Currie Cup preview (Final)
26 Oct 2012
GARETH DUNCAN analyses Saturday’s Currie Cup final between the Sharks and Western Province.
WHY THE SHARKS WILL WIN
Most of the odds lie in the Sharks’ favour: home ground advantage, they have the better team on paper, they have settled combinations and the stronger pack. Let’s not beat around the bush, the Sharks are overwhelming favourites to claim the title.
The Sharks have not lost against any South African team at home during Super Rugby and the Currie Cup. Kings Park has been a fortress against their local rivals, and they will carry that confidence into the title-decider. WP will also go into this match knowing they only won once in the last five against the men from Durban in all competitions. The bashing they received in the Super Rugby semi-final at Newlands must still haunt them.
A key advantage for the hosts will be their expected ascendancy among the heavies. While the Golden Lions boasted the strongest pack for most parts of the domestic competition, the Sharks forwards won that reputation during the latter league rounds and in the semi-final win over the Blue Bulls as their Springboks returned.
The Sharks boast brute strength up front, which has been central on attack and defence, their scrumming performances and setting a quality platform for in-form flyhalf Pat Lambie and his dangerous backline. There’s a 60% chance of rain in Durban on Saturday, highlighting the importance of dominance among the forwards.
Kudos must be given to head coach John Plumtree, who mastered the management of his Test players after they came back from Rugby Championship duty. The Kiwi learned his lesson the hard way last season when he rushed all seven of his internationals into the starting line-up when they jetted back from the World Cup in New Zealand. They struggled to make an impact in the 2011 Currie Cup final at Ellis Park, which saw the Lions ease to a 42-16 win. Plumtree will get the best out of his Boks on Saturday.
Lambie’s most outstanding individual performance came in the 2010 Currie Cup final. He’s yet to eclipse that memory over the last two years, but the signs he’s shown over the last fortnight in the No 10 jersey indicate he’ll be an important player on the pitch on Saturday. Even though he struggled to get game time with the Springboks this season, he’s looked confident at flyhalf and will play a vital role with the boot and in marshalling his team-mates on his outside. A strong run this weekend will force Bok coach Heyneke Meyer’s hand in picking him at pivot (and not fullback) during the end-of-year tour.
If the Sharks gain ascendancy, their backline will thrive. Young scrumhalf Cobus Reinach has been Plumtree’s find of the season, the young centre combination of Paul Jordaan and Tim Whitehead has gelled really well (to think Frans Steyn will still jump into the midfield equation next season), and wing JP Pietersen and fullback Louis Ludik are enjoying a purple patch of form.
This is the Sharks’ final to lose.
WHY WP HAVE A CHANCE
It doesn’t look good for the visitors.
They shocked the Lions by scoring a late try for a 21-16 comeback win in Johannesburg last weekend. But the final against the Sharks should be a step too far.
However, head coach Allister Coetzee and optimistic Province fans will say: ‘never rule out the underdogs’.
The main targets the Cape side will aim for are the lineouts, the breakdown battle and the tactical kicking game. If WP can achieve any ascendancy in these facets of play, they’ll have hope.
The Sharks have been poor at the lineouts in recent weeks, while Province have excelled at the set piece throughout the domestic campaign. Province will miss their injured lineout kingpin Andries Bekker, but if they can continue their impressive showings, they have a platform to attack from. Their driving maul has beaten most defences from close range.
The individual performances of No 8 Duane Vermeulen and flank Deon Fourie will be very influential. Both players have been consistent throughout the year, and their team will need big contributions from them. They’ll be key in the breakdown assault and as ball carriers. Fourie will also need to keep a cool head and not concede needless penalties.
The halfback combination of Nic Groom and Demetri Catrakilis will need to fire. The two players know each other well as they’ve played alongside each other ever since the 2011 Varsity Cup with UCT.
Groom provides quick service and will keep the defenders around the fringes on their toes, which takes some pressure off Catrakilis. The Kings-bound pivot has impressed with the boot when his forwards hold their own up front, but he’s known to falter when defences give him no space or time with the ball. The Province pack need to play their part, as Catrakilis will be a vital part of their tactical kicking game.
If WP can achieve this, they will have the chance to win favourable field positions. If they can milk kickable penalties off the Sharks, the visitors have a sharpshooter to rely on. But I stress, this will be a tough task.
It will be interesting to see how Coetzee’s gamble of starting rookie Damian de Allende at inside centre pays off. Marcel Brache has been inconsistent and many feel JP du Plessis (who’s with the U21s) should’ve been given a go, but Coetzee seems confident De Allende can provide a physical presence. Province can’t afford him to falter.
WP don’t have much running for them, but if they can put the Sharks under pressure in the aforementioned areas, they could find themselves in the position to pull off one of the most unlikeliest upsets of the year.
FORM
Sharks WWLWLWLWWWW
WP LWLWWLWLLWW
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 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Odwa Ndungane.
WP – 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 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 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Marcel Brache, 22 Joe Pietersen.
Gareth’s prediction: Sharks by 15
567 Comments
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27 Oct 2012, 08:44 am
Woke up this morning with some degree of hope.
An animal starving for food (titles) will do anything to survive.
Maybe just maybe.
27 Oct 2012, 09:03 am
weather poor in Durbs according to my mate
27 Oct 2012, 09:14 am
@ Grant….weather is horrible, wet and cold.
27 Oct 2012, 09:16 am
5o1@Jeraldjay….I know SHARKS are hungry voracious eaters
27 Oct 2012, 09:25 am
@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-499:
Last day on the site with this nic, I guess.
Just about 9 & 1/2 more hours and you’ll change it or disappear from this site.
GO WEEPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
27 Oct 2012, 09:28 am
@grant10-502:
De Allende at inside center makes more sense then.
Hope he has a stormer.
27 Oct 2012, 09:45 am
Durban is fine. No wind.
Overcast and light drizle intermittently.
Going to the game for the grind. Yum yum wp brood vir aandete.
Good luck to the wpians and their fans and dnta kicka the dog ok?
27 Oct 2012, 09:53 am
Stormers haven’t signed Jantjies yet, it took Real Madrid only two weeks to sign Ronaldo for $150 Millions in comparison
)
Playing on a low muddy pitch JP might get a chance to catch Habana and beat him up a little, Aplon will need all the protection he could get from Peiper under the high ball if Lambie will manage to range it outside the 22nd line.
Players to watch:
Peiper, chief scoundrel (watched Joubert yesterday?
Vermulen, as slow as they come in the mud
Jordaan, a lot of promise, no output
Bresler-Eben-Sykes the inevitable fistfight
27 Oct 2012, 10:03 am
@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-507:
Good luck to the Sharks.
You’ll need it this afternoon.
@Hondo-508:
You got it all wrong, mister.
Jantjies has not signed yet. The ball is in his court.
An offer was made. A contract was delivered. He has to put pen to paper if he wants to come down to Cape Town.
With Meyer now “warming up” to Lambie as a possible FH, I can understand him weighing up his options. He has probably now slide down another place in the Bok rankings as FH behind:
1. Goosen
2. Morne
3. Lambie
Best he goes overseas and play his rugby there until this joke of a Bok coach ends his term.
27 Oct 2012, 10:15 am
Match ups to look forward to:
Jannie vs Kitshoff
Bresler vs Etzebeth
Keegan vs Vermeulen
Reinach vs Groom
Jordaan vs De Jongh
JPP vs Habana
Mmmm………….liplekker!!!
27 Oct 2012, 10:24 am
OK, going to watch some local cricket until the big game starts.
PRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVIIIIINNNCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEE
Die kerrie koppie kom huis toe.
27 Oct 2012, 10:44 am
Nama moenie so kwaai wees nie.
Jou span het n 20 percent kans om n trophie vir julle te wen.
Dissie baie swak nie.
27 Oct 2012, 11:17 am
Lots of wpians in durbs.
They gonna make rain from their ogies later.
The tank is getting close to full apparently. Lekker to take the wpians cash for the sharks coffers.
27 Oct 2012, 11:27 am
Hey Keo, with Currie Cup and NPC wrapping up this weekend and the squad announcements likely to be fairly predictable, we’ll be a bit short of news for a while. Will you take requests for articles?
Considering everything that’s going on with Lance Armstrong, what about a feature article on doping in rugby? I don’t know anything about it. You could interview a few people to explain why doping would or wouldn’t help in rugby, which ones are popular, how and when the players are tested and whether it’s effective. You could even wade into the ethics of legal stimulants. A few years back the wallabies admitted to taking caffeine pills and it didn’t go down to well in Australia.
Perhaps speak to a few guys who have been caught doping, like Chiliboy and Goosen to ask them about their experiences. There was also some guy earlier this year who was close to the ABs in the 90s claiming they were all on roids.
Could be an interesting article during the “off season”
27 Oct 2012, 11:31 am
Good luck to the guppy supporters; at least your union had the b*lls to stand up for the Lions so you get my love & support today!!!
But today “only”…
27 Oct 2012, 12:06 pm
This day the 27th October 2012 is the day of the Currie Cup Final…
Where are those doubters…
And scoundrels…
Those who would dare say…
The Currie Cup is irrelevant?
Honest Rugby brothers should say just this…
To those bu.llshitters and blasphemers…
LIAR!!!
For today is nothing more than:
St Crispins Day…
And on this same day long ago was
once heard echoes of these words…
“And the Currie Cup shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in South Africa now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Currie Cup day.”
To those who shall shed blood and oppose wills…
Good luck and may your honour be celebrated after…
To those cowardly curs like yours truly…
who shall but watch this bloody spectacle…
And support opposing teams as if our…
worthless lives depend on it…
Best of luck too. May the best team win…
With the ref being as insignificant to the outcome…
As a squashed spider…
SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARKS FOREVER….
BOOM!!!
27 Oct 2012, 12:11 pm
All fair, and right minded Neutrals,
will be hoping for a resounding Sharkie win today.
It is THE only fitting result, given the treatment of Puma, Sharksgirlie and Shark_shagger have received from the Keo Establishment and the Brokeback fan(atic)s.
27 Oct 2012, 12:18 pm
@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-507:
Haven’t you got anything better to do? If you have a dog,take him for a walk. Your comments are like a broken record.
27 Oct 2012, 12:19 pm
@Heavens Game-516:
WP jou lekka ding.
Just hoping for a decent game of rugga.
See that the U/19 final has been shifted to the B field. They still have to make a call on the U/21.
But hey. WP v Bulls in both those matches. That doesn’t seem right to me.
@cane-517:
Heard rumblings about that. Been away for a while. What actually happened?
27 Oct 2012, 12:40 pm
@cane-517:
Sharksgirl didn’t even know what had happened until Puma phoned her and told her to join them on RT.
Shame on you Cane, it isn’t the WP guys who give Kiwis all the sh*t.
27 Oct 2012, 12:41 pm
@cane-517: Agreed. Nikita needs to be given a big fark you for her parochial and boorish behaviour. As an employee of the website she really should be neutral.
Justice 4 Sharks.
27 Oct 2012, 12:42 pm
@nama1-509: Nama Elton has tweeted that he headed to Cape Town.
27 Oct 2012, 12:43 pm
Papashanga moenie so wees nie ons waardeer jou feld en jou meisies hier in durbs maar ons waardeer nie jou wp maniere ok?
Let the grind begin.
27 Oct 2012, 12:45 pm
@Bagel-522:
On holiday?
27 Oct 2012, 12:53 pm
Ag wpians have no sense of humour at the moment.
Uitgestress.
Dissie lekker om te sien nie.
27 Oct 2012, 12:59 pm
Isnt de allende a natal boy like joe?
Welcome home lads.
27 Oct 2012, 13:01 pm
@I am a stormer-519:
You have to read The Thread “Super Sharks will win Currie Cup”
22 Oct 2012.
**** hits the fan at about the halfway stage.
It was nothing that a short sharp apology could not have fixed.
And most likely, maybe, possibly………………………..could still fix.
Stormer in a D cup really.
BUT………………………………………….Puma, Shark Lover and Sharkgirlie are 3 of the best in my book. And they have now defected to another site.
27 Oct 2012, 13:05 pm
@David-520:
I know David.
But this is not a case of black and white.
8)
27 Oct 2012, 13:05 pm
@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-525:
If you want to contribute something insightful on this site you can’t have a room temperature IQ.
Always remember that.
27 Oct 2012, 13:07 pm
@cane-527:
I’m sure they’ll return in due course. They’ve just gone to the chill room.
27 Oct 2012, 13:07 pm
@Liewe Luiperd-521: No.She already explained it .Keohane allows them to have favourite teams.This is a casual blog at the end of the day,so just take a chill pill…ok!
27 Oct 2012, 13:11 pm
@cane-527: the weak will vanquish while the strong will survive.No time for sensitive souls in the keo zoo,mate.
27 Oct 2012, 13:15 pm
Weather update: no rain at present but plenty of pollution wandering around in streeptruie.
Unconfirmed reports of a blonde with a ruskie moniker pollting the bog in the wp changeroom.
27 Oct 2012, 13:17 pm
@cane-527: They obviously found the atmosphere “toxic” on this site & wanted to emulate Quade Cooper…?
27 Oct 2012, 13:17 pm
Can Keo employ a Shark person then please to balance out all the banal WeePee praise singing and high falooting from his present staff.
27 Oct 2012, 13:18 pm
@Liewe Luiperd-521: @wnbb-531:
Chill pill indeed.
Puma was/is/and always will be, ONE of the most gracious Posters to have EVER posted on Keo.
I’m no Saint…………………………………………………but I know one, when I look one in the eye.
27 Oct 2012, 13:20 pm
St Puma of Keo…………………………………………………………exiled to Rugby Talk.
Tragic.
(No fkcn smilie here folks)
27 Oct 2012, 13:21 pm
@Heavens Game-516: Yesterdays
Holy Grail banter with Pedigree very funny.Just what was needed.Doubt
that you can reach the same level wsith Sha kespearHenry5
27 Oct 2012, 13:22 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-534:
Toxic……………………………………….Polluted.
Is that the same thing.
27 Oct 2012, 13:22 pm
@I am a stormer-529: eish you cleva me dumb.
So sorry.
But wp to get a snotklap like a skinny kid in a pie eating contest.
27 Oct 2012, 13:23 pm
@Liewe Luiperd-535:
Yeah Right……………………………………………….When Brokebacks fly.
27 Oct 2012, 13:28 pm
@Liewe Luiperd-535:
keo himself has made it very clear that he is a Bulls supporter.
27 Oct 2012, 13:28 pm
Keo has employed me to tell the truth.
He was snorting vim from nikittas cheeks when she called sharks fans pollution.
He deeply regrets her behaviour and wanted a nice balance.
27 Oct 2012, 13:30 pm
@cane-537:
Hi Cane, do u still live in Wellington?
27 Oct 2012, 13:38 pm
WP got the first one . Just became under 19 champs by beating Bulls 22-18 … 2 to go.
27 Oct 2012, 13:42 pm
@Robzim-545:
Nice.
Hope they televise the next one. Have yet to see this Swiel guy play.
27 Oct 2012, 13:43 pm
@Robzim-544:
Yes Robbie.
And I will die here………………………………………..(Lower Hutt actually). But close enough.
27 Oct 2012, 13:46 pm
@I am a stormer-542:
Simon is the Sharks supporter. I remember ribbing him about it when he moved to CT. He reckoned he had to remove the Sharks sticker from his car to ensure his safety.
27 Oct 2012, 13:47 pm
@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-543:
You have never been emplyed your whole life Bakkies.
27 Oct 2012, 13:52 pm
Strike one…..province!Bring it on baby!!!
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