The Vodacom Bulls overcame a trickly hurdle in Pretoria to stay unbeaten at the top of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division, all but booking their spot in the play-offs, while the Fidelity ADT Lions mauled the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV showed their sharp teeth in Cape Town and the Airlink Pumas demonstrated why they cannot be discounted from the semi-final race.
With the business end fast approaching and just two rounds of cross-section fixtures remaining before the semi-finals, the battle for top-four places on the log has turned red hot.
The Bulls opened the round with a 47-24 romp of Suzuki Griquas for their seventh win in eight games on Friday. The next day in Cape Town, the Sharks displayed their growing pedigree by outplaying DHL Western Province 31-23 and in the later fixture, the Lions won the “big cat derby” by 38-21 over the Toyota Cheetahs.
More importantly for the chasing Pumas, the Highvelders denied the Free Staters any bonus points. That opened the door for the Mpumalanga outfit to close the gap on fourth place with their 45-26 away victory over the NovaVit Griffons on Sunday.
The Durbanites leaped into third spot on 26 points, behind the two Gauteng teams teams (Bulls on 36 and Lions on 33), while the Cheetahs and Pumas are level on 24 points, with just points difference separating the two. WP and the Griquas are on 14 points and the Griffons on three, with these three unlikely to qualify for the play-offs.
In the round’s opening fixture Friday evening in Pretoria, the Bulls packed too much firepower for Griquas as they navigated a difficult fixture with ease.
After the visitors shook the Loftus crowd to race into a 14-0 lead, the hosts fought back to go into the break 26-19 up and eventually scored seven tries to four to solidify top spot on the log.
Bulls No 8 Mpilo Gumede was outstanding on the evening, and he was rewarded with two tries, while former Junior Bok hooker Juann Else made a good impact off the bench as he too was rewarded with a brace of tries. Speedster Dylan Maart continued his good form out wide for the Kimberley outfit by dotting down twice.
Saturday afternoon saw the Sharks increase their semi-final hopes further, while they all but ended WP’s slender hope of a top-four spot when they defeated the Capetonians 31-23 for a solid away win in Cape Town.
The KZN side registered four converted tries and a drop goal, while WP responded with two converted tries and three penalties. JP Pietersen's men were already 21-10 in front at the interval, but the home side staged a strong comeback in the second half to cut the deficit to 28-23 at one stage. However, Sharks pivot Lionel Cronje used all his experience to calmly land a drop goal to put the score beyond the reach of Province.
A short while later in Bloemfontein, the Lions made a fast start and were 26-7 ahead at the halfway stage against the Cheetahs, who managed their only score of the half after the siren. The Highvelders went on to score six tries and four conversions, while the Cheetahs replied with three converted tries.
Their fast start meant that the defending champions and hosts were always chasing the game. Flyhalf Kade Wolhuter pulled the strings for the visitors, displaying his clever tactical kicking skills. Apart from scoring one try and kicking four conversions, he also had a hand in several other scores.
The last fixture of the round was staged on Sunday in Welkom, where the Pumas downed Griffons by 45-26 to earn a crucial bonus-point victory.
The first half was a real arm wrestle but Jimmy Stonehouse’s men used their greater experience in the second stanza to pull away. The Lowvelders registered seven tries – each scored by a different player – of which five were converted by Clinton Swart, while the hosts answered with four tries and three conversions.
Livewire Pumas loose forward Ntsika Fisanti had an outstanding game and he was a real menace at the breakdown and with his linking play to initiate several attacks. The result means the men from Welkom are still winless after eight starts.
In the penultimate round of action this weekend, with Griquas and the Cheetahs kicking off round nine in Kimberley on Friday afternoon at 3pm. That encounter is followed by the big Jukskei Derby, starting at 5.15pm in Pretoria, between the Bulls and the Lions at Midstream College.
The Sharks and Griffons clash in Saturday's only game, from 1.30pm in Durban, with WP hosting the Pumas on Sunday at 3pm in the remaining fixture of the round.
Scores
Vodacom Bulls 47 (26), Suzuki Griquas 24 (19)
Vodacom Bulls – Tries: Mpilo Gumede (2), Juann Else (2), Henry Immelman, Chris Smit, Jaco van der Walt. Conversions: Van der Walt (4), Boeta Chamberlain (2).
Suzuki Griquas – Tries: Dylan Maart (2), Marco de Witt, Thabo Ndimande. Conversions: Zinedine Robinson (2).
DHL Western Province 23 (10), Hollywoodbets Sharks XV 31 (21)
DHL Western Province – Tries: Kyle Smith, Vernon Matongo. Converions: Jurie Matthee (2). Penalties: Matthee (3).
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV – Tries: Tino Mavesere, Jurenzo Julius, Nick Hatton, Eduan Keyter. Conversions: Lionel Cronje (4). Drop goal: Cronje.
Toyota Cheetahs 21 (7), Fidelity ADT Lions 38 (26)
Toyota Cheetahs – Tries: Corne Fourie, Daniel Kasende, Vernon Paulo. Conversions: Ethan Wentzel (2), Reinhardt Fortuin.
Fidelity ADT Lions – Tries: Renzo du Plessis (2), RF Schoeman, Jaco Visagie, Rabz Maxwane, Kade Wolhuter. Converions: Wolhuter (4).
NovaVit Griffons 26 (12), Airlink Pumas 45 (14)
NovaVit Griffons – Tries: Willem van den Heever, Thato Mavundla, Kyle Cyster, Simon Westraadt. Conversions: Andrew Kota (2), Duan Pretorius.
Airlink Pumas – Tries: Dewald Maritz, Eddie Swart, Danrich Visagie, Tino Swanepoel, David Brits, Ross Braude, Llewellyn Classen. Conversions: Clinton Swart (5).
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