Blue Bulls eye top spot
Plenty to cheer about: The Loftus Versfeld crowd will be out in full force on Friday
The Blue Bulls have not fired on all cylinders recently, but they should be back at the top of the table after their Currie Cup match against Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
Why? Because Western Province have an average front row that will put their pack and back-line on their heels, and a talented player who is new to the fly-half position is Joe Pietersen who will be put under a new kind of pressure behind a struggling pack compared to his first fly-half outing against the Sharks two weeks ago.
Western Province impressed with their late running against the Sharks, albeit when all was lost. The 32-10 scoreline flattered the Sharks.
But the crux of the matter is that the visitors to Loftus do not have the depth to compensate for their (grossly overstated in quantity and quality) losses to national duty and injury.
The Blue Bulls, however, have that depth to counter injuries and call-ups to, among others, four quality locks Danie Rossouw, Francois van Schouwenburg, Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha. And of course we can't forget about number eight Pierre Spies, scrum-half Fourie du Preez and wing Bryan Habana, not to mention full-back Zane Kirchner who is on the mend from injury.
The Blue Bulls have, at times, been mightily impressive.
They played with the old structure that is part of the Light Blues. They ground up front and played for territory and generally did the basics right. Morne Steyn has become a complete fly-half with his confidence growing in the absence of Derick Hougaard.
It's in this structure of the Blue Bulls - their expected approach to Friday's match - that Western Province could be found wanting, and there will be more pressure on Pietersen despite the experience of his scrum-half Bolla Conradie.
The Bulls will also have a greater unity in the forward numbers to contend with at the breakdown than Western Province because of their style of play, and they have a back-line that is vastly boosted by the fact that Wynand Olivier has been forced to outside centre where his strength on the outside break could be very effective.
The Bulls will also exploit the fact that Schalk Brits, no great scrummager, has returned to hooker in a front row that does not inspire confidence at this level.
The Bulls have an impressive record in that they have scored the most tries to date in the Currie Cup competition (29 in eight matches) and have conceded only 14.
Western Province have scored 18 and conceded 19. That speaks volumes - and if the Blue Bulls can stick to their defensive lines and capitalise on Western Province mistakes, which come with a running approach, the match is theirs.
"This is make or break for us," said Western Province coach Allister Coetzee.
"I think we still have a mathematical chance provided we get a win this weekend. They are a very good side and at Loftus they are very formidable.
"The players are still very upbeat and excited to have a go at the Bulls."
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke will be stressing the importance of a typically tight 80 minutes from the Bulls as, in the return fixture at Newlands in June, they ended up as losers after a Hilton Lobberts yellow card and the concession of two tries in the last six minutes.
The match will be a special occasion for the men from the capital, who are using it as the occasion to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the birth of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union.