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.