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Returning Boks add spice
24/07/2008 14:04 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The infusion of nine returning Springboks into the mix and the two shock successive defeats of Western Province over the past two weeks, make this weekend's Absa Currie Cup rugby fare especially interesting. It is also the weekend of the first byes, with log leaders Bulls and Griquas having a breather.
There is of course also interest in the omitted or injured Springboks such as BJ Botha who has not yet returned to the field; Jaque Fourie who has a hamstring niggle that could rule him out of contention for the Tests; Fourie du Preez who has been very good in his one and a half outings after injury; and Wynand Olivier and Danie Rossouw have been in great form for the Bulls.
The match that is most likely to affect the top half of the log is that between the Sharks and the Lions.
The home side, with four Boks in Ryan Kankowski, Beast Mtawarira, Odwa Ndungane and Ruaan Pienaar back in the mix, could be a different kettle of fish than over the last few weeks.
More depth and more confidence could do wonders for them - but at the same time the rest of the side mustn't sit back and wait for their internationals to pull them through.
The Lions have two good wins behind them, scoring eight tries against the Cavaliers at Coca-Cola Park and then five against Griquas before they nearly let it slip towards the end in Kimberley last weekend.
They seem to have found their rhythm and will be a handful. A highlight could be the tussle in the frontrow where probably the best scrummager at loosehead in the country, Heinke van der Merwe, will be out to prove a point to Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.
Frontrow
Likewise Willie Wepener will want to impress at hooker after missing selection for the Boks to Wales last year because of injury and being overlooked for young Richardt Strauss for the Wallaby Test bench.
Their clash with the Sharks frontrow Boks such as Jannie du Plessis, Deon Carstens and Mtawarira from the bench, could be special.
Lions scrumhalf Jano Vermaak, back to his lively best, will be another of those to watch for the Natalians, who will have an impressive loose trio with the return of Kankowski and fit-again Jean Deysel.
Western Province's two unlikely losses against Griquas and the Falcons over the past two weeks must be turned around against the Cavaliers at Newlands or they'll be in major trouble.
Whether returning Bok Schalk Brits will be a huge improvement on the impressive Deon Fourie at hooker, is debatable, but scrumhalf Bolla Conradie - although he could be a little rusty after little action over the past month - is sure to get the backs going.
Brian Mujati, who has struggled at Test level, will certainly bolster their frontrow that will need it against an abrasive Cavaliers pack who will want to provide their new-look backs with as much good ball as possible.
Clash
WP should nevertheless win this one fairly comfortably at Newlands, despite the expected wet underfoot conditions.
Match of the weekend could well be the clash between the Cheetahs and Falcons in Bloemfontein on Friday night.
With nine Sevens Springboks in their squad of 22 in Fabian Juries, Neil Powell, Eddie Fredericks, Jongi Nokwe, Heinrich Brussow, Schalk van der Merwe, Wilton Pietersen, Robert Ebersohn and Kabamba Floors, coach Naka Drotske is building a new side that is prepared to run from everywhere -and the home side will not be easy prey for the Valke.
However, the former Red Devils have now added a skill element to their play that will be the envy of their forebears in the red jersey.
A mobile, never-say-die pack with Sean Plaatjies the catalyst, a more than just competent flyhalf in Len Olivier, hard-running backs and a belief in what they're doing, will make coach Rudy Joubert's side extremely dangerous - and the Free State will find that the largely unknown Falcons backs run the best lines in South Africa.
What the Eastern Province administrators have done to take the Mighty Elephants down to their present low is conjecture, but they'll do well to turn things around in their First Division match against a competent Griffons side that will be smarting after last week's unexpected loss to the Pumas in Welkom.
EP were thrashed 29-6 by the Eagles last weekend, and after three winless matches have lost at an average of 36-20 per match.
Log leaders Leopards will be wary of the Pumas in their match at Potchefstroom that the North West side should scrape, while the Eagles at home are expected to be far too strong for the Border Bulldogs.
Fixtures (home sides first): Premier Division: Friday: Free State Cheetahs v Falcons, 19:10.
Saturday: WP v Cavaliers, 15:00; Sharks v Lions, 17:05.
First Division: SWD Eagles v Border Bulldogs, 15:00; Mighty Elephants v Griffons, 15:30; Leopards v Pumas, 16:00.
- SAPA
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