Currie Cup preview (Round 7)
21 Sep 2012
GARETH DUNCAN analyses this weekend’s Currie Cup action.
WP vs GRIQUAS, CAPE TOWN, SAT 15:00
In one corner, we have WP, who are raring to return to victory after surrendering top spot on the log after their loss in Durban last Saturday. In the other corner, we have a Griquas outfit brimming with confidence as they ride a three-match winning streak. However, the Northern Cape union enjoyed two of those victories on their hard turf in Kimberley – they’ll face a tougher challenge away from home on the softer grounds of Newlands.
WP were out played against the Sharks at a water-logged Kings Park, and finished the match with 12 men after two red cards and one yellow. Head coach Allister Coetzee will expect better discipline from his charges this weekend.
WP will have the confidence of home-ground advantage as the Newlands faithful has only seen two home defeats all year. Province haven’t lost to Griquas in Cape Town since the latter’s promotion to the Currie Cup Premier Division in 2006.
With only four rounds remaining, Griquas have a tough finish to the league phase as this will be their first of three away games. This is also likely to be their first dose of reality as the bigger unions will finish stronger.
FORM
WP LWLWWL
Griquas LLLWWW
WP – 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (c), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Helmut Lehmann, 19 JJ Gagiano, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Gary van Aswegen, 22 Damian de Allende.
Griquas – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Richard Lawson, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Wesley Wilkins, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Rynhardt Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes (c), 1 Steph Roberts.
Subs: 16 Matt Dobson, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Edwin Hewitt, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Luzuko Vulindlu.
Gareth’s prediction: WP by 12
BLUE BULLS vs FREE STATE CHEETAHS, PRETORIA, SAT 17:05
This will be the clash of two desperate unions. Both teams have performed poorly in recent rounds, having lost three in a row. However, there’s still a lot on the line as victory will put either side back into semi-final contention (the Bulls trail fourth spot by six logs points, while the Cheetahs trail a play-off place by four log points).
The Bulls have been boosted by the return of two of their Springboks in scrumhalf Jano Vermaak and flank Jacques Potgieter. The shift of JJ Engelbrecht to the midfield and return of Arno Botha at No 8 should also have a positive influence. This will give under-fire head coach Pine Pienaar some confidence heading into this match, as he has struggled without 22 first-choice players during the campaign.
Free State achieved one of their two victories against the Bulls (32-18), but that was a different side that ran out in Bloemfontein. The unavailability of key players due to injuries and national duty has had a negative effect, especially the loss of flyhalf options Riaan Smit and Johan Goosen. The Cheetahs’ selection of Tewis de Bruyn, a specialist scrumhalf, in the No 10 jersey has done little to inspire their natural expansive approach.
The Cheetahs’ strengths will lie at the breakdown battle, as they boost a strong loose trio in Philip van der Walt, Lappies Labuschagne and Heinrich Brussow. But the Bulls should be able to master most facets of play to pick up a much-needed win.
FORM
Bulls WLWLLL
Cheetahs LWWLLL
Blue Bulls – 15 Jürgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Dewald Potgieter (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Morné Mellett.
Subs: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Cornell Hess, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Ruan Snyman, 21 Lionel Cronjé, 22 Ulrich Beyers.
Free State Cheetahs - 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Raymond Rhule, 12 Robert Ebersohn (c), 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Tewis de Bruyn, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Subs: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Carl Wegner, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Sias Ebersohn, 21 Philip Snyman, 22 Andries Strauss.
Gareth’s prediction: Blue Bulls by 8
GOLDEN LIONS vs SHARKS, JOHANNESBURG, SAT 19:10
There’s not much that separates these two teams at the top of the log as both have won four of their six games and scored a similar amount of points and tries. The Golden Lions currently edge first place thanks to their slightly better points difference.
A win in Johannesburg will give the victors a strong advantage to book a home play-off, and a potential home final.
The Lions have excelled over the last two rounds, beating the Blue Bulls (32-23) and Free State (38-23) on the road. Head coach Johan Ackermann has stressed continuity will be key behind any sort of success. He’s lost a couple of players to injury, but has retained most of the starting XV that has impressed over the last fortnight.
This cohesion, and the good form shown by flyhalf Elton Jantjies, will be telling against the Sharks.
The visitors have hooker Craig Burden back from Springbok duty, and will depend on a superior forwards showing to beat the Lions. They also have a better defensive record than the hosts, but will they be able to overcome the inconsistency they’ve shown over the last four weeks?
FORM
Lions WLWLWW
Sharks WWLWLW
Golden Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach/Jaco Taute, 11 Ruan Combrinck, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Willie Britz, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Michael Rhodes/Ettienne Oosthuizen, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (c).
Subs: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Ettienne Oosthuizen/Ruan Botha, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Butch James, 22 Jaco Taute/Dylan des Fountain.
Sharks – 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Tim Whitehead, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Riaan Viljoen, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (c), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Subs: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Brynard Stander, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Paul Jordaan, 22 Sbura Sithole.
Gareth’s prediction: Golden Lions by 7
28 Comments
21 Sep 2012, 06:28 am
CC Dragons!
21 Sep 2012, 06:31 am
Blue Bulls in crisis
21 Sep 2012, 06:32 am
Hi Gareth, catch a wake up boet, Lions only lost one home game to the Greeks at the Lions den the other was to the Sharks at the Shark tank.
21 Sep 2012, 07:02 am
Gareth, another wake up call! Province have lost at home in the Currie Cup. They lost at home to the Sharks in the FIRST game of the tournament!
21 Sep 2012, 07:54 am
Bok backline needs a reshuffle
September 20 2012 at 02:31pm
By Mike Greenaway
——————————————————————————–
Bok coach Heyneke Meyer.
Durban – I always recall John Smit speaking about the nervousness around the change room before the first Test of 2004, against Ireland in Bloemfontein, when new coach Jake White told the inexperienced group that not only were they going to beat Ireland, but that in four years time they would the World Cup.
Smit later said that he wondered if White had been smoking toxic substances, notably his socks!
Yet that largely rookie group, barring the recalled veteran prop Os du Randt, not only won the Tri-Nations that year but did go on to the World Cup.
Some years on and after another Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, a heavy emphasis on experience has given way to Heyneke Meyer attempting to forge another Springbok era – but has he really started again?
No, he hasn’t in that he has gone with new talent in the pack, but has chosen to opt for out-of-form experienced players in the backline. His second row of choice has been the fledgling combination of Juandre Kruger and Eben Etzebeth, for instance, where the Boks the previous year had almost 200 caps in Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha.
At the back, he has stuck through thick and thin with Morne Steyn, even though the pivot has been crying out to be dropped, and he has gone with “Nik Nak man” Zane Kirchner at fullback when nobody can understand why he is preferred to Patrick Lambie.
Should Meyer have wiped the slate clean after last year’s world cup and started with a new crop of players, instead of sticking with the likes of Steyn?
English writer Stephen Jones summed up the sentiments of many SA rugby critics when he wrote at the weekend: “If Steyn can’t kick the goals, his primary function, then kick him out!”
In fairness, the pretender to the flyhalf throne, Johan Goosen, was injured until a fortnight or so ago and Meyer has gradually introduced him to international rugby, and he has looked brilliant with every minute he has played.
Meyer, in his defence, has tried to pick a team that can win while rebuilding and I personally think he has done a reasonably good job with selection given the cards he has been dealt. But, having said that, some of the cards have been duds and he needs to rethink his strategy.
Notably, it is time for a change at flyhalf because Steyn is out of form and is not bringing his outside backs into the game. He sits deep in the pocket on attack, and that means his centres have no chance when it comes to forging attacks.
And it is worth mentioning that when Goosen came on against the All Blacks, suddenly a player like Francois Steyn was threatening. That is because Goosen attacks the gain line and brings into play players that are otherwise under-utilised.
Against the All Blacks, centres Steyn and Jean de Villiers mostly watched aerial bombs being sent heaven-wards and chased them down when they could have been more gainfully employed linking with a fullback that had more ambition than Kirchner, who simply gave the ball back to the All Blacks.
The match cried out for the counter-attacking skills of Lambie, not the non-existent fightback from Kirchner.
It was a joke to give Lambie five minutes against the All Blacks. What, in truth, can any player achieve in that time in a position such as fullback? Why bother
21 Sep 2012, 07:56 am
every single respected rugby journalist I have read has said the same thing about M Steyn….
Tomorrow evening can be a watershed selection for the Boks….
Embrace a brave new future Heyneke….drop M Steyn once and for all…
21 Sep 2012, 08:37 am
@grant10-6: Something tells me we are going to be disappointed Grant
I feel it in my water.
21 Sep 2012, 08:41 am
@stormersboy-7: Yes…I am feeling less than optimistic myself….
21 Sep 2012, 08:50 am
21 Sep 2012, 08:51 am
21 Sep 2012, 08:58 am
@Grant10 I doubt it. Meyer is a stubborn individual who is determine to prove everyone wrong. If Steyn comes good (and the only way he can come good is kick his penalties) it will be a case of “I told you so”. I think in fairness to Morne he should drop him. By keeping him there HM is breaking him even more than he is already broken.
21 Sep 2012, 09:13 am
@Stormtrooper-11: Mallet was pretty scathing about M Steyn on boots and all last night as well….
Even if M Steyn kicks at 100 % he will still be a handbrake on the bok backline….
Heyneke has 3 class 10 s available to him, all of whom would be a quantum leap improvement on M Steyn…..surely HM will do the right and logical thing this time….
If he doesent and Boks play poorly again against Aussies he will be absolutely crucified….even more so…
21 Sep 2012, 09:28 am
@grant10-12: Thing is not only do we need a new fh we also need a new fb if we want to get our backline going. We can’t have both our fh and fb kicking all our ball away.
The only time our backline really looked good was in the fist test against England in the 2nd half and again the 2nd test in the first half. Both games Lambie played fb there.
Then if Meyer does change the fh and fb, they both have to be allowed to play their natural game and not just come in and have to play this game plan that he has Morne and Zane playing.
21 Sep 2012, 09:31 am
@grant10-12: We also have to remember this is Loftus and it is Morne and Zane’s home ground. They probably both will start there.
Or Goosen may start with Morne on the bench. Then that is just plain daft, because no way can Morne come in for a fh of Goosen’s class.
Goosen and Lambie should be starting or at the very least coming in for the 2nd half at Loftus.
Wallabies don’t have Genia or Cooper. If we can’t beat them on the highveld then Meyer has serious problems.
21 Sep 2012, 09:43 am
Those hoping they have seen the last of Morne are in for a rude awakening. Meyer’s love child is not going anywhere. He will play in Loftus, you can bet your mortgage on that one.
21 Sep 2012, 09:45 am
Loftus. Stain shall be there.
21 Sep 2012, 09:49 am
If Meyer selects Morne tomorrow, I will resign from the Bok supporter group.
21 Sep 2012, 09:51 am
@Puma-14: I would start Goosen. Anything within 60 meters they are farked!! Common HM time to show some balls
21 Sep 2012, 09:53 am
@Puma-14: I agree Puma….
Heyneke needs to show the public he is prepared to be flexible and will treat all players the same…
if it was up to me I would axe M Steyn, R Pienaar . J De Villiers and Kirchner….
We have far better dynamic players available and are only choosing these 4 because we are hung up on fear and so called experience.
Time to change…and no better time than against a Wallaby team team without some real stars …and at altitude.
Saturday night can be the start of a real new era for Boks….or is Heyneke going to get caught in the fear filled paranoia?
Not sure, but looking forward to finding out!
21 Sep 2012, 10:59 am
@willievz-17:
I will join you…
21 Sep 2012, 11:18 am
@grant10-19: Oh so he is announcing the squad on Saturday night? Morne Steyn will be in that squad the big question will come next week Wednesday/ Thursday when the starting team is announced.
Heyneke is stubborn and paranoid. He will not drop Morne.
21 Sep 2012, 12:35 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-18:
Carter has proven to be the best flyhalf in the world over many years and have never needed to kick those long-range penalties.
I do not see the big benefit of having someone that can kick over 30% of them in stead of having a lineout on the opponents’ 5 meter line.
21 Sep 2012, 13:56 pm
@DumbSupporter-22: The chances of a kicker getting a 5m lineout from 60m out is basically fokkol.
21 Sep 2012, 15:15 pm
From rugby365
Rassie Erasmus says Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is tweaking his game plan ahead of next weekend’s Rugby Championship clash with the Wallabies in Pretoria.
SARU’s High Performance Manager admitted that the Springboks’ much-maligned kick-and-chase approach has been gradually losing its efficiency in recent seasons.
He was quick to add, however, that the Boks should not veer from their conservative game plan but rather make minor changes to add more strings to their bow.
“It’s definitely a strategy that worked in the past but I agree that we have to make some adjustments. In the past it was New Zealand’s weakness with players like [Sitiveni] Sivivatu and [Joe] Rokocoko,” said Erasmus during a questions-and-answers session on the team’s official website.
“You always knew they couldn’t really handle the kicking game. Over the last couple of years, however, they’ve played fullbacks at wing like [Cory] Jane and [Israel] Dagg. I can assure you Heyneke is well aware of this and is busy hatching some plans.”
Erasmus said South Africa are on the right path but would have to take a hard look at their player management, which he considers a major cause for concern at this stage.
“I think we will have to put a structure in place to prevent that players are burned out by Super Rugby Final time. That’s where New Zealand currently have the edge over us, with the management of their players rather than their coaching.
“I think our biggest challenge is the fact that we don’t have central contracts like New Zealand. Our franchises own the primary contract with the players and therefore control the amount of game time.
“Obviously we sometimes request that a player must be better managed, but one do have to understand that the franchise coaches are also under immense pressure to perform. Not an ideal situation but one of my first challenges I want to get right.”
Erasmus also clarified his role in the national set-up and denied that they were considering to recall veteran lock Bakkies Botha.
“Sometimes the media can make a rumour reality, I can assure you there was no plan to bring back Bakkies. The challenge always for a new coach is to balance winning with rebuilding.
“I guess that’s where my new role comes in to create some continuity when the one coach leaves and the next coach takes over. It should not always be a new beginning if all the correct structures are in place.”
Explaining why he is no longer involved in a coaching capacity, Erasmus said: “The plan was always for me just to help and be hands-on with the coaching until after the series against England.
“The main reason for this was the fact that the Bulls’ coaches [Johann van Graan, Ricardo Loubscher, John McFarland and Basil Carzis] were still involved in Super Rugby and Heyneke needed some hands on deck. They [are] all now just involved with [the] Springboks so I am back at the office running the HP Department.”
21 Sep 2012, 15:30 pm
@groen-24: I hope Tacitus, Gunther and Brigadier are taking note.
21 Sep 2012, 15:39 pm
@willievz-25: it’s rather daft off heyneke to want to persist with something that was proven to be ineffective (when used as the sole attacking strategy) by the previous coach against Ireland in 2009 and many a time against the all blacks…the only time we won against he ABs (PE) was when they experimented with kahui, gear and toeava at wing, even in that game they returned the kicks with interests making something like 20 linebreaks, only the scramble defence of habana & mossie saved our gatte and yes TMO meuwessen (wassup Poeps).
why must heyneke try it too instead of learning from past mistakes? now he is forcing us to watch the likes of zane & msteyn cockup!
22 Sep 2012, 10:56 am
@groen-24: At last someone within a Bok set-up gets it:
Erasmus said South Africa are on the right path but would have to take a hard look at their player management, which he considers a major cause for concern at this stage.
“I think we will have to put a structure in place to prevent that players are burned out by Super Rugby Final time. That’s where New Zealand currently have the edge over us, with the management of their players rather than their coaching.
“I think our biggest challenge is the fact that we don’t have central contracts like New Zealand. Our franchises own the primary contract with the players and therefore control the amount of game time.
“Obviously we sometimes request that a player must be better managed, but one do have to understand that the franchise coaches are also under immense pressure to perform. Not an ideal situation but one of my first challenges I want to get right.”
22 Sep 2012, 13:09 pm
@Transformation-26: ‘why must heyneke try it too instead of learning from past mistakes? ‘
Meyer doesn’t know any other way. When he came to Tigers the first thing he did was sign Derick Hougaard and had his pack running into brick walls in an attempt to grind the opposition.
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