It’s pretty much done and dusted. Western Province will finish in top spot, while the Lions, Sharks and Bulls will be the other semifinal teams.
But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to play for this weekend when the Currie Cup’s round-robin action comes to an end. In fact, while the semi-finalists are just about known, it is still unclear who’ll finish second, third and fourth, ensuring an exciting climax to the league.
WP, with just one defeat to their name, left it late against the Cheetahs to book top spot; their bonus point try and win coming after a sloppy piece of play by the Cheetahs.
They go into this weekend’s match against the Sharks at Newlands eight points clear and really don’t even have to worry about winning. They’ll host a semifinal in two weeks’ time.
But the Sharks, winners over the Lions on Friday, still have plenty to play for. A victory would see them move ahead of the Lions into second place – and a spot at home in the semifinals – but they’ll only achieve that should the Lions come unstuck earlier on Saturday.
Currently two points separate the Lions and Sharks so if Johan Ackermann’s men beat the Cheetahs at Ellis Park at 3pm, even without a bonus point, they’ll bag second place.
The Lions will be favoured to do just that, having turned Ellis Park into a fortress this year, while the Cheetahs have battled to make an impact in 2014. They’ll know their race is run.
Only a major surprise – the Cheetahs winning – would open the door for the Sharks.
The race for fourth spot is probably a little more complex, but only just.
An unlikely Cheetahs win at Ellis Park would temporarily move them into fourth place, ahead of the Bulls, but Frans Ludeke’s men will be hot favourites to get past Griquas, at Loftus Versfeld, which would see them nail down fourth place.
The only other team in with a slight chance of making the play-offs are the Pumas. The early surprise package of the competition have come unstuck in recent weeks, but will be praying other results go their way and they beat the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth.
For Jimmy Stonehouse’s men to qualify the following has to happen: The Cheetahs must lose to the Lions and the Bulls must fail to pick up a bonus point against Griquas. At the same time, the Pumas would have to win with a bonus point.
It’s unlikely that will happen.
It’s been an exciting Currie Cup so far and we’re in for more thrills this weekend. Now with the Rugby Championship over, for the first time, the oldest domestic rugby competition in the world will take centre stage. - The Star