Currie Cup thriller beckons

WHO was it again who said the Currie Cup had lost its spicy flavour? It surely could not be WP or Bulls supporters after last week’s thrilling semi-final, which WP won in extra time.

And neither would it be Sharks or Lions fans, because those two teams also dished up an entertaining semifinal last Saturday.

So here we are on the eve of the showpiece. If the bookmakers were asked to predict the outcome of the final two weeks ago, the response would, in all likelihood, have been a resounding “Province!” Up until the Newlands play-off battle, there was no doubt as to who would go on to win the cup this season.

The Bulls were not given much of a chance against their rivals, yet they became the first team this season to score more tries than John Dobson’s outfit, and also stretched them into extra-time. And then the Sharks beat the Lions.

The 2018 season has played out as almost an exact reversal of last season. In 2017, the Sharks were the hosts and the favourites heading into the final, and their only loss in the league stages came against WP. They were shocked into submission by WP as the men from Cape Town lifted the Cup.

This season, Province are the favourites, and this time they will play host to the men from Durban. Will it again be a case of the underdog visitors beating the home favourites?

There will be many intriguing oneon-one battles in tomorrow’s match, all of which will be watched with keen interest by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus. The Bok coach will name his squad to tour Europe after the final. Who knows, a spectacular performance in the pressure cooker of a final might just earn one or two players a trip to the tailors to be fitted with a Bok blazer.