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, 13:03 pm
Die Weepee gat djulle kniea lam mak!!
26 Oct 2012, 13:03 pm
@cane-299: Classic…!
26 Oct 2012, 13:09 pm
An omen for high-flying sharks fans…???
Shark falls from sky onto golf course
2012-10-26 11:05
San Juan Capistrano — Golf club employees in Southern California came to the rescue when a shark dropped out of the sky and flopped around on the 12th tee.
San Juan Hills Golf Club operations director Melissa McCormack says a course marshal found the leopard shark on Monday afternoon and brought it to the clubhouse. It had puncture wounds where it appeared a bird had snagged it from the Pacific Ocean, about 8km away.
They stuck the approximately 1kg shark into fresh water before somebody remembered it came from the sea, so they got some sea salt from the kitchen and mixed it in.
Another employee rushed the shark to the ocean where McCormack says it was very still for a few seconds before twisting around and speeding off.? - AP
See you on the 12th tee.
26 Oct 2012, 13:10 pm
@wpstormerbok-300:
Hope this final turns out like the Super Rugby final in 2007, with Habs scoring the winning try.
26 Oct 2012, 13:18 pm
Cape Town – The Sharks will win the 2012 Absa Currie Cup title in Durban on Saturday, if Sport24 users are to be believed…
In a poll currently featured on the Sport24 website asking readers to “Pick a winner” in Saturday’s final (kick-off at 17:00), some 65% of the nearly 6 000 respondents believe the Keegan Daniel-led home side will triumph over their Western Province opponents.
Leading SA bookmakers, Ladbrokes, also back the Sharks for victory, with John Plumtree’s men on offer at 2/5, while the Cape side can be backed at 2/1.
26 Oct 2012, 13:24 pm
@Transformation-295: ASSSwin will be saying alot of that tomorrow afternoon I guess.
26 Oct 2012, 14:09 pm
Brave Sir Robin ran away…
Bravely ran away away…
When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about, and valiantly, he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet, he beat a very brave retreat.
26 Oct 2012, 14:13 pm
Etzebeth, De Allende, Malherbe, Ntubeni, Kitshoff and Van der Sluys are all still eligible to play U21 rugby, so whilst our team does look substantially weaker than the Sharks team, this is good news from a future depth perspective.
Also, Burger, Liebenberg, Carr, Kolisi, Elstadt, Bekker, Grant/Elton/Taute and DeVilliers still to return.
Regardless of the result tomorrow, it’s been a satisfactory season.
Winning the CC against the Sharks would be sweet though.
26 Oct 2012, 14:18 pm
@MaximusLudicrusHumorus-307: Where has HG gone?
26 Oct 2012, 14:21 pm
@stormersboy-308:
And Brache?
26 Oct 2012, 14:23 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-309: I sent him away. He is now busy writing out “I shall not embarrass my co-Sharks supporters on Keo” a thousand times. Naughty little boy, that one.
26 Oct 2012, 14:27 pm
@Finfan-311:
Naughty old man you mean…..Helluva character that one.
26 Oct 2012, 14:33 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-312:
Karakter.
26 Oct 2012, 14:34 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-312: True. I was referring to his level of maturity and intellect.
26 Oct 2012, 14:39 pm
Last time Province won the Currie Cup the price of petrol was R2.78.
Just saying…
26 Oct 2012, 14:48 pm
@Finfan-314: He has a level?????? He’s a few tablets short of an overdose, but one of those souls one misses when not around.
He’s just a topppie living the dream and resorting to interweb takedowns and threats when he is shovelled into a corner.
26 Oct 2012, 14:49 pm
@Tuna-315:
So you understand why it’s important that we win it again? It’s in the national interest.
26 Oct 2012, 14:51 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-309:
Bravely away??
You don’t frighten us, English pig dogs. Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called “Arthur King,” you and all your silly English K-nig-hts!!
26 Oct 2012, 14:59 pm
@Heavens Game-277:
“Despite Peiper”
Let’s hope so, some rain will help Lambie to pin down Aplon/Habana outside the 22nd with great dividends
If successful, Peiper – I am afraid – will ping them for a ‘runner in front of the kicker’ thing and don’t expect the DSTV to check on the replay.
26 Oct 2012, 15:00 pm
@David-310:
He lost his birth certificate, a known issue
26 Oct 2012, 15:02 pm
@David-317:
I am sure Jonker and Peiper believe it too!
26 Oct 2012, 15:03 pm
We were in the nick of time. You were in great peril.
I don’t think I was.
Yes, you were. You were in terrible peril.
Look, let me go back in there and face the peril.
No, it’s too perilous.
Look, it’s my duty as a knight to sample as much peril as I can.
No, we’ve got to find the Holy Grail. Come on.
Oh, let me have just a little bit of peril?
No. It’s unhealthy.
I bet you’re g@ye.
Am not.
26 Oct 2012, 15:04 pm
@MaximusLudicrusHumorus-322: HG I must give you props for being 9/10 times very very funny.
26 Oct 2012, 15:08 pm
@MaximusLudicrusHumorus-318: I don’t wanna talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper! I **** in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!
26 Oct 2012, 15:09 pm
Same old around here, I see.
26 Oct 2012, 15:11 pm
@Bagel-323:
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-324:
Who goes there?
It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, from the castle of Camelot. King of the Britons, defeater of the Saxons, Sovereign of all England!
Pull the other one!
I am, and this is my trusty servant Patsy. We have ridden the length and breadth of the land in search of knights who will join me in my court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master.
What? Ridden on a horse?
Yes!
You’re using coconuts!
What?
You’ve got two empty halves of coconut and you’re bangin’ ‘em together.
So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land, through the kingdom of Mercia, through…
Where’d you get the coconuts?
We found them.
Found them? In Mercia? The coconut’s tropical!
What do you mean?
Well, this is a temperate zone
The swallow may fly south with the sun or the house martin or the plover may seek warmer climes in winter, yet these are not strangers to our land?
Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?
Not at all. They could be carried.
What? A swallow carrying a coconut?
It could grip it by the husk!
It’s not a question of where he grips it! It’s a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.
Well, it doesn’t matter. Will you go and tell your master that Arthur from the Court of Camelot is here?
Listen. In order to maintain air-speed velocity, a swallow needs to beat its wings forty-three times every second, right?
Please!
Am I right?
26 Oct 2012, 15:15 pm
@MaximusLudicrusHumorus-326:
Who are you and are you mad
26 Oct 2012, 15:17 pm
…and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped!!
This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere. Explain again how sheep’s bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes?
26 Oct 2012, 15:18 pm
@MaximusLudicrusHumorus-326: How you English say, I one more time-a unclog my nose in your
direction, sons of a window-dresser! So, you think you could
out-clever us French folk with your silly knees-bent running about
advancing behavior! I wave my private parts at your aunties, you
heaving lot of second-hand electric donkey bottom biters.
And my personal fave:
GUARD: No chance, English bedwetting types. I burst my pimples at you
and call your daughter an unrequested silly thing. You tiny-brained
wipers of other people’s bottoms!
26 Oct 2012, 15:18 pm
@Dawn-327:
Me.
I am.
26 Oct 2012, 15:19 pm
@Dawn-327:
Oh but if I went ’round sayin’ I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they’d put me away.
26 Oct 2012, 15:22 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-329:
We are now no longer the Knights who say Ni.
We are now the Knights who say… “Ekki-Ekki-Ekki-Ekki-PTANG. Zoom-Boing. Z’nourrwringmm.
26 Oct 2012, 15:24 pm
Follow.
But.
Follow only if ye be men of valour, for the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man yet has fought with it and lived. Bones of full fifty men lie strewn about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.
26 Oct 2012, 15:32 pm
farken worlds gone befark tell you!
26 Oct 2012, 15:34 pm
There he is!
Where?
There!
What? Behind the rabbit?
It *is* the rabbit!
You silly sod!
What?
You got us all worked up!
Well, that’s no ordinary rabbit.
Ohh.
That’s the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!
You ***! I soiled my armor I was so scared!
Look, that rabbit’s got a vicious streak a mile wide! It’s a killer!
Get stuffed!
He’ll do you up a treat, mate.
Oh, yeah?
You manky Scots git!
I’m warning you!
What’s he do? Nibble your bum?
He’s got huge, sharp… er… He can leap about. Look at the bones!
Go on, Bors. Chop his head off!
26 Oct 2012, 15:36 pm
I *warned* you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you *knew*, didn’t you? Oh, it’s just a harmless little *bunny*, isn’t it?
26 Oct 2012, 15:37 pm
@MaximusLudicrusHumorus-332: The knights who say BOOM….
Death awaits us with nasty, big pointy teeth?…ohfuck, tetanus shots again.
26 Oct 2012, 15:38 pm
It’s just a flesh wound.
26 Oct 2012, 15:38 pm
He is packing it in and packing it up. And sneaking away and buggering off. And chickening out and pissing off home. Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge.
Well, we’ll not risk another frontal assault. That rabbit’s dynamite.
26 Oct 2012, 15:39 pm
@katman-338:
‘Tis but a scratch.
26 Oct 2012, 15:41 pm
Come back and fight like a man.
26 Oct 2012, 15:41 pm
Meanwhile, not more than two swallow’s flights away, Arthur and Bedivere had discovered something. Oh, that’s an unladen swallow’s flight away, obviously. There were more than two laden swallow’s flights away, four really, if they had the coconut on a line between them. I mean, if the birds were walking, and dragging the coconut…
26 Oct 2012, 15:42 pm
Oh, oh, I see! Running away, eh? You yellow ********! Come back here and take what’s coming to you! I’ll bite your legs off!
26 Oct 2012, 15:43 pm
@MaximusLudicrusHumorus-342:
Who you calling coconut
26 Oct 2012, 15:46 pm
He was not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp. Or to have his eyes gouged out and his elbows broken. To have his kneecaps split and his body burned away. And his limbs all hacked and mangled. His head smashed in and his heart cut out. And his liver removed and his bowels unplugged. And his nostrils raped and his bottom burnt off. And his *****…
That’s enough music for now, lads.
26 Oct 2012, 15:51 pm
CROWD: A witch! A witch! A witch! We’ve got a witch! A witch!
VILLAGER #1: We have found a witch, might we burn her?
CROWD: Burn her! Burn!
BEDEMIR: How do you know she is a witch?
VILLAGER #2: She looks like one.
BEDEMIR: Bring her forward.
WITCH: I’m not a witch. I’m not a witch.
BEDEMIR: But you are dressed as one.
WITCH: They dressed me up like this.
CROWD: No, we didn’t… no.
WITCH: And this isn’t my nose, it’s a false one.
BEDEMIR: Well?
VILLAGER #1: Well, we did do the nose.
BEDEMIR: The nose?
VILLAGER #1: And the hat — but she is a witch!
CROWD: Burn her! Witch! Witch! Burn her!
BEDEMIR: Did you dress her up like this?
CROWD: No, no… no … yes. Yes, yes, a bit, a bit.
VILLAGER #1: She has got a wart.
BEDEMIR: What makes you think she is a witch?
VILLAGER #3: Well, she turned me into a newt.
BEDEMIR: A newt?
VILLAGER #3: I got better.
26 Oct 2012, 15:51 pm
I **** in your general direction
26 Oct 2012, 15:52 pm
Mmmm a bit of comic relief .
Who and how did a scurvy bunch of haemoroids (sp) chase Sharksgirl,Sharkslover and Puma away ??????????????
SHARKSSSSSSSSSSS
If it was WP supporters I hope the Sharks shred your team on the field, the insidious nastiness of the past had the Bulls deciding they don’t need this **** and the majority of them did a groot trek and this site is poorer with the loss of them. Now Sharksgirl who is very rugby knowledgeable and totally inoffensive, Puma who doesn’t have a nasty bone in his body and Sharkslover with his 100% passion for the Sharks gone.
So in my best afrikaans I say ”liewe fok and wragtig or wragtag !!” Scaam aan jy
26 Oct 2012, 15:53 pm
Is this some Highfaluting literary work that us coloureds know not of?
26 Oct 2012, 15:54 pm
It floats! Throw her into the pond!
No, no. What else floats in water?
Bread.
Apples.
Very small rocks.
Cider.
Gravy.
Cherries.
Mud.
Churches.
Lead! Lead!
A Duck.
Exactly. So, logically…
If she weighed the same as a duck… she’s made of wood.
And therefore…
…A witch!
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