Can Suzuki Griquas, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV and DHL Western Province bounce back and gain their first Carling Currie Cup Premier Division victories this coming weekend, and are the NovaVit Griffons capable of causing an early-season upset?
These are some of the questions that will be answered during round two of the Premier Division to be staged between Friday and Sunday.
Suzuki Griquas play at home in Kimberley for a second week in a row, this time against the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV, in an exciting match kicking off at 15h00 on Friday. Airlink Pumas host the Fidelity ADT Lions, also on Friday, from 19h00.
In Saturday’s only encounter, the defending champions Toyota Cheetahs welcome DHL Western Province to Bloemfontein, with the Free Staters favoured to register their second win in a row after last weekend’s romp over the NovaVit Griffons. The game is scheduled to start at 13h55.
Sunday’s 14h00 clash between the NovaVit Griffons and Vodacom Bulls at the Down Touch Investments Stadium in Welkom wraps up the weekend’s action.
Suzuki Griquas went down to the Airlink Pumas in last weekend’s opening round clash in Kimberley, and the men from the Diamond City will fancy their chances against a youthful looking Hollywoodbets Sharks XV.
Kimberley is a difficult spot for any visiting team and the Durbanites will also have to cope with the home side’s controlled aggression as the recently crowned SA Cup champions seek to get their first win.
While the Airlink Pumas gained a deserving victory in Kimberley, the Fidelity ADT Lions had to work extremely hard for their one-point triumph in Durban and an exciting game is on the cards between the two attack-minded sides at the Mbombela Stadium.
Judging on last weekend’s results, the Toyota Cheetahs should have too much firepower for a young DHL WP outfit. The men from Bloemfontein swept aside their neighbours from the Northern Free State last weekend and the Capetonians will have to show a lot of improvement from their loss to the Vodacom Bulls, if they want to succeed away from home.
In the last match up of the weekend, the Vodacom Bulls are favoured over home side the NovaVit Griffons in Welkom. Success in this fixture will keep the Pretoria outfit amongst the front runners on the log, while the purple jerseys are seeking their first league points.
Although it’s very early days, it’s no surprise Toyota Cheetahs dominate proceedings on the leading scorers list.
Ethan Wentzel heads the list with 19 points following his seven conversions and a try in the opening round. Fidelity ADT Lions flyhalf Kade Wolhuter is just three points behind on 16, while Airlink Pumas playmaker Clinton Swart is on 14 points.
Three Toyota Cheetahs players, namely Gideon van der Merwe, Daniel Kasende and Jandre Nel, as well as the Suzuki Griquas’ Mnombo Zwelendaba, have scored two tries each.
All the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division action will be broadcast live on Supersport.
Match information:
Suzuki Griquas vs Hollywoodbets Sharks XV
Date: Friday, 12 July
Venue: Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley
Time: 15h00
Referee: Christopher Allison
TV: SS Rugby
Airlink Pumas vs Fidelity ADT Lions
Date: Friday, 12 July
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Time: 19h00
Referee: Sean Muller
TV: SS Rugby
Toyota Cheetahs vs DHL Western Province
Date: Saturday, 13 July
Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Time: 13h55
Referee: Ruhan Meiring
TV: SS Rugby
NovaVit Griffons vs Vodacom Bulls
Date: Sunday, 14 July
Venue: Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom
Time: 14h00
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
TV: SS Rugby
First Division reaches business end
With the semi-finals moving into view and three teams already guaranteed places in the Carling Currie Cup First Division playoffs, there is still a lot to play for for all the teams in the competition.
Log leaders, the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, are the firm favourites over Border Bulldogs when they meet Saturday afternoon from 13h30 in East London, where they can secure a home semi-final.
So far, the Bolanders have won all four their games with bonus points, and the last-placed Bulldogs are in for a tough home encounter against the log leaders at Police Park.
The two remaining matches are both scheduled for a 15h00 kick-off on Saturday. Second-placed Valke host the third-placed Eastern Province at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park, and Leopards (fourth) are set to battle Phangela SWD Eagles (fifth) in Potchefstroom.
The Valke will want to win their match to secure a home semi-final, but the East Randers will know EP can still move past them on the log, making it an important game for both teams.
The clash in Potch is a quarter-final in essence, as the winner of this encounter will join the other three teams in the playoffs.
Duren Hoffman of the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers leads the First Division points and try-scoring charts on 50 points from 10 tries in four games, followed by EP’s Jayden Bantom and the Kavaliers’ Ashlon Davids, who are both on 43. Rodney Damons of EP has scored the second-most tries, with five.
Match information:
Border Bulldogs vs Sanlam Boland Kavaliers
Date: Saturday, 13 July
Venue: Police Park, East London
Time: 13h30
Referee: Paul Mente
Valke vs Eastern Province
Date: Saturday, 13 July
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Time: 15h00
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen
Leopards vs Phangela SWD Eagles
Date: Saturday, 13 July
Venue: Olen Park, Potchefstroom
Time: 15h00
Referee: Jonathan Lottering
Fire Sass
The Australian national rugby union team, known as the Wallabies, is one of the most successful teams in international rugby. They have won the Rugby World Cup twice, in 1991 and 1999, and have consistently been ranked among the top teams in the world.
Intimidating Presence
England’s national rugby team, renowned for their skill and determination, has achieved significant success on the world stage. They won the Rugby World Cup in 2003, a crowning achievement that remains a source of national pride.