Seven out of seven for Bulls

Currie Cup Final head-to-head

The Blue Bulls and the Cheetahs meet at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in a repeat of last year's ABSA Currie Cup Final. A little under a year ago, the Blue Bulls emerged victorious, scoring a 42-33 win at the same venue to secure their third consecutive Currie Cup title.

The Blue Bulls will start as clear favourites based on their recent pedigree in the event, the fact that they are playing at home and that they have been the best team statistically in this year's competition.

The Blue Bulls won all eight of their Premier Division matches. Their biggest win of the Premier Division season was a 59-0 drubbing of Griquas in which they scored six tries.

The Cheetahs qualified second from Section Y after winning four of their eight Premier Division matches. Their biggest win was against the Boland Cavaliers, 4615. They were dominant during the qualifying tournament earlier on, winning six out of six.

Their comparative standings in the Premier Division:
(Under headings played, won, drawn, lost, points for, points against, points difference, tries for, tries against, bonus points, points)
Blue Bulls  8  8  0  0  347  115  232  46  12  5  37
Cheetahs  8  4  0  4  215  177    38  22  20  4  20

Their consolidated performance over the qualifying tournament and the Premier Division:
Blue Bulls  14  12  0  2  608  256  352  84  30  10  58
Cheetahs  14  10  0  4  424  231  193  45  26    7  47

The two teams have met in seven previous Currie Cup Finals since the inception of the competition in 1889.

Their first-ever clash in a final was in Pretoria in 1973, which the Blue Bulls won 30-22. There were subsequent final meetings in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981 and 2004, all of them won by the Blue Bulls.

In all, the Blue Bulls have won 21 Currie Cup titles and the Cheetahs one.

This contrasting statistic belies the fact that the Cheetahs have been one of the most consistent teams in recent Currie Cup history. They have reached at least the semi-finals in five out of the last eight years. They lost in the final in 2004 and in 1997 (against Western Province) and they were eliminated at the semi-final stage in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

It was not too long ago in the year 2000 - that the Blue Bulls were playing in the Currie Cup First Division. They won the First Division title that year, finished seventh in 2001 and have been champions for three years since 2002.

The Blue Bulls and the Cheetahs are deserving finalists, based on the outcome of their two league fixtures during this season's Premier Division contest.

The Blue Bulls won both fixtures, 26-16 in Pretoria and 26- 22 in Bloemfontein but the Cheetahs were not far off in being able to match their opponents up front, an area where the champions have been dominant.

Last 12 meetings at Currie Cup level since 1997:
(The Blue Bulls have won eight, the Cheetahs three and one match has been drawn)
2005: Blue Bulls 26 Cheetahs 22, in Bloemfontein
2005: Blue Bulls 26 Cheetahs 16, in Pretoria
2004: Blue Bulls 42 Cheetahs 33, in Pretoria (Final)
2004: Blue Bulls 27 Cheetahs 27, in Bloemfontein
2004: Blue Bulls 31 Cheetahs 30 , in Pretoria
2003: Blue Bulls 51 Cheetahs 24, in Bloemfontein
2003: Blue Bulls 36, Cheetahs 19, in Pretoria
2002: Blue Bulls 29 Cheetahs 35, in Bloemfontein
2001: Blue Bulls 20 Cheetahs 42, in Bloemfontein
2000: Did not play with Blue Bulls in 1st Division
1999: Blue Bulls 38 Cheetahs 17, in Bloemfontein
1998: Blue Bulls 33 Cheetahs 19, in Pretoria
1997: Blue Bulls 27 Cheetahs 57, in Bloemfontein
 
Currie Cup Performance since 1997:

Blue Bulls:
1997: 5th
1998: Winners
1999: 5th
2000: First Division winners
2001: 7th
2002: Winners
2003: Winners
2004: Winners

Cheetahs:
1997: Lost in Final to WP
1998: 5th
1999: 3rd
2000: 4th Lost semi-final to Sharks
2001: 4th Lost semi-final to WP
2002: 2nd Lost semi-final to Lions
2003: 5th
2004: 3rd Lost in Final to Blue Bulls

Previous meetings in Currie Cup Finals:
2004: Blue Bulls 42 Cheetahs 33, in Pretoria
1981: Blue Bulls 23 Cheetahs 6 , in Pretoria
1978: Blue Bulls 13 Cheetahs 24, in Bloemfontein
1977: Blue Bulls 27 Cheetahs 12, in Pretoria
1975: Blue Bulls 12 Cheetahs 6, in Bloemfontein
1973: Blue Bulls 30 Cheetahs 22 , in Pretoria

Previous Currie Cup titles:
Blue Bulls: 21 (shared 3 times) first title in 1946
Cheetahs: One, 1976