Planet Rugby Forum

My feeling is the Bulls are more suited to "finals" type rugby and will grind the Lions down.

WP I expect will play it tight. My concern is the WP kicking game. We cant match the distance Bosch makes with his kicks and I expect one of the key plans will be to kick the ball directly out rather than for distance as Bosch will punish us and to rather compete in the lineouts and maybe to carry the ball more/shallower chips and compete etc.

HT: Bulls 11-0 Lions

Too many stoppages. Lions trying to attack but just can't get a rhythm going and make too many mistakes. Bulls defence and spoiling play is excellent

Whoever wins at least it won't be a WP Sharks final
Nobody deserves that

47': Bulls 14-14 Lions

Both Lions locks off with yellow cards

FT: Bulls 26-21 Lions

Congrats Bulls! Now go and win a real trophy for the first time in 11 years

You just don't win semi finals when you concede 20+ penalties and two yellow cards. Frustrating Lions game to watch today

The Lions scored easily the few times they got rhythm. Unfortunately those times were too few

HT: WP 6-9 Sharks

Bulls will ruin whoever wins here.
Two kak teams this

Cartman wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 4:31 pm Bulls will ruin whoever wins here.
Two kak teams this

Two boring semis

The refs in both semis obviously under instruction to blow the games to pieces. Neither games ever got going, which is disappointing

fudge me this is shit.

35+ penalties in the Bulls Lions game
26 penalties after 66 minutes in the WP Sharks game

JJ is very dumb

FT: WP 9-19 Sharks

Final: Bulls vs Sharks

Very poor quality rugby in these 2 semi-finals

Jake is full of praise for his Captain
Bulls Sharks who did well to kick WP out on Newlands

Monk Zombie wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 5:34 pm Very poor quality rugby in these 2 semi-finals

True. But, honestly, the refs blew the games to pieces. Very difficult to get the game flowing when the refs are pedantic

ZuluBoy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 5:38 pm Jake is full of praise for his Captain
Bulls Sharks who did well to kick WP out on Newlands

Duane is a brilliant captain
I hope he goes into coaching

Lions penalty count were unbelievable. One can't expect them to win playing 13 against 15 at times.
Bulls kept their discipline, great Captaincy in keeping his players calm amd focused
WP without Kitshof they had no punch no drive

a Stinker goodbye to Newlands

That was some of the poorest rugby I have had the displeasure of watching. The WP forwards could just not execute with all the dominance in the first half. Also a lack of discipline by some the players. No continuity or execution of backline moves. The only positive was the heart shown by the Sharks forwards on defense.

Based on what I saw the Bulls will run away with it in the final

The Sharks will take whatever 3 pointers come their way. It's a final.

Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements – from: 16 Schalk Erasmus, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jan Uys, 20 Arno Botha, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marnus Potgieter, 24 Nizaam Carr, 25 Gerhard Steenekamp, 26 Keagan Johannes, 27 Jade Stighling

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JJ van der Mescht, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Manie Libbok.

Date: Saturday, January 30
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs and Griffin Colby
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen

history shows the Sharks are always doing well against the bulls in finals

Midfieldmaestro wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 7:00 pm history shows the Sharks are always doing well against the bulls in finals

Sharks has some X-factor. Bulls will soften the Sharks up first. Bosch dangerous

FT: Bulls 19-19 Sharks

HT of Extra Time: Bulls 19-19 Sharks

FT: Bulls 26-19 Sharks

Congrats Bulls

Soporific stuff all round

Congrats Bulle. South Africa,s champions.

Hadn't noticed this thread and happened to see the match this afternoon. Bulls have, how shall we say, a very distinct style of play. I had forgotten that Jake White is involved with them. It made a bit of sense.
Their 12 was a bit of a wrecking ball. He's a converted wing, isn't he?

Leinsterman wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:41 pm Hadn't noticed this thread and happened to see the match this afternoon. Bulls have, how shall we say, a very distinct style of play. I had forgotten that Jake White is involved with them. It made a bit of sense.
Their 12 was a bit of a wrecking ball. He's a converted wing, isn't he?

12 Cornal Hendricks jip Jake converted him from wing to centre
Bulls took their chances. No muck around from their Captain when the 3 points were on
Must have been the longest final in history! 2 hours and 50 minutes later and there is a Currie Cup Champion! I think Bulls won it about 12 years ago! But as you rightly said the Jake factor came in this year and he built on the Bulls's traditional strength of that great forward packs of decades ago and he picked a helluva Captain!

Duane used some of the tactics that the Springboks used in the WC final and it paid off for them.

It was a closely contested Currie Cup series. Except for when the Bulls sent their u21s for Jimmy's Pumas to feed on the only bigger score.
Nobody normally wants to give credit to the officials but congrats to saru in managing it all without crowds and within covid-19 protocols

ZuluBoy wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:04 am

Leinsterman wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:41 pm Hadn't noticed this thread and happened to see the match this afternoon. Bulls have, how shall we say, a very distinct style of play. I had forgotten that Jake White is involved with them. It made a bit of sense.
Their 12 was a bit of a wrecking ball. He's a converted wing, isn't he?

12 Cornal Hendricks jip Jake converted him from wing to centre
Bulls took their chances. No muck around from their Captain when the 3 points were on
Must have been the longest final in history! 2 hours and 50 minutes later and there is a Currie Cup Champion! I think Bulls won it about 12 years ago! But as you rightly said the Jake factor came in this year and he built on the Bulls's traditional strength of that great forward packs of decades ago and he picked a helluva Captain!

Sure was the longest final. In the past the teams would share the CC if its a draw.

Waiting on news for the Franchise Cup. Jens?

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:15 am Waiting on news for the Franchise Cup. Jens?

Seems there will be some info from SARU this week

I think Saru will start pushing for limited crowds.
With churches allowed 50% capacity now it can pave the way for sport events aswell. Probably for the Pro16/Rainbow Cup then if not for the Franchise Cup.
That is if the positives around the virus stay...declined infection rates, vaccine rollout

In Pretoria News today : 'Currie Cup to be filled with Champagne today'

Currie Cup star performers team throughout the tournament (I can't be too far off)

FB: Tiaan Swanepoel
Wings: Nkosi and Rosko Speckman
Centres : Simelane and Cornal Hendricks
FH: Bosch (disappointed in the final)
SH: Ivan Van Zyl
Frontrows: Kitshoff and one of the 2 Pumas (Ig Prinsloo and Morgan Naude')
Hooker: Mbonambi
Locks : Ruan Nortje' and one of (Willem Alberts and JJ Van der Mescht)
Flanks : Gideon Van der Merwe (Griquas) Marco Van Staden
No8 : Duane Vermeulen

The hooker was kak. No TH was better then Fat Frans Malherbe.

FH Moernaai

Frans
Moernaai against b i lions if Polly is still caged.