Boshoff’s final redemption
Lions pivot Marnitz Boshoff will get a shot at redemption when the Lions host Western Province in the Currie Cup final.
|||Johannesburg - Lions pivot Marnitz Boshoff will get a shot at redemption on Saturday when the Lions host Western Province in the 2015 Absa Currie Cup final.
Boshoff goes into the game at Ellis Park in very much the same, excellent ball-striking form he was in a year ago, but when it mattered most, in the final at Newlands, also against WP, his trusty right boot deserted him.
The Lions flyhalf was in sensational kicking form in 2014, which helped him to a first Springbok cap, but he missed four penalties and two drop-goals in the final match of the campaign in a strong breeze in Cape Town to allow WP to snatch a dramatic 19-16 victory - and the Currie Cup.
On Saturday - against the same opposition - Boshoff gets an opportunity to make up for a lost chance; just this time he’ll be playing in front of his home fans.
“It’s always a little easier kicking on a ground you know well,” said Lions boss Johan Ackermann ahead of the final. “Kicking is going to be crucial this weekend, but I’ve got a lot of confidence in Bossie. He’s been excellent for us this season and the key thing is he mustn’t put any extra pressure on himself.”
Boshoff is the runaway points’ leader in the Currie Cup this year. He’s struck a staggering 43 conversions, 25 penalties and three drop-goals. He also scored a try, against Western Province in the 62-32 victory, for a total points haul of 175 points. His closest challenger was Bulls flyhalf Tian Schoeman, whose season is over, with 135 points.
What stands out about the 26-year-old’s kicking though is the fact he’s missed just four shots at goal out of 72 attempts, for a 94.4percent success rate - and he didn’t feature against Griquas in the final round-robin game of the season.
It’s been a stellar campaign for the man who won a Bok cap against Scotland last year, but he now needs to put everything behind him as he faces up to the challenge of a final again, and plenty of pressure.
“Bossie’s a confidence player and he’s been able to get game-time in the Currie Cup which has helped settle him. He didn’t get that in Super Rugby (because Elton Jantjies was starting ahead of him), but I’ve always said he’s a match-winner. He’s proved himself in the past and I’m sure he’ll be fine this weekend,” said Ackermann.
The coach may not be concerned about his flyhalf’s accuracy off the kicking tee, but what he does want from Boshoff is a step up in his general play. “He wasn’t at his best on Saturday (against the Cheetahs in the semi-final),” said Ackermann. “We’ve seen that when he plays well and is in control of things at 10, then the whole backline plays well. That said, everyone at the back struggled a bit against the Cheetahs.
“Maybe there were a few nerves because so much was riding on the outcome, but all the players will have to take a step up this week and raise their intensity.
“We’re going to have to be a lot sharper and more focused than we were on Saturday if we’re to have a chance of going all the way.”
The Star