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Pretoria – The balance of power in South African rugby will be at stake when the three Blue Bulls and Western Province teams meet at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The traditional North vs South clash has always been more than just a rugby game, with contrasting playing styles and philosophies put to the test.
Saturday’s matches will influence both teams’ log positions and will have a major influence on their Currie Cup campaigns.
As will be the case for both unions’ junior teams.
The Bulls and WP are playing for second place on the Currie Cup log with a home semifinal at stake, while the junior teams are competing for the same privilege.
The Bulls under-19 team are currently two points ahead of WP at the top of the log, but have played one more game than WP. A victory for the Bulls in which the visitors do not get a bonus point will ensure that they finish the season at the top of the log.
This will give them home advantage in the semifinal. The final, though, is traditionally played at the same venue as the Currie Cup final, irrespective of which teams play in the junior finals.
The under-21 competition is as tight. The Bulls are five points clear of WP and the Sharks, and can confirm top spot on the log with a victory, especially given that WP and the Sharks clash in the last round.
WP won all the corresponding fixtures at Newlands earlier in the season, but the stakes are higher this time.
Saturday is effectively a knockout between the senior teams, but should also provide a good indication of whether the balance of rugby power is really shifting to the South, as is believed in Cape rugby circles.
Both teams enter the North-South derby without their contracted Boks.
While this Saturday is about home ground advantage for the semifinal, a number of experts will view this game as a mere warm up for the big one later this season, with the teams possibly meeting again at full strength in either the semifinal or final.
Pretoria – The balance of power in South African rugby will be at stake when the three Blue Bulls and Western Province teams meet at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The traditional North vs South clash has always been more than just a rugby game, with contrasting playing styles and philosophies put to the test.
Saturday’s matches will influence both teams’ log positions and will have a major influence on their Currie Cup campaigns.
As will be the case for both unions’ junior teams.
The Bulls and WP are playing for second place on the Currie Cup log with a home semifinal at stake, while the junior teams are competing for the same privilege.
The Bulls under-19 team are currently two points ahead of WP at the top of the log, but have played one more game than WP. A victory for the Bulls in which the visitors do not get a bonus point will ensure that they finish the season at the top of the log.
This will give them home advantage in the semifinal. The final, though, is traditionally played at the same venue as the Currie Cup final, irrespective of which teams play in the junior finals.
The under-21 competition is as tight. The Bulls are five points clear of WP and the Sharks, and can confirm top spot on the log with a victory, especially given that WP and the Sharks clash in the last round.
WP won all the corresponding fixtures at Newlands earlier in the season, but the stakes are higher this time.
Saturday is effectively a knockout between the senior teams, but should also provide a good indication of whether the balance of rugby power is really shifting to the South, as is believed in Cape rugby circles.
Both teams enter the North-South derby without their contracted Boks.
While this Saturday is about home ground advantage for the semifinal, a number of experts will view this game as a mere warm up for the big one later this season, with the teams possibly meeting again at full strength in either the semifinal or final.
