SPOTLIGHT: The 10th and final round of the Currie Cup league phase has plenty on the line with the Bulls and Lions fighting for top spot while the Pumas look to kick the Cheetahs out of fourth position.
The first clash of the weekend will see two teams with no chance of making the knockout rounds go head to head as the Griquas welcome Western Province to Kimberley.
Western Province have not beaten the Griquas since 2018 at Newlands Stadium and will look to turn that poor record around in what will be a URC warm-up clash for the Capetonians.
Lock JD Schickerling will make his return for the blue and white hoops on the occasion of his 50th cap for Western Province.
Centre Dan du Plessis will wear the captains’ armband while Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff will provide impact off the bench.
“It’s a great challenge for us, like I said 15.00 in Kimberley it’s going to challenge you physically.” Said attack coach Dawie Snyman.
He added: “It will be a fast game, altitude as well so it’s a great challenge for us and will be good for our [URC] prep.”
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Outside back Suleiman Hartzenberg isn’t fazed on Western Province’s poor record against the ‘peacock blues’.
“For us, we do kind of expect them to run the ball, but also we’re not too focused on the past because for us – to move forward you kind of need to build on it.”
“If we’re going to worry about the past we’re never going to move forward as a team and as a union because the past results doesn’t have anything to do with what’s coming on Friday.”
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In the following fixture on Friday – the Lions have an opportunity to cement top spot on the Currie Cup table after defeating the Bulls in Olifantsfontein last weekend to overtake them on the standings.
The Lions will come up against a winless Griffons side who showed great fight during the competition in most of their games but ultimately still struggle in their second year of being in the Currie Cup Premier Division.
A bonus point win would remove any doubt on who will head into the semifinals on top of the table – regardless of what goes down between the Sharks and the Bulls on Sunday.
On Saturday there’s only one clash, but one with high stakes between the Pumas and the Cheetahs.
The Cheetahs started the season strongly – battling for top spot with the Bulls in the first half of the season.
A couple of losses on the trot to the Sharks, Lions and Griquas respectively see them fighting for survival in fourth spot which is the only one they can claim being on 25 points, with the Sharks in third on 31 points – making it impossible to surge past the Durban based side.
Captain Carl Wegner acknowledged that the two sides have a great history when it comes to knock out matches but is confident in his side’s ability to make the final four.
“I think they [Cheetahs and Pumas] have a lot of history together but the boys prepared well this week, the vibe is well in the group, the atmosphere is positive and the boys are excited for a quarterfinal mentality.”
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Cheetahs Director of Rugby admitted despite some help from other teams, the Cheetahs still have their destiny in their own hands.
“Other teams are doing us a favour at this stage, so there’s still an opportunity, we’re still in it though, so I think that’s one thing for us that we’re still in a position to qualify for the semis and we just have to make it work.”
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They are a mere one point ahead of the Pumas (24) who has shown throughout the season that they can beat anyone on the day.
The defending champions can get away with a draw but a loss would kick them out of the race which is why this could be seen as the match of the weekend.
The Pumas on the other hand have a golden opportunity, with a simple win being enough to advance to fourth spot and make the semifinals.
On Sunday the Sharks will host the Bulls in Durban.
The hosts cannot slip below or surge higher than third place on the table, but the visitors will hope that the Griffons cause an upset against the Lions or deny them a bonus points to reclaim top spot.
See below for this weekend’s teams and predictions!
Friday, September 6
Griquas v Western Province
(Griqua Park, Kimberley – Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Western Province by 15 points.
Teams:
Griquas: 15 Connor Mahoney, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Zane Bester, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Sako Makata, 10 Lubabalo Dobela, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Carl Els, 7 Marco de Witt (captain), 6 Thabo Ndimande, 5 Derik Pretorius, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Dandre Delport, 1 Leon Lyons.
Replacements: 16 Gustav du Rand, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Cebo Dlamini, 19 Albert Liebenberg, 20 Hanru Sirgel, 21 Bobby Alexander, 22 Zinedine Robinson, 23 Mnombo Zwelendaba.
Western Province: 15 Luke Burger, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Dan du Plessis (captain), 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Louw Nel, 7 Dave Ewers, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Ben-Jason Dixon, 21 Stefan Ungerer, 22 Wandisile Simelane, 23 Damian Markus.
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
TMO: SA Rugby
Lions v Griffons
(Ellis Park, Johannesburg – Kick-off:17.15;15.15 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Lions by 65 points
Teams:
Lions: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Boldwin Hansen, 13 Kelly Mpeku, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Rabs Maxwane, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Jarod Cairns, 7 Siba Qoma, 6 Renzo du Plessis, 5 Darrien-Lane Landsberg, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Conrad van Vuuren, 2 Jaco Visagie (captain), 1 Heiko Pohlman.
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Raynard Roets, 20 Ruhan Straeuli, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Zander du Plessis.
Griffons: 15 Kyle Cyster, 14 Qamani Kota, 13 Chris Hollis, 12 Juandre de Beer, 11 Gershwin Wehr, 10 Duan Pretorius, 9 Dewald Human, 8 Calla Pienaar, 7 Thomas Ongera, 6 Thato Mavundla, 5 Rian Oliver, 4 Matthew Gray, 3 Moango Ngundue, 1 Xolani Jacobs.
Replacements: 16 Chadley Wenn, 17 Mthokozisi Gumede, 18 Edwin Nxumalo, 19 Joshua Paris, 20 Curtly Thomas, 21 David Bunduki, 22 Cheslin Arendse, 23 Gilroy Philander, 24 Jared Kruger, 25 Mingo Piti, 26 Christiaan Nel.
Referee: Morne Ferreira
TMO: SA Rugby
Saturday, September 7
Pumas v Cheetahs
(Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit – Kick-off: 13.30; 11.30 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Cheetahs by 6 points
Teams:
Pumas: TBC
Cheetahs: TBC
Referee: Christopher Allison
TMO: SA Rugby
Sunday, September 8
Sharks v Bulls
(Kings Park Stadium, Durban – Kick-off: 13.00; 11.00 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Bulls by 5 points
Teams:
Sharks: TBC
Bulls: TBC
Referee: Griffon Colby
TMO: SA Rugby
