Cape Town -The time for talking is done … South African rugby fans can expect a thrilling contest between the Bulls and Sharks in today’s United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld (kick-off 1.45pm ).
And while Sean Everitt’s Sharks side have beaten the Bulls home and away in the URC, Jake White’s team did well to recover from a shaky start to secure a home play-off. Both teams may have the edge in certain areas of the field – the Bulls have the better attack, while the Sharks’ kicking game is superb. Here are five individual battles that could decide the showdown …
Harold Vorster v Lukhanyo Am
Okay, Vorster wears No 12 and Am No 13, but they are the key instigators in the respective backlines. Vorster is the hard-running centre who looks to get the Bulls over the advantage line, while Am uses his silky skills to find space and put his outside backs away. Whoever manages to keep the other one quiet will have made a huge impact for his team.
Chris Smith v Curwin Bosch
It’s not only the goal-kicking of the respective flyhalves that will be important. It will also be about which No 10 can win territory, and in that regard, Bulls’ pivot Smith often chases up the touchline – either by looking for space close to the edges or pulling off 50-22 kicks.
Bosch likes to launch those “bombs” into the air for Sharks wings for Makazole Mapimpi and Werner Kok to chase. So can the Bulls defuse them?
You couldn’t get two more contrasting No 8s – the “footballer” Buthelezi with all the pace and skills, and the physical Louw, who looks to run every opponent over.
Sharks star Buthelezi needs to handle the grunt coming his way, while the Bulls giant Louw must showcase some of those clever touches that make him even more effective, as the Durbanites will be waiting for him to charge at them.
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Marcell Coetzee v Siya Kolisi
The two captains will be looking to inspire their teams in typical fashion – by example – but there is also the side-plot of Coetzee’s continued omission from the Springbok set-up. The Bulls skipper wasn’t even invited to the recent alignment camps, despite being in fine form. Kolisi has been a bit up and down in the URC this season, but is renowned for turning it on when the stakes are highest.
Johan Grobbelaar v Bongi Mbonambi
The incumbent Springbok hooker against the young pretender. Grobbelaar toured with the Boks to Australia during the Rugby Championship last year, but didn’t get a Test cap. If he is serious about featuring against Wales in July, this is the game to show it. He cannot stand back for Mbonambi, who will be in Grobbelaar’s face all day long and show that he’s the boss.
Elrigh Louw v Phepsi Buthelezi
You couldn’t get two more contrasting No 8s – the ‘footballer’ Buthelezi with all the pace and skills, and the physical Louw, who looks to run every opponent over. Sharks star Buthelezi needs to handle the grunt coming his way, while Bulls giant Louw must showcase some of those clever touches that make him even more effective, as the Durbanites will be waiting for him to charge at them.
@AshfakMohamed