Currie Cup déjà vu

Tight call: Can the Lions win in Durban - again?

Next weekend will see the Sharks and the Blue Bulls head into the Currie Cup semi-finals as favourites to make the final, but according to the coaches of the teams involved, any thing is possible in two rematches of last year's play-offs.

Despite a seemingly huge gap in form, the Blue Bulls won't make the mistake of underestimating the Free State Cheetahs when they host the defending champions at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Overconfidence cost the Bulls the Currie Cup three years when Meyer Bosman scored a dramatic match-winning late try for the Cheetahs at Loftus. In 2006 the Bulls were forced to share the trophy in Bloemfontein, where they lost last year's semi-final.

Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says that winning both league-phase matches against the Cheetahs this season means "absolutely nothing".

"It's silly to talk about favourites in play-off matches," Ludeke told Super Sport.

"If you're good enough to reach a semi-final you have at least an equal chance of winning. Therefore, there is no way that we'll underestimate the Cheetahs. Only our best will ensure us of a place in the final.

"The Cheetahs are the defending champions and they know how to handle the magnitude of the moment."

The Pretoria side have confirmed that all the players in their squad are available for selection, with two crucial exceptions. Injured Springboks Bakkies Botha and Akona Ndungane have been ruled out, though Ndungane could be fit for the final should the Bulls qualify.

John Mametsa is expected to be his replacement in the back three, but who will play at full-back remains to be seen. The choice between Zane Kirchner and Tiger Mangweni will be a tough one for Ludeke.

"We won't do anything to disrupt the players," said the coach.

"We may make a minor adjustment here and there as we usually do, but we won't make any major changes to our game plan."

Meanwhile, Lions coach Eugene Eloff has started plotting the downfall of the table-topping Sharks. The Lions will travel to Durban in a rematch of last year's semi-final at the Shark tank - which the Lions won.

"Whether we had to play in Durban or Pretoria it is going to be tough," said Eloff.

"We have a good track in Durban and ideally I would love the team to travel as little as possible but it does not matter now. We've reached the play-offs and that's it."

Eloff said the Sharks' turn-over ability posed the biggest danger to his side's ability to triumph in Durban on Saturday.

"The Sharks, like (Western) Province, are very dangerous when they turn over ball," said Eloff.

"Both these teams will punish you severely when they secure turn-overs. If the Lions open up the game and are not accurate and make errors, these two sides make you pay. So we will have to be much more clinical at the breakdowns.

"We'll wait for them (the Sharks) to come clean out the rucks because that's where it will be the real test of character. It's been a long time since the Sharks have last won the Currie Cup so they will be feeling the pressure."

The Lions last won the Currie Cup in 1999 while the Sharks' last championship title dates back to 1996.