Absa Currie Cup Premier Division kicks off
South Africa’s top domestic rugby competition, ABSA Currie Cup, kicks off on Friday evening August 8 in Port Elizabeth, when newcomers EP Kings plays against DHL Western Province at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Did you know that the Western Province team that won the first SA inter-provincial title had three naval officers – all of whom, by incredible coincidence, rose to the rank of admiral?
South Africa’s top domestic rugby competition, the ABSA Currie Cup, kicks off on Friday evening August 8 in Port Elizabeth, when newcomers EP Kings play against DHL Western Province at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The Premier Division encounter starts at 19:00. The semis are scheduled for Saturday October 18, and will be followed a week later by the season finale, the ABSA Currie Cup final.
In a boost for the Eastern Cape region, the Kings return to the Premier Division after a 12-year absence, and they can brace themselves for a tough match against Western Province, last season’s log winners, who lost at home in Cape Town to the Cell C Sharks in the final.
The Kings have traditionally enjoyed good support from the Eastern Cape rugby fans at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, and a passionate crowd is expected on Friday to witness their comeback to the top flight. Luke Watson will captain the Kings from the number eight position.
Centre Juan de Jongh leads a much-changed WP outfit, which will include fit again Springboks Eben Etzebeth (lock) and Frans Malherbe (prop). The latter two were released from Springbok duty in order to get some much-needed game time, after returning from lengthy injury lay-offs.
The remaining three matches are scheduled for Saturday. In the early afternoon game GWK Griquas play host to champions The Sharks. The Kimberley outfit will be hoping to repeat their heroics of last season, when they defeated the Sharks at home in Durban. The kick-off is at 14:45.
Griquas regained entry to the top-flight, after just managing to hold off the Leopards in a thrilling qualifying competition, and coach Hawies Fourie and his team will be relishing the prospects of facing the defending champions in their first match.
The Xerox Golden Lions and Vodacom Blue Bulls meet at Ellis Park in the second match of the day at 17:00.
Under coach Johan Ackermann the Lions have developed into a formidable unit when playing at Ellis Park, and this clash has all the ingredients to produce a typical South African derby. Captain and No 8 Warren Whiteley is enjoying a good season so far, leading a youthful Lions franchise team in Vodacom Super Rugby and winning a gold medal with the Springbok Sevens team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The Bulls are rebuilding after a disappointing campaign last season, when they lost a host of established stars. However, with Frans Ludeke back in the coaching seat after taking over the reigns from Pine Pienaar, the Pretoria team has some of the country’s most outstanding young talent from which to choose. Ludeke has handed the skipper duties to flanker Deon Stegmann.
In the remaining fixture on Saturday the Steval Pumas are home in Nelspruit against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs. Under coach Jimmy Stonehouse the Pumas went 14 games unbeaten to win the First Division title in impressive fashion last year, a feat which saw him scoop the ABSA Coach of the Year prize at the annual SARU Player of the Year awards.
Corné Steenkamp will play in a landmark 150th first class match, when he leads the Pumas onto the field in Nelspruit. As for the Cheetahs, they are expected to be challenging again for a top four spot, despite losing many stalwarts to other provinces or overseas clubs. They have in coach Rory Duncan and captain Torsten van Jaarsveld two new men at the helm.
