Western Province coach Allister Coetzee faces the tricky balancing act of challenging for top honours in the Currie Cup this year while also developing some promising talent for the future.

The Cape side's first Currie Cup fixture is against Griquas at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday, July 16 and Coetzee is already hard at work preparing a competitive team without his Springboks.

The Western Province boss commented: "Our investment over the years into structures in the Western Province has seen our Institute, Under-19's and U21's produce some exceptional young talent. 11 of these players racked up a combined 53 Stormers caps in this year's Super Rugby competition, most before securing a senior WP cap.

We will certainly be continuing with our strategy of developing and growing our talent with the dual aims of doing well in this year's competition and building our depth and experience crucial for our Super Rugby challenge in 2012. With many of our senior players on national duty in a World Cup year, this Currie Cup season represents a massive opportunity for all our younger stars in the making," he added.

Western Province's depth will certainly be tested as they attempt to go one better than their runner-up position last year and end the ten-year trophy drought in the Cape.