The 2015 Currie Cup finalists were decided after two very competitive semi finals over the weekend.
Vodacom Blue Bulls 18 – Penalties: Tian Schoeman (6)
DHL Western Province 23 – Tries: Cheslin Kolbe, Jano Vermaak; Conversion: Robert du Preez, Kurt Coleman; Penalties: Du Preez (3)
Western Province visited the famed fortress Loftus and avenged their 47 to 29 loss from earlier in the season at the same venue. There can’t be much disagreement with a try count of two to nil and it was only Tian Schoeman’s right boot that kept the Bulls in the game. The Bulls were strangely off their game and committed far too many handling erros, stalling their momentum on numerous occassions. Francois Hougaard’s kicking game was also very poor and confirmed the reason why he did not make Springbok Rugby World Cup squad. As I have stated in an earlier report, I do not believe that the Bulls possess a scrum that is capable of winning the Currie Cup title and this is where Western Province completely dominated them. For those with longer memories, the Blue Bulls front row was always a prized possession. This is no longer the case and the Bulls will have some hard thinking to do before the start of the Super Rugby season.
For the visitors, Man of the Match Cheslyn Kolbe was in fine form and consistently tested the Bulls defense. Western Province are a much improved team under coach Johh Dobson and they very successfully turned over the more fancied Bulls team. This is a fairly young team and will continue to improve with more experience. Next weekend, they face the unbeaten Lions in Johannesburg. This will be a serious test for them and they certainly do have the forward pack to compete with the Lions, but the test will be if they can live with the Lions in the scrums as well as the Lions intensity and pace throughout the game.
Xerox Golden Lions 43 – Tries: Jaco Kriel (2), Lourens Erasmus, Penalty Try; Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (4); Penalties: Boshoff (5)
Toyota Free State Cheetahs 33 – Tries: Francois Venter, Boom Prinsloo, Gerhard Olivier, Neil Marais, Sias Ebersohn; Conversion: Marais; Penalties: Marais (2)
This game turned out to be a lot more competitive than most pundits were predicting after the Cheetahs shipped a 31 points to 73 hammering from the Lions on their own home ground last month. The fact that the Lions had rested 13 players last week in their home game against the Griquas probably played into the Cheetahs hands, as the Lions looked like a team that was coming off a bye and it was only in the final quarter that they truely started to show the cohesion and rhythm that they have become known for.
The Lions exceptionally slow start certainly made a game of it though and the match was filled with entertainment. Spectators cannot be displeased with a try count of nine in the match. This Cheetahs team went to Johannesburg with the intent to get involved in a cat fight and that they certainly did. In the end, they will rue not having an accurate place kicker as both Neil Marais and Sias Ebersohn left a number of points out on the field that would have put the Lions under a lot more pressure.
As for the Lions, they were off their game for long periods of time. This will not be the case next weekend when they host Western Province in the final on their home ground, Emirates Park in Johannesburg. The last game between these two sides, also at Emirates Park, ended in an entertaining but convincing win for the Lions, 62 points to 32.
We can expect a very entertaining final next week, with two sides that like to carry the ball and do not generally play “finals” rugby. Looking forward to it!
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