Blue Bulls vs Western Province
Andy Capostagno Rugby
On Tuesday the fixtures for the 1999 Super 12 competition were released. Coincidence, or is the Sanzar (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia Rugby) committee concerned that the Currie Cup is stealing its thunder?
For all the advances made since South Africa was readmitted to international competition in 1992, as we approach the final weekend of the domestic rugby season in this country, you could be forgiven for thinking that absolutely nothing has changed. It’s Western Province against the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup final, just as it was in the bad old days of the 1980s when eating a South African orange was considered as daring as pass the parcel in a Belfast pub.
The difference is that in the Eighties there was a certain inevitability to it all. In those far-off days, everyone knew which side they were on, but in a week in which the African National Congress has been accused of human rights violations during the struggle against apartheid, it seems to be okay to believe in a world turned upside down. So if we give more attention to a squabble over a domestic trophy than it perhaps deserves, some future incarnation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission will hopefully forgive our sins.
On Saturday at Loftus the Currie Cup will be contested for the 63rd time. In 1891, Western Province won the first inter-provincial competition and were awarded the Board trophy. The following year Sir Donald Currie presented the Currie Cup and Western Province won that, too. Subsequently the competition was not held every year; tours, touring teams and the occasional war being the principal reasons for a lack of focus from the provinces.
The first final was held in 1939. Transvaal beat Western Province 17-6. In 1946 Northern Transvaal contested it for the first time, having broken away from Transvaal in 1938. The Bulls beat Province 11-9, but they had to enjoy the memories of that day for 22 years, for they did not win it again until 1968, when, after 77 years of messing about, the Currie Cup finally became an annual event.
This year the final will be between Province and the Bulls for the 11th time and as a happy coincidence matters are all square. Province have won four, the Bulls have won four and in 1979 and 1989 the finals were both drawn. It’s a good job it’s 1998 and not 1999, or the bookmakers of this country might be inundated with requests for a price on the value of a third draw. Happy then, the man who took out a long-term treble bet in 1979.
But anyone who has committed money to betting on the results of this season’s competition must be a sadder and wiser, not to mention poorer, man by now. On September 5 Province lost 39-25 to Boland at Newlands and even their own one-eyed press wrote them off. Since then, in the words of their captain Bobby Skinstad, “Every game has been a must win for us.” And since the reverse to their neighbours, Skinstad’s men have been like big game hunters.
They have strung together wins over the Pumas, the Lions, the Cheetahs, the Bulls, the Eagles and the Sharks. They must have been very confused at the lack of anthropomorphic references in last week’s semi-final victory over Griquas.
By contrast the Bulls, having led the log for most of the season, have scarcely been playing like a run-away train of late. They lost in successive weeks to Province and Natal and had to beat Free State in the last weekend of log action to claim a semi-final berth.
They were outplayed for an hour by Natal last Saturday, but not for the first time, their superb scrumhalf pulled them up by their bootstraps with the kind of inspirational play that only Joost van der Westhuizen is capable of.
For someone who has a World Cup winner’s medal, Van der Westhuizen receives an awful lot of criticism. But he has learned to cope with it. He told me: “I actually love criticism because it keeps me on my toes and if I think it’s a valid point I’ll work on correcting it. I don’t have a guru; I work with Alan Solomons and Jake White and Nick Mallett in the Springbok set up, but I’m quite independent really.
“And the reason is that when I was a nobody I got my Springbok colours and everyone looked up to me. Now when I’m a somebody everyone wants me to be the perfect person on the rugby field. If I make a mistake I’m in big trouble, if the Border scrumhalf makes a mistake he hasn’t got the experience so it’s okay. I know I make mistakes, but I am only human.”
There are those who are willing to believe that Van der Westhuizen’s rival captain is somehow superhuman. But can even Skinstad rekindle the flame that withered the Bulls in that extraordinary encounter at Loftus one month ago? That day Skinstad scored three tries and created two as Province won 38-20. If he is half as influential this Saturday, Province will win.
But the final carries rather more pressure than even that make or break effort. The Bulls have got there through half a season of dazzling running and half a season of brick wall defence.
A mixture of the two is what is required against a Province team who, despite what anyone may tell you, are fortunate to be in the position of defending the title they won last year. If the Bulls have their minds right and Van der Westhuizen is “on”, even the amazing Skinstad should not be able to prevent his opposing captain from launching his new biography in style.
Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs
Andrew Muchineripi Soccer
Any meeting of the leading clubs Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates generates remarkable nationwide excitement, as the majority of fans support one of the giants.
The latest act in the great South African soccer passion play takes place at the FNB Stadium on Saturday when the teams clash in the first leg of the multimillion-rand Rothmans Cup semi-finals.
Given the amount of media attention gene- rated by the fixture, many followers may have forgotten that 24 hours later Sundowns host giant killers Seven Stars at Odi Stadium in the other half of the draw.
The return matches are scheduled for the weekend of November 14 to 15, with the one-match showdown for a R1,1- million first prize on November 28. Chiefs are the title-holders, having beaten Sundowns on penalties after a replay.
What this member of the Muchineripi clan finds fascinating about these matches is the media hype. The time has come to scrutinise some of the comments made by leading personalities involved in the game.
First under the Muchineripi spotlight is Pirates assistant coach Ronald Mkhandawire, who predicts Jerry Sikhosana will be the man to watch come Saturday afternoon.
As quotes from football people go, this one makes considerable sense. The unpredictable “Legs of Thunder” has a happy knack of scoring goals against the black and gold.
There was that extraordinary Castle Premiership winner at Ellis Park, when he pounced on a mistake by Jacob Tshisevhe and beat Brian Baloyi at his near post from the acutest of angles.
Mkhandawire then slipped into football-speak, declaring that the semi-final would be exciting and (hold your breath) Orlando Pirates would advance to the final.
I often wonder who is more guilty: those who utter such nonsense or those who publish it. I tend to find the latter parties more guilty because they should know better.
When has a coach said he believes a game will be boringly defensive with a scarcity of scoring opportunities?
Yet, stripped of the hysteria that accompanies clashes between Chiefs and Pirates, that is what they amount to.
Forgive this natural-born sceptic, but the chances of goals galore this weekend are slimmer than the proverbial eye of a needle. There is too much at stake for coaches Paul Dolezar and Victor Bondarenko to order all-out attack.
As for Pirates advancing to the final, what does one expect Mkhandawire to say? The Buccaneers are entitled to be marginal favourites after having the edge in the goalless Premiership draw at Ellis Park this month.
Close-season signing Sibusiso Zuma came closest to breaking the deadlock with a shot off the post and another arrival from relegated African Wanderers, Phumulani Mkhize, squandered some good chances.
Before Amakhosi supporters consider storming the Muchineripi citadel, let me hasten to add that they also had chances in one of the more open and entertaining recent encounters between the clubs.
No pre-match build-up would be complete without a few thousand words of wisdom from Chief’s “motormouth” Louis Tshakoane, popularly known as Sprinter because of his pre-match runs around the pitch.
Apart from echoing the views of Mkhandawire that the match would be exciting, he warned of war being declared against Pirates, who had escaped by the skin of their teeth in the last meeting.
Tshakoane then informed South Africa that Amakhosi would defend their pride and the trophy and prmied “peace- loving people” that their heroes would sink the Buccaneers.
All this must be extremely encouraging for those who don black and gold although even they would surely admit that Bra Louis obviously watched the Ellis Park clash through Amakhosi- tinted glasses.
Judging by some comments from Chiefs captain/assistant coach Neil Tovey, he obviously fancies becoming the club public relations officer when the Tshakoane vocal cords can take no further punishment.
After wisely pointing out that luck could play a key role, the former Bafana Bafana captain told South Africa that his club were determined to get to the final. How reassuring Neil.
Then came such memorable lines as “we are raring to go,” “both teams will produce their best as they want to win,” and “we will give 100%”. Mind- boggling statements you must agree.
Still, come 3pm on Saturday, all will be forgotten when 22 gladiators enter the arena for what should be another tight, tense, titanic struggle for supremacy. May the best team win and may the post-match quotes be laced with reason.