09/04/2008 22:07

Stephen Nell

Cape Town - One of South Africa's leading rugby coaches has warned, in the run-up to the big Super 14 battle at Newlands on Saturday, that SA derby matches tend to become "too personal".

The derby factor will certainly heighten the intensity of duels that will be part of the match between the Stormers and the Cheetahs.

The competition between Stormers wing Tonderai Chavhanga and Jongi Nokwe, and between Cheetahs No 8 Duanne Vermeulen and Luke Watson, is among the reasons that tickets for the Newlands match are selling so well.

Another test will take place in the front row where Wian du Preez and CJ van der Linde will be up against the home team's prop forwards, Brian Mujati and JD Moller.

World Cup star and Springbok flanker Juan Smith's return to the Cheetahs' starting lineup is expected to rev up the visitors' engine room.

However Gary Gold, assistant coach of the Stormers, cautioned on Wednesday against the "unhealthy tendency" of SA derbies to become too personal.

Gold said it happened at times that players moved away from playing rugby and that matches turned into wrestling contests.

"In the recent New Zealand derby between the Crusaders and the Hurricanes one never saw anything happen off the ball. There was mutual respect among the players.

Soft spot

"We'd certainly like to prevent a situation in which players get involved in personal feuds. Our focus is on winning by playing the better rugby."

Gold has great respect for Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské who was a leader in the London Irish team that Gold and Stormers consultant Brendan Venter used to coach in England.

Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus had a soft spot for the Cheetahs, Gold said, "and we are close to Naka. He is a highly intelligent man.

"I also have much respect for the Cheetahs players. They are among the hardest working that I have seen. Some of them have made a name for themselves through their good work ethics."

The spectators will look forward to some exciting duels, nevertheless. Vermeulen and Watson, for example, have produced outstanding performances recently

Watson made his debut for the Springboks in controversial circumstances last season. However, his focus is spot on this year and he may be called up by new Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.

However, Vermeulen, Ryan Kankowski of the Sharks and fit-again Pierre Spies of the Bulls are making it a highly competitive race for the No 8 jersey.

Nokwe has also seized his opportunities at the Cheetahs, playing brilliantly when he has space. This raises the question whether the Stormers should not have persisted with him a few seasons ago,

Chavhanga has been outstanding on the right wing and is also in line to play for South Africa this year. He and Nokwe would have noticed that the Sharks dropped their Springbok wing, JP Pietersen, earlier this week.