Rugby: Absa Currie Cup Final

The big day is nearing, the Absa Currie Cup Final between the Sharks and the Blue Bulls.

There are no surprises with the Sharks team announced by Coach John Plumtree for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup Final against the Vodacom Blue Bulls taking place at The Absa Stadium Durban at 4.30pm. 

The Sharks are enjoying the benefits of continuity in team selection and the momentum that this will hopefully bring to the side in a bruising climax to the domestic season should be apparent. Just like their opposition, the Sharks have named an unchanged line-up from the victorious semi-final. 

With an all-international backline and a total of 16 players with Test experience in the match 22, this side shows the right mix of youthful enthusiasm, world-class game breakers, experience of playing on the biggest stage [the Rugby World Cup] and most importantly, leadership, not only in terms of captaincy but spread throughout the squad. 

Not to be discounted either is the massive value offered by the bench: four Springboks including the Springbok Captain John Smit. 

There are sure to be some mouth-watering individual tussles, but in the final analysis, this game is going to be based around team-work, creating and finishing opportunities and how each side handles the pressure. 

As finals go, the 2008 Absa Currie Cup doesn’t get more exciting than this and it is fitting that these two teams who have enjoyed such fantastic rivalry over the years are once more pitted against each other.

Sharks Matchday 22 

15. Stefan Terblanche 
14. Odwa Ndungane
13. Adrian Jacobs 
12. Francois Steyn 
11. JP Pietersen
10. Frederic Michalak
9. Ruan Pienaar 
8. Ryan Kankowski 
7. Jean Deysel
6. Jacques Botes 
5. Johann Muller (Capt)
4. Steven Sykes 
3. Jannie du Plessis 
2. Bismarck du Plessis 
1. Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements
16. John Smit 
17. Deon Carstens
18. Albert van den Berg
19. Keegan Daniel
20. Rory Kockott 
21. Bradley Barritt 
22. Waylon Murray