Depending on the results on this weekend, either the Bulls or the Lions will finish the Currie Cup at the top of the log. Here, Quan Horn of the Lions takes on the Bulls’ defence last weekend. | BackpagePix
Mike Greenaway
WITH three of the four contenders for the Currie Cup semi-finals already established, all eyes will be on the crucial “quarter-final” encounter between the Pumas and the Cheetahs at 1.30pm tomorrow at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
The winner of that game will join the Bulls, Lions and Sharks in the semi-finals.
Our Match 23 to face the Novavit Griffons tomorrow. #LionsPride🦁 pic.twitter.com/HWeCJyCxph
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) September 5, 2024
The last round of league fixtures kicks off today in Kimberley when the Griquas host Western Province at 3pm. This will be followed by the Lions entertaining the Griffons in Johannesburg at 5.15pm.
The results of today’s games will have no bearing on the final log standings but there is everything to play for tomorrow in Nelspruit.
The Pumas played very good rugby in Stellenbosch last week and were unlucky to lose to WP. Coach Jimmy Stonehouse’s team will believe they can beat a Cheetahs side that has lost its way in recent weeks. In the weekend’s final fixture, the Sharks XV host the Bulls at 3pm on Sunday in Durban.
JD Schickerling brings up his DHL WP 50 in a team that will be led by Dan du Plessis in Kimberley on Friday afternoon.
— WP RUGBY (@WP_RUGBY) September 5, 2024
📢 Team announcement https://t.co/zWovnOE2LV#GRIvWP #wpjoulekkerding #dhldelivers pic.twitter.com/QTJBDmyb39
Today’s match in Kimberley will see one of Griquas and WP move up the log after both failed in their bid to qualify for the knockout phase. Both teams are coming into this meeting with a measure of confidence – the team from the Northern Cape beat the Cheetahs last week, while WP pulled off a morale-boosting victory over the Pumas.
This fixture has proven to be a slippery affair for the Capetonians if you look at the recent history between the sides – Griquas have won the past six meetings.
The last time Province finished on the winning side was in December 2020 at Newlands, so with nothing but pride at stake, it will be interesting to see whether they will be able to break their recent bad run against the men from the Diamond City.
A glance at the previous two results between the high-flying Lions and Griffons suggests the Lions will add a third win to their previous two comfortable victories. Already assured of a home semi-final, the Joburg side will be full of confidence after slaying the Bulls last week to move to the top spot.
Defending champions the Cheetahs travel to the lowveld knowing they must win to secure the last available semi-final slot.
The Free Staters, who beat the team from Mpumalanga in last year’s final in Bloemfontein, have blown hot and cold this season and come into this crunch fixture on the back of three defeats in their past three league outings.
In the last fixture of the final round between the Sharks and the visiting Bulls on Sunday in Durban, the side from KwaZulu-Natal will go into the game with an impressive six-game unbeaten streak.
Pretoria’s Bulls, Carling Currie Cup champions in 2020 and 2021, will no doubt be hurting from last week’s home defeat to the Lions, but they come up against a Durban outfit that have form in their favour. Honours are even between these two in their past eight meetings, with four wins each, while the KZN side prevailed 41-27 in their last meeting in May last year at Loftus.
The four top-placed teams will play in the two semi-finals next week while the winners of those games going through to the final on September 21.
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