The Currie Cup Rugby semi-finals did not present much in the way of surprises, apart possibly from the margin between the Lions and the Sharks.
Lions 50 Sharks 20
The Lions used their strong scrum to defeat the Sharks at their Ellis Park home. Both sides played an entertaining brand of running rugby and the crowd was treated to an entertaining game, but the Sharks were never really in the contest, as six tries to three should prove. They were rocked even before the start of play, when it was announced that new Springbok cap Cobus Reinach had to be pulled from the game due to injury and was replaced by Conrad Hoffman.
The Sharks did appear to be disrupted and conceded two early tries, which had them chasing the game from the start. Their cover defense was also suspect, as a number of the Lions tries were long range efforts. To their credit, the Lions played what was in front of them and put Sharks to the sword.
Western Province 31 Blue Bulls 23
This game was a bit in odd in how the momentum swung between the two sides through the game. For the first thirty nine minutes, it was all Western Province and they led by 25 points to 3. At the stroke of half time the Bulls scored a converted try to make the half time score a more respectable 25 to 10. After half time, the Bulls continued to chip away at the lead but could never do enough to overhaul Western Province and two silly penalties allowed Province to extend their advantage.
The Bulls can only have themselves to blame for not winning this game as they had the superior fixed piece play and a surfeit of possession, but they turned over possession far too often, which Province punished with tries. Their defensive line was also never adequate to shut out the Province finishers as it was always dog-legged and populated by too many players with low numbers on their backs. The decision to retain Jacques-Louis Potgieter in the flyhalf position and play Springbok flyhalf at inside centre was not the success the Frans Ludeke claimed it to be as Potgieter had a really crusty game, with some poor place as well as tactical kicking.
What of the final? This is going to be a very interesting game to watch as both teams are keen to run the ball, with the more staid “finals rugby” being alien to both of them. Whilst it is an often overused statement, this one will be decided up front. The forward pack that dominates will pave the way to victory for their team.
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