The dispute over which and how many Springboks should be allowed to play in the Currie Cup competition has added spice to the already delectable battle between the Free State Cheetahs and Blue Bulls.

Free State boss Harold Verster stirred the pot this week when he objected to Bakkies Botha playing for the Bulls in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

The subsequent fall-out - which dragged the South African Rugby Players Association and the South African Rugby Union into the dispute - saw the Cheetahs being deprived of Bok prop CJ van der Linde.

Despite the obvious acrimony at administrative level and the recent history between these two teams - they have met in the semifinals or Final of the competition every year since 2004 - Bulls coach Frans Ludeke does not expect any unnecessary niggle.

Ludeke, speaking to iafrica.com this week, said he is expecting a more tactical battle.

"It is always very competitive," the Bulls coach said of encounters with the Cheetahs, adding: "It won't be just a physical battle, there are a lot of tactics involved.

"[Cheetahs backline coach] Hawies [Fourie] and Naka [Drotské, head coach] are very innovative and every time we play them they come up with something new," Ludeke said, adding that he doesn't expect any unnecessary niggle.

While the game will still have a very physical edge to it, a game in which both teams will give their all, the Bulls mentor felt the contest for the ball and in the contact situations will hold the key.

"It is a game we really look forward to, because these two teams tend to bring the best out in each other."

Add to that their respective positions on the table - Western Province, the Cheetahs and Bulls all tied on 28 points, with only points difference separating them.

With only five rounds of league action remaining, victory is almost non-negotiable.

Asked what he felt could turn a game that has so much riding on it, Ludeke said it is all about the "execution of your game plan".

"It is about what the opposition allows you to do, whether you can enforce your game plan on the match," the Bulls coach said.

"That is what makes an arm-wrestle like this so intriguing, it is about who can take initiative and enforce their will on the opposition."

One of the more interesting sub-plots of the game is the battle between the two flyhalves - Louis Strydom (Cheetahs) and Jaques-Louis Potgieter (Bulls).

Strydom has succeeded with his last 24 kicks at goal and will be hoping that this form continues in a game where the margin for error will be minimal.

The Cheetahs pivot, who has scored 96 points after nine games, has enjoyed a 84 percent kicking record this season.

Potgieter has achieved a 77 percent kicking record this season.

Recent results:
2007: Free State Cheetahs won 44-18, Bloemfontein
2007: Free State Cheetahs won 29-17, Pretoria
2007: Free State Cheetahs won 11-6, Bloemfontein (semifinal)
2008: Blue Bulls won 31-23, Pretoria
2008: Blue Bulls won 23-5, Bloemfontein
2008: Blue Bulls won 31-19, Pretoria (semifinal)
2009: Free State Cheetahs won 24-15, Bloemfontein
2009: Blue Bulls won 30-27, Pretoria
2009: Blue Bulls won 36-24, Pretoria (Final)
2010: Free State Cheetahs won 25-23, Pretoria

iafrica.com Prediction: We have already touched on the flyhalf battle, but the return of players like scrumhalf Francois Hougaard, lock Flip van der Merwe and hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle will be critical to the visitors' cause. The Cheetahs will be looking to livewire prop Coenie Oosthuizen and their Bok hooker, Adriaan Strauss, to provide the spark. If you want to see an individual that could turn the game on its head, look no further that Bok scrumhalf Francois Hougaard. This, the game of the weekend, will be a cracker that will be won or lost on one play - a mistake or a moment's brilliance. We feel the Bulls are beginning to build up some real momentum and will sneak a late winner. The Bulls by less than 10 points.

Teams:

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Philip Snyman, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Philip van der Walt, 6 Hendro Scholtz/Johan Wessels, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 WP Nel, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Tertius Carse, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Corné Uys.

Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 CJ Stander, 6 Derick Kuün (captain), 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Jaco Engels, 19 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 20 Okkie Kruger, 21 Dustin Jinka, 22 Stephan Dippenaar.

Date: Saturday, September 11
Venue: Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Assistant referees: Mlungiseli Mdashe, Reuben Rossouw
TMO: Shaun Veldsman