It's crunch time for the Blue Bulls and Western Province when they do battle in a very important Section Y Currie Cup game at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

WP are currently top of the log with 23 points, followed by the Pumas on 21 and the Bulls on 19. The Pumas cannot gain points to carry over to the Top Eight because their opponents on Saturday, the Griffons, will play in the Bankfin Cup competition.

The defending champions have eight points to carry through to the Top Eight, while the Bulls have five. The fact that more points are at stake here adds to the importance of the game.

Both camps this week expressed confidence of collecting those points. Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer said he is convinced they've turned the corner in last Sunday's runaway victory over Griquas.

"Yes, Griquas was a watershed game for us, although we played excellent rugby against Border too. We were a bit disrupted when some of our guys came back, but I am definitely proud of the win against Griquas.

"It was a turning point, but the important thing for us now is to retain that form. The team that retains its form is the one that's going to come out on top," he said.

The coach said he would give flyhalf Jaco van der Westhuyzen until after Friday's captain's practice to recover from the groin injury he sustained at Wednesday's training session. "I am worried about Jaco and don't know whether he will be ready. But we'll give him all the time to recover," said Meyer about his talented pivot.

Meyer said Joost van der Westhuizen's experience won the day when it came to the scrumhalf position. Coenraad Groenewald was brilliant against Griquas last Sunday and scored three tries and his demotion to the substitutes' bench was a tad harsh on the youngster.

"I know it is a bit tough on Coenraad, but we need experience and Joost gives us that. He is the current Springbok scrumhalf and it is only fair to start with him. He also gave a lot of positive input on and off the field and now we just hope he plays the type of rugby he is capable of on Saturday."

Meyer said he would not be lulled into a false sense of security by WP's unimpressive performance last Friday against the Bulldogs. "I don't think you can use that game as a yardstick. Their Springboks will lift their game a lot against us. They have an unbelievably good side with all those Boks in the team and four more on the bench.

"We cannot allow their game-breakers any space, otherwise we will be in big trouble. They will run us ragged. I expect a really tough battle up front, especially in the set scrums. We will have to be at our best if we want to contain them."

Springbok assistant coach Jake White this week on television gave a few hints on how to beat WP, but Meyer says he has his own plans ready. "I heard what Jake said, but in John McFarland we have one of the best technical analyst in the world, not that Jake is very good as well.

"We would know how to play against them and I'm sure they've worked out their plans as well. However, you cannot look at one game in isolation and make your plans accordingly. I'm sure both teams have studied the opponents and both have made plans, now it's just a matter of hoping it comes off."

WP coach Gert Smal this week said he was encouraged by the fact that Griquas scored 30 points, including three tries, against the Bulls. "We only conceded one try against the Pumas and WP conceded four. I am not worried about our defence; I think it is good. Griquas also scored 30 points against WP, so what does that say?

"We spend enough time on our defence and we are on standard, I would say. Two of the tries Griquas scored against us were from turnovers, which is very difficult to defend. I think our defence from first and second phase is very good."

Meyer expects an entertaining game. "They are a team capable of scoring tries and so are we. It is nice that other teams see the Bulls these days as a team that scores tries.

"That is what we are trying to do and I think it will be a great spectacle on Saturday. We have a lot of respect for WP and we know it's going to be difficult, but we will go into the game in an optimistic frame of mind."