The Free State Cheetahs’ 10 wins on the trot in Currie Cup matches against the Sharks will count for nought on Saturday when the two teams meet in Durban in a clash that is vital to both sides’ aspirations.
Defending champions Free State are fighting for survival, with the Lions and the resurgent Western Province (WP) both poised to oust them from the play-offs.
The Sharks, on the other hand, are at the top of the log — three points ahead of the Blue Bulls — and playing for the right of a home semifinal and final.
The Cheetahs come off a disappointing match against WP. They were probably the better team in general play, but an inability to make WP pay in the last 10 minutes when the visitors to Bloemfontein were without Schalk Burger, and the fact that the Cheetahs were camped on the WP try line, cost them the match.
That lack of penetration must be overcome. How is a matter of conjecture, although the problem could well be a competent but undynamic halfback pairing.
The Sharks, too, cannot go into this match convinced that everything is right. They may be on a high after their win against the Blue Bulls last weekend, but the reality is that five goalable kicks were missed by the Blue Bulls, who also knocked on the try line. The Sharks also scored an intercept try and one from a fortuitous bounce after Keegan Daniel’s great last-gasp individual effort.
The Sharks’ line-outs were sloppy, their tackling in midfield poor and their scrap for the loose ball not convincing after the first 30 minutes or so. And, like the Cheetahs, their inability to create tries will have been at the back of their minds this week.
The Sharks are favourites — but with a good line-out, an excellent front row and a potent backline, the Cheetahs could again sneak a win, and it wouldn’t be a major surprise, at that.
Other matches
The Blue Bulls, without big names Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Wynand Olivier, Pierre Spies and Danie Rossouw, will be chasing the bonus point to stay in touch with the Sharks when they play the Boland Kavaliers at Loftus on Friday night.
Even with a number of their reserves running on, the Blue Bulls should have it much their own way against a Kavaliers side starting to feel the lack of depth. Their fire will also have been doused by their hiding against Griquas last weekend, and the greater talent and better structure of the Bulls will be too much for them.
At Coca-Cola Park the Lions simply cannot afford to lose against Griquas. The men from Kimberley are seldom comfortable away from home, but they have a solid and now largely injury-free side and will be out to consolidate their sixth position in order to be automatically retained next year’s Currie Cup premier division.
The Lions are also feeling the pinch of the long season — especially at lock — but should be good enough to win. If they keep their composure and do their finishing, a five-pointer could be theirs.
WP will be chasing five points to keep their play-off chances alive against a weakened Valke side. A vastly strengthened WP and Newlands as the venue on Saturday, instead of a night game in Brakpan, will see WP overturn their shock loss in the first round — but it will be the five points with which they will be concerned.
In the first division, the Leopards have all but sewn up the competition, and a win at home against the Griffons on Saturday should clinch them the title.
SWD Eagles, 10 points behind on the log, have to win all three of their remaining matches to stand a chance. They are away to the Pumas who have blown hot and cold but could be a handful on a Friday night in Witbank.
On Saturday the Bulldogs and Mighty Elephants clash in Port Elizabeth in a match that could have a bearing on whom the 2008 wooden spoonists will be. — Sapa