Battle of Bloem beckons

4 Aug 2006

The Vodacom Cheetahs are the favourites on form, but history shows that the men from Pretoria have the edge over their Free State counterparts, even in Bloemfontein.

The Cheetahs have won three out of their last ten Absa Currie Cup encounters with the Vodacom Blue Bulls. Five of those games have been in Bloemfontein, of which the homeside has only won twice.

While the Bulls have been disappointing in their first round showings, the Cheetahs have played an expansive and exciting brand of rugby that has seen them win five of their last six games. They defeated the Sharks in Durban last week, and a chance of making it two big scalps in a row is now on the cards. The win will also go a long way to rectifying their poor record against the Bulls.

Cheetahs fans may argue that the Bulls lost the last domestic game (the 2005 final) and are not the dominant force they have been in recent seasons. But Free State coach Rassie Erasmus is taking no chances. He has named veteran prop Ollie le Roux to start and has added another superb line-out jumper in Barend Pieterse on the flank.

As usual, Erasmus downplayed his selections.

“We are trying to keep everyone fresh and match-fit. Our scrum has been nothing spectacular so far, but it has been solid,” he told keo.co.za.

“Barend [Pieterse] is a versatile player who can fulfill the role of a blindside as well as he fulfills his usual position at lock. It’s really nothing new playing a player like him at No 7. Bian Vermaak has done the same thing for us in the previous games.”

The Cheetahs strength has been in the line-out, but the Bulls are also very effective in this area and it’s no secret that they enjoying the rolling maul off the set-pieces. The battle in the air is going to be what decides this one, and since it may be wet, ball retention will be key.

“It normally doesn’t rain here at this time of the year, but we will be prepared,” said Erasmus. “We don’t really have a preference. The other team wil have to deal with the weather as well, and it shouldn’t favour any side in particular.”

RESULTS FROM THE PAST FIVE YEARS:

    2005:

  • at Loftus Versfeld: Bulls 26 Cheetahs 16
  • at Vodacom Park: Cheetahs 22 Bulls 26
  • at Loftus Versfeld: Bulls 25 Cheetahs 29 (FINAL)
    2004:

  • at Loftus Versfeld: Bulls 31 Cheetahs 30
  • at Vodacom Park: Cheetahs 27 Bulls 27
  • at Loftus Versfeld: Bulls 42 Cheetahs 33 (FINAL)
    2003:

  • at Loftus Versfeld: Bulls 36 Cheetahs 19
  • at Vodacom Park: Cheetahs 24 Bulls 51
    2002:

  • at Vodacom Park: Cheetahs 35 Bulls 29
    2001:

  • at Vodacom Park: Cheetahs 42 Bulls 20

By Jon Cardinelli


176 Comments

Pages: « 1 2 3 [4] Show All

  • 151.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:42 pm

    Martin

    Werk jy in mense se tuine? Ek soek n nuwe tuinwerker, myne daag gereeld nie op nie? Hoe klink R50 per dag?

  • 152.Faker: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:43 pm

    supa – ek is die tronkbewaarder!!!

  • 153.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:43 pm

    50 teen hulle ja

  • 154.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:44 pm

    Regtig? of Fake jy dit?

  • 155.Martin: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:44 pm

    that’s a bargain, at the moment i’m still on the dop system. 2 six packs and a packet of smokes.

  • 156.steyn: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:45 pm

    Martin

    You know with R50 you need to drop the one six pack

  • 157.Martin: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:47 pm

    **** – i,ve been ripped off. thanks steyn, i will toyi toyi when i get home.

  • 158.bulle bak: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:48 pm

    supa

    Dink jy die Wp gaan griekwas n pakslae gee of wat ek dink nie so nie. As WP wen sal dit net-net wees of hoe

  • 159.phoeboe: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:49 pm

    Bye, bye boys. Go WP !

  • 160.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:52 pm

    bulle bak

    Dit gaan closer wees as wat die Wp dames dink. GK gaan hard vir hulle kom. Ek dink die WP sal hom deurttrek op die einde, maar n stupid fout deur een van hulle, kan hulle die game kos. Ek hoop natuurlik GK wen sommer maklik! Dan sal daar geen wp ondersteuners oor wees volgende week nie.

  • 161.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:52 pm

    Bulle bak

    Wat van ons game? Bulle met 5 tot 8 se ek.

  • 162.Jurgens: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:56 pm

    As die wp verloor en ek hoop so sponser ek eloise se panties vir n jaar

  • 163.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:57 pm

    Jurgens

    Dis net twee panties. Sy dra een in die somer en een in die winter.

  • 164.Jurgens: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:57 pm

    Faker

    jy is ook die ou wat se

    KNOW YOUR TEAM!!!!

    kyk ek ken die verskil tussen kak en kentucky en as ek jou post lees sien ek nerens kentucky nie

  • 165.bulle bak: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:58 pm

    Supa

    Ek stem saam met jou. As n paar van die ouens goed speel (aan albei kante) kan een van die spanne lelik slae kry.

  • 166.Faker: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:59 pm

    No Supa I am not a real life prison guard – the faking I leave on the board, but you see you still have to face your OUDERLING come Sunday morning… :-(

  • 167.phoeboe: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 13:59 pm

    Het al bye gese, maar wil net vir Supa die volgende se> Hoekom sal ons na n verloor teen Griekwas nie meer n WP ondersteuner wees nie.? Hulle het die afgelope paar jaar nie goed gedoen nie en het nog al hulle ondersteuners. Ons is nie
    soos die manne van die noorde nie. Deur dik en dun

  • 168.bulle bak: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 14:02 pm

    Phoeboe

    Ek woon in die kaap en hier is meer bul ondersteuners so twee maande terug as wat daar nou is. Hulle almal het nou omgeswaai en support Wp tot hulle weer begin verloor. Hulle sit met verskillende provinsies se kleure in hul kas en as die een verloor kies hulle die volgende beste – en dis die BUlle die afgelope 4 jaar.

  • 169.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 14:06 pm

    phoeboe

    Dis juis my punt. In die s14 was hier n handvol WP ondersteuners. Nou skielik krioel hulle!

    Faker

    Vee net die kak van jou mond af!

  • 170.bulle bak: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 14:07 pm

    Wel ek moet gaan het nog n paar dinge om te doen. Praat weer later.

  • 171.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 14:08 pm

    phoeboe

    Daar bewys Bullebak dit ook.

    Faker

    KNOW YOUR TEAM!

  • 172.Drunkmonkey: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 14:09 pm

    Bulle was die beste span oorsee van die suid-afrikaanse spanne.

  • 173.Jurgens: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 14:16 pm

    Drunkmonkey

    liefling gaan kak maak innie 2de helfte, gaan takties die cheetahs innie hoeke dryf soos naas van ouds

  • 174.Jurgens: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 14:18 pm

    dammit hulle will daai posting van my nooit toelaat nie

    hoekom?

  • 175.Jinx: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 14:54 pm

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  • 176.EDi: Reply to this comment
    4 Aug 2006, 16:21 pm

    Is daar enige goeie rugby vir die naweek?

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