Preview: Currie Cup, Round Eight
Battle lines are drawn: Wikus van Heerden awaits the Lions
Round eight of the Currie Cup starts the return legs of the competition and provides fans with the most intriguing weekend yet as the Lions travel to Pretoria for the Gauteng derby and the Sharks head for Cape Town.
Things could not be tighter at the top of the table with three teams tied at the summit on 23 points. Competition leaders (on points difference) the Blue Bulls have a game in hand however.
They host the pick of the weekend's fixtures as the this year's form teams face off at Loftus Versfeld. Two awesome sets of loose forwards will give the crowd more than their money's worth.
Lions fly-half Earl Rose became the first man to pass the 100-point mark this season and he'll have to bring his kicking boots if the lads from Jo'burg are to match the Blue Bulls in the territory stakes. His opposite number, Morné Steyn, is next on the list in the race to become the 2008 Currie Cup's top points scorer. It'll be a cracker.
The action kicks-off at the other end of the table though, as the Falcons visit Boland on a mission to make amends for throwing away a nineteen-point lead on the opening day of the competition.
The Griquas have a new fly-half for their derby against the defending champions in Bloemfontein.
Western Province on the other hand are a little short in that department and have a first-timer facing the daunting prospect of a 9-10-12 Sharks axis going by the names of Pienaar, Michalak and Steyn. Tears may flow at Newlands.
The Sharks have fire-power all over the park, including the competition's top try-scorer, flanker Jacques Botes, who has dotted down six times already.
Can you think of a better warm up to the Springboks - Pumas Test? Surely not !
Fixtures:
Friday August 8
Boland Kavaliers v Falcons
Free State Cheetahs v Griquas
Blue Bulls v Lions
Western Province v The Sharks
Table after Round 7 (Blue Bulls and Griquas have a game in hand)
1 Blue Bulls 23
2 Cheetahs 23
3 Sharks 23
4 Lions 21
5 Western Province 17
6 Falcons 11
7 Griquas 9
8 Kavaliers 8
Previews:
Boland Kavaliers v Falcons
Boland Stadium, Wellington
The last time these teams met, a last-gasp intercept try from Conrad Burke gave the Kavaliers a 48-42 away win in Brakpan. The Falcons had led 36-17 at the break and played some fabulous rugby, but were victims of their own adventure in the second half, running the ball from anywhere but far too loosely.
Kavaliers wing John Daniels was the star for the visitors scoring a hat-trick, that day back in June but is not in the Boland line-up that will host the Falcons.
Boland coach Deon Davids made four changes to the side that narrowly lost to the Cheetahs last weekend. .
Centre Piet van Zyl returns from injury and also resumes the captaincy. He comes in at the expense of Cornell Hendricks who had a good debut against the Cheetahs.
Marnus Hugo returns to scrum-half with Neil Papier moving back to the bench. On the side of the scrum Whalied Heyns takes over the number seven jersey from Frankie Horne, who has a broken finger.
At lock Namibian international Nico Esterhuyze replaces Frikkie Spies, who sits out with a upper back injury.
Meanwhile, the Falcons team has had a major overhaul with no fewer than ten changes to the team which conceded 50 points against the Blue Bulls - six among the backs, four in the pack and five more on the bench.
The only new face in the squad is that of TUT lock Johan de Bruin, who has been included in a forward dominated bench with Ruhan van Jaarsveld, who locked the scrum against the Bulls.
Fly-half Riaan "True Blue" Smit has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Len Olivier moves from full-back as Smit's replacement while Johan Jackson changes from outside centre to full-back.
Ernie Kruger, one of the stars of the early season comes back on the right wing. He is one of the main strikers in the side. Rouan Cloete also returns from injury to takes his rightful place at outside centre; captain Hanno Coetzee returns at inside centre to add stability to the midfield.
Dewald Pretorius moves back to the wing after replacing Coetzee at inside centre against the Bulls.
In the pack Reg Muller has been preferred to Emile Verster on the side of the scrum to add speed to the loosies. Marius Coetzer comes back at lock to oust Van Jaarsveld.
Former SA U21 hooker Jody Jeneker gets his first start in the front row and former hooker Frik Venter starts at loosehead.
Boland Kavaliers: 15 Justin Peach, 14 Danwel Demas, 13 Piet van Zyl (c), 12 Lionel Cornelius, 11 Alvin Hugo, 10 Isma-eel Dollie, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Dries van Schalkwyk, 7 Whalied Heyns, 6 Zolani Mofu, 5 Bradley Mockford, 4 Nico Esterhuyze, 3 WP Nel, 2 Clemen Lewis, 1 Jean Botha.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Wium, 17 Janro van Niekerk, 18 Cecil Kemp, 19 Angelo Brinkhuys, 20 Neil Papier, 21 Kobus Meintjes, 22 Elgar Watts.
Falcons: 15 Johan Jackson, 14 Ernie Kruger, 13 Rouan Cloete, 12 Hanno Coetzee, 11 Dewald Pretorius, 10 Len Olivier, 9 Gerrie Odendaal, 8 Sean Plaatjies, 7 Reg Muller, 6 Warren Perkins, 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Wouter Moore, 3 Nico Pretorius, 2 Jody Jeneker, 1 Frik Venter.
Replacements: 16 Gavin Whittingham, 17 Rassie van Vuuren, 18 Rayno Barnes, 19 Ruhan van Jaarsveld, 20 Johan de Bruin, 21 Poerie van Rooyen, 22 Jeff Perkins.
Kick-off: 16:00 (14:00 GMT)
Referee: Deon van Blommestein
Touch judges: Jerome America, Linston Manuels
Assessor: Keith Hendricks
Free State Cheetahs v Griquas
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
The Cheetahs got their Currie Cup defence off to a winning start seven weeks ago with a close 20-16 win over the Griquas in Kimberley. They will expect to win by more in round two of the derby against their Super 14 partners at the Bloemfontein fortress that is Vodacom Park.
Coach Naka Drotské has welcomed flanker Hendro Scholtz back from injury to captain the Cheetahs.
Scholtz's return forces just one change to the team that lined up against the Boland Kavaliers last week, as Schalk van der Merwe makes way for Kabamba Floors to start on the blindside.
Van der Merwe, who was instrumental in the Free Staters victory in Kimberly, is joined on the bench by replacement hooker Riaan Kruger, who steps in to fill the gap left by Jaco du Toit's departure to France.
"It's always going to be tough playing a neighbour derby, and we're expecting a hard game," said Drotske.
"You've got to give them respect because they beat Western Province, so we're expecting a big game."
Although the champions have gained momentum since the start of the season, they flirted dangerously with defeat in Wellington last week in a performance that did little to inspire confidence.
With the battle at the top of the table as close as it is, the home side need a convincing victory if they are to stay on track for a home semi-final.
For the Griquas, newly signed former WP fly-half Naas Olivier will start his first game for his new side. Elsewhere in the back-line Bjorn Basson moves from centre to full-back, relegating Conrad Barnard to the bench.
In the pack Wayne van Heerden moves from lock to replace Stephan Gerber, who has a hand injury on the blindside flank and Cilliers Coetzer and Brendon Snyman form a new second row.
Cheetahs: 15 Bevin Fortuin, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Fabian Juries, 10 Chris Rossouw, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Duanne Vermeulen, 7 Kabamba Floors, 6 Hendro Scholtz (c), 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 David de Villiers, 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Riaan Kruger, 17 Phillip Lemmer, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Schalk van der Merwe, 20 Neil Powell, 21 JW Jonker, 22 Wilton Pietersen.
Griquas: 15 Bjorn Basson, 14 Gavin Passens, 13 Lafras Uys, 12 Riaan Viljoen, 11 MJ Mentz, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Heinrich Stride, 7 Wayne van Heerden, 6 Gareth Krause (captain), 5 Cilliers Coetzer, 4 Brendon Snyman, 3 Ruaan du Preez, 2 Hans van Dyk, 1 Albertus Buckle.
Replacements: 16 James van der Walt, 17 Bees Roux, 18 Jacques Lombaard, 19 Rohan Kitshoff, 20 Dougie Helmuth, 21 Egon Seconds, 22 Conrad Barnard.
Kick-off: 18:00 (16:00 GMT)
Referee: JC Fortuin
Touch judges: Marius Jonker, Peter de Bruin
Assessor: Gerrit Coetzer
Blue Bulls v Lions
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Get set for a battle around the fringes like the Currie Cup has rarely seen. Pedrie Wannenburg, Wikus van Heerden and Deon Stegmann versus Willem Alberts, Franco van der Merwe and Cobus Grobbelaar - yes please!
The last time the teams met John Mametsa scored a hat-trick of tries in his 100th game to help the Blue Bulls to a 21-7 win at Coca-Cola Stadium.
That game saw a brilliant display from the Bulls back-three of Akona Ndungane, Tiger Mangweni and Mametsa. With Zane Kirchner in the blue number fifteen jumper, expect more of the same.
Springbok prop Gurthrö Steenkamp is back in Pretoria and will be joined in the front row by the ever improving Bandise Maku.
The Blue Bulls' Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle continues his return to action and will no doubt get a run off a bench packed with forwards.
"Steenkamp is the type of player that gets the things going and he arrived here in a very positive frame of mind. He is eager to fight his way back into the Springbok team," said coach Frans Ludeke, who added that he opted for a five-two bench because he is expecting a physical onslaught from the Lions' pack.
Right wing Akona Ndungane has recovered from a bout of 'flu while JP Joubert will start at scrum-half with young Francois Hougaard on the bench.
Meanwhile, in the visitors' camp Lions coach Eugene Eloff is in the cosy position of having to make just one change to the team that overpowered WP in Johannesburg last weekend.
Gerhard Mostert has recovered from injury and joins Andton van Zyl in the second row after Dewald Senekal suffered a hamstring injury .
Ernst Joubert, who was appointed Lions skipper for the season, is back and will start from the bench for last year's defeated finalists in only his third match of the season after being injured in the Super14.
Eloff is also pleased to welcome back fly-half Louis Strydom from a groin injury and he will start on the bench as back-up to Earl Rose.
Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Marius Delport, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 John Mametsa, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 JP Joubertm, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Wikus van Heerden (c), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Francois van Schouwenburg, 19 Jaco Engels, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Jacques Burger.
Lions: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Michael Killian, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Gerhard Mostert, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 Lawrence Sephaka, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Gert Muller, 18 Ernst Joubert, 19 Justin Wheeler, 20 Chris Jonck, 21 Louis Strydom, 22 Jaco van Schalkwyk.
Kick-off: 19:10 (17:10 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert
Touch judges: Jaco Peyper, Cobus Wessels
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen
Assessor: Theuns Naude
Western Province v The Sharks
Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
The Sharks head to Newlands with a team containing no less than eleven internationals. With that kind of ammunition they could be forgiven for expecting to repeat their win over WP in Durban on the opening day of the Currie Cup.
Scrum-half Rory Kockott landed six penalties that day to take his team to a 28-25 win. Four penalties in the final quarter of an hour sealed the deal for the home team, who came back from 25-16 down.
As expected, Sharks Head Coach John Plumtree has not resisted the urge to throw his returning Springboks back into the fray with all three released players named in the starting line-up.
Following last weekend's convincing performance against Griquas, the Sharks will take an element of confidence into the game but will be tempered with the knowledge that despite being badly depleted, Province are under huge pressure to get a result following a less than successful campaign to date.
Frédéric Michalak is back from a hip injury and will slot in between scrum-half Ruan Pienaar and inside centre Francois Steyn. Odwa Ndungane is also back on the right wing to complete a scary looking Sharks back-line if you're in a striped jersey.
Keegan Daniel will undergo a late fitness test and has been bracketed with Nikolai Blignaut at number eight, while tighthead Prop Jannie du Plessis will be given as long as possible to recovery from a calf strain. If he is not fit, BJ Botha will start.
Western Province have been forced to gamble on playing versatile Joe Pietersen at fly-half in the absence of any other recognised number ten. Pietsersen, who has never played fly-half before said he was expecting an "awesome" challenge against the Sharks star half-backs. Good luck to him.
Promising 19-year-old loose forward Nick Koster has been given a start at number eight after two impressive appearances off the bench.
Schalk Brits, who played number eight last week against the Lions, has returned to his usual hooker position at the expense of Deon Fourie, who could start off the bench, depending on his facial injuries healing in time for Friday's clash.
AJ Venter will be on the bench against his former team, and will provide cover at lock while U21 fly-half Matthew Rosslee will cover for Pietersen.
Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Wylie Human, 13 PJ Vermeulen, 12 Gcobani Bobo (captain), 11 Tonderai Chavhanga, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Bolla Conradie, 8 Nick Köster, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Pieter Louw, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt/Deon Fourie, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 AJ Venter, 19 Conraad Britz, 20 Dewaldt Duvenhage, 21 Matthew Rosslee, 22 Morgan Newman.
Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Francois Steyn, 11 Chris Jordaan, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Keegan Daniel/Nikolai Blignaut, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller (captain), 4 Albert van den Berg, 3 Jannie du Plessis/BJ Botha, 2 Skipper Badenhorst, 1 Deon Carstens.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 BJ Botha/Jannie du Plessis, 18 Steven Sykes, 19 Skholiwe Ndlovu, 20 Scott Mathie, 21 Bradley Barritt, 22 Riaan Swanepoel.
Kick-off: 19:10 (17:10 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Touch judges: Phillip Bosch, Marc van Zyl
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman
Assessor: Thuso Mngqibisa