Sport

Cracking Currie Cup semis on the horizon

Danie van der Lith|Published

Asenathi Ntlabakanye of the Lions during the 2024 Currie Cup game against the Cheetahs at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on 24 August 2024. Picture: Charle Lombard, BackpagePix

The Toyota Cheetahs will continue their quest to defend their Carling Currie Cup title this Saturday when they face off against the table-topping Fidelity ADT Lions.

The first semi-final is scheduled for 2.30pm at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg, while the second semi between the Vodacom Bulls and the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV, will kick off at 5pm at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

Both matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

The winners of these semi-finals will battle for the historic Currie Cup trophy on Saturday, September 21, with the final set for 4pm. All eyes are on these four top-performing teams as they fight for a spot in South Africa's most prestigious rugby competition.

If the last round of the Currie Cup’s league stage is anything to go by, the play-offs could be humdingers.

This past weekend was action-packed, kicking off on Friday with the Suzuki Griquas edging out DHL Western Province 37-29 in Kimberley. Griquas flyhalf Zinedine Robinson was on point with a flawless kicking performance, converting all four tries and slotting three penalties to guide his team to victory, ending their season on a high.

Later that day, the Lions reinforced their top position on the log with a dominant 62-5 win over the NovaVit Griffons. The Lions' forward pack set a strong platform, enabling the backline to shine. Jarod Cairns, Rabz Maxwane, Boldwin Hansen, and JC Pretorius all scored twice as the Lions ran in ten10 tries.

On Saturday, the Cheetahs put a seesaw season behind them and secured the last semi-final spot with a convincing 41-14 win over the Airlink Pumas in Nelspruit. Left wing Daniel Kasende crossed the try line twice, while flyhalf Ethan Wentzel contributed three conversions. The defending champions from Bloemfontein ramped up the intensity in the second half, overpowering the Pumas to emphatically seal their place in the play-offs.

Rounding off the league phase, the Sharks edged out the Bulls 24-18 in a closely contested encounter in Durban on Sunday. Despite challenging weather conditions, Siya Masuku’s assured kicking proved decisive, contributing 14 points to secure the KZN team’s victory.

At the conclusion of the league stages, the Lions topped the log with 43 points, followed by the Bulls (38 points), Sharks (35), and Cheetahs (30). The Griquas and Pumas, the 2022 finalists, missed out on play-off spots, finishing with 24 points each, though Griquas can boast that they ended above the Pumas on the log, thanks to points difference.

So once again, this weekend, rugby fans are in for a treat as they eagerly await the semi-final clashes. All four teams are in excellent form ahead of the play-offs, so we have to wonder, will the Lions continue their dominance, or will the Cheetahs keep their title defence alive? Also, can the Bulls, with home advantage, overcome the Sharks’ seemingly unstoppable momentum?

The answers will be revealed on Saturday, 14 September, and one thing is sure … rugby fans won't want to miss this thrilling conclusion to the 2024 Currie Cup season!

Carling Currie Cup Semi-Final Fixtures:

• Semi-final 1: Fidelity ADT Lions vs Toyota Cheetahs

Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg

Date: Saturday, September 14

Time: 2.30pm

TV: SuperSport Rugby

• Semi-final 2: Vodacom Bulls vs Hollywoodbets Sharks XV

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Date: Saturday, September 14

Time: 5pm

TV: SuperSport Rugby

• Final: Winner of Semi 1 vs Winner of Semi-final 2

Venue: Home ground of the highest-placed semi-final winner

Date: Saturday, September 21

Time: 4pm

TV: SuperSport Rugby

Related Topics:

rugby