Fierce rivals in battle for second Absa Currie Cup playoff spot
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The two remaining rounds of Absa Currie Cup Premier Division fixtures will see an intense battle between traditional rivals the Vodacom Blue Bulls and DHL Western Province for the second spot on the log and the right to host a lucrative home Semi-final later this month.
Current log leaders, the Xerox Golden Lions, will finish their league commitments with two home matches, starting with the Cape-based WP on Friday evening in Johannesburg. Next week they finish the round-robin phase by hosting bottom-of-the-log ORC Griquas.
Unbeaten in their eight matches so far, the in-form Lions are already assured of the No1 spot on the log – even in the unlikely event of them losing both their remaining games.
The battle for the remaining playoff spot between the Blue Bulls and WP is, however, a tense affair, with the rivals currently both on 29 log points and the Bulls in second spot courtesy of a slightly better point difference.
Province have the more difficult task of the two sides this weekend, when they travel to the Highveld for their 18h00 kick-off on Friday against the Lions in Johannesburg. WP, however, will welcome back captain and midfield kingpin Juan de Jongh, who has been out injured since mid-August.
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Vodacom Blue Bulls hooker Bandise Maku will play in his 50th Absa Currie Cup match for the Pretoria-side when they face the Eastern Province Kings at Loftus Versfeld on Friday. Kick-off is at 19:10.
The former Springbok hooker made his Blue Bulls debut in 2006 and after stints with the Xerox Golden Lions and Eastern Province, and now reaches this milestone for the Blue Bulls in his 73th career appearance in the competition. Nollis Marais, the Blue Bulls coach, has also handed a first start to towering Junior Springbok lock RG Snyman, who replaces Marvin Orie.
The Toyota Cheetahs suffered their first competition defeat last week at home against the prolific Lions, and on Saturday they face a tricky away match against the Steval Pumas in Nelspruit. The Pumas also suffered a heavy loss against WP at Newlands last week and, they too, will be looking to bounce back. Both teams have won three and lost five matches, but the Free State-side have managed to collect four bonus points, thus handing them a five-point lead over the Pumas on the log.
In the remaining match, the Cell C Sharks travel to Kimberley to face the ORC Griquas in a must-win match for the Durban side if they want to keep alive their playoff hopes. This Saturday clash kicks off at 15h00 in Kimberley.
A summary of the latest team news:
Steval Pumas – Coach MJ Mentz has shuffled his team around following their heavy loss to WP last week. In the starting pack, Jaco Bouwer comes in at No 6 flank in a rotational switch with Marnus Schoeman, now on the bench. Uzair Cassiem is now the No 7 flank in place of Bouwer, who moves to the other side of the scrum. Stephan Watermeyer returns as captain and inside centre, replacing Wilmaure Louw. Jerome Pretorius moves from outside centre to right wing, while Maritz is now at No 13 and JW Bell at fullback. On the bench sees Francois du Toit at replacement hooker in place of Simon Westraadt while lock Rudi Mathee gets the nod over Jannie Stander.
Xerox Golden Lions – Coach Johan Ackermann tweaked his team which thumped the Toyota Free State Cheetahs 73-31 in Bloemfontein last weekend. Dylan Smith will start in the front row for the unbeaten log-leaders and he replaces Jacques van Rooyen, while Julian Redelinghuys also gets a start as part of the rotational system. In the backline, left wing Anthony Volmink replaces injured Ruan Combrink who underwent knee surgery on Wednesday, while 2014 Junior Bok Rohan Janse van Rensburg starts at centre. Stokkies Hanekom moves to the bench and Sampie Mostert comes in to fill up the reserves at 22.
DHL Western Province – Province made numerous changes for their visit to the Highveld. Fit-again centre Juan de Jongh will start in the No12 jersey and resumes the captaincy duties. He starts at inside centre ahead of Huw Jones. Cheslin Kolbe returns at fullback, Nic Groom is back in the No9 shirt, Chris Cloete starts at No6, Jean Kleyn is back at lock and Steven Kitshoff returns at loosehead prop. Blitzbok Cheslin Kolbe has been bracketed with Dillyn Leyds for now, with Kobus van Wyk on standby on the right-wing (should Leyds move to fullback or not start at all), with head coach John Dobson expected to make a call on his back three before kick-off on Friday. Oli Kebble, Jurie van Vuuren and Jones return to the bench, with halfbacks Godlen Masimla and Kurt Coleman being the new faces on the bench this week. Masimla replaces Jano Vermaak who has a slight groin niggle, while Coleman has shrugged off his calf muscle injury and returns for Demetri Catrakilis, who has been released from his Western Province contract in order to join French Top 14 club, Montpellier.
Vodacom Blue Bulls – Nollis Marais, the Vodacom Blue Bulls coach, has made two changes to the run-on side with Dries Swanepoel moving back into the starting XV to replace Jan Serfontein, who received a World Cup call-up for the Springboks. His place on the bench will be filled by William Small-Smith. Marais also handed a first start to promising Junior Springbok lock RG Snyman, which means a move to the bench for regular starter Marvin Orie. Corniel Els is on the bench for Jaco Visagie, who is out with an ankle sprain.
Eastern Province Kings – Flyhalf Elgar Watts gets a first start for the Kings in Pretoria after playing the two previous matches from the bench. He replaces Karlo Aspeling, who is on the bench. In two changes to the forwards, flank Thembelani Bholi and prop Lizo Gqoboka are back in the starting line-up, replacing Paul Schoeman and Schalk Ferreira respectively.
Cell C Sharks – Director of Rugby, Gary Gold, has only made one change to the team that lost 17-13 at home to the Blue Bulls last weekend. Lock Marco Wentzel returns to the starting line-up as captain, after he played off the bench last week when No8 Philip van der Walt led the side. Wentzel’s return sees Ettienne Oosthuizen move to flank, with Christiaan de Bruin named on the bench in an otherwise unchanged line-up.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs – Coach Franco Smith made several changes to the team that lost 73-31 at home to the Golden Lions last weekend. In the back division Rayno Benjamin replaces Tertius Kruger at inside centre, with Ruan van Rensburg on the bench. Raymond Rhule comes in for Maphutha Dolo on the left wing, with Shaun Venter named in the No9 jersey in place of Zee Mkhabela, with Niel Marais on the bench. Flyhalf Fred Zeilinga is out with a knee injury, with AJ Coertzen taking his place on the bench. Up-front De Wet Kruger replaces Neill Jordaan at No8, while Oupa Mohoje starts at No7, and in turn Gerhard Olivier moves to openside flank. Lock Francois Uys is the captain with Reniel Hugo his lock partner and Freddy Ngoza on the bench.
ORC Griquas – Ruhan Nel returns from SARU Sevens Academy duty and he slots in at left wing in place of Ntabeni Dukisa, who is now fullback, with Gouws Prinsloo on the bench. In the front row Ewald van der Westhuizen makes way for Stephan Kotze. Sandile Ngcobo, another Sevens Academy member, is amongst the replacements.
Absa Currie Cup Premier Division fixtures:
Friday, 2 October
Xerox Golden Lions vs DHL Western Province
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 18h00
TV: SS1
Vodacom Blue Bulls vs Eastern Province Kings
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19h10
Saturday, 3 October
Steval Pumas vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-off: 13h15
TV: SS1
ORC Griquas vs Cell C Sharks
Venue: Griquas Park, Kimberley
Kick-off: 15h00
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