Cape Town. - Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke believes his team are ready for anything Vodacom Western Province have prepared for them in tomorrow's Absa Currie Cup semi-final match at Newlands (17h00).

The Pretoria team, which will be captained by Springbok lock Victor Matfield, is loaded with international stars that successfully steered the Boks to Vodacom Tri-Nations glory this season.

Bok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, eighthman Pierre Spies, winger Bryan Habana, lock Bakkies Botha and flyhalf Morné Steyn have all been selected in the Bulls’ starting line-up.

Andries Bekker is the only 2009 Springbok Vodacom Tri-Nations winner to be selected in Vodacom Western Province’s starting team while fellow internationals flanker Schalk Burger and scrumhalf Ricky Januarie have been selected on the bench.

“We are ready for whatever they throw at us,” said Ludeke.

“We need to play for the full 80 minutes and we must continue to create try scoring opportunities. We also need to protect our possession better than in the previous two games.

“It is not without reason that Vodacom Western Province almost finished on top of the log. They have been playing quality rugby throughout the season and I expect them to follow a very tactical approach against us. WP would like to stay out of their own half and once they are in our half they are going to try and put us under immense pressure.”

Vodacom Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has also named a new centre combination with Paul Bosch and Juan de Jongh named as the new midfield pairing for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup semi-final clash.

“I don’t think starting Paul Bosch is a big call at all,” said Coetzee.

“Juan de Jongh has been outstanding, and Paul has been in the squad the whole season. It’s a horses for courses selection. With Paul’s work rate and defence I’m sure he will do well against the Vodacom Blue Bulls.

“Frikkie’s left boot will be useful at the back and complement the right boots of Peter Grant and Joe Pietersen. It’s also great to have a Springbok like Schalk on the bench, and I’m sure he’ll make a big impact when he comes on in the second half.”

Vodacom Free State coach Naka Drotske has also turned the heat on the Sharks in preparation of their Absa Currie Cup semi-final match which will be played at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday (14h30).

Drotske has selected a strong and powerful team for this weekend’s playoff match. Springbok Sevens player Lionel Mapoe (hamstring) and flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter (back) return to the starting line up after recovering from their respective injuries.

JP Joubert also returns at scrumhalf, after Tewis de Bruyn started in the last two games to get some much-needed game time. WP Nel will start at prop in place of Coenie Oosthuizen, who is relegated to the bench.

Springbok flanker Heinrich Brüssow, Frans Viljoen and Ashley Johnson, who has been one of the outstanding performers in this season’s Absa Currie Cup will form a formidable loose-trio combination, while David de Villiers and Nico Breedt, who will captain the side, forms the lock pairing for the visitors.

“There's enormous pressure on the Sharks,” said Drotske.

“They are the champions and they are playing in front of their home crowd which will bring huge expectation. We don't have pressure because nobody gave us a chance to get to the semis after we started with four consecutive losses. We can now go to Durban with no high expectations.”

The Sharks coach John Plumtree has made three changes to his starting line-up from the side that defeated the GWK Griquas last weekend to the team that will face the Vodacom Free State Cheetahs in Durban.

Flankers Jean Deysel and Jacques Botes return to the starting line up for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup semi-final, replacing Micheal Rhodes and Keegan Daniel. Plumtree has also selected Johann Muller, who will partner Steven Sykes at lock.

“I know this team pretty well and can see the guys are on edge, they know they need to be, for a very challenging fixture against a Vodacom Free State Cheetahs team that comes to us with nothing to lose,” said the Sharks coach.

“This is finals time and they know as well as we do that it doesn't matter how you got there, it's down to who wants it most on the day.”

Teams for the weekend:

Absa Currie Cup Semi-final 1: Absa Stadium, Durban

The Sharks v Vodacom Free State Cheetahs (Kick off: 14h30)

The Sharks - Stefan Terblanche (c), Odwa Ndungane, Adrian Jacobs, Riaan Swanepoel, JP Pietersen, Juan Hernandez, Ruan Pienaar, Ryan Kankowski, Jean Deysel, Jaques Botes, Johann Muller, Steven Sykes, John Smit, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Craig Burden, Jannie du Plessis, Albert van den Berg, Keegan Daniel, Rory Kockott, Monty Dumond, Andries Strauss.

Vodacom Free State Cheetahs - Hennie Daniller, Lionel Mapoe, Corné Uys, Meyer Bosman, Jongi Nokwe, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, JP Joubert, Ashley Johnson, Frans Viljoen, Heinrich Brüssow, David de Villiers, Nico Breedt (c), WP Nel, Richardt Strauss, Wian du Preez. Reserves: Coenie Oosthuizen, Izak van der Westhuizen, Hendro Scholtz, Kabamba Floors, Tewis de Bruyn, Louis Strydom, Fabian Juries.

Referee: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Absa Currie Cup Semi-final 2: Newlands, Cape Town

Vodacom Western Province vs Vodacom Blue Bulls (Kick off: 17h00)

Vodacom Western Province - Joe Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Paul Bosch, Frikkie Welsh, Peter Grant, Dewaldt Duvenhage, Luke Watson (c), Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Andries Bekker, Anton van Zyl, Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg, Wicus Blaauw. Reserves: Deon Fourie, JC Kritzinger, De Kock Steenkamp, Schalk Burger, Ricky Januarie, Matt To’omua, Sireli Naqelevuki.

Vodacom Blue Bulls - Zane Kirchner, Francois Hougaard, Jaco Pretorius, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morné Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield (c), Bakkies Botha, Werner Kruger, Derick Kuün, Gurthrö Steenkamp. Reserves: Bandise Maku, Rossouw de Klerk, Danie Rossouw, Pedrie Wannenburg, Heini Adams, Burton Francis, Gerhard van den Heever.

Referee: Mark Lawrence (SARU). - SA Rugby