Currie Cup semi-final race reaches boiling point

The race for semi-final spots is nearing boiling point this weekend when the sixth round of the Carling Currie Cup will be staged, presenting the penultimate opportunity for teams to secure a top-four place. Three matches will be staged on Friday while the remaining fixture is scheduled for Sunday. All matches will broadcast live on SuperSport.

The weekend’s action kicks off with a bang when third-placed Airlink Pumas host Suzuki Griquas, the defending champions who are currently top of the log, from 3pm at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. The Vodacom Bulls XV and DHL Stormers XXIII then go into a North/South derby battle at 5.05pm in Pretoria, whereafter the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV entertain the Fidelity ADT Lions in Pietermaritzburg at 7.15pm.

Sunday’s action between the Toyota Cheetahs and Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in Bloemfontein, from 3pm, wraps up the weekend’s league action.

Griquas and the Cheetahs currently share top spot on 21 points, with the Pumas (17) and Kavaliers (16) occupying the remaining positions in the top four. The Lions (13), Stormers XXIII (11) and Sharks XV (10) remain within striking distance, while the Bulls XV (4) are still searching for their first win of the campaign.

The clash between the Pumas and Griquas early on Friday afternoon is unquestionably the match of the round, as it could significantly shape the battle for home semi-final advantage, while the Cheetahs and Kavaliers meet in a direct contest between two current top-four sides.

Griquas arrive in Mbombela on top of the log alongside the Cheetahs after producing a dominant 55-21 victory over the Sharks XV last weekend. The Kimberley outfit boast the competition's best points difference (+73) and have won four of their five matches since losing their opening-round fixture to the Kavaliers in Wellington.

The Pumas have strengthened their semi-final prospects with a comfortable 29-7 victory over the Stormers XXIII last week and know that a home win would lift them level with or potentially above the current leaders heading into the final round. The team from Mpumalanga have built momentum through back-to-back victories over Boland, the Bulls XV and Stormers XXIII to bounce back from a shaky start, which saw them lose in the first two rounds.

An away win for the men from Kimberley would all but secure a semi-final berth and keep them on course for a home play-off. A Pumas victory would throw the race for the top two wide open and could significantly strengthen their chances of finishing in the semi-final positions. Home-ground advantage may just tilt matters towards the Pumas.

Loftus hosts a battle between two teams desperate for points, albeit for very different reasons, when the Bulls XV entertain the Stormers XXIII.

The Pretoria outfit remain rooted to the bottom of the table after suffering a fifth consecutive defeat, despite scoring 52 points against the Cheetahs at Loftus. Their four bonus points and no wins leave them at the foot of the league table, six points behind the Sharks XV.

Their Cape rivals sit sixth on 11 points and remain alive in the race for the playoffs. While their 29-7 defeat to the Pumas was another setback, the Stormers XXIII know victory at Loftus could pull them within touching distance of the top four heading into the final weekend.

Heading into this clash, the Pretoria outfit lead their Cape rivals 3-2 in their previous five meetings, with the Bulls having won three straight games in this fixture. The Stormers XXIII, though, have a better form guide with two wins from five starts, while the Pretoria outfit are still winless after five fixtures.

The Sharks XV take on the Lions on Saturday evening with plenty at stake for both teams, as defeat would leave their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread.

The Sharks XV enter the match seventh on the log after being comprehensively beaten 55-21 by Griquas last week. Meanwhile, the Lions occupy fifth place, but missed a golden opportunity last week when they went down 38-29 at home to Boland. Despite that setback, they remain only three points behind fourth-placed Kavaliers and still control much of their own destiny.

For the Durbanites, victory would keep them alive ahead of a final-round clash with the Bulls XV, while a bonus-point win for the Gautengers could potentially push them into the top four depending on results elsewhere. The head-to-head is 3-2 in favour of the Sharks XV in this meeting, while both sides have suffered three defeats in their previous five games across all competitions.

The final match of the round between the Cheetahs and the Kavaliers, to be staged on Sunday in Bloemfontein, could have enormous implications for play-off seeding.

Boland have established themselves as one of the stronger teams of the season. Their impressive 38-29 away victory over the Lions last weekend moved them to fourth on the table and kept them firmly in the semi-final positions heading into the final two rounds.

A Cheetahs victory would virtually guarantee a playoff place and keep them in contention for a home semi-final. For Boland, an upset in Bloemfontein could go a long way towards securing a top-four finish while simultaneously denting the Cheetahs' hopes of finishing first.

The Kavaliers won last year’s meeting 37-35 in Wellington, while the Free Staters have the edge in terms of form over their respective previous five games in all competitions.

Fixtures

Airlink Pumas v Suzuki Griquas - Friday @ Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit (3pm)

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

TV: SuperSport

Vodacom Bulls XV v DHL Stormers XXIII - Friday @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (5.05pm)

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen

TV: SuperSport

Hollywoodbets Sharks XV v Fidelity ADT Lions - Friday @ Woodburn Stadium, Pietermaritzburg (7.15pm)

Referee: Juan de Bod

TV: SuperSport

Toyota Cheetahs v Sanlam Boland Kavaliers - Sunday @ Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein (3pm)

Referee: Morne Ferreira

TV: SuperSport