Carling Currie Cup log leaders the Vodacom Bulls are favoured to continue on their unbeaten run when they travel to Nelspruit for their Premier Division clash with the Airlink Pumas on Friday.
This 17h15 fixture at Mbombela Stadium, where the Vodacom Bulls last lost in 2021, kicks off the weekend’s exciting Premier Division action.
The Mpumalanga clash will be followed by two more encounters on Saturday. Second-placed Fidelity ADT Lions host DHL Western Province from 15h00 in Johannesburg, and the Toyota Cheetahs take on the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV at 17h15 in Bloemfontein.
A Central South African derby between the NovaVit Griffons and Suzuki Griquas round off the weekend’s fixtures on Sunday, at 15h00, in Welkom.
With six rounds completed, things are now starting to heat up and only four cross-group matches remaining before the two semi-finals.
Five wins and a draw see the Vodacom Bulls leading the pack on 26 league points, three ahead of the chasing duo of the Fidelity ADT Lions and Toyota Cheetahs, who are currently involved in a cat fight for second place and the right to host a semi-final.
The Airlink Pumas have won three and managed a draw, and the 2022 champions are still searching for that edge and consistency which have made them such a formidable opponent, especially at home in Nelspruit.
Therefore, on current form, the visitors from Pretoria can be considered favourites against the Lowvelders, who are sitting in fourth spot (18 points) and are involved in a heavy tussle with the resurgent Hollywoodbets Sharks XV (17 points) for the last of the four semi-final spots.
Compared to DHL WP, their opponents this weekend, the Fidelity ADT Lions are flying at the moment, with nine points separating the two rivals. The Highvelders have a formidable pack and play their best rugby at Emirates Airline Park, so another trying assignment awaits the Capetonians, who last week lost to defending champions Toyota Cheetahs at home and will have to grab a win to remain the semi-final race.
Meanwhile, the Bloemfontein outfit will be in action immediately afterwards when they welcome the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV to Toyota Stadium in the Free State capital. It looks like the Durbanites have found their rhythm after a slow start, which saw them losing their first three games of the campaign.
Since then, the KwaZulu-Natalians have managed a draw and two good wins, including last week’s impressive 40-21 romp over Suzuki Griquas. Fans in Bloemfontein can expect an exciting match as the defending champions would want to keep momentum and their search for a home semi-final, while the Durbanites have top-four ambitions too.
After playing some enterprising in stages this campaign, the NovaVit Griffons will most likely target their Sunday afternoon clash with Suzuki Griquas as a must-win encounter. However, Pieter Bergh’s visiting outfit will, in turn, eye a much-needed winning performance to hopefully kickstart a turnaround in form which have delivered just one win from six starts.
Match information:
Airlink Pumas vs Vodacom Bulls
Date: Friday, 16 August
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Time: 17h15
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
TV: SS Rugby
Fidelity ADT Lions vs DHL Western Province
Date: Saturday, 17 August
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Time: 15h00
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen
TV: SS Rugby
Toyota Cheetahs vs Hollywoodbets Sharks XV
Date: Saturday, 17 August
Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Time: 17h15
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU)
TV: SS Rugby
NovaVit Griffons vs Suzuki Griquas
Date: Sunday, 18 August
Venue: Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom
Time: 15h00
Referee: Morne Ferreira
TV: SS Rugby
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