Blue Bulls captain Anton Leonard will be fit to lead his team for the last time when they face off against the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup final on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.
Leonard injured his shoulder as he scored a try in last week’s bruising semifinal against the Lions.
Initially speculation was rife that Leonard would not be fit enough to bring down the curtain on a glittering career in this week’s final, which will see the Bulls try to lift the most-coveted trophy in domestic rugby for the fourth consecutive year.
”Everything is going well and the doctor is very happy with my progress,” Leonard said at Tuesday’s press briefing held at Loftus.
With Leonard off the casualty list, Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer has been afforded the luxury of announcing the same team that did battle against the Lions a week ago.
Without playing his cards close to his chest, Meyer made no secret of it that his Bulls outfit will be their usual and predictable selves come Saturday.
”We’ll play the same game we played against the Lions, but this time we have to be much better. We will stick to what we know,” said Meyer.
For the Cheetahs it will be their second bite at the cherry, as they fell victim to the bulldozing blue machine last year at the very same venue.
And Meyer knows that the Cheetahs will come out firing in a bid to be crowned the best rugby team in the country since they last achieve this feat in 1978.
”It is going to be a hard game and we will need to be at our best. We have respect for them [Cheetahs] and matters will be decided by which team peaks at the right time of the game,” Meyer said.
Meyer’s bid to bring glory to Loftus for the fourth consecutive year will depend heavily on the Bulls’ marauding pack of forwards and young flyhalf Morne Steyn to implement their traditional 10-men rugby and gain territorial advantage before attacking the Cheetahs’ line.
And key to the Bulls winning on Saturday will be their discipline, especially in terms of not giving away penalties in kicking range for Cheetahs goal ace Willem de Waal.
”They play tactical rugby and they will be hoping that Willem de Waal will get the points for them. In that regard, we are watching our discipline,” Meyer said.
In a round-about way, Meyer sent a warning to the Cheetahs that the Bulls are not complacent and are hungry and eager to play and, most importantly, win on Saturday.
”There is no complacency in the team. This team is still hungry and eager to win and I’m confident that my guys are used to the pressure by now.
”This week, we have been working on our mental preparation more than anything. It doesn’t matter what happens in the beginning; it is the end that matters,” a confident Meyer concluded. — Sapa
Teams
Blue Bulls: Johan Roets, Akona Ndungane, JP Nel, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Anton Leonard (captain), Pedrie Wannenburg, Jacques Cronje, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Andries Human, Gary Botha, Kees Lensing.
Replacements: Danie Coetzee, Wessel Roux, Danie Rossouw, Johan Wasserman, Heini Adams, Derick Hougaard, Riaan van der Bergh.
Free State: Bevin Fortuin, Eddie Fredericks, Chris Kruger, Barry Goodes, Alwyn Hollenbach, Willem de Waal, Michael Claasens, Ryno van der Merwe, Juan Smith, Hendro Scholtz, Barend Pieterse, Corniel van Zyl, Jannie du Plessis, Naka Drotske (captain), Wian du Preez.
Replacements: Ollie le Roux, CJ van der Linde, Darron Nell, Kabamba Floors, Falie Oelschig, Meyer Bosman, Phillip Burger.