Cheetahs v Pumas, Currie Cup Final - teams and prediction
PREVIEW: Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse promised that he will have a ‘few tricks up his sleeve’ when they face the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup Final in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The Pumas, like last year when they won their maiden title, are the underdogs.
However, Stonehouse is one of the more astute coaches on the Currie Cup stage and said you have to bring “something new” to a Final.
“Anything can happen in a Final,” he said, adding: “If things go according to plan, our discipline is spot on and [flyhalf] Tinus de Beer is on target with his goalkicking, we be in the winners’ circle again.”
The Pumas coach said it is important for his team to go play their normal game and not get caught up in the hype surrounding the Final.
“We must go do what we have done all season, just do it better.
“We also need to match the Cheetahs in terms of guts and physicality.”
In contrast to the Pumas – who won the last two matches, but lost the previous four – the Cheetahs are unbeaten for a month.
It is the kind of momentum Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie believes puts them in a good space.
(Article continues below the Hawies Fourie interview …)
“Last year we struggled towards the back end of the competition,” Fourie said about their loss to the Pumas in the 2022 semifinal.
“This year it is the opposite.
“We went through a bad patch, had a draw against Griquas and have now won three on the trot.”
He added that the confidence levels are much higher at the moment.
The Cheetahs coach pointed to his team’s discipline as the big concern – having conceded 31 penalties (15 and 16) in their last two outings, both wins over the Bulls.
Fourie said the Pumas is not the type of team you can put in a box, as they can change their game.
“They have a very good offload game, they counterattack very well, a very good kicking game with Devon [Williams] and Tinus [de Beer] – left- and right-footed kickers – that make it difficult,” he added.
“They also have a strong and physical pack of forwards.
“They bring different things to the game and we expected them to be as physical as we know they can be.
“They will put a lot of pressure on us with their kicking game, the kick-chase and at the breakdown.”
Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse said set pieces will again be vital, as they always are in Finals.
However, one of the key aspects will be the mauls – a vital scoring component for both teams.
“The mauls are their biggest weapon,” the Pumas coach said, adding: “That is their biggest source of tries.
“The breakdowns will also be vital for us, an aspect they focus on heavily with players like Jeandre [Rudolph] and Daniel [Maartens].”
Then there is the Pumas’ defence – 169 tackles in their 26-20 win over the Sharks in the semifinal last week at a tackle completion success rate of 93 percent.
“Our tackle completion is among the best in the competition and it showed in the final play of the match,” he said of the Pumas’ ability to keep the Sharks out for 25 phases and constantly driving them back to save the match.
“We trust our defensive system and that is a strength of ours.”
Having won away in the semifinal and Final last year, the Pumas will look to repeat that feat – having beaten the Sharks in the semifinal in Durban last week and travelling to Bloemfontein for the final on Saturday.
“We look to make our stay away as short as possible,” Stonehouse said, adding that the ‘hit-and-run’ approach ensures the guys don’t get distracted and focus only on the game.
The Pumas coach said the key player is veteran Springbok Ruan Pienaar, who is their main game-driver.
“Everything in their game evolves around Ruan [Pienaar] and he is the player who pulls the strings.
“We need to find a way to put him under pressure and limit his time.
“He is good enough to still be playing for the Springboks.”
Fourie said the Pumas showed in their semifinal win over the Sharks last week they can play the ‘pressure game’ required to win play-offs.
Unlike their Challenge Cup Round of 16 loss to French giants Toulon, when they were fighting to stay in the tournament, the Cheetahs are now playing for silverware.
“If you lose you will feel disappointed about the season,” he said of their well-documented desire to get some silverware in the trophy cabinet in Bloemfontein.
“There is a lot to play for and a lot of pressure on both teams.
“They have the pressure of being the defending champions and we will give 100 percent to win it, after we let ourselves down [in the semifinal] last year.
“We have learnt our lessons and are well-prepared for this one.”
Head to head
Road to the Final
Prediction
@rugby365com: Cheetahs by seven points
Teams
Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Brits, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Friedle Olivier, 7 Sibabalo Qoma, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Nqobisizwe Moxoli
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Jeandre Rudolph, 20 George Cronje, 21 Daniel Maartens, 22 Siyabonga Masuku 23 Robert Ebersohn.
Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Andrew Kota, 13 Diego Appollis, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Francois Kleinhans, 6 Andre Fouche, 5 Shane Kirkwood (captain), 4 Deon Slabbert, 3 Simon Raw, 2 Pieter Jacobs, 1 Corne Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Darnell Osuagwu, 17 Etienne Janeke, 18 Dewald Maritz, 19 Malembe Mpofu, 20 Ruwald van der Merwe, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Gene Willemse, 23 Wian van Niekerk.
Date: Saturday, June 24
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 16.00 (14.00 GMT)
Expected weather: Pleasant with plenty of sunshine. High of 22°C, low of -1°C
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: AM Jacobs, Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Egon Seconds
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* Picture credit: @TheCurrieCup
