| Volume 1 - Week 33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Editor's Note
Brilliant!
Its semi-final time in the Currie Cup, the supporters’ familiar banter and
the silly betting omni-present during the season is reaching full steam.
With all four wind directions present in the final four, the coming
weekend’s matches between WP/Free State and Sharks/Lions will be very
exciting and a few more hair styles will be upset.
The
majority of pundits believes and predicts that the final in a week’s time
is a foregone conclusion between last year’s protagonists WP and the
Sharks. Rugby is never a predictable sport and with so-called upsets
happening season in and season out the coming weekend will be no different.
The players as with all professional sportsmen, have a fiercely competitive
streak and rightly so, they will never succeed at their profession if they
were not intently focused on winning. A match with the word “final”
attached generate a different set of circumstances than a normal league
match, any player who’ve played in “finals” will assure you that the
pressure and finality of the outcome either inspires or demolish players.
Experience is the key combined with that special acronym, BMT.
Let’s
take a look at the two games: The Sharks will host the Lions in a match
between the two most successful teams in the Currie Cup of the past decade.
The Lions continuing in the mode of the Cats began the season as a very
strong, well-drilled team doing the forward basics 100% and, well, play
back to the forwards with irritating regularity. It is a successful pattern
but to win matches against teams with quality forwards tries need to be
scored.
The
last few matches a different story emerged, the Lions are scoring great
tries and a significant factor is the form of Gcobani Bobo and a different
scrumhalf, Grant Bartle. The two young men have unlocked the potential of
the Lions backline, with a fast crisp service from Bartle, Koen is able to
dictate the game (Swanepoel tends to take the wrong options and play to the
forwards too often, the rest of the ball is kicked away unceremoniously) and
bring his centres into play. The back three of Hall, Delport and Jantjes is
almost a test combination and should be abused never mind left unused.
The
Lions forwards are strong in the tight phases but there must be a worry over
the lineouts, Boshoff is the most inconsistent thrower in of the ball in the
Currie Cup and this phase will be vital against the Sharks’ international
duo. The loose-forwards are well balanced with the experience of Vos leading
the youthful brilliance and exuberance of Winter and van Niekerk.
The
hosts, the Sharks confident after a win over champions WP is a tough and
experienced team intent on going one step further than two successive final
defeats in last year’s Currie Cup and this year’s Super 12. The team is
well drilled and coached with enough stars to fill most national sides and
captained by most capped (and respected, Breyten!) Springbok, Mark Andrews.
The
team plays hard uncompromising rugby and with forward domination the backs
utilise the fast and innovative service of Davidson to good effect. Halstead
at centre is both the rock and the fulcrum of the backline and with great
finishers like Terreblanche, Snyman and Swart, any opportunities will be
converted into points.
The
match will be hard fought up front with massive intensity and test match
temperament, the relative inexperience of the Lions forwards may benefit the
hard men from the Sharks and my prediction is forward dominance by the
home team. One important question remain, is Gaffie Du Toit a big match
player? A lot depends on the ultra-talented pivot and with no less
inspiration than to prove every doubting Thomas wrong once and for all he should
not lack any motivation. He holds the key to a Sharks’ victory and if he
can emulate young Butch James’ form in the corresponding Super 12 match
earlier this year, the Sharks will be too strong for the Lions.
The
other match is a replay of a match played two weeks ago but do not expect a
similar result, Free State may possess a young team but they are
interspersed with some unbelievable experienced and talented players like
Venter and Erasmus. Add to the mix Kennedy Thsimba, Wylie Human and
Friederich Lombaard the “Vrystaters” can produce a dazzling display of
skills. The question is will they receive enough ball from tight forwards
thoroughly dominated in the previous outing? Backline players enjoy good
ball on the front foot, it is the secret of any successful team however to
accomplish this is easier said than done against the champions, WP.
The
most successful Currie Cup side in history will look to dominate the
‘00’s and with a good combination of youthful experience and a strong
coaching staff it is within their grasp to establish a prolonged dominance
of the local rugby set. WP possesses the two Springbok test props and with
Hottie Louw resuming normal service, an exciting, grafting backrow of Krige,
Gerber and Skinstad they can create ample opportunity for exciting backs to
dazzle. Chris Rossouw is a class flyhalf with distribution skills second to
none, the presence of Braam (candidate for player of the year) and silky
running skills of Monty, Breyten and Rossouw should prove too much for the
“Blikore”.
WP
seemingly firm in control of their own destiny can easily become the
architects of their own downfall. As long as they approach this match with
the seriousness it deserves, Free State stands very little chance of
progressing to their second Currie Cup final in the last ten years. The head
says WP will win but with a season so perfect hopefully their last and only
hiccup was the defeat against the Sharks, somehow the warning that they were
lucky throughout the season mulls through ones head…
The
Currie Cup apart, Ireland produced a thrilling display to dispatch Wales
with a record score and the final match against England should prove very
interesting. The big debate at the moment is the safety of the players
during overseas tours, hopefully the administrators will keep a close
eye on proceedings and make intelligent and informed decisions on the
forthcoming tours.
A
very interesting announcement was the Zurich World XV and the inclusion of
only one player from the Southern Hemisphere, Owen Finnegan. The matter did
not receive much attention, as could be expected from such an openly
misconstrued perception of a few countries’ rugby strength. The Lions’s
lost against the Wallabies yet these players are regarded as “better”
than their conquerors, huh? The end of season tours will set a few records
straight and with the delayed Six Nations there are very little excuses, it
is strength versus strength, afterwards choose a World XV.
Good
luck to all the respective teams, hopefully there will be quality rugby on
display and the final will be between two teams most deserved of the honour.
Support your team at the park, live!
Incremental Steps by
Desmond Organ
Following another round of Currie Cup action and a
hastily organized practice session for the Springbok potentials, we are
at the point where the end of year squad is to be finalised. I am
surprised at the desire to name the squad prior to the completion of the
domestic competition. Whilst, there are unlikely to be wholesale changes
to the squad, there is always the possibility that a fringe player will
play a blinder.
Wynand Claasen, the Convener of Selectors has already
expressed a desire to re-establish the concept of National Trials. This
change in direction is intended to provide more exposure to the players
that are part of smaller Unions, but who have demonstrated the ability
to excel at the individual level. There is clearly a desire within the
National coaching set up to rely on specific groups of players and
ignore others. Since assuming the position of National coach, Harry
Viljoen has done an excellent job of keeping us in the dark as to his
selection strategy.
There have been several sets of selections as to who
should be the center pairing and it appears as if injury may well
provide us with some stability. Robbie Fleck is undoubtedly a great
individualistic player, but he has failed to impress me as a player who
is consistently able to establish a pattern with his center counterpart.
A lot has to do with the selection inconsistencies of the national
selectors, but how many combinations do you try before you realize that
selecting a pair that play regularly with each other is at least going
to enable you to work around a known entity.
It appears as if the shadow backs that practiced on
Sunday will be the first choice for the end of year tour, barring any
injuries towards the end of the season. It should look something like
this:
9. Joost van der Westhuizen
10. Braam Van Straaten 11. Dean Hall 12. Trevor Halsted 13. Andre Snyman 14. Breyton Paulse 15. Conrad Jantjes
This is not necessarily the group that Harry Viljoen
would have penciled in at the beginning of the year, but injuries and
the reality of winning have forced his hand. In this group there is at
least a combination of reliability and experience coupled with the
individualistic brilliance of players like Paulse, Jantjes and van der
Westhuizen. This may not be the back’s of the next World Cup, but I
can at least guarantee that there will be accurate goal Kicking, sound
defence and explosive individualistic performances. This may be just
what the team requires in the three quarters, especially if you consider
the strength in the forwards.
South Africa’s coaches should try to complete the
tour with the same back’s if at all possible. This will give the new
players confidence to explore new opportunities and techniques whilst
feeling assured of reliable support and guidance from the senior
players. I have argued the need for a comprehensive development strategy
in the national team, with incremental development plans for some time
now. Hopefully the combination of unfortunate injuries and the lessons
that the national coach has learned so far will help South Africa move
forward to the next level of performance.
The forwards are going to resemble the same group
that did duty in the Tri Nations plus the addition of players like AJ
Venter and Toks van der Linde. I will not be surprised to see Rassie
Erasmus excluded from the touring team. There is quite frankly far too
much to lose from trying to resolve the personal conflict that
supposedly exists between him and Bobby Skinstad. At the end of the day
both are individually brilliant, but the leadership ability of Skinstad
separates the two players.
If
the eighties belonged to Northern Transvaal and Western Province, Natal
and Transvaal came strongly to the fore in the nineties. The winds of
change were blowing in South African politics and the dark years of
isolation were almost over. Natal coach, Ian McIntosh, had led his team
back into the A section of the Currie Cup, after languishing in the B
section for many years. Now, in their centenary year, Natalians were about
to savour Currie Cup glory for the first time.
The
1990 final was expected to be a one-sided affair. Northerns had thumped
Natal in both earlier encounters; by a massive 28 - 6 in the second at
Loftus, only a fortnight before the final. Natal was given no chance of
lifting the trophy but the critics had under-estimated the wiles of Ian
McIntosh. He brought in veteran lock, André Botha, as his trump
card, whilst shifting the 115Kg Steve Atherton to the flank.
It
was one of the heaviest packs ever seen in Currie Cup and they ripped into
their opponents from the start, spear-headed by the robust vigour of Wahl
Bartmann. Joel Stransky slotted three penalties to give Natal a 9 - 3 lead
at halftime. Naas Botha put over a drop early in the second half and
created an overlap for the late Gerbrand Grobler to get a touchdown under
the sticks.
Suddenly,
Northerns were 12 - 9 up and threatening to nail the coffin shut. But
rugby history was about to change in a moment of rugby magic forever
etched in the memory of Natal fans. Stransky worked the blindside and
handed on to Tony Watson, who beat Theo van Rensburg, to twinkle-toe his
way to a momentous touchdown under the sticks. It was a hundred
years in the making but well worth the waiting. Natal had won 18 - 12.
Durban erupted
with joy. There were receptions and street parades; a newfound pride in
Natal rugby. A local sign-writer prepared a large billboard reading,
"YOU ARE NOW ENTERING CURRIE CUP COUNTRY.'' It was erected at
the top of Van Reenens Pass where it stood for some years, riddled with 38
calibre bullet-holes, presumably by irate visitors from the north.
Pride
comes before a fall. Natal repeated the previous year’s win against
Northerns but mid-season defeats by Transvaal and wooden-spoonists,
Eastern Province a week later, ended their challenge. The 1991 final was
at Ellis Park between Transvaal and Northerns. The referee was
Freek Burger and Northerns won 27 - 15.
It
was a visit from Steve Macqueen, later to coach the Wallabies, that
changed Natal's fortunes in the 1992 season. In his book, ''The face of
rugby,'' Ian Mac tells of his friendship with the great Australian
innovator and the valuable ideas he gained which transformed Natal's game
in ' 92. The final itself was the usual tight affair. Led this time by
Wahl Baartmann, who had been discarded by the selfsame Transvaal a couple
of years earlier, Natal took the game to their highveld opponents from the
get-go. They moved the ball quickly out to Pieter Muller, who
reversed to Gary Teichmann coming through on the burst, for a try
that would silence home support early in the game.
But
Transvaal was a formidable team in ' 92 and soon settled down, to
turn the game into one of those titanic struggles that so typified the strength
vs strength epics of those years. It was a heart-stopping affair with Theo
van Rensburg, now Natal assistant coach, demonstrating his future
loyalties, when he missed a fairly close-range shot in the closing
minutes to let Natal off the hook. The great Naas Botha, who two years
earlier had claimed it would be another 100 years before Natal again won
the Currie Cup, was obliged to eat his words. Natal were back with a 14 -
13 win.
Ian
McIntosh was appointed Bok coach, with the youthful Harry Viljoen taking
over the Natal side. The 1993 final was played at Kings Park, again
between Natal and Transvaal. With twenty to go, Natal were leading 12 –
6, with the home pack and Stransky's boot seemingly in full control, but
fate had other ideas. Gavin Johnson scooped up a loose ball and was driven
over the line by current Natal coach, Rudi Straeuli. Going into the death
only 15 - 16 down, Natal were still in with a chance but Uli Schmidt
chased down a loose ball for a killer try that saw the Vaal home 21 - 15.
The
1994 final saw the great Transvaal combo reach its zenith, with a crushing
56 - 33 victory over Free State on their own home turf. A year later,
it would be essentially this Transvaal combo in green and gold, which
would bring the greatest rugby honour of all to the new Rainbow
Nation.
After
the disappointment in New Zealand, Ian Mac received his DCM (Don't Come
Monday) from Louis Luyt and returned to his beloved Natal with renewed
drive and energy. It was sopping wet at Kings Park when Western Province came
up for the 1995 final. In theory the wet should have suited WP but it was
Natal's day. They drilled Province in the scrums to give Kevin Putt and
flyhalf, Thierry Lacroix. all the possession they needed for a 25 - 17
victory. Mac was back!
In
1996 the honours again went to Natal. It was a desperately close affair
until, with about twenty to go, the Rolls Royce struck. Who will ever
forget André Joubert scything through the defence like a geased panga,
after a slick reverse from Jeremy Thomson, for a brilliant touchdown under
the sticks. Even the partisan Ellis Park crowd applauded when he followed
it up with a simple blindside move, followed by a chip 'n collect to give
his team a runaway 33 - 15 victory.
The
1997 final was between Western Province and Free State at Newlands, after
the Free Staters had drilled Natal in a classic Kings Park semi. The
visitors with their big, powerful pack were the pre-game favourites but it
was Justin Swart who lifted his knees up high for a forty metre sprint to
a Province touchdown and a 14 - 12 victory.
Indelibly
etched in the Free State memory is Helgard Muller's long floater to Jan
Harm van Wyk in the dying seconds. The speedy winger raced away for
what seemed a match-winning try in the corner. A thunderous 'HAAAAK
VRYSTAAAAAAT'' resounded from Koffiefontein to Villiers but alas, it
was all in vain as a shrill blast from André Watson's whistle
signaled the forward pass.
The
1998 Currie Cup season saw the old rivalries of the seventies and eighties
revived as the Blue Bulls of Northern Transvaal rode a wave of nostalgic
emotion to a final against the old enemy, Western Province. Cheered on by
the Loftus faithful, the Bulls scored an early first half try via
chunky Coenie Breytenbach and then a beauty by young Wim Meyer at the
start of the second, to run up a commanding lead. But Province struck
back with a vengeance. Tries by Charl Marais and then Chester Williams
brought them within range before the disputed forward pass to
Williams, whose second try was disallowed, leaving the Bulls a 24 -20
victory.
The
last final of the nineties was the swansong for many Sharks stalwarts,
including the great Ian McIntosh. Sadly, their triumphant departure into
the sunset was ruined by a masterly performance from Laurie Mains' slick
Lions, who shut out the home team with a polished 32 - 9 victory.
It
was the end of a great era for Natal, Transvaal and indeed, South
African rugby. Perhaps it was also the beginning of a new era with Western
Province returning to the victory trail for a first Currie Cup victory of
the new century. Who knows what the future may hold but one thing is for
certain. The Currie Cup is alive and well and living in South Africa!
Quotes
Come on, Sean, I've got four million New
Zealanders on my back, and now I must carry you around the course as well!
John Hart to Sean Fitzpatrick after a three putt from three metres in a
round of golf against the Springboks.
I don't like rugby and I work for The
Irish Times. It's like being a day trader and working for Pravda.
Tom Humphries.
We're going to tear those boys apart.
Message pinned up on the changing room wall by England captain
Will Carling before the All Blacks in the 1995 World Cup semi-final in Cape
Town.
If you think you can win, you can win.
Faith is necessary to victory. Unknown
Final
Top 8 Currie Cup Log
Letters
to the Editor
Dear Ed.
A quick not to point out that this weekend's
final is not a "finish & klaar" business as so many okes
believe. C'mon guys this country's rugby is not just about WEEPEE and the
SHARKS, there are some excellent players in all the sides and believe you me
an upset there will be, come Saturday evening!
LIONS!!!! and FREE STATE!!!!!
JP Holtzer
Geagte Red.
Dit was nou mooi rugby die naweek. Lekker in my eie losie sit en kyk. Jammer vir die verloorspanne maar so gaan dit mos maar. Ek dink nog steeds dat die beste losskakel in die land Gaffie du Toit is. Sir Harry en sy mede keurders hoef nie verder vir 'n losskakel te soek nie. Mnr Bobo (Senter: Goue Leeus) speel ook met elke wedstryd beter. Die wyse manne moet hulle nie blindstaar teen bekende name in die groter bonde se spanne nie. Daar is soos ek vroëer al genoem het goeie spelers in die ander spanne. Nie net WP het rugbyspelers nie. Ek is seker eenogig, maar kan iemand vir my verduidelik wat maak ons huidige Springbok kaptein so uniek dat almal dink hy is so 'n uitmuntende goeie speler. Dit klink so al soos die huidige regering se beleid, dat jy kan droogmaak soos jy wil en solank jy net die regte naam het sal jy aanbly. Soos ek al in 'n vorige brief genoem het, het Mnr Viljoen en sy kollegas glad nie 'n verskoning om 'n swak span te kies nie. Ons het volop talent om 'n sterk Springbokspan te kies. Hier kom 'n ding. Groete uit my losie. Chris Erasmus |
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