Currie cup semi final weekend

chupacabra

Its semi-final week down in south africa. The Currie cup gets little to no interest up here generally until this stage and its profile has been quietened further this year due to the World Cup. There have been some really great games this season and its been a pretty decent tournament in general.

The Blue Bulls not making the semis was a surprise to most with a narrow loss to the Griquas 2 weeks ago proving to be the match that sent them out of contention.

The Lions have been the surprise package this season with a young but very talented side and a walking beard for a captain losing just 2 games and playing a very good brand of rugby along the way.

This saturday both semi-finals will be played and with the Boks mostly back in their sides its hard to tell how the games are going to go. Im a Sharks supporter but I wouldnt mind seeing the Free State in the final against WP. Both of their fly-halfs are the up and coming stars in their positions and It would be a smashing contest against 2 very talented running 10s. However with the boks to come back into the Sharks side I cant see past a win at the Shark tank on saturday with the same going for WP against the Lions.

My prediction:
The Sharks to face WP in a repeat of last seasons final.

Teams:

Sharks v Free State Cheetahs, Durban - 14:30

Sharks:
TBA

Free State Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Ryno Benjamin, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Cameron Jacobs, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Ashley Johnson, 6 Pieter Labuschagne, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Philip van der Walt, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Marcel van der Merwe

Substitutes: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Johan Wessels, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Nico Scheepers

Golden Lions v Western Province, Johannesburg - 17:00

Golden Lions:
15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Doppies la Grange, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Joshua Strauss (captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 CJ Van der Linde

Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Warren Whiteley, 19 Cobus Grobbelaar/Jaco Kriel, 20 Butch James, 21 Dylan Des Fountain, 22 James Kamana

Western Province:
15 Gio Aplon, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean De Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nick Koster, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JC Kritzinger

Substitutes: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Tertius Daniller, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Conrad Jantjes

CatFromHue

Are you in SA yourself chupacabra?

With the Currie cup on Sky only it's tricky for someone without Sky to watch. I got Sky in about 2 years ago but found I watched or recorded the NZ NPC games instead of watching the Currie Cup. I spent a year in NZ so can relate to the teams. Whereas with the Currie Cup I'd only be flicking in and out of it irregularly so would never have a clue what's going on!

While a coach is always going to pick his strongest team you have to feel for the WP players who have now been jettisoned to accommodate Aplon, De Villiers, Fourie, Habana, and Burger. 5 changes to a team is a lot!

Also is the Cheetahs No.8 first name really Boom?

chupacabra

CatFromHue wrote: »

Are you in SA yourself chupacabra?

With the Currie cup on Sky only it's tricky for someone without Sky to watch. I got Sky in about 2 years ago but found I watched or recorded the NZ NPC games instead of watching the Currie Cup. I spent a year in NZ so can relate to the teams. Whereas with the Currie Cup I'd only be flicking in and out of it irregularly so would never have a clue what's going on!

While a coach is always going to pick his strongest team you have to feel for the WP players who have now been jettisoned to accommodate Aplon, De Villiers, Fourie, Habana, and Burger. 5 changes to a team is a lot!

Also is the Cheetahs No.8 first name really Boom?

Im living in Ireland. South African on my moms side and spent a few years there as a babóg.

Yeah its harsh on the WP players but typically the Boks would be available at certain points of the season for the Currie cup teams. This year due to the world cup though they have been in camps etc.

Boom is his nickname, his real first name is Johannes. Boom is the Afrikaans for Tree and he is certainly built like one.

chupacabra

Half time in the first game 13 - 3 to the cheetahs. Its been a strong showing from the Cheetahs. Goosen has been pure class all game aside from a few missed kicks. The Sharks look dis-interested.. really dissappointed with them so far.

Indie1989

Did anyone see the beast save that lock/flankers life when he lifted him? Amazing strength and balance. Surely it will end up on rugbydump anyway.

chupacabra

Indie1989 wrote: »

Did anyone see the beast save that lock/flankers life when he lifted him? Amazing strength and balance. Surely it will end up on rugbydump anyway.

Aye he just scored a try too

Indie1989

chupacabra wrote: »

Aye he just scored a try too

Missed cause i was on here

chupacabra

Ref is missing an awful lot of stuff. Whats the point in having touch judges if they do nothing?

chupacabra

Sharks win 20 - 13. Much better second half. Now for WP vs the Lions

sock puppet

chupacabra wrote: »

Sharks win 20 - 13. Much better second half. Now for WP vs the Lions

Looking forward to seeing if the Lions can finally deliver. Also how many different flyhalfs have WP/Stormers gone through this year? This new guy any good?

chupacabra

sock puppet wrote: »

Looking forward to seeing if the Lions can finally deliver. Also how many different flyhalfs have WP/Stormers gone through this year? This new guy any good?

Catrakillis has been their first choice now for almost the entire cup. How he plays depends on the type of game the opposition play really. Put him under pressure and he can be prone to make mistakes. Has gotten blocked down a fair few times this season and his defence can be utterly woeful at times but he manages the game immaculately and his kicking is magnificent. I think between himself and Goosen at the Cheetahs they will be battling it out for the Springbok jersey in the future.

sock puppet

chupacabra wrote: »

Catrakillis has been their first choice now for almost the entire cup. How he plays depends on the type of game the opposition play really. Put him under pressure and he can be prone to make mistakes. Has gotten blocked down a fair few times this season and his defence can be utterly woeful at times but he manages the game immaculately and his kicking is magnificent. I think between himself and Goosen at the Cheetahs they will be battling it out for the Springbok jersey in the future.

Oh right. Haven't watched the Currie Cup since before the RWC started.

chupacabra

sock puppet wrote: »

Oh right. Haven't watched the Currie Cup since before the RWC started.

Aye he didnt feature at all in the Super 15 with the likes of Cronje and Grant (and Rose but we dont talk about that :pac:) in the squad but he really took his chance after Grant left.

chupacabra

CJ in the wars as always :pac:

chupacabra

This game is really opening up now. Lions pull away with an intercept. 24 - 12

sock puppet

Fun fact: If the Lions win next weekend WP will become the least successful South African side of the past 10 years.

matthew8

If the Lions can fill Coca Cola Park for the final it will be totally uncrecognisable.

irishbucsfan

The Lions were excellent. I don't know how they managed to recycle the ball so quickly and retain possession so well. They'd give Irish provincial teams a real test.

matthew8

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The Lions were excellent. I don't know how they managed to recycle the ball so quickly and retain possession so well. They'd give Irish provincial teams a real test.

I'd back them to beat Munster, Ulster or Connacht. That was a very strong team they came up against and they kept them out of the game.

chupacabra

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The Lions were excellent. I don't know how they managed to recycle the ball so quickly and retain possession so well. They'd give Irish provincial teams a real test.

Two reasons. WP really stood off at the breakdown today for the most part and the Lions essentially play with 2 fetchers on either flank who come barrelling into the ruck to secure ball after every phase. Jaco Peyper wasnt taking any guff at the breakdown today and Burger in particular was penalized constantly for sealing off the ball.