Absa Currie Cup Preview – Week 3
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Thursday, 28 July 2011
It’s north vs south in Cape Town this weekend as the Vodacom Blue Bulls face last year’s Absa Currie Cup runners up, DHL Western Province, at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
Both these sides recorded good victories last weekend and will be looking to build on that momentum at Newlands.
In the other Absa Currie Cup Premier Division games of the weekend, the Toyota Free State Cheetahs face the unbeaten Sharks in Durban, the Platinum Leopards travel to Johannesburg to take on the MTN Golden Lions and, on Friday, the Ford Pumas host GWK Griquas in Nelspruit.
Ford Pumas vs GWK Griquas
After two near losses, the Ford Pumas will be looking to record their first victory of the Absa Currie Cup season against GWK Griquas in Nelspruit on Friday evening.
The team from Mpumalanga narrowly went down to the MTN Golden Lions in the first round (31-27) and The Sharks (23-22) last week.
While the Ford Pumas made a good fist of their opening round match at Coca-Cola Park two weekends ago, their opponents on Friday struggled against the MTN Golden Lions and lost by 11-49 in Kimberley last Saturday. Taking only these results into consideration, the Ford Pumas can be regarded as favourites, but things don’t always work out like that. Last year GWK Griquas won both these fixtures easily.
“It’s time we start accumulating log points, but this is also a very dangerous game this, because Griquas lost heavily last week and will be looking to set the record straight,” said Ford Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse.
“I’m confident in the way we’ve been playing, even though we’ve lost, because we’re not making the kind of mistakes we’ve made before and are competing better. It won’t be easy on Friday though, because Griquas are a top side and will test us, like they did last year.”
Speaking about playing in Nelspruit for the second consecutive week, away from they usual base in Witbank, Stonehouse said: “We really enjoy playing at the Mbombela Stadium. It’s got a great surface, is a brand new stadium and we get great support there.”
Ford Pumas vs GWK Griquas
Date: Friday, 29 July
Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Referee: Marius Jonker
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
· 13 August – GWK Griquas won 58-25 in Kimberley
· 2 October – GWK Griquas won by 61-31 in Witbank
The Sharks vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Ball retention will be key for the Toyota Free State Cheetahs when they travel to Durban to face The Sharks on Saturday afternoon.
According to Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske, his team only had themselves to blame for losing against the Vodacom Blue Bulls last week after they lead by 17-3 shortly before the break.
The Sharks have also been solid this season and kicked off their defence of the Absa Currie Cup with a superb victory over the Bulls at Mr Price Kings Park two weekends ago.
“The Sharks are the form team at the moment and we know it will be very tough down in Durban, but we placed ourselves under some pressure for throwing away the game in Pretoria last weekend,” said Drotske.
“We have done well against them before, but last year they beat us twice, so I don’t think we can be regarded as The Sharks’ bogey team any more. They were very impressive against the Bulls and we’ll have to play well on Saturday.
“The most important area for us would be ball retention. The stats show The Sharks score 70 to 80 percent of their tries from bad kicks by their opponents, so we need to ensure we keep the ball and build momentum, which is when we’re at our most dangerous.”
The Sharks vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Date: Saturday, 30 July
Kick-off: 15:00
Venue: Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
· 31 July – The Sharks won 25-13 in Bloemfontein
· 18 September – The Sharks won by 30-16 in Durban
MTN Golden Lions vs Platinum Leopards
Facing the unbeaten and log leading MTN Golden Lions on the crest of the wave after two Absa Currie Cup victories will not be the easiest task for the Platinum Leopards.
Thus far this season the Golden Lions have not only scored the most points (80), but also the most tries (11). The Leopards are on the other end of the table and have conceded the most points (87) and tries (11).
“This will be a very tough game, because the Golden Lions showed against Griquas last weekend what they can do with the heaps of Vodacom Super Rugby experience they have in the squad,” said Platinum Leopards coach Leon Boshoff, who previously played for and coached at the Lions.
“We’ll concentrate on what we’d like to do in the game and believe we can win there. I also don’t think the Lions will underestimate us, because they almost slipped against the Pumas in the first round. At this level, any team can lose a game if they are only 5% off their game.”
MTN Golden Lions vs Platinum Leopards
Date: Saturday, 30 July
Kick-off: 17:00
Venue: Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
· 9 July – MTN Golden Lions won 43-13 in Rustenburg
· 27 August – MTN Golden Lions won 45-22 in Johannesburg
DHL Western Province vs Vodacom Blue Bulls
It’s the traditional North/South-derby in Cape Town on Saturday, with both DHL Western Province and the Vodacom Blue Bulls coming off good victories into this highly anticipated clash.
These sides are the two most successful in the history of Absa Currie Cup, with 54 outright or shared titles between them out of the 70 times the Cup has been contested since 1892 (WP won the Board Trophy in 1889). Last year each won their respective home game, which will give DHL WP a little bit more to play for on Saturday.
Both sides have been hit with Springbok call-ups to an extent that most of their experienced players are not available, but that, says Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar, is not an issue.
“The players that are there are still quality players and have done well in the past. WP had a tough game in Potchefstroom and they did well. Against Griquas they came back after a bad start. They are a quality side with a good mix of experience and some youngsters. So its going to be a tough one,” said Pienaar.
“They showed against the Leopards they want a high paced game. But they can play a territorial game as well and have some good defences. So its up to us handle whatever they give and to apply our own pressure this week.”
Pienaar was also happy with his side’s fightback against the Toyota FS Cheetahs last weekend: “We wanted to get a good start at home, and the guys showed a lot of character coming back from 17-3 down. But as I said to the team on Monday – the win over the Cheetahs is in the past. Our focus is now on Province and it will be a tough game.”
DHL Western Province vs Vodacom Blue Bulls
Date: Saturday, 30 July
Kick-off: 17:05
Venue: DHL Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Craig Joubert
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
· 14 August – DHL WP won 15-12 in Cape Town
· 2 October – Vodacom Blue Bulls won 36-32 in Pretoria
Absa Currie Cup First Division
The two pace setters in the Absa Currie Cup First Division, Regent Boland Cavaliers and the EP Kings, both play at home on Friday and will be looking to increase the gap between them and the other teams on the log.
Boland host the Valke in Wellington at 15:00, after which EP take on the Tasol Solar Griffons in Port Elizabeth at 19:00. The third game in the Absa Currie Cup First Division is also at 19:00 on Friday, when the SWD Eagles and Border Bulldogs square off in George.
The Valke had a bye last weekend and will face a tough task against the unbeaten Cavaliers in Wellington. The Bolanders were impressive in their victory in Welkom over the Griffons and will be a difficult opponent at home.
In Port Elizabeth, the Tasol Solar Griffons will be looking to repeat their victory last season over the eventual Absa Currie Cup First Division champions, although that win was in Welkom after the EP Kings narrowly won the corresponding fixture at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium a few weeks before.
The Border Bulldogs travel to George to face last year’s Absa Currie Cup First Division runners up, a week after the team from East London got a big hiding from their Eastern Cape neighbours.
Regent Boland Cavaliers vs Valke
Date: Friday, 29 July
Kick-off: 15:00
Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Joey Salmans
Last year in Absa Currie Cup First Division:
· 24 July – Boland won 53-10 in Kempton Park
· 3 September – Boland won 41-21 in Wellington
EP Kings vs Tasol Solar Griffons
Date: Friday, 29 July
Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Pro Legoete
Last year in Absa Currie Cup First Division:
· 23 July – EP Kings won 26-25 in Port Elizabeth
· 3 September – Griffons won 27-18 in Welkom
SWD Eagles vs Border Bulldogs
Date: Friday, 29 July
Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Last year in Absa Currie Cup First Division:
· 23 July – SWD won 33-12 in George
· 3 September – SWD won 17-7 in East London
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