A lot was said already and a lot more will be said in the psychological war of words this week. No one wants to be the favorite this week. It is quite funny how every team digs up stats to show that their opponent is the favorite.
The Free State Cheetahs are questioning the legality of Western Province’s scrumming tactics ahead of Saturday’s Currie Cup semifinal and have e-mailed André Watson and Mark Lawrence about it.
“I have e-mailed them about the so-called slingshot engagement at the hit. And also about the loose forwards that release their bind a little early,” said Drotské.
“I have an undertaking by Mark Lawrence and André Watson that they will study footage of it. It’s important for us,” he said.
The so-called slingshot engagement to which Drotské is referring means that the eighthman pulls his locks back and pushes them forwards at the hit.
This results in the team and its front row gaining more momentum at the engagement.
The laws state that all eight players have to be static at the hit and no movement forwards or sideways is allowed. If an eighthman’s shoulders are bound to his locks, it is effectively impossible to use this tactic.
Province are the favourites on paper – as they were when they lost semifinals to Free State in 2004 and 2005. Rugby, however, is not played on paper and Free State’s performances in the Currie Cup in recent seasons have been impressive.
“We had a strong belief in our ability in the Super 14, but the Currie Cup is Free State’s terrain. That is where they flourish,” said WP captain Schalk Burger.
Sharks coach John Plumtree is playing a psychological game with his players to get them motivated for Saturday’s Currie Cup semifinal against the Blue Bulls in Durban.
It is being widely stated that Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw will make mincemeat of Steven Sykes and Alistair Hargreaves, and that is where the seed will be planted for a Bulls win.
However, that is precisely what Plumtree wants to hear. You can bet your Ferrari that Plumtree will ensure his two young locks will get to hear about it.
“It will serve as motivation,” he admitted.
“We realise the magnitude of the challenge ahead. The Bulls are not the Currie Cup and Super 14 champions for nothing. But that puts a little pressure on them. Everybody is talking about them as the big favourites to beat us. Even so, my players are looking forward to the opportunity of measuring themselves against the Bulls’ big names.
Ludeke said form running up to the playoffs was not as important as the team’s performance on the day.
“The league phase is over and this is a new competition and hopefully another opportunity. Nothing counts and they (the Sharks) are experienced campaigners and they have international players so you can’t look at what happened last week.”
Ludeke said the Bulls would have to show improvement if they were to make it to the final. “Our performance wasn’t where we wanted it.”
60 hulle suig hom deur die ‘pêsshun gêp”
The Sharks:
15. Louis Ludik
14. JP Pietersen
13. Stefan Terblanche (Captain)
12. Andries Strauss
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Patrick Lambie
9. Charl McLeod
8. Ryan Kankowski
7. Willem Alberts
6. Keegan Daniel
5. Alistair Hargreaves
4. Steven Sykes
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Bismarck du Plessis
1.Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Eugene van Staden
18. Anton Bresler
19. Jacques Botes
20. Rory Kockott
21. Andre Pretorius
22. Odwa Ndungane
58: gaan weer ‘n finaal wees tussen Bulle en Ctahs, in Bloem.
Die WP roem op hul agterlyn, maar dieselfde agterlyn het klippe gekou teen die Bulle se B-span agterlyn. Januarie en Habana het bygekom, maar is op hierdie stadium nie ‘n groot aanwins nie, alhoewel Habana beter begin lyk. Aplon en Juan kan niks doen as hul nie die bol kry nie.
Wat die voorspelers betref, het die Bulle se C span die WP se voorspelers so 2 weke gelede ore aangesit, so ek dink die Ctahs se A span gaan die WP se voorries so lekker groot paar Bambi ore aan sit.
62: baie goeie span, maar ek dink die Underdogs kan hul verras.
As ek span kies tussen die twee spanne, sal dit soos volg lyk:
Beast
Bissie
Werner
Vic
Bakkies
Botes
Dewald
Alberts
FH
MS
Mvovo
WO
Oupa Grootjie
JPP
Zane
Baie gelyk, baie gelyk.
@ smallies72: mens het nie n bek vol tande nodig, vir cheetah biltong nie. 2 is genoeg…
Enige span kan die cup wen behalwe die bulls nou al moeg om hul op elke koerant se voorblad te sien, maar aan die ander kant met hul op die voorblad is die koerant lekker cheap daai dag…..
Bdb,
So, om saam te vat: die Bulle is die beste en daarom kan tereg na hulle verwys word assie underdogs wat Saterdag kan verras!
Jy sal ma moet verskoon as daai verstommende Sunnyside up logic net annerkant die Jukskei al platval..
Can any of you Bulls supporters confirm whether Bandise Maku has in fact signed for the Lions or not?
WTR reckon he has, but GLRU (as normal) are being quite backwards in coming forward if you understand. (Must be something to do with their CEO not yet having read “How To Win Friends And Influence People”.)
@scrumsaam dis op rugby365 ok dat hy getkenhet
fender @ 67
😆
moetie soooooooeeeeeeee wiesie man
nie ammal is soe slim soes o’ssie!! 😉
😆 I FEEL A FIGHTCLUB THREAD COMING ON!!! 😉
trips @ 60
hoe wiet djy? 😀
67: met die semis het al vier spanne ‘n gelyke kans, maar die voordeel volgens statistiek is meestal aan die tuisspan. Daarom is die Sharks en WP die gunstelinge, nie omdat hul beter spanne het as die Bulle en Ctahs nie, maar bloot omdat tuisveld jou die gunsteling maak, en hul 1 en 2 op die log is. Byt vas, daardie kaapse vlakte logika gaan netnou inskop !
Dit is wel so, as daar twee spanne is wat weet hoe om weg te wen, is dit die underdogs: die Bulle en die Ctahs.
bdb @ 73
“met die semis het al vier spanne ‘n gelyke kans”
..
😯 blerrie hel toks, het jy self daai afleiding gemaak?
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
fight
fight
fight
fight
fight!!!
75: onthou geen spanners, skroewedraaiers, knuckedusters, spykers en tanne nie !
bdb @ 76
nee fok
dan kan o’s almal maar tutu’s aantrek en gaan ballet!! 😆
77@ Ashley:
Ons almal hettie tutu’s om aan te trek soos jy nie Asbak…. sal vellies en ‘n paar ou jeans nie ook maar doen nie?
@ grootblousmile:
Oh, you are back then!!
How many kilos did you loose? 😆
gbs @ 78
😆
jaaaaaaaaa ok, sil oek orraait wies!!
79@ Blue Bird:
Jeeeeezzzz, don’t know… but I can tell you that I was feeling really “shitty”…. heeheheheehe
@ grootblousmile:
you sure someone didnt give you some jamal b eans?
@ grootblousmile:
Hummm….Poor you…
Have you managed to meet up with 4man yet?
Oh yes, would you like some help with your superBru picks for this coming weekend? 🙂
@ 4man:
Heyyy…..How are you doing?
England is quiet without you!! 🙁
@ Blue Bird:
no…he snivelled out of a piss up last night.
I learnt a great new Afrikaans word….
‘Kalgat’ !! 😉
I will have to use it in polite company sometime!!
@ Blue Bird:
I have drunk far too much alcohol the last two weeks, but otherwise all cool, sorry abouut a quiet Enngland, but thats how you like it!
@ 4man:
Some boys just can’t take your pace…….
His setslappes on a dodgy tummy would have been seriously bad news anyway!!
@ 4man:
What makes you think I like quiet?
82@ 4man:
Ek dink ek is nou so 50 kakke voor die res…. hehe
Nee jinne, I was quite “ONVAS” op my voete…. drank heaps of flat coke… ate virtually nothing…
Delhi Belly…..
83@ Blue Bird:
Have not been able to meet up with 4man yet, we spoke this morning on the phone when I was at the Audio Shop to have my new Radio / DVD / MP3 / Mp 4 / Bluetooth player fitted. I WILL make a plan with sammajoor 4man for tomorrow, I’m sure.
SuperBru… mmmmm I’m out the running but your picks might be valuable…
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