Bulls v Sharks - teams and prediction
PREVIEW, SEMIFINAL: The fixture between Bulls and Sharks at Loftus Versfeld will go down as another Currie Cup classic.
Saturday's semifinal clash is a repeat of the Currie Cup Finals in 2020 and 2021, both won by the Bulls.
However, this weekend's encounter is a challenging one to call.
The men from Pretoria started the Currie Cup season in fine fashion, occupying the No.1 spot for the majority of the campaign.
They stumbled in the latter stage of the season, but with considerable depth in talent, they showed their pedigree to grab the second spot on the log - earning them a home semifinal.
In contrast, the Sharks struggled in the opening stages of the campaign, suffering three defeats in a row.
But they managed to regain their mojo by winning six and snatching a draw during an impressive seven-game unbeaten stretch.
The last time the two teams met, the Sharks recorded a 24-18 win over the Bulls in a wet and windy Durban during the final round of league action.
“I would think that they [the Sharks] are in a good position, coming off that win," said Bulls captain Nizaam Carr when reflecting on the defeat.
"We want to chase that, and it’s not fine to lose - but it’s also not a bad thing going into a semifinal, for motivation and to get the guys up for it.
"The weather was terrible and when the ball is wet you can't play the game you want.
"We are hoping for good weather, where we mix our physicality and set-piece and also run the ball.
"We made some good strides in terms of that, scoring a high number of tries here at Loftus.
"So just because it is a semifinal I don't think we should shy away from what has brought us here and take the conservative approach. We need to push the boundaries and outrun them."
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The 33-year-old said the return of some high-profile players will make the Sharks a very difficult outfit to overcome on Saturday.
"It is always tough playing against the Sharks," said Carr.
"They are a real quality side. They have some Springboks players available, so it is going to be tough.
"But we are looking for a tough challenge
"They obviously want to be as physical as they can be and they pose several threats in terms of the kicking game.
"I think if we handle those things well it will be a good day for us."
While Saturday's fixture is certainly ideal preparation for both teams to kick start their United Rugby Championship pre-season, Sharks coach John Plumtree revealed the semifinal clash is of utmost importance for the bigger schemes of things at the franchise.
"It is important to honour the Currie Cup, it has a massive history. It has been a big part of my coaching career," said Plumtree.
"As much as we know the URC and Champions Cup is a priority for the union, we have to honour the Currie Cup.
"And we can only do that by taking this match seriously and not thinking too much past Saturday."
He added: "We are going to be tested by the Bulls in areas we know we should be better as a team.
"This is the perfect preparation for URC, but at the same time we are not talking about URC, we are talking about honouring the Currie Cup.
"We have prepared well and look forward to getting up there."
Plumtree has made six changes and one rotational change to that winning team.
The significant change is the inclusion of Springbok Andre Esterhuizen in the starting XV.
Esterhuizen and Francois Venter will form a new midfield partnership, while Ethan Hooker shifts from centre to wing in place of Makazole Mapimpi.
In the pack, Fez Mbatha comes in for Dylan Richardson at hooker, with Corne Rahl replacing Gerbrandt Grobler at lock and James Venter coming in for Emmanuel Tshituka in the back row.
This will be the first time Hooker will play at wing for the Sharks.
"It is not a positional change for him, we know his future is in the midfield, but I like to play him as a wing for this game," stated Plumtree.
"He is big and fast, does fine under the high ball, and is a smart rugby player.
"Good communicator and his work rate will be good.
"With Andre Esterhuizen playing and Ethan around in the same spots, it's an opportunity to see him go in that position.
"My depth has been tested outwide, so we want to experiment."
Players to watch:
For Bulls: Johan Goosen gets the playmaker role for the semifinal match. The Springbok will partner with Keagan Johannes as the new halfback pairing. The 33-year-old Nizaam Carr comes in at flank and takes over as captain. He will partner with Marcel Coetzee and inform Cameron Hanekom as the loose trio combination. Bulls head coach Phiwe Nomlomo opted for the six-two split on the bench, with Celimpilo Gumede the extra forward. It is a clear indication that the Bulls will want to target the breakdown.
For Sharks: The big call is the inclusion of Andre Esterhuzen in the starting XV. The Springbok will want to make a major shift after returning from injury. Esterhuizen's start in the midfield means that Ethan Hooker will play at wing for the first time. It will be interesting to see how he performs outwide. Fez Mbatha at hooker, with Corne Rahl replacing Gerbrandt Grobler at lock. Another significant change is James Venter in for Emmanuel Tshituka in the back row.
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Prediction:
@rugby365com: Sharks by three points.
Teams:
Bulls: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Henry Immelman, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stavino Jacobs, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Keagan Johannes, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Nizaam Carr (captain), 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Cobus Wiese, 4 Jannes Kirsten, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Dylan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Merwe Olivier, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Katlego Letebele, 23 Celimpilo Gumede.
Sharks: 15 Jordan Hendrikse, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka (captain), 6 James Venter, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 Ethan Bester, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Gerbrandt Grobler, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Litelihle Bester.
Date: Saturday, September 14
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: TBC
TMO: TMO