The Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #10
The Carling Currie Cup returns with a bang on Wednesday, with a double-header of Premier Division action scheduled as the halfway mark of the competition comes into view, while the match scheduled for Durban has been cancelled.
The table-topping New Nation Pumas are not in action on Wednesday and will keenly follow the matches in Johannesburg and Bloemfontein to see how the results will influence the standings.
The Carling Currie Cup Premier Division match between the Cell C Sharks and the Vodacom Bulls scheduled for Durban has been called off due to the security concerns in KwaZulu-Natal. A decision on the result and log points will be made at a later stage.
Meanwhile, the action in the First Division was red hot over the weekend as the seven sides start jostling for positions with the semi-finals looming. On average, there were more than 10 tries per game, with the top four sides looking comfortable in the race to the playoffs, but the others can still cause an upset or two.
Premier Division
The Sigma Lions will be keen to move up on the log when they host Tafel Lager Griquas on Wednesday, but the men from Johannesburg will not underestimate their visitors, who showed recently against the Toyota Cheetahs and DHL WP what they are capable of.
The last time the Sigma Lions and Tafel Lager Griquas met, lightning over Kimberley brought an early end to the clash and the visitors were awarded the win (20-17) after the weather conditions forced players off the field.
It happened in the opening round of the 2020 season and Tafel Lager Griquas led by 17-13 at the break, but early in the second half they conceded a penalty try at a scrum, which was enough to secure the win for the Sigma Lions.
There was similar drama in Bloemfontein when DHL WP travelled north in the 2020 season and managed to sneak a victory over the Toyota Cheetahs thanks to a Tim Swiel penalty goal on the stroke of full-time to steer the Capetonians to a 31-29 win in round six.
Swiel’s seventh penalty goal came a few minutes after the home team launched a stunning comeback with two quick late tries, by Wilmar Arnoldi (hooker) and Rosko Specman (wing), to draw level late in the game.
Match information:
Sigma Lions v Tafel Lager Griquas
Date: Wednesday, 21 July
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 14h30
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant Referees: Local appointments
Television Match Official: Egon Seconds
TV: SuperSport
Toyota Cheetahs v DHL Western Province
Date: Wednesday, 21 July
Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 16h45
Referee: Morné Ferreira
Assistant Referees: Local appointments
Television Match Official: Marius van der Westhuizen
TV: SuperSport
First Division
It was a weekend of big scores and many tries – 32 to be precise – in the Carling Currie Cup First Division, where six of the seven teams are still in with a shout of reaching the playoffs.
The Down Touch Griffons still top the standings, despite losing their first match of the season away to the Leopards, with these two sides being chased hard at the top of the log by the Boland Kavaliers, who won a one-point thriller in Brakpan to the Valke.
The Leopards had a strong first half and led 24-7 at the break, but the Griffons fought back in the second half although the home side managed to hold on for the win.
The Northern Free Staters’ try-scoring bonus-point was enough to secure them a spot in the semi-finals though and they still top the log on 20 points.
The Valke outscored Boland by six tries to five, with Anrich Richter contributing 18 points, but it was not enough as the Kavaliers snuck through by one point. Garrick Mattheus converted all five their tries and added three penalty goals for a personal haul of 19 points.
And down in George, the SWD Eagles got their first win of the season in style when they beat the Border Bulldogs at Outeniqua Park, with the home team scoring eight tries to the visitors’ four.
With two rounds left, the Griffons are on 20 points, followed by the Leopards (16), Boland (15), Valke (12), SWD, Border and Eastern Province (all on six). The Griffons and Eagles have played one game more, though.
Scorers:
Valke 43 (28) Boland Kavaliers 44 (23)
Valke – Tries: Jacques Alberts, Denzel Hill, Anrich Richter, Valentino Wellman, Godfrey Ramaboea (2). Conversions: Richter (5). Penalty goal: Richter.
Boland Kavaliers – Tries: Deon Carstens, John Lourens, Dylan Maart, Wilneth Engelbrecht, Andre Manuel. Conversions: Garrick Mattheus (5). Penalty goals: Mattheus (3).
SWD Eagles 50 (24) Border Bulldogs 29 (3)
SWD Eagles – Tries: Nkosikhona Masuku, Ruan van Rensburg, Marquit September (2), Lazner Nxele, Kirsten Heyns (2), Heinrich Leukes. Conversions: JP Duvenhage (4), September.
Border Bulldogs – Tries: Ayabonga Nomboyo, Sonwabiso Mqalo, Sipho Nofemele (2). Conversions: Litha Nkula (3). Penalty goal: Nkula.
Leopards 36 (24) Down Touch Griffons 26 (7)
Leopards – Tries: Robey Leibrandt, Sampie Swiegers, Eugene Hare, Andries Fourie, Penalty try. Conversions: Danrich Visagie (3). Penalty goal: Visagie.
Down Touch Griffons – Tries: Duan Pretorius, Christo Bezuidenhout, Thato Mavundla, Penalty try. Conversions: Jaywinn Juries, Aphiwe Stemele.
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