Pretoria - Pride and building towards the Currie Cup might be the only things left to play for in the Super Rugby encounter between the Cheetahs and Bulls in Bloemfontein on Saturday, but both sides have promised a high octane performance of running rugby and tries.
The Cheetahs' season has far been over and they have made no secret about their intention to build continuity and momentum going into the domestic competition and it will be no different for the Bulls even though there is still a slim glimmer of hope that they can make the Super Rugby play-offs.
Much of what could turn Saturday’s encounter into a real mouthwatering clash would be if the Sharks somehow find a way to lose to the Sunwolves in Durban on Friday night which would then open up the opportunity for the Bulls to get into the play-offs if they manage to beat the Cheetahs.
But the Bulls won’t be working on “what ifs?” any more and have all but resigned themselves to the reality of closing off their season on a high.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais may appreciate the element of surprise that sport often dishes out but he doesn’t see the Sunwolves pulling a rabbit out of the hat by stunning the Sharks at home.It is with that potent dose of reality that Marais only wants his team to focus on putting up a performance worthy of the jersey with a win on Saturday, and so bringing the curtain down on a season that held so much promise.
”I’m not really thinking about it (Sharks versus Sunwolves). I don’t see them (Sunwolves) winning. There is always a chance for anything in life but I know that the Sunwolves have a lot of injuries and the Sharks are a good enough side to kill the game,” Marais said on Tuesday.
”We must be ready for anything. The guys want to play and we must just be ready for Saturday night and that’s why we are going with a full-strength side. We could have decided to leave out the guys who won’t feature in the Currie Cup but the Currie Cup will take care of itself.
”The agony of coming so close to making the play-offs out of their own influence has been a bitter pill for the Bulls to swallow in the past two weeks but Marais will take some comfort if his team wins in Bloemfontein playing the brand of rugby that he believes will bring the Bulls many more trophies in years to come.
”Win, that’s the most important. Good performance and a win will give us a record this year of having played 15, nine wins, a draw and five losses which is not too bad but we still would not have made the play-offs,” said Marais.
If there is any change to come to the Bulls team, which will be announced today, then Lizo Gqoboka might be brought back into the starting line-up at loosehead prop depending on whether he passes a fitness test on Wednesday morning for his injured groin.
Otherwise, Marais is pleased with many of the aspects and attacking attributes his team showed in their win against the Sunwolves last week and will ask for the same but improved performance against a Cheetahs team that will be full of running and seeking to replicate last year’s season ending heroics when they beat the Bulls at Loftus.
The Star