Suzuki Griquas move to the top after dominant weekend in the Carling Currie Cup

Suzuki Griquas were the big winners of the sixth round of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division, rising to the top of the log after a commanding 40-10 victory over the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday evening. Their triumph set the tone for a weekend of thrilling rugby, with the Fidelity ADT Lions, Hollywoodbets Sharks XV, and Airlink Pumas also claiming crucial victories.

The Griquas wasted no time in stamping their authority on the game, racing to a 33-5 halftime lead thanks to tries from George Whitehead, Zane Bester, Caleb Abrahams, Gurshwin Wehr, and Cameron Hufke. Wehr added a second try in the second half, while Whitehead kicked five conversions. Despite ending the match with only 12 men after three yellow cards in the final ten minutes, the Kimberley outfit proved too strong for the Cheetahs, who could only manage two tries from Marko Janse van Rensburg and Daniel Maartens.

This win lifted Griquas into pole position on the standings with 25 points from six matches, edging ahead of the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, who sit on 23 points after their narrow 33-31 loss to the Sharks XV in Pietermaritzburg. The Lions and Cheetahs are both tied on 21 points, while the Pumas remain within striking distance on 20 points after their bonus-point win over DHL Western Province.

The Lions also produced a dominant display in the Jukskei Derby, dismantling an injury-hit Vodacom Bulls side 44-5 at Ellis Park. Former Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith starred with a try, two conversions, and two penalty goals, while teammates SJ Kotze, PJ Botha, Richard Kriel, Sam Francis, and Haashim Pead all crossed the line. The Bulls could only reply through Jaco van der Walt, and their campaign is now effectively over.

In Pietermaritzburg, the Sharks XV and Boland Kavaliers delivered one of the games of the season. The Sharks XV built a 13-point lead through tries by Jacques Marais (2) and Albie Bester, along with the boot of Jean Smith. But Boland struck back through Sauliegh Arendse, Donavan Don, Dayan van der Westhuizen, and HP van Schoor, with James Tedder adding points from the tee to edge them ahead in the dying minutes. However, replacement fly-half Siya Masuku kept his nerve after the hooter, landing a long-range penalty to snatch victory for the home side.

The Airlink Pumas completed the weekend’s action in Cape Town by storming back in the second half to defeat Western Province 39-13. After trailing 10-7 at halftime, the Pumas took control with tries from Tiaan de Klerk, Sango Xamlashe, Darren Adonis, and Junior Banda, adding to an earlier score by Andre Fouche. Clinton Swart was accurate from the boot, converting four tries and adding two penalty goals to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The final round of the league stage promises high drama. On Friday evening, the Sharks XV host the Pumas in Durban, with both sides desperate for a win to secure a place in the top four. Saturday’s fixtures feature a Western Cape derby between Western Province and Boland at DHL Stadium, the Lions against Griquas at Ellis Park, and the Bulls hosting the Cheetahs in Pretoria.

With just one round left, the race for playoff spots remains wide open, but the Suzuki Griquas will head into the final weekend with confidence after their emphatic statement in Bloemfontein.