It pretty much all went as expected, but it won’t be as predictable this weekend when Western Province host the Bulls and the Lions entertain the Sharks in the Currie Cup semi-finals.
Both will be crackerjack games, to be played at Newlands and Ellis Park respectively, with only a very confident man likely to write off the chances of the visiting sides.
The two home teams will start as the favourites and rightly so. Western Province and the Lions have been the most consistent sides in the competition and have certainly played the best rugby overall, but the Bulls and Sharks have struck good form at the back end of the competition and with some quality players back in the ranks will fancy their chances of progressing to the final.
The so-called “must-wins” games this last weekend – what was expected to be a thrilling final round of fixtures – fizzled out almost before the games got underway, with the EP Kings’ victory over the Pumas on Friday, putting paid to the fight for a top four finish.
The Bulls knew they’d secured fourth spot before they kicked off against Griquas, thanks to the Pumas and Cheetahs going down earlier in the round. And the Lions’ win also ensured they finished second, with the Sharks third, unable to move any higher up the log despite their result against Western Province.
All four semi-finalists showed good form – even Western Province who were much-changed after knowing they could not be caught atop the standings – and will be confident going into the play-offs. The Lions were probably the most impressive of the bunch though, running in six tries to dominate the Cheetahs.
Johan Ackermann’s men will be hard to beat on home soil, especially now that Warren Whiteley is back leading the side, while Western Province will bank on their pace and skill at the back when they face the Bulls. The visitors to Cape Town though, despite their woes this year, will feel they’ve got as good a chance as their hosts of moving on, particularly if Handré Pollard starts at No10.
In the low-key game at the weekend, played on Friday evening in Port Elizabeth, the EP Kings finally got on the right side of a result, winning 26-25 against the Pumas. It was Carlos Spencer’s team’s first and only win of the competition.
But it wasn’t only the Premier Division newcomers who disappointed this season, but the Cheetahs and Pumas as well. The Cheetahs missed out on a spot in the play-offs, while the Pumas – so well placed at the halfway point of the competition – didn’t win a game in their last five outings and finished sixth. - The Star