Deadly Steyn looms large

The Bulls flyhalf and deadliest goal kicker in the southern hemisphere this year missed most of the tournament because of international commitments.

But after bringing tears to the eyes of the British Lions, the All Blacks and the Wallabies with phenomenal goal kicking in his first season with the green and gold, Steyn left a deep imprint on the Currie Cup two weeks ago.

The 25-year-old with looks that would not be out of place on a movie set was offered seven penalty chances by Western Province in his native Cape Town and converted them all to carve a tense 21-19 triumph.

Pretoria-based Bulls, seeking their first outright success since 2004, have a simple recipe for success: pressurise the opposition until they concede penalties, hand the ball to nerve-free Steyn, and leave the rest to his boot.

However, if any team can upset a game plan that has already brought the Super 14 southern hemisphere trophy to the Loftus cabinet this year, it is a Cheetahs team that upset holders the Sharks 23-21 in the semi-finals.

A side that consistently performs far above the sum of its parts have stared down at the Bulls in the knockout stages of the past five Currie Cup championships and come out with honours even.

Each team won a final and a semi-final and the 2006 decider in Bloemfontein finished 28-28, leaving them to share the trophy in an anti-climatic end to a 16-match grind that begins in chilly July and ends in often boiling October.

While serial match-winner Steyn must concern a Cheetahs team led by hooker Adriaan Strauss, they boast the most disciplined Currie Cup record this season and feel this could be the key to a shock success.

Cheetahs conceded 129 penalties in 15 matches - 23 less than the Victor Matfield-led Bulls - and coach Naka Drotske believes that restricting the penalty opportunities offered to Steyn is critical.

"The only chance you have against Morne is good discipline. You cannot afford to give him plenty of goal-kicking opportunities in a final and expect to succeed.

"He never experiences an off day when it comes to goal kicking so we have to maintain our outstanding discipline," former Springbok hooker Drotske said after a Bloemfontein training session.

But a Bulls team boasting a starting line-up packed with Boks remain hot favourites to become the first South African winners of the Super 14 and Currie Cup in the same season.

Matfield and 'enforcer' Bakkies Botha are the finest lock partnership in the world, Fourie du Preez is considered the best scrum-half on the international scene and left wing Bryan Habana is a former World Rugby Player of the Year.

Even former Bok and Cheetahs legend Os du Randt concedes his province have little chance: "The Bulls are mature, used to the big occasion, and have so many world-class players in their ranks."

Teams:

Blue Bulls:

15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp

Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Pedrie Wannenburg, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever

Cheetahs:

15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Danwel Demas, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Frans Viljoen, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Nico Breedt, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Wian du Preez

Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Lukas Floors, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Louis Strydom, 22 Fabian Juries

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan

Kick-off: 17:30