Players on both sides have much to prove in Saturday’s Lion Cup final
RUGBY: Jon Swift
IT IS not wrong to say that Western Province have not had a great season thus far on paper, but they have always looked a better side in reality than the results would indicate.
At Ellis Park tomorrow, they get the best chance yet to prove this point in the Lion Cup final against Transvaal.
There are those on both sides with much to prove, perhaps no one more so than Kobus Wiese, the towering Transvaal second row forward.
Wiese has always been a fine forward but has not always held the confidence of the national selectors or managed to stay injury-free at crucial times. Fit, in form and in favour, there are few more thrilling sights than the vast bulk of Wiese on the charge.
Not part of new national coach Kitch Christie’s immediate plans, the big man will be playing for more than just the trophy, he will be playing for his rugby future.
This holds too for province captain, Tiaan Strauss. He is proof positive that we do not always reward talent in this country. Perhaps one of the strongest men ever to wear the green and gold, Strauss has been in and out of the national side and switched from his preferred number eight slot to flank on the consideration that his lack of height works against him in the lineouts.
Perhaps this is valid. But then again, perhaps not. It is at number eight that he has been selected for the national squad and it is here Strauss will run the patterns for Western Province at Ellis Park.
Perhaps the duel which promises most though is that between the rival flyhalves, Transvaal’s Hennie le Roux and Joel Stransky, who has swopped the black and white of Natal for the hoops of Province with such effect this season.
Le Roux is the man in the saddle for the South African side. Stransky the once and future king.
The Province pivot was, many feel, desperately unlucky to have got no closer to the All Blacks than watching them at inhospitable hours on the box at home in the Cape.
That he accepted the sleight to his huge abilities in the number 10 jersey and was forced to watch his rival Le Roux operate in the tests against New Zealand, must have rankled.
But he has produced some of the best flyhalf play this season in provincial competition and, with the advantage of his rehoned tactical and goal kicking an increasingly telling factor in the Western Province resurgence, will doubtless be looking to stamp his authority on the final.
Le Roux for his part, will be aiming to prove both to his army of supporters and Christie that there is indeed still a place for a flyhalf who places the emphasis on getting the hands moving the ball ahead of the boot.
At his best, Le Roux makes the game of rugby come alive and is one of the best broken field runners for a number of years. At worst, his inclination to run the ball out of pressure situations can prove costly. It is a battle one awaits with high expectations.
Also in with a point to make is South African captain, Francois Pienaar.
His geeing up of the Transvaal side to turn a 23-9 half-time deficit into a match-winning 31-29 scoreline at the final whistle against Free State last weekend showed his fighting ability as a leader of men.
Pienaar will want another special effort from his team to prove his contention that Transvaal are the best team around and to once again underline that he is the best man to lead our test team.