Currie Cup Team Of The Weekend – Semi-Finals

Barnstorming Bulls stars dominate our Currie Cup Team of the Week, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The Pretoria side scored six tries as they trampled Western Province 48-31 in Pretoria on Friday night to storm into a second straight home final, which will see them take on the Sharks, who defeated Griquas 28-24 in the second semi-final in Durban on Saturday.

Two-thirds of our team is made up of Bulls stars, one of whom is the Player of the Week. A trio of Sharks stars have been included, while the losing semi-finalists each have one representative in our team.

15: Curwin Bosch (Sharks)

Sergeal Petersen had a good game and was lethal on attack. However, Bosch was a key contributor to the Sharks’ win with his boot. Accurate off the tee to build scoreboard pressure and finish with 13 points, and got great distance with his penalty kicks to the corners. Good scramble to beat George Whitehead to the ball and run out of the in-goal area, popped up at first receiver often and moonlighted at scrumhalf at the end.

14: Cornal Hendricks (Bulls)

Many would’ve thought he was still playing in the midfield rather than on the wing, such was the work rate of the stalwart, which earned him two tries, one in each half. If the red tape can be removed, he’d be a valuable addition to the Springbok squad.

13: Lionel Mapoe (Bulls)

Big on both sides of the ball. Asked questions on attack and crossed the whitewash. Defensively, he was flawless, both in terms of his organisation and execution, making all eight of his tackles and throwing in a turnover for good measure. A complete performance by the veteran, who’s thriving in tandem with…

12: Harold Vorster (Bulls)

The unsung hero of the rampant Bulls backline. Those around him scored the tries, but more often than not, it was Vorster who laid the platform for his teammates to thrive with good old-fashioned hard and straight running. Case in point, the powerful surge that set up the Bulls’ third try.

11: Edwill van der Merwe (Western Province)

The pint-sized predator was the star of the visitors at Loftus, scoring a hat-trick and having a fourth try disallowed in his final game in the blue and white hoops. As elusive as he is fast, the Lions-bound flyer beat an unrivalled seven defenders and showed off some soccer skills as well to score his final five-pointer.

10: Johan Goosen (Bulls) – Player of the Week

World-class in every department. His distribution was excellent, putting Hendricks in with a beautiful long ball before unleashing him again and following up to score a try of his own and produced a goal-kicking masterclass, slotting eight out of eight for a personal tally of 23 points.

9: Zak Burger (Bulls)

Key to the fast and furious game plan the Bulls blew Province away with. Maximised his pack’s outmuscling of the visitors by getting to rucks and clearing the ball lightning-fast and with laser accuracy, the pick of his passes being the jackpot ball he put Mapoe in with (time-stamped below). Simply sublime decision-making and execution.

8: Elrigh Louw (Bulls)

A dynamic display by the Bulls No.8. Hard-as-nails, athletic and relentless. Stood particularly strong on defence, making all nine of his tackles and bossing the breakdown, where he snatched two turnovers. Strong with ball in hand and good in the lineouts as well, securing three takes.

7: Arno Botha (Bulls)

The new dad had an extra spring in his step, which the bruising back-rower used to catapult himself into the Capetonians time and time again and through for one of the Bulls’ six tries. Even more instrumental on defence, making 10 tackles – the second-most by a Bulls player – and securing a turnover.

6: Marcell Coetzee (Bulls)

The toughest choice of the weekend as Deon Fourie and Gideon van der Merwe played their hearts out. However, the way Coetzee was able to hit the ground running after a few weeks on the sidelines was mightily impressive. Picked up right where he left off, leading by example with vintage physicality and rumbling over for a try.

5: Ruan Nortje (Bulls)

Seemingly everywhere at once which, considering the blistering pace the men from Pretoria played at, speaks volumes of the second-rower’s fitness. Topped the tackle count with 14 and boasted a 100% success rate, won two textbook turnovers, made a joint team-high seven carries and won five lineouts including one on Province’s throw to earn the Man of the Match award.

4: Le Roux Roets (Sharks)

Adre Smith had a standout game, which included a breakdown penalty that earned Griquas three points and a maiden Currie Cup try. However, his opposite number was worth his weight in gold. The 138kg colossus carried strongly as he made a match-high 10 hit-ups, with the visitors consistently needing multiple men to bring him down, and he saved the day by winning a crucial breakdown penalty on his 5m line with the Durbanites down to 14 men in the 70th minute. Rewarded with the Man of the Match award.

3: Erich de Jager (Griquas)

Griquas’ underrated tighthead was a rock at scrum time. “Tarzan”, as he’s affectionately known, won a penalty in the set-piece as well. His true worth was revealed once he left the field as the Peacock Blues were pummelled in the scrums from thereon out.

2: Kerron van Vuuren (Sharks)

Prolific and precise. The Sharks’ greatest weapon proved to be their lineout, where Van Vuuren’s execution was excellent and allowed for perfectly structured driving mauls that saw the hooker go over for the opening try and another in the 53rd minute. Big on defence as well, making eight tackles, second only to Dylan Richardson’s 11.

1: Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls)

Solid rather than spectacular, the Bulls brute did what was expected of him in the scrum battle. Satisfactory in general play as well, putting in four tackles and hitting the ball up three times.

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.