With less than a month to go before the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division final, the second round of cross-section fixtures takes place this weekend as the race for top-four honours is getting more intense as the knockout-phase creeps ever closer.
Only three rounds remain before the semi-finals, so each game played before then will be crucial for every team, especially those just outside the top four at the moment.
The round kicks off in Pretoria on Friday evening (7.05pm) when the log leading Vodacom Bulls face a tricky home encounter against a Suzuki Griquas side eager to move out of the basement on the standings.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks XV travel to Cape Town for their Saturday afternoon coastal derby with DHL Western Province (3pm), and the KwaZulu-Natalians will no doubt hope to continue with their climb up the league ladder.
Saturday’s other match is a big cat fight between the Toyota Cheetahs and Fidelity ADT Lions in Bloemfontein (5pm), while the fourth clash of the round will be staged in Welkom on Sunday afternoon, when the NovaVit Griffons take on the Airlink Pumas (3pm).
When the action kicks off on Friday evening at Loftus Versfeld, the Bulls will be up against a Griquas side desperate to improve on their two wins so far.
Although the Northern Cape side managed a big away win over the Griffons last Sunday, they must now prepare themselves for their toughest battle of the campaign, with a short turnaround to Friday’s outing another factor they have to cope.
The Bulls, this year coached by Phiwe Nomlomo, have won six from seven and also bagged a draw and with another home semi-final firmly in sight, they will be in no mood to take the foot off the pedal at Fortress Loftus.
In Saturday’s early match in Cape Town, WP will also be desperate for a win against the resurgent Sharks. It won’t be easy against the visitors from KZN, who have managed to shrug off a slow start to register three wins and a draw in their last four matches.
The Capetonians will have to step up on defence especially, if they want to contain the Durbanites.
This encounter will also underline the value of SA Rugby’s elite player development pathway, with several 2024 Junior Springboks in line to face each other at DHL Stadium.
WP have already handed debuts to SA U20 captain Zachary Porthen (prop), Divan Fuller (loose forward) and JC Mars (wing) in recent weeks, while their Junior Boks teammates from a few weeks ago, Batho Hlekani (lock), Ethan Bester (hooker), Litelihle Bester and Jurenzo Julius (midfielders) have been impressive recently for the Sharks.
Former Springbok and nowadays Director of Rugby for the Cheetahs, Frans Steyn, this week branded the match between the Free Staters and the Lions in Bloemfontein as a “big cat fight”.
The Joburgers are second on the log, three points adrift of the leaders and four ahead of the Cheetahs, who are currently third on 24 points.
Mziwakhe Nkosi’s Lions have lost only once so far and have played some impressive attacking rugby in their six wins but defending champions, the Toyota Cheetahs, have lost two and drawn one, so a huge battle awaits them in Bloemfontein on Saturday, where a victory will see them back in the hunt for a home semi-final.
In Sunday’s last encounter of the round, Jimmy Stonehouse’s Pumas will also be eager for a win over the Griffons when they meet in Welkom, after the team from Mpumalanga’s last win was in round four, almost a month ago.
As a result, the Sharks have bumped the Pumas, champions in 2022, down to fifth spot on the log, so there’s plenty to play for in Welkom.
Fixtures
Vodacom Bulls v Suzuki Griquas - Friday @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (7.05pm)
Referee: AJ Jacobs
TV: SS Rugby
DHL Western Province v Hollywoodbets Sharks XV - Saturday @ DHL Stadium, Cape Town (3pm)
Referee: Dylen November
TV: SS Rugby
Toyota Cheetahs v Fidelity ADT Lions - Saturday @ Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein (5pm)
Referee: Morne Ferreira
TV: SS Rugby
NovaVit Griffons v Airlink Pumas - Sunday @ Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom (3pm)
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
TV: SS Rugby
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