Currie Cup Team of the Week – Round 8

Shades of blue, a streak of pink and a hint of red form the colour palette of our Currie Cup Team of the Week, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld. 

The second half of the competition kicked off in Johannesburg, where the Pumas clawed their way back from 21-10 down to pip the Lions 36-33 on Friday afternoon before Currie Cup rugby returned to Newlands, where the Bulls bagged a 34-13 win over Western Province, who lost hooker Scarra Ntubeni to a red card in the 35th minute of the North/South derby. 

The action followed the coastline to Durban on Saturday, where a remarkable guts and glory display by Griquas saw them overcome five yellow cards to sink the Sharks 37-27. The Bulls provide the bulk of our team with six representatives, including the Player of the Week. A quartet of stars from both the Pumas and Griquas were rewarded for their efforts, with a lone Lions player completing our line-up.

15: Devon Williams (Pumas)

A multi-talented predator. Rounded off a great try and had two try-assists, both for his left-winger. The first was a thing of beauty, exploiting space to skilful perfection (time-stamped below). As always, helped put the Pumas in the right areas of the field with his left boot.

14: Daniel Kasende (Griquas)

While it’s a somewhat curious decision by Jake White to revert him back to the wing, Cornal Hendricks continued his good form and showed his class when he ran in the bonus-point try in style in the latter part of the game. However, Kasende shone bright like a diamond for the Kimberley side, scoring a cracker of his own from a picture-perfect set-piece play (time-stamped below).

13: Erich Cronje (Pumas)

Hustled and bustled up a storm, exceptional work rate which saw him score from a driving maul. Looked like the Tasmanian Devil cartoon character as he ran rampant and spun out of tackles. Played important role in Williams’ try and out-tackled everyone, laying in 12 hits.

12: Harold Vorster (Bulls)

A bull seeing red. Gored and flung many a matador out of his way in a barnstorming showing. Made a couple of brilliant breaks and a backline-best 28 metres, shored up his channel on defence and won a turnover. Matt Moore was magnificent too, playing a key role in two of the Pumas’ tries.

11: Etienne Taljaard (Pumas)

Both left wings were electric at Ellis Park. Courtnall Skosan had one of his better games in recent memory, shooting up like an arrow out of a bow all afternoon and scoring a beautiful set-piece try. However, Taljaard bagged a brace, made a match-high 33 metres and got a ridiculous offload off in the lead up to Williams’ try (time-stamped below). 

10: Johan Goosen (Bulls)

A “super general” as White described him in the post-match presser. Controlled the game so well. Good vision and distribution, starting with the floating pass that put Richard Kriel over in the corner, and top-class tactical, line and goal-kicking, which saw him finish with a personal tally of 12 points. George Whitehead was wonderful for Griquas, scoring 17 points in a flawless goal-kicking display, while Jordan Hendrikse had an excellent first half.

9: Zak Burger (Bulls)

Stefan Ungerer played a crucial role with his pinpoint box kicks, one of which resulted in a try, but he was pipped by the man he inherited the Griquas No.9 jersey from. Burger’s slotted in well at the Bulls and had a big game at Newlands. Chose his targets exceptionally well to create and/or expose openings, ran in a try and kicked well from the base.

8: Ruan Steenkamp (Griquas)

It’s a cliché but he truly led from the front – from hunger and work rate to the remarkable way he kept his teammates calm, committed and confident when they were outnumbered, both in the first half and in the second. Made 11 tackles and a pack-high six carries.  

7: Sibabalo Qoma (Griquas)

Johan du Toit and Mpilo Gumede had their moments, the former setting up a try and the latter scoring one with good speed, but both slipped an unacceptable amount of tackles. Qoma was one of Griquas’ five yellow card offenders but also one of the key men who worked his socks off. Made nine tackles and scored the bonus-point try.

6: Marcell Coetzee (Bulls)

Back with a bang after a bout of Covid. Led by example in terms of physicality (earning a few stitches in the process) and output. Rushed up the ball relentlessly (a match-high 17 carries), with Province consistently requiring two or three players to bring him down. Made a try-saving intervention as Evan Ross looked to score shortly after half-time and a team-high 12 hits.

5: Ruan Nortje (Bulls)

Another complete performance by the Bulls’ all-rounder and Mr Consistency. Good in the set-pieces, highlighted by the 48th-minute lineout steal that led to a try, and prominent across the park with a half-dozen carries and tackles, plus two turnovers.

4: Shane Kirkwood (Pumas)

Answered an injury-hit Pumas’ SOS with a Man of the Match performance on debut. Set the tone when he ripped the ball from Vincent Tshituka in the opening minute and did it again in his 22 later on. Did well to score shortly after half-time to get the visitors back into the game, made a vital tackle on Wandisile Simelane, poached one on the Lions’ throw-in and was a rock at the restarts. Le Roux Roets deserves a special mention for his powerful performance at Kings Park.

3: Carlu Sadie (Lions)

Beast-Vickery vibes. That’s how badly Sadie emasculated poor Dewald Maritz, who was plucked after just 34 minutes. By then, Sadie had won four penalties and spearheaded a penalty try with his monstrous scrummaging. Made a few strong carries and a big hit on the enormous Etienne Janeke. 

2: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls) – Player of the Week

All over the show was the all-action Bulls hooker. Tenacious, tireless and ran like a centre when he crossed the whitewash, making Province pay for an overthrow (time-stamped below) in one of his nine carries. On point with his set-piece play, made six tackles and won a turnover in a complete performance that earned him the Man of the Match award. PJ Botha had a big game as well, which also included a try. 

1: Mox Mxoli (Griquas)

Imposed his will on Lourens Adriaanse at scrum time and put in a big shift in general play. Few if any thought Griquas would dominate the Durbanites to such a degree in the scrums and Mxoli led the mauling. The big man further contributed five carries and seven carries to hold off Lions loosehead Ruan Dreyer, who also dominated in the set-piece. 

Quintin van Jaarsveld

Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.