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, 16:21 pm
Quinny, did you catch the Ricky Gervais clip with ‘Crouch’ and ‘Rooney’?
12 Oct 2006, 16:21 pm
938# Moenie speel nie broer!!
Daar in die SWD is die nuwe Vrymesselaars…Die Skaapkopgilde!! Ek belowe jou!! Bestaan uit landdroste en prokureurs..Sorry GBS.
12 Oct 2006, 16:21 pm
Supa sterkte met jou span, ek speel more gholf so ek sal nie hier wees nie.
12 Oct 2006, 16:21 pm
Cheers supa
Geniet die aand
WALLABIE
12 Oct 2006, 16:21 pm
Cheers Supa
12 Oct 2006, 16:21 pm
Bye bye supa.
On your bike take redcard with you.
12 Oct 2006, 16:22 pm
Hehe quinny 888…
12 Oct 2006, 16:22 pm
951
Yes – absolutely BRILLIANT! Crouch is “spot-on”!
12 Oct 2006, 16:22 pm
Well said # 948
12 Oct 2006, 16:22 pm
Ill concede that but just look at the experience those teams have compared to us. We were by far the most inexperienced side to reach the playoffs. Look theres nothing I want more than to be part of the Springbok setup and bring South Africa back to the number 1 spot. Being captain or not. To achieve this you cannot be a soft spoken type. Youve got to know what you want and back yourself to get it. Thats my game.
12 Oct 2006, 16:22 pm
naas olivier could’ve led your bulls team to the final with all the boks back. hell, I’d even go as far as to say Frikkie Welsh could…
12 Oct 2006, 16:23 pm
960
Yawn.
You talk too much.
12 Oct 2006, 16:23 pm
I have taken my place in the Monarch hierarchy.
12 Oct 2006, 16:23 pm
Lol, veral prokureurs pieterman, met die eindoms ontploffing hier is hulle almal dik in die geld
12 Oct 2006, 16:23 pm
Wallabie wil nie bed toe gaan nie want vanaand se skaap is bietjie oorgewig!
12 Oct 2006, 16:23 pm
Kerneels
Miskien as jy my jou e-addie gee, kan ons beter oor daai dinge praat. Groot sake, jy weet mos!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:24 pm
xkreni
Anything interests you but it does not make you clever.
12 Oct 2006, 16:24 pm
there is a diffirence between knowing what you want and brash pommie
12 Oct 2006, 16:25 pm
960. A good leader can do that without alienating other people.
12 Oct 2006, 16:25 pm
carla jane should be appearing soon under the guise of someone else
12 Oct 2006, 16:25 pm
I dunno Pommie. Richie McCaw is not that outspoken. Neither were Teichman, Pienaar, Johnny Wilkinson…
12 Oct 2006, 16:26 pm
Dawn, I’m sure that you are higher up than Keo. (even in flat shoes)
12 Oct 2006, 16:26 pm
lol @ 970
I laugh CJ’s real identity is Stan…
12 Oct 2006, 16:26 pm
Badboy, you can add Gregan to that list, actually, maybe not!
12 Oct 2006, 16:27 pm
Supa 965# Hy is in die wip. Maklik. Ons vang hom elke keer…maar ai…WALLABIE **** nie!
Afgesien van alle grappies, hy is nie n aap nie ****. Hy ken rugby. Wat my moer strip is omdat hy SA haat.
12 Oct 2006, 16:27 pm
jy behoort te weet WALLABIE ek het vergeet jullie AUSSIES is mos almal geniaal.
12 Oct 2006, 16:27 pm
Bulls fans
Lets talk about the bulls at loftus and there will be screeds then lets talk about bulls outside loftus and my guess you will be picking your noses and see what you get becareful to make it last!
12 Oct 2006, 16:27 pm
Wallabie
Who is the leading contender for the 12 jumper if Giteau plays 9? Will Rogers get another bash, or will they experiment with Gerrard? What about Staniforth as a wildcard?
12 Oct 2006, 16:28 pm
Wallabie, that is terribly sentence structure.
12 Oct 2006, 16:28 pm
fok julle ouens het lekker werk, sit heeldag op keo.co.za of julle speel golf
12 Oct 2006, 16:28 pm
Ok guys its been cool. I just rate Jake’s not gonna give me a call anyway. If he does itll be the best day of my life. Good luck to the Cheetahs! Luke
12 Oct 2006, 16:29 pm
Badboy
Good players tend to keep quiet as they know they let there game do the talking.
Unfortunately this does not go for gregan and some bulls players.
12 Oct 2006, 16:29 pm
Quinny, morgan turinui (spelling?) has been recalled.
12 Oct 2006, 16:29 pm
971, you’ll have to do better than that. many outspoken players have made it very far in the game.
12 Oct 2006, 16:29 pm
what about rogers at 10 and staniforth at 12?
12 Oct 2006, 16:29 pm
Wallabie
dit is snaaks hoe daai bulls jou aussie span gewen het in die 3n…….baie snaaks…maar nou ja n sheepshagger soos jy WALLABIE sal mos nou nie weet nie
12 Oct 2006, 16:29 pm
Moet net nie vir my se WALLABIE is 1000 nie!
X-kreeni
Laat ons bietjie post hier!!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:30 pm
1000!!!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:30 pm
Wie is 1000?
SA of Aus?
12 Oct 2006, 16:30 pm
damn
12 Oct 2006, 16:31 pm
979
That is because it is terribly late at night – I have the day off tomorrow and I am staying at the Hilton this weekend. GBS and Supa are joining me.
12 Oct 2006, 16:31 pm
OK go SA
12 Oct 2006, 16:31 pm
Die groen en goud!
12 Oct 2006, 16:31 pm
Lions to win the S14
12 Oct 2006, 16:31 pm
Its a job Jurgens and someone has to do it
12 Oct 2006, 16:31 pm
Let’s go!!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:32 pm
ten minste waai WALLABIE dan
12 Oct 2006, 16:32 pm
Ek speel ook eers more gholf. Werk nog vandag.
12 Oct 2006, 16:32 pm
SA!!!!
12 Oct 2006, 16:32 pm
pieterman, het jy vroegdag begin drink?
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