Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Du Preez has support of WP to emerge from Lions’ den a champion
THE battle of the flyhalves could be the telling factor in today’s Currie Cup final between the Golden Lions and Western Province at Ellis Park.
Last year’s final at Newlands between the two teams came down to a kicking duel between WP flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis and Lions No 10 Marnitz Boshoff. With Catrakilis emerging victorious after Boshoff fluffed his lines, which included a kick right at the death to send the match into extra-time.
This year, though, Boshoff has been like a machine from the kicking tee and has only missed a handful of kicks. Obviously, those matches didn’t have the same sort of pressure he will be under today, but the Lions man is in a good space going into the final. However, Boshoff will have a new counterpart to duel with in the form of WP flyhalf Robert du Preez, who has had a decent outing in his first Currie Cup campaign.
Du Preez isn’t as renowned as a prolific goal-kicker, mainly because he is still a youngster and is only starting out in senior rugby. But his goal-kicking has really come along this year, especially in the last few matches leading up to the final.
But Du Preez has also shown that he has a good temperament, and WP coach John Dobson says he is a man for the big occasion.
“We have spoken to Rob about a few technical things,” Dobson said this week. “It’s a pressure position, because last year Marnitz Boshoff came here and missed virtually everything and Demetri got everything. So we are going to have to give Rob lots of support.
“But I’m not too worried, because his temperament is good. It’s a competitive thing. He is a really strong boy. It’s more technical stuff we are talking about in terms of his preparation for the match.”
But besides the kicks at goal, Du Preez will also play a key part in WP’s attack after they saw a chink in the unbeaten Lions’ armour in their semi-final match against the Free State Cheetahs last week.
Dobson believes the Lions defence may have a few cracks that they can exploit if they manage to keep possession. WP didn’t quite do that in their first match of the season between the two teams, and the Lions ran out 62-32 winners.
So, if WP are able to keep the ball away from the Lions and stop them from getting turnovers and momentum, they have a chance to turn the tables on their hosts this afternoon.
“The Cheetahs put them under a lot of pressure. If they don’t get momentum within a couple of phases they kick the ball, and that might give us some possession,” Dobson said.
“We must be really accurate in the territory game, but if we can hold on to the ball for three or four phases, there will definitely be chances to breach their defence.
“Our feeling is that if we can deprive them of momentum we can do well. If they get the momentum, with that style of rugby they play, they are very hard to stop.”