The 2009 Absa Currie Cup semifinal fixtures have finally been confirmed with the defending champions, the Sharks, hosting the Free State Cheetahs in Durban this Saturday at 2.30pm.
In the second semifinal match on Saturday, the Blue Bulls travel to Cape Town to take on Western Province at Newlands at 5pm.
The Sharks ensured they ended the competition in first position following their 45-30 victory over Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday. The Durban side ran in seven tries to the three, five-pointers scored by the hosts in this match which produced some stunning running rugby by both teams.
The defeat for Griquas, who only secured one bonus point for scoring four tries, relegated them to end the season in fifth position on the log, level on 40 points with the Free State Cheetahs. The Bloemfontein team though, advanced to the semifinals due to their superior points’ differential.
Griquas had plenty of opportunities to score tries in their match against the Sharks, but the hosts were guilty of numerous handling errors at crucial stages of the match which ultimately counted against them as they attempted to secure two bonus points and a semifinal berth.
However, the Sharks, loaded with plenty of Springboks, were full value in their performance and ran in some great tries at GWK Park.
Substitute hooker Craig Burden ran in a brace of tries while Stefan Terblanche, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Bismarck du Plessis and Ryan Kankowski were the other scorers for the defending Absa Currie Cup champions.
The Sharks scrumhalf Pienaar, who was entrusted with the goal-kicking duties in Kimberley, converted five tries.
In Johannesburg, Western Province suffered their fourth defeat of the season after going down 27-25 to the Lions at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday.
WP needed to achieve maximum points from their final league fixture of the season to end the season in pole position. However the Cape side only managed to score three tries and were defeated by a Lions team determined to end their disappointing season on a high.
Province scored two tries in the first half thanks to centre Juan de Jongh and fullback Joe Pietersen and in the second half; flanker Francois Louw crashed his way over the try line. Pietersen also kicked two penalties and two conversions.
The Lions centre scored two tries for the hosts while their third five-pointer was scored by winger Dusty Noble. Flyhalf Herkie Kruger kicked three conversions and a penalty. Scrumhalf Chris Jonck also added one penalty.
The Free State Cheetahs sneaked their way into fourth position on the log following their 55-10 victory over the Boland Cavaliers in their Currie Cup match played in Wellington on Saturday.
JW Jonker, Heinrich Brussow and Jongi Nokwe all added a brace of tries for the Bloemfontein side while scrumhalf Tewis de Bruyn, flanker Frans Viljoen and winger Fabian Juries ran in the other
tries for the visitors at the Boland Stadium. Flyhalf Louis Strydom kicked five penalties.
The Cavaliers’ only points came via the efforts of Danré Gerber. The utility back scored a try and kicked a conversion and a penalty.
Meanwhile, the Blue Bulls were far too strong for the Platinum Leopards on Friday night and easily defeated the hosts 61-24 in their last league fixture of the competition.
The Pretoria team, who ended the season in third place, ran in nine tries in this match despite boasting a 21-17 half time lead.
Winger Gerhard van den Heever ran in a brace of tries while Deon Stegmann, Zane Kirchner, Morné Steyn, Bakkies Botha, Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard and Jaco Pretorius scored the other
tries for the Loftus side.
Springbok pivot Steyn converted eight tries and Burton Francis, who will continue his rugby career at the Golden Lions next year, kicked two conversions.
Jovan Bowles, Shuaib Samaai and Theo van Wyk broke the Blue Bulls’ defence to score tries for the hosts. Cecil Dumond kicked a penalty and two conversions while Clayton Durand converted one try in this clash.
The defeat for the Leopards ensured that they ended the season in seventh position on the log. The team from Potchefstroom now face the SWD Eagles in a series of promotion/relegation fixtures to determine who will compete in next season’s Premier Division.
The Cavaliers, who only achieved one victory this season, in their opening fixture against the Leopards in Wellington earlier this year, take on the high-riding Pumas in the other promotion/relegation battle. – Sapa