The 2012 Currie Cup Final Preview.

After a week of typical lively banter between both warring sides and neutrals alike, it is now down to the serious stuff, the Currie Cup 2012 Final Preview. I would love to say it is going to be a ding-dong battle and in true final form could go either way…

…but if I were to say that I would be lying, and I’m not very good at that. Sharks are overwhelming favourites here, in fact I think there is more chance of me opening the bowling against the Aussies than my beloved Western Province winning this one.

Saturday: Sharks vs Western Province – 17:00

TheBounce Says: Sharks by 8

Crackerometer: 8

Sharks

15: Louis Ludik 14: JP Pietersen 13: Paul Jordaan 12: Tim Whitehead 11: Lwazi Mvovo 10: Patrick Lambie 9: Cobus Reinach 8: Keegan Daniel 7: Willem Alberts 6: Marcell Coetzee 5: Anton Bresler 4: Steven Sykes 3: Jannie du Plessis 2: Craig Burden 1: Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16: Kyle Cooper 17: Wiehahn Herbst 18: Jandre Marais 19: Jean Deysel 20: Charl McLeod 21: Meyer Bosman 22: Odwa Ndungane

Western Province

15: Gio Aplon 14: Gerhard van den Heever 13: Juan de Jongh 12: Damian de Allende 11: Bryan Habana 10: Demetri Catrakilis 9: Nic Groom 8: Duane Vermeulen 7: Don Armand 6: Deon Fourie 5: De Kock Steenkamp 4: Eben Etzebeth 3: Frans Malherbe 2: Scarra Ntubeni 1: Steven Kitshoff

Replacements: 16: Deon Carstens 17: Brok Harris 18: Wilhelm van der Sluys 19: Jebb Sinclair 20: Louis Schreuder 21: Marcel Brache 22: Joe Pietersen

This match – on paper.

This Sharks team just oozes class and forms a unit that just looks good for a win pretty much any day of the week in any conditions. Add to that that Western Province are missing so many key players on their payroll, and I think you can see why my hopes are so low. If this was a pre season match or a dead rubber exhibition match, you could use the cliché ‘you never know’. This however is the Currie Cup final so I will stick my neck out here and say ‘you do know’ – Sharks to clinch it and with that win their 7^th Currie Cup title.

Get the ink ready…

That is my rational objective opinion on the match. With this out of the way I can’t wait to dress in blue and white and cheer my head off for my boys as they look to do the unthinkable. To romanticize the idea they have any chance, well the rain will need to bucket down, a couple of the Sharks tight 5 need to pull a hamstring, and that little Greek kid is going to need to play the game of his life!

So we’re in for a fun day out then. Go Province!

Win with Mr Price Sport

With the big attraction of this weekend being rather Mr Price Sport focused with the Sharks poised to life the Currie Cup at Mr Price Kings Park, we have a special additional prize for our ‘Write the weekend with Mr Price Sport’ competition.

Review the game in 100 words, pop the piece to ben@thebounce.co.za , and the best Currie Cup final review with win a special rugby ball signed by Bismarck du Plessis.

Best of luck.