It’s been seven years since the Free State Cheetahs and the Blue Bulls played in a Currie Cup final.

The two sides last met in the 2009 championship-decider at Loftus Versfeld and the Bulls won that encounter 36-24.

The rivalry has had other installments over the years and the Cheetahs won the 2005 final 29-25 in Pretoria while the two sides shared the 2006 title.

With a victory each and one shared trophy‚ there will be a lot to play for and old scores to settle when they meet again at Free State Stadium at 5pm on Saturday.

Besides the obvious bragging rights that are up for grabs‚ fans can also look forward to the mouthwatering individual battles that could set the Free State Stadium pitch alight.

1. UZAIR CASSIEM v ROELOF SMIT (flankers)

We saw the battle between Deon Stegmann and Heinrich Brussow when the two sides met in the 2005 final. Now an equally intriguing battle awaits in the loose-forwards on Saturday.

The Cheetahs’ Uzair Cassiem has quietly and consistently put in solid performances for the Free State side and was again influential in his side’s emphatic win against the Golden Lions in the semifinals.

Not to be outdone‚ his opposite number‚ Roelof Smit‚ proved himself to be one of the top fetchers in the domestic game and produced vital turnovers that swayed momentum towards the Bulls in their semifinal against Western Province.

So crucial was Smit to the Bulls’ plans that even when he was struggling with a hamstring strain‚ his coach Nollis Marais felt it would benefit the team to keep him on the field than to take him off early

The battle between the pair has the makings of a hotly contested breakdown showdown.

2. NIEL MARAIS v TIAN SCHOEMAN (flyhalves)

In 2006 the Bulls’ Derick Hougaard and Cheetahs’ Willem de Waal took each other head-on. Morne Steyn and Jacques-Louis Potgieter did the same in 2009.

The role of the flyhalf has often proved to be decisive in cup finals and the importance of the boot can never be underestimated.

Niel Marais was one of the key men for the Cheetahs in their demolision of the Lions in the semifinals‚ while Tian Schoeman’s man-of-the-match performance for the Bulls is one of the reasons they are in the final.

The duo will need to have their best polished kicking boots on Saturday. As territory could prove crucial‚ the pair will have to be in top form when it comes to tactical kicking.

3. SERGEAL PETERSEN vs JAMBA ULENGO‚ and RAYMOND RHULE vs TRAVIS ISMAIEL (wingers)

The four men on the wings have been the stars of the two sides.

Sergeal Petersen and Raymond Rhule have been consistant performers for the Cheetahs throughout their campaign. Jamba Ulengo and Travis Ismaiel have been equally important for the Bulls.

Both sets of wings were at their best in the semifinals‚ making their presence felt all over the park.

If the final is to be a high-scoring affair‚ expect the quartet to play a central role.

The big question is will the Currie Cup final be decided by the speed of Petersen and Rhule or the brawn of Ulengo and Ismaiel? We will know soon enough won’t we?

— TMG Digital