Preview: Western Province v Cheetahs
Western Province will be looking to reach their first Currie Cup final since 2001 when they host the Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday.
Western Province will be looking to reach their first Currie Cup final since 2001 when they host the Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday.
Having been perennial underachievers for almost a decade now, Allister Coetzee's troops are favourites to overcome their inland opponents.
Province finished second in the Currie Cup standings and had they not lost to the Cheetahs at Newlands towards the end of August, they could well have finished top of the log.
The upset defeat to Free State was also WP's only loss of the season at home.
However, Coetzee says that loss will benefit his charges ahead of the clash at the weekend as they won't be taking their opponents lightly.
“It means there is no question of us now underestimating the Cheetahs,” he said. “We know what they can do.
“Hopefully we also learned from our mistakes in that game, for there were some invaluable lessons drummed out to us in that game.”
The Cape outfit have lost twice at the semi-final stages of the Currie Cup competition to the Cheetahs at Newlands in recent years, and they will be desperate to avoid a repeat.
“We know the Cheetahs are a side with great team spirit and are always confident going into Currie Cup semi-finals,” said Coetzee.
Naka Drotske's men have reached five of the last six Currie Cup finals and with the Blue Bulls, they have been the most successful side in the competition over the last few years.
However Province go into the play-offs brimming with confidence following their win over the Sharks, while the Cheetahs proved that it is no fluke that they are in the final four after producing an exhibition of running rugby to thump the Leopards 78-7 and head into the knock-out stages on a high.
The psychological blow the Cheetahs dealt when they won their last match at Newlands will also have given the men from Bloemfontein a renewed belief in their abilities, and know they can match their opponents in practically every department.
Up front Province suffered a huge loss when hooker Tiaan Liebenberg sustained a season ending injury – ironically against the Cheetahs. Losing loosehead prop Wicus Blaauw – to a hamstring injury prior to the last game against the Cheetahs – didn't help matters either.
With Liebenberg and Blaauw watching this one from the stands, there is no question that Adriaan Strauss and the loosehead who scored a hat-trick this year, Coenie Oosthuizen, should dominate their facets of play, giving the Cheetahs the upper hand in the front row battle.
The real power in the Province pack lies in locks Anton van Zyl and Adriaan Fondse who have been consistent throughout the season.
As far as loose trio's are concerned, not much separates the two sides as both number eights Ashley Johnson and Duane Vermeulen are bound to be upset if they do not get the nod from the Springbok selectors.
Both sides have reliable goal-kickers and the Cheetahs have four centres in their back-line, with Philip Snyman and Corne Uys on the wings. The onus therefore lies on Bryan Habana and Gio Aplon to use the experience they have out wide to trump Uys and Snyman who look more comfortable closer to the action.
Though his form may be debated, Habana is still considered to be a player who possesses the X-factor and he will have to feature prominently on Saturday if Province are to progress.
Ones to watch:
For WP: A reputation for blowing hot and cold, scrum-half Ricky Januarie played a typically rousing role behind a winning pack last week and did enough to keep the tactically-astute Dewald Duvenage on the substitutes' bench for the second successive week. The stocky halfback who perennially looks overweight surprised friend and foe alike against the Sharks last weekend and was given an ovation when he retired from the action late in the second half. Though what temperature he blows on Saturday remains to be seen…
For Free State: With the Cheetahs looking to take on Province team up front, it's best to keep an eye on loosehead Coenie Oosthuizen. The 1.83m, 127kg Cheetahs prop is a solid scrummager, hits rucks with requisite venom and carries defenders as well as the ball in his relentless marches to the try-line. Oh,and he has scored as many tries this season as winger Jongi Nokwe (five!).
Head to head: Schalk Burger v Juan Smith. In a country where most loose forwards can only dream of achieving what Burger and Smith have in their careers, it is quite fitting that the long serving Springbok team-mates will play crucial roles for their respective teams come kick-off on Saturday. When considering the pressure they have felt over the years to remain the automatic Bok selections, in a position where there has rarely been a shortage of candidates, the performances of Burger and Smith (skipper versus skipper) could turn out to be the decisive factor.
Prediction: The mood of cautious optimism has once again settled in the Mother City, and although Province are favourites to win and a loss would be unbearable, it cannot be ruled out. The Cheetahs are better known for winning crunch matches which begs the question whether Province are ready to make the step up. We think they can. WP to win by seven points.
The teams:
Western Province: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (c), 5 Anton van Zyl, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 JD Moller.
Replacements: 16 Hanyani Shimange, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Lionel Cronje, 22 Paul Bosch.
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Philip Snyman, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Corne Uys, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Tewis De Bruyn, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Juan Smith (c), 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Izak vd Westhuizen, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Tertius Carse, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Riaan Smit.
Date: Saturday, 16 October
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17:00 (16:00 BST)
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert, Cobus Wessels
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman