the bench.
Springbok scrumhalf Bolla Conradie has also been promoted to the matchday 22 because of the injury to back-up No.9 Conrad Hoffmann.
The Sharks heads up the Currie Cup log on 27 points, three points clear of WP and Coetzee believes his team are the underdogs heading into Saturday's encounter.
"To be number two on the log at this stage and facing the top side is going to be a big challenge," Coetzee told reporters on Wednesday.
"The Sharks have got [Juan Martin] Hernandez, Johann Muller and Rory Kockott back and we will be up against a confident Sharks side.
"We are the underdogs but it's a great opportunity and we want to go out there and give a great display."
Province had major flyhalf problems this week with Hoffmann, Peter Grant and Willem de Waal carrying injuries. Grant did not train on Monday and he was also absent at Wednesday?s defensive session.
Fullback Joe Pietersen ran at flyhalf instead but Coetzee stressed that Grant was being kept in cotton wool for the coastal derby and there are no concerns over his fitmess.
"This is a time of the season where a lot of provinces are sitting with niggles," he explained.
"It's just to be proactive and to make sure we have a fit Peter Grant running out on Saturday as well as Wikus Blaauw and Brok Harris [who also sat out training on Wednesday.
Western Province: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Juan De Jongh, 12 Morgan Newman, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenhage, 8 Luke Watson (captain), 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Anton van Zyl, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JD Moller, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Bolla Conradie, 21 Frikkie Welsh, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.
Date: Saturday, 29 August
Venue: ABSA Stadium, Durban
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant referee: Lourens van der Merwe, Reuben Rossouw
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
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