Pumas on the brink
11 Jul 2006
Pumas coach Chris Grobler is expecting a Blue Bulls backlash when the two teams clash in the Absa Currie Cup on Saturday.
But he is confident his team can withstand the onslaught and emerge with their first victory of the current Currie Cup campaign. A defeat for the visitors could already spell disaster at this early stage of the season.
After stumbling to a loss at the hands of Luke Watson’s Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, the Bulls are in danger of losing touch with the front-runners in the race for a home semi-final.
With the Sharks a good bet to get maximum points against Griquas in Kimberley and the on-fire Cheetahs travelling to Newlands, they could both stretch the gap even more if the Bulls stumble.
“The Bulls will be more dangerous now they have lost,” Grobler told keo.co.za. “They can’t afford to lose another at this stage of the season especially with the Cheetahs and Sharks in top form.”
The Cheetahs and Sharks are the only unbeaten teams after three rounds, with Rassie Erasmus’s defending champions taking a full house of 15 points from a possible 15. The Sharks have also impressed and have 14 points to show for their efforts so far. The Bulls and Province follow in third and fourth place on 10 points, with the Bulls ahead on points difference.
And the Bulls must not expect any favours from their neighbours in Witbank on Saturday. “We always compete better at home, as we showed against Western Province in the first round, and I feel we are on the brink of something big,†said Grobler.
“The players are frustrated after letting chances slip away in the first three games, but that is more due to a lack of concentration than lack of talent.â€
By Andrew Hollely
12 Comments
11 Jul 2006, 06:09 am
More Andrew, up early again I see!
11 Jul 2006, 06:14 am
More Koos!!
11 Jul 2006, 06:15 am
Koos
Ek besef nou jy moet dit in afrikaans lees!!
11 Jul 2006, 06:21 am
Hehehe Lemoen, dit het Andrew ook ‘n rukkie gevat!
11 Jul 2006, 06:24 am
Dit moes!! Oupa Snyman wil terug Frankryk toe!! Dus goeie nuus want hy darm absoluut niks beteken vir SA nie!!
11 Jul 2006, 06:26 am
Jou stuk gesien oor oupa Andre, een wat JW verkeerd gekry het.
11 Jul 2006, 07:09 am
Ha you never know.
11 Jul 2006, 07:21 am
The bulls have only lost the one game (same as WP) and all of a sudden they are in danger of not making a semi. This weekend freestate is playing wp, so there will be one loser which will close the gap.
Bulls to come back this season and make everybody eat their words.
11 Jul 2006, 07:27 am
Jurgens, lees weer en hierdie keer ‘n bietjie stadiger…’losing touch with the front runners in the race for a home semi-final’! En die moontlikheid van ‘n home final…
11 Jul 2006, 07:29 am
Bulls to meet the Cheetahs in the cc final.
11 Jul 2006, 07:31 am
Congrats on the 10 pompies! Its a double round, lets see where the teams are after the first round. A good start does not mean a good finish but currently the Cheetahs are cooking…
11 Jul 2006, 13:49 pm
The bulls will be in the semi, only not a home semi!! Though the bulls will probably win this weekend, they played the Valke already, so next weekend they need to face the Cheetahs and the sharks…..Not easy games (They thus far had two, valke and lions) Wp had their 2 tuff games off which they won 1 and took 2 points out of the other.
Will be the difference… WP will play Cheetahs away in semi and Sharks will play bulls home in semi….So a WP Shark Final!!!!
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