Cheetahs focused on securing home final

The Toyota Cheetahs travel to Nelspruit for the final round of the Carling Currie Cup regular season, where they will face the Airlink Pumas at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday from 2pm.

The match will be a special occasion for two Cheetahs players, with captain Neels Volschenk and Marco Jansen van Vuren both set to make their 50th appearances for the team.

The Cheetahs and Suzuki Griquas have already secured their places in the semi-finals and occupy the top two positions on the league table heading into the crucial final round.

The Pumas currently best positioned to join them in the knockouts on 17 points. Sanlam Boland Kavaliers and DHL Stormers XXIII are both on 16 points, followed by the Fidelity ADT Lions on 15 and Hollywoodbets Sharks XV on 13. The Vodacom Bulls XV, on five points, are out of contention.

The Pumas know that a victory over the Cheetahs at Mbombela Stadium will secure their place in the semi-finals. Even a losing bonus point could prove enough, depending on results elsewhere but the Nelspruit side will be determined to avoid leaving their play-off hopes in the hands of other teams, particularly with Boland and the Stormers XXIII only one point behind them.

For the Cheetahs, the final round offers a chance to build momentum heading into the semi-finals and potentially finish at the top of the table, securing home-ground advantage for the final.

“It is nice to be in a position where we know that we have a home semi-final but there is still the possibility of finishing at the top and having the opportunity to host a home final,” said Toyota Cheetahs head coach Frans Steyn.

“We are in control of our own destiny. How we show up and how we play this weekend will depend on ourselves.

“The Pumas are a very physical team. They have a good kicking game and some quality players. When they get going, they also have a strong running game. We will have to match that in Nelspruit.”

“The nice thing is to play in a pack that is moving forward. When your pack is going forward, your chances of winning the game are much greater than losing it,” said Volschenk.

Volschenk will lead the team onto the field for his 50th appearance, while Jansen van Vuren will also reach the milestone when he comes off the bench.

With a semi-final spot already secured, the Cheetahs will look to finish the regular season strongly, maintain their momentum and deliver a performance that sets the tone for the play-offs.

Toyota Cheetahs starting XV: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Michael Annies, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Jooste Nel, 11 Prince Nkabinde; 10 Tiaan Swanepoel, 9 Faf de Klerk; 8 Neels Volschenk (capt), 7 Pierre Uys, 6 Sisonke Vumazonke; 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Arno van der Merwe; 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Stefan Venter, 1 Dux Manyama. Replacements: 16 Frankie Dos Reis, 17 Tielman Niewoudt, 18 John-Kelly Okonkwo, 19 Victor Sekekete, 20 Simon Miller, 21 Daniel Maartens, 22 Cohen Jasper, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.