PREVIEW: Currie Cup final
The Lions and the Sharks meet in this weekend's Currie Cup final at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg at 5:30pm (SA, CAT, GMT+2) on Saturday. Here is all the information you'll need.
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LINE-UPS:
Lions15. Jaco Taute, 14. Deon van Rensburg, 13. Doppies la Grange, 12. Alwyn Hollenbach, 11. Michael Killian, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Michael Bondesio, 8. Joshua Strauss (Captain), 7. Michael Rhodes, 6. Derick Minnie, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Wikus van Heerden, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Bandise Maku, 1. CJ van der Linde
Replacements: 16. Martin Bezuidenhout, 17. JC Janse van Rensburg, 18. Warren Whiteley, 19. Cobus Grobbelaar, 20. Butch James, 21. Dylan Des Fountain, 22. James Kamana
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The Sharks: 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Marius Joubert, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Keegan Daniel (captain), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Jean Deysel, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Eugene van Staden, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Lwazi Mvovo.
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WEATHER:
No good news on this front, we're afraid. The weatherman predicts plenty of rain from Friday afternoon right through to kickoff. Should this be the case one has to favour the Sharks with their massive pack and the experience of Freddie Michalak.
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KEY MATCH-UPS:
Josh Strauss v Willem Alberts
Josh Strauss and Willem Alberts may not be direct opponents on Saturday, but they will be performing the same roles for their respective teams.
The two big men will both be expected to get their teams on the front foot with strong running and big tackles. With a wet match expected these physical clashes could well decide the outcome, so all eyes will be fixed on this head-to-head clash.
Elton Jantjies v Freddie Michalak
These two flyhalves have both had good campaigns thus far, but it is on Saturday that they will want to impress. Both Jantjies and Michalak are attacking flyhalves by nature, but the weather will force them to play a more tactical game.
The French veteran has played in many big matches and in terrible conditions, so you have to think the Sharks have an advantage here, but Jantjies have been proving his doubters wrong all year. This clash is vital, because the game will be won by the team whose flyhalf adapts best.
Jaco Taute v Pat Lambie
We've become so used to seeing these two youngsters thrill us with their attacking skills, but on Saturday they will be tested in different areas. Both of them will be peppered with high balls in the pelting rain, and both will have to be brilliant with their kicks out of hand, as territory will be of vital importance in this match.
These two are sure to fight it out for the Springbok No 15 jersey in years to come, Saturday will tell us a lot about how good they are under pressure.
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STATS
PREVIEW
- The last time the Golden Lions won an Absa Currie Cup Final at their home ground, was 61 years ago, when they were still called Transvaal and they beat Western Province by 22-11.
- Since then the Johannesburg-based union have won finals in Wellington (beat Boland by 11-9 in 1952), Springs (beat the Valke by 25-19), Durban (beat The Sharks by 21-15 in 1993 and by 32-9 in 1999) and Bloemfontein (beat Free State by 56-33 in 1994).
- The Lions have lost home finals in 1987 (24-18 to the Blue Bulls), 1992 (14-13 to The Sharks), 1996 (33-15 to The Sharks) and 2002 (31-7 to the Blue Bulls).
- Since famously winning the Cup for the first time in 1990, the Sharks have played in 10 Currie Cup finals, winning five times.
- In four previous Absa Currie Cup Finals between these two sides, the hosts have lost every single time.
Head to Head in Absa Currie Cup Finals
1992: MTN Golden Lions 13 The Sharks 14 - Johannesburg
1993: MTN Golden Lions 21 The Sharks 15 - Durban
1996: MTN Golden Lions 15 The Sharks 33 - Johannesburg
1999: MTN Golden Lions 32 The Sharks 9 - Durban
Played 4 - MTN Golden Lions won 2 - The Sharks won 2 - Drawn 0
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MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee:
Mark Lawrence
Touch Judge:
Christie du Preez
Touch Judge:
Stefan Breytenbach
TV match official:
Johann Meuwesen
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Below are links to all the content we have on this match. This page
will be updated throughout the day:
10:00 - Individual brilliance v team ethos
Come Saturday night, either the individual brilliance of the Sharks' seven current Springboks or the hard-working, team ethos of the Lions will have prevailed in the Absa Currie Cup final at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg.
The MTN Golden Lions will be the romantic choice of all neutrals to win and thus end the dark years that the Gauteng union has stumbled through - 12 of them since their last Currie Cup title.
There are just two current Springboks - loosehead prop CJ van der Linde and replacement back Butch James - in the Lions squad, but coach John Mitchell's emphasis on team cohesion and unity has proven inspirational and the side topped the Currie Cup log before comfortably disposing with a Springbok-laden Western Province side in the semifinals.
Read more...
10:00 - Alberts wary of former team
Shark loose forward Willem Alberts believes his former Lions team will have plenty of desire and determination to clinch Saturday's Currie Cup final.
The country's top two rugby sides square off at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg on Saturday, with the hosts having last won the competition in 1999, although they were twice losing finalists since.
One of those occasions was in 2002 when they lost to the Blue Bulls and the other, more significantly, was in 2007 when they were beaten by the Cheetahs.
Read more...
10:00 - Sharks fired up for Cup final
Sharks rugby captain Keegan Daniel insists the Lions' recent track record in Currie Cup competition will have no bearing on what happens in Saturday's final in Johannesburg.
The two franchises have endured contrasting times over the past decade with the coastal side bidding for a third title in four years.
For their part, the men from Gauteng will be desperate to end a title drought that dates back 12 years.
"You can't live on reputation, it's not going to get you anywhere," Daniel told reporters on Tuesday.
Read more...
10:30 - Here is the latest news on the final:
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10:45 - Kiwi coaches clash in final
Mitchell and Plumtree were born a year apart in the North Island town of Hawera and worked together for the All Blacks ahead of the 2003 World Cup with the former head coach and the latter a video analyst.
But while Mitchell now controls a star-less team with only one 2011 World Cup Springbok in the starting line-up, Plumtree has selected seven including the frontrow of brothers Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis and Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira.
Read more...
13:05 - Discipline key to Lions' success - Boshoff
The discipline and structure introduced by coach John Mitchell has groomed the MTN Golden Lions into a championship winning team.
Those were the views shared by Leopards coach Leon Boshoff, who played for the Lions when they last won the Currie Cup in 1999, ahead of Saturday's final between the Sharks and the Lions at Coca-Cola Park.
While Boshoff is no longer involved at the Lions, he has witnessed both the highs and lows at the union and even suffered at the hands of Mitchell's marching troops this season.
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15:00 - Battle of the packs in Cup final
The Golden Lions will have to win the battle up front against the Sharks in Saturday's Currie Cup final at Ellis Park if they want bring their 12-year trophy drought to an end.
The hosts, however, do not have a good history at their home ground, having last won a Currie Cup final on home soil in 1950 when they beat Western Province 22-11.
The Sharks will be in search of back-to-back titles but their coach, John Plumtree, knows full well that it will be a tough task away from home.
Read more...