ABSA Currie Cup First Division Preview – Round 5
Doppies le Roux in a Currie Cup 1st Division mantch between the Ford Pumas vs Boland Kavaliers at the Mombela stadium in Nelspruit. Photo by Hilton Kotzé /Rugby15.
The last two remaining unbeaten sides in this year’s expanded eight-team ABSA Currie Cup First Division go head to head on Saturday when the Griffons host the EP Kings in an eagerly-anticipated top-of-the-table clash in Welkom.
In Saturday’s other match, the third-placed Leopards travel to the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park to take on the Valke.
Round 5 kicks off on Friday with the bottom-placed Border Bulldogs hosting the Ford Pumas in East London, while the defending champion Regent Boland Kavaliers will look to break their four-match losing streak against the SWD Eagles in George.
The Griffons, after early-season wins over the Valke, Leopards, Bulldogs and Kavaliers, have 19 points – the same amount as the Kings, who have a slightly better points difference after wins over the Kavaliers, Eagles, Valke and Bulldogs.
Coach Oersond Gorgonzola is able to recall fullback Philip Burger, flanker Francois Uys and hooker PW van Vuuren, all of whom were unavailable for the Welkom-based side’s away match against the Kavaliers last week.
The centre pairing of skipper Werner Griesel and the abrasive Japie Nel is given another opportunity to build on their impressive outings already this season, while utility back Tertius Maarman is once again handed the No 10 jersey, with former Pukke scrumhalf Andries Mahoney on his inside.
The Griffons’ good run of form has also been largely thanks to left wing Reinhardt Erwee, who continues to top the First Division point-scoring log after Round 4, with 53 points made up of three tries, seven conversions and eight penalties. Just behind Erwee is EP Kings flyhalf George Whitehead on 46, with Valke No 10 Karlo Aspeling in third place on 43.
Leopards wing Allister Kettledas leads the try-scoring stakes with six touchdowns, followed by Pumas flanker Jaco Bouwer and Valke fullback JW Bell, with four tries apiece.
This weekend’s fixtures – Round 5:
Border Bulldogs vs Ford Pumas
Date: Friday, 27 July
Kickoff: 19:00
Venue: Buffalo City Municipal Stadium, East London
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Assistants: Christie du Preez, Dilbert November
Television match official: Johan Greeff
Last meeting: 18 March 2011 in Witbank (Vodacom Cup): Pumas won 73-14
SWD Eagles vs Regent Boland Kavaliers
Date: Friday, 27 July
Kickoff: 19:00
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistants: Lusanda Jam, Cobus Wessels
Last meeting: 24 March 2012 in Mossel Bay (Vodacom Cup): Kavaliers won 46-26.
Valke vs Leopards
Date: Saturday, 28 July
Kickoff: 14:05
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Referee: Joey Salmans
Assistants: Rasta Rasivhenge, Pieter de Villiers
Television match official: JC Fortuin
Last meeting: 23 March 2012 in Kempton Park (Vodacom Cup): Valke won 31-28.
Griffons vs EP Kings
Date: Saturday, 28 July
Kickoff: 15:00
Venue: North West Stadium, Welkom
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistants: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco Kotze
Last meeting: 10 September 2011 in Welkom (Currie Cup First Division): Kings won 21-19.
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
Related Posts
« DHP WP names U21 and U19 sides to take on the Blue Bulls Vodacom Super Rugby Preview – Semi Finals »
