Blue Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer is so serious about adding a fourth Currie Cup title to the three his side already has that he has already started planning in earnest for Saturday's final showdown with the Free State Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld.

Meyer admitted on Sunday that he couldn't sleep properly Saturday night after the 31-23 win over the Lions because he was too busy thinking about how to approach this week's final.

The Bulls coach believes his side will face just as tough an opponents in the Cheetahs as the Lions and that the worst mistake that they can make is to become complacent.

“Just about everybody was saying the Lions were the only side that could beat us and that this game should have actually been the final,” said Meyer.

I'm relieved that we got through the game

“I'm relieved that we got through the game but it was tough.

“It's a great privilege to have a chance for another title on Saturday and in front of such a fanatical crowd makes it so much more special,” said Meyer.

“But the biggest mistake that we could make now is to underestimate the Cheetahs.

“They play a good brand of rugby and are similar to us in the way they play.

“Every game we have had in the past few years against them has been tough but we have a great record against them at Loftus Versfeld and we will be banking on that plus our fanatical support base to help us.”

'The players didn't panic'

Meyer isn't likely to make any changes to his side this week, but will have to come up with some counters to the defensive pattern that the Cheetahs employ. Rassie Erasmus has a reputation of working out smaller details to try to stop other teams from employing their gameplan but Meyer knows that if the Bulls can enforce their way of thinking on the final, then a fourth title is not out of their grasp.

But he did say that the side would have to work on their discipline this week, especially after a lopsided 15-10 penalty count against them on Saturday, a figure way too high with which to win a Currie Cup.

“That's probably the best thing that could have happened to us because it was perfect preparation for the final.

“We had to play a part of the game without our captain as well and we worked well in that situation.

“The players didn't panic but I do agree that we have to sort out the discipline in that area.

“In the beginning we were a bit over-eager and we got pinned for it.

“But to be fair, there was a lot of pressure on us at the time and other than the penalties, we have received few yellow cards this year,” he said.

“Free State have a great defensive structure as well and that will make it more difficult for us, but we will have a look this week at that aspect as well.”

The Bulls will regroup on Monday morning in anticipation of the final showdown.

• This article was originally published on page 8 of Pretoria News on October 17, 2005