ROB DAVIES, Cape Town | Friday 11.30am.
CATS fullback Thinus Delport, fresh from a solo demolition of the Blues last week, will be looking for another big performance against the Chiefs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Delport is currently one of the hot favourites to be selected for the Springboks against Canada and England, and another class performance will really make the selectors sit up and take notice.
The Chiefs, stranded in the bottom-three of the log above the Sharks and the Bulls, have not really looked the part this season, but a good 44-31 win last week over the Sharks will have done their confidence a lot of good.
Quite how confident they are remains to be seen, but they are certainly not a team to be taken lightly with, even when the chips are down.
The Cats have made a remarkable recovery this year and find themselves in the running for the semi-finals, but whether they actually make it is largekly dependent on the performances of the Waratahs and the Bulls — not exactly the most consistent performers either.
For the Cats to qualify, the Bulls need to overcome the Hurricanes, while the Waratahs must beat the Highlanders. If both teams lose, the Cats are out. If the Hurricanes beat the Bulls, which is highly probable, then the Cats will be looking to the Reds to beat the Blues.
Not exactly the way coach Laurie Mains would have wanted it.
Mains has not made any changes to the side which saw off the Blues last week, and if the Cats can find their rhythm early this week the Chiefs will have a fight on their hands.
Apart from Delport, another backline player will be staking his claim for Springbok selection. Veteran centre Japie Mulder has had a brilliant season and must be a contender and so will be looking to have a big game on Saturday to further push his claims.
Springbok flanker Rassie Erasmus is sure to play a crucial part in the match and he has been in incredible form of late — defending and attacking with real fire.
The Cats should be too good for the Chiefs come game-time, but they must be wary of complacency. If the Ctas can keep cool heads and finish well, they should have the Chiefs down by at least ten points.
Teams
Cats: Thinus Delport, Chester Williams, Grant Esterhuizen, Japie Mulder, Jannie van der Walt, Louis Koen, Werner Swanepoel, Andre Vos, Andre Venter, Johan Erasmus (capt), Jannes Labuschagne, Johan Ackerman, Willie Meyer, Leon Boshoff, Marius Mostert. Replacements (from): Dean Hall, Boeta Wessels or Hennie le Roux, Jimmy Powell, Walter Minnaar, Victor Matfield, Adrian Garvey, Delarey du Preez, Pierre Ribbens.
Chiefs: Todd Miller, Bruce Reihana, Scott McLeod, Mark Ranby, Roger Randle, Glen Jackson, Rhys Duggan, Isitolo Maka, Glen Marsh, Koula Tukino, Glenn Taylor (capt), Royce Willis, Paul Martin, Paul Mitchell, David Briggs. Replacements: George Leaupepe, Loki Crichton, Danny Lee, Hare Makiri, Chresten Davis, Michael Collins, Greg Smith.