By TonyTaff
September 10 2008

The clash between the Sharks and the Blue Bulls, televised on SKY, gave Sarries fans a chance to review performances of two signings. Wikus Van Heerden played blindside for the Bulls, as he has done with distinction throughout the campaign. Bradley Barritt secured a place at centre for the home team, despite the availability of the Sprinboks, and Adrian Jacobs a possible threat to his position. The game was a cracker, an advert for what can be achieved under the ELV subset which are currently being trialed in the Northern Hemisphere as well as the Currie Cup. Both sides achieved a try bonus point.

 

The future Sarries players were soon in opposition, as Derek Kuun overthrew a lineout, not for the last time. Wikus Van Heerden tried to field the ball that had bounced wildly and high, and was in no position to defend himself from the on-rushing fly-half. What? Michalak make a tackle? I hear you cry. Of course not. In defence, Barritt played one out, to hide the fragile Frenchman. The centre dumped his future teammate on his arse - in a bygone era this would have been an embarrassment, but, in an era where backs are required to do weight training, it has become more commonplace.

 

It was not long before the Bulls were to open the scoring. From a lineout in a similar position, Matfield, who had taken the captain's armband from Van H upon his return from international duty, collected the ball cleanly. The ball was spun quickly to Wynand Olivier, the INSIDE centre, who tried his luck at breaking the line. The defence parted and he was through to draw the full-back and give his centre colleague, Delport, who dotted down under the sticks. Why do I emphasise that Olivier was at inside centre? Because the commentators blamed the Sharks 13, Francois Steyn, for the miss - I'm afraid the defending inside centre was equally culpable, one Bradley Barritt.

 

Early in the second half BB was once again in the limelight. It would appear that the use of him to protect Michalak is borne out of his appetite for tackling. This time Ndungane (A) came off his wing to make a flying burst through the centre. BB did not shirk but took a bang for his troubles, which has since been reported as concussion. He took no further part. If that diagnosis is accurate then we may not see him until the semis, if ever again in this season's Currie Cup. Potentially worrying for Sarries fans and management, but it is somewhat futile to attempt a prognosis from several thousand miles away, regardless of  the level of one's medical expertise!

 

The next moment of note for Sarries fans came on 65 minutes. Wikus Van Heerden was substituted. Rather like his predecessor, Richard Hill, Van H's contribution is often at its most conspicuous when he is not playing - no-one else does as effective a job, and the hapless Potgieter was shown to be a markedly inferior substitute. Of course, in his pomp, Hilda hardly ever suffered the ignomy of substitution, either by Sir Clive, or the succession of Sarries coaches, even though some of them, in other respects, seemed to have difficulty distinguishing their posterior from their elbow.

 

The Bulls were denied a losing bonus point, and slip down to second, behind the Sharks. There are four semi-final places available (fancy that!), and there's clear water between the top four (Cheetahs and Lions make up the quartet) and Western Province in fifth. WP clung on to faint hopes of disturbing the party with a heroic win in Bloemfontein. ‘Heroic', as they were playing against 18 men, 15 in white and three in green who all seemed to have changed their names by deed poll to ‘Homer'. Grrrr.

 

If WP do make it into the top four, it is unlikely to be at the expense of either the Sharks or the Bulls, so our guys have lots more work to do in the Southern Hemisphere before they migrate north. The Bulls have three easy-looking fixtures remaining, as well as a visit to the Cheetahs, before the knock-out phase. Perhaps the unfathomable Mr Ludeke will rest Wikus for one of the less threatening games?

 

If you are thinking of watching some of the southern hemisphere rugby shown on SKY, but can't fit it all in, then ignore the Air New Zealand Cup (shown at sparrow's fart on Saturdays) as it's played under the free-kick frenzy ELVs; the Currie Cup uses the same laws as we have, at least for this season, and is far more entertaining.