Currie Cup preview: Semi-finals
21 Oct 2011
GARETH DUNCAN analyses the key match-ups and picks the winners for Saturday’s Currie Cup semi-finals.
SHARKS vs CHEETAHS, DURBAN, 14:30
Why the Sharks will win: While most South Africans are still mourning the Springboks’ World Cup quarter-final exit, John Plumtree will be overjoyed with the reinforcements he’s gained over the past fortnight. And for this semi-final fixture, the Kiwi coach has brought out his big guns. He’s selected an all-Bok front row (including the best all-round hooker in the game Bismarck du Plessis), powerhouse Willem Alberts, a game breaker in JP Pietersen and a playmaker in Pat Lambie. They all fall into a side that boasts the second-best defensive record in the Currie Cup this season (they have only conceded three more points than WP) and will also strengthen their attacking capabilities. The Achilles heel in this Sharks team is their midfield – a combination that has failed to fire throughout this campaign. Plumtree has selected veterans Marius Joubert and Stefan Terblanche to take charge, but they’ll have to pick up their game to have the upper hand against the younger combination of Andries Strauss and Robert Ebersohn. Despite this, however, the Sharks should still have too much class to lose to the visiting Cheetahs. Barring the centres, this is arguably the strongest team in the Currie Cup.
Why the Cheetahs will win: There’s major hype around the return of 19-year-old flyhalf Johan Goosen to the Cheetahs’ run-on side. And rightfully so – he’s been a standout performer in his debut senior season on attack and with the boot. Although he has a lack of experience, he has the attributes to be a match-winner. The main concern is if he’ll be able to last 60 minutes as he’s been taken off around the half-time mark because of injury more than once in his last six games. Sias Ebersohn will be expected to play a ‘super sub’ role off the bench. While Goosen will be crucial to the Cheetahs’ chances, their loose trio also have a vital role to play. The Sharks showed what they’re capable of against the Lions last weekend once they gained the ascendancy up front. Boom Prinsloo, Ashley Johnson and Lappies Labuschagne will have the responsibility of halting the Sharks’ momentum at the breakdowns and tackle points. The battle between skipper Adriaan Strauss (who would be a regular Test hooker in any other country) and opposite number Bismarck du Plessis will also be immense. However, the Cheetahs’ defensive record at the death this season is a major concern. In hindsight, it’s a problem that’s cost them a home semi-final. It’s unlikley they’ll be able to fix that problem in a week – they are likely to fold in the second stanza.
Gareth’s call: Sharks by 12
Sharks – 15 Pat Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Marius Joubert, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Keegan Daniel (c), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Jean Deysel/Anton Bresler, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Eugene van Staden, 18 Marcell Coetzee, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Lwazi Mvovo
Cheetahs – 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Ryno Benjamin, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Cameron Jacobs, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Ashley Johnson, 6 Lappies Labuschagne, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Philip van der Walt, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Subs: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Johan Wessels, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Nico Scheepers.
LIONS vs WP, JOHANNESBURG, 17:00
Why the Lions will win: Credit must be given to the Lions for their Currie Cup campaign. While the competition field was weakened by the absence of the Springboks, staying at the top of the log for the entire campaign is no easy feat. However, their recent form is a concern, having only won one match in their last four fixtures. That win did come against WP, but they’ll be up against a stronger team this week. It also includes a 53-9 drubbing at the hands of the Sharks last weekend. Allister Coetzee said midweek that nothing can be taken out of that match because John Mitchell made several changes for their trip to Durban. But what can be noted is once the Lions pack is dominated, they struggle. The Lions’ forwards have been central to their domestic success this season, and will need a strong showing if they want to host the final next weekend. You can expect a brave first-half performance up front, but they’ll need to maintain that momentum after the break. Mitchell has also decided to keep Elton Jantjies as his 10 ahead of Springbok Butch James. Jantjies hasn’t been as consistent this season as he was last year, especially with the boot. He’ll need a big performance, and will have the important job of spearheading his team that will face a strong WP backline.
Why WP will win: Province are keen on breaking their six-year domestic losing streak at Ellis Park, and they’ll have their strongest possible team to do so. With six Boks in their run-on side, they look the better team on paper. The main question will be: can their heavies play a commanding role? Against the Pumas last weekend, they faltered in the scrums and their defence has been uncharacteristically shaky in the latter stages of the league phase. They can’t afford that against the Jozi mongrels. If the forwards can win the ascendancy, then half the battle will be won. Coetzee will be hoping his halfback combination of UCT scrumhalf Nick Groom and flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis can step up to the occasion – this is no Varsity Cup playoff. They have looked impressive this year and will be relieved to be facing Jantjies and not the physical James. WP will hope Catrakilis can last the 80 minutes on this occasion, considering Gio Aplon and Conrad Jantjes are the back-up pivots. The midfield of Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie will be instrumental in the way the backline performs and Aplon will be a huge threat in the back three if the game loosens up.
Gareth’s call: WP by 7
Lions – 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon Van Rensburg, 13 Doppies la Grange, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Joshua Strauss (c), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco Van der Merwe, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 CJ Van der Linde.
Subs: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Warren Whiteley, 19 Cobus Grobbelaar/Jaco Kriel, 20 Butch James, 21 Dylan des Fountain, 22 James Kamana.
WP – 15 Gio Aplon, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nick Koster, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger (c), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JC Kritzinger.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Tertius Daniller, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Conrad Jantjes.
137 Comments
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21 Oct 2011, 11:56 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-45: Ah! Typical sharks supporters to find an out-of-date application when everybody else got bored with it years ago.
21 Oct 2011, 11:57 am
@Bouts(Bouts)-49: I don’t know the specifics. It’s not ‘underhanded’, just ‘clever’. If we fooled the boneheads with Willem Alberts and Louis Ludick – we can do it again.
In any case, look at what it did for Gerhard Mostert’s career ? If he had stayed in the Lions, Stade Francais would never even have heard of him.
21 Oct 2011, 11:59 am
@Bouts(Bouts)-51: Ah – Typical Cheetahs supporter that can’t follow the context of an argument.
Your dom doos buddy said that the Sharks wouldn’t have enough fans on facebook. I just answered him. Try keep with….
21 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
Can’t wait to see this big mouthed Sharky in the form of Dusky, watching the final and wondering…how did this happen?? Donnerse grootbek!! Sulke snotneusies log gewoonlik nie in op ‘n Maandag nie. So brace yourself, we won’t hear from this clown soon!
21 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-53: Haha… you are a special one.
21 Oct 2011, 12:01 pm
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-54: Like Lions supporters that we didn’t hear much from after the 2nd or 3rd game of the Super 15 ?
21 Oct 2011, 12:01 pm
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-54: Same **** different tourney for old Dusky. Did you see him at the end of the S15 this year with his groot bek? Me neither….
21 Oct 2011, 12:02 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-55: No – I am just normal. Horribly under-intelligent people are actually in the minority in this world.
21 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
Ye sure, I am talking about you…going off about your wonder team who still need to win their game!
21 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-57: Damn, at least I was still around when the playoffs came around. Not wondering how, after beating my chest like the lead drummer in a marching band, my team ended up second last on the log.
21 Oct 2011, 12:04 pm
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-59: Looks to me like you are talking to yourself. But that is to be expected.
21 Oct 2011, 12:04 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-57: Dis daai nikswerd Sharkies wat die Bulondersteuners kritiseer en se hulle is vlak. Die ou is ‘n joke!
21 Oct 2011, 12:05 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-51: And by the way, facebook hasn’t even been discovered in the Free State yet – so, no wonder you don’t know much about it.
21 Oct 2011, 12:06 pm
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-62: Ag jirretog, moet tog nie beginne tjank nie ****….
21 Oct 2011, 12:07 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-61: Aren’t you from Australia? Seems like it, arrogant and actually don’t watch rugby, but loves Aussie rules! Jy is ‘n serious plonker boet!
21 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-65: Oh, I watch rugby, but I only started watching the Currie Cup last weekend, because I don’t enjoy watching Vodacom Cup or Premier Division as it was before that. Of course, I see that in that Vodacom Cup competition, it seems the Lions managed to win enough games to make the top of the log by 2 points. Well done.
But now that’s over see.
21 Oct 2011, 12:11 pm
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-65: Yes, I am an Aussie that can speak Afrikaans….just like the Sharks don’t have any supporters on facebook.
21 Oct 2011, 12:11 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-66: Gaan kry ‘n boekie seun en gaan tos, want smaak my jy is gefrustreerd. Ek het nou klaar met die nikswerd gepraat en nou praat ons weer rugby. Bye bye dingbat!!
21 Oct 2011, 12:12 pm
Hahaha , love these lions vs sharkies brawls. Meanwhile, Province is silently lurking in Gauteng…
21 Oct 2011, 12:12 pm
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-62: Relax LL. Die manne is oraait hier selfs ou Dusky hier (hier is ‘n doose). Hulle staan maar net op vir hulle span soos ons vir die Leeus. Net jammer van hulle begin persoonlik as dit bietjie warm word. Kak byt is mos nie meer kak byt van ouds nie. Party mense skiet maar dik nek.
21 Oct 2011, 12:12 pm
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-68: Ok dom doos. Nou hou dan op praat met my.
21 Oct 2011, 12:14 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-70: Ag, now you ruin it. Old Loyal Lion was sitting behind his computer, veins popping out his neck, furiously thinking (or trying to at least) of clever things to say….I was enjoying it…
21 Oct 2011, 12:15 pm
@Slappes(Slappes)-69: I don’t know how I ended up in this conversation, because I have no doubt whatsoever that the Lions little Currie Cup dream will end this weekend.
Every time the Springboks are out during a world cup year, the Lions do well in the Currie Cup. So – they can look forward again to another 4 years time. But – now we are klaar gespeel. Time for real rugby, and a strength vs. strength final.
Sharks vs. WP
21 Oct 2011, 12:19 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-70: Nee wat die grapjas werk my glad nie op nie. Hy praat ‘n klomp strond, het beperkte kennis en is totaal onvolwasse…Sy opinies is soos malema s’n…net ‘n klomp kak!
21 Oct 2011, 12:20 pm
You see now HHS….
21 Oct 2011, 12:22 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-70: halo hhs,ek sien die manne raak warm oor ons in die finaal gaan speel of hoe,jy was lanklaas op wtr of is dit ek?
21 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-76: I am not getting ‘warm’ about the Lions chances of making the final. Quite frankly, I think the Sharks have a better chance of winning the Currie Cup against the Lions at Ellis Park than they do against WP, even in Durban.
So, in all honesty – I would prefer the Lions win. It just isn’t going to happen.
Time to wake up and smell the coffee.
21 Oct 2011, 12:25 pm
ek gee nie eintlik om wat se kak die dusky ou of vrou praat nie ,dit is die eerste keer in n dekade dat die lions in n finaal is en ek vir een is moerse bly ,al verloor ons maak nie saak nie ons was daar en die ander spanne is nou kak bang want die lions is weer na jare op dreuf en nou wil hulle weer al ons ouens koop om op hulle bench te sit ,nou dis n klomp bang gatte as jy my vra
21 Oct 2011, 12:25 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-76: Ja nee. Ag man dis mos lekker hierdie “banter”. Ek is nog daar by WTR… gister daai KingPaul bietjie kak gebyt oor sy WP trui. Ek is elke dag daar.
21 Oct 2011, 12:26 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-77: wat kan ek se,jy weet mos beter
21 Oct 2011, 12:28 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-79: ja ek het gesien jy se die man se trui kak,mooi wat soek hy anyway op die lions site met sy kak wp trui,hy soek mos om gemoer te raak,ek het jou al n paar keer hier gesien ,maar die site is darem baie meer rassisties en onbeskof as ons sin ne,maar ek laaik dit eintlik beter,want almal se hier presies hoe hulle voel
21 Oct 2011, 12:28 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-78: Hulle gaan nou net weer daai 4 jaar plan ding op bring. Wat seker maar waar is. Maar hulle moet maar hulle ogies oop hou vir ons. Nico doen ook goeie goed by die jonges. Aan die begin van die seisoen het ons net pak gekry en nou is altwee groepe in die semi’s.
21 Oct 2011, 12:29 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-78: Umm – die Lions is nog nie in die finaal nie, en gaan ook nie wees nie. En hulle was laas in ‘n finaal in 2007 – so, nie ‘n dekade nie. Kry jou feite reg eier poep.
En ek is glad nie bang vir die Leeus nie. Ek is meer bang vir die Cheetahs, en ask WP die finaal haal sal ek ook nie baie gemaklik wees nie. Leeus worry my niks. Hulle het naal skraap gewen teen die Sharks B span op Ellis Park, and hulle gatte behoorlik gesien in Durban laas naweek.
21 Oct 2011, 12:29 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-77: is n dusky nie n hond nie?o sorry dis husky ,sorry dusky
21 Oct 2011, 12:31 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-81: As julle bietjie minder dink aan moer, en bietjie meer boeke lees, sal julle bietjie slimmer gewees het, en ook geweet het die Lions het 4 jaar laas die final gemaak, en dat hulle nog nie in hierdie jaar se final is nie.
21 Oct 2011, 12:32 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-84: Nee eier poep, Dusky is ‘n tipe Haai. Nie te moelik om dit te redeneer nie of hoe ?
21 Oct 2011, 12:33 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-83: want hulle wou julle net so bietjie fals hoop gee dis al,en ek laaik daai b span van julle,nog baie bokke daar of hoe
21 Oct 2011, 12:34 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-85: ek dink jy het dit al gese vroer en ek het jou gehoor ,jy hoef nie alles te herhaal nie ,ek **** die eerste keer,eier poep??? hoe oud is jy ???
21 Oct 2011, 12:35 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-86: lees asb weer wat ek gese het asb
21 Oct 2011, 12:35 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-87: Ja, die Sharks se B span het Bokke in. Die wat of een toets gespeel het, of omtrent 10 jare laas ‘n Springbok trui gesien het.
Leeus was goed genoeg om die Sharks B span to klop op Ellis Park. Ek sal julle dit gee.
21 Oct 2011, 12:36 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-82: jy nou gaan rus of begin jy al voorberei vir die game???? ek al klaar myfinal kaartjies gekoop vir as ons teen die vrystaat gaan speel
21 Oct 2011, 12:37 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-90: wen is wen vriend ,vra maardie bokke!!!
21 Oct 2011, 12:37 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-89: Ek kan jou goed net een keer lees eier poep. Elke keer wat ek jou nonsens lees, word ek bietjie dommer. As ek dit so mijoen keer lees sal ek amper so dom wees soos jy.
21 Oct 2011, 12:39 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-93: pragtig man jy is seker die slim een in die familie of hoe?
21 Oct 2011, 12:39 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-92: That’s true, and winning that game against the Sharks B side is essentially what gave the Lions top of the log.
21 Oct 2011, 12:40 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-94: weet nie hoeveel keer jy dit gaan lees nie ?
21 Oct 2011, 12:41 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-95: presies jm weet wat hy doen of nog gaan doen
21 Oct 2011, 12:41 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-94: Nee soos ek voorheen gese het, ek is maar gemiddelde intelligensie. Dit is maar net teen julle Leeu ondersteuners wat ek so slim lyk.
21 Oct 2011, 12:42 pm
@Duke01(Duke01)-91: Ek het ook al my final tickets
Nee… ek sal begin voorberei so 13:30 daar buite die Coke Blik. Ek en ‘n paar vriende (WP manne ook) gaan bietjie daar kuier.
Geniet die games mense. Behoort 2 grootes te wees.
Ek is oor en uit.
21 Oct 2011, 12:43 pm
as julle regtig wil wen sal julle earl rose moet koop,want hy is sa se se beste en julle sal almal help om hom te kry ,dan hoef ons nie te worry dat hy sal terug kom asb help ons
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