There is still very much to play for in the 2005 Absa Currie Cup premier division and with three rounds of action remaining, the tension is beginning to mount as the leading contenders battle it out for semifinal places.
Six teams still have a realistic chance of making the last four and, as attention now also starts to centre on the securing of all-important home advantage in the semis, the action is set to intensify even further.
The big clash of the weekend is between the current section X and Y log leaders, the Blue Bulls and the Cheetahs, taking place in Bloemfontein at 5pm on Saturday. The Blue Bulls won the first round fixture in Pretoria 26-16 a few weeks back.
The Bulls will start as favourites after their 39-3 demolition of Western Province (WP) last week. The Blue Bulls pack has been a dominant feature this year and is a key reason why the defending champions remain unbeaten in their first five premier-division matches.
Their selectors have retained the backline that faced WP and it’s likely that they will again employ the trusty boot of Derick Hougaard to drive the Cheetahs back and play for territory if they build up a healthy lead as they did last week.
The Cheetahs, however, are in a ding-dong battle with WP for the coveted top spot in section Y, and they will be no walkover. They slipped up against the Lions in Bloemfontein a few weeks ago but have since had wins over the Sharks and the Boland Cavaliers to get their campaign back on track.
Lions expected to win again
The second-placed teams in the two sections also have interesting clashes this weekend. The Lions, second in section X three points behind the Blue Bulls, travel to Kimberley to face the Griquas at 3pm on Saturday and WP, who trail the Cheetahs by one point in section Y, are at home to the Boland Cavaliers on Friday night at 7.10pm.
The Lions won comfortably 53-11 against Griquas at Ellis Park earlier in the competition. While they are expected to win again at the weekend, they would be wise to remember the Sharks’ narrow escape in Kimberley recently where Griquas were denied a famous win after a last-gasp Sharks try.
The Lions have been in good form recently and have benefited from having their Bok players available for selection. They also remain in contention for a home semifinal. Griquas, meanwhile, are by no means out of the running. They trail the Cheetahs by six points and WP by five with a lot of rugby left to play, and they might still feel that they can sneak into the last four and give their fans something to cheer about.
WP looking for spark
WP will be looking to rediscover the spark that saw them comprehensively beat the Lions and the Sharks recently when they host Boland on Friday.
WP were well beaten by the Blue Bulls last week, but the prospect of getting a home semi will serve as motivation to erase the memories of both Loftus Versfeld as well as their shock 22-29 loss to Boland in Wellington during the first round.
The Cavaliers last won at Newlands in 1998 and seem to lift their game for derby clashes in Cape Town. They have shown some great skill and ability this season, and come into the game with confidence after making the Cheetahs sweat for a 29-21 win last week. It could be close, but the chances of another upset are slim.
The final premier-division match of the weekend sees the Sharks travel to Potchefstroom to face the Leopards on Saturday at 3pm.
The Leopards’ home form has been good despite them not being able to get results over the Blue Bulls and Lions recently. They did, however, show they can be competitive and can make the opposition work until the death for a win.
The Sharks, after losing their way with defeats against the Cheetahs and WP, got back on the winning path against Griquas last week. They will be more determined for a win, as they have slipped six points off the pace and need every point that they can get. The Sharks won the first-round match in Durban 55-17 and will start the game as favourites. — Sapa