The 2022 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #13

The Vodacom Bulls host arch-rivals the DHL Western Province in the feature Carling Currie Cup fixture on Wednesday evening in Pretoria, while there are also matches scheduled for Kimberley and Nelspruit as the second round of the Premier Division gets underway.

The North versus South derby kicks off at 20h00 in Pretoria and is the last of the day’s three encounters. The Airlink Pumas host the Sigma Lions in the first match of the day in Nelspruit, where kick-off is scheduled for 15h30, and that game is followed by the Windhoek Draught Griquas against Cell C Sharks clash in Kimberley, starting at 17h45.

The Toyota Cheetahs have a bye, while all of Wednesday's action will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

At the halfway stage of league phase of the competition and with all teams having completed six games, the unbeaten Toyota Cheetahs are topping the standings with 26 points. The Free Staters – champions in 2019 – currently enjoy a one-point lead over defending champions the Vodacom Bulls, who are chasing a coveted third Carling Currie Cup crown in a row.

The Cell C Sharks (18 points) and the Windhoek Draught Griquas (15 points) occupy positions three and four respectively in the race for the four semi-final spots.

Getting Wednesday's action underway will be the fifth-placed Airlink Pumas, who are playing at home against the seventh-placed Sigma Lions, and the Lowvelders will no-doubt be eager to add a second scalp in as many games following their 37-11 away win over the DHL WP in the previous round.

Last year, Jimmy Stonehouse's team managed to beat the Sigma Lions 39-10 in Nelspruit and 36-33 in Johannesburg. On current form and with a solid win over DHL WP under their belt, the Airlink Pumas should feel confidence of extending their winning streak over the team from Gauteng.

Next up is the match in Kimberley, where Windhoek Draught Griquas entertain the Cell C Sharks, and both teams will be eager to consolidate their semi-final ambitions.

Travelling to Kimberley is always tricky for any side, so the Durbanites will have to be at their best if they are to topple their Northern Cape hosts, who had a bye in the previous round.

These two sides clashed three times last year, with each one bagging a league win before the KwaZulu-Natalians managed to edge the Peacock Blues 28-24 in their 2021 semi-final clash in Durban.

The Vodacom Bulls are on a mission to make it three competition wins in a row, and they host arch-rivals DHL WP knowing they’ve had the measure of their Cape Town opponents in their previous four meetings.

After DHL WP stunned the men in light blue jerseys 48-21 in Pretoria in the opening round of the 2021 competition, the Vodacom Bulls turned the tables 34-21 in the return clash and also beat Province by 34-31 in their semi-final clash, en route to their second successive Carling Currie Cup triumph.

In the opening round of the 2022 competition played in January, the Vodacom Bulls were again too strong for Jerome Paarwater's team as they bagged a 40-21 win at the DHL Stadium.

The Leopards, defending Carling Currie Cup First Division champions, get their 2022 campaign underway in East London this weekend.

Carling Currie Cup First Division

The first round of Carling Currie Cup First Division matches took place last weekend and Eastern Province, the Black Lion from Georgia, Valke and the Down Touch Griffons all kicked off their campaigns with good victories.

EP beat the SWD Eagles 34-15 on 1 April in George, while the rest of the matches were played a day later.

The Zimbabwean Goshawks lost their first home fixture at the Villager ground in Cape Town by 34-10 against the Black Lion from Georgia; the Valke travelled to Piketberg where they downed the Boland Kavaliers by 32-26; and the Down Touch Griffons trumped the Border Bulldogs 106-7 in Welkom.

A full round of matches is scheduled to take place between Thursday 7 and Saturday 9 April. To access the Carling Currie Cup First Division fixtures and scores, click here.

FIXTURES:

Carling Currie Cup Premier Division:

Airlink Pumas vs Sigma Lions
Date: Wednesday, 6 April
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-off: 15h30
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
TV: SuperSport

Windhoek Draught Griquas vs Cell C Sharks
Date: Wednesday, 6 April
Venue: Windhoek Draught Park, Kimberley
Kick-off: 17h45
Referee: AJ Jacobs
TV: SuperSport

Vodacom Bulls vs DHL Western Province
Date: Wednesday, 6 April
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 20h00
Referee: Griffin Colby
TV: SuperSport

Carling Currie Cup First Division:

Eastern Province vs Black Lion
Date: Thursday, 7 April
Venue: NMU Madibaz Stadium, Gqeberha
Kick-off: 19h00
Referee: Christopher Allison

Boland vs SWD
Date: Friday, 8 April
Venue: Outeniqua Stadium, George
Kick-off: 19h00
Referee: Phumzile Mbewu

Valke vs Simbas
Date: Saturday, 9 April
Venue: Bosman Stadium, Brakpan
Kick-off: 15h00
Referee: Dylen November

Down Touch Griffons vs Zimbabwe Goshawks
Date: Saturday, 9 April
Venue: HT Pelatonas Stadium, Welkom
Kick-off: 15h00
Referee: Sean Muller

Border vs Leopards
Date: Saturday, 9 April
Venue: Police Park, East London
Kick-off: 15h00
Referee: Paul Mente

Carling Currie Cup Carling Currie Cup First Division

Be part of history in Cape Town this December...

In a little over two weeks’ time, Cape Town will yet again throw Rugby’s Biggest Party, when HSBC SVNS returns to the su...

Rescheduled Vodacom URC derbies confirmed...

The new dates for the two opening round Vodacom United Rugby Championship derbies involving the four South African teams...

Bulls and Sharks shine for SA in Vodacom URC...

The Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks provided a ray of light for South Africa’s teams in the Vodacom United Rugby ...

SA sides gear up for important round before break...

Another gripping round of Vodacom United Rugby Championship action awaits this weekend as the Emirates Lions face their ...

Coastal sides bounce back as Lions remain unbeaten...

The Emirates Lions, Hollywoodbets Sharks, and DHL Stormers made it a Super Saturday for the South African franchises in ...

Leinster march on with confidence

Vodacom United Rugby Championship pace setters Leinster - on their way to South Africa later this month - continued their match towards the playoffs and gave themselves a massive dollop of confidence ahead of the Champions’ Cup with a big win away from home against Munster on Saturday night.

DHL WP book spot in SA Under-20 Cup final

DHL Western Province's Under-20 side booked their place in the final of the 2022 SA Rugby Under-20 Cup with a comprehensive 67-24 win against the Leopards at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.

SA Teams strike four out of four in Vodacom URC

The South African teams secured another full house of wins in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this weekend, coming away with 19 out of a possible 20 points in the round.

Bulls second half effort proves too much for Ulster

The Vodacom Bulls scored 31 points and four tries in the second half of their Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against Ulster at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday to claim a well-deserved 34-16 win over Ulster.

Lions hold out Edinburgh for fourth win a row

The Emirates Lions held out a determined Edinburgh outfit in an intense Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday for a 15-9 win and a rewarding fourth home victory in a row.

Soyizwapi is smiling in Singapore

A few Springbok Sevens players arrived in Singapore on Monday on their maiden voyage to the HSBC Singapore Sevens and even for some of the more experienced players, April 2019 is still fresh in their memories, even though it was two years ago.

Bulls grab top spot with win over WP at Loftus

The Vodacom Bulls leaped into first place on the Carling Currie Cup log with a bonus-point 45-34 victory over arch-rivals DHL Western Province in their North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Wednesday evening.

Sharks win tough arm wrestle in Kimberley

The Cell C Sharks returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 13-6 win over hosts Windhoek Draught Griquas in their Carling Currie Cup encounter in Kimberleyon Wednesday evening. The team from Durban led 10-6 at the break.

Pumas sink claws into Lions in Nelspruit

The Airlink Pumas made it back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they kicked off the second half of the Carling Currie Cup with a commanding 45-10 win over the Sigma Lions on a hot Wednesday afternoon in Nelspruit.

Stormers make four changes for Bulls' visit

The DHL Stormers starting line-up to face the Vodacom Bulls in an eagerly-anticipated Vodacom United Rugby Championship encounter in Cape Town on Saturday shows four changes, three of them to the forward pack and one in the backline for the big North-South clash.