Injury-hit Bulls, Sharks focused on semis

09/07/2024 04:04 AM

With one eye on the Currie Cup playoffs while prepping for the URC, Phiwe Nomlomo and John Plumtree have all but written off Sunday's result between the Vodacom Bulls and Sharks XV.

Both the Bulls and Sharks have already booked their place in the semi-finals of this year's edition of rugby's oldest competition, and will cross swords in Pretoria next Saturday to decide which team progresses to the showpiece on 21 September.

Top of the standings going into the final round of the regular season, the Lions mauled Griffons 62-5 on Friday and will host the winners of Saturday’s battle between the last two seasons' champions, the Pumas and Cheetahs.

Head coach Nomlomo has selected nine Bulls stars who played in the final of the URC in June in the matchday 23 to face the Sharks at Kings Park on Sunday.

Speaking to the media on Friday, he highlighted that the postponement of the north-south clash between the Bulls and DHL Stormers in round 1 of the 2024-25 URC, with a long list of injuries, has seen the Pretoria outfit put out a more experienced team this week.

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“I think it’s good news that the URC derbies [scheduled for 21 September] have been moved because it’s good for the Currie Cup competition," he told reporters. “It creates that feeling of strong teams playing against each other at the end of the competition.

"We looked at some options for URC warm-ups and it didn’t quite work out that way. We have also adjusted our plans slightly with the South African derbies being postponed.

“[Sunday's] is the game earmarked for URC players to get time on the pitch, because we are already certain of a home semi-final.”

On fielding a similarly bolstered side against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld next week, Nomlomo adds, "We have the luxury of choosing the strongest possible team, but there are also currently 14 injuries in our group. It will depend a lot on who is available.

"It’s a dress rehearsal for next week … [but] we have to focus on Sunday first because we want to put in a strong performance.”

Meanwhile, two-time Bok world champion Makazole Mapimpi and Challenge Cup final hero Siya Masuku are among a host of Sharks stars entrusted by Plumtree to run out on Sunday.

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Powerhouse centre Andre Esterhuizen (ankle) is in the final week of rehabilitation, but Marnus Potgieter, Diego Appollis and Yaw Penxe are the long-term recoveries on a 17-man casualty list.

Plumtree emphasised the importance of managing their return to play in tandem with the Sharks' title aspirations and URC ambitions.

“We want to finish the Currie Cup strong, but also have to be aware of the fact that some of the guys haven’t played much recently," he said.

"We’re actually in a good position where we’ve already qualified for the semi-finals, so the result of the last league game doesn’t matter too much. Of course we want to win our home games, but we are already in next week’s knockout round.

“Some guys have had nice long breaks now. I think the fact that you haven’t seen someone like Siya Masuku play for a long time is a good thing because everyone should get a chance to focus on their conditioning, take a vacation, rest and then start again firing for a big season.

“It’s quite a unique situation that you play a pre-season game for the URC while you’re still busy with a competition.”,

Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images

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