ABSA Currie Cup First Division Preview – Round 3
The table-topping Griffons will be looking to make it three wins from three in this year’s Absa Currie Cup First Division when they host the winless Border Bulldogs at the North West Stadium in Welkom on Friday (15:00, live on SuperSport 1).
In Friday’s other matches, defending First Division champions the Regent Boland Kavaliers will want to pick up their first win of 2012 when they host the Leopards at the Wesbank Rugby Club grounds in Malmesbury, while the Ford Pumas, victors over the Kavaliers in Nelspruit last week, travel to Outeniqua Park in George to take on the SWD Eagles.
There is only one Saturday match in Round 3, where the Valke, following their convincing away win over the Bulldogs last week, are at home to the only other unbeaten team in the First Division, the EP Kings, at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park.
The Kavaliers’ director of coaching, Eugene Eloff, believes his champion team will bounce back from their two defeats to the EP Kings and Ford Pumas, even though they are missing eight of the players who contested last year’s final and have been hit hard by injuries to key forwards.
“No teams wants to kick off the season with two losses, but the experience which our new players have picked up over the past fortnight can’t be bought,” said Eloff. “This experience is going to prove vital as the competition goes on. We could have beaten the Kings but against the Pumas the occasion perhaps got to the guys a bit.
“If you think about it, the Pumas were giving Western Province, the Blue Bulls and the Sharks a hard time last year. The Leopards also played Premier Division rugby last year, but the Kavaliers aren’t First Division champions for nothing.”
EP Kings flyhalf George Whitehead tops the First Division point-scoring log after Round 2, with 33 points made up of 2 tries, 4 conversions and 5 penalties. Just behind Whitehead is Griffons wing Reinhardt Erwee on 26, and Eagles No 10 Kurt Coleman on 21.
Ford Pumas flanker Jaco Bouwer leads the try-scoring stakes with four touchdowns, followed by Leopards wing Danie Dames and Griffons flyhalf Tertius Maarman, with two tries apiece.
This weekend’s fixtures – Round 3:
Griffons vs Border Bulldogs
Date: Friday, 13 July
Kickoff: 15:00 (TV)
Venue: North West Stadium, Welkom
Referee: Joey Salmans
Assistants: Quinton Immelman, Pieter Janse van Vuuren
TMO: Deon van Blommenstein
Last meeting: 24 Sep 2011 in Welkom (Absa Currie Cup First Division): Bulldogs won 25-21.
Regent Boland Kavaliers vs Leopards
Date: Friday, 13 July
Kickoff: 16:00
Venue: Wesbank Sports Ground, Malmesbury
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistants: Jason Jaftha, Marc van Zyl
Last meeting: 1 Apr 2011 in Potchefstroom (Vodacom Cup): Kavaliers won 43-14.
SWD Eagles vs Ford Pumas
Date: Friday, 13 July
Kickoff: 19:00
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Assistants: Matt Kemp, Cobus Wessels
Last meeting: 25 Feb 2011 in George (Vodacom Cup): Pumas won 35-26.
Valke vs EP Kings
Date: Saturday, 14 July
Kickoff: 15:00
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistants: Rasta Rasivhenge, Sieg van Staden
Last meeting: 7 Oct 2011 in Port Elizabeth (Absa Currie Cup First Division): Kings won 48-17.
Round 2 results:
EP Kings 38-15 SWD Eagles
Border Bulldogs 11-33 Valke
Ford Pumas 33-10 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Griffons 41-20 Leopards
Round 1 results:
Regent Boland Kavaliers 20-25 EP Kings
SWD Griffons 46-8 Border Bulldogs
Leopards 32-23 Ford Pumas
Valke 27-37 Griffons
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