Carling Currie Cup log leaders the Vodacom Bulls are favoured to continue on their unbeaten run when they travel to Nelspruit for their Premier Division clash with the Airlink Pumas on Friday.
This 5.15pm fixture at Mbombela Stadium, where the Bulls last lost in 2021, kicks off the weekend’s exciting Premier Division action.
The Mpumalanga clash will be followed by two encounters on Saturday. Second-placed Fidelity ADT Lions host DHL Western Province from 3pm in Johannesburg and the Toyota Cheetahs take on the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV at 5.15pm in Bloemfontein.
A Central South African derby between the NovaVit Griffons and Suzuki Griquas round off the weekend’s fixtures on Sunday, at 3pm, in Welkom.
With six rounds completed, things are now starting to heat up and only four cross-group matches remaining before the two semi-finals.
Five wins and a draw sees the Bulls leading the pack on 26 league points, three ahead of the chasing duo of the Lions and Cheetahs, who are currently involved in a cat fight for second place and the right to host a semi-final.
The Pumas have won three and managed a draw, and the 2022 champions are still searching for that edge and consistency which have made them such a formidable opponent, especially at home in Nelspruit.
Therefore, on current form, the visitors from Pretoria can be considered favourites against the Lowvelders, who are sitting in fourth spot (18 points) and are involved in a heavy tussle with the resurgent Sharks (17 points) for the last of the four semi-final spots.
Compared to WP, their opponents this weekend, the Lions are flying at the moment, with nine points separating the two rivals. The Highvelders have a formidable pack and play their best rugby at Emirates Airline Park, so another trying assignment awaits the Capetonians, who last week lost to defending champions Cheetahs at home and will have to grab a win to remain the semi-final race.
Meanwhile, the Bloemfontein outfit will be in action immediately afterwards when they welcome the Sharks to Toyota Stadium in the Free State capital. It looks like the Durbanites have found their rhythm after a slow start, which saw them losing their first three games of the campaign.
Since then, the KwaZulu-Natalians have managed a draw and two good wins, including last week’s impressive 40-21 romp over Griquas. Fans in Bloemfontein can expect an exciting match as the defending champions would want to keep momentum and their search for a home semi-final, while the Durbanites have top-four ambitions too.
After playing some enterprising in stages this campaign, the Griffons will most likely target their Sunday afternoon clash with Griquas as a must-win encounter. However, Pieter Bergh’s visiting outfit will, in turn, eye a much-needed winning performance to hopefully kickstart a turnaround in form which have delivered just one win from six starts.
Fixtures
Airlink Pumas v Vodacom Bulls - Friday @ Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit (5.15pm)
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
TV: SS Rugby
Fidelity ADT Lions v DHL Western Province - Saturday @ Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg (3pm)
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen
TV: SS Rugby
Toyota Cheetahs v Hollywoodbets Sharks XV - Saturday @ Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein (5.15pm)
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU)
TV: SS Rugby
NovaVit Griffons v Suzuki Griquas - Sunday @ Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom (3pm)
Referee: Morne Ferreira
TV: SS Rugby
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