DHL Western Province shot up the Carling Currie Cup standings and are now firmly back in semi-final territory after a solid midweek win, but they can also thank the Vodacom Bulls and Toyota Cheetahs for making their route to the top four a bit easier.
A bonus-point win at DHL Newlands, coupled with defeats for the New Nation Pumas and Tafel Lager Griquas, meant the Capetonians went to bed in third spot on the log last night.
The Vodacom Bulls’ victory in Nelspruit cemented their place at the top of the standings, while the Toyota Cheetahs’ win in Bloemfontein has kept them in the race to the playoffs.
With two rounds left, the Vodacom Bulls lead comfortably on 44 log points, followed by the Cell C Sharks (35), DHL Western Province (30), the New Nation Pumas (28), Tafel Lager Griquas (28), Toyota Cheetahs (26) and Sigma Lions (24).
The Vodacom Bulls have one game in hand against the Cheetahs next week Saturday at Loftus and should book a home semi-final and final with a win against the Cheetahs.
The Cell C Sharks must still play against Sigma Lions and DHL Western Province and need to win one of the two matches in order to book a semi-final.
DHL Western Province, Tafel Lager Griquas, Toyota Cheetahs and New Nation Pumas all still have a statistical chance to make the playoffs. This weekend's results should give a better indication he could and who should reach the playoffs.
The Sigma Lions could still qualify for the playoffs if the Cheetahs, Pumas and Griquas lose both their outstanding fixtures without earning any bonus points.
Vodacom Bulls power past game New Nation Pumas in Nelspruit
Carling Currie Cup pacesetters, the Vodacom Bulls, continued their winning ways when they powered to a 33-26 bonus-point win over the New Nation Pumas in Nelspruit on Wednesday afternoon.
The men from Pretoria trailed 26-14 just before the hour-mark, with indiscipline proving costly, before their pack shifted into top gear and muscled them to a hard-earned come-from-behind victory.
The New Nation Pumas won the breakdown battle but were dominated at scrum time, where they conceded a penalty try, and couldn’t contain the physicality of the Vodacom Bulls when it mattered most.
Scorers:
New Nation Pumas 26 (16) – Tries: Niel Otto, Sebastián de Klerk. Conversions: Niel Marais, Eddie Fouché. Penalties: Niel Marais, Eddie Fouché (3).
Vodacom Bulls 33 (14) – Tries: Schalk Erasmus, Stravino Jacobs, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Penalty try, Mornay Smith. Conversions: Johan Goosen (3).
Toyota Cheetahs fight back to sneak past Tafel Lager Griquas
The Toyota Cheetahs kept alive their hopes of reaching the Carling Currie Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought 33-32 victory over Tafel Lager Griquas in a nail-biting Central Derby in Bloemfontein on Wednesday afternoon.
Two tries in four minutes after the hour-mark swung the momentum back to the hosts after their neighbours from the Northern Cape – who got two log points from the match – were in control of the score board for most of the match.
Although they struggled in the lineouts, Tafel Lager Griquas pounced on mistakes by their opponents, managed to exploit space in the wide channels and defended very well.
The Toyota Cheetahs, who bagged a full-house of five log points, enjoyed more possession and had territorial advantage, but made a number of costly mistakes, especially in the in red zone, which gave the visitors confidence.
Scorers:
Toyota Cheetahs 33 (19) – Tries: David Brits, Craig Barry, Marnus van der Merwe, Conraad van Vuuren, Junior Pokomela. Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (4).
Tafel Lager Griquas 32 (29) – Tries: George Whitehead, Chris Hollis, James Verity-Amm, Hanru Sirgel. Conversions: George Whitehead (3). Penalties: George Whitehead (2).
DHL WP knock Sigma Lions out of Carling Currie Cup race
DHL Western Province dashed the Sigma Lions’ Carling Currie Cup playoff hopes when they claimed a comfortable 35-13 bonus-point win at a cold and wet Newlands on Wednesday evening.
The home team dominated the territorial battle, which proved decisive, as the Sigma Lions failed to capatilise on having a strong wind at their backs in the first half and was kept scoreless in the second.
Tim Swiel put the boot into the visitors, both tactically and off the tee, scoring 15 points, while star No 8 and Champion of the Match Evan Roos scored two of the Capetonians’ four tries as they moved from sixth to third place on the log.
Scorers:
DHL Western Province 35 (16) – Tries: Godlen Masimla, Evan Roos (2), Andre-Hugo Venter. Conversions: Tim Swiel (3). Penalties: Tim Swiel (3).
Sigma Lions 13 (13) – Try: EW Viljoen. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse. Penalties: Hendrikse (2).