Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye takes aim at the Bulls defensive line during the pool stage of the Currie Cup last month. Victor Matfield and Naas Botha have tipped the sides to meet again in the final. Picture: Gallo Images
Former Springbok legends Victor Matfield and Naas Botha have backed the Lions and Bulls to triumph over the Cheetahs and Sharks to secure what would be a blockbuster Highveld Currie Cup final next weekend.
The table topping Lions host the defending champion Cheetahs in their semi at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 2:30pm), while the Bulls take on the Sharks at Loftus in the evening (5pm).
If the two Highveld rivals triumph in the semifinals, they will face off in the Currie Cup final for just the second time this century, with their last meeting in the showpiece match being in 2002 when the Bulls emerged victorious at Ellis Park.
“If you look at how the competition has gone the four best teams have made the Currie Cup semifinals,” said Matfield at a Carling Currie Cup trophy tour ahead of the playoffs.
“The Sharks started off slowly, and JP Pietersen then got it right there. He was very successful last year winning the U21 league and he has now given those youngsters a chance.
“They struggled at first without their Springboks, but they started to believe in themselves, turned it around and are now in the semifinals. They have good momentum and had a nice win over the Bulls in Durban last weekend.
“The Bulls have been rotating the whole year and last week brought a lot of URC players back who hadn’t been playing, so they were a little rusty, but I am expecting them to be a lot better this weekend. So that will be an interesting semifinal. But at Loftus I think the Bulls should be favourites.”
Matfield added: “On the other side the Lions are the in-form side. They are playing fantastic rugby, they have been very consistent in selection as well, and I think it’s going to be very tough for the Cheetahs to go out there and beat them. So at this stage the Lions must be the favourites.”
Botha was a little bit more circumspect, admitting that the Lions and Bulls were favourites, but that anything could happen on the day, as has been seen in the competition over the past few years.
“I think the Cheetahs proved something against the Pumas away from home (last weekend). But looking at them you always try see what you can take out of the team and who has got something special and I haven’t really seen that from them this year,” explained Botha.
“I think it was fantastic for them to get into the semifinals. But I think they are definitely playing the more difficult game of the weekend.
“With the Bulls I wasn’t surprised about last weekend (loss against the Sharks), because the result wouldn’t have changed anything on the log.
“But nobody at this level, especially in the semifinal and final, can underestimate the opposition, because anything can happen.”
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