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Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town – Loftus will be gripped by Saturday night fever for the Vodacom Super 14 derby between the Bulls and Sharks … and not just because the stakes are high, albeit in slightly different ways, for both sides.
Springbok selection is looming increasingly large on the horizon and coach Peter de Villiers and his various lieutenants are very likely to view this encounter as an enlightening trial of sorts.
We will witness a string of enticing one-on-ones across the park and it was a tough job culling the list to just four stand-outs.
I couldn’t even find room for Bakkies Botha v Steven Sykes in the duel of No 4 locks, for instance – it might be a little unfair to expect optimal performance from the decidedly ring-rusty Bulls hard man just yet – nor the good scrummaging grapple ‘n grunt between seasoned customers Jannie du Plessis, the Sharks tighthead, and home loosehead prop Gurthro Steenkamp.
This is the quartet I have opted for:
Fullback: Zane Kirchner (Bulls) v Patrick Lambie (Sharks)
Here is a position where the Springbok picture arguably remains a little murky … Frans Steyn still an option from overseas, maybe? So a sublime performance from the still-teenage (until October!) Lambie could yet earn him a daring passport to the international stage. He has certainly blossomed as an all-round footballer in the Super 14, even persuading pundit Joel Stransky to lessen his fears that the wunderkind lacks half a yard in pace. Pitted against him is Kirchner, who had his debut for the Boks in the problematic dead-rubber Test against the British and Irish Lions at Ellis Park last year. If his confidence was knocked back a bit then, he has since clawed much of it back and is right in the frame anew – although the odd, irritating little gaffe still creeps into his game every now and then.
Scrumhalf: Fourie du Preez (Bulls) v Ruan Pienaar (Sharks)
It would appear that the Sharks have finally taken the lead in abandoning the “versatility” plans around Pienaar, who has responded with a return to some consistent sparkle in his favoured position. Long in the shadow of the great – many neutral judges worldwide concur on that mantle – Du Preez from an international point of view, here is an opportunity for Pienaar to close the gap between them once more, especially if the Sharks pack manages to give him go-forward and protection from predators. Still, in the Bulls star’s favour is that he had some valuable, revitalising time off the park last Saturday: he is a South African asset needing careful management.
No 8: Pierre Spies (Bulls) v Willem Alberts (Sharks)
With Ryan Kankowski supposedly well-nigh fully fit again, might the Sharks pull one of their old on-day selection tricks? Probably not -- the rangy player isn’t even listed on the bench – and especially because ex-Lions star Alberts was a leading factor in the dismantling of the Blues at forward last weekend. Along with the equally rugged Jean Deysel, he was effective as an explosive ball-carrier near the opposition try-line against the Aucklanders. Up against him, though, is the Bulls’ own slab of No 8 granite, Spies. The Springbok incumbent has been as dynamic as ever on the front foot this season, although he can be a tad clumsy on defence with his upright, lunging style in the tackle – here’s a chance to tighten that side of his game.
Hooker: Gary Botha (Bulls) v Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)
Rumours persist that Springbok captain John Smit, that prolific positional yo-yo of the past year or so and at loosehead on Saturday, is earmarked to start in his old berth – No 2 – for the Boks’ biggest assignments this season. So this is a major opportunity for quality challengers at hooker, Botha and Du Plessis, to put a spanner in the national team’s strategic works with compelling displays. Both are combative characters (and World Cup 2007 squad team-mates) likely to revel in the heat of the derby kitchen, and the former’s return to the Bulls fold from Harlequins seems to have stiffened their slightly questionable scrum. The otherwise wonderfully-equipped Du Plessis tends to walk a bit of a tightrope with referees … can he avoid the penalties wrath of Jonathan Kaplan here?
Cape Town – Loftus will be gripped by Saturday night fever for the Vodacom Super 14 derby between the Bulls and Sharks … and not just because the stakes are high, albeit in slightly different ways, for both sides.
Springbok selection is looming increasingly large on the horizon and coach Peter de Villiers and his various lieutenants are very likely to view this encounter as an enlightening trial of sorts.
We will witness a string of enticing one-on-ones across the park and it was a tough job culling the list to just four stand-outs.
I couldn’t even find room for Bakkies Botha v Steven Sykes in the duel of No 4 locks, for instance – it might be a little unfair to expect optimal performance from the decidedly ring-rusty Bulls hard man just yet – nor the good scrummaging grapple ‘n grunt between seasoned customers Jannie du Plessis, the Sharks tighthead, and home loosehead prop Gurthro Steenkamp.
This is the quartet I have opted for:
Fullback: Zane Kirchner (Bulls) v Patrick Lambie (Sharks)
Here is a position where the Springbok picture arguably remains a little murky … Frans Steyn still an option from overseas, maybe? So a sublime performance from the still-teenage (until October!) Lambie could yet earn him a daring passport to the international stage. He has certainly blossomed as an all-round footballer in the Super 14, even persuading pundit Joel Stransky to lessen his fears that the wunderkind lacks half a yard in pace. Pitted against him is Kirchner, who had his debut for the Boks in the problematic dead-rubber Test against the British and Irish Lions at Ellis Park last year. If his confidence was knocked back a bit then, he has since clawed much of it back and is right in the frame anew – although the odd, irritating little gaffe still creeps into his game every now and then.
Scrumhalf: Fourie du Preez (Bulls) v Ruan Pienaar (Sharks)
It would appear that the Sharks have finally taken the lead in abandoning the “versatility” plans around Pienaar, who has responded with a return to some consistent sparkle in his favoured position. Long in the shadow of the great – many neutral judges worldwide concur on that mantle – Du Preez from an international point of view, here is an opportunity for Pienaar to close the gap between them once more, especially if the Sharks pack manages to give him go-forward and protection from predators. Still, in the Bulls star’s favour is that he had some valuable, revitalising time off the park last Saturday: he is a South African asset needing careful management.
No 8: Pierre Spies (Bulls) v Willem Alberts (Sharks)
With Ryan Kankowski supposedly well-nigh fully fit again, might the Sharks pull one of their old on-day selection tricks? Probably not -- the rangy player isn’t even listed on the bench – and especially because ex-Lions star Alberts was a leading factor in the dismantling of the Blues at forward last weekend. Along with the equally rugged Jean Deysel, he was effective as an explosive ball-carrier near the opposition try-line against the Aucklanders. Up against him, though, is the Bulls’ own slab of No 8 granite, Spies. The Springbok incumbent has been as dynamic as ever on the front foot this season, although he can be a tad clumsy on defence with his upright, lunging style in the tackle – here’s a chance to tighten that side of his game.
Hooker: Gary Botha (Bulls) v Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)
Rumours persist that Springbok captain John Smit, that prolific positional yo-yo of the past year or so and at loosehead on Saturday, is earmarked to start in his old berth – No 2 – for the Boks’ biggest assignments this season. So this is a major opportunity for quality challengers at hooker, Botha and Du Plessis, to put a spanner in the national team’s strategic works with compelling displays. Both are combative characters (and World Cup 2007 squad team-mates) likely to revel in the heat of the derby kitchen, and the former’s return to the Bulls fold from Harlequins seems to have stiffened their slightly questionable scrum. The otherwise wonderfully-equipped Du Plessis tends to walk a bit of a tightrope with referees … can he avoid the penalties wrath of Jonathan Kaplan here?
