Oranjemund Online

Here we go again, my favourite Rugby tournament is about to kick off......... Who are you supporting...... post your gripes in here as the games play out...... who of you are on Superbru?

image041

The Blue Bulls can try,
to Province we wave goodbeye,
the Lions lie down and cry,
but our flags hang high.

Our Harley girls are the best
don't bother lookin at the rest,
our Cheetah boys knows the game
the Currie Cup is our's again!

Cheetah's Cheetah's, we support you all the way
Cheetah's, the Currie Cup will come back  to stay.


The Sharks can swim in the sea,
the Falcons land up in a tree,
the other will all bend the knee,
we'll win again, you'll see.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   

@ Mike - I am on Superbru. Playing in 2 pools.  Want to start a new one?
Oh and by the way - Weee-Peee champs this year!

This is WEEE PEEE's year.
I did the Superbru last time and actualy came in 2nd in my pool. boob1

Hi Dalene, good words in your poem.

I'm sure you can put it to music and dedicate the song to Mike Alexander

Thanks Mike & Jenny,

ha ha  -  I am actually working on something like that..  on request from the blokes on the Cheetah Forum... from last year....  still have to do some work on it though in regards to the lyric and composition...  (Don't have all that much time  -  WORK WORK WORK)...

BUT  -  watch the Cheetahs tonight against the Griquas.....   !!!

xxxxxx

(http://users.cs.fiu.edu/~flynnj/cats/cheetahs/CuteCheetahCubOnTree.jpg)
I wonder where the ball is............

Os joins Cheetahs staff
2009-07-10 09:01

Bloemfontein – Two-time World Cup champion Os du Randt is back in the South African rugby fold after joining the Cheetahs as their scrum coach.

Du Randt will not only help to raise young props and teach them the finer aspects of scrumming, but will also try to give the Cheetahs forwards more firepower.

He will nurture and groom promising young players including Baby Bok Coenie Oosthuizen and WP Nel.

WP show welcome teeth
2009-07-11 21:02
Cape Town – It might be premature to suggest the cat is among the pigeons after only one round of the 2009 Absa Currie Cup.

Yet some interesting little markers were set down, all the same – and on the wrong end of them were the champions, the Sharks, and another team with a proud domestic record over the past few years, the Cheetahs.

Indeed, had the Lions been able to register a shock Highveld derby victory at Loftus after opening up a 13-point lead at one stage, the early form book might have been said to have been particularly emphatically toppled.

But the Bulls, last season’s runners-up and the Super 14 title-holders, restored some “sanity” to the opening weekend by clawing back for a less-than-postcard-perfect win.

Certainly the most jaw-dropping result of the opening round was Griquas’ stunning sacking of the Cheetahs in their Bloemfontein stronghold, with the hosts not even registering a consolation bonus point.

Griquas actually had the audacity to notch four tries for a full log haul of five points themselves and a cheeky tournament lead for at least one week.

It could even be for longer, though -- they are at home next Saturday to the newly-promoted (and already ominously beaten by Boland) Leopards.

Nevertheless, it remains hard to see the men from Kimberley sustaining a table-topping charge as the competition progresses, and maybe the really significant event thus far has been sleeping giant Western Province’s surprisingly comfortable 14-point victory over the Sharks at a soggy Newlands.

Bear in mind that, truckload of absent Springboks or not, this remained a very workmanlike Sharks team on paper, especially in the front five with three crusty internationals plus another regular in lock Steven Sykes.

And yet they were rather humbled in the engine room by a Province pack certainly gaining yards now in their quest to put to pasture a “southern softies” dubious mantle.

Fired astonishingly early by a dream debut try well within the opening minute for gnarly All Blacks second-row acquisition Chris Jack, the WP eight did a gradual, near-ruthless strangulation job on their rivals.

The set scrums were an appropriate indicator of hometown superiority: Province claimed what seemed at least one genuine heel against the head, once forced Rory Kockott into transgression with a skew feed under back-pedalling pressure, while Deon Carstens and Craig Burden being substituted with a good chunk of the contest left also illustrated their unlikely pain in this department.

What’s more, WP hit the breakdowns with zeal – Pieter Louw was a dynamo throughout -- and whenever bouts of handbags erupted, there were more blue-and-white-hooped combatants at the ready than you would normally expect from this traditionally docile lot.

Of concern to the champions’ coach, John Plumtree, would have been their way-too-rare incursions into the hosts’ 22, especially in the second period, and instead they relied on Kockott’s mostly unerring place-kicking boot to stay vaguely in the hunt for decent tracts of the game.

Province had a “machine” of their own, though, in 19-point Willem de Waal, who has got playing in inclement Cape Town conditions down to a rather fine art.

And when the rain relented after the break, there were occasional opportunities for WP to show off some creative new (Robbie Fleck-inspired, perhaps?) running lines with Morgan Newman a slippery customer at No 13.

It wasn’t perfect: Ricky Januarie is still not back to remotely near his best form at scrumhalf, and still offers the suggestion that he is at the midnight strawberry ice-cream too much. When Dewaldt Duvenage offered fresh legs in the position, his own passing was a tad wonky.

The Sharks at least ought to break their duck against Boland in Durban on Friday, while Province move on to a spicy encounter against their traditional foes the Bulls in Pretoria which will determine further whether their “grunt” renaissance is for real.

If big Duane Vermeulen is fit for the trip, Luke Watson’s side will be even further buoyed – not that either of Louw or Pieter Myburgh, on Saturday’s evidence, is willing to vacate a starting jersey in a hurry …

Next weekend (home teams first):

Friday: Sharks v Boland. Saturday: Griquas v Leopards, Lions v Cheetahs, Blue Bulls v Western Province.

Pity I missed the games, looks like it was gtreat - especially for my team!

Currie Cup
WP pack in unfamiliar territory
2009-07-17 08:20
Johannesburg - The Vodacom Western Province forwards will travel to Pretoria for Saturday’s plum ABSA Currie Cup fixture of the weekend against the Vodacom Blue Bulls in what for them will be unfamiliar territory.

Usually when WP go to Loftus the big question mark centres on the Cape pack. The Province big men have long had a reputation among their adversaries for being soft, and both the Streeptruie and the Stormers have taken some frightful hidings in the upfront battles at the home of the Super 14 champions.

Saturday is different, however, and there might even be some who are expecting the WP pack to get the better of their opponents, who are without key men in Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Pierre Spies and Danie Rossouw.

The Bulls do have Gurthro Steenkamp back after he was dropped by the Springboks, and Dewald Potgieter might have been the most underrated cog in the pack that won the Super 14, but WP have reason to be proud of the way that the pack has fronted up just recently.

Until a late change was made that impacted on momentum, the WP forwards did well against the British and Irish Lions – certainly better than any of the other provincial teams did against the tourists in the scrums and the tight-loose.

And last week, after a difficult start, the young front-row of Wicus Blaauw, Tiaan Liebenberg and Brok Harris, with that middle name being perhaps the key to their scrumming solidity, became more assured and impressive in their battle with a Sharks front-row featuring Jannie du Plessis.

With New Zealander Chris Jack showing that he is still good enough to add to his 67 All Black caps if his country needs him, which it might well find it does in the next few months, and former Lions lock Anton van Zyl playing a strong leadership role, WP do look to have one of the stronger tight fives in the under-strength phase of the Currie Cup.

That being so, and we do have to note that in the Cape, where everyone is so hungry for success, there is sometimes a tendency to anticipate success prematurely and forget the old adage that one swallow does not make a summer, there is one excellent reason why WP should even start Saturday’s game as favourites.

That reason comes by the name of Willem de Waal, a flyhalf rated highly for his accurate goalkicking but perhaps even more so for his ability to dominate a game with his lengthy tactical kicking boot. The last time the Cape team, as the Stormers, went to Loftus, De Waal had the full-strength Bulls struggling to counter what was effectively their own game in the first half of the Super 14 match.

Had it not been for the yellow card that removed Schalk Brits from the action at a crucial stage, during which the Bulls scored almost all their points, the Stormers could well have come away with a victory. In a season where the Bulls swept almost all before them, that would have been no mean achievement.

They could well do the trick on Saturday, and in emulating a feat they last managed in this competition at Loftus in 2006, take a strong hold on the competition.

While WP and the Bulls are looking to establish themselves as early front-runners, the Sharks, Cheetahs and the Lions are under early pressure after defeats last week. Of those, the team that should feel the most comfortable is the Lions, who would not have been expected to win at Loftus, and actually showed an unexpected tenacity before going down late in the game.

The Cheetahs were unexpected losers to Griquas, and in that came a warning to the Sharks, who will be aiming to pick up the pieces from the Newlands disaster last week by beating another Cape team, the Boland Cavaliers, in Durban on Friday night.

At this early stage of the competition the minnow teams, because they have played together more often and have not lost players to national duty after competing in the Super 14, are more dangerous than they tend to be later on, when injuries eat away at their depth.

The Cavaliers tend to be more difficult on their home ground, but they will feel that against a young Sharks team that is still struggling to find itself, they do travel up the coast with an outside chance of what would be a major upset.

Good luck to the awesome Cheetahs and to the WPeeeee teams for today....

(http://www.wpsport.co.za/Rugby/WP%20Rugby/Pics/WP_03.jpg)

Mike's Cheetahs started off well today.  Led 19-0, but the Lions are fighting back.  Half time Cheetahs lead 19-13.

Mike A must be sitting on the edge of his seat!
:tifo1:

I know of at least one very disappointed orange-clad Oranjemunder and a very disappointed lady in the Kalahari.  Cheetahs lost 31-22. 
My team WP playing against the Bulls next.  Hope I'm not disappointed!!!!!

Go WPPPPPPPPPEEEEEE! 

woo_hoo

Friggin choking Cheetahs, ruining my Saturday!!!!!   image031

Watch the Lions go this season, they will be the team to beat..............

I'm afraid WP messed up. Disappointing.   yellocard

I am going to loose myself in alchol if the Cheetahs continue to play the way they do !!!     Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr  !!!!

Currie Cup
Sharks win tough battle
2009-07-24 20:36

Durban - The Blue Bulls lost their first match in this season's Currie Cup competition as the Sharks ran out deserved 19-13 winners on Friday night in a match that saw the home side overshadow the visitors at breakdown and play the more direct rugby.

Even three yellow cards did not deter the Sharks.

The final result of the hard-fought forward battle was a single very good try by the Sharks which took the score to 19-6 and took the match away from the Blue Bulls who scored a minute after the final hooter to get a bonus point after the conversion by flyhalf Francois Brummer.

The result saw Griquas remain at the top of the log, with a match in hand.

Overall, the Sharks were good value for the win. They had more possession, and varied their play more than the Blue Bulls who drove up most of their possession until near the end of the match.

The first half belonged to the home team. They controlled the breakdowns, took it wide when possible and with Stefan Terblanche always prominent, often stretched the Blue Bulls' defence.

The first half was not great fare for those who expected try after try, but it certainly was real confrontational stuff as the two packs hit into one another with the Blue Bulls opting for driving play rather than spinning it wide.

Jean Deysel was at the forefront of the Sharks' effective drives in the tight-loose with Springbok Deon Carstens not far behind. And while they drove and Keegan Daniel foraged, the Bulls were on the back foot more often than not.

The Sharks were more than good value for their halftime 9-3 lead. They controlled the one threatening lineout maul by the Blue Bulls well, and turned around a number of balls on the ground.

Unsure handling when it counted, an injudicious kick or two and the yellow-carding of Albert van den Berg with his team in total control, which saw the cancellation of a try, helped the Blue Bulls to stay in contention.

Van den Berg struck an opponent with an elbow some 40 metres back in a move that saw Monty Dumont go over next to the posts - to no avail.

Up front Jacques Burger was good on the drive and always on hand to take it further. And it was his drive that saw that Jacques Botes being yellow-carded for a side entry shoulder-charge.

The Blue Bulls, with reserves aplenty on the field and taking four Sharks lineouts to the one own throw they conceded, suddenly and briefly looked more dangerous halfway in the third quarter, but didn't capitalise when on the attack and gave the Sharks the opportunity to come back.

They had the better of the next 20 minutes and Rory Kockott, who did some good things and some average, stretched the lead to 12-3 after 68 minutes - with no side having come close to scoring a try if the disallowed effort by Dumont is discounted.

But just two minutes later Skipper Badenhorst, after some great interplay where Daniel and Odwa were prominent, went over and with the successful conversion it became a 13-point lead for the Sharks at 19-6.

A third yellow-card a minute later to Badenhorst didn't help the Bulls who had to score two goals in seven minutes to win the match. But a promising drive from a lineout saw a penalty awarded to the Sharks three metres from their own line, and that was the ball game.

Right on time, following a series of good rucks and mauls, Blue Bulls' Dewald Potgieter scored next to the posts for Brummer to convert and get a single point for the Blue Bulls from the match.

Scorers:

Sharks: Try: Skipper Bandenhorst. Conversion: Rory Kockott. Penalties: Kockott (3), Drop goal: Riaan Swanepoel.

Blue Bulls: Try: Dewald Potgieter. Conversion: Francois Brummer. Penalty: Brummer (2).

Currie Cup
Cheetahs woes continue
2009-07-24 21:36

Cape Town - Western Province consigned the Free State Cheetahs to a third consecutive Currie Cup defeat with a 19-13 (halftime 12-6) victory at Newlands on Friday.

The home side dominated the encounter, pinching five Cheetahs lineouts and affecting more than half a dozen turnovers as they moved into the top four on the standings with a second win in three matches.

Despite the early stage of the season Free State are already in danger of missing out on a semi-final place after a poor start to their campaign that has seen them previously lose to Griquas and the Golden Lions.

The Free Staters are only missing two players – flanks Juan Smith and Heinrich Brussow – to Springbok duty. If they continue to lose at this stage, they will have some serious problems later in the campaign when the likes of the Blue Bulls, Natal Sharks and WP are bolstered by the return of their Boks.

WP flyhalf Willem de Waal scored 14 points from four penalties and a conversion against his former team-mates.

The home side initially struggled to break down the Free State defence but De Waal’s steady boot ensured they kept the scoreboard ticking over.

He landed four first half penalties while his opposite number, Jacques-Louis Potgieter slotted two penalties in the same period.

The visitors had their problems but their defence was largely rock solid as they faced a massive possession deficit. But no side can defend indefinitely and eventually the cracks had to widen.

WP finally scored a try in the 55th minute when Fijian wing Sireli Naqelevuki answered some of his critics with a well-taken try after a simple training ground move.

From a five-metre scrum on the left touchline, No 8 Luke Watson picked up off the back, fed scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage who then slipped a well-timed pass to the flying wing cutting in off the flank.

The Cheetahs, to their credit, never gave up and slowly started to work their way back into the match by controlling possession in the latter stages of the encounter.

The pressure eventually told on WP, who were unable to stop a Free State surge close to the line that saw replacement hooker Richardt Strauss crash over for his 14th try in his relatively short Currie Cup career.

Potgieter landed the touchline conversion to bring with visitors within six points of the lead with five minutes to play.

Despite a late rally the WP defence held firm as they claimed another four log points while the Cheetahs earned their first points of the season with a solitary bonus point.

Scorers:

Western Province – Try: Sireli Naqelevuki. Conversion: Willem de Waal. Penalties: De Waal (4).

Free State – Try: Richardt Strauss. Conversion: Jacques-Louis Potgieter. Penalties: Potgieter (2)

Super 14
Craven week
Under 21
Currie Cup

Wat gaan aan Vrystaat?

Currie Cup
Cheetahs romp to first win
2009-08-07 21:15

Bloemfontein - The winless Free State Cheetahs overcame the overwhelming pre-match odds to deservedly beat the Blue Bulls 24-15 in a Currie Cup match in Bloemfontein on Friday night and, in doing so, scored three good tries to none.

The victory was built on a solid performance by the home side pack and some excellent tactical play by the former Blue Bulls scrumhalf JP Joubert who controlled the game and used the forward dominance of his pack well.

Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke's pre-match respect for the Free State side's forwards was well-founded. Their physical approach to the breakdown, in particular, seemed to unsettle the Blue Bulls in the first quarter - and with the Free State's good scrum giving as good as they got the home side also put pressure on the Bulls in this facet.

The brief turnabout by the Blue Bulls before the break was not enough to deny the home side who dominated territory and possession after the break and ran in three good tries to clinch their first win.

The Blue Bulls were under the cosh for a little more than the first quarter, but the scoreboard was on their side as Free State flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter struggled to find the target with his penalty attempts and left his side with a mere drop for their three points at the break when the Blue Bulls led 12-3.

Slowly the visitors regained the upper hand after 30 minutes or so, aided by some good work from Deon Stegmann and centre Stefan Watermeyer with two good runs. Pedrie Wannenburg's presence and experience were also noticeable.

The first try of the match, however, came from Man of the Match, Free State prop WP Nel, in the 48th minute, following some excellent work from the two Springboks Kabamba Floors and Jongi Nokwe.

They combined with their international Sevens skills to set up the score, which was all the more impressive as it was achieved during the absence of yellow-carded Robert Ebersohn.

The conversion by Potgieter saw the Free State draw closer on the scoreboard (12-10).

But, despite the Free State having a near 70 percent territorial advantage in the first quarter of the second half, the Blue Bulls, somewhat fortuitously, scored next when Francois Brummer kicked his fifth penalty from five attempts (15-10).

The Cheetahs were getting on top and, not to be outdone, quite deservedly scored in the 60th minute from a tap penalty by the former
Blue Bull scrumhalf who drew the defence perfectly before sending Frans Viljoen over.

This time Potgieter converted from the corner to put his team 17-15 ahead.

The Blue Bulls' earlier fortunes seemed to change as Brummer missed his first from six a minute later - just for Potgieter to miss another relatively easy one.

A great 40 metres run by Nel, who was brought down on the Blue Bulls tryline, resulted in a try for their captain Adriaan Strauss and with the conversion it became 24-15 with 11 minutes remaining and no change to the score.

Scorers:

Free State Cheetahs: Tries: WP Nel, Frans Viljoen, Adriaan Strauss. Conversions: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (3). Drop goal: Potgieter.

Blue Bulls: Penalties; Francois Brummer (5).

Mike - Congratulations on your Cheetahs mauling the Leopards 71-17 last night!
numberone

Mmmh! Ja!...... Why so late in the blerrie season do they wake up?

yellocard  BoomSmilie_anim

Go Boks!
Go Cheetahs!
GO Province!

There's my teams for this Saturdays.....rugger!

woo_hoo

I  support   that   choice   of   teams  to  win  this   weekend .
If  all  3   teams   win and  Bulls   loose  then   it will be   a   perfect  weekend for  SA Rugby

Deel graag met julle rugby365 se prediction:



When these two teams met in Bloemfontein the Free State's victory was part of their revival but now they are at Loftus Versfeld and seven Springboks are back again in the light blue jerseys of home. It is a serious clash - must-win for Griquas, victory preferable for the Blue Bulls.

The Blue Bulls have back Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw, Pierre Spies, Chiliboy Ralepelle, who is on the bench, Morné Steyn, Wynand Olivier and Gürthro Steenkamp. And if they could have picked Fourie du Preez and Bryan Habana, they would have.

But have a look at Free State. They are not going to say After you. They have the ability to attack with Hennie Daniller back and excellent wings in speedy Fabien Juries and impressive Lionel Mapoe. They have a front row that can whack the Blue Bulls whose scrumming has been rickety, and then they have Heinrich Rossouw.

rugby365 Prediction: Free State have often been the Blue Bulls' nemesis and we think that, desperation-driven, they will do it again - just.

Its   gonna be   a   great   weekend   off  rugby  . Two   games   to   watch   , WP - Griquas    and   Cheetahs   - Bulls  . Hope  Cheetahs   can   keep their hopes  alive . WP can secure   a   home   semi  withh  a   win   this  weekend .

Ha.... even though we lost , by 3 little points, I am soooo proud of our team, was'nt Fabian Juries, awesome, sidestepping 9 players, including 5 springboks to score a try.... to lose at Loftus bu 3, I' will take it..... should be an easy 10 points for us over the next 2 weeks......

My side is on the up...... woe betide the team who meet us in the semi's.....(if we sneak in via the backdoor)


Well done boys........

Looking forward to the last log game in the Currie Cup this year....Saturday is gonna be a real cliffhanger if you are a cheetah or Griekwas supporter ..... who will go through to the semi's.....

HAAK VRYSTAAAAAAT!

It's Looking Good... Have a look what KEO reckon's on his site...

"Province, without De Waal, have evolved their back play and they will be a stronger Super 14 prospect because of it, even though they will play in the guise of the Stormers. For now their supporters must be content with a home semi-final in the Currie Cup because that is as good as it is going to get.

The Sharks are another team whose season will end on Saturday, which sets up an intriguing final at Loftus between the Bulls and Cheetahs, with the latter the one team capable of going to Loftus and winning.""

AW! Com'on..... one of you rugby nutters must have something sarcastic to state....

are-you-there

 ha ha WP against Cheetahs should be interesting.

If that had to happen then you will see me at Nuweland!

yellocard

It hurts to say this but, here's my predictions

Bulls top Province but by less than 7

Sharks top Cheetah's by large margin say more than 12

Bulls Sharks final

The Bulls are at risk of being overconfident with a team that has only played a few games together, playing at Newlands is probably a benefit to them since their overenthusiastic fans often contribute to that over confidence. I do believe they will gell in the last 20 and turn the game around though. Province on the other hand have demonstrated an ability to be too composed (a la last weeks game against the lines) so much so that when a sense of urgency should be upon them, it isn't!!!!

Cheetahs have the ability to outstrip the sharks in speed but the sharks ability to alter their tactical game at short notice will be the decide here, they simply have too many strategic options!!!!

Buckets of rain for Durban on Saturday........ no running I'm afraid... but I have a gut feeling that the cheetahs are gonna take this one..... only just...... however, I think that the Weeepeeeee are gonna get moered by at least 12 .....

yellocard

Mike A, if the Cheetahs and Province both win ( 23_146_26), will we be seeing you next weekend sometime..............????????   idontknow

Indeed you shall, Already organised me a seat from SPAR HQ, just in case.....

:auguri1:

Well Super semi Final Saturday has arrived....... one can only hope that the two underdogs, The awesome Cheetahs and the Super Western Province cause the upset of the season and win their respective semi's today......... Looking forward to a great afternoon of rugger.....

CHEETAHS vs SHARKS Kickoff  14h30

PROVINCE vs Bullybluebulls  kickoff 17h00

numberone   BierSuip   image041

Just to let you know Mike, that your favourite mother in law and favourite youngest daughter are both wearing orange tops today (Cameron borrowed one of her Grannies orange tops)

Even I a non Rugby type person is going to watching to-day. :auguri1:

Unfortunately I'm only "watching" on the RADIO.... no DStV on plot yet.  notfair

And the bloke that did that high tackel thing in the last two minutes he should get some protection don't think he's popular in the western cape tonight men in black are out to get him

(http://www.sarugby.com/news/images/stories/JacquesLouisPotgieterCheetahsL.jpg)

I'm with you and you're with me
And so we're all together.
So we're all together
So we're all together
Sing with me, I'll sing with you
And so we will sing together
As we march along.

Cho: We are marching to Pretoria, Pretoria, Pretoria
     We are marching to Pretoria, Pretoria today.

We have food, the food is good,
And so we will eat together.
So we will eat together
So we will eat together.
When we eat, 'twill be a treat,
So let us sing together
As we march along:

It's a long walk Mike, I think you better start off now........... ha ha

 image201 Hey Mike remember this guy....
Cheetahs coach honoured
2009-10-22 17:32
Naka Drotske (Gallo)

Bloemfontein - Naka Drotske and Ashley Johnson of the Free State Cheetahs on Thursday received the Absa Currie Cup Coach and Player of the Month awards respectively at a ceremony held at Vodacom Park.

The Bloemfontein side, coached by Drotske, has been in excellent form in the competition after working their way up from the bottom of the log to book their place in next Saturday'[s Absa Currie Cup final where they will take on the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.

"It's a huge privilege to win this award," said Drotske.

"We are obviously focused on a win next week but it is also a huge honour to be awarded for the rugby that we have planned this month. I couldn't have done it without the players and the team. Next week will be tough, we are up against world stars but the pressure will be on the Blue Bulls as the game is in their home stadium. We will give it a full shot and are confident that we can beat them and win the Absa Currie Cup this year!"

The judges needed no explanation to award Drotske in this final month of the competition. The Cheetahs coach demonstrated excellent leadership in encouraging and guiding his team to defeat the Sharks in last Saturday's Currie Cup semi-final.

Ashley Johnson received the majority of votes for his standout performances during this final month of the Absa Currie Cup action. Johnson was consistent in both defence and attack, and all of the Cheetahs’ go-forward ball on the field, were as a result of his input.

"For me personally, it is a great accolade and very rewarding for the rugby that has been played, but it’s also an accolade for the team, especially thanks to the performances of the tight five. They've really contributed to the overall performance of the side," said Johnson.

"It's going to be a huge feat to beat the Blue Bulls as they have many Springboks in their team. It will be a very tough match. But I am confident in our ability, we know what we can do as a team.” 

The Cheetahs players have been nominated and awarded more than any other team in this year's Currie Cup awards.

Fellow players WP Nel and Lionel Mapoe were previously acknowledged and rewarded for their outstanding performances during the season, bringing the total to three out of the four players during this year's tournament.

Mmmmmh! It's the players... not the coach who are making the difference to this team,, and off course wisdom from ol' OS.....

It was a grand night after the semi finals....

.. and so the build up to the final on Saturday begins.....

Well, it;s not Loftus for me....... Had two chances to go...... the one from Omund fell through, not enough people..... and then my meat supplier phoned yesterday from Keetmans....... but has yet to source tickets, knows this and that guy.,....... got a bit too late for me.... so I am now going to my Boets house to watch the upset of the year on the beeeeg beeeg screen, braai and a dop, sounds like fun.... rules are, you gotta wear blue or Orange.........

Family rugger, ain;t that sweet....
image19

 trex-073

Nervous Kaplan 'can't wait'
2009-10-30 10:24

Bloemfontein – Jonathan Kaplan expects the Blue Bulls and Free State Cheetahs to serve up a Currie Cup final with the passion and intensity of a Test match in Pretoria on Saturday.

“It is definitely an advantage that I have officiated in several previous finals. The experience will be decisive,” said Kaplan.

“I have good memories of the previous two Currie Cup finals in which these teams played when I was the referee. But every game is different and I’m preparing for the unexpected.

“Hopefully I can make a valuable contribution to South African rugby’s domestic showpiece.”

Is he nervous?

“There are always nerves before a big game and you don’t get much bigger than a Currie Cup final. I can’t wait. It’s going to be a very tough encounter.”

Kaplan, who will be officiating in his fifth Currie Cup final, will have André Watson’s record of seven Currie Cup finals in his sights after Saturday’s match.

Not to give you blue guys bad hope, but even my Boet asked for an orange shirt or pants to wear for today  - when I told him that he can't wear pants or a shirt just yet he answered:  okay, then an orange skirt or kilt will do !!!  (Even in his state of confusion and hurt he knows who the right team is to support  -  Cheetahs, you better win, coz I got to give him good news when he wakes up later !!!)

 msn emoticon (68)  Mike & Dalene, I was really cheering very hard for your team.  Didn't want the blue bullies to win!

Now I guess we'll just have to wait for the Super14 again...  but of course, this time the Stormers will win....

Gonna buy Kaplan a pair of specs...... it was a friggin forward pass.... I was sitting all the way in Oranjemund and even I spotted that.....

:nono1:

I'm convinced if the Cheetahs ended the game with 15 men they would have caught up with the Bulls.

Quote from: Michael Alexander on November 01, 2009, 05:32:31 AM
Gonna buy Kaplan a pair of specs...... it was a friggin forward pass.... I was sitting all the way in Oranjemund and even I spotted that.....

:nono1:

mmmmm Hi Mike A can I buy you specs................?   

BierSuip   image11a