Currie Cup preview (Play-offs)

Currie Cup preview (Play-offs)

19 Oct 2012

GARETH DUNCAN analyses this weekend’s play-offs.

SEMI-FINALS

SHARKS vs BLUE BULLS, DURBAN, SAT 16:30

These two teams have enjoyed the returns of several Springboks, which contributed to their wins last weekend. However, I think John Plumtree’s management of his Test players will be key in what happens at Kings Park.

Plumtree learnt a hard lesson in last year’s final at Ellis Park as his fatigued Boks, who had returned from the World Cup a fortnight before, were rushed into the starting XV and failed to make an impact. The Lions won that title decider 42-16.

However, this year, the Kiwi coach has eased his Test players back into the team and has rewarded the others who made telling contributions to the Sharks’ run to the top of log with starting spots.

The Sharks have the best backline in the competition, and they have an in-form, young halfback pair in Cobus Reinach and Pat Lambie to spearhead them. The hosts also have a strong pack, and the returns of tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis and flank Marcell Coetzee are valuable promotions to the forwards this weekend.

The Bulls have a near-Super Rugby strength side available, but they can’t afford the start they experienced against the Lions. They’re facing the Sharks, who are the best attacking team of the competition and boast the best defensive record.

The Bulls will need to get early momentum, and this will depend heavily on their forwards and the performance of flyhalf Morné Steyn. Considering their poor domestic run this year, it would be a massive achievement.

However, the Sharks should be good enough to restrict the visitors and end their hopes of a fairytale turnaround in this year’s Currie Cup.

FORM
Sharks WWLWLWLWWW
Bulls WLWLLLWLWW

Sharks – 15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (c), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Jandré Marais, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Steven Sykes/Peet Marais, 20 Willem Alberts, 21 Charl McLeod, 22 Meyer Bosman.

Blue Bulls – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Dewald Potgieter (c), 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Morné Mellett.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 Dean Greyling.

Gareth’s prediction: Sharks by 12

GOLDEN LIONS vs WP, JOHANNESBURG, SAT 19:00

Both teams will have fresh memories of the Lions’ 22-9 victory at Newlands a fortnight ago. But this will be a stronger Province team the Johannesburg union will be facing this weekend.

WP cruised to victory against the Cheetahs at home during the last league round, thanks to the return of their seven Springboks. The likes of Tiaan Liebenberg, Andries Bekker, Duane Vermeulen, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers and Juan de Jongh added much-needed grunt and bolstered the side.

However, the loss of De Villiers, Liebenberg and Bekker to injury will be telling. I don’t think Marcel Brache and De Kock Steenkamp are good enough to fill the gaps left by the players they’ve replaced. Siyabonga Ntubeni isn’t as imposing as Liebenberg, but he has impressed me during the Currie Cup this season and Allister Coetzee will hope the youngster does a good job on match day.

Province will need their heavies to front their battle as they come up against the strongest pack of the Currie Cup. The Lions rested the likes of JC Janse van Rensburg, Jacobie Adriaanse and Franco van der Merwe last weekend, and will come out firing at Ellis Park.

The strengths of the Lions have been their set-piece execution and their ability to slow down and poach ball at the breakdowns. If they can replicate that form this weekend, they’ll have the platform to beat WP.

Expect both flyhalves to play a vital role with the boot.

FORM
Lions WLWLWWWWLL
WP LWLWWLWLLW

Golden Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Jaco Kriel, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (c).
Subs:: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Hendrik Roodt, 19 Derick Minnie, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Butch James, 22 Deon Helberg.

Western Province – 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (c), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Damian de Allende, 22 Joe Pietersen.

Gareth’s prediction: Lions by 5

PROMOTION-RELEGATION PLAY-OFF, 1ST LEG

FREE STATE CHEETAHS vs EP KINGS, BLOEMFONTEIN, FRI 19:10

Usually, Free State would’ve been the easy pick to win this contest.

But losing 13 first-choice players is an injury crisis most teams would struggle with. Their inconsistent form on the domestic stage this season is also a concern. However, they still have a team strong enough to beat the First Division champions at home.

Free State will target the forward battle. The return of flanker Lappies Labuschagne is a major boost for the loose trio, while Adriaan Strauss will be a key feature in the front row. If the hosts gain the ascendancy up front, their dangerous backline will cause some problems for EP.

The Kings have lost five players to injury over the last fortnight, with the big blows being in-form skipper Luke Watson and lock Darron Nell. The men from PE also struggled under pressure against a physical Pumas outfit last weekend, and they’ll face a stronger unit in the Cheetahs, who have some hard men up front.

Free State should win the first leg, but the interesting fixture will be the second play-off in PE next weekend.

FORM
Cheetahs LWWLLLLWWL
EP Kings (First Division) WWWWWDWWWWWWDWWWWW

Cheetahs – 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Phillip van der Walt, 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Izak van der Merwe, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Subs: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Carl Wegner, 19 Davon Ruabenheimer, 20 Tewis du Bruyn, 21 Phillip Snyman, 22 Rayno Benjamin.

EP Kings – 15 SP Marais, 14 Paul Perez, 13 Wayne Stevens (c), 12 Shane Gates, 11 Michael Killian 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Falie Oelschig, 8 Cornell Du Preez, 7 Wimpie van der Walt, 6 Devin Oosthuizen, 5 David Bullbring, 4 Reynier Bernardo, 3 Clint Newland, 2 Hannes Franklin, 1 Jaco Engels.
Subs: 16 Frank Herne, 17 Andre Schlechter, 18 Wayne van Heerden, 19 Mpho Mbiyozo, 20 Scott Mathie, 21 George Whitehead, 22 Norman Nelson.

Gareth’s prediction: Free State by 10


485 Comments

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  • 51.THE MAULER: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:30 am

    The biggest thorn in the Bulls side has always been a Mr Keegan Daniel… But according to some here Arno Botha will better him… Will just have to wait and see… Hope some Bulls start with their “whoopass” comments again…

  • 52.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:30 am

    @Robzim-48: Kevin de Clot is starting to sound like my mother-in-law. (And it isn’t a good sound…..)
    He should have thought of ‘showing the world how rough and tough they are’, during the fuckingS15, not in a Currie Cup semi final.
    He must be one miserable pisswillyruntcnutfckface (thanks Fitzella) considering most of his charges elected to head off to the WP whilst the Lions enjoy their ‘gap year’.

    I can see where he is getting this ‘Braveheart’ material from…..see ^.

    We have ZERO chance tommorrow mate – we are doomed ;)

  • 53.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:31 am

    @Provvas-49: YOu prolly right, Lawrence is never good for the Sharks and Jonker always favours the Bulls lol

  • 54.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:33 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-52: BWahahaha @ you trying to grab the rank outsider tag :lol:

  • 55.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:34 am

    And it seems Pierre Spies (fuckywhyIambeingpunishedlikethis) won’t be heading to France. He assured his fans on Twitter he will be staying in Pretoria. I don’t mind him staying in Pta (it’s good for the rest of us), but their is always the risk that the Messiah Meyer still has feelings for him…..

  • 56.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:34 am

    And in other news, ground staff at Ellis Park have finally finished fusing Thelo’s customary three-seats-into-one seating arrangements.

    Actual crowd attendance will be two less than that officially stated.

  • 57.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:35 am

    @sharks_lover-54: But we are. :( The no-hoper chokers. If you like, I could give you the results of our previous knockout games?

  • 58.Provvas: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:37 am

    Marius wanker Nailed us three weeks ago against the lions at Newlands, do not expect any favours from him.. He will penalise the Wp until there is no fight left and he will kill off any chances in the Set pieces before 20 min are run..

    As for Lawrence.. I always had the feeling he favours the Bulls, but these days he seems a bit more fair… will have to wait and see…

  • 59.katman: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:37 am

    @BrumbiesBoy-56: :)

    Can’t he just pull a Jimmy Abbott and locate the ridge between the two seats along the centre of his colossal bumcrack?

  • 60.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:39 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-57: lol not so, Why you think these forcasts mean zip to me?? hell it takes one bad pass and a game changes, 1 bad call, 1 missed tackle,

    Thses predictions are not worth the keyboard they typed on,i coulda said paper they written on :lol:

  • 61.gunther: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:39 am

    @BrumbiesBoy-56:

    they usually borrow the special seat SAA had made for Pavarotti when he flew out here.

  • 62.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:41 am

    @Provvas-58: LAwrence always nails the Sharks, Like i said a few days ago in here, i would actually have liked the young black ref Rasta, cant remember the fellows full name, but i rate him. good fair ref.

  • 63.Nikita: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:41 am

    Breaking News.

    WP vs Bulls final at Newlands.

    Don’t stress too much girls.

  • 64.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:41 am

    @katman-59: No, they tried that at an earlier game but the crack was too wide hence they decided to fuse the seats instead.

  • 65.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:42 am

    @Provvas-58:
    Lawrence has never liked the Sharks and in particular Keegan Daniel. For some inexplicable reason he has never seen eye to eye with him.

  • 66.WP_: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:43 am

    Sharks by 9
    Lions by 6

    Cheetahs by 25

  • 67.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:45 am

    @gunther-61: LIke Skosazana Zuma?? took 2 full seats in first class :lol:

  • 68.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:47 am

    @katman-59:

    Don’t complain about Thelo…. if t was not for im the canteen sales at Ellis park would not even make half of budget (specially in the meat pie section)

    Talking about Jimmy Abbott, today is the 50th birthday and oficial retirement from pro boxing by Evander Holyfield. He will retire penniless having squandered at least 250 million US dollar on women and gambling, flippin unreal.

  • 69.gunther: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:50 am

    @sharks_lover-67:

    Only two?

    My inside story on Pavvers is that he hired two hookers at a time over here.

    One to handle his gut, so the other could get to work on his main chap.

  • 70.Blue Label: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:50 am

    @John Galt-65: Starting with the excuses already? C’mon guys….

  • 71.gunther: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:51 am

    @Robzim-68:

    Unbelievable.

    And the rest of his money he just wasted.

  • 72.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:52 am

    @gunther-69: :lol:

  • 73.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:53 am

    @Blue Label-70: NOt excuses, just fact

  • 74.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:53 am

    @gunther-71:

    :)

    On some unreal deals i suppose.

  • 75.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:53 am

    @Nikita-63: The gods of rugby (and the wannabe one, HG) will not allow this.

  • 76.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:56 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-75: See told ya, Keo crew will be out to change all earlier predictions soon :lol:

  • 77.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:56 am

    @sharks_lover-60: That in a nutshell is the smartest thing I’ve read on this blog the whole week.

    How you doing fella?

  • 78.gunther: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:57 am

    @Nikita-63:

    can i sit in your box if that happens?

  • 79.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:57 am

    @Nikita-63: Would love to see that lass.

  • 80.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:58 am

    @stormersboy-77: GOd and you brudda?? lol

  • 81.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:59 am

    @sharks_lover-80: Good

  • 82.Nikita: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 09:59 am

    @gunther-78:

    Not if – when it happens.

    @stormersboy-79:

    Just keep watching – it is written.

  • 83.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:00 am

    @gunther-78: Why?? you gonna pack her box?? :lol:

  • 84.Blue Label: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:00 am

    @sharks_lover-73: Not quite

    fact/fakt/Noun: 1.A thing that is indisputably the case

  • 85.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:00 am

    @sharks_lover-76: We shall see……. :)

  • 86.Nikita: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:02 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-85:

    Keep on annoying. I lurv it.

  • 87.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:02 am

    Come rain shine hail or snow, I’ll be at the tank supportin my team, win or lose no matter, it’s “BLACK AND WHITE” nothing else matters

  • 88.Nikita: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:03 am

    @sharks_lover-87:

    Contact me for tickets to the final. I may find one for you.

  • 89.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:04 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-85: Yes we Shall, I hope Aunty Nikita will come show face if her predictions flop :lol:

  • 90.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:04 am

    @Nikita-88: :lol: uhm ur way to slow dear,

  • 91.gunther: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:05 am

    @Nikita-82:

    that’s a yes then.

    I’ll bring some sarmies.

  • 92.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:05 am

    @sharks_lover-62: ‘young black ref,Rasta’?????Why reference to his skin colour?Is it so blooming difficult for you just to refer to him as ref rasta!You are one sick character.

  • 93.Nikita: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:05 am

    @sharks_lover-89:

    I’m an never wrong. Just misunderstood.

  • 94.Nikita: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:06 am

    @gunther-91:

    It is not Loftus Gunter.

  • 95.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:06 am

    WP by 12 and Bulls by 7….and that means a Newlands final!! :D

  • 96.katman: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:07 am

    @Robzim-68: Crikey, that’s like R2 billion. That puts him up the the Zumasphere of wasteful spenders.

    Penniless and earless.

  • 97.gunther: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:07 am

    @Nikita-94:

    I’m just tired of the kosher samoosa’s they feed you in the president’s box.

  • 98.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:08 am

    @Nikita-86: You do realise you are filling we faithful WP fans with hope….(and just when we were getting used to riding on the “nofuckinghopeinhell” carriage)
    Hope leads to expectation: which in our case, inevitably leads to: tragedy, binge drinking and numerous insurance claims….

    Do not dish out false hope – cyanide cookies would be kinder at this stage :)

    Surely you can see the Sharks have all but popped the bubbly and posed for those cheesy photos in front of the ABSA screen?

  • 99.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:09 am

    @wnbb-92: FO idjut.

  • 100.Nikita: Reply to this comment
    19 Oct 2012, 10:09 am

    @gunther-97:

    I will organise you Shark fin soup then.

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