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Pretoria - Rugby fans should brace themselves for one of the forward battles of the season when the Blue Bulls and the Free State Cheetahs face each other in Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup final (17:30).
So says Springbok forwards Juan Smith (Free State Cheetahs) and Chiliboy Ralepelle (Blue Bulls), who will both miss this weekend’s finale due to injury.
Both players attended the “Absalutely Super Press Conference” which took place at Montecasino in Johannesburg on Thursday in preparation of this weekend’s “Super Saturday”, which will feature the Currie Cup Final and the Soweto derby in the PSL between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
“If we (Cheetahs) are not physical enough up front we could have serious problems,” said Smith.
“We have to match them in set pieces and have to make sure we don’t concede unnecessary penalties. The team that makes the most mistake will not smoke the pipe after the game. In a final, teams are very closely matched and the rugby is not actually flashy. It’s about playing winning rugby because the board is all that counts.”
Hooker Adriaan Strauss, who has been out of action for the last few weeks due to a broken thumb, is back and will captain the Cheetahs.
Richardt Strauss has also been cleared fit after sustaining an eye injury during the Currie Cup semi-final match against the Sharks. He will provide cover from the bench.
A shock exclusion from the Cheetahs side is that of springbok winger Jongi Nokwe who is the leading try-scorer in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division.
Fullback Hennie Daniller and wingers Lionel Mapoe and Danwel Demas will form the back-three, while Springbok Sevens icon Fabian Juries will provide cover from the bench.
Ralepelle agreed with Smith and added: “We really worked hard on our scrums this week as this battle will be won up front,” said the Blue Bulls’ injured Springbok hooker.
“We know we have to set a good platform up front for the backs to get some good attacking ball and guys like Pierre Spies to shine from the back. Finals are always very close games.
“The Cheetahs have Jaques Potgieter and we have Morne Steyn, so I believe it will be a big battle between the two, especially if the teams give away easy penalties.”
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named an unchanged team for the final from the side that defeated Western Province (21-19) at Newlands on October 17.
This match will also see the Springbok lock paring of Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield celebrate their 50th appearance for the Loftus outfit.
Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who earned his 50th cap for the Blue Bulls two weeks ago during the Cape Town match, will also accompany his lock team-mates when they run on to the field.
Road to the 2009 Currie Cup final:
Blue Bulls
11 July Blue Bulls 19 Lions 13 (Pretoria)
18 July Blue Bulls 30 Western Province 22 (Pretoria)
24 July The Sharks 19 Blue Bulls 13 (Durban)
31 July Blue Bulls 50 Boland Cavaliers 18 (Pretoria)
7 August Free State Cheetahs 24 Blue Bulls 15 (Bloemfontein)
15 August GWK Griquas 24 Blue Bulls 25 (Kimberley)
21 August Blue Bulls 44 Leopards 11 (Pretoria)
29 August Lions 20 Blue Bulls 13 (Johannesburg)
5 September Western Province 25 Blue Bulls 19 (Cape Town)
12 September Blue Bulls 23 The Sharks 29 (Pretoria)
19 September Boland Cavaliers 16 Blue Bulls 72 (Wellington)
26 September Blue Bulls 30 Free State Cheetahs 27 (Pretoria)
3 October Blue Bulls 61 GWK Griquas 27 (Pretoria)
9 October Platinum Leopards 24 Blue Bulls 61 (Rustenburg)
17 October Western Province 19 Blue Bulls 21 (Cape Town - Absa Currie Cup Semi-final)
Cheetahs
10 July Cheetahs 18 GWK Griquas 28 (Bloemfontein)
18 July Lions 31 Cheetahs 22 (Johannesburg)
24 July Western Province 19 Cheetahs 13 (Cape Town)
31 July Free State Cheetahs 12 The Sharks 21 (Bloemfontein)
7 August Free State Cheetahs 24 Blue Bulls 15 (Bloemfontein)
14 August Platinum Leopards 17 Cheetahs 71 (Potchefstroom)
22 August Cheetahs 59 Boland Cavaliers 8 (Bloemfontein)
29 August GWK Griquas 13 Cheetahs 58 (Kimberley)
5 September Cheetahs 20 Lions 16 (Bloemfontein)
12 September Cheetahs 33 Western Province 31 (Bloemfontein)
19 September The Sharks 24 Cheetahs 13 (Durban)
26 September Blue Bulls 30 Cheetahs 27 (Pretoria)
2 October Cheetahs 60 Platinum Leopards 17 (Bloemfontein)
10 October Boland Cavaliers 10 Cheetahs 55 (Wellington)
17 October The Sharks 21 Cheetahs 23 (Durban - Absa Currie Cup Semi-final)
Top five leading points-scorers:
Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Cheetahs) 163
Joe Pietersen (Western Province) 157
Naas Olivier (GWK Griquas) 151
Herkie Kruger ( Lions) 137
Morne Steyn (Blue Bulls) 82
Top five leading try-scores:
Jongi Nokwe (Cheetahs) 12
Gerhard van den Heever (Blue Bulls) 11
Luke Watson (Western Province) 11
Barry Geel (GWK Griquas) 10
Craig Burden (The Sharks) 8
So says Springbok forwards Juan Smith (Free State Cheetahs) and Chiliboy Ralepelle (Blue Bulls), who will both miss this weekend’s finale due to injury.
Both players attended the “Absalutely Super Press Conference” which took place at Montecasino in Johannesburg on Thursday in preparation of this weekend’s “Super Saturday”, which will feature the Currie Cup Final and the Soweto derby in the PSL between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
“If we (Cheetahs) are not physical enough up front we could have serious problems,” said Smith.
“We have to match them in set pieces and have to make sure we don’t concede unnecessary penalties. The team that makes the most mistake will not smoke the pipe after the game. In a final, teams are very closely matched and the rugby is not actually flashy. It’s about playing winning rugby because the board is all that counts.”
Hooker Adriaan Strauss, who has been out of action for the last few weeks due to a broken thumb, is back and will captain the Cheetahs.
Richardt Strauss has also been cleared fit after sustaining an eye injury during the Currie Cup semi-final match against the Sharks. He will provide cover from the bench.
A shock exclusion from the Cheetahs side is that of springbok winger Jongi Nokwe who is the leading try-scorer in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division.
Fullback Hennie Daniller and wingers Lionel Mapoe and Danwel Demas will form the back-three, while Springbok Sevens icon Fabian Juries will provide cover from the bench.
Ralepelle agreed with Smith and added: “We really worked hard on our scrums this week as this battle will be won up front,” said the Blue Bulls’ injured Springbok hooker.
“We know we have to set a good platform up front for the backs to get some good attacking ball and guys like Pierre Spies to shine from the back. Finals are always very close games.
“The Cheetahs have Jaques Potgieter and we have Morne Steyn, so I believe it will be a big battle between the two, especially if the teams give away easy penalties.”
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named an unchanged team for the final from the side that defeated Western Province (21-19) at Newlands on October 17.
This match will also see the Springbok lock paring of Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield celebrate their 50th appearance for the Loftus outfit.
Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who earned his 50th cap for the Blue Bulls two weeks ago during the Cape Town match, will also accompany his lock team-mates when they run on to the field.
Road to the 2009 Currie Cup final:
Blue Bulls
11 July Blue Bulls 19 Lions 13 (Pretoria)
18 July Blue Bulls 30 Western Province 22 (Pretoria)
24 July The Sharks 19 Blue Bulls 13 (Durban)
31 July Blue Bulls 50 Boland Cavaliers 18 (Pretoria)
7 August Free State Cheetahs 24 Blue Bulls 15 (Bloemfontein)
15 August GWK Griquas 24 Blue Bulls 25 (Kimberley)
21 August Blue Bulls 44 Leopards 11 (Pretoria)
29 August Lions 20 Blue Bulls 13 (Johannesburg)
5 September Western Province 25 Blue Bulls 19 (Cape Town)
12 September Blue Bulls 23 The Sharks 29 (Pretoria)
19 September Boland Cavaliers 16 Blue Bulls 72 (Wellington)
26 September Blue Bulls 30 Free State Cheetahs 27 (Pretoria)
3 October Blue Bulls 61 GWK Griquas 27 (Pretoria)
9 October Platinum Leopards 24 Blue Bulls 61 (Rustenburg)
17 October Western Province 19 Blue Bulls 21 (Cape Town - Absa Currie Cup Semi-final)
Cheetahs
10 July Cheetahs 18 GWK Griquas 28 (Bloemfontein)
18 July Lions 31 Cheetahs 22 (Johannesburg)
24 July Western Province 19 Cheetahs 13 (Cape Town)
31 July Free State Cheetahs 12 The Sharks 21 (Bloemfontein)
7 August Free State Cheetahs 24 Blue Bulls 15 (Bloemfontein)
14 August Platinum Leopards 17 Cheetahs 71 (Potchefstroom)
22 August Cheetahs 59 Boland Cavaliers 8 (Bloemfontein)
29 August GWK Griquas 13 Cheetahs 58 (Kimberley)
5 September Cheetahs 20 Lions 16 (Bloemfontein)
12 September Cheetahs 33 Western Province 31 (Bloemfontein)
19 September The Sharks 24 Cheetahs 13 (Durban)
26 September Blue Bulls 30 Cheetahs 27 (Pretoria)
2 October Cheetahs 60 Platinum Leopards 17 (Bloemfontein)
10 October Boland Cavaliers 10 Cheetahs 55 (Wellington)
17 October The Sharks 21 Cheetahs 23 (Durban - Absa Currie Cup Semi-final)
Top five leading points-scorers:
Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Cheetahs) 163
Joe Pietersen (Western Province) 157
Naas Olivier (GWK Griquas) 151
Herkie Kruger ( Lions) 137
Morne Steyn (Blue Bulls) 82
Top five leading try-scores:
Jongi Nokwe (Cheetahs) 12
Gerhard van den Heever (Blue Bulls) 11
Luke Watson (Western Province) 11
Barry Geel (GWK Griquas) 10
Craig Burden (The Sharks) 8
