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Currie Cup preview: Round 3

Thursday 03rd July 2008

No love lost: 'Liefling' is back for the Blue Bulls who host the Sharks

After only two rounds of the Currie Cup tensions are already running high as the table-toping Sharks travel to Pretoria and Western Province host the defending champions.

The competition has barely started and the Lions are facing a do-or-die situation in a must-win match at home to the ever improving Falcons. The action kicks off in Boland when the Kavaliers face off with the struggling Griquas.

Fixtures:

Friday, July 4
Kavaliers v Griquas
Lions v Falcons

Saturday, July 5
Western Province v Cheetahs
Blue Bulls v Sharks

Table after Round 2:

1 Sharks 9
2 Cheetahs 8
3 Falcons 6
4 Western Province 5
5 Kavaliers 5
6 Blue Bulls 4
7 Griquas 1
8 Lions 1

Previews:

Kavaliers v Griquas
Boland Stadium, Wellington

Round three's first game promises to see a massive tussle up front with both teams adding some more firepower to their front rows in the form of new players. Boland gave the Sharks a real headache last week but ran out of steam in the last fifteen minutes. They'll want to build on that performance.

After a disappointing start to the season the Griquas, who have suffered from a series of pre-season injuries, have had their ranks reinforced by the arrival of two loan players for their trip to Wellington.

Sharing the bottom spot on the table with the Lions on a single point, the Kimberley side will be hoping the new faces will help kick start their campaign.

In a total of five changes from the team that lost 36-28 on the road to the Falcons a week ago, Blue Bulls hooker James van der Walt joins Western Province prop, and former Boland player, Ruaan du Preez in the Griquas front row in an attempt to steady their set piece.

Steph Roberts and Dean Hopp drop to the bench to accommodate the new comers. In the second row Wayne van Heerden returns to the starting XV at lock, meaning Stephan Gerber moves back to blindside flank, relegating Gareth Krause to the woodwork.

In the only change to the back-line, Emerging Springbok Bjorn Basson replaces MJ Mentz on the left wing.

Boland welcome back Emerging Boks loosehead prop Janro van Niekerk after a successful trip to the Nations Cup in Romania. Behind van Niekerk former London Irish lock Bradley Mockford will add over two metres of bulk to the second row as Cecil Kemp drops to the bench.

Behind the scrum, Marnus Hugo's performance against the Sharks last week means SA U20 scrum-half Dewaldt Duvenage will start on the bench.

The match will also be lock Coenie Basson's last before joining French club Bourgoin.

Boland: 15 Justin Peach, 14 John Daniels, 13 Piet van Zyl (captain), 12 Lionel Cornelius, 11 Alvin Hugo, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Dries van Schalkwyk, 7 Frankie Horne, 6 Zolani Mofu, 5 Bradley Mockford, 4 Coenie Basson, 3 Andries Human, 2 Clemen Lewis, 1 Janro van Niekerk.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Wium, 17 WP Nel, 18 Cecil Kemp, 19 Whalied Heyns, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Deon Scholtz, 22 Stefan Basson.

Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Gavin Passens, 13 Jaco Bekker, 12 Herkie Kruger (captain), 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Conrad Barnard, 9 Tobie Botes, 8 Heinrich Stride, 7 Stefan Gerber, 6 Frans Viljoen, 5 Jacques Lombaard, 4 Wayne van Heerden, 3 Ruaan du Preez, 2 James van der Walt, 1 Albertus Buckle.
Replacements: 16 Dean Hopp, 17 Stef Roberts, 18 Cilliers Coetzer, 19 Gareth Krause, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Lafras Uys, 22 Egon Seconds.

Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 15.30 (13.30 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Touch judges: Jerome America, Linston Manuels
Television match official: Willie Roos
Assessor: Thuso Mngqibisa

Lions v Falcons
Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Sitting at the bottom of the table, Eugene Eloff's Lions absolutely have to win against the Falcons on Friday if they are maintain any hope of making the Currie Cup Final as they did last year. Eloff did not mince his words following the Johannesburg side's loss to Cheetahs, saying he's tired of seeing opportunities wasted.

"Clearly it is the same players that aren't putting up their hands and making basic mistakes that are costing us games," Eloff said in his weekly column on the Lions website.

"I'm at the stage of having a no-tolerance attitude. We have to change the sails of this ship and we have to change the course of our destiny this Friday against the Falcons. I still believe in the core of our team and I do still believe we are going to be in the play-offs in this year's Currie Cup. I still believe that we can win the Currie Cup. If I didn't, I shouldn't be coaching this side."

True to his word, the coach has swung his axe, making nine changes to his team. Although not all the changes are due to under-performance, there will be seven new faces in the starting XV and two positional changes to the team that squandered a number of opportunities against the Free State Cheetahs last weekend.

First in the firing line is wing Dusty Noble who still doesn't seem to have wiped the butter that plagued his side in the Super 14 from his fingers. He is lucky to be on the bench given his performances this season.

The Lions will also have a new half-back pairing in Louis Strydom and Chris Jonck. Jaco van Schalkwyk has been moved to centre where he will partner Walter Venter since Jaco Pretorius is injured and Jannie Boshoff is not available for personal reasons.

Eloff has also named a new front row. Former Springbok prop Lawrence Sephaka will start his first game for the Lions after not having his contract renewed by newly promoted French Top 14 club Toulon. Sephaka will play at tighthead, with JC Janse van Rensburg at loosehead and Etthienne Reynecke at hooker.

Loosehead Heinke van der Merwe and hooker Willie Wepener have been two of the Lions' stand-out performers and have earned a rest.

Number eight Willem Alberts is also being rested and his place will be occupied by Wilhelm Koch, while Anton van Zyl comes in at lock for the injured Gerhard Mostert.

The Falcons will be no push vers as they have surprised many with two strong performances so far. They should have beaten the Kavaliers in the opening round and thanks to a monumental effort from their tight-five, they convincingly beat the Griquas and sit third on the table.

Coach Rudy Joubert has rewarded his side for their win last week by naming an unchanged starting XV. Injuries have however forced two changes to the bench. Scrum-half Poerie van Rooyen has broken a cheekbone and midfielder Showan Smith has torn knee ligaments and they have been replaced by Bolla Adams and former Blue Bulls centre Dewald Pretorius respectively.

Prop forward Rassie van Vuuren, who played a large part in the Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup success earlier this season, also returns to the bench having recovered from illness. .

Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 Jaco van Schalkwyk, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Heini Gordon, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Chris Jonck, 8 Wilhelm Koch, 7 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Anton van Zyl, 4 Dewald Senekal, 3 Lawrence Sephaka, 2 Ethienne Reynecke, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Gert Muller, 18 Heinke van der Merwe, 19 Justin Wheeler, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Michael Killian, 22 Dusty Noble.

Falcons: 15 Jacques Schutte, 14 Ernie Kruger, 13 Rouan Cloete, 12 Hanno Coetzee (c), 11 Luvo Sogidashe, 10 True Blue Smit, 9 Gerrie Odendaal, 8 Sean Plaatjies, 7 Emile Verster, 6 Uwe Sauer, 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Wouter Moore, 3 Nico Pretorius, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Gavin Whittingham.
Replacements: 16 Frik Venter, 17 Rassie van Vuuren, 18 Reggie Perkins, 19 Warren Perkins, 20 Morné Adams, 21 Len Olivier, 22 Dewald Pretorius.

Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)

Referee: Phillip Bosch
Touch judges: Jaco Peyper, Peet Badenhorst
Television match official: Michael Cupido
Assessor: Richard Nash

Western Province v Cheetahs
Newlands, Cape Town.

The defending champion Cheetahs face their stiffest test of the competition so far as the travel to Newlands to face a Western Province side that is growing in confidence under the tutelage of former Springbok assistant coach Allister Coetzee.

The Cheetahs have a tough schedule ahead of them as they travel to Pretoria to clash with Blue Bulls next week, before hosting the Sharks in Bloemfontein seven days later. A win in Cape Town would set them up nicely as they attempt to defend their crown.

Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has made just one change to the side that upset the Blue Bulls in the dying minutes at Newlands last week as the blue and white stripes host the unbeaten defending champions.

The battle up front against the Cheetahs is set to be brutal and loosehead prop Wikus Blaauw's powerful scrummaging has earned him a place in the starting XV ahead of the more mobile Schalk Ferreira.

Coetzee also announced that centre Gcobani Bobo will captain the side for the rest of the Currie Cup season. Lock Ross Skeate, who captained the side in the first two Currie Cup matches, will be the vice-captain and will resume the captaincy if Bobo is recalled to the national side.

Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has also only made one change to his side, preferring the bulk of Hendrik Meyer to the fast feet of JW Jonker at outside centre. The move suggests that the Free State will be using a more direct approach against WP, a theory supported by opposition coach Coetzee.

With the pitch at Newlands likely to be wet the Cheetahs strong kicking 10-12 combination of Chris Rossouw and Meyer Bosman could be prominent in a conservative gameplan.

In an interesting twist, former WP fly-half Rossouw will tussle with former Cheetahs number ten Willem de Waal after the pair both recently returned from playing in France.

On the bench, scrum-half Tewis de Bruyn has recovered from injury and replaces Jandre Blom, who has been loaned to the Griffons.

Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Dylan Des Fountain, 12 Gcobani Bobo (captain), 11 Wylie Human, 10 Willem De Waal, 9 Alastair Siegelaar, 8 AJ Venter, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Pieter Myburgh, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Francois Van Der Merwe, 19 Justin Melck, 20 Paul Delport, 21 Isma-eel Dollie, 22 Morgan Newman.

Cheetahs: 15 Bevin Fortuin, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Hendrik Meyer, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Chris Rossouw, 9 Neil Powell, 8 Schalk van der Merwe, 7 Hendro Scholtz (c), 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Jaco du Toit, 17 Phillip Lemmer, 18 David de Villiers, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 JW Jonker, 22 Fabian Juries.

Venue: Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert
Touch judges: Theuns Jonker, Roderick Barry
Television match official: Willie Roos
Assessor: Thusa Mngqibisa

Blue Bulls v Sharks
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

The Blue Bulls will want to make amends for wasting an eleven point half-time lead against Western Province last week, and the Loftus faithful will expect, no, demand a more complete performance.

The Sharks lead the Currie Cup table but have been far below the level expected of them. Against the Blue Bulls they will have to step up their game significantly if they are to entertain any hopes of victory on the Highveld.

Reflecting on the game against Boland last week, Sharks Assistant coach Grant Bashford admitted that the Sharks performance was more than a disappointment.

"You work so hard and you don't expect a performance like that; we let ourselves down," he told the Sharks website.

"Our aim is to get better every week and we took two steps backwards last week."

The boys from Durban will have to start taking a few steps forward as they face a formidable side in Pretoria.

The Blue Bulls' Springbok flanker Wikus van Heerden is back to captain the hosts and fly-half Derick 'Liefling' Hougaard and full-back Zane Kirchner also make welcome returns and start from the bench.

Van Heerden has recovered from his rib injury and takes over the captaincy from Derick Kuün, while Hougaard and Kirchner will be on the bench.

Coach Frans Ludeke has not made any changes to the back-line that played at Newlands but with Van Heerden back in the mix, he has opted for Danie Rossouw alongside Wilhelm Steenkamp at lock.

That means Francois van Schouwenburg will be used as an impact player in the second half and the robust Namibian international flanker Jacques Burger, who replaces Hilton Lobberts, will make his debut for the Blue Bulls off the bench after moving to the capital from the Griquas.

For the Sharks, Bradley Barritt has managed to overcome the injury that kept him out of action against Boland and returns to the side at fly-half, but his half-back partner Rory Kockott's ankle will not be ready and Scott Mathie has been named in his place.

Monty Dumond who is likely to take over the kicking duties following a faultless display last week, will start on the wing.

With Steven Sykes ruled out, Nic Strauss, back from a stint of club rugby in the UK is named at flank with an experienced tight-five consisting of four Springboks completing the lineup.

Skipper Badenhorst's physicality is preferred to Craig Burden's explosiveness, the latter will play off the bench, joined by World Cup Springbok, Jannie du Plessis.

Blue Bulls: 15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Marius Delport, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 John Mametsa, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Wikus van Heerden (c), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Francois van Schouwenburg, 19 Jacques Burger, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Derick Hougaard, 22 Zane Kirchner.

Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Monty Dumond, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Henno Mentz, 10 Brad Barritt, 9 Scott Mathie, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Nic Strauss, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller (c), 4 Albert van den Berg, 3 BJ Botha, 2 Skipper Badenhorst, 1 Deon Carstens
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Skholiwe Ndlovu, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Riaan Swanepoel, 22 Chris Jordaan

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 17:10 (15:10 GMT)
Referee: JC Fortuin
Touch judges: Christie du Preez, Cobus Wessels
Television match official: Michael Cupido
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel