2011 Currie Cup final: Golden Lions - Natal Sharks

[TRF_Ezequiel]

While the World Cup was working towards its climax with the final between the All Blacks and Les Bleus, in South Africa, people are now focused on something else. The rainbow-nation has enjoyed the annual Currie Cup season with 8 teams in the Premier Division trying to become the new national champions.

When the teams started back in July, all eyes were focussed on the Western Province and Natal Sharks. The 2 teams played the final last year and proved to be the 2 best teams the country has to offer when both made the Super Rugby play-offs (as the Stormers and the Sharks).

The Sharks started at home against the Blue Bulls while the Western Province hosted Griquas, the only small franchise to deliver quality players every year. It was proven when Griquas managed to sneak in a late equalising penalty by Monty Dumond to grab 2 points with a 26-26 draw.

The Sharks went all out at Kings Park, winning 35-16 against their big rivals including 4 tries. The thing is, back then, nobody considered the Lions as serious contenders. They nearly lost to the Pumas but managed to win 31-27 at home.

But then came the international season. The Springboks had already played 4 matches into the Tri Nations and suddenly the Lions changed from outsiders to serious contenders. Their highlight of the season came at Loftus. Early in August, they managed to beat their arch-rivals in their own backyard 27-36.

The Lions had their best day at Loftus as well. A month later, 3 September, the Durban-team travelled to Pretoria and managed an even better result, winning 27-39. Weird thing was that the Blue Bulls scored 4 tries while the Sharks only got to 3. The Lions have been a sleeping giant recently and they have the quality to do great things. For years have they been the laughing stock of Southern Hemisphere club-rugby. The Lions franchise lost all matches in 2010 and under John Mitchell they got back to their feet, only losing by small margins against the 2010 finalists Bulls and Stormers before beating the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. It was the start of something great. The Lions managed to beat the Brumbies and Highlanders on their Tasman-tour. They ended up 14th just ahead of the Rebels on the log at the end of the season.

In the Currie Cup, things looked different. For some reason, John Mitchell got things back on track and it could be the the turning-point in Lions-history. They managed to beat the Bulls at Loftus, losing by 2 points at Newlands and ending tied-up 25-25 in Bloemfontein. The only match they lost by a serious margin visiting a top team, was last week. It was the last match of the regular season and Mitchell decided to rest most of their players. The Sharks took advantage of this, winning 53-9 and clinching 2nd place. They have their top players back now, with Jantjies, Killian, van der Merwe, Maku, Cilliers and Minnie likely to start in the final.

Now the question is, who will win it? In the rich history of the Currie Cup, the Sharks have won the trophy 6 times already and the Golden Lions got to 9. The last time the 2 teams played each other in the final was 1999 in Durban, where the Sharks lost at home. This marked the last time the Lions won the trophy, which ended in a massacare as the Transvaal province strolled to a 32-9 victory. This was the start of a very disappointing era in the Sharks history where they lost 4 Currie Cup finals in 5 years and a Super12 final in 2001 against the Brumbies.

After the dark days, things changed in Durban. Dick Muir took over and talented guys like Francois Steyn, Ryan Kankowski, Ruan Pienaar, Brad Barritt, Bismarck du Plessis, Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel and JP Pietersen showed up to form a classy alliance together with the older guys like Bob Skinstad, Percy Montgomery, Albert van den Berg, AJ Venter and Johan Ackermann. 2007 was the most successful year in the Durban-based Super Rugby-franchise. Ending top of the log, everybody expected them to win, but they lost in the final thanks to a controversial try by Bryan Habana and a missed penalty by Francois Steyn.

2008 was the year when the successes started again. The Currie Cup was won in the final against the Blue Bulls, the perfect revenge for the undeserved loss a year earlier. In the Currie Cup season of 2008, the Sharks ended top of the log, Keegan Daniel was the top try-scorer and the Lions travelled to Durban for the semi-final. The Sharks won 29-14 and as mentioned, they went on to win the final.

In 2009, the Sharks (top of the log again) lost in the play-offs while the Lions didn't even make it, ending 6th even behind Griquas. In 2010, the 2nd time the Sharks won in the last couple of years, the Golden Lions once again missed the play-offs and the Sharks went on to beat the Western Province 30-10, with 25 points scored by Patrick Lambie.

This year is different as the Lions haven't just made the final, they do so after topping the log, thus giving them a final at home. However, can they beat the Sharks at Ellis Park? They did in the regular season, but finals in Jo'burg are not a certainty for victory. Only in 1950 and 1971 have the Lions (Transvaal back then) managed to win Currie Cup finals at home. In 1992 and 1996 the Lions hosted the Sharks for the final and both times the Sharks managed to win the trophy.

In 1993 and 1999, it was exactly the other way around. The Lions travelled to Durban for the final and both times they won! 21-15 in 1993 and 32-9 in 1999 (as mentioned before). Will this mean the Sharks will win next Saturday? I certainly hope so. You guys know I am a huge Sharks fan and despite wanting to write a objective preview, I cannot help myself from being a little bit Sharks-focused.

Another interesting statistic reveals that the last time the Sharks won the cup as holders (that is, recorded back-to-back final wins) was against the Lions, in Johannesburg, in 1996. The previous year, the Sharks won in the final at Kings Park, against Western Province. This year's Sharks stand to repeat history, having themselves won the Cup against Province in Durban in 2010.

I have to admit the Lions have been doing remarkable in this years Currie Cup and I expect them to win their first Currie Cup final at home since 1971. It's been 40 years while the Sharks last won a Currie Cup 'on the road' 15 years ago. Who will it be? There are some personal successes to be achieved as well. Both teams have a player contesting the top try-scorer position with Michael Killian (9) and Jacques Botes (8). Only Bjorn Basson managed to score more tries (10). When it comes to points, both teams also have a player contending. Frederic Michalak is topping the points list with 181 points (3 tries, 32 conversions, 31 penalties and 3 dropgoals) with Elton Jantjies in 2nd place with 164 (0 tries, 28 conversions, 35 penalties and 1 dropgoal).

With all my hope for a Sharks victory, I have to be realistic and I am going with a Lions win. Transvaal by 6.