South Africa: Western Province Face Do Or Die Clash With in-Form Bulls

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Business Day (Johannesburg)

29 August 2008
Posted to the web 29 August 2008

Zeena Isaacs
Johannesburg

THE mounting pressure on Western Province will reach its maximum tonight when they meet the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in a Currie Cup clash that could resurrect their faint hopes of sneaking into the top four semifinal berths.

With only six games remaining in the series, Province trail the fourth-placed Lions by nine points and time is running out fast for them to play catch-up with the top dogs.

While a win would move Province to within striking range of the top four, a defeat could be the knockout blow for their semifinal hopes.

To beat the Blue Bulls, however, will require a classy all-round display, as the home team realises the importance of a win to finish at the top of the log to ensure a home semifinal.

The intense traditional rivalry between the two teams should add further spice to the match, meaning Loftus Versfeld could turn into a war zone.

Western Province coach Allister Coetzee and Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke highlighted the importance of excellence at the breakdowns to register a victory.

The Blue Bulls loose trio of No8 Pedrie Wannenburg and flanks Wikus van Heerden and Deon Stegmann were shown up against Griquas two weeks ago and they have worked hard this week to avoid a similar situation today, so Western Province's trio of Nick Koster, Francois Louw and Pieter Louw are in for a hard day's work.

"The collision points are where the game is going to be won or lost," said Ludeke.

"There are still a few grey areas in the interpretation of the laws at the breakdowns. So it is important that we adapt to the way the referee manages it."

Said Coetzee: "We lost against the Sharks (a few weeks ago) because we didn't round off our chances and they were better than us at the breakdowns.

"With Wikus and Deon playing good rugby at the moment, we have to be at the top of our game on the ground.

Van Heerden refused to be fooled by Western Province's battle to beat the top teams in the series this season, and said their defeat against Western Province earlier this season was still fresh in their minds.

"Their backs are against the wall," said Van Heerden. "If they win this game they can still earn a semifinal place.

"But if they lose it will complicate matters for them terribly. For us, it is one of the few home games we have left, so this is a very important game for both teams."

Coetzee admitted it would take a brave effort to beat the Blue Bulls at home, especially with their new style of play paying off this season.

"The Bulls have a lot of experience and they have made a good shift in their game plan," said Coetzee.

"They have a good kicking game and they can run the ball with all the firepower out wide, which is very different to the one-dimensional rugby they played in the past. So we are expecting a really tough game."

In the other game today the Sharks meet Griquas in Kimberley -- a game the Sharks should win easily judging by the quality of their match 22.

However, Griquas are a strong force on the hard, dry Kimberley turf and they may have a slight physical edge having played last week, while the Sharks' last game was three weeks ago.

Plumtree was cautiously optimistic and said on the Sharks' website: "We need to make sure we are disciplined and the game plan is suited to the conditions, with the players sticking to it. We have a lot of respect for them (Griquas). They have a physical pack and (Isma-eel) Dollie at flyhalf directs traffic well."

Plumtree admitted that a combination of the break and the enforced changes to his team due to Springbok call-ups and injuries may result in his team having to rebuild the momentum they had built up in the first few weeks of the series.

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