Ken Borland

While the Bulls know they will receive a typically fiery reception when their aircraft touches down in Cape Town, their talismanic captain Duane Vermeulen is apparently in a particularly combative mood ahead of their crunch Currie Cup opener against Western Province at Newlands on Saturday.

The Springbok colossus, man of the match in the 2019 World Cup final, played in the blue-and-white hoops from 2009 to 2015 but was strangely not wanted by the Stormers when he returned to South Africa in late 2018. Without suggesting Vermeulen has his mind on revenge, he takes immense pride in his performances and he will want to show his former team and his many Springbok colleagues playing for Western Province that he is still a major force. As if his considerable performances so far this season have not already proven that.

“I think Duane feels the best he has for a long time, he seems to have had added energy this week, he knows Newlands and the Western Province players well and it’s the most fired-up I’ve seen him for a long time. His family is still down in Cape Town, his kids are at school there, he lives in the hotel at Loftus and isn’t commuting. So it can’t be easy for him.

“But he’s played 80 minutes after 80 minutes, and he gives you the full 80 minutes every time. So there are no questions around his commitment and the team sees just how committed he is. Duane has been waiting a long time for this game, there are quite a few Springboks in the Western Province team and he really wants to play well against them,” Bulls coach Jake White said on Thursday.

White, for all his baiting and chirping of the Bulls’ greatest rivals, knows that Western Province will also be fully primed for action on Saturday, especially after they were hammered 39-6 in 64 minutes at Loftus Versfeld at the end of last month. There will be no monkeying about from the home side on Saturday.

“Western Province have had two weeks to prepare for this game and they are a very strong side, a fantastic side with settled coaches. Their World Cup winning captain [Siya Kolisi] is back and they have consistently been a form team in South African rugby. Plus they have an incredible record against the Bulls – we haven’t won there since 2009 – so there’s no doubt they’re going to be up for it.

“We beat them convincingly up here and there’s no doubt that will drive them. They’re playing at home, it could be the last time they play the Bulls at Newlands with all its history and memories, so they will have all the energy they need. We are going to need to be as good as we’ve been all year in our best games to give ourselves the best opportunity of winning,” White said from Pretoria.

Johan Grobbelaar returns to the Bulls pack and will start at hooker in the only change to their starting line-up announced on Thursday.

Bulls team: David Kriel, Travis Ismaiel, Stedman Gans, Cornal Hendricks, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Chris Smith, Ivan van Zyl, Duane Vermeulen (c), Arno Botha, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje, Walt Steenkamp, Trevor Nyakane, Johan Grobbelaar, Jacques van Rooyen. Replacements – Corniel Els, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marcel van der Merwe, Sintu Manjezi, Nizaam Carr, Embrose Papier, Clinton Swart, Marco Jansen van Vuren.

Aiden Markram scored his second century of the match to haul the Titans back into the game, but with a lead of 193 and just three wickets in hand, they will have little space for error if they are to beat the Warriors on the final day of their 4-Day Domestic Series match in Centurion.

The Warriors, who took a first-innings lead of 72 thanks to Sinethemba Qeshile’s feisty 97, were completely in charge until late in the day on Wednesday as they then reduced the Titans to 138 for five in their second innings.

But Markram, who scored 149 of the Titans’ first 272 runs in the first innings, remained at the crease and he strode to another majestic century on Wednesday, finishing with 121 off 193 balls, sending his chances of a Proteas Test recall soaring.

Rivaldo Moonsamy fought hard for his 43 as he and Markram added a crucial 95 for the sixth wicket as the Titans clawed their way back into the game.

Part-time left-arm spinner Lesiba Ngoepe claimed both their wickets to end the day with three for 25 and it was also an excellent day for tall left-arm paceman Marco Jansen, who caused the early damage with three for 48, as well as scoring 24 as the Warriors began the day with a key seventh-wicket stand of 40, along with Qeshile.

The match at the Wanderers is also deliciously in the balance thanks to an inspired unbeaten opening stand of 166 between Josh Richards (82*) and Dominic Hendricks (80*) that has left the Imperial Lions needing 168 more runs, with all 10 wickets in hand, to beat the Knights.

It was a great day for the Lions as they gave themselves a tough but gettable target of 334 by claiming the last nine Knights wickets for just 124 runs. That target is now within sight.

Resuming on 111 for one, the Knights were bowled out for 235 as all-rounders Delano Potgieter (4-41) and Wiaan Mulder (3-48) made inroads after Tladi Bokako (2-35) had set the ball rolling by removing Jonathan

Vandiar for 68.

Bad weather has taken a large chunk out of the game between the Dolphins and the Cape Cobras in Durban, with the home side gong into the final day with a lead of 132 and all 10 wickets in hand.

Dolphins openers Sarel Erwee and Senuran Muthusamy (21*) took them to 55 without loss after they had bowled out the Cobras for 312 for a first-innings lead of 77.

There were solid contributions down the Cobras batting order, but not the big score they required with Zubayr Hamza (46) and Tony de Zorzi (58) the leading scorers.

Paceman Lifa Ntanzi made some key strikes as he took three for 51, and left-arm spinner Muthusamy continued his fine all-round game with four for 58.

The Proteas formally announced on Wednesday that, after much internal discussion and engagement, they have decided not to take a knee to show their support for Black Lives Matter during their white-ball series against England that starts on Friday evening.

In what was described as an “Official Proteas Statement”, the team said their decision to now not take a knee, which is the opposite of what they did for the 3TCricket launch in July, was not influenced by management nor the coaches, but was entirely the will of the players as a whole.

“As a team, we have unanimously chosen not to take the knee at the upcoming matches, but to continue to work together in our personal, team and public spaces to dismantle racism. This decision was taken by the team collectively, after deep dialogue and attentive consideration. This is not a decision compelled on us by either our management or our coaches. Let us be clear, our team decision on not taking the knee does not indicate that we do not care about racism, racial equality, or justice. Now, more than ever, we are committed to this work,” the statement read.

The Proteas said that instead of an outward show of support for BLM, they will instead be wearing black armbands in support of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, during which the series will be played, saying GBV is the issue that matters at the moment.

“On 11 November, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa would embark on five days of national mourning for the victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Covid-19. We, the Proteas, have taken the decision to answer the call by wearing black armbands during our next games, which fall during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This is an act of solidarity in response to a particular issue that the country is focusing its attention on during the next two weeks,” the statement read.

The Proteas acknowledged that even though their focus needs to be on winning cricket matches, they are a part of society and the terrible issues that affect many South Africans. But they took a swipe at those sections of the media who have been pressurising the team to take a knee during the England series.

“Our first job is to play cricket for the country but we are also citizens of this country. The Proteas team is a community within the wider community of South Africa. The conversations that are happening in the country as a whole are conversations we must be engaging with as a team. The issues that are facing the country as a whole are issues that must matter to us as a team.

“Likewise, the actions and decisions we take as a team, have impact on the country as a whole. We do not take this responsibility lightly. We ask in turn that our wider community honours the process we have engaged in over the last six months … We respect the right of the media to hold the team accountable as citizens. We ask though that in doing so the media not threaten the journey we have embarked on, the trust we have built, and the work we are doing by sowing contention around our decision,” the statement said.

JJ van der Mescht’s move to blindside flank was the chief talking point of the Sharks team announcement on Wednesday for their match against the Pumas in Durban on Friday night, with the Sharks also going into battle with a retreaded hooker at openside flank in Dylan Richardson.

What coach Sean Everitt described as an “experiment” has largely been forced on the Sharks though due to the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak in the squad, with both Phendulani Buthelezi and Henco Venter unavailable. Some good news though is that Springbok Sikhumbuzo Notshe is now out of quarantine and will return to action from the bench, with hardman Thembelani Bholi the starting eighthman.

“We’ve had a few problems the last couple of weeks and we’ve had to tweak our pack, giving us an opportunity to look at JJ on the side of the scrum. He has a good skill set and enough pace to fulfil the blindside role. It’s an experiment and we still look at JJ as a lock, but he’s certainly an option at seven. Next year playing in the Pro16, games are going to be a lot tighter and we’ll need to rely more on our set-piece and mauls, so if it works well on Friday night then great.

“Dylan has done well for us, his general all-round play has been outstanding. We still see him long-term as a hooker, but he is comfortable on the side of the scrum as well and he gets the chance to gain more experience there now at senior level. We’re fortunate to have three very good hookers and Dan Jooste has only made two starts but he rotates now with Kerron van Vuuren,” Everitt said on Wednesday.

While some critics have sought to disparage the Sharks’ efforts at the scrums and breakdowns – two areas of strength for the Pumas – the return of Thomas du Toit at tighthead should make a big difference to the set-piece and Everitt said the Sharks are always going to turn over some ball because of the expansive way in which they play.

“It’s really good to have Thomas back, we have struggled in the set-pieces when he’s not there, so it’s good to have a Springbok back. We’re looking to improve our set-piece and the breakdown, our focus is on that. But if you look at where we give away penalties or turn over the ball, it’s all over the field. And that’s the way it’s going to be if you play ball-in-hand rugby. When we do lose possession, it’s all about how quickly we react to the player who has turned it over,” Everitt said.

Sharks team: Manie Libbok, Yaw Penxe, Jeremy Ward (c), Marius Louw, Madosh Tambwe, Curwin Bosch, Sanele Nohamba, Thembelani Bholi, JJ van der Mescht, Dylan Richardson, Hyron Andrews, Ruben van Heerden, Thomas du Toit, Kerron van Vuuren, Ox Nche. REPLACEMENTS – Daniel Jooste, Khwezi Mona, Hanro Jacobs, Zain Davids, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Cameron Wright, Werner Kok, Sbu Nkosi.