The Cell C Sharks and DHL Western Province claimed big scalps over the weekend to strengthen their respective positions in the Currie Cup Premier Division standings, while Windhoek Draught Griquas and the Vodacom Bulls secured important wins to keep their own playoff hopes alive.
The Cell C Sharks clinched their fifth consecutive win when they beat the Toyota Cheetahs on Friday. The bonus-point victory sees the KwaZulu-Natalians moving up to second in the standings – although they now boast the same number of log points as the first-placed side.
The Toyota Cheetahs remain at the top of the pile thanks to their superior points difference. Their inability to salvage so much as a losing bonus point from the defeat to the Cell C Sharks may prove costly at a later stage.
Similarly, the Airlink Pumas may come to regret their late lapse against DHL Western Province in Cape Town on Friday. The hosts scored 10 points in the final 10 minutes – including a converted try after the hooter, to secure an eight-point victory that denied the defending champs any consolatory log points.
As a result, the men from Mpumalanga have dropped to third in the standings, but are only three points behind the Toyota Cheetahs and Cell C Sharks. DHL WP has consolidated their position in the top four and may surpass the Airlink Pumas in the coming weeks if they continue to win and other results go their way.
Windhoek Draught Griquas secured a bonus-point win against the NovaVit Griffons on Saturday to move up to fifth place. They are only three points behind fourth-placed DHL WP.
The Vodacom Bulls were made to fight for their own five-point haul in Johannesburg on Saturday. They trail DHL WP by four points and are still in the race for the playoffs. The Fidelity ADT Lions claimed two valuable log points in spite of the defeat to their Gauteng rivals. They are currently five points behind DHL WP.
