The 2023 Currie Cup Bulletin #25

Seven teams remain in playoff contention as the Currie Cup Premier Division reaches the penultimate round, while the league phase of the First Division and Mzansi Challenge culminates with three matches, in Potchefstroom, Mdantsane, and Windhoek as a handful of teams are still in the hunt for reaching the playoffs.

The Cell C Sharks and Toyota Cheetahs will be looking to secure home advantage for the semi-finals via big wins in Durban and Nelspruit this weekend. At this stage, the Airlink Pumas are still in the race for a home playoff. If the defending champions lose their remaining league games, however, they may miss out on the semi-finals altogether.

Four other teams – DHL Western Province, the Fidelity ADT Lions, the Vodacom Bulls and Windhoek Draught Griquas – are gunning for a place in the knockouts. A couple of those teams may fall out of the playoff race this weekend.

Windhoek Draught Griquas need to beat DHL WP in Kimberley on Friday to keep their playoff hopes alive. They have reason to feel confident, given their previous success against the Capetonians, and the fact that DHL WP are coming off a 20-point loss in Round 12.

That said, DHL WP may be harder to beat now that the Vodacom United Rugby Championship has concluded, and the union’s focus has shifted to the Currie Cup. The Capetonians sit in fourth place – and are ahead of the Fidelity ADT Lions and the Vodacom Bulls thanks to their superior points’ difference – but will drop down the standings if they lose this Friday.

The NovaVit Griffons claimed a historic victory over the Vodacom Bulls in round four of the tournament. This week, the Northern Free Staters will face a stronger team when they travel to Loftus Versfeld, and the result may be very different.

A Vodacom Bulls side loaded with Springboks will be favourites to beat a team languishing at eighth on the log. The big question is whether Jake White’s charges will secure a four-try bonus point, and finish the weekend in the top four.

After dominating the early stages of the tournament, the Airlink Pumas as well as the Toyota Cheetahs have slumped to several disappointing results. The defending champions could fall down the rankings if they lose to the Free Staters in Nelspruit this Saturday.

The Toyota Cheetahs will secure home advantage for the semi-finals if they beat the Airlink Pumas this weekend. If they succeed in Nelspruit, they will watch the final game of the round with interest, and hope that the Fidelity ADT Lions do them a favour by ending the Cell C Sharks’ six-game winning streak.

The KwaZulu-Natalians are unlikely to be complacent, though. A win against the Fidelity ADT Lions will ensure that they finish the league stage in the top-two – and host a semi-final.

If the Cell C Sharks claim a bonus-point win in Durban, and if the Airlink Pumas secure a big win over the Toyota Cheetahs, then Joey Mongalo’s side may take an unassailable lead at the top of the log with a round to spare.

Currie Cup First Division / Mzansi Challenge

Three matches are scheduled for the Currie Cup First Division and Mzanzi Challenge tournament this Saturday, with the clash between the SWD Eagles and Simbas in Kenya has been cancelled.

The Leopards will host the Valke in Potchefstroom at 15h00, while another important First Division clash will see the Border Bulldogs pitted against the Boland Kavaliers in Mdantsane at 15h30.

The two travelling sides, from the East Rand and Boland, are in pole position and have all but qualified for the First Division Final, which is scheduled for 23 June.

The final match of the weekend is between the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias, who tackle Eastern Province in the Namibian capital at 16h00. Following the league phase, the top four teams on the Mzansi Challenge log will qualify for the semi-finals, which are scheduled for the first weekend in June.

Premier Division match information:

Windhoek Draught Griquas v DHL Western Province
Venue: Windhoek Draught Park, Kimberley
Date: Friday, 2 June
Time: 15h00
Referee: Griffin Colby
TV: SuperSport

Vodacom Bulls v NovaVit Griffons
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Date: Friday, 26 May
Time: 17h05
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
TV: SuperSport

Airlink Pumas v Toyota Cheetahs
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Date: Saturday, 3 June
Time: 17h00
Referee: Morne Ferreira
TV: SuperSport

Cell C Sharks v Fidelity ADT Lions
Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
Date: Saturday, 3 June
Time: 19h05
Referee: AJ Jacobs
TV: SuperSport

Currie Cup Premier Division First Division Mzansi Challenge Vodacom Bulls Airlink Pumas Fidelity ADT Lions NovaVit Griffons Toyota Cheetahs Cell C Sharks DHL Western Province Windhoek Draught Griquas

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 ...

Late flourish sees WP defend their U21 crown...

DHL Western Province scored two tries in as many minutes at the death of an absorbing SA Rugby Under-21 final as they be...

Naka Bulle go back-to-back in ARC Gold Cup...

Naka Bulle beat Northam Rhinos by 22-19 (half-time 3-7) in Pretoria on Saturday to successfully defend their African Rai...

Bok camp concludes 100 days out from RWC 2023

The Springboks wrapped up their second preparation camp on an exciting note in Durban on Wednesday as the world celebrated the milestone of 100 days until the kick-off of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

SA Rugby president condemns abuse of match officials

Rugby club members who abuse or assault referees should expect to be banned from the game and action taken against their clubs, said Mr Mark Alexander, president of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) on Wednesday.

Top teams surge ahead in Premier Division race

DHL Western Province won big to maintain their lead at the top of the standings while the Bulls Daisies and Border Ladies claimed bonus-point victories in the fourth round of the Women’s Premier Division staged over the weekend.

Relief as Hanekom's Test dream finally comes true

She can recall the minute of the match, where the play was at on the field and the first job at hand, and she will remember that for the rest of her life. That is how Luchell Hanekom, the latest player to be capped for the Springbok Women, described her Test debut at Stade Maki in Antananarivo on Sunday, where the South Africans claimed the Rugby Africa Women's Cup by beating the host nation, Madagascar, by 79-8.

Munster victory could prove major boost

The Vodacom United Rugby Championship final was played at the right venue as the competition continues its outreach into Africa, but Munster taking the trophy home to Ireland might be good for the tournament going forward.

De Villiers and Letebele to lead Junior Boks in SA

Paul de Villiers and Katlego Letebele will return for their second stint with the Junior Springboks, this time as captain and vice-captain of the South African squad to the World Rugby Under-20 Championship, which will kick off in Cape Town, Paarl and Stellenbosch later this month.

All eyes on Mdantsane in round five

A repeat of the 2022 final, the return of a couple of Springbok Women’s players and must-win matches for some teams highlight the fifth round of the Women’s Premier Division, with three big encounters scheduled for Saturday.

RIP Preston Vuyisile “PV” Maneli

Mr Mark Alexander, the president of SA Rugby, paid tribute to Preston Vuyisile Maneli, better known as “PV”, a former national rugby player and a great sports all-rounder who sadly passed away at the age of 86 at the Amalinda Old Age Home in East London on Wednesday.

The 2023 Currie Cup Bulletin #26

The Cell C Sharks and Toyota Cheetahs claimed important wins to secure home ground advantage for the Currie Cup Premier Division semi-finals, while the Vodacom Bulls and Windhoek Draught Griquas bolstered their respective playoff bids in the penultimate round of the tournament.

Daisies go top as Border stun WP in Mdantsane

The Bulls Daisies moved to the top of the SA Rugby Women’s Premier Division standings for the first time after five rounds and are now the only undefeated side in the competition courtesy of a 36-8 win over Boland Dames in Pretoria on Saturday, after DHL Western Province lost in the Eastern Cape.