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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26 Oct 2012, 11:06 am
@John1976-187: Below is a quote from the “history favours the home team” tread
“The Sharks were the most consistent team during the league phase, only losing one match in 10 fixtures. They also eased past the Free State Cheetahs with a 29-15 win at home. However, they came up against a WP team who built late momentum and thrashed the Golden Lions 43-22 in their play-off clash.
WP displayed good attacking rugby during the title-decider, and wing Breyton Paulse starred with a brace. There was also a try for fellow speedster Pieter Rossouw.
The Sharks, who scored the second most tries of the campaign, could only manage five penalties via fullback Gaffie du Toit.”
This what transpire during the 2000 CC final at Kings Park. Could WP do it again?
26 Oct 2012, 11:06 am
@David-193: Maybe… They sure as fark probably not as frigid as Doggybender and Nikita… Poor ladies – they probably haven’t had a good bit of fun for years in the Proud Cape… Red blooded tosstesterone full heteros a bit rare down there…
26 Oct 2012, 11:07 am
@Stawm-199: Don’t forget your vaseline, Stawmy my dear…
Roger the dodger…
BOOM!
26 Oct 2012, 11:08 am
@Heavens Game-196:
“All of a sudden big claims to underdog status…”
You disagree with this?
26 Oct 2012, 11:08 am
wpians are welcome to be underdogs.
because they are underdogs.
no amount of wailing and trying to maintain perspective will convince me these brokebacks see themselves as anything other than entitled.
26 Oct 2012, 11:10 am
@Heavens Game-202:
And there you go with your homophobic vibe again.
Tell us again how good you are at pleasuring women, and how you ONLY get pleasured by women.
Come on.
Round it off with a Al Pacino catch phrase – that will make you feel very big and manly.
Maybe a Hank Moody this time?
26 Oct 2012, 11:12 am
@Heavens Game-203:
So I ask you again, when will you come and teach me some manners?
You said you come to CT often. Whats stopping you? No sack?
26 Oct 2012, 11:13 am
Province Province die Currie Cup kom weer, die Currie Cup kom weeeeeeer…..
26 Oct 2012, 11:14 am
@Finfan-198: You poor dumbfuck… You got something to say then say it… If you gonna cower away in your corner you welcome to it… But if you gonna give a couple of Sharks supporters’ a go because you reckon they leave a “bad impression” or bruise your lily liver sensitivities then you got another thing coming…
This site full of KeoKapeCunties… Wake the fark up and smell the roses my little WePee askari…
26 Oct 2012, 11:15 am
Seriously,Sharks should win by at least 20 points.We should actually,already,congratulate all Sharks fans on winning their seventh CC title.
26 Oct 2012, 11:15 am
@Heavens Game-209:
Hello all you natalian brokebacks
26 Oct 2012, 11:16 am
@Heavens Game-209:
Who has the rekort for the most defeats in super rugby finals?
26 Oct 2012, 11:16 am
@Zandberg Jansen-208:
Mooi so ‘ou grote’
A new broom sweeps clean. A new year a new dawn.
26 Oct 2012, 11:16 am
@Heavens Game-209:
Silly poos
26 Oct 2012, 11:16 am
The thing that irritates me the most is the freaking weather, when last did the Sharks have a sunny dry game in the Tank????? Even though we have not done to badly in those atrocious conditions, but i am sure we all would like to see a good spectacle. Anyhow…Lets see what goes down….or who?
26 Oct 2012, 11:16 am
@John1976-201: And I was there !
26 Oct 2012, 11:17 am
@capebull-190: The Cheetahs aren’t playing. They are the only team with humble fans – truth. @Heavens Game-184: Answer me. What real team had the ‘honour’ of having you as a supporter back in the day “)
26 Oct 2012, 11:17 am
@Stawm-206: Homophobic… You say that like its meant to be an insult Stawmy…?
Why?
You a bottybasher in another life?
Of course you are… You a supporter of the Vaseline WePee…
I have no problem with that…
Never fear though, my opinion of you wont change whether you actually like biting the pillow or not…
HooHA
26 Oct 2012, 11:17 am
@grant10-156: Ok whoah…..not all sharkies are counting chickens…personally I think it’s gonna be a close one!
26 Oct 2012, 11:18 am
@Stawm-206: How about a Ron Burgundy?
26 Oct 2012, 11:18 am
@Heavens Game is a brokeback donkey piece of rubbish-212: @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-217:
thats the spirit julle.
now tell us again how swak the wpians are and how wonderful/wonderlik issie haaie asseblief.
26 Oct 2012, 11:18 am
@John1976-201: No.We playing with basically half an under 21 team.
26 Oct 2012, 11:20 am
@Sharkie10-215: Is there heavy rain forecast for tommorrow? The U/19′s and U/21′s are playing their finals as well. The pitch will be wrecked come CC final surely?
26 Oct 2012, 11:20 am
@Sharkie10-194: I tried to read through some of the comments and I have to thank you for your objective opinion with which I concur (apart from the fact that I’m a WP supporter). Some (most) of the talk is personal only and says nothing about rugby. Certain individuals are really taking it to the extreme. The Sharks are the favourites but stranger things have happened…@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-205: Do you realise that you’ll keep your nick forever ? So for instance when the Sharks play in another final in the future against another team, the “wp.winning nothing never looked so easy” will look fairly stupid !! You are new on this site and are showing no respect.
26 Oct 2012, 11:20 am
@Heavens Game-209: You’re suppose to start the binge drinking after the game, dumb fcknut, not now.
26 Oct 2012, 11:21 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-217: Dont be silly you poor overexcited wench….
This Shark has been Black and White, Last Outpost, BananaBoy through and through from the moment he first threw a ball in anger…
And always will be…
PS… Maybe you need 2 bottles… 1 bottle vaseline aint gonna be enough for you – ooo….
26 Oct 2012, 11:21 am
finfan skrik wakker pel hies nie die plek om slim te wees.
kyk na hierdie twee:
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-217: @Heavens Game is a brokeback donkey piece of rubbish-211:
wel ten minste is hulle regte ondersteuners.
met malpitte tee oppie spyskaart.
26 Oct 2012, 11:22 am
@Sharkie10-215: According to HG a lot of Province supporters…..
26 Oct 2012, 11:22 am
@wnbb-222: Mate, they have the Bresler. There really is nothing else to say.
26 Oct 2012, 11:23 am
@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-221: At 10.05 you said that you had to do some work, but you are still around. Can’t seem to get enough of insulting people !!
26 Oct 2012, 11:23 am
@CharlesM-224: cmon, whats in a blogname man?
look at that dogfood fella/fellata?
i am just trying to sommer get the gees going marre eish julle vat my laag.
26 Oct 2012, 11:24 am
@CharlesM-230: opgewonde.
you are right though, i should do some work charlie, look out for my blogname i think its probably good for at least another decade huh?
26 Oct 2012, 11:24 am
To all the Saaaks supporters good luck. To my fellow WePe supporters enjoy the game. Chat on Monday.
“Nag ou Groote”
26 Oct 2012, 11:25 am
Good to see Hg not following his mates to RT.He might be an idiot …but he is Keo’s idiot and not rt’s.
26 Oct 2012, 11:25 am
@CharlesM-224: Agreed Charles, we had a “walkout” a few days ago by some Sharks fans who were offended. Can you imagine?
26 Oct 2012, 11:26 am
@Finfan-225: Shutup you poor fakefuck pseudo Shark… Remember who farken started with who when you go whining to your WePee fake vaseline fuckbuddies….
You probably one of those treacherous little cants who littered their rugby “expertise” with Dumbtree and signed that Facebook petition along with calling for luminary Jimmy Stonehouse to take his place…
Sharks on the whole the best supporters in the world, but unfortunately all teams got to have their dumbfuck wannabes…
You want to impress your WePee buddies? Then go farken wear a jersey with Blue and White stripes and keep a nice big bottle of vaseline in your manbag…
Farken palooka
26 Oct 2012, 11:27 am
@wnbb-234:
@Zandberg Jansen-233: geniet die wedstryd ou grote en sterkte.
26 Oct 2012, 11:28 am
@CharlesM-224: Thanks. There are allot of Sharks supporters on here thats confusing confidence with arrogance. Look it will hurt if the Sharks do lose, but for those who were arrogant about it, will not only feel the pain but the reality of embarrassing themselves. Be confident by all means, i certainly am but wary of an upset. Anything can happen.
26 Oct 2012, 11:28 am
@stormersboy-235: I actually had some good conversations with Shark Lover and Puma (about rugby).@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-232: As they say in Afrikaans – “hoogmoed kom voor die val”
26 Oct 2012, 11:28 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-229: oh yeah…the one that’s better than Etzebeth?
26 Oct 2012, 11:29 am
@CharlesM-239: ja, wpians been in freefall since 1985 so you would know.
26 Oct 2012, 11:29 am
@CharlesM-224:
Hahaha where were you a few days ago?
26 Oct 2012, 11:30 am
@grant10-170: I also saw that Grant. Groot bek behaviour of note. I have a funny feeling about this match though. Every dog gets his day. WP has to break the hoodoo sometime right.
26 Oct 2012, 11:30 am
Where’s that Nikita WePee wench… I’ll show her real farken pollution…
Farken Cape Town dy.kes…
Always sticking their spanners and toolboxes where they don’t belong…
26 Oct 2012, 11:31 am
@gunther-242: on his hoogmoed perd met die anner wpians.
but as the game comes closer they are getting more and more nervous and suddenly wanna play nice.
when fellas/fellatas like dogfood stop polluting this site i will lay off caning them like the sharks will do to their team tomorrow.
26 Oct 2012, 11:32 am
@CharlesM-239: Sure and I still chat to them on RT. There are one or 2 others that also went over, Sharksgirl and another I think, but those 2 were more active as you say.
26 Oct 2012, 11:33 am
i am leaving now with one final word:
wp
winning nothing never looked so easy.
26 Oct 2012, 11:33 am
@Heavens Game-218:
So come and tell me to my face. You are verbally abusing all and sundry here, yet you dont have the sack to stand up to your beliefs and abuse people to their face. You hide behind your keyboard.
Pathetic.
I’m glad you dont support my team.
26 Oct 2012, 11:33 am
@Heavens Game-236: You wanna fight? I’ll moer you with my keyboard softie. Boooom.
26 Oct 2012, 11:35 am
@Heavens Game-244:
Spit it out Helen. I am always here. So hard to work on these keyboards today.
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