Pieterse powers into the Final

'It was a great move for my career'

Two years ago Barend Hermanus Pieterse was struggling for regular game time at the Lions. Now he is on the verge of stardom, playing in the Currie Cup Final as the Cheetahs main line-out option and the man that provides the spark in the engine room.

The broken jaw suffered by Boela du Plooy in the semi-final last week, courtesy of a Ross Skeate punch, meant that Pieterse was elevated into the role as the Cheetahs' line-out chieftain ... and that against arguably the best line-out combination in the world, the Blue Bulls' victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha.

Pieterse's almost meteoric rise to the top came about when he moved from the Lions two years ago after failing to secure a regular starting place at the Johannesburg-based union - waiting in the queue behind the likes of KleinJan Tromp, Willem Stoltz, Trevor Hall and with Jannes Labuschagne also waiting in the wings (if he ever fully recovers from his injuries).

But now, in only his second season with the Cheetahs, he is already playing in his second consecutive Final.

The irony is that the 26-year-old Pieterse played 49 games for the Lions since his first class debut in 2001, but he was still not among the first choice locks.

Not surprising then he describes his move from the hustle-and-bustle of Johannesburg to the more tranquil Bloemfontein as a "great" move.

"I got a lot game time here at the Cheetahs and it help me lift my game," Pieterse told rugby365.com. "I played for South Africa 'A' and in the Super 12 ... which would never have happened if I stayed at the Lions."

Despite first cutting his provincial teeth at the Lions, Pieterse's greatest affiliations are with the Cheetahs and the Bulls.

Having been born in the Free State mining town of Virginia, he attended Grey College Primary and then moved to Pretoria where he enrolled at Waterkloof High School, also playing Cravenweek for Northern Transvaal in 1997.

But he regards himself as a Free State 'boytjie' through and through.

"I just love the Free State, the people are great and the spirit within the Cheetahs are excellent," Pieterse said.

Obviously this means Pieterse is going to be around, in Bloemfontein, for a while yet.

And that is good news for the Central Cheetahs when they try and make their presence felt in the inaugural Super 14 next year.

A versatile second row forward Pieterse also enjoys playing at flank, but like in Saturday's Final, next year he will be the Cheetahs' main line-out exponent - because veteran Boela du Plooy is heading off to France.

Obviously on Saturday he has an enormous task, since Du Plooy won't be there either. And against the likes of Matfield and Botha that makes it twice as tough to secure quality ball.

But, as Pieterse pointed out, it is not just at lock or in the pack where the Bulls are a formidable force.

"The Bulls' real strength is that they have quality players from one to 22," Pieterse said. "If Bakkies Botha goes off you see a man like Danie Rossouw coming on.

"And as for their weaknesses, there simply are any weaknesses."

Pieterse said the big difference between 2004 and this year's Final is that last year beating Province (in the wet at Newlands) was a big issue and they were really charged up and elated after that win. It was just such an achievement to reach the Final.

This year the win over Province felt like "just another win" and they now know they must go one step further (winning the Final) to make it a more meaningful; achievement.

By Hannes Nienaber