With the ninth round of the Currie Cup wrapped up this past weekend, and the picture becoming clearer of the possible candidates for the knockout stages, the DFA’s Danie van der Lith looks back at the past weekend’s action, and then casts his eye forward to the upcoming weekend’s clashes.
Suzuki Griquas strikes a blow to Cheetahs’ playoff hopes as Lions topple Bulls to lead Currie Cup
In a weekend of intense rugby action, the Suzuki Griquas delivered a telling blow to the Toyota Cheetahs’ semi-final aspirations in the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division.
The Kimberley team’s hard-fought 44-31 victory at their Suzuki Park fortress has significantly reshaped the play-off picture as the tournament nears its climax.
Griquas, playing on home turf, showcased arguably their best performance of the season against the defending champions.
Flyhalf Lubabalo Dobela was instrumental in the win, contributing a try, a conversion, and a penalty, guiding his team to their well-earned victory. Griquas capitalised on the Cheetahs’ errors, steadily building their lead, and they went into halftime 17-10 ahead. After the break, they maintained their momentum, ultimately outscoring the Free Staters by seven tries to four.
This victory dealt a significant setback to the Cheetahs, who now face a do-or-die clash to keep their play-off hopes alive.
The #CarlingCurrieCup log has been shaken up! See the latest standings and results. 🔥🏉 #WhereChampionsRise pic.twitter.com/7FJu9qSoWv
— The Carling Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) September 2, 2024
Meanwhile, in the weekend’s top-of-the-table clash, the Fidelity ADT Lions emerged as the biggest winners of the weekend, not only defeating the Vodacom Bulls but ending their northern neighbours’ unbeaten streak with a commanding 57-33 victory in the Jukskei Derby in Centurion.
Bolstered by several Vodacom United Rugby Championship players, the Lions put on a formidable attacking display. Flyhalf Nico Steyn was pivotal, scoring five conversions and a drop goal, totalling 13 points. PJ Botha, the Lions’ hooker, contributed two tries, further solidifying their dominant performance. Despite the Bulls’ efforts to rally, they were unable to match the Lions’ intensity and suffered their first loss of the campaign.
This win propelled the Lions to the top of the log, overtaking the Bulls in the standings.
Meanwhile, in Durban, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV continued their impressive form, thrashing the NovaVit Griffons 75-19 on Saturday.
The Sharks, now on a six-game winning streak, were simply too strong for their opponents. Springbok star Makazole Mapimpi led the charge, scoring four tries, three of which came before halftime. His wing partner, Eduan Keyter, also crossed the line three times as the Sharks racked up 11 tries, with only one coming from their forwards.
This emphatic victory ensured that the Sharks secured third place on the log, confirming their spot in the semi-finals, and firing a warning shot to the other title hopefuls.
DHL Western Province, meanwhile, closed out the weekend with a morale-boosting 39-30 victory over the Airlink Pumas in Stellenbosch.
Despite trailing at halftime, Western Province turned the game around in the second half, with former Springbok wing Courtnall Skosan scoring a hat-trick to lead his team to victory. The win, their third of the season, keeps their campaign alive as they approach the final round of fixtures.
As the league phase of the Carling Currie Cup reaches its final round, the Lions lead the standings with 38 points, just ahead of the Bulls, who have 37. The Sharks XV sit comfortably in third with 31 points, securing their place in the semi-finals.
However, the race for the final play-off spot remains fierce.
The Cheetahs, with 25 points, and the Pumas, with 24 points, will face off in a critical match this coming weekend. The winner will claim the last spot in the semi-finals, joining the Lions, Bulls, and Sharks in the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, Griquas and Western Province, both on 19 points, will battle it out in Kimberley in a battle focused on restoring pride and confidence after what has been a rather disappointing campaign.
Up in Johannesburg, the Lions will host the Griffons, while the final match of the round sees the Sharks take on the Bulls in Durban on Sunday, rounding off what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the league phase.
