Last throw of the dice for Currie Cup teams
Last throw of the dice for the currie Cup teams start today.
Absa Currie Cup teams will have one last chance to fight for the remaining home semi-final and semi-final berth in the competition this weekend as the round-robin stages reaches a conclusion.
The Xerox Golden Lions and Cell C Sharks will battle it out for the second home semi-final, while the Vodacom Blue Bulls, Toyota Free State Cheetahs and Steval Pumas will go head-to-head for the last semi-final berth.
Xerox Golden Lions have a slim advantage over Cell C Sharks to finish in the top two on the log as they have a two-point cushion over the Durban side, but if they suffer a defeat and Cell C Sharks win their match they will be displaced on the log.
Vodacom Blue Bulls, meanwhile, boast a two-point lead over Toyota Free State Cheetahs and a four-point lead over Steval Pumas in the race for the last semi-final berth. But fortunately for the Pretoria side, they will know exactly what they need to do secure their spot in the top four by the time they take to the field as they play the last match of the weekend.
EP Kings will meet Steval Pumas in Port Elizabeth in the only match on Friday October 10 and on Saturday Xerox Golden Lions take on Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Johannesburg, DHL Western Province host Cell C Sharks in Cape Town and Vodacom Blue Bulls go up against GWK Griquas in Pretoria.
In Port Elizabeth EP Kings will be desperate to register their first victory of the season, but they will face a determined Steval Pumas side hunting a bonus-point victory to keep them in the race for a possible semi-final berth. The sides have been closely matched on attack this season, with the home team having scored one more try than the Nelspruit outfit, however, EP Kings will have to defend like demons to keep alive hopes of a victory. EP Kings have only beaten the Nelspruit side twice in Port Elizabeth since 2007, with their last victory being in the 2012 Absa Currie Cup First Division final.
Xerox Golden Lions will enter their match against Toyota Free State Cheetahs with the knowledge that they need a victory to shut out Cell C Sharks for a home semi-final, while the visitors will be wary of the fact that a defeat will dash their semi-final hopes. This should set the scene for a thrilling match-up. Xerox Golden Lions have been better than their Bloemfontein counterparts on attack and defence this season, and the fact that they have won all their home matches this season will give them a psychological edge. But their Bloemfontein counterparts won two of their four away games and came close to toppling Cell C Sharks in Durban, which will inspire them at Ellis Park. Xerox Golden Lions lost their last home match against Toyota Free State Cheetahs, but they won the four previous games at Ellis Park, which they will draw confidence from.
In Cape Town, log-leaders DHL Western Province have already secured a home semi-final and the top spot on the log, but they will face a determined Cell C Sharks outfit. Interestingly, the Durban side will know whether they could qualify for a home semi-final by the time they take to the field as Xerox Golden Lions, who have an inside lane for the position, take to the field before them. Regardless of that, both teams will be looking to continue their winning momentum in the lead-up to the semi-finals after winning their last three matches. This match will mark a repeat of last year’s final, which the Durban side won, and with Cell C Sharks having won three of their last four matches against their opponents in Cape Town, they will enter the match with confidence.
In Pretoria Vodacom Blue Bulls are expected to be tested against GWK Griquas who will look to build on their victory against EP Kings and finish their season on a high. The hosts, meanwhile, will have their sights set on cementing a semi-final berth and building on the winning momentum gained in their last two matches. The Pretoria side have won their last 10 matches against the Kimberley side at their fortress Loftus Versfeld, which will boost their confidence going into the clash.
Team news
EP Kings coach Carlos Spencer has made a few changes to his team, two of which were injury enforced as props CJ Van der Linde and Charles Marais were ruled out. This resulted in BG Uys and Simon Kerrod being handed starts, along with lock Darron Nell and fullback Scott van Breda. His Steval Pumas counterpart Jimmy Stonehouse made only two changes to his starting team with flank Brian Shabangu and No8 RW Kember replacing the injured Jaco Bouwer and Renaldo Bothma respectively.
Xerox Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann made three changes to his starting XV with flank Derick Minnie starting in a strong loose trio with Springbok Warren Whiteley, while Howard Mnisi will feature in the midfield. Toyota Free State Cheetahs coach Rory Duncan recalled Springboks, lock Lood de Jager, flank Teboho Mohoje and prop Trevor Nyakane following their return from national duty. Bok prop Coenie Oosthuizen, meanwhile, has been withdrawn from the competition as he is a contracted Springbok. The changes in backline saw the inclusion of centre JP du Plessis and wing AJ Coertzen.
In Cape Town DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee made wholesale changes to his team with prop Oli Kebble, lock Jurie van Vuuren and wings Devon Williams and EW Viljoen earning their first starts for the union. Kurt Coleman will start at flyhalf in what will mark his 50th Absa Currie Cup cap. Cell C Sharks coach Brad Macleod-Henderson named Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach in the run-on team in his first Absa Currie Cup match this season, while S’bura Sithole will start at centre and Tonderai Chavhanga on the wing. Up front prop Matt Stevens and hooker Monde Hadebe will start in a new-look front row.
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made a number of changes to his team, which sees the return of Springbok wing Bjorn Basson and scrumhalf Piet van Zyl, while Junior Springbok William Small-Smith replaces contracted Bok centre JJ Engelbrecht. In the pack Bok prop Marcel van der Merwe will start in a new-look front row with hooker Bongi Mbonambi and loosehead prop Morne Mellett. In the GWK Griquas camp a spate of injuries forced coach Hawies Fourie to make a handful of changes to his team with PJ Vermeulen moving to centre and Jacquin Jansen starting at fullback. Flyhalf Francois Brummer will lead the side in the absence of injured skipper Wayne Stevens.
Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Fixtures:
EP Kings vs Steval Pumas
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Date: Friday October 10
Time: 19:10
Xerox Golden Lions vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Date: Saturday October 11
Time: 15:00
DHL Western Province vs Cell C Sharks
Venue: DHL Newlands, Cape Town
Date: Saturday October 11
Time: 17:05
Vodacom Blue Bulls vs GWK Griquas
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Date: Saturday October 11
Time: 19:10
