Injuries, coaching concerns and travel fatigue loom as significant factors in the Super 14 rugby semifinals when the Crusaders, Waratahs, Sharks and Hurricanes front up on Saturday. Competition leaders the Crusaders are at home to the Hurricanes in the first knock-out match, followed by the second-placed Waratahs hosting the Sharks in Sydney.
The target for a Super 14 rugby semifinal berth for the Sharks was clear -- a bonus-point victory initially or a win by 18 points or more -- as they took to the field against the Chiefs of New Zealand at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday night. In the end, it was a convincing triumph as the necessary tries were secured and surpassed.
The Stormers are planning to hit the Lions' defence hard where it is likely to hurt most in Saturday's Super 14 clash at Ellis Park. The fragile Lions' defence have leaked 41 tries this season, and after 12 matches they have conceded a staggering 345 points -- almost 29 points per game.
Wallaby flyhalf Matt Giteau kicked a penalty just before the whistle to give the Perth-based Western Force a thrilling 22-21 win over the Waikato Chiefs in their Super 14 rugby clash in Perth on Saturday. The Chiefs appeared to have clinched victory when centre Callum Bruce kicked a drop goal with only three minutes left but the Force threw everything at the visitors in the dying stages.
South Africa's Coastal Sharks face a moment of truth against the toughest team in rugby's Super 14 when they put their chances of a home play-off on the line against the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday. The Sharks are feeling the effects of five demanding weeks on the road in Australia and New Zealand.
Bloemfontein Celtic were beaten 2-0 by Kaizer Chiefs at Loftus on Wednesday night in an Absa Premiership clash, with the Free State side outperformed by a team who playing their best soccer of the season. Amakhosi's late surge has effectively earned them a place in next season's Top Eight competition.
Jomo Cosmos will play in the National First Division next season after losing 2-0 to fellow relegation candidates Black Leopards in their penultimate Absa Premiership game at the Oppenheimer Stadium in Orkney on Wednesday. A goal by Myron Shongwe in the 18th minute and a strike on the stroke of half-time by Thabiso Hlalele sealed the fate of the luckless Cosmos.
Who said seven is a lucky number? Not Orlando Pirates, that's for sure. In a derby encounter of much action and excitement for the near-capacity 40 000 crowd at Mmabatho Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the Buccaneers lost 1-0 against Kaizer Chiefs and extended to seven the number games they have gone without a victory against their tradition-steeped rivals.
Conventional wisdom has it that this weekend's Soweto Derby will be the worst since the PSL was founded. For the first time in years both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are having their worst seasons simultaneously. Chiefs are ninth on the log, two places higher than their rivals from across the Orlando railway line.
Orlando Pirates could be forced to face arch enemies Kaizer Chiefs in the Absa Premiership Soweto derby at the Mmabatho Stadium on Saturday afternoon without their midfield talisman, Teko Modise. The Bafana Bafana playmaker faces a late fitness test on an injured toe he sustained in last Wednesday's 1-0 defeat against Platinum Stars at the Johannesburg Stadium.
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