Currie Cup Final Preview
By Annie October 21 2005
The Blue Bulls are out to win the Currie Cup final in memory of their teammate Eittiene Botha who was tragically killed in a car crash in August. They also have their captain Anton Leonard retiring after this game. He has been declared fit after injuring his shoulder in last weekends semifinal.
By Annie October 21 2005
The Blue Bulls are out to win the Currie Cup final in memory of their teammate Eittiene Botha who was tragically killed in a car crash in August. They also have their captain Anton Leonard retiring after this game. He has been declared fit after injuring his shoulder in last weekends semifinal.
The Cheetahs also have a well respected player of their own retiring after tomorrows game, Naka Drotske is his name. This Cheetahs side is packed full of talent, their young flyhalf Willem de Waal is full of talent, and shall surely be targeted by the Blue Bulls. They have an international of their own in loosie Juan Smith, and also have plenty of internation experience on the bench, there's Ollie le Roux, CJ van der Linde and Kabamba Floors (in Sevens).
On the other side of the park though are those Blue Bulls. Stuffed full of international players, they are the deserved red hot favourites. Just where do you start? Their pack must be one of the top packs in world rugby. In their second row they have, for me anyway, the top two locks in world rugby, bar non. Their names might be familiar to most of you, Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield. The front row are tough and uncompromising, the loose forwards are in a class of their own. The backline, Johan Roets - who must surely be up for a place on the end of season tour to Argentins and Europe - JP Nel, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, and the wonderful Bryan Habanna. It is no underestimation to say that the Cheetahs have it all to do.
So, which way shall it go? It really is incredibly difficult to think that it shall be anything other than a Blue Bulls win. I think the emotion of the occassion will spur them onto a big win, but I'd never write those Cheetahs off! I'd still take the Blue Bulls to win by 20 to 25 points.
Tomorrows Teams:
Blue Bulls: 15 Johan Roets, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JP Nel, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Anton Leonard (captain), 7 Pedrie Wannenburg, 6, Jacques Cronjé, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Andries Human, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Kees Lensing.
Replacements: 16 Danie Coetzee, 17 Wessel Roux, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Johan Wasserman, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Derick Hougaard, 22 Riaan van der Bergh
Cheetahs: 15 Bevin Fortuin, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Chris Kruger, 12 Barry Goodes, 11 Alwyn Hollenbach, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Ryno van der Merwe, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 Corniel van Zyl, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Naka Drotskè (captain), 1 Wian du Preez
Replacements: 16 Ollie le Roux, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Darron Nel, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Falie Oelschig, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Phillip Burger
Date: Saturday, October 22
Kick-off: 16.30 (14.30 GMT)
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (SARU)
Touch judges: Mark Lawrence (SARU), JC Fortuin (WP)
Television match official: François Veldsman (Boland)
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel (SARU)
On the other side of the park though are those Blue Bulls. Stuffed full of international players, they are the deserved red hot favourites. Just where do you start? Their pack must be one of the top packs in world rugby. In their second row they have, for me anyway, the top two locks in world rugby, bar non. Their names might be familiar to most of you, Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield. The front row are tough and uncompromising, the loose forwards are in a class of their own. The backline, Johan Roets - who must surely be up for a place on the end of season tour to Argentins and Europe - JP Nel, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, and the wonderful Bryan Habanna. It is no underestimation to say that the Cheetahs have it all to do.
So, which way shall it go? It really is incredibly difficult to think that it shall be anything other than a Blue Bulls win. I think the emotion of the occassion will spur them onto a big win, but I'd never write those Cheetahs off! I'd still take the Blue Bulls to win by 20 to 25 points.
Tomorrows Teams:
Blue Bulls: 15 Johan Roets, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JP Nel, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Anton Leonard (captain), 7 Pedrie Wannenburg, 6, Jacques Cronjé, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Andries Human, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Kees Lensing.
Replacements: 16 Danie Coetzee, 17 Wessel Roux, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Johan Wasserman, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Derick Hougaard, 22 Riaan van der Bergh
Cheetahs: 15 Bevin Fortuin, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Chris Kruger, 12 Barry Goodes, 11 Alwyn Hollenbach, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Ryno van der Merwe, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 Corniel van Zyl, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Naka Drotskè (captain), 1 Wian du Preez
Replacements: 16 Ollie le Roux, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Darron Nel, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Falie Oelschig, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Phillip Burger
Date: Saturday, October 22
Kick-off: 16.30 (14.30 GMT)
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (SARU)
Touch judges: Mark Lawrence (SARU), JC Fortuin (WP)
Television match official: François Veldsman (Boland)
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel (SARU)
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