Written by @QuintenLetcher for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
Western Province vs Blue Bulls | Saturday 18 October | Newlands | 17:00
Pace-setting Western Province host the resilient Blue Bulls in the second Currie Cup semi-final this Saturday, and while the home side run out clear favourites having already swiftly dealt with the lads from the capital twice this season, I think Province would be unwise to write-off their guests. The Bulls have averaged close to forty points a game in their last three outings, albeit against weaker opposition, and with Springbok prodigy Handre Pollard in the mix their prowess on attack is going to be testing a largely impermeable Province defence for the full eighty minutes this Saturday.
To Win (80mins)
Western Province 4/10
Bulls 22/10
Draw 25/1
Handicaps
Western Province (-6.5) 9/10
Bulls (+6.5) 9/10
Western Province
Western Province head into this clash with a massive psychological advantage, having already brushed past the Bulls twice this season, with their meeting at Newlands back in Round 2 resulting in a commanding 41-17 win for Allister Coetzee’s charges. Jaco Taute will be racing against the clock to recover in time for Saturday’s clash, the inside centre still battling with the rib injury he picked up two weeks back against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. Hooker Tiaan Liebenberg is out of contention for Saturday’s clash, but Coetzee’s options on attack have been bolstered by the return of Springbok Sevens stars Seabelo Senatia and Justin Geduld to training this week.
Bulls
The Blue Bulls staged a phenomenal fight back this season to secure the fourth and final spot in the playoffs after a disastrous start to the competition had them with just a solitary win from their first four outings. No final team selections for the Bulls yet, but sensational Springbok youngster Handre Pollard will certainly have a part to play, although just where he’ll start for the visitors is uncertain with talk indicating that the fleet-footed flyhalf could run on at inside centre following the loss of regular midfielder Burger Odendaal to a broken arm against Griquas last week. This would see Jacques-Louis Potgieter remaining at pivot this week. Alternatively, Bulls coach Frans Ludeke could decide to start Pollard at ten, shifting fullback Ulrich Beyers to inside centre and opting for Jesse Kriel at fifteen.
VERDICT: Blue Bulls (+6.5) 9/10
The Bulls have improved significantly as the competition has gone on and Province will find them a far more formidable opponent this time around. If the Bulls can put in a bigger effort upfront to prevent Province getting quick clean ball to the likes of Cheslin Kolbe, Seabelo Senatia and Juan de Jongh, then we could witness an upset at Newlands this Saturday, or at the very least a much closer contest than the last time these two met in Cape Town.
Think we’ve got it wrong? Well leave your comments below and tell us how you think this is going to play out.
