State of Jaco's brain vital for WP

Western Province are sweating on the fitness of emerging openside flank Jaco Coetzee for Saturday's Currie Cup final against the Sharks in Durban.

With his strong defence and ability to compete for the ball on the ground, Coetzee, 21, has been one of the finds of the season.

He left the field after only 21 minutes of their semifinal against the Golden Lions due to a head knock and failed his sideline head-injury assessment.

Protocol dictates he has to go through a series of escalating cognitive tests to ascertain whether he is fit to play this weekend.

"We will give Jaco until later in the week because the protocols escalate day by day as to the amount of contact he can take, and he's not there yet," coach John Dobson said.

"It would be a big loss if he didn't play because he has serious stopping power. That's why we will give him until as late as we can, but I hope he is going to make it."

If Coetzee fails to show enough improvement Sikhumbuzo Notshe should come in.

"Notch'' enjoyed a superb outing when he came on for Coetzee last weekend and was key in Western Province's 19-5 win over the Lions.

"Notch is a bit like [Nizaam Carr] in that he is a No8," Dobson said. "But he did a great job when he came on and if he has to start at No6 in the final he will have to alter his game slightly like he did last weekend."

Lock JD Schickerling will play after limping off with an ankle injury and he didn't train on Monday but will on Tuesday.

Centre EW Viljoen won't recover in time from a hamstring injury, also picked up against the Lions. Blitzbok Ruhan Nel or former Junior Springbok Dan du Plessis will start alongside Scotland international Huw Jones in the midfield.