Preview: WP v Blue Bulls
Western Province and the Blue Bulls took very different routes to the Currie Cup semifinal at Newlands on Saturday.
Province topped the standings for the second consecutive year, which meant that coach Allister Coetzee could give his frontline players a rest last week with their second-stringers going down to the Sharks at home.
By contrast the Bulls built some good momentum late in the season as three straight wins saw them claim the last semifinal spot to give themselves an outside shot at the title.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has been only too happy to claim the underdog tag, and his Western Province counterpart Allister Coetzee acknowledged that there will be significant pressure on his side to deliver a final at home next week.
"We understand there is pressure, we are embracing the pressure. It is not something that you can hide away from and we know that the Bulls are coming here thinking that the pressure is all on us.
"They have won three games on the trot and all of a sudden the belief is back and they have got an equal opportunity now," he said.
Having lost twice to their old rivals this season the Bulls have a chance to play without big expectations to shoulder, and Ludeke said that they are intent on making the most of the opportunity.
"WP must be favourites and rightly so. They have played great rugby this season and deservedly are hosting a semifinal. We lost to them twice in this competition so are under no illusion on the magnitude of our challenge.
"All that said, we are certainly not travelling down south to go and surrender. We are going down there to win the match and get into the final. That was what this group has worked for very hard this season," Ludeke said.
Coetzee's selection of Rynhardt Elstadt at openside flank means that half of their forwards have experience playing at lock and shows that they are intent on neutralising the physical Bulls pack – specifically their strength from driving mauls.
Coetzee explained that their focus will be on denying the Bulls any meaningful momentum that will give players like Handre Pollard a foothold in the game.
"They are a team that over the years has prided itself on their scrums and mauls and physicality, which are things that we also pride ourselves on.
"In any play-off game you have to keep your head in the game and keep defensive penalties to a minimum.
"We have been in play-offs here and we have learned from previous ones and we want to show that," he said.
The selection of Pollard at inside centre has been a major talking point in the build-up, and Coetzee said that he expects to see the Bok flyhalf and former Western Province age-group star taking the ball at first-receiver at Newlands.
"He is a special player with a good skill-set and rugby brain, so it will be a challenge for us.
"We know that there will not be much different in the way they play whether he is at 12 or 10, I am sure they will interchange.
"For us it is not about just one player, we have got to make sure that we stop momentum, pitch up with attitude and make it personal," he said.
Players to watch:
For Western Province: Sevens stars Cheslin Kolbe and Seabelo Senatla are expected to add some attacking spark, and flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis' kicking game will be key in the territorial battle. Nizaam Carr has been one of the form players this season and the experience of tighthead Pat Cilliers will be crucial at scrum-time.
For Blue Bulls: All eyes will be on Handre Pollard and how he goes at inside centre, and if he is able to create some space then experienced wings Bjorn Basson and Akona Ndungane will be able to take advantage. Big blindside flank Jacques du Plessis will provide plenty of brute strength but as the only specialist openside flank on the field his captain Deon Stegmann may play a more influential role. Lock Paul Willemse and loosehead prop Dean Greyling will be expected to bring some grunt up front.
Head to head: Out wide it will be the raw pace and youthful exuberance of Seabelo Senatla up against the experience and wiles of Akona Ndungane. The roles will be reversed at outside centre with young William Small-Smith up squaring up to Province captain Juan de Jongh. The battle at the breakdown between big Rynhardt Elstadt and poacher Deon Stegmann should provide some contrasts whilst hookers and soon-to-be teammates Mbongeni Mbonambi and Siyabonga Ntubeni will both feel they have something to prove.
Recent results:
2014: Western Province won 23-18 in Pretoria
2014: Western Province won 41-17 in Cape Town
2013: Western Province won 29-18 in Pretoria
2013: 24-24 draw in Cape Town
2012: Western Province won 42-6 in Cape Town
2012: Blue Bulls won 26-13 in Pretoria
2011: Western Province won 35-7 in Cape Town
2011: Blue Bulls won 28-20 in Pretoria
2010: Western Province won 15-12 in Cape Town
2010: Blue Bulls won 36-32 in Pretoria
Prediction: The Bulls are on an upward curve and will feel confident of causing an upset, but Western Province should have enough to win by about five points in front of their home crowd.
Teams:
Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis , 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 EW Villjoen.
Blue Bulls: 15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Handré Pollard, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann (captain), 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Marcel van der Merwe, 18 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 19 Wiaan Liebenberg, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Sampie Mastriet, 22 Jesse Kriel.
Date: Saturday, October 18
Venue: Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Expected weather: Sunny and clear. High of 25, low of 15. Wind 20 km/h
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker, Linston Manuels
TMO: Deon van Blommestein
By Michael de Vries
