Round 5 of the SA Rugby u/20 Cup competition will provide some exciting answers as the supporters already have taken out their calculators to predict the teams who will play in the final scheduled for 06 April 2023.
In Round 4 the Lions held on to the top spot on the SA Rugby Under-20 Cup log with a pulsating 33-33 draw against the Cell C Sharks. Elsewhere, the DHL Western Province gained their first win in four starts when they outplayed the Toyota Cheetahs 34-19 in Bloemfontein, while the visiting Leopards defeated the Valke 31-28 in Vanderbijlpark.
The results leave the Lions u/20s side with a five-point (17 points) lead over the Cell C Sharks u/20s at the top of the current standings, while the Toyota Cheetahs pulled even with the Vodacom Bulls, who had a bye last weekend, on 10 points. They are followed by the Leopards who are now just one point adrift on nine points. DHL WP (sixth on four points) and the Valke (two league points) complete the standings.
According to the pundits, the Cell C Sharks will secure a home final which could see them ending the season with 27 log points. The second spot will be decided between the Lions u/20s and the Vodacom Blue Bulls u/20s, a win for the Luins u/20s will "secure" the second place in the Cup final, however, if the Vodacom Blue Bulls beat the Lions u/20s and do not score more than one log point in the clash on Friday the Vodacom Blue Bulls could travel to Durban for the Cup final.
The Toyota Cheetahs u/20s are also unbeaten and still have to face the Cell C Sharks, Vodacom Blue Bulls u/20s and Lions u/20s and are expected to lose at least two of the three upcoming clashes.
First up on Friday afternoon at 16:30 (SA Time), the Vodacom Blue Bulls u/20s will host log leaders Lions u/20s. The Vodacom Blue Bulls are seven log points behind the Lions u/20s and will have to earn the maximum five log points and keep the Lions from securing two or more log points if they still hope to catch the Lions u/20s to qualify for the Cup finals.
The DHL Western Province u/20s will host the Valke u/20s in Cape Town on Saturday at 13:00 (SA Time) and should bag another five log points, securing their second win of the season.
However, all eyes will be on Durban where the Cell C Sharks u/20s will host the unbeaten Toyota Cheetahs u/20s. This match could spell the end of both teams' hopes to qualify for the SA Rugby u/20 Cup final.
The Leopards u/20s have a bye this weekend.