Sanjay's Rugby World

The Sharks beat a disjointed Western Province by 30-10 in the 2010 Currie Cup final played at Kings Park stadium in Durban on Saturday.

Sharks 30
Tries: Charl McLeod, Patrick Lambie (2)
Conversions: Patrick Lambie (3)
Penalties: Patrick Lambie (3)

Western Province 10
Try: Schalk Burger
Conversion: Willem de Waal
Penalty: Willem de Waal

The competition was decided by the side who wanted it most. In this regard the Sharks showed over the last 2 games how hungry they were for success in the Currie Cup (well they can’t win a Super rugby title now can they!).

When you are determined, defence is strong and you make your own luck. They’ve kept the attacking prowess of the Bulls and Western Province down to 1 try apeice and their tackling has allowed them to ensure the opposition cannot gain any momentum.

Province had their chances, and took an early lead to make it 3-0. However against the run of play, poor ball retention saw a great steal from Bismarck du Plessis, and a pinpoint Charl McLeod kick ahead resulted in a try for the scrumhalf.

A second try soon after to Patrick Lambie ensured a strong lead for the Sharks, and Western Province had to play catch up rugby for most of the match.

Willem de Waal had his opportunities, but was continuing to miss, whilst his young counterpart Patrick Lambie kept extending the Sharks lead.

It was little errors that cost Province dearly. Missed lineouts, failing to claim restarts etc. The Sharks capitalised and built their lead as they did in the semi-final against the Bulls.

Catch up rugby in finals is tough. Pressure plays it’s part, and Province made mistake after mistake to ease any pressure they could build. A try just before half-time narrowed the gap to 13 and gave them a glimmer of hope.

DOGGED DEFENCE WINS IT

Like the semi-final, the Sharks relied on dogged defence and failed to add to their early score (until a try late in the match when Province were throwing everything at the Sharks from all over the field).

Defence is so often about attitude, and the Sharks desire to win was evident as they made tackle after tackle and disrupted Western Province’s ball at the breakdown.

I believe Province hit the panic button to early on, a string of penalties in the third quarter could have narrowed the lead and put them within a converted try of winning the game had they opted to take the kickable penalties.

Instead constant errors saw them cough up try-scoring opportunities with nothing to show for their dominance. It allowed the Sharks the luxury of playing the last quarter without having to make much of the play.

PROVINCE UNLUCKY?

Western Province weren’t helped by injuries to Ricky Januarie and Juan de Jongh early in the game that forced them from the field. It contributed to a lack of attacking weapons in the Province midfield after de Jongh had showed early in the game he posessed the ability to make telling linebreaks.

Referee Craig Joubert was also fairly lenient on the Sharks I felt. I’m not convinced he is the right man for the job as he is inconsistent at the breakdown points.

DESERVED WINNERS

In the end however the Sharks proved to be deserved winners of the 2010 Currie Cup.

They were the most consistent side during the league stages after a loss to Griquas in the first round.

Stefan Terblanche stated that his side were written off early but had won because they were “a team”.

The question is can they kick on in the Super Rugby competition with a squad to be bolstered by Jacques-Louis Potgieter and Meyer Bosman?

A packed Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was left heartbroken as the Pumas beat the Eastern Province Kings by 62-28 in their Currie Cup promotion-relegation match on Friday.

The Kings have enjoyed a resurgent season under the watchful eye of coach Alan Solomons, but the fairytale was not to be as the Pumas showed they deserve to remain in the Currie Cup top division.

It was always going to be a tough ask for the Kings, they just haven’t been playing the quality of the teams that the Pumas have.

After their 36-36 draw in Witbank a week earlier, the Kings were always going to struggle backing that effort up in the most important match of the season.

The Kings showed they can mix it with the big boys, and even led 22-15 at half-time. However in the second half, the the strong Pumas scrum dominated the Kings, and gave them the platform from which to attack from.

It means the Kings will not promotion to the top division of the Currie Cup, and will have to wait another year to give it a crack. It’s a massive blow to the region who came out in their numbers to show their support for the Port Elizabeth based side.

A full match report can be found on supersport.

In the other promotion-relegation match, the Leopards retained their spot in the top division thanks to 2 late tries which gave them enough points despite losing 32-28 to the SWD Eagles.

The Kings probably deserve to be promoted at the expense of the Leopards, but such is the competiton structure, which makes it tough for the first division sides to enter the premier division.

Scores:

Eastern Province Kings 28
Tries: Wayne Stevens (2), JJ Gagiano
Conversions: Monty Dumond (2)
Penalties: Monty Dumond (3)

Pumas 46
Tries: Christo le Roux (2), Andries Kruger, Corné Steenkamp, Dawie Steyn, Vainon Willis
Conversions: Carl Bezuidenhout (5)
Penalties: Carl Bezuidenhout (2)

SWD Eagles 32
Tries: Henry Grimes, Hans Grobler, Jacques Engelbrecht, Shaun Raubenheimer, Jaco Terblanche
Conversions: Ambrose Barends (2)
Penalty: Ambrose Barends

Leopards 28
Tries: RW Kember, Sarel Marais, Walter Venter
Conversions: Clayton Durand, Sarel Marais
Penalties: Clayton Durand (3)

Who will be crowned Currie Cup Champions in 2010!

Both the Sharks and Western Province deserve to be contesting the 2010 Currie Cup final, as they have been the most consistent sides in the competition, and finished top of the log.

HOME TOWN ADVANTAGE

The Sharks will have the benefit of home town advantage. To negate this, Province will have to start well and try to ensure they don’t have to play catch up rugby as they did in the 2010 Super 14 Final against the Bulls.

FINALS EXPERIENCE

Neither side has a lot of finals experience. Very few of the Province side have won a Currie Cup before, whilst the Sharks have almost half the side returning from their 2008 triumph.

Western Province do have the experience of the 2010 Super 14 Final (as the Stormers), and that experience cannot be underestimated as often you to have to lose a final before you can win a final.

Whilst Western Province have won the Currie Cup more than any other side, they have had a barren period with their last win coming in 2001, whilst the Sharks are not a lot better with 1 win (2008) since 1997.

THE EDGE

Both sides are strongly matched with tough, uncompromising forward packs.

At flyhalf Patrick Lambie and Willem de Waal have contrasting styles. Whilst I like Lambie and his running ability, kicking often wins finals and de Waal has the experience and the recent form whilst Lambie is still needs to improve his place kicking.

The Province backs for me have the superior running ability, and as long as they get enough ball, de Jongh, de Villiers, Aplon and Habana should be able to muster a few tries and provide the match winning performances.

Springbok legend Danie Gerber earlier this week had this to say, “Province have the pace and skill amongst the backs to worry the Sharks, and whatever good ball they get they must shift down the backline. They must create chances for their backs and if they use those chances properly they should pull it through.”

BALL RETENTION AND THE BATTLE OF THE BREAKDOWN

In their semi-final against the Bulls, the Sharks showed they have the ability to keep the ball through the phases and build massive pressure on the opposition defence.

However the fact they had so much possession yet only managed one try highlights for me their lack of ability to break the line and really put the opposition away. Province have a strong defence and they’ll be tough to crack.

In comparison to the Bulls, Province will provide a greater contest for the ball at the breakdown and the Sharks will have to be wary of the counter attack.

PREDICTION

The beginning of the match will set the tone. As long as Province can weather the early initial onslaught, they’ll get better as the match progresses. If the Sharks are the ones playing catch up, I believe they’ll make a lot more errors than they did against the Bulls.

However it is the goal kicking and backline game breakers that make me pick Province, along with the intense desire to finally produce some silverware in the Western Cape that make me pick Western Province.

It may be tight for three-quarters of the game, but Province by 12.

Sharks:

1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Steven Sykes
5. Alistair Hargreaves
6. Keegan Daniel
7. Willem Alberts
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Charl McLeod
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Andries Strauss
13. Stefan Terblanche (c)
14. Odwa Ndungane
15. Louis Ludik

16. Craig Burden
17. Eugen van Staden
18. Anton Bresler
19. Jacques Botes
20. Rory Kockott
21. Andre Pretorius
22. Riaan Swanepoel

Western Province:

1. JD Moller
2. Deon Fourie
3. Brok Harris
4. Adriaan Fondse
5. Anton van Zyl
6. Schalk Burger (c)
7. Francois Louw
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Ricky Januarie
10. Willem de Waal
11. Bryan Habana
12. Juan de Jongh
13. Jean de Villiers
14. Gio Aplon
15. Conrad Jantjies

16. Hanyani Shimange
17. JC Kritzinger
18. De Kock Steenkamp
19. Pieter Louw
20. Dewaldt Duvenage
21. Lionel Cronje
22. Paul Bosch

Prior 2010 Currie Cup results:

Oct 9: Sharks 21, Western Province 33 (Newlands)
Aug 21: Sharks 27, Western Province 16 (Kings Park)

Whilst the Sharks and Western Province will do battle in the Currie Cup at Kings Park on Saturday, they are engaged in a mini-battle off the field.

Both sides have been promoting their twitter pages, to see who can garner the most cyber-support!

As at 11.30 Wednesday the Sharks were leading Western Province by 3160 to 2808!

Support will be a factor for both sides, with home-town advantage giving the Sharks a strong edge.

Whilst it is a fun mini-battle, the 22 players from both sides will definitely be inspired by their fan bases, but ultimately determine their own destinies on Saturday.

Unlike the cyber battle, I predict Province will be too strong for the Sharks, and they’ll win where it matters most, and gain the coveted Currie Cup!

The Lions showed they are on the improve and making a late run for the semi-finals as they beat the Sharks 22-20 at Ellis Park.

The Lions have proven they can much closer to the major unions by improving their defence. In fact if their goal kicking had been better in these crucial matches they’d have been so much better off.

It shows that players such as flyhalf Elton Jantjies can get a lot better as they gain more experience.

Lions skipper Franco van der Merwe scored a late try to seal the win, and may have been fortunate as he possibly came up short and the try was not referred to the TMO.

However the Sharks were favoured when Lwazi Mvovo put a foot in touch for his second try.

The Lions deserved their victory, whilst the Sharks have shown they are still beatable as we head towards the semi-finals.

The Blue Bulls accomplished their mission in beating the Leopards 39-26 on a sand field in Potchefstroom, however it came at a cost with injuries to Juandré Kruger (hand), Gary Botha (ankle), winger Jaco van der Westhuyzen (knee), prop Werner Kruger (knee) and Fudge Mabeta (neck).

With a crucial game against Western Province coming up, the Bulls will be hoping these aren’t serious.

In the Friday night games, Western Province beat Griquas 48-32, whilst the Cheetahs beat the Pumas 59-24.

Province have shown they are dangerous when they get it right, but have been a bit hot and cold this season, whilst the Cheetahs have shown they know how to put the second tier sides away easily. This may help them if points difference comes into the final calculations.

Griquas beat bottom of the table Leopards 29-20 in Kimberly, but it was not a clinical nor impressive display from the home side who have started their end of season decline earlier than previous seasons.

Western Province were impressive in demolishing the Pumas 62-10 in Nelspruit. Central to their resurgence has been their Springboks, with Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh and Gio Aplon providing the spark and ‘x’ factor to get Province scoring freely once more.

The Sharks have often had a tough time against the Cheetahs, but dominated in all aspects as they showed they have the depth minus their Springboks to go all the way this year.

The big clash of the round belonged to the Bulls and the Lions at Loftus.

In a match where both the goal kickers struggled, and put pressure on their side, the Bulls were the ones to build a lead with two well worked tries in the second half.

The Lions came back strongly, but resolute defence was enough to see the Bulls hold on for victory and move into third place and in all likelihood a semi-final position.

Week 10 of the Currie Cup and the Lions move into the Top 4!

The log jam in the middle of the table has changed order, with the Lions moving into the Top 4 and establishing themselves as genuine semi-final contenders.

By disposing of Griquas 40-29 in Kimberly which is always a difficult venue, the Lions have shown their recent results are no flash in the pan, and have probably killed off any hopes Griquas had of seriously making the semi-finals.

The Sharks were fairly scrappy in accounting for the Pumas in Witbank. But they got the vital bonus point win and will probably end the regular season top of the log. However they’ll be concerned at their loss of momentum, especially without the Beast and Bismarck du Plessis.

Western Province easily disposed of the Leopards at Newlands and will be glad to halt their losing streak and rebuild their campaign ahead of the business end of the season. Their vital quest for home ground advantage come the semi-finals still remains strong.

Possibly the most important match of the round belonged to the Cheetahs taking on the Blue Bulls at home in Bloemfontein.

After a dream start which saw Phillip van der Walt scoring after just 31 seconds, the match was characterised by strong defence.

The Cheetahs were able to win this match by a strong second half defensive effort that repelled the best the Blue Bulls could throw at them. The Bulls decision making needs improving in these tight matches, and having slipped outside the top 4, a crucial match against the Lions awaits!

Whilst not much has been made of the new competition format starting in 2011, I fear the Super 15 will be to the detriment of South African rugby.

Whilst expansion was needed, especially to ensure ongoing television rights which fund the game, much of the changes have been made to benefit Australian rugby, who enjoyed the support of New Zealand to effectively outnumber South Africa’s wants.

However in saying that, the South African administrators deserve to be sacked, for they have acted in Australia’s best interests, possibly fooled by the carrot dangled in front of them that expected that by agreeing to the Australian needs, South Africa could have been awarded the 15th super rugby franchise.

Where are the iron-fisted administrators such as Louis Luyt? He’d have never allowed this to happen.

South Africa still provide the bulk of spectators, and should have been leading the negotations, not rolling over to the Aussies demands.


The competition was designed to ensure:

• More local derbies (which attract greater crowds and thus make more money for the respective unions).

• Less ‘relative’ travel for each side which has been especially hard on South African sides.

• A longer season to allow Australian rugby the chance offer a product which can compete with Rugby League and Australian Rules football which run from February to September.

• An Australian designed play-off system which gives more teams a greater chance of making the playoffs and supposedly generate greater interest in the competition.

The Super 15 has been formatted to ensure Australia has a rugby product to rival Australian Rules Football and Rugby League with a product that will be available in Australia every week to compete against these codes.

In South Africa and New Zealand to a lesser extent, there is no competition for these codes, and we don’t need the long season.

It is hardly ideal to have a competition that has to break for the June international season, nor is it ideal to have a competition where teams may not play each other, yet others have to play each twice.

THE FOLLY OF THE PLAY-OFF SYSTEM

Australia has missed out on play-off spots in past years, and doctoring the system to ensure each country has at least 1 side competing in the playoffs is silly. Imagine if we said the 100m final at the Olympics must have 8 runners from different countries rather than the fastest 8 runners!

The playoff system has also been designed to more closely resemble the Australian football playoff formats.

It rewards mediocrity and takes away the meaning of each game by enlarging the number of teams eligible for the play-offs. In recent years Australian sides have tended to miss out on the play-offs by finishing in 5th and 6th position.

It means a side can finish in 6th place and still win the competition rather than reward the top 4 sides who have been more consistent all season.

It also adds to the complexity of an already difficult to comprehend format, with 1 and 2 player the winner of 3v 6 and 4 v 5 respectively, rather than the standard semi-final system most people are use to.

THE END OF THE CURRIE CUP?

However the worst feature is that I think it will signal the end of the Currie Cup as we know it.

The 2 rounds of within conference matches are effectively what we wish to see in the Currie Cup. When the Super 15 ends in August, to be followed by the Tri-Nations/4 Nations tournament, when do we have time for a Currie Cup before the end of year tour?

It means that the Currie Cup will be played without the Springboks, effectively becoming a ‘Vodacom Cup’ competition.

I’m surprised the New Zealanders agreed to Australia’s demands, because it signals the end of their ITM domestic championship too.

Will sponsors and fans want to watch competitions without the top players?

It’s not our fault that Australia does not have a local competition too serve their rugby and fight the competition they face from other codes.

IS THE SUPER 15 SUSTAINABLE?

I don’t see the Super 15 in its current format being a sustainable competition amongst the fans. Coupled with the above arguments, the sooner we get rid of it the better.

I do believe however super rugby needs expanding into new countries, and/or involve less teams so we get meaningful matches. In either scenario we could have keep the season format similar with an expanded competition moving to 2 pools and thus less games (like the old Super 10) or just have less teams, and better quality matches.

Week 9 of the Currie Cup saw the Bulls bounce back, whilst Province suffered a third consecutive defeat!

There is a log jam developing in the middle of the Currie Cup points table. Currently only the Sharks are reasonably safe, the 5 teams below them all fighting for the three remaining play off positions.

Whereas Province had looked assured of a home semi-final, their third loss in a row has seen them lose considerable momentum, and piled up the pressure they face.

Western Province haven’t been doing too much wrong, they’ve just been unable to execute when it matters, and like the Bulls, that is difficult when Bok call-ups mean you have to bring in youngsters who haven’t played together all season.

The Lions continued on their winning ways, and it remains to be seen if they have turned the corner. At least they have unearthed a gem in Elton Jantjies who looks to have a promising future.

The Cheetahs narrowly beat Griquas in Kimberly which is never an easy task, and that may just signal the end of Griquas’ challenge for the season.

The Pumas had their second 1 point victory for the second week in a row, condemning the Leopards to last spot.

The match of the round however took place at Loftus, where the Bulls came back from an 11 point deficit with a strong second half performance to beat the Sharks.

Prop Jaco Engels scored a wonderful 25m effort, whilst many of the Bulls younger players showed how much they have learnt this season as they were able to step up their performances when it mattered most.

Week 8 of the Currie Cup saw 2 major upsets, and 6 teams move into contention for semi-final spots!

With both the Pumas and Cheetahs causing upset results (over the Blue Bulls and Western Province, it creates a log jam on the Currie Cup table, and ensures the race for semi-final spots will go down to the wire.

The Sharks continued their winning ways, smashing Griquas at home to be almost sure of a home semi-final spot and possibly top log position. They will certinaly be hard to reign in now.

Western Province have now suffered 2 losses in a row, and like the Bulls are losing momentum, whilst the Cheetahs and Lions appear to be heading in the right direction.

Griquas are slowly moving backward, and each game from now on takes on greater and greater signifance as log points and points differentials start to become more and more vital!

Friday turned into an absolute disaster for the Blue Bulls rugby union.

PUMAS SCORE DESERVED VICTORY

On the field, the Bulls travelled to Nelspruit to play the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium.

This was the first rugby to played at the new magnificent stadium, one I believe is the best in the country.

The crowd have awesome vantage points, and are close to the playing surface, and boy can the stadium get noisy!

The Pumas had the support of approx 20000 fans, and could well move to the “Giraffe stadium” on a permanent basis.

After the match, Pumas captain Hannes Franklin said “And with a crowd like this, we can see ourselves settling down in Nelspruit. We’re really happy.”

The Pumas dominated the opening exchanges and built a handy led when eightman Doppies le Roux crashed over in the third minute.

Eight minutes later, Pumas flyhalf Elgar Watts broke clear to score the Pumas second try.

The Bulls gradually worked their way back into the match, and at halftime they had a slender 1 point lead (11-10), that should have been extended but flyhalf Francois Brummer had missed two fairly easy penalty attempts.

The second half saw Springbok flank Dewald Potgieter open the scoring and a handy lead for the Bulls, but it was the Pumas who finished stronger, and were the more desperate side for Currie Cup points.

Two further tries gave the Pumas a well-deserved 1 point win, 22-21.

The Blue Bulls now occupy 4th spot on the log, and are now in real danger of missing out on a semi-final spot if they don’t turn around their season quickly!

OTHER CURRIE CUP RESULTS

W Province 24 Cheetahs 29
Sharks 48 Griquas 30
Lions 45 Leopards 22

MURDER CHARGE FOR BEES ROUX?

The day however was blighted with news that Blue Bull prop Bees Roux is being held in jail on a murder charge.

Whilst details are sketchy, and we shouldn’t speculate until we have the facts, this is extremely sad news for all involved.

It is alleged that Blue Bulls player (reported as Bees Roux) was involved in an incident involving a policeman in Schoeman Street, Pretoria who has now been confirmed as having died.

The Pretoria metro policeman was identified as Jacob Mogale.

My condolences go out to his family and friends.

The incident took place in the early hours of Friday morning. It is believed the police officer was driving the player home when an argument started. What Roux was doing out at that time I am not sure, and reports that he was drunk have yet to be confirmed.

It is not the first incident this year involving Blue Bulls players, and the union is starting to make more headlines of the field than on it.

As a Blue Bulls supporter I would like to see the side focus on what they do best, as I believe they are generally great ambassadors for the game on and off the field.

Week 7 of the Currie Cup saw the Sharks make their move to the top of the log!

In a clash of the top 2 sides, the Sharks hosted Western Province at Kings Park, Durban and won 27-16, denying Province a crucial bonus point too.

In great news for the Boks, all the top guns such as Beat Mtawarira and Bismarck du Plessis played strongly, and set up the platform for victory.

The Bulls managed to stave off the late comeback from Griquas to win 39-38 at Loftus. After building a substantial lead, the Bulls came back only for Griquas to make their move in the last moments of the game. Flyhalf Naas Olivier couldn’t kick the conversion that would’ve given Griquas the game however.

The Lions narrowly beat the Pumas 33-30 to make it 2 wins on the trot, whilst the Free State Cheetahs emphatically dealt with the Leopards to.

Eith the first round now complete, there are 6 possible semi-final contenders. The Sharks and Western Province look well placed for home semi-finals, but the Bulls, Griquas and the Cheetahs could still surprise, whilst the Lions will be hoping for a late dash to sneak into the semis.

Week 6 of the Currie Cup saw Western Province show their Championship quality as the beat the Bulls 15-12 at Newlands.

Province have been less affected by Springbok selections, but deservedly came out top in a tough struggle on their home turf.

The Bulls showed how far they have progressed since sending a ‘B’ side down in the Super 14, and built their game on resolute defence. It was not an open game, with Willem de Waal triumphing over the Bulls kickers.

Province now look formidable at the top of the log, whilst the Bulls slip back to 4th place.

The Bulls were helped by an upset win 30-26 by the Lions over the Cheetahs at Ellis Park.

The Lions have not won much in recent times, and this win will give them much needed confidence. The inclusion of young flyhalf Elton Jantjies seemed to inspire them as he produce a match winning performance.

The Shakrs easily disposed of the Leopards, whilst Griquas bounced back with a strong win over the Pumas in Kimberly.

Week 5 of the Currie Cup saw Western Province decimate Griquas as they signalled they are the team to beat.

Kimberly is never the easiest places for visiting sides to travel too, but in the second half, Province took their game to a new level as they showed how strong they are, and how difficult they’ll be to catch on the leaderboard.

The Sharks and the Free State Cheetahs had well dserved, hard fought wins over opposition they were expected to dominate. Both sides will be glad to have gotten the 5 points.

The defending Champions, the Blue Bulls struggled to get the 5 points at home over the Leopards. It will probably be the easiest game of the season for the Bulls, so there are concerns looking ahead to next weeks match against Province, but they’re hanging on in 3rd spot!

After 4 Weeks of the Currie Cup, Western Province and the Sharks look handily placed.

The defending champions the Blue Bulls are currently in 4th spot, and looking to stay in touch with the top 2.

Meanwhile the Free State and the Lions have work to do to ensure they can grab a semi-final spot ahead of Griquas who are proving once again they are no easy beats.

The schedule for the 2010 Currie Cup

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Semi-Finals

Final

The Blue Bulls squashed any remaining doubts about their status as South Africa’s premier side with a 36-24 victory over the Free State Cheetahs at Loftus on Saturday.

The final lived up to expectation, with plenty of drama and action.

The Free State Cheetahs signalled their intentions early with some wonderful running. However the Bulls absorbed the pressure and Pierre Spies initiated a breakout after reclaiming a high kick. Derick Kuun was brought down inches short on the left hand side and the Bulls were awarded the penalty. Fourie du Preez it quickly and executed a wonderful cross kick to put Francois Hougaard in the right hand side.

It signalled the pattern for the first 25 minutes of the match as the Cheetahs attacked relentlessly. They had the majority of territory and possession, but the Blue Bulls defence was up to the task. The Cheetahs seemed to make easy metres every time they went wide, the Bulls not rushing up in defence, but happy to let the Cheetahs run at them.

Whenever they got ball, Fourie du Preez orchestrated the attack beautifully and 3 opportunities to break out led to 3 wonderfully taken opportunities. With Morne Steyn in supreme form and able to land a 52m penalty, the Blue Bulls had a 24-0 lead after 25 minutes.

Jacques-Louis Potgieter had an easy penalty chance after 6 minutes, but missed the kick. He blows way too hot and cold at this level, and the Cheetahs needed him to get the scoreboard ticking over. Coming back from 24-0 down was always going to be tough.

However credit to the Cheetahs, for they certainly don’t give up. Most sides who visit Loftus would succumb after a 24-0 lead. The Cheetahs stuck to their game plan, and scored two well worked tries to close the gap to 10 points.

The Bulls had good field position close to the end of the half and worked beautifully into mid-field to set up Morne Steyn for the drop-goal. It showed the difference between the sides. The Bulls’ execution, especially under pressure is faultless. In finals, it is all about building up pressure, and the Bulls know exactly what is required. Even Victor Matfield said after the match he doesn’t have to say anything each time the opposition scores, his side knows exactly what it has to do.

If the Cheetahs could have started well after half-time, they could have worked their way back into the match, but once again the Blue Bulls started well and almost took the game away from the Cheetahs.

Transgressions allowed Morne Steyn to take the lead to 16 points, and in my view they were lucky not to earn a yellow card for repeated infringements at the breakdown.

The Bulls started to relax, and the Cheetahs were dominating the scrums. A poor clearance from a defensive scrum led to wonderful interplay between the Cheetahs forwards and a try that put them back into contention. With a quick drop-goal from Jacques-Louis Potgieter, the Cheetahs were suddenly only 6 points shy.

I thought the Bulls were desperately unlucky when Morne Steyn produced a brilliant chip and chase that resulted in a try to Jaco Pretorius. Not sure what ref Jonathan Kaplan ruled, but the try was not given, and Morne Steyn missed his only kick.

From here the Cheetahs kept transgressing due to the pressure, and the Bulls simply ground out the victory. Perhaps the Cheetahs may rue their game-plan to run everything, but it did seem to work for them. The Blue Bulls on the other hand seemed content to handle whatever was thrown at them, and have so many strings to their bow that makes them difficult counter.

The Cheetahs used their scrum well to exert pressure on the Blue Bulls, I was surprised the Bulls didn’t slow the game further and try to work more lineouts where they once again dominated.

Heinrich Brussow started to become a factor late in the second half, but he was overshadowed by his schoolmate Deon Stegmaan, who was well supported by Dewald Potgieter.

I thought the Bulls players did everything they had to, and the difference in class was evident, but for me their players have also looked slightly jaded after a long, long season. They can now celebrate this victory before their Boks leave for the end of year tour, and their remaining players get together to start preparing to defend their titles for next year!

The Bulls made history as they became the first South African side to achieve the Super 14 and Currie Cup double!

If there was ever any doubt, surely now the Bulls have laid to rest any doubt: They are the premier side in South Africa, and have been for the last 7 years.

Naka Drotske even had to concede, “They’re the best in the world and they have the record to prove it. They’ve been involved in most Currie Cup finals since 2004 and now they’ve won two Super 14 titles and a Currie Cup. So, yes, they are the best in the world.”

Balie Swart has been working as a scrumming consultant recently, and has coached in New Zealand and with the Sharks. He said “No other team with which I have been involved believes as much in hard work as the Bulls do.” That is the secret to the Bulls success, and one can see the development and effort all the players have made in the last few seasons.

They now leave a legacy, and as Frans Ludeke said after the game, “There was a piece missing from the puzzle and tonight we filled that piece. We wanted to leave a legacy and now we’ve achieved that. Credit must go to this special group of players. They showed their character in the semi-final, and they were excellent this evening. They’ve worked hard to get where they are and they’ve reaped the rewards of that hard work.”

It’s fantastic to hear Bulls Captain Victor Matfield say that their success this year won’t mean anything unless they back it up again next year. It’s this attitude they will keep the Bulls at the top next year and beyond!

Blue Bulls:

Zane Kirchner, Francois Hougaard, Jaco Pretorius, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield (c), Bakkies Botha, Werner Kruger, Derick Kuun, Gurthro Steenkamp.
Reserves: Bandise Maku, Rossouw de Klerk, Danie Rossouw, Pedrie Wannenburg, Heini Adams, Burton Francis, Gerhard van den Heever

Cheetahs:

Hennie Daniller, Lionel Mapoe, Corné Uys, Meyer Bosman, Danwel Demas, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, JP Joubert, Ashley Johnson, Frans Viljoen, Heinrich Brüssow, David de Villiers, Nico Breedt, WP Nel, Adriaan Strauss (c), Wian du Preez. Reserves: Richardt Strauss, Coenie Oosthuizen, Izak van der Westhuizen, Kabamba Floors, Tewis de Bruyn, Louis Strydom, Fabian Juries

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan

A full stadium, and quite a few orange flags around too. Both sides look tense,and the opening 15 minutes are going to be crucial.

4th Min – Wonderful rugby by the Bulls! Great hands by Spies, who created the momentum and Derick Kuun inches short. Wonderful tackle by Lionel Mapoe.

Francois Hougaard scores the try after a Bulls cross kick. And of course Morne Steyn kicks the conversion from a tough angle!

Bulls ahed 7-0! Go Bulls Go!

6th Min – Penalty to the Cheetahs straight away after Bakkies Botha was offside at the ruck. Potgieter has an easy kick and pulls it. Bulls stay at 7-0. Could that kick be an omen for the Cheetahs?

9th Min – Cheetahs look dangerous with the ball in hand. They run straight and direct, and give the ball goood air to create space out wide. This is going to take a toll on the players and open up later in the game.

15th Min – Pressure, pressure, pressure. The Bulls absorbed everything the Cheetahs could throw at them. Once the error came, Fourie du Preez and Bryan Habana combined to make it look way too easy. Try!

Morne Steyn converts to give the Bulls a very handy 14-0 lead.

The Cheetahs have had 76% of the bal so far. Bulls have had to make a lot of tackles.

18th Min – Try to Bryan Habana. Out of nothing! A turnover at the ruck, Fourie du Preez saw the space and Habana’s pace did the rest. Habana had come inside and was ready for the kick. Brilliant.

No one has ever scored more than 2 tries in a Currie Cup final. Could Habana set a new record today?

Steyn converts from the sideline to make it 21-0.

25th Min – Morne Steyn has a chance 52m out and on the difficult angle.

What a kick. Morne Steyn take a bow. Bulls edge out to 24-0.

Bulls sloppy at the kick-off. It’s an area they haven’t looked sharp at today so far.

32nd Min – Sustained Cheetahs pressure and Frans Viljoen hit the ball at awesome pace. Try. The Cheetahs get on the board so there go my hopes of a clean scoresheet!

Pogieter converts to cut the Bulls lead to 24-7.

36th Min -  A second Cheetahs try. In the right corner, they certainly keep coming, and don’t get disheartened.

Potgieter nails the conversion from the sideline. Suddenly it’s only a 10 point gap. Bulls lead 24-14.

40th Min – Well worked by the Bulls from the lineout. We’ve only had 23% of possession, but they worked that beautifully for Morne Steyn to kick a drop goal. Vital points to make it 27-14.

Halftime Blue Bulls 27 Free State Cheetahs 14

It’s been all Cheetahs with territory and possession, but the Bulls have shown their class in nailing opportunities and creating space.

The Bulls will have to make sure they get more territory and possession in the second half. Brussow hasn’t been a factor so far, and I would imagine the Bulls will want to slow it down and ensure there are more lineouts.

40 Minutes is all that stands between this Bulls team and greatness.

43rd Min – Sustained Bulls pressure for the first time in the game. The penalty comes after the Cheetahs have to make lots of tackles.

Morne Steyn kicks the penalty to give the Bulls a handy 30-14 lead.

45th Min – Poor scrum from the Bulls. Shoddy play and the Cheetahs forwards produced some good interplay to score in the corner. Potgieter kicks the conversion and the Bulls lead 30-21.

49th Min – Jacques-Louis Potgieter kicks the drop. In the pocket and kicked it well. C’mon Bulls!!

Bulls 30 lead the Cheetahs 24.

54th Min – Penalty Bulls! About time! Jacques-Louis Potgieter penalised for holding on. C’mon Morne!

Morne Steyn kicks the 45m penalty and the Bulls breathe slightly easier at 33-24.

57th Min – Morne Steyn with a brilliant chip ahead. Not sure what the ruling was by Kaplan. I can’t work it out but the Bulls get a penalty. I thought Jaco Pretorius had a fair try.

Morne Steyn misses the penalty. Not fair!

66th Min – This game is just waiting for someone to produce a moment of brilliance now and win it for their side.

68th Min – Cheetahs discipline lets them down. They talked about not giving Morne Steyn opportunities, but pressure does that.

Morne Steyn kicks a 48m kick, from the tough angle. Bulls ahead 36-24. I think 3 more points will seal it.

74th Min – Cheetahs discipline falling to pieces. Richardt Strauss sent to the sin bin. Good job!

78th Min – Just running down the clock now.

Fulltime

Blue Bulls 36 Free State Cheetahs 24

The Blue Bulls are the CURRIE CUP CHAMPIONS!

What a year for the Bulls! Super 14 Champions. Currie Cup Champions.

The Bulls Boks have won every title they can possibly win. Tri-nations, British and Irish Lions series, World Cup, Freedom Cup, Nelson Mandela plate, Super 14, Currie Cup.

With just 4 hours to go until kick-off in the 2009 Currie Cup final between the Blue Bulls and the Free State Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld, I’m getting slightly nervous, although still quietly confident of a Bulls victory!

The Blue Bulls are a champion side, full of stars and experience, and the current Super 14 champions. Whilst they haven’t dominated the Currie Cup this year, they go into the final as overwhelming favourites, at fortress Loftus.

Like most finals, I’m prediciting a conservaative game, with goal-kicking to be vitally important. In Morne Steyn, the Blue Bulls have the trump card. For the Cheetahs, Jacques-Louis Potgieter can be the equal, but he is inconsistent. If he has an off day, the Cheetahs will suffer, if he is on song, the Cheetahs are a chance.

The Bulls have the experience, game breakers, and tactical exponents to beat the Cheetahs comofrtably. They’ll look to replicate what has worked all year for them.

Sound tactical kicking, a good kick-chase, the lineouts and the brilliance of men like Pierre Spies, Fourie du Preez, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana and Francois Hougaard.

For the Cheetahs to have any chance, they are reliant on the three things that have gotten them to the final. Heinrich Brussow at the breakdown, a dominant scrum and taking the ball wide at pace to give their pacy back three try-scoring chances.

If they can match the Bulls in the tight five exchanges early on, they will rely on creating opportunities out wide. They’ll rely on their scrum to provide them with valuable momentum, and look to use Ashley Johnson at number eight to get them over the advantage line.

The Bulls need big games from Deon Stegmaan and Dewald Potgieter to match Brussow at the breakdown, and allow Morne Steyn time and space to get the Blue Bulls moving forward. He may have to utilise drop goals to keep the scoreboard ticking over, as the Cheetahs don’t concede many penalties.

If the Bulls exert the pressure they normally do, the Cheetahs will be forced into giving away penalties and the Blue Bulls will be able to get on top. The Bulls will look to start well, get the crowd behind them, and pressure the Cheetahs into mistakes.

I’m predicting a frenetic start, with the experienced Bulls players to dominate from the very beginning. A strong opening quarter effort should allow a healthy lead before the Bulls march to an unprecedented Super 14-Currie Cup double!

Blue Bulls by 15-20.

The 2009 Currie Cup final between the Blue Bulls and the Free State Cheetahs at Loftus Verfeld on Saturday will re-write the record books.

The Blue Bulls have an impressive Currie Cup record, and stand to achieve greatness never before achieved, if they win the Currie Cup for the 23rd time.

Only Western Province with 32 wins have won more Currie Cup titles.

The Free State Cheetahs, for a supposed breeding ground of Springboks, have only ever won the 4 Currie Cup titles, 3 coming in the last 5 years.

In the 8 times these 2 sides have clashed in the final, the Blue Bulls have only ever lost once. And that was the fateful day in 2005 when a momentary lapse of concentration, a yellow card for Bryan Habana and the cruel bounce of the ball handed the Cheetahs an improbable victory.

The Blue Bulls have the best record of all teams in South Africa over the past 10 years in terms of finals played (6) and titles won (3 outright, 1 shared). Add to that 2 Super 14 titles, and they have clearly dominated the South African rugby landscape in the professional era.

Over this period the Free State Cheetahs have only made 4 finals (2 wins, 1 shared title) and not one Super 14 semi-final.

Saturday present the Blue Bulls with a chance to make history that may never ever be repeated. They could become the only side to ever hold the Super rugby title, along with the Currie Cup.

For the Bulls Boks, they also hold every other title there is to hold. The Freedom Cup (South Africa/New Zealand), The Nelson Mandela Plate (South Africa/Australia), The Tri-nations, the British and Irish Lions series and the Rugby World Cup! The chances of any other players holding all those titles is slim, although not impossible if you are a Bull!

In my mind there is only 1 side deserving of victory on Saturday. 1 side had proven time and again they are the best side in South Africa, has the players, the management, the supporters deserving of another title, as just reward for consistent performances.

Go Bulle Go! Ek Bly ‘n Bull! Go Bulle Go!

The Blue Bulls/Northern Transvaal v the Free State Cheetahs in Currie Cup Finals:

1973: Northern Transvaal won 30-22 in Pretoria
1975: Northern Transvaal won 12-6 in Bloemfontein
1977: Northern Transvaal won 27-12 in Pretoria
1978: Northern Transvaal won 13-9 in Bloemfontein
1981: Northern Transvaal won 23-6 in Pretoria
2004: Blue Bulls won 42-33 in Pretoria
2005: Free State won 29-25 in Pretoria
2006: Free State and Blue Bulls drew 28-28 in Bloemfontein.

Last 10 Currie Cup finals:

1999: Lions v Natal, 32-9 in Durban
2000: Western Province v Natal, 25-15 in Durban
2001: Western Province v Natal, 29-24 at Newlands
2002: Blue Bulls v Lions, 31-7 in Johannesburg
2003: Blue Bulls v Natal, 40-19 in Pretoria
2004: Blue Bulls v Free State, 42-33 in Pretoria
2005: Free State v Blue Bulls, 29-25 in Pretoria
2006: Free State v Blue Bulls, 28-28 in Bloemfontein
2007: Free State v Lions, 20-18 in Bloemfontein
2008: Sharks v Blue Bulls, 14-9 in Durban