It once was the biggest game in South Africa, the highlight of the year – to determine the most supreme team in the country.

On Saturday the FINAL of the ABSA Currie Cup, still the premier domestic competition, will compete for a place in the spotlight with the BIGGEST game in Rugby Union – a World Cup showdown between South Africa and New Zealand.

However, the Xerox Golden Lions and DHL Western Province will play like, and the winners celebrate as if, they are involved in a Rugby World Cup Final.

The build-up may have been low-key – in comparison with other finals – but there is no doubt that the game will be every bit as intense and entertaining as any Final that has gone before.

Province coach John Dobson was keen to take on the underdog tag – pointing to the Lions’ 62 / 32 win 3 weeks ago and their unbeaten run as reasons why pundits are likely to bank on the home team.

However, he feels the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, in last week’s Semifinal Round, gave other teams a glimpse of how to bring the Emirates Airline Park-based team down to earth.

Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann was not keen to take the ‘favourites’ tag offered to him by Dobson.

The wily Golden Lions mentor feels Western Province have a real chance of retaining their title.

“You just have to look at their game against the Blue Bulls this past weekend,” Ackermann said, adding: “Nobody gave them much of a chance.”

Ackermann pointed to the number of Super Rugby players in the Western Province team and their ‘X-factor players’ as reasons why the odds between the 2 teams should be shortened.

“Players like Dillyn Leyds, Senatla and Kolbe are exceptional players,” the Golden Lions coach said.

“They have a great centre partnership and a Super Rugby scrumhalf. These backs have in front of them a pack of forwards who are always good in the lineouts, with Ruan Botha there. Then they have a Springbok quality front row with the likes of Kitshoff.”

Ackermann described Western Prvince as a “well-balanced” team that have strengths across the field.

“We will have to be at our best,” he said, adding: “We certainly won’t be able to afford the same mistakes we made this past weekend.

“We will no doubt have to raise the bar against WP – they are not the defending champions for nothing.

“They showed this past weekend, they won’t give up their title easily.”

John Dobson, speaking at a media briefing in Cape Town, felt the Golden Lions are vulnerable under pressure.

“If they don’t get momentum in a couple of phases they kick the ball,” the Western Province coach said, adding: “That might give us some possession.

“The key is to be really accurate with our territory game.

“We saw at Ellis Park last time, there are opportunities on defence.

“We must play in their half, with a strong kicking game, and then take the ball through phases.”

Dobson said the territory game will be vital, because of the accuracy of Golden Lions flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff’s boot.

“They punish you with turnover in your half and we are going to have to be a little conservative.

“If we win without a pass and 27 mauls, I don’t care what you say afterwards.

“It will require 0 to 80 and 1 to 22 to win this game.”

Dobson named an unchanged matchday-22, while Ackermann made 3 changes.

For the Xerox Golden Lions, Robbie Coetzee starts at hooker, with Malcolm Marx moving on the bench. Kwagga Smith comes in at No 7 in place of Steph de Witt, who moves to the replacement bench, while Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Stokkies Hanekom (moving to the bench) swap places for the outside centre berth.

Players to watch:

Xerox Golden Lions:

In last year’s Final at Newlands the halfbacks – flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff and scrumhalf Ross Cronjé – had games they would rather forget. They are going to be key to the men from Johannesburg’s prospects of getting their running game going. Boshoff’s kicking game will be another important piece in the puzzle. You would look to see if young Rohan Janse van Rensburg is up to the pressure of such a big game. Then there are those highly rated loose forwards – Warren Whiteley, Kwagga Smith and Jaco Kriel – as well as the front row – Julian Redelinghuys, Robbie Coetzee and Jacques van Rooyen.

DHL Western Province:

You always expect Cheslin Kolbe to produce those darting, stepping runs. Can the Golden Lions contain him? Dillyn Leyds is another stepper, Seabelo Senatla is a Sevens star and they are all strong strike forces from deep. Young flyhalf Robert du Preez will also need to show he can cope with the pressures of such a high-profile play-off game. Rynhardt Elstadt will be the muscle, along with Ruan Botha.

Head to head:

Just about every position is an interesting face-off worth watching, but the real battle will be in the set pieces. There is the Golden Lions’ famed scrumming power – Julian Redelinghuys, Robbie Coetzee and Jacques van Rooyen – against Western Province’s equally talented front row of Wilco Louw, Bongi Mbonambi and Steven Kitshoff. In the locks there will be a battle of the colossi – Franco Mostert (Golden Lions) versus Ruan Botha (Western Province).

Recent results:

• 2015: Golden Lions won 62 / 32, Johannesburg
• 2014: Western Province won 19 / 16, Cape Town (Final)
• 2014: Golden Lions won 35 / 33, Johannesburg
• 2014: Western Province won 27 / 14, Cape Town
• 2013: Western Province won 33 / 16, Cape Town (Semifinal)
• 2013: Western Province won 36 / 23, Johannesburg
• 2013: Golden Lions and Western Province drew 31 / 31, Johannesburg

Road to the Final:

Xerox Golden Lions:

• Beat Eastern Province Kings 51 / 14
• Beat Steval Pumas 44 / 27
• Beat Cell C Sharks 31 / 16
• Beat Steval Pumas 41 / 11
• Beat Eastern Province Kings 37 / 21
• Beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 36 / 28
• Beat Cell C Sharks 26 / 18
• Beat Toyota Free State Cheetahs 73 / 31
• Beat DHL Western Province 62 / 32
• Beat ORC Griquas 29 / 19
• Beat Toyota Free State Cheetahs 43 / 33 (Semifinal)

DHL Western Province:

• Beat ORC Griquas 43 / 19
• Beat Toyota Free State Cheetahs 9 / 3
• Lost to Vodacom Blue Bulls 29 / 47
• Lost to Toyota Free State Cheetahs 21 / 28
• Beat ORC Griquas 33 / 15
• Beat Cell C Sharks 37 / 27
• Beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 29 / 14
• Beat Steval Pumas 50 / 19
• Lost to Xerox Golden Lions 32 / 62
• Beat Eastern Province Kings 45 / 14
• Beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 23 / 18 (Semifinal)

Teams:

Xerox Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Kwagga Smith, 6 Jaco Kriel (Captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Lourens Erasmus, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Fabian Booysen, 19 Steph de Witt, 20 Jaco van der Walt, 21 Stokkies Hanekom, 22 Sampie Mastriet.

DHL Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Juan de Jongh (Captain), 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Chris van Zyl, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Huw Jones.

Date: Saturday 24 October
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Kick-Off: 13:45 SATime (11:45 GMT)
Expected weather: Mostly sunny with a shower or thunderstorm a real possibility. High of 29°C (which it will reach at about kick-off time)
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant Referees: Stuart Berry, Jason Jaftha
TMO: Marius Jonker

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