Friday , October 12
Sharks vs Griquas 19:10 12.10 Houston
Saturday , October 13
Western Province vs Cheetahs 17:05 local 10.05 Houston
Lions vs Blue Bulls 19:10 local 12.05 Houston
Currie Cup preview: Sharks v Griquas
The Currie Cup's final round of league matches takes place this weekend with only two teams assured of a play-off berth.
The South African Rugby Union has to be commended for their
decision to decrease the number of teams in the Premier Division from
eight to six as it has certainly made the standard of play better.
There were much less one-sided encounters this year - something which was becoming a frequent occurrence when the tournament's stronger unions played against their less-fancied counterparts in previous seasons.
The return of the Springboks from Rugby Championship duty to their various unions is another factor which will raise the standard of play during this last round of fixtures.
The weekend's action kicks off on Friday when the table-topping Sharks host this season's surprise package, fourth-placed Griquas, at Kings Park in Durban.
Saturday sees Western Province hosting the Free State Cheetahs at Newlands in Cape Town and on the same day the Blue Bulls face their neighbours, the Lions, at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg.
Standings:
1. Sharks 30
2. Golden Lions 28
3. Western Province 20
4. Griquas 20
5. Free State Cheetahs 18
6. Blue Bulls 18
Sharks v Griquas
Kings Park Stadium, Durban
The Sharks will be grateful for the favour that Griquas did for them by beating the Golden Lions in Kimberley last week.
Griquas' 37-21 triumph over the champions meant that the Sharks moved to the top of the standings after their 37-30 victory over the Cheetahs and secures them a home final if they should win their semi-final which will also be in Durban.
John Plumtree's charges will, however, be out for revenge as they suffered a similar fate to the Lions when they lost the 22-15 to the tournament's underdogs in the corresponding fixture in Kimberley last month.
The hosts will thus be going all out to turn the tables on Pote Human's side and ensuring an easier path to a potential home final.
"We've put ourselves in a nice position, but we know how tough Griquas are," Plumtree said.
"They've knocked off almost everyone this year, so it's going to be a tough match.
"We've got a lot of respect for them. In the past we haven't had too much trouble with them, especially here in Durban, but we think this side's got a little bit more to them."
All eyes will be on Sharks pivot Patrick Lambie who after spending the Springboks' entire Rugby Championship campaign on the replacements bench finally makes a start in a competitive match.
Human's troops also have plenty at stake in this clash and a victory will secure them a place in the semi-finals.
Griquas enjoy running from all areas of the field and have two of the competition's most devastating counter-attackers in full-back Willie le Roux and left wing Rocco Jansen.
Prediction: Although the Sharks are not starting with all their returning Boks Plumtree's trump card could be his replacements bench which contains several experienced campaigners. If things don't go according to plan he will surely introduce them to the fray and this will prove the difference between the sides. Sharks to win by 12 points.
The teams:
Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (c), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Jandre Marais, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Peet Marais, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Lwazi Mvovo.
Griquas: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Ligtoring Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes (c), 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Matt Dobson, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Edwin Hewitt, 19 Wesley Wilkins, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Richard Lawson.
Kick-off:19:10 (18:10 BST, 17:10 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper
pete agrees. It should be illegal to bring in all the international players in the final round and then finals. Griquas just do not have the stars. Sharks by 18 after clearing the bench.
Sharks actually won 42-3 thanks to Boks return.
Western Province vs Cheetahs.
I have WP by 12
Final result 36-15 to WP and really Cheetahs easily beaten.
G Lions v Blue Bulls
This clash between two of the traditional
heavyweights of the South African game has plenty at stake,
particularly for the Blue Bulls.
The spectre of possible relegation hangs over the Bulls, Western
Province, Griquas and Free State Cheetahs but the nature of the
tournament has been so that they are all still in the running for the
two remaining semi-final places.
In contrast, the table-topping Sharks and Golden Lions are guaranteed of hosting home semi-finals in Durban and Johannesburg next weekend, but who their opponents will be is impossible to predict - as is the identity of the wooden-spoonists, who will have to fight for their Premier Division lives against the Eastern Province Kings in a promotion-relegation battle.
Lions caretaker coach Johan Ackermann knows matches against the Bulls are always physical and tense affairs and expects his side to be at their best win this clash.
With the Johannesburg-based side already assured of their place in the semi-finals, Ackermann has rested some of his first-choice players but he is adamant that his side will still be competitive.
"Regardless of what side we selected it would be a tough game because they (the Bulls) will be a full-strength side," he said.
"We are going out to win the game and there is no doubt in my mind that the players will feel the same.
"If the Bulls are good enough to beat us with the team they bring, then they deserve a place in the semis."
The Bulls are determined to win this clash after missing out on last year's semi-finals for the first time in a decade and there will be extra motivation after they lost 32-23 to the Lions at Loftus Versfeld in the corresponding match earlier this year.
Although they will be boosted by the return of several Springboks, the performance of fly-half Morne Steyn will be closely scrutinised.
Dropped for the final two Rugby Championship matches, he will be keen to prove to Bok coach Heyneke Meyer that he is not a spent force in the international arena.
Steyn's battle with Lions pivot Butch James will be one of the most important match-ups in this encounter.
Prediction: With the Lions not fielding their strongest XV and the Bulls' Boks back, there can be only one winner. Bulls to win by eight points which secures them the final play-off position.
The teams:
Golden Lions: 15 Ruan Combrinck, 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Deon van Rensburg, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Butch James (c), 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 CJ van der Linde.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Paul Willemse, 19 Warren Whiteley, 20 Whestley Moolman, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Lionel Mapoe.
Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Mornè Steyn, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Dewald Potgieter (c), 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Juandrè Kruger, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Mornè Mellett.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Louis Fouchè, 22 Dean Greyling.
Kick-off:19:10 local (18:10 BST, 17:10 GMT)
Bulls ahev so many Boks back that this will be one sided. bulls by 24
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