It may be tempting to some to surmise that the big Absa Currie Cup meeting between Western Province and the Blue Bulls at Newlands on Saturday amounts to a virtual re-run of the Vodacom Super 14 encounter there earlier in the year.
Then, the Bulls opted to rest virtually their entire senior troops because they were already assured of top-placed finish while the Stormers fielded their ‘A’ side as they were still gunning for a key home semi-final.
They clinched it, of course, courtesy of a 38-10 and four-tries-to-one “cruise” against the Bulls second-stringers, and the sides went on to meet in the final back on even terms, with the defending champions retaining their hold on the trophy in the Soweto showpiece.
Still, the Newlands match-up had been a rare and fascinating exercise – still witnessed by a near-capacity crowd, as is expected again – and there will be certain similarities in this Currie Cup clash.
That situation has been brought about because of Springbok absences as the national squad prepares for the Tri-Nations game against the All Blacks a week later.
In recent times the Bulls have tended to surrender more of their big-name players (especially from the engine room) to the Bok fold, and this occasion is hardly different – although the release of Zane Kirchner and Dewald Potgieter to play for their province helps restore the balance a bit.
But Saturday’s meeting won’t be a carbon copy of the “Stormers v Bulls B” one, by any means: even the Province XV will boast less than half of the players who turned out in the Super 14 derby at Newlands.
The seven survivors (it will go down to six if the provisionally-selected Francois Louw is not released by the Boks) will include all but one of their tight five, which is obviously an advantage for the unbeaten log-leaders, who will go in as favourites.
The only odd man out in that department is Bok lock Andries Bekker – presently injured anyway – and his place is handily taken by the WP captain in the Currie Cup, Anton van Zyl.
But the Province backline for Saturday, by contrast, is hugely altered from the regular Stormers one, partly because of Bok call-ups but also due to Joe Pietersen and Peter Grant (the latter more temporarily) having been released from contractual obligations in the meantime.
Only scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage, of the backs, retains his place from the Newlands Super 14 encounter.
The Bulls starting combo undeniably still has a more noticeable “B team” look about it, although it is interesting to note that only three of the relative rookies who suffered the big defeat that day are in Saturday’s run-on mix: flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter and loose forwards Derick Kuun and Gerrit-Jan van Velze.
In some respects this Bulls Currie Cup side is stronger, with Kirchner, right wing flyer Gerhard van den Heever and the seasoned Jaco Pretorius in midfield giving it a slightly more street-wise look in the backline than in the 28-point hiding.
But the tight five is probably weaker: in the Super 14 game, for instance, the second row comprised Bakkies Botha (as acting captain, who also got yellow-carded) and Flip van der Merwe – here there is a little less “grunt” in the form of Juandre Kruger and Wilhelm Steenkamp.
Teams for Saturday’s Newlands Currie Cup match:
WP:
15. Conrad Jantjes, 14. Fabian Juries, 13. Tim Whitehead, 12. Paul Bosch, 11. Frikkie Welsh, 10. Willem de Waal, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Francois Louw/Nick Koster, 6. Pieter Louw, 5. Anton van Zyl (captain), 4. Adriaan Fondse, 3. Brok Harris, 2. Tiaan Liebenberg, 1. Wicus Blaauw
Replacements: 16. Deon Fourie, 17. JD Moller, 18. Buhle Mxunyelwa, 19. De Kock Steenkamp, 20. Nick Koster/Pieter Myburgh, 21. Conrad Hoffmann 22. Lionel Cronje
Blue Bulls:
15. Zane Kirchner, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Jaco Pretorius, 12. Stefan Watermeyer, 11. John Mametsa, 10. Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9. Ruan Snyman, 8. Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7. Dewald Potgieter, 6. Derick Kuün, 5. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4. Juandré Kruger, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Gary Botha (captain), 1. Dean Greyling
Replacements: 16. Bandise Maku, 17. Jaco Engels, 18. Bees Roux, 19. Mthunzi Mabeta, 20. CJ Stander, 21. Dustin Jinka, 22. Jaco van der Westhuyzen
And for interest’s sake, these were the starting line-ups in the Newlands Super 14 match:
Stormers
15 Joe Pietersen 14 Gio Aplon 13 Jaque Fourie 12 Juan de Jongh 11 Bryan Habana 10 Peter Grant 9 Dewaldt Duvenage 8 Duane Vermeulen 7 Francois Louw 6 Schalk Burger (captain) 5 Andries Bekker 4 Adriaan Fondse 3 Brok Harris 2 Tiaan Liebenberg 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Bulls
15 Tiger Mangweni 14 Jaco van der Westhuyzen 13 Stephan Dippenaar 12 De Wet Barry 11 Deon Helberg 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter 9 Heini Adams 8 Pedrie Wannenburg 7 Gerrit-Jan van Velze 6 Derick Kuun 5 Flip van der Merwe 4 Bakkies Botha (captain) 3 Bees Roux 2 Bandise Maku 1 Jaco Engels.
Courtesy of sport24
fender
This is specially for you 😉
On a serious note, it makes for interesting reading.
Bulls always struggle if the foundation in the tight 5 aint solid, as do most teams I suppose. I reckon this will be where they fall short this weekend.
Best of luck though and make us proud !!!
Go BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aag what the hell, Bulls might just sneak this one 😆
Mind you, looking at the props I’m not so sure…
Damn, making a pic this week on superbru without having the “emotional blinkers” on will prove to be difficult !!!
BBP 😕
goooooooooooooooooooodmorning everyone!!
hey gbs
one day to go for the interview with paddy “i know best” o’brien (you wanted to know what kind of thread we’d like to see on our 1st birthday … so there you are)
o dôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôôônnerdag
waa’s ammal weer ve’oggend?
o btw
think this is about pdv’s first interview after the sanzar fiasco
..
The Springbok squad has been left disappointed by the cancellation of a coaching clinic planned for Soweto on Thursday afternoon.
Industrial action in the country over the past two days has made it impossible for the clinic, scheduled to take place at Soweto Rugby Club, to go ahead.
“The players were looking forward to hosting the clinic but circumstances beyond our control have forced its cancellation,” said coach Peter de Villiers.
“The guys are truly disappointed but also understand the reasons for the cancellation. They are also appreciative of the efforts of the Soweto Rugby Club which could do little to prevent the cancellation of the clinic,” De Villiers said.
Me thinks the WP is going to have a bit of fun with the Bulls.
On a serious note, even though the WP backline is missing Fourie, Habana, Grant, Aplon and Juan de Jongh, they should be a match for the bulls back line.
I don’t particularly rate JLP or Jaco v d Westhuizen and Barry, well he is just old.
biltongnek @ 10
i would looooooove nothing more than for that to happen
but
with the bulls,
you just never know!!
well, it was nice talking to myself for most of the morning (i always do make a point of talking to someone with common sense)
but now that thats done
the rest of you can come out of hiding
i’ll talk to you now!!
@ biltongbek:
You are clearly looking at the wrong team there bud.
Read carefully, there are two teams, one to play this weekend, and one that played this year in the S14 freebie game.
blouste @ 13
the “freebie” game was earlier THIS year, bru (s14)
unless
you’re refering to that game
where
we
scrummed your asses back over your own goalline!!
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
haait nous ek sommer inni regte mood
MOER HULLE PROVINCE!!!
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
prooooooooooooooooooooooooooooviiiiiiiiince!!!
stiek yt julle banggoet!! hosh!!
14 @ Ashley:
Asgat, jy al weer jou sokkies gerook ?
Waarvan praat jy ? 🙂
Good team sheets for both WP and ther Blue Bulls for this game…. and the Blue Bulls will be heaps better with Zane at the back in stead of Moses Mamparra…
But the Bulls centres do not inspire much…
Bulls should concentrate on playing a much tighter game…… old style Bulls rugby….
Province however look very good… and should take this one at home.
Muhammad Ali became famous for reciting poems which carried his predictions for his fights.
In the Parkinson show the eponymous presenter interviewed Muhammad Ali and asked him if he had a prediction of what would happen in a rematch with Joe Frazier, Ali responded with this poem:
“Ding! Ali comes out to meet Frazier
But Frazier starts to retreat
If Frazier goes back any further
He’ll wind up in a ringside seat
Ali swings to the left
Ali swings to the right
Look at the kid
Carry the fight
Frazier keeps backing
But there’s not enough room
It’s a matter of time
Then Ali lowers the boom
Now Ali lands to the right
What a beautiful swing!
And deposits Frazier
Clean out of the ring
Frazier’s still rising
But the referee wears a frown
For he can’t start counting
Till Frazier comes down
Now Frazier disappears from view
The crowd is getting frantic
But our radar stations have picked him up
He’s somewhere over the Atlantic
Who would have thought that
When they came to the fight
That they would have witnessed
The launching of a coloured satellite!”
😆
blouste @ 17
wel
tussen die 2 van ons
lyk
dit of jy die een is wat gerook is!! 😉
Elke jaar gebeur dit… die WP tel hulle kuikentjies, voor hulle uitgebroei het….
Pasoppa wena….
You think the world was shocked when Nixon resigned?
Wait till I whup George Foreman’s behind.
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee
His hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see
Now you see me, now you don’t
George thinks he will, but I know he won’t.
I done wrassled with an alligator
I done tussled with a whale
Only last week I murdered a rock
Injured a stone, hospitalized a brick
I’m so mean I make medicine sick
gbs @ 21
hehehehe
nee bru, ek kan dit net ni verhelp nie
eksie hele jaar kalm
TOT ONS DIE BULLS SPEEL!! 😆
#19
sorry about that, but the last part of ali’s poem should read
..
Who would have thought
When they came to the fight
That they’d witness the launching
Of a human satellite?
Yes, the crowd did not dream
When they laid down their money
That they would see
A total eclipse of the Sonny!
I am the greatest!
13@ Blouste:
Ja jong te vroeg in die oggend vir my, maar Jaco Pretorius was julle swakste koop nog.
Jacque louis Potgieter kan nie sy ouma tackle nie, en Zane mis baie tackles en het nog nie geleer om n’ bal te vang nie.
So WP gaan nog steeds wen.
On paper it looks as if this match can go anywhere…
BUT, if you consider the form of the problems team thus far, one has to admit that they are firm favourites.
However, coming of a game like last week, this Bulls team might just decide to pull their fingers…
I hope our props can stand their man, and our locks deliver.
If our 9/10 combo can have a good game, then bob’s your uncle. 🙂
Kuhn needs to step up a gear or two aswell, and we need a big game fron van Veltze…
@ biltongbek:
Ek hoor jou en stem 100% saam rakende J.Pretorius.
Maar JLP glo ek steeds kan as hy ‘n goeie dag het ‘n game swaai… vra maar die Sharks in laas jaar se CC semi 😉
A big concern for me is the “fetcher factor”… Kuhn are no where near the form he showed before being converted to hooker.
If Flo gets to play I’m afraid even I will have to pick weepee on superbru 🙁
Bulls will have to establish forward domination early on if they want a sniff at it…
That however is easier said than done… for me wich ever team gets that facet of play swinging in their favour will probably clinch it.
@ Blouste:
Ek dink julle grootste probleem gaan wee teen Duane Vermeulen, en die Louw broers. Dit is n’ baie goeie back row wat hulle daar het, en moerse physical.
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