Has the world gone mad? The Vodacom Blue Bulls will be playing an expansive game and DHL Western Province will kick for territory.

That is what is on the cards when South Africa’s biggest derby, the north-south Currie Cup showdown between the Blue Bulls and WP, take place at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Province have made it clear they want to build ‘scoreboard pressure’, building up a healthy lead before looking for tries and bonus points.

One gets the feeling the WP brains trust believe the Blue Bulls can’t chase a game once they are behind.

Both WP coach John Dobson and new captain Nizaam Carr said they will not be lured into a helter-skelter contest and will back their structures to wear the Blue Bulls down.

Dobson, speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to Pretoria, said he stands by an earlier statement that the Blue Bulls 57 / 19 demolition of the Toyota Free State Cheetahs was an “aberration” – where the Blue Bulls made less than 15 errors and the Free State Cheetahs made more than 30.

“It was encouraging for us to see that Griquas gave them a good fight for the 1st hour,” Dobson said of the Round 2 encounter in which the Blue Bulls trailed at halftime and eventually won 36 / 12.

“They are playing more rugby,” the WP mentor said of his team’s big rivals, adding: “Often people talk about that (an expansive game), but don’t follow it up with action.

“They are doing more stuff than they have done before and they have some really exciting backs.

“If we don’t get our chase lines right, Warrick Gelant or Jamba Ulengo will step you. Francois Hougaard is also a threat.

“They are playing more exciting rugby, but it is hard to change the DNA of a team in 2 or 3 weeks.”

Dobson said he hopes the Blue Bulls will make some errors in trying to play too much.

“If we chase them we will get ourselves into trouble.

“This week we won’t turn it (kicks) down. Demetri is paid for that.

“It is what Nemo (Nizaam Carr) calls it – the 3, 6, 9 syndrome – take every point you get.

“We can go 3, 6, 9 and score a try – then suddenly it is 16 / 3 or 16 / 6 and then they are under pressure.”

Carr admitted it is not going to be easy at Loftus and that is why they don’t want to go out and play too much rugby.

“If the points are on offer, we have to take them,” Carr said.

“We must get the points ticking – 3, 6, 9.

“We are not going to be too fancy, we will go for the simple options. If the maul is on, we’ll take it.

“However, I am the type of leader that if the points are on I must take them.

“It is going to be tough, so we can’t leave any points out there on Saturday”

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