Steve's crystal ball is clear
rugby365 columnist Steve Farrell looks into his crystal ball and tells us what the future holds ...actually just for this weekend's Currie Cup semifinals.
The time for second chances are over as the most prized trophy in South African rugby, the Currie Cup, reaches the semifinal stage this weekend - as the Sharks, Bulls, Cheetahs and Lions fight it out for a place in the Currie Cup Final.
The Cheetahs and Lions did what they had to in the final round-robin stage to secure third and fourth place respectively, albeit with a bit of a struggle, whilst the Bulls and Sharks look odds-on favourites to contest the Final on October 25. The 2007 Super 14 Finalists look set for a re-match of epic proportions if they can get through their semifinals this weekend, but the Lions and the Cheetahs will be out to spoil the parties in Durban and Pretoria.
The Sharks have been far and away the most impressive team this year, and since the return of the Springboks, they have looked lethal. What will be of concern to them and their fans is their diabolical play-off record over the last decade.
If your a Sharks fan may I suggest you refrain from reading the next paragraph as it might bring back some not say good memories.
Since they last won a trophy - the Currie Cup in 1996 - they have been runners-up four times and semifinalists six times in South Africa's premier domestic rugby competition. Add to that their dubious Super Rugby play-off record of losing in the Final three times as well as in the semifinal three times, you get the feeling that the Durban boys struggle to get the job done.
Choker, a word sports fans love to brandish around at will, especially if you're a South African cricketer, but if anyone deserves to be associated with the dreaded 'C' word, it's the Sharks!
They will say that what happened in the past is history and will have no bearing on proceedings this weekend, but I have my doubts. If the game goes down to the wire you can be sure that the likes of Jaque Fourie will remind his Bok teammates in black jerseys of their poor record in play-offs. Fourie's World Cup centre partner, Frans Steyn, will be sure to send the ball into row Z this time around as the clock approaches 80 minutes if his team are a few points ahead.
But the game shouldn't go down to the wire. The home team have too much firepower in their ranks for a Lions side that have punched above their weight this season. The return of Fourie in the midfield has been a big boost for them as his experience and sheer class in invaluable in big games like a Currie Cup semi, but Fourie alone will not be enough for the plucky Lions.
Ruan Pienaar and Ryan Kankowski, two Springboks fighting for a starting berth in the Green and Gold, have been the stand-outs for the Sharks over the last few weeks. Pienaar had a poor Super 14 by his own lofty standards, but who could blame him when he was being tossed around the backline like a rag doll on a weekly basis. He has made no bones about the fact that he prefers the No.9 jersey and this is where he has excelled for the Sharks. He has the all-round game to play at No.10, but if he wants to achieve his full potential, No.9 is wear he's got to play.
If the Sharks forwards gain the ascendancy, which they should, the Kankowski-Pienaar combination could set the tone for the home team. It doesn't require brain surgery to realise that front foot ball is what is needed for the eight-nine combination to work, and if the man nicknamed "the Hoff" gets front foot ball, well, we've all seen how quick he is off the back of the scrum.
It'll be tight early on, play-offs always are, but the class of the Sharks will come to the fore in the second half resulting in them securing a home Final against either the Bulls or Cheetahs.
Once again the Cheetahs have made the last four in the Currie Cup despite the limited resources that they possess compared to their peers in the play-offs. They need to be applauded for that as every year they lose a big name player to a richer union. It just shows you what team spirit and hard graft can do for you. Juan Smith and Adriaan Strauss are their only current Springboks - with Jongi Nokwe also a Bok of recent vintage - in a team that contains a number of promising youngsters such as Heinrich Brussouw and Duanne Vermeulen.
The Loftus clash will be as physical as ever and it won't be pretty! Both packs of forwards will be throwing the proverbial kitchen sink at each other trying to get the upper hand. The pack that comes out on top in this one should go on to win it.
The two sides have had an intense rivalry of late, having contested the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Currie Cup Finals, and it's one apiece after that dramatic 28-all draw in 2006. All three Finals were outstanding spectacles, but I get the feeling that the Cheetahs will have their work cut out for them on Saturday. They haven't been in good from lately, leaking 40 points against bottom-placed Boland on the weekend as well as suffering three successive defeats in September, including a 5-23 loss to the Bulls. But they're not the defending champions for nothing and they won't relinquish that title without a spirited fight. But spirited as it may be, it just won't be enough to silence the Pretoria faithful.
So if my somewhat flawed predictions come right, the ABSA Stadium in Durban will host the 2008 Currie Cup Final between the Sharks and the Bulls!