Today Is The Big Day: Currie Cup Final

As we take a final look ahead to the Absa Currie Cup Final between the Sharks and Vodacom Blue Bulls on Saturday, we are probably veering off the one message that has been coming through constantly: it’s all about what happens on the day. 

But for those who enjoying reading into stats, there are some very interesting ones that give credence to the argument that this Final at The Absa Stadium Durban will be anything but dull and boring. 

Previous form counts for a lot psychologically, but on that point, it is shared in this year’s tournament, the Sharks and Bulls having beaten each other at home, the Bulls winning 35-14 at Loftus and the Sharks overturning that result 34-25 in Durban two months later. 

However, looking back at the past 10 Absa Currie Cup encounters taking place in Durban between these two side stretching over a 15 year period, the Sharks certainly have a verifiable advantage playing at home. 

1993: W 40 - 20 
1994: W 44 - 28 
1995: W 23 - 13 
1998: W 24 - 19 
2002: L 19 - 22 (Semi-final) 
2003: W 35 - 28 
2004: L 23 - 27 
2006: L 32 - 50 
2007: W 29 - 10 
2008: W 34 - 25 

Summary: Played 10, Won 7, Lost 3, scoring 303 points and conceding 242 for an average score of 30-24 in the Sharks’ favour. 

Omens too come into play. Bulls’ fans will point out that history favours them in the eighth year of every decade; they won the tournament in 1968, ’78, ’88 and ‘98. Sharks fans will counter that saying there was a 12 year gap between the Springboks winning the Rugby World Cup (1995 and 2007) and with the Sharks last winning the Absa Currie Cup in 1996, 2008 is 12 years later… 

Then there is the French connection, Frederic Michalak in 2008 and Thierry Lacroix and Olivier Roumat in 1996, or the fact that one of the Sharks players in 1996 is now the coach – John Plumtree. 

How about the fact that in both the 1996 and 2008 Finals, the Sharks boast Springbok Captains in their sides (Gary Teichmann and John Smit). If the Bulls argue that Victor Matfield is a Bok Captain, well, Johann Muller has also led the Springboks! 

However, as has been warned, it’s not about a piece of paper that lists 44 players, but rather about what happens on the day that counts. The physical preparation has all been done, now it is up to how the players handle the pressure, and perhaps one of the biggest challenges is the psychological demands placed on each player during the course of the match. 

Experience plays a huge role, and as can be seen from the table below, while the Bulls might have a greater accumulation of Currie Cup caps, the Sharks come out tops when it comes to International Test appearances, which is certainly where the greatest physical and mental challenge can be applied. 

Will home ground advantage play a role? The Sharks are unbeaten at home all year and they have certainly turned Absa Stadium Durban into a fortress that they defend with courage, commitment and honour. 

But come the final hooter - in fact even the shrill blast of Jonathan Kaplan’s whistle to get the game underway at 4.30pm tomorrow - all statistics, omens, records and arguments will be moot. 

Bring it on!