Power to powder blue
12 Oct 2006
Keo, in his News24 column, reminds the Muppits that Saturday’s Currie Cup winner was identified some time ago.
This is what I wrote in my column on September 27:
‘One team of the top five is going to miss out and it is going to be the Lions. Brave and brilliant in the last seven matches, the Lions will curse their early season experiments that cost them easy points. Lesson learned by Eugene Eloff who will not easily again surrender league points to prove a point to his senior players.
‘The Cheetahs will lose in Pretoria on Saturday but still end top of the table, with the Bulls ending second on points difference from Western Province who’ll take the five league points at Newlands. The Sharks will hammer the Falcons to set up another trip to Bloemfontein and a semi-final exit from the competition.
‘The Sharks, my early season call to win the competition, have mixed and matched so much this season that they cost themselves a home semi-final and with that any chance of winning the competition. The Sharks can’t beat the Cheetahs at the moment. In the other semi-final match-up Western Province will travel to Loftus and this time there won’t be an ambush.
‘I’m tipping the Bulls to win on Saturday, win against Province the next week and then travel to Bloemfontein and set the record straight for last season’s defeat to the Cheetahs in the final.’
Are these words, written more than two weeks ago, to be viewed as some sort of prophecy? Absolutely not. Because I also wrote in May that the Waratahs would win the Super 14 and the Wallabies would triumph in the Tri Nations.
Domestically, though, it was always going to be the Bulls once the Sharks started fading through excessive experiment.
That’s why I could write with such conviction on September 27 as to how the Bulls march to the trophy would unfold. It is now October 11 and nothing in my view has changed. I am still backing the Bulls to go to Bloemfontein and win. Individually, they are a better unit and cohesively they have made as much impact as the Cheetahs in the last month.
Take nothing away from Ollie le Roux and Rassie Erasmus. The former, in his role as captain, has been inspirational. The latter is the most exciting thing to happen to the South African coaching scene. He is talented, innovative and definitely not a one season wonder. South Africa rugby is healthier in the coaching department because of Rassie’s emergence.
But if you want to know why the Cheetahs won’t win on Saturday, then you simply have to look at the tight five composition of the Bulls and the kicking game of Derick Hougaard at flyhalf. The tight five will set up the victory for the visitors and Hougaard’s boot will close the deal.
There won’t be much in the final, but all you need to win it is one point.
Statistics favour the Bulls. They’ve lost just one out of their last 10 against the Cheetahs, while winning the last four in Bloemfontein. The defeat happened to be in last year’s final and it took a miraculous comeback and the bounce of the oval ball to sink them.
The surprise element a year ago was with the Cheetahs, but this weekend there won’t be any such tricks in the party packs handed out during the final. The Bulls know exactly what to expect and they are in no doubt as to what they have to do to succeed. This is a victory that will be fashioned on preparation as much as execution and with Heyneke Meyer back from his overseas travels his input is crucial.
Pote Human has settled as Bulls coach, but Meyer’s technical and analytical contribution will be massive to the Bulls success. He remains the Director of Rugby at the Bulls and the man in charge.
The Bulls have been the form team in South African rugby in the last month. They’ve put 50 past the Sharks in Durban, given the Cheetahs 41 points in Pretoria and scored 45 comfortably against Western Province a week ago. They’re scoring tries with ease and Hougaard is kicking well.
Gary Botha’s captaincy has been outstanding and the tight five are fronting for each challenge. The Cheetahs, this season, have thrived on forward domination against most teams. The exception has been when playing the Bulls. That is why they lost in Bloemfontein earlier in the competition, got hammered in Pretoria and will again come second best on Saturday.
The path to the final was recorded here a fortnight ago. And nothing in the last fortnight convinces me to change the call that has the Bulls to win the Cup again.
1,320 Comments
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12 Oct 2006, 16:05 pm
cj- i will let u 2 love birds sort that out
12 Oct 2006, 16:06 pm
KIR
Let’s first see if she is sharp enough…
12 Oct 2006, 16:06 pm
Pieterman
Ja, ek was ‘n bokkop. So bietjie gaan rondle op Madimbo en Pafuri langs die Limpopo ook.
12 Oct 2006, 16:07 pm
carla
Het jy iets gevra? Watter post?
Red
Bulle met 12+ punte
Bulle 34 cheethas 20
Hoop so! hehe
Wat se jy?
12 Oct 2006, 16:07 pm
lol kerneels
12 Oct 2006, 16:07 pm
900
Not as many as what COULD HAVE been scored, had Werner Greeff had a chance to lonk up with Naas Olivier, without a certain #6 between them…
12 Oct 2006, 16:08 pm
carla
What you do best!
your guests can be red, supa, gbs, steyn oh this is looking like a pretoria gang.
Funny that the pretoria gang get hot under the collar when out of loftus shows why the bulls cant do much out of loffie
12 Oct 2006, 16:08 pm
Lol Supa 897
Ja GBS, ‘n paar van hulle maak my ook lam. Ongelukkig is daar een of twee in die blou kamp ook.
12 Oct 2006, 16:08 pm
Wallabie is stil
Moet nou eers die vrou en skoonmense gaan pla vir n vertaling! Hou hom daar!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:08 pm
Jong dis baie moeilik, maar ek dink die Bulle se momentum gaan te veel wees vir die Vrystaters.
Min of meer dieselfde punteveskil as wat jy daar het. Maar die Vrystaters is maar baie soos die Franse. ‘n Mens weet net nooit nie.
12 Oct 2006, 16:09 pm
Ig you heart breaker!
12 Oct 2006, 16:09 pm
Pieterman
Wsa jy verder noord as Pafuri? Crooks corner waar SA, Mosam en Zim bymekaar kom is een van die mooiste plekke waar ek nog was.
12 Oct 2006, 16:09 pm
Supa
Jy gaan die WALLABIE ‘n kopleks gee as jy aanhou met die SHEEPSHAGGER storie. Hy gaan weet ons dink alle AUSSIES is so!
12 Oct 2006, 16:10 pm
Ahh that is the reason why you want to talk in afrikaans beause you want to talk about the bulls.
Sorry to let you know not much there ouside of loftus.
12 Oct 2006, 16:10 pm
Maybe youre right. I just feel Ive brought something else to the team and I was the 3rd highest Tri scorer in the CC this season, so whether you want to question what I do or not, I brought in points and thats it.
12 Oct 2006, 16:11 pm
X-kreni
Ons plaaslike ouens is OK, dis wanneer hierdie ander moere dinge deurmekaar krap wat ek en GBS provinsiale grense ignoreer en eers ons land beskerm.
Hierdie ander hoendertjies laat ons later kekkel, hulle moet maar hul beurt afwag!
12 Oct 2006, 16:11 pm
913
Use a bit of wit, it seems if it gets too much for you you scream about sheep.
Shame!
12 Oct 2006, 16:11 pm
Dit was ek wat daar was Kerneels. Ja dit is pragtig en die rustigheid vanself.
Ons het gewoonlik deur die Pafuri hek gery na Phalaborwa vannaf Madimbo
12 Oct 2006, 16:11 pm
915, that is the problem Lulu Watson is an I specialist.
I did this… and I did that…
12 Oct 2006, 16:11 pm
Iggi-pop, I just went and read all my comments and out of the last 6, I only dissed someone once and that was in self defense against Kerneels… C’mon, do you have a personal issue with me? Wallabie, Pieter etc say way worse things. Guys, if you don’t see me again, it is because I was booted by Ig… If I’m booted (which I’m sure I will, because Ig might think the word ‘defense’ is derogatory), I don’t think I’ll come back, so long!
12 Oct 2006, 16:11 pm
ag shame WALLABIE probeer nou weer vis vang………..
12 Oct 2006, 16:12 pm
914# Daar is die eerste kapokkie, binne in die wip!!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:12 pm
Luke, is it true that the relative improvement in WP’s play over that of the Stormers can be attributed directly to Fester allowing you to captain, manage and coach the WP team?
12 Oct 2006, 16:12 pm
LMFAO die drol in die drinkwater dink ek is van Pretoria af.
12 Oct 2006, 16:13 pm
Oy CJ
Listen up and listen good.
Terms of endearment and rude insults are only allowed to be used if you’ve earned 2000 + posts.
If you haven’t, stick to proper names.
Earn your stripes first.
12 Oct 2006, 16:13 pm
YOU GO DAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:14 pm
good riddence
12 Oct 2006, 16:14 pm
Ahhhh CJ – could that be because i removed the last four or five of them ?! i don’t know you – so why would i have a personal issue – i find it peculiar that people judge each other on what gets posted here.
And if you don’t like the way i handle things, then go of your own accord.
One final point – its amazing that the slanging matches always seem to involve you.
12 Oct 2006, 16:14 pm
**** jy CJ, Dawn se jy moet eers gestreep word!
hehehe
12 Oct 2006, 16:14 pm
Whats the problem with believing in yourself and then backing yourself up on the field? Ive done it all buddy. Taken a bunch of youngsters to the semis – outplayed on the day fair enough, but beaten the bulls twice in one season. Ill back up with actions whatever I say.
12 Oct 2006, 16:15 pm
Dawn returns to retake her crown as queen of the blog from CJ!
12 Oct 2006, 16:15 pm
917# Wallabie
Praat ons van hoenders en praat jy van skaap!!
SKAAPKOP!!!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:16 pm
Wolfman, eh but off course. Dawn has always been the darling of keo .co.za
12 Oct 2006, 16:16 pm
Ek dink WALLABIE begin nou te twyfel in homself. Het skoon begin meer sense praat, net jammer ons kan deur die AUSSIE metaliteit sien en hom vir die SKAAP sien wat hy is.
12 Oct 2006, 16:17 pm
and CJ the poor pretender!
12 Oct 2006, 16:17 pm
So did the Sharks and the Bulls and the Cheetahs.
Nobody is bigger than the game.
12 Oct 2006, 16:17 pm
930- basically all the top 5 sides were made up of youngsters
12 Oct 2006, 16:17 pm
Lol pieterman
Ek sien hulle het ‘n SKAAPKOP fees in George. Ek sal WALLABIE uinooi volgende jaar
12 Oct 2006, 16:17 pm
Ig
You deleting posts?
This blog gotta get to 1000 before I go to bed.
12 Oct 2006, 16:18 pm
930
“youngsters”…
It’s been proved that the average age of your team is the same as the Sharks & Bulls?! So, I’d rather save my congrats for Gary Botha who led a severely depleted young Bulls team to the FINAL!
12 Oct 2006, 16:18 pm
Luke ‘Pommie’ Watson, can you perhaps answer question 923?
12 Oct 2006, 16:19 pm
(i can’t believe I’m talking to Pommie AS IF he was the real Luke….)
12 Oct 2006, 16:19 pm
Wallabie – only a couple.
12 Oct 2006, 16:19 pm
935
You mean “cheap” pretender…?
12 Oct 2006, 16:20 pm
Quinny, Luke is so talent he has metamorphed into Pommie’s body, just for this discussion!
12 Oct 2006, 16:20 pm
He seems to believe it Quinny
12 Oct 2006, 16:20 pm
942- its like the way chicks talk to me like i’m superman! lol
12 Oct 2006, 16:20 pm
Cheers mense – huistoe
Ek gooi SHEEP sommer nou WALLABIE woorde GREGAN hier LOSER RODZILLA tussen in.
12 Oct 2006, 16:20 pm
Quinny in psycho therapy I think its called something like transference?
12 Oct 2006, 16:20 pm
What next, brainwashing the country?
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