The stakes will be raised considerably this weekend as the Absa Currie Cup premier division enters its semifinal stage. The two semifinal clashes are the highlight of a bumper weekend on the local rugby calendar that also includes the promotion/relegation play-offs and the semifinals of the Absa Under-19 and Under-21 provincial competitions.
The weekend’s first semifinal sees the Sharks hosting the Golden Lions at the Absa Stadium in Durban at 2.30pm on Saturday. The two giants, who contested four Currie Cup finals in eight seasons between 1992 and 1999, are both looking to end their drought in the tournament.
The Sharks last featured in the final in 2003, going down to the Blue Bulls. The Golden Lions’ last final appearance was in 2002, when they also lost to the Blue Bulls.
The last time they met in the semifinals of the Currie Cup was in 2001, with the Sharks scoring a narrow 16-9 win.
While matters have been fairly even between them this season — the Sharks winning 21-3 in Durban and the Lions winning 14-7 in Johannesburg — the semifinal will present an entirely new challenge.
Both sides are expected to start cautiously before trying to assert themselves. A tough forward battle is expected. The Sharks have been playing consistently well in recent weeks and will be hoping to make their home advantage count. The Lions, meanwhile, will be encouraged by their current form, which has seen them claim third place ahead of the Blue Bulls.
The second semifinal, between joint title holders the Cheetahs and the Blue Bulls, kicks off at 5pm at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein. The two sides have dominated the Currie Cup in recent seasons. They have contested the previous three finals, each winning once and the spoils being shared last season. The Blue Bulls have featured in the last five finals since 2002.
The Cheetahs delivered what might be a telling psychological blow last weekend, scoring a 29-17 win over the Blue Bulls in their final league fixture in Pretoria. They also won the first-round fixture in Bloemfontein 44-18 and will go into the match as clear favourites.
The Blue Bulls are no strangers to adversity and, despite being without many of their Springboks, will be motivated by the prospect of a sixth consecutive final appearance. It is unlikely they will be taken lightly by a Cheetahs side bidding to claim a third consecutive Currie Cup title in 2007.
Play-offs and age-group competitions
A packed rugby weekend also features the first-leg promotion/relegation play-offs between the last two teams in the premier division and the top two in the first division and the Under-19 and Under-21 semifinals.
Newly crowned first-division champions the SWD Eagles travel to Brakpan to face the Valke, who finished last in the premier division, at 6pm on Friday. The Eagles have been in good form and will fancy themselves to get a result in the away leg of the play-off.
The second play-off features Boland, who were seventh in the premier division, against the Mighty Elephants, who came second in the first division, in Wellington at 4pm on Saturday.
Boland will need to bounce back from their 0-75 drubbing by the Lions last weekend, while the Elephants may be hoping for a repeat of their 30-26 win at the same venue in a Vodacom Cup clash in April.
The Under-19 semifinals take place on Friday with the Blue Bulls hosting Free State at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria at 2pm and Western Province at home to the Lions at Newlands at 6.30pm.
In the Under-21 semifinals, also on Friday, the Blue Bulls face the Sharks at 4pm in Pretoria and Western Province host Free State at Newlands at 7.45pm. — Sapa