The Vodacom Bulls and the Toyota Cheetahs, the two frontrunners on the Carling Currie Cup log, were both made to work hard for their victories this weekend, while the Airlink Pumas strengthened their push for a playoff spot with a vital away win.
In the last match of the round played on Saturday in Pretoria, the Vodacom Bulls had to withstand a strong second-half fightback to beat Windhoek Draught Griquas by 48-38 in Pretoria.
On Friday evening, the Sigma Lions gave it their all against the Toyota Cheetahs, who did just enough in the end to claw their way back to register a 35-26 bonus-point triumph over their Johannesburg hosts.
And in the round’s opening clash staged on Friday afternoon in Durban, the Airlink Pumas prevailed 20-10 over the Cell C Sharks in order to keep alive their chances of reaching the playoffs.
After the latest round of action, the Vodacom Bulls lead the standings with one point more than the unbeaten Toyota Cheetahs. The men from Pretoria are on 37 points and the Free Staters on 36, but the defending champions have played one more game.
The top teams at the top are followed by the Cell C Sharks in third (24 points after nine games), fourth-placed Windhoek Draught Griquas (21 points after nine games), the Airlink Pumas (19 points after eight games), DHL Western Province (9 points after eight games) and the Sigma Lions (3 points after nine games).
Next weekend, Toyota Cheetahs host Cell C Sharks in Bloemfontein while Vodacom Bulls are home in the Jukskei River derby with neighbours Sigma Lions, and DHL Western Province travel to the Lowveld to take on the Airlink Pumas in Nelspruit.
