Last year’s Currie Cup Premier Division finalists will meet for the first time today since the Golden Lions topped off their undefeated 2015 season with a trophy-winning performance at Ellis Park.
But things are very diffferent now. The Lions aren’t the dangerous Currie Cup outfit they were last year as a great number of their stars have been called up to Springbok duty for the Rugby Championship.
One can say that Western Province are in a similar predicament. The Cape side have not only had to make do without crucial players due to Springbok selection, but they have also lost many of their men to injury.
Some of their stalwarts out with injury include flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis, hooker Scarra Ntubeni, prop Oli Kebble, lock JD Schickerling, centre Huw Jones and loose forwards Nizaam Carr and Sikhumbuzo Notshe, while hookers Chad Solomon and Martin Ferreira and outside back Khanyo Ngcukana are also on the injury list.
Understandably, both sides had quite a difficult run into Round Six.
Province got their campaign off to the worst possible start when they suffered a 45-26 defeat to the Blue Bulls at Loftus. And two weeks later the script was the same, this time falling short 32-25 to the Cheetahs at Newlands. But John Dobson’s men got a much-needed win against the Kings and last week managed to pull off a fine victory at home against the Sharks.
The Lions, on the other hand, secured a 68-26 win over the Pumas in Johannesburg, but one week later they fumbled against the Griquas in Kimberley. They also bagged a massive win over Boland at Ellis Park, but their luck ran out when they traveled to Loftus last week.
And with only four spots available in the play-offs, the pressure is on for the fifth-placed Lions and sixth-placed Province as the log is starting to get congested in the middle.
Lions boss Johan Ackermann has raised his concerns about Province’s increased confidence following their 34-27 win over their Sharks at Newlands, and his biggest concern seems to be Province’s backline arsenal, while he was also keeping a close eye on their set-pieces.
“They took a lot of confidence out of the win (against the Sharks). The Sharks and Cheetahs on paper are the most consistent sides since Super Rugby.”
“They have dangerous guys on the outside and (Cheslin) Kolbe at the back. I think it will be a nice high-tempo game. Our set phase has to be good because with JC (Janse van Rensburg) up front they are strong and they have shown they can contest the lineouts so that will be a big challenge for us.”
Ackermann won’t be the only coach going into tonight’s game having planned around the oppositions’ backline players. Earlier this week, Dobson also said that they had worked hard on shutting the space down around powerhouse Lions centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
However, the Lions won’t have the luxury of only focusing on WP’s outside backs tonight.Flyhalf Robert du Preez produced a top performance against the Sharks, and all eyes will be firmly on him to see if he can continue the excellent work of last week.
The battle up front will also be a massive one. The Lions were bullied at the set-pieces and the rucks by the Blue Bulls last week and this week they will want to step their game up in the physical department.
And with bruising loose forward Rynhardt Elstadt back for Province, the physicality will definitely be there for the visitors.
With regards to their confidence, Province captain Chris van Zyl also said that is was very significant for WP to beat the Sharks in an aspect they expected to be bullied in.
“As a forward pack we stood up really nicely. Before the match we kept on hearing about this Sharks pack that are going to bully us. So besides winning, that gave us a lot of confidence.”
Van Zyl also acknowledged that despite the Lions’ poor showing last week, the set-piece battle won’t be an easy one.
“They pride themselves on their scrums and they like to build their game around the scrums, so that where we’re going to have to front up. They also have some great options at the lineout and I think the most important thing will be to try and unsettle them on their ball,” Van Zyl said.
Lions:15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Selom Gavor, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Ross Cronje (captain), Fabian Booysen, 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Lourens Erasmus, 4 JP du Preez, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Dylan Smith. Bench: 16 Armand ‘Akker’ van der Merwe, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Cyle Brink, 20 Ruaan Lerm/Steph de Wit, 21 Ashlon Davids, 22 Howard Mnisi
WP:15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Werner Kok, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Chris van Zyl (captain), 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg. Bench: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 JP Smith, 19 Jacques Vermeulen, 20 Eital Bredenkamp, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Scott van Breda. Referee: Jaco Peyper
Kick-off: 19:00 SS1 SSHD
Cape Times