Van der Merwe shared insights into the team's preparation, particularly regarding the weather's impact. "From what we’ve seen from the Lions and obviously looking at the weather, we started preparing for [rain] on Monday already," he explained. He also credited head coach Pieter Bergh for his foresight in adapting to these circumstances.
"Piet [head coach Pieter Bergh] prepped us really well, playing with different scenarios. Luckily, we didn’t have that terrible, terrible wind, which I think would have made things really interesting. A lot of the players we have are used to this type of weather."
Van der Merwe further discussed the adaptability of his team, noting varying experiences with wet conditions among the players. "Guys like myself coming from the Northern Cape aren’t used to so much rain, but a lot of guys from the Boland area and Cape Town, close to the coast, are probably a bit more used to the rain and wind," he added.
Highlighting the importance of teamwork, particularly between the forwards and backs, the coach emphasized the synergy needed to clinch the title. "Sometimes it makes things easier for the forwards when the backs give us good go-forward, especially when we have a good kicking game. Then the forwards are in the game and we get a lot of energy from that," Van der Merwe said.
As they approach the climactic clash, Coach Bergh has decided to stick with the winning team from the semi-final. The starting lineup includes:
- Leon Lyons
- Tiaan Lange
- Ig Prinsloo
- Malembe Mpofu
- Albert Liebenberg (c)
- Lourens Oosthuizen
- Marco de Witt
- Carl Els
- Bobby Alexander
- George Whitehead
- Sako Makata
- Mnombo Zwelendaba
- Zane Bester
- Dylan Maart
- Stefan Coetzee
Substitutes:
- Janco Uys
- Eddie Davids
- Ntobeko Shezi
- Derik Pretorius
- Carl van der Merwe
- Jack Hart
- Liam Koen
- Connor Mahoney
The Pumas' team for Saturday includes players like Jaycee Nel, Darren Adonis, and captain Willie Engelbrecht, ensuring a high-stakes encounter.
The final showdown is scheduled to kick off at 3pm, promising a thrilling end to the Currie Cup season for rugby aficionados across the nation. With strategies refined and teams at full strength, anticipations are high for a compelling and competitive match.
