Absa Currie Cup Preview – Week 5
A replay of last year’s Absa Currie Cup final between The Sharks and DHL Western Province in Cape Town, as well as a battle to avoid last place on the
log between the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the Ford Pumas in Nelspruit feature this weekend.
Both DHL Western Province and The Sharks come off defeats last week and would like to make amends at DHL Newlands on Friday evening, while the Vodacom Blue Bulls find themselves in the unfamiliar position at the bottom of the log as they head to the Mbombela Stadium to face the Ford Pumas.
The other games in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division are between the table-topping MTN Golden Lions and the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Johannesburg on Saturday evening, and between GWK Griquas and the Platinum Leopards in Kimberley on Friday.
In the Absa Currie Cup First Division, the two teams at the top of the log, EP Kings and Regent Boland Cavaliers, will fight it out for supremacy in Port Elizabeth.
Ford Pumas vs Vodacom Blue Bulls
The Vodacom Blue Bulls, currently in last place on the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division log, return to the scene of last season’s biggest upset when they travel to Nelspruit to take on the Ford Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium on Friday afternoon.
The Absa Currie Cup champions from 2009 are under huge pressure after they’ve won only one game out of their first four this season. Last weekend the log-topping MTN Golden Lions won at Loftus Versfeld, the Vodacom Bulls’ first home defeat since they lost to the Toyota FS Cheetahs in the third round last year.
But the Ford Pumas, who shocked the Blue Bulls in the very first Absa Currie Cup match at the Mbombela Stadium last year (22-21), are also under huge pressure. They are the only side yet to have won a game this season and only top the Blue Bulls on the log thanks to a better points’ difference.
“We’re under huge pressure, but there are still 10 games left to turn things around. But we have to start this weekend and the Pumas are the first team in our way en route to that goal,” said Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar.
“We also have not forgotten what happened in Nelspruit last year, but for now it’s more important for us to try and improve our position on the log. We can’t give the Pumas time and space, and they can also fight back, like they showed against Griquas, so it won’t be easy. But a team like this one can’t be last on the log.”
Ford Pumas vs Vodacom Blue Bulls
Date: Friday, 12 August
Kick-off: 17:05
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
· 9 July: Vodacom Blue Bulls won 38-15 in Pretoria
· 27 August: Ford Pumas won 22-21 in Nelspruit
GWK Griquas vs Platinum Leopards
The Platinum Leopards will be hoping to take the momentum from their victory last weekend with them to Kimberley when they take on GWK Griquas at GWK Park on Friday evening.
But the home team will line up with huge confidence after their superb victory over the defending Absa Currie Cup champions, The Sharks, in the Northern Cape last weekend. GWK Griquas delivered their best performance of the season as they beat the KwaZulu-Natalians by 43-22 and based on that performance, have to be the favourites this weekend.
Leon Boshoff, coach of the Platinum Leopards, said: “It was great getting that win and not having to go back to the drawing board on a Monday. This week we could build on the things we’ve been working on that came right against the Pumas, and it was wonderful to see how a victory brought out a new attitude in the players.
“But it won’t be easy in Kimberley. Griquas are a very good side and Abré Minnie is going a great job with them. It will be a hard game and entertaining but one we’re looking forward to. It’s crucial for both teams, with the midway mark looming and we’d like to improve our standing on the log, even though we can’t catch them.”
GWK Griquas vs Platinum Leopards
Date: Friday, 12 August
Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: GWK Park, Kimberley
Referee: Joey Salmans
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
· 30 July: GWK Griquas won 41-27 in Potchefstroom
· 17 September: GWK Griquas won 29-20 in Kimberley
DHL Western Province vs The Sharks
It’s a replay of last year’s Absa Currie Cup final when DHL Western Province host The Sharks at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Friday evening.
Both teams lost their games in Central South Africa last weekend, DHL Western Province falling to the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, and GWK Griquas getting the better of The Sharks in Kimberley.
Last year DHL WP won the corresponding fixture in Cape Town, but ultimately lost in the final to The Sharks a few weeks later.
“After beating them well in the Absa Currie Cup final, they gave us a hiding in the Vodacom Super Rugby match in Cape Town earlier this year, so it’s a bit of cat and mouse between us,” said Sharks assistant coach Grant Bashford.
“Both teams play with the right intent, we just need to go down then and get the ship back on the right course. We’ve both come off away losses and both want to get back on track. It’s a home game for them and they’ll be desperate as they won’t want to lose at home.”
DHL Western Province vs The Sharks
Date: Friday, 12 August
Kick-off: 19:10
Venue: DHL Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
· 21 August: The Sharks won 27-16 in Durban
· 9 October: DHL WP won 33-21 in Cape Town
· 30 October: The Sharks won 30-10 in Durban (Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Final)
MTN Golden Lions vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs
The only unbeaten team left in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division, the MTN Golden Lions, host the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday evening in a replay of the 2007-final.
After four rounds in 2011, the Golden Lions top the log. They were impressive in their victory over the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Pretoria last weekend and will want to build on that against the Toyota FS Cheetahs, who won the last of their four Absa Currie Cup titles (one shared) four years ago.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske is under no illusions about the importance of Saturday’s game for both sides.
“I would say the Golden Lions are the form team in Absa Currie Cup at the moment. They are playing superb rugby and it will be very difficult for us in Johannesburg,” said Drotske.
“We were under pressure after the two away-defeats to the Blue Bulls and the Sharks, but made up for it against WP last weekend. We do realise we probably let a good victory slip against the Bulls and would like to make up for that one.
“We’ve taken a lot of confidence from the victory over WP and after the tight defeat to the Blue Bulls, it’s what the players needed.
“Losing Andries Strauss and Hennie Daniller to injuries this week has been a setback, but luckily Corné Uys is an experienced replacement at inside centre, Robert Ebersohn is back at outside centre and Riaan Smit has gained a lot of valuable experience in Vodacom Super Rugby. I have a lot of confidence in these players.”
MTN Golden Lions vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Date: Saturday, 13 August
Kick-off: 19:10
Venue: Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
· 14 August: MTN Golden Lions won 30-26 in Johannesburg
· 2 October: Toyota FS Cheetahs won 43-37 in Bloemfontein
Absa Currie Cup First Division
A mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash in Port Elizabeth is the big one in the Absa Currie Cup First Division on Friday.
The EP Kings top the log in the First Division, but they have played on game more than their opponents this weekend, the Regent Boland Cavaliers. These two teams have opened up a bit of a lead in the standings ahead of the other four teams.
Last year, the EP Kings beat the Boland Cavaliers in all three their matches, including a nail biter in the semi-finals and tomorrow’s clash should be another tightly contested affair.
In the other games, both also on Friday, the Border Bulldogs and Tasol Solar Griffons will fight it out to avoid the last place on the log in East London, while the SWD Eagles host the Valke in a mid-table clash in George.
EP Kings vs Regent Boland Cavaliers
Date: Friday, 12 August
Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Quinton Immelman
Last year in Absa Currie Cup First Division:
· 31 July: EP Kings won 33-22 in Wellington
· 10 September: EP Kings won 23-16 in PE
· 8 October: EP Kings won 26-25 in PE (semi-final)
Border Bulldogs vs Tasol Solar Griffons
Date: Friday, 12 August
Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Buffalo City Stadium, East London
Referee: Tiaan Jonker
Last year in Absa Currie Cup First Division:
· 6 August: Border Bulldogs won 22-20 in East London
· 18 September: Tasol Solar Griffons won 48-33 in Welkom
SWD Eagles vs Valke
Date: Friday, 12 August
Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Pro Legoete
Last year in Absa Currie Cup First Division:
· 14 August: SWD Eagles won 55-47 in Kempton Park
· 24 September: SWD Eagles won 57-35 in George
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