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, 18:34 pm
wolf, they wont pass you around like ummm…
They’ll turn you around like something you dont have a simile for.
12 Oct 2006, 18:34 pm
wallabie, have you ever heard of inside-trading?
12 Oct 2006, 18:34 pm
wolf
1249
GBS has the smile your thinking of.
12 Oct 2006, 18:35 pm
Redcard – agree with your last comment – sad thing is Dale Bekenstein would make a better captain at the moment
Wolfman #1249 they’ll call you Sheila…..
12 Oct 2006, 18:36 pm
1248
Steve waugh respected cronje and could not believe that it was true, the fixing.
12 Oct 2006, 18:37 pm
Ig, coming along nicely. Found this fascinating coaching manual – did you know that at no time can there be more than 15 players per side on the field? Every day is an adventure, I tell ya.
SA winning those last two Tests did scupper my immediate plans to succeed Mr White, but with the Boks knowing only how to flap and flibber about in the mud in the Norvin ‘Emisfere, I expect I’ll be offered the position before Christmas.
12 Oct 2006, 18:37 pm
1254
Ohhh!
12 Oct 2006, 18:37 pm
the whole world respected Cronje, he was the man. a tragic, tragic end to both his playing career, and life.
12 Oct 2006, 18:38 pm
Wallabie, g’day Mate. You don’t understand the betting syndicates on the Asian continent – they bet on who is going to bat/bowl first – huge money – this is not your normal betting that you & I would do at the tote or on the net,
12 Oct 2006, 18:38 pm
One has to ask the question, the first time Gibbs received an offer he was 22 years old.
Where are the structures or before hand info to protect the young players? At the risk of being prejudiced, the stigma surrounding the sub continent and cheating/fixing has been around for yonks.
Obviously where there is smoke there is fire?
And in that sense SA Cricket has failed.
12 Oct 2006, 18:39 pm
Rev
Australia were looking forward to Eddie getting the boot until we heard that he was planning to give Georgie the golden handshake. Knuckles comes in and keeps the old boy.
12 Oct 2006, 18:40 pm
GBS Jy nog hier? Of gaan ons eers vir n wyle?
12 Oct 2006, 18:41 pm
RedCard, the problem was a lack of accountability. Hansie was so revered and respected that to a certain extent he was coach, captain, manager and physio. that is why it is such a sad story. Perhaps Gibbs would have realised his potential had he not been mislead?
12 Oct 2006, 18:42 pm
wolfman,
I cannot begin to tell you how I balled my eyes out.
My dad (who lives down George way) phoned me the Saturday morning. He said that he had bumped into Leon Schuster who said that Hansie Cronje died in a plane accident that morning.
Now taking all that bit of info in, I actually told my dad to F-off, (I’m a big Hansie fan) I wasn’t in the mood for crappy jokes.
He went quiet and just said: “No jokes”
It was the worst 2 word sentence I have ever heard.
12 Oct 2006, 18:42 pm
wallabie, you appear not have anyone else besides granddad. That’s my assumption at least, based on them wanting to move Giteau there.
12 Oct 2006, 18:42 pm
Wallabie, with umpires like D Hair – who needs the players to throw matches???
12 Oct 2006, 18:43 pm
This is from the baggygreen web site today re gibb’s interview with Indian Police – so the Aussies Can be objective – well done – first for everything :â€South Africa’s team spokesman, Gordon Templeton, told 702 talk radio that he had spoken to both Gibbs and his lawyer Peter Wheelan, who said the reports were inaccurate
12 Oct 2006, 18:44 pm
spears
Too true!
12 Oct 2006, 18:44 pm
Spears its on news24 as well
12 Oct 2006, 18:45 pm
Okay boys speak to you next week.
Bedtime calling and I have a big weekend trying to keep the missus happy.
12 Oct 2006, 18:45 pm
pieterman,
Ek’s nog hier……watch net…..maar ek’s nou honger!
Wens ek kon nou in julle restaurant gesit en eet het!
12 Oct 2006, 18:46 pm
Yeah, I was watching an England Test Match when the news came through. Ran to the internet and googled it. Then went back to the TV to hear Botham talking about how he would always be remembered as a cheat, that really pissed me off.
Hansie Cronje still remains one of my heros.
12 Oct 2006, 18:46 pm
cheers Wallabie
12 Oct 2006, 18:46 pm
gbs +/- waar is hulle restaurant?
12 Oct 2006, 18:46 pm
what are all u rapscallions discussing?
12 Oct 2006, 18:47 pm
naand julle
hier uit diep donker afrika
12 Oct 2006, 18:47 pm
1272, fortunately Botham will always be remembered as a wife cheating wanker.
12 Oct 2006, 18:48 pm
Hansie, Botham, getting screwed over etc.
12 Oct 2006, 18:48 pm
yep, a fat wife cheating wanker!
12 Oct 2006, 18:49 pm
Sad thing about Hansie departing early, he was doing great things in the George Are for the schools down there – still believe he had something to offer the SA Cricket –
Do we know anyone in the rugby circles that has been labeled a Cheat???
12 Oct 2006, 18:49 pm
Boys & … oh Dawn has left speak to you on Monday.
12 Oct 2006, 18:50 pm
No. In rugby there are only coke heads.
Cheers.
12 Oct 2006, 18:50 pm
only the refs Spears!
12 Oct 2006, 18:50 pm
RedCard,
Pieterman is mos in Korea broeder!
12 Oct 2006, 18:51 pm
Wolfman which refs???? remember the BB’s getting a couple of bad/good TMO’s this year???
12 Oct 2006, 18:51 pm
cheers RedCard.
12 Oct 2006, 18:52 pm
Spears
ja luke
12 Oct 2006, 18:53 pm
Cheers RedCard
12 Oct 2006, 18:53 pm
Jurgens thought you had left????
12 Oct 2006, 18:53 pm
I guess South Africans like to claim that there is a global conspiracy against them, but i reckon much of the Bad Bulls TMO’s decisions was incompetence rather than collusion.
It is tough to bribe rugby players, apart from the goal kickers. such a team orientated game. every-one would have to be in on it, and if you arent fully psyched for rugby, you are going to get injured.
12 Oct 2006, 18:54 pm
GBS
Vroutjie het nou pas teruggekom van die restaurant, terwyl jy daarvan praat!!
Sy het my kos gebring…’ prawn stir fry mix’ en allerlei oulike disse.
Hier langs my kom neersit, ek sal maar daaraan peusel en so….
Maar na ek en jy se ‘pie’- stories is ek nie veel lus vir dit nie.
Ek het lus vir Josie se pastei.
12 Oct 2006, 18:56 pm
Spears
just finished for the day and got my wireless working so here i am
12 Oct 2006, 18:56 pm
Where there’s money there will be a desire??? I’ve heard of a heavier ball for oppositions when kicking for goals before???/
12 Oct 2006, 18:57 pm
serious Spears? that would be original or creative! is that a modern thing, or a couple of years back?
or maybe giving Pretorius the wrong kind of sand…?!
12 Oct 2006, 18:57 pm
Hello Jurgens
Dit kan nie te donker wees daar as jy die rugby kan sien nie.
Hier is dit donker…net sokker broer, en missiele.
12 Oct 2006, 18:57 pm
pieterman,
Ek eet maar solank ‘n paar koeksustertjies om die hongerpyne te blus!
Ek sou nou kon doen met “prawn stir fry mix”…..dammit!
12 Oct 2006, 18:59 pm
GBS, Redcard, Supa, Jurgens, Dankerbod,X-kreni.. en al die honger rugbymanne…
Dankie eers. Ek gaan duik.
12 Oct 2006, 19:01 pm
Cheers my pella van die land van skrefiesogies!
12 Oct 2006, 19:01 pm
wolfamn – 2/3div in Uk
12 Oct 2006, 19:02 pm
pieterman
lol gisteraand se krieket wat ek gekyk het het n moerse hoofpyn vanmore gegee
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