ABSA Currie Cup First Division Preview – Round 14
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Three teams, separated by just five log points, will be playing for two semi-final spots on Friday when the Absa Currie Cup First Division round-robin reaches its climax with four intriguing final-round matches.
The unbeaten EP Kings, on 58 points, and the second-placed Ford Pumas, on 49, are guaranteed of hosting home semi-finals in this year’s expanded eight-team competition.
At the other end of the table, outgoing champions the Regent Boland Kavaliers, on 25, the Valke, 23, and the winless Border Bulldogs, 10, have no chance of reaching the last four and are playing for pride only.
This leaves the Leopards, Griffons and SWD Eagles, all of whom must win on Friday to give themselves a chance of making it to the play-offs.
The third-placed Leopards and fourth-placed Griffons both have 43 points, with the Leopards’ positive points difference of 65 far healthier than the Griffons’ negative points difference of -25. Five points adrift in fifth place are the SWD Eagles, with a points difference of -6, but the George side do have the twin advantages of playing at home against an also-ran side.
The Eagles will back themselves to pick up a full haul of five points when they host the inconsistent Valke in George at 17:05, which in turn would put the pressure on the Griffons to upset the Ford Pumas in Nelspruit in a match which kicks off at the same time.
The Leopards, too, have a mountain to climb when they host the Kings in the final match of the day, which kicks off at 19:00.
And in Friday’s first match, the Kavaliers will want to finish their season on a high when they host the Border Bulldogs, who have already claimed the wooden spoon and who will want to avoid ending their year without a single win.
Pumas flyhalf JC Roos remains top of the First Division point-scoring log after Round 13, with 147 points made up of two tries, 34 conversions and 23 penalties. Behind Roos in second place on 144 is Leopards flyhalf André Pretorius, with EP Kings No 10 George Whitehead third on 121.
Leopards wing Allister Kettledas remains top of the try-scoring table, with 13 touchdowns. Behind him in second place is EP Kings eighthman Luke Watson with 12, while Ford Pumas centre JW Jonker has 10.
This weekend’s fixtures – Round 14 (final round):
Regent Boland Kavaliers vs Border Bulldogs
Date: Friday, 28 September
Kickoff: 16:00
Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Quinton Immelman
Assistants: Pieter Janse van Vuuren, Marc van Zyl
Last meeting: 11 August in East London (First round): Kavaliers won 39-32
Ford Pumas vs Griffons
Date: Friday, 28 September
Kickoff: 17:00
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Assistants: Francois Pretorius, Pieter de Villiers
Last meeting: 11 August in Welkom (First round): Pumas won 67-34
SWD Eagles vs Valke
Date: Friday, 28 September
Kickoff: 17:05
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistants: Joey Salmans, Cobus Wessels
Television Match Official: Deon van Blommenstein
Last meeting: 11 August in Kempton Park (First round): Eagles won 47-22
Leopards vs EP Kings
Date: Friday, 28 September
Kickoff: 19:00
Venue: Profert Olën Park, Potchefstroom
Referee: Tiaan Jonker
Assistants: Lourens van der Merwe, Local Referee
Last meeting: 10 August in Port Elizabeth (First round): Kings won 20-12
Round 13 results:
Border Bulldogs 40-43 Leopards
EP Kings 26-26 Ford Pumas
Griffons 50-49 SWD Eagles
Valke 52-52 Regent Boland Kavaliers (world record for a draw in first-class rugby)
Round 12 results:
Regent Boland Kavaliers 38-42 SWD Eagles
Ford Pumas 41-10 Border Bulldogs
Leopards 57-22 Valke
EP Kings 60-19 Griffons
Round 11 results:
Border Bulldogs 19-35 Eastern Province Kings
SWD Eagles 64-34 Leopards
Valke 22-29 Ford Pumas
Griffons 54-37 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Round 10 results:
Border Bulldogs 33-53 Griffons
EP Kings 45-24 Valke
Leopards 39-34 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Ford Pumas 70-27 SWD Eagles
Round 9 results:
Regent Boland Kavaliers 33-36 Ford Pumas
SWD Eagles 7-29 EP Kings
Valke 38-36 Border Bulldogs
Leopards 32-38 Griffons
Round 8 results:
Ford Pumas 38-27 Leopards
EP Kings 57-19 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Border Bulldogs 27-33 SWD Eagles
Griffons 36-39 Valke
Round 7 results:
Griffons 34-67 Ford Pumas
Border Bulldogs 32-39 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Valke 22-47 SWD Eagles
EP Kings 20-12 Leopards
Round 6 results:
Leopards 53-28 Border Bulldogs
Regent Boland Kavaliers 79-26 Valke
SWD Eagles 20-13 Griffons
Ford Pumas 30-30 EP Kings
Round 5 results:
Griffons 10-34 EP Kings
Valke 22-51 Leopards
SWD Eagles 21-21 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Border Bulldogs 18-51 Ford Pumas
Round 4 results:
EP Kings 56-5 Border Bulldogs
Regent Boland Kavaliers 20-23 Griffons
Leopards 68-35 SWD Eagles
Ford Pumas 36-35 Valke
Round 3 results:
Valke 20-37 EP Kings
SWD Eagles 22-16 Ford Pumas
Griffons 29-24 Border Bulldogs
Regent Boland Kavaliers 21-23 Leopards
Round 2 results:
EP Kings 38-15 SWD Eagles
Border Bulldogs 11-33 Valke
Ford Pumas 33-10 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Griffons 41-20 Leopards
Round 1 results:
Regent Boland Kavaliers 20-25 EP Kings
SWD Eagles 46-8 Border Bulldogs
Leopards 32-23 Ford Pumas
Valke 27-37 Griffons
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