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 (19h05) 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 (15h00), 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 (17h00), while the fourth clash of the round will be staged in Welkom on Sunday afternoon, when the NovaVit Griffons take on the Airlink Pumas (15h00).
When the action kicks off on Friday evening at Loftus Versfeld, the Vodacom Bulls will be up against a Suzuki Griquas side desperate to improve on their two wins so far.
Although the Northern Cape side managed a big away win over the NovaVit 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 Vodacom 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, DHL WP will also be desperate for a win against the resurgent Hollywoodbets Sharks XV. 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.
DHL 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 Hollywoodbets Sharks XV.
Former Springbok and nowadays Director of Rugby for the Toyota Cheetahs, Frans Steyn, this week branded the match between the Free Staters and the Fidelity ADT 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 Toyota 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 Airlink Pumas will also be eager for a win over the NovaVit 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 Hollywoodbets Sharks XV have bumped the Airlink Pumas, champions in 2022, down to fifth spot on the log, so there’s plenty to play for in Welkom.
Match information:
Vodacom Bulls vs Suzuki Griquas
Date: Friday, 23 August
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Time: 19h05
Referee: AJ Jacobs
TV: SS Rugby
DHL Western Province vs Hollywoodbets Sharks XV
Date: Saturday, 24 August
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Time: 15h00
Referee: Dylen November
TV: SS Rugby
Toyota Cheetahs vs Fidelity ADT Lions
Date: Saturday, 24 August
Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Time: 17h00
Referee: Morne Ferreira
TV: SS Rugby
NovaVit Griffons vs Airlink Pumas
Date: Sunday, 25 August
Venue: Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom
Time: 15h00
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
TV: SS Rugby
sir shark
The Rugby World Cup 1995 was held in South Africa: South Africans take a lot of pride in their rugby team, popularly called ‘The Springsbook.’ As the FIFA World Cup, South Africa was the first African country to host the Rugby World Cup tournament in 1995. The event became more successful as South Africa won the finale against New Zealand. The team was astonishing enough to win the IRB Rugby World Cup two more times in 2007 and again in 2019.
Rosie Bird
Sport Trivia: At which race course is the Durban July run every year? Answer: Greyville – The Durban July, which was first run in 1897, is South Africa\’s equivalent of Britain\’s Royal Ascot. The race takes place over 2.2 kms and is run on the first Saturday of July each year at the Greyville Race course.