Currie Cup Team of the Week: Semifinals

OPINION: And then there were two.

The Free State Cheetahs and the Golden Lions are this year’s Currie Cup finalists and they lead the way in terms of players in our Team of the Week.

The Lions have eight players in our selection after their 34-19 win over Griquas in the semifinals. The Cheetahs have six players in our selection after their 51-30 win over the Sharks.

The team from Durban has one player in our final XV.

The Currie Cup final is confirmed for 1⃣7⃣h0⃣0⃣ on Saturday, 7⃣ September in Bloemfontein. This is how the @CheetahsRugby 🐆and @LionsRugbyCo 🦁booked their spots! ⛓️https://t.co/Qsyy8hswGA @DirectAxis @Springboks pic.twitter.com/Z8UC0aXQcg

— The Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) August 31, 2019

Team of the Week – Semifinals:

15 – Clayton Blommetjies (Free State Cheetahs)
Influential throughout the match. He was simply amazing in the last 20 minutes and he set up a few tries.
Bubbling under: Tyrone Green (Golden Lions)

14 – Madosh Tambwe (Golden Lions)
A constant threat with ball in hand out wide and he scored one of his team’s four tries.
Bubbling under: William Small-Smith (Free State Cheetahs)

13 – Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions)
He got the better of several defenders in the win over Griquas and got his team over the gainline.
Bubbling under: Jeremy Ward (Sharks)

12 – Dries Swanepoel (Free State Cheetahs)
He is the muscle in the Cheetahs’ backline. The Sharks found it hard to bring him down in Bloemfontein.
Bubbling under: Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks)

11 – Stean Pienaar (Golden Lions)
He was a hard man to keep track of on the field and he scored a try as well.
Bubbling under: Eduan Keyter (Griquas)

10 – Curwin Bosch (Sharks)
The 22-year-old slotted into the pivot role with ease after returning from an injury.
Bubbling under: Tian Schoeman (Free State Cheetahs)

9 – Ruan Pienaar (Free State Cheetahs)
The veteran turned back the clock with this performance. Not only did he score a try, but he also took over the kicking duties in the second half.
Bubbling under: Ross Cronje (Golden Lions)

8 – Henco Venter (Free State Cheetahs)
He put in another huge shift around the park, especially with ball in hand.
Bubbling under: Hacjivah Dayimani (Golden Lions)

7 – Cyle Brink (Golden Lions)
A real asset at the breakdowns and with ball in hand where he made several good runs.
Bubbling under: Sias Koen (Griquas)

6 – Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions)
Another who was a menace at the breakdown. He was aggressive in defence and he was one of his team’s try-scorers.
Bubbling under: Junior Pokomela (Free State Cheetahs)

5 – Marvin Orie (Golden Lions)
The link that was missing in the Lions set-up. He helped rectify the line-outs.
Bubbling under: Hyron Andrews (Sharks)

4 – Ruben Schoeman (Golden Lions)
The big man was powerful with ball in hand and he was important in the set-pieces as well.
Bubbling under: Sintu Manjezi (Free State Cheetahs)

3 – Jacobie Adriaanse (Golden Lions)
Solid in the scrums and did his fair share of work in open play.
Bubbling under: Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks)

2 – Joseph Dweba (Free State Cheetahs)
Another energetic performance from the hooker. He was aggressive with ball in hand and scored one of his team’s tries.
Bubbling under: AJ Le Roux (Griquas)

1 – Ox Nché (Free State Cheetahs)
He had another good all-round game against the Sharks. For a prop, he is a joy to watch in open play.
Bubbling under: Khwezi Mona (Griquas)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwaW61D1-OE

Our individual selections:

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Stean Pienaar, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nché.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Stean Pienaar, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nché.

Leezil Hendrick XV: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Stean Pienaar, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nché.

Current situation at the Ticket Office.

Avoide the line and buy online – www.fscheetah #CurrieCupReloaded #Final#LetsWinAgain pic.twitter.com/ReEG0XAxWi

— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) September 2, 2019

Previous selection:

Team of the Week – Round Seven: 15 Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), 14 Kobus van Wyk (Sharks), 13 Jeremy Ward (Sharks), 12 Andre Swarts (Griquas), 11 Eduan Keyter (Griquas), 10 Tiaan Schoeman (Free State Cheetahs), 9 Ruan Pienaar (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Henco Venter (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Cyle Brink (Golden Lions), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions), 5 Hyron Andrews (Sharks), 4 Ruben Schoeman (Golden Lions), 3 Wilco Louw (Western Province), 2 Joseph Dweba (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Ox Nche (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week – Round Six: 15 Devon Williams (Pumas), 14 Ederies Arendse (Griquas), 13 Alwayno Visagie (Pumas), 12 Jeremy Ward (Sharks), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 George Whitehead (Griquas), 9 Sanele Nohamba (Sharks), 8 Hacjivah Dayimani (Golden Lions), 7 Jacques Vermeulen (Sharks), 6 Jeandre Rudolph (Pumas), 5 Stefan Willemse (Pumas), 4 Salmaan Moerat (Western Province), 3 John-Hubert Meyer (Sharks), 2 AJ Le Roux (Griquas), 1 Khwezi Mona (Griquas).

Team of the Week – Round Five: 15 Dillyn Leyds (Western Province), 14 Cornal Hendricks (Blue Bulls), 13 Ruhan Nel (Western Province), 12 Jeremy Ward (Sharks), 11 Seabelo Senatla (Western Province), 10 Manie Libbok (Blue Bulls), 9 Ivan Van Zyl (Blue Bulls), 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Western Province), 7 Jacques Vermeulen (Sharks), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions), 5 John Schickerling (Western Province), 4 Ruben van Heerden (Sharks), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Corné Fourie (Western Province).

Team of the Week – Round Four: 15 Tyrone Green (Golden Lions), 14 Madosh Tambwe (Golden Lions), 13 Dylan Sage (Blue Bulls), 12 Dries Swanepoel (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Stean Pienaar (Golden Lions), 10 Chris Smith (Pumas), 9 Zak Burger (Griquas), 8 Jeandre Rudolph (Pumas), 7 Sias Koen (Griquas), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions), 5 Victor Sekekete (Griquas), 4 Le Roux Roets (Pumas), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks), 2 Joseph Dweba (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Andrew Beerwinkel (Pumas).

Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 Tyrone Green (Golden Lions), 14 William Small-smith (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Ruhan Nel (Western Province), 12 Dries Swanepoel (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Rosko Specman (Blue Bulls), 10 Tiaan Schoeman (Free State Cheetahs), 9 Tian Meyer (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Henco Venter (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Marco Van Staden (Blue Bulls), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions), 5 Marvin Orie (Golden Lions), 4 Sintu Manjezi (Free State Cheetahs), 3 Carlu Sadie (Western Province), 2 Joseph Dweba (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Corne Fourie (Western Province).

Team of the Week – Round Two: 15 Anthony Volmink (Griquas), 14 Kobus van Wyk (Sharks), 13 Bernhard Janse Van Rensburg (Free State Cheetahs), 12 Jeremy Ward (Sharks), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Tian Schoeman (Free State Cheetahs), 9 Tian Meyer (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Henco Venter (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Sias Koen (Griquas), 6 Ruan Steenkamp (Blue Bulls), 5 Victor Sekekete (Griquas), 4 Le Roux Roets (Pumas), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks), 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg (Pumas), 1 Ox Nche (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week – Round One: 15 Tyrone Green (Golden Lions), 14 Madosh Tambwe (Golden Lions), 13 Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions), 12 Burger Odendaal (Blue Bulls), 11 Rosko Specman (Blue Bulls), 10 George Whitehead (Griquas), 9 Embrose Papier (Blue Bulls), 8 Niell Jordaan (Griquas), 7 Sias Koen (Griquas), 6 Gideon van der Merwe (Griquas), 5 Victor Sekekete (Griquas), 4 Le Roux Roets (Pumas), 3 Wilco Louw (Western Province), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Corné Fourie (Western Province).

@rugby365com

Your 2019 DirectAxis Currie Cup Finalists!#LionsPride pic.twitter.com/PVNpQn36vF

— Xerox Golden Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) August 31, 2019