Cape Town - Joel Stransky knows quite a bit about winning the games that matter.
The former Springbok flyhalf, who slotted the match-winning drop goal against New Zealand in the
1995 World Cup final at Ellis Park, shared his predictions for the United Rugby Championship (URC) final between the Stormers and the Bulls, which will go down at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
With rain expected for the 7.30pm kick-off, much could come down to the conditions and how both teams adapt.
In their quarter-final against the Sharks, Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith nailed the drop goal that won it for the Pretoria side to set up a semi-final against Leinster, a clash in which Jake White and Co orchestrated a massive upset in Dublin.
In Cape Town, in the semi-final against Ulster, Manie Libbok did enough to be forgiven for a poor performance with a skip pass to Warrick Gelant, who went over for the score-equalling try at the death. Then, with stacks of pressure, he sent the ball through the uprights from an angle to send elation through the lively crowd.
Speaking during a URC media session yesterday, Stransky explored the strengths of the two men who have delivered in big moments recently.
“If we look at the Springbok squad that’ll go to the World Cup,” Stransky said, “there’s a lot of talk around who’ll be the second-choice flyhalf and you’d think right now it’s those two who are vying for that position.
“Elton (Jantjies) will be 33 next year and we’re not seeing too much of him at the moment, and both of them (Libbok and Smith) are putting their hands up, and it’s very good to see.
“They’re very contrasting, and I think what they both do really well - and I need to carefully word this because I don’t want to put Curwin Bosch in a bad light - but what they do really well is manage space.
“(Bosch) is not a good manager of space, and as a result the Sharks backline has never really fired, even with all that talent and all that space out wide. With these two guys, they create space well, and they do it quite differently.
“Chris is rock-solid - nothing special, no scintillating breaks, but he’s a little bigger and stronger, he makes his tackles and he defends that channel well, and with that he frees up the guys around him. The Bulls have scored seven tries more than the Stormers, which you’d never have predicted at the start of the season ...
“He kicks well, and with managing space and decisions, he doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn’t do the flashy things, but he doesn’t make mistakes.”
Stransky went on to explain why he reckons the result could very well be determined by Smith if the two packs are evenly-matched on the wet Cape Town pitch.
“I think that’s going to be important on Saturday if it’s going to be wet and damp; errors cost you, particularly in a final. He might well be the difference if there’s parity up front.
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“(Libbok), that pass he made over the top, I think he made it because he’s confident, I don’t think it’s the pass that will instil confidence in him.
“He’s at liberty to play the game as he sees fit and his coaching staff has confidence in him, and that’s what’s helped him play as well as he has.
“He kicks well off either foot, he runs well, he attacks the gain line well. He’s not the biggest guy in the world, but he defends his channel and, most importantly, come the big moments, he’s delivered.
“He missed a few kicks earlier on (in the semi), but then he made that pass and kicked that great conversion. They are two young players who have found a way to come to the fore, and it’s really nice to see.”
@WynonaLouw