ABSA Currie Cup First Division Preview – Round 14

Sep 27 • General News, South Africa • 1658 Views • Comments Off on ABSA Currie Cup First Division Preview – Round 14

Three teams, separated by just five log points, will be playing for two semi-final spots on Friday when the Absa Currie Cup First Division round-robin reaches its climax with four intriguing final-round matches.

The unbeaten EP Kings, on 58 points, and the second-placed Ford Pumas, on 49, are guaranteed of hosting home semi-finals in this year’s expanded eight-team competition.

At the other end of the table, outgoing champions the Regent Boland Kavaliers, on 25, the Valke, 23, and the winless Border Bulldogs, 10, have no chance of reaching the last four and are playing for pride only.

This leaves the Leopards, Griffons and SWD Eagles, all of whom must win on Friday to give themselves a chance of making it to the play-offs.

The third-placed Leopards and fourth-placed Griffons both have 43 points, with the Leopards’ positive points difference of 65 far healthier than the Griffons’ negative points difference of -25. Five points adrift in fifth place are the SWD Eagles, with a points difference of -6, but the George side do have the twin advantages of playing at home against an also-ran side.

The Eagles will back themselves to pick up a full haul of five points when they host the inconsistent Valke in George at 17:05, which in turn would put the pressure on the Griffons to upset the Ford Pumas in Nelspruit in a match which kicks off at the same time.

The Leopards, too, have a mountain to climb when they host the Kings in the final match of the day, which kicks off at 19:00.

And in Friday’s first match, the Kavaliers will want to finish their season on a high when they host the Border Bulldogs, who have already claimed the wooden spoon and who will want to avoid ending their year without a single win.

Pumas flyhalf JC Roos remains top of the First Division point-scoring log after Round 13, with 147 points made up of two tries, 34 conversions and 23 penalties. Behind Roos in second place on 144 is Leopards flyhalf André Pretorius, with EP Kings No 10 George Whitehead third on 121.

Leopards wing Allister Kettledas remains top of the try-scoring table, with 13 touchdowns. Behind him in second place is EP Kings eighthman Luke Watson with 12, while Ford Pumas centre JW Jonker has 10.

This weekend’s fixtures – Round 14 (final round):

 

Regent Boland Kavaliers vs Border Bulldogs

Date: Friday, 28 September

Kickoff: 16:00

Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington

Referee: Quinton Immelman

Assistants: Pieter Janse van Vuuren, Marc van Zyl

Last meeting: 11 August in East London (First round): Kavaliers won 39-32

Ford Pumas vs Griffons

Date: Friday, 28 September

Kickoff: 17:00

Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Referee: Sindile Mayende

Assistants: Francois Pretorius, Pieter de Villiers

Last meeting: 11 August in Welkom (First round): Pumas won 67-34

SWD Eagles vs Valke

Date: Friday, 28 September

Kickoff: 17:05

Venue: Outeniqua Park, George

Referee: Stuart Berry

Assistants: Joey Salmans, Cobus Wessels

Television Match Official: Deon van Blommenstein

Last meeting: 11 August in Kempton Park (First round): Eagles won 47-22

Leopards vs EP Kings

Date: Friday, 28 September

Kickoff: 19:00

Venue: Profert Olën Park, Potchefstroom

Referee: Tiaan Jonker

Assistants: Lourens van der Merwe, Local Referee

Last meeting: 10 August in Port Elizabeth (First round): Kings won 20-12

Round 13 results:

 

Border Bulldogs 40-43 Leopards

EP Kings 26-26 Ford Pumas

Griffons 50-49 SWD Eagles

Valke 52-52 Regent Boland Kavaliers (world record for a draw in first-class rugby)

 

Round 12 results:

 

Regent Boland Kavaliers 38-42 SWD Eagles

Ford Pumas 41-10 Border Bulldogs

Leopards 57-22 Valke

EP Kings 60-19 Griffons

 

Round 11 results:

 

Border Bulldogs 19-35 Eastern Province Kings

SWD Eagles 64-34 Leopards

Valke 22-29 Ford Pumas

Griffons 54-37 Regent Boland Kavaliers

 

Round 10 results:

 

Border Bulldogs 33-53 Griffons

EP Kings 45-24 Valke

Leopards 39-34 Regent Boland Kavaliers

Ford Pumas 70-27 SWD Eagles

 

Round 9 results:

 

Regent Boland Kavaliers 33-36 Ford Pumas

SWD Eagles 7-29 EP Kings

Valke 38-36 Border Bulldogs

Leopards 32-38 Griffons

 

 

Round 8 results:

 

Ford Pumas 38-27 Leopards

EP Kings 57-19 Regent Boland Kavaliers

Border Bulldogs 27-33 SWD Eagles

Griffons 36-39 Valke

Round 7 results:

 

Griffons 34-67 Ford Pumas

Border Bulldogs 32-39 Regent Boland Kavaliers

Valke 22-47 SWD Eagles

EP Kings 20-12 Leopards

 

 

Round 6 results:

Leopards 53-28 Border Bulldogs

Regent Boland Kavaliers 79-26 Valke

SWD Eagles 20-13 Griffons

Ford Pumas 30-30 EP Kings

 

Round 5 results:

 

Griffons 10-34 EP Kings

 

Valke 22-51 Leopards

 

SWD Eagles 21-21 Regent Boland Kavaliers

 

Border Bulldogs 18-51 Ford Pumas

 

 

Round 4 results:

 

EP Kings 56-5 Border Bulldogs

 

Regent Boland Kavaliers 20-23 Griffons

 

Leopards 68-35 SWD Eagles

 

Ford Pumas 36-35 Valke

 

 

Round 3 results:

 

Valke 20-37 EP Kings

SWD Eagles 22-16 Ford Pumas

Griffons 29-24 Border Bulldogs

Regent Boland Kavaliers 21-23 Leopards

 

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 Eagles 46-8 Border Bulldogs

Leopards 32-23 Ford Pumas

Valke 27-37 Griffons

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