With the top three places on the 2024 Carling Currie Cup log already determined, the attention now turns to the crucial “quarter-final” encounter between Airlink Pumas and Toyota Cheetahs at 1.30pm on Saturday afternoon at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, for the remaining semi-final place.
The last round of league fixtures kicks off with Friday’s early afternoon clash in Kimberley between Suzuki Griquas and DHL Western Province which starts at 3pm, and that will be followed by the Fidelity ADT Lions hosting the NovaVit Griffons in Johannesburg from 5.15pm.
Saturday sees the all-important “quarter-final” clash in Nelspruit where the winner between Pumas and Cheetahs will progress to the semi-finals, alongside the Lions, Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks XV.
In the weekend’s final fixture, the Sharks host the Bulls from 3pm on Sunday afternoon in Durban.
Friday’s match in Kimberley will see one of Griquas and WP move up the log, after both failed in their bid to qualify for the knockout phase. Both teams are coming into this meeting with a measure of confidence – the team from the Northern Cape beat the Cheetahs last week, while WP pulled off a morale boosting victory over the Pumas.
This fixture has proven to be a slippery affair for the Capetonians if you look at the recent history between the sides. Griquas have won the last six meetings between the teams. Pieter Bergh’s side won 38-29 last time when they met in June 2023.
In fact, the last time Province finished on the winning side was in December 2020 at DHL Newlands, so with nothing but pride at stake, it will be interesting to see whether they will be able to break their recent bad run against the men from the Diamond City.
A glance at the previous two results between the high-flying Lions and Griffons suggests the Highvelders are favourites to add a third win to their previous two comfortable victories. Already assured of a home semi-final, the Joburg side will be full of confidence after slaying the Bulls last week to move to the top spot and the men from Welkom will no doubt have their hands full to keep the rampant home side in check.
Defending champions, the Cheetahs, travel to Nelspruit on the back of two victories from their three encounters last season against the Pumas, whom they must beat to secure the last available semi-final slot.
The Free Staters, who beat the team from Mpumalanga in the 2023 final in Bloem, have blown hot and cold this season and come into this crunch fixture on the back of three defeats in their last three league outings.
Just a single point separates the two rivals on the log, with another thrilling match expected between the two who will fight to keep alive their Cup aspirations.
In the last fixture of the final round between the Sharks and Bulls on Sunday in Durban, the KwaZulu-Natalians go into the game with an impressive six-game unbeaten streak.
The Pretoria outfit, Carling Currie Cup champions in 2020 and 2021, will no doubt be hurting from last week’s home defeat to the Lions but they come up against a Durban outfit that have form in their favour. Honours are even between these two in their last eight meetings, with four wins each, while the KZN side prevailed 41-27 in their last meeting in May last year at Loftus.
The four top-placed teams will play in the two semi-finals next week while the winners of those games going through to the final on 21 September.
Fixtures
Suzuki Griquas v DHL Western Province - Friday @ Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley (3pm)
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
TV: SS Rugby
Fidelity ADT Lions v NovaVit Griffons - Friday @ Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg (5.15pm)
Referee: Morne Ferreira
TV: SS Rugby
Airlink Pumas v Toyota Cheetahs - Saturday @ Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit (1.30pm)
Referee: Christopher Allison
TV: SS Rugby
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV v Vodacom Bulls - Sunday @ Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban (3pm)
Referee: Griffon Colby
TV: SS Rugby
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