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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19 Oct 2012, 17:34 pm
@sharks_lover-244:
The Sharks, much like the All Blacks have a unique style of play that cannot be copied.
Trying to get the Boks to adopt a flick pass in the tackle would be like trying to ask Malema to use a knife and fork at the dinner table.
The Cheetahs, Bulls and Province are coached by individuals that still live in the 80′s and still have the same basic conservative mentality that has stifled South African rugby for three decades.
Until individuals are chosen for their technical skills and not jst their contacts with the old boys club, South African rugby will continue to get pounded by the Kiwis every Super 15 and Rugby Championship season.
19 Oct 2012, 18:14 pm
Nice speech
19 Oct 2012, 18:27 pm
@Predawn-251:
> Until individuals are chosen for their technical skills
We go for size to compensate for lack of skills, ther average SA players’ skill levels are nowhere near his Australian or Kiwi counterpart
Rathbone said when arrived at the Brumbies they were appalled at his skil levels
> South African rugby will continue to get pounded by the Kiwis every Super 15 and Rugby Championship season.
Till we have real MANAGEMENT at SARU instead of Broeders and Comrades stuffing their pockets, we’ll never be able to compete on a level field with them
The currenty structure where players contracts are held by the Unions and not SARU is killing our players.
The Kiwis want to rest McCaw for a year and they can do it as he’s contracted by the NZRU and not the franchise or province
Our Boks on the other hand were immediately playing Currie Cup after the Championship
We’re burning through players at an alarming rate with the new S15 format
How many Boks and Bok prospects were injured at the time of the Pom tests?
And again at the start of the Championship?
The Boks never really rest, think about it
They start training for the S15 in December, then play it breaking for the mid-year tests, then resume and finish the S15, play in the Championship, come back for the end of the Currie Cup and start training and then go on the End of Year Tour.
And then they start it all over again
19 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
Wow! Lions supporters really getting behind their team with their predictions. Not one of them giving WP any chance at all. Nothing wrong with backing your team but get ready for some heartbreak tomorrow night.
19 Oct 2012, 18:57 pm
It is time….KINGS, CHEETERS
19 Oct 2012, 18:57 pm
@W.P-254:
Yip. Heartbreak Hotel coming like a Royale with Cheese
19 Oct 2012, 18:59 pm
@W.P-254: Dont worry, many Bulls supporters around also not giving the Sharks much of a chance, Lets say it is better that way, Tomorrow they will be proved right or using up a huge amount of tissues
19 Oct 2012, 19:12 pm
@sharks_lover-257:
Sharks will beat us, they’re the more settled side playing at home
WP playing with a near full Stormers side will beat the Lions, the Lions is a CC side at most, look at how the Bulls’ Boks dominated even when all the Lions’ A players were on in the second half
19 Oct 2012, 19:16 pm
cheetahs score 4th minte
this looks like its going to be easy
a big easy
19 Oct 2012, 19:18 pm
@victoriabok-258: Nowhere close to a nearly full Stormers side for the WP tommorrow mate.
No: de Villiers, Liebenberg, Bekker, Kolisi, Elstadt – that’s 5 Stormer starters already gone.
The Lions fans are correct
Dunno why my boys even bothered making the trip up to Jhb….sigh 
19 Oct 2012, 19:19 pm
kings getting schooled all over the park so far
i predict a riot
19 Oct 2012, 19:20 pm
there goes the scrum
19 Oct 2012, 19:21 pm
Ag bakkies it’s 5-0.
Not 40-0
19 Oct 2012, 19:22 pm
The All White Kings are getting man raped!
19 Oct 2012, 19:22 pm
scintillating rugby by the cheetahs
score
19 Oct 2012, 19:22 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-260:
Dont forget the incomparable halfbacks Duvenhage and Grant
19 Oct 2012, 19:23 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-262:
Cheeters 10
Handout Kings 0
19 Oct 2012, 19:23 pm
Ja this is getting nasty
19 Oct 2012, 19:23 pm
minute 11
this could get ugly
19 Oct 2012, 19:25 pm
Ja and not just on the field
19 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-269:
Already ugly!
19 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
Cheets scrumed the white 8 of the Kings backwards – earlier King formed a maul and went backwards 10 meters.
It is very true
19 Oct 2012, 19:27 pm
If keo and his “writers” weren’t so deep in Cheeky’s pocket, they would have penned a few words on the bizarre situation of an all-white run-on side for the Kings. But they are, so they won’t. Pity, because I have a killer headline:
Black pawns to white Kings.
19 Oct 2012, 19:27 pm
@Dawn-263:
hold on to your hat, my dear
this looks like a blowout in the making
besides its the things they’re doing outside of scoring, where they are nailngi the kings.
@RL-264:
this might require a trainer to step on the field with a white towel.
@victoriabok-267:
yip
seems like a big gulf between these teams
19 Oct 2012, 19:29 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-269:
Bakkies, wat’s die odds dat die Cheeters vyftig gaan opsit teen die Cheeky Youth League?
19 Oct 2012, 19:29 pm
@katman-273:
keo is worried about losing his queen.
19 Oct 2012, 19:29 pm
@victoriabok-258: Boet, obviously i hope ur right, I never take the Bulls lightly,
19 Oct 2012, 19:30 pm
Or how about a headline for when this promotion relegation fortnight is done and the CC team remains relegated in spite of their SR cousins playing next year:
The Kings are dead. Long live the Kings.
19 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
@Dawn-270:
the cheerleaders?
i think they’re alright
@LoanShark-271:
if cheetahs keep the intensity its gonna be a baptism of fire.
welcome to the big leagues, boys.
19 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
@sharks_lover-277:
Our team from is still young and needs to build experience playing together
The Sharks are settled
19 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
The Cheetahs are still a league above this Kings team.
They do need to put on a decent score though, as they will not want it to be too close with a return leg in PE still awaiting.
19 Oct 2012, 19:32 pm
@gunther-276: I think he’s worried about losing his pay cheque mate.
19 Oct 2012, 19:32 pm
Bit early to take the foot off the gas Cheats
19 Oct 2012, 19:33 pm
Some strange decisions from kaplan at scrum time…. Shocking actually… But cheetahs is in a different class
19 Oct 2012, 19:33 pm
@stormersboy-281: And the Cheetahs are still a couple of players short of their Super Rugby level team.
Pretorius thriving on the quick ball he’s getting, cutting the fringe defenders to shreds.
Nice to watch.
19 Oct 2012, 19:36 pm
@victoriabok-275:
ek sal skat dis baie, baie moontlik, vic
die konings lyk vir my iets wats oorbluf dis ver.
19 Oct 2012, 19:36 pm
@stormersboy-285:
If they had Brussouw and Goosen it would have been done and dusted by now
Imagine if they had to play this game against the Bulls at Loftus?
19 Oct 2012, 19:37 pm
come on Kings!!!!
Fokus!!!
19 Oct 2012, 19:37 pm
Get that filthy Strauss fuc ker off the field – just cost the cheets 7 points these.
19 Oct 2012, 19:38 pm
@victoriabok-287: Moer hulle!
19 Oct 2012, 19:38 pm
try time
19 Oct 2012, 19:38 pm
@RL-289:
Cheeky’s probably puking right now?
19 Oct 2012, 19:39 pm
@Transformation-288: Ja, fok u
19 Oct 2012, 19:39 pm
@Transformation-288: god save the kings.
19 Oct 2012, 19:39 pm
fok my, as die doodpoes nou op hierdie veld moes gewees het…
19 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
kings need to gather themselves and slow the game down.
19 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
What exactly is wrong with Luke?
19 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
@Predawn-251: yeah,but unlike you the all. Blacks were not super kuk for 100 years.
19 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
@katman-297: Tan has worn out.
19 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-295:
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