The Carling Currie Cup saw two rounds of rugby being played during this week and unfortunately, the lack of a defensive effort by the players resulted in several tries being scored. The Bulls consolidated their place at the top of the log with two wins while the cancellation of the match between the Sharks and Pumas could prove to be vital as the Sharks try to secure a home semi-final and final.
The Vodacom Bulls and Cell C Sharks are in a favourable position to host the Carling Currie Cup semi-finals this season after good victories over the weekend, while the race to the other two playoff spots will go down to the wire, with all five other Premier Division teams still in the hunt to make the top four.
With two/three Premier Division games to go, the Vodacom Bulls and Cell C Sharks top the standings with 39 and 35 points respectively, followed by the New Nation Pumas (27), Tafel Lager Griquas (26), DHL Western Province (25), the Sigma Lions (24) and Toyota Cheetahs (21).
Of the chasing pack, the men from Johannesburg have played 10 matches and will have to win both their remaining fixtures to be in with a shout of reaching the playoffs, while the other four sides still have three games to go.
Round 10
The Currie Cup Deserve More - I am not a happy chappie
Vodacom Bulls go top as Tafel Lager Griquas run out of puff
The Vodacom Bulls scored eight tries as they stormed to a 56-33 win over Tafel Lager Griquas and straight to the top of the Carling Currie Cup log at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday afternoon.
With both teams coming off defeats and the winner set to unseat the Cell C Sharks at the summit after the COVID-hit Durbanites’ scheduled clash with the New Nation Pumas had to be cancelled, there was ample motivation.
Schalk Erasmus and Kurt-Lee Arendse headlined the try-scoring with a brace apiece as the defending champions pulled clear after a gutsy, injury-ravaged Tafel Lager Griquas side ran out of steam in the final quarter.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls 56 (20) – Tries: Johan Goosen, Schalk Erasmus (2), Kurt-Lee Arendse (2), Walt Steenkamp, Elrigh Louw, Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Conversions: Johan Goosen (4), Chris Smith. Penalties: Goosen (2).
Tafel Lager Griquas 33 (16) – Tries: Stefan Ungerer, Penalty try, Janco Uys. Conversions: George Whitehead (2). Penalties: George Whitehead (4).
Breathless Carling Currie Cup stalemate in Bloemfontein
Twelve tries in 80 minutes of Carling Currie Cup action during which time the lead changed hands 10 times saw a remarkable game between the Toyota Cheetahs and the Sigma Lions end in a 44-44 draw in Bloemfontein on Wednesday night.
Each side scored six tries apiece in a see-saw affair where both sides would have bemoaned their defensive displays, but when it came to giving the ball some air, the Free Staters and Gautengers went about their business like a game of sevens.
Late in the game, in a strong attacking position on the field with their pack in control, the Sigma Lions opted for a penalty goal to tie the scores, which may still come back to haunt them as both teams remain at the wrong end of the standings.
Scorers:
Toyota Cheetahs 44 (23) – Tries: Ruan Pienaar, David Brits, Craig Barry, Louis van der Westhuizen, Malcolm Jaer, Andisa Ntsila. Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (4). Penalties: Ruan Pienaar (2).
Sigma Lions 44 (17) – Tries: Ruhan Straeuli, Rabz Maxwane (2), Jaco Visagie, Stean Pienaar, Burger Odendaal. Conversions: Jaden Hendrikse (4). Penalty goals: Jaden Hendrikse (2).
Round 11
Vodacom Bulls’ depth and power overwhelm Sigma Lions
The Vodacom Bulls cemented their position at the top of the Carling Currie Cup table with a dominant 48-21 win over the Sigma Lions at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday afternoon.
With both coaches having overhauled their teams following taxing midweek matches, the superior depth of the defending champions proved decisive. It was a complete performance by the men from Pretoria, who held a one-point lead at the break before going on to blow the hosts away in the second half.
Ultimately, Jake White’s side outscored their neighbours by seven tries to two for a full-house of log points, whilst leaving the Sigma Lions with nothing to show for their efforts and stuck outside the top four on the standings.
Scorers:
Sigma Lions 21 (16) – Tries: PJ Steenkamp, Nathan McBeth. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse. Penalties: Hendrikse (3).
Vodacom Bulls 48 (17) – Tries: Janko Swanepoel, WJ Steenkamp, Chris Smith, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Goosen, Madosh Tambwe, Zak Burger. Conversions: Smith (5). Penalty: Smith.
Cell C Sharks too strong for 14-man Toyota Cheetahs
The Cell C Sharks had to dig deep to beat the Toyota Cheetahs by 38-31 in their Carling Currie Cup clash in Durban on Sunday afternoon, with the visitors never giving up despite being reduced to 14 men early in the second half.
When Jacques Potgieter was red-carded in the 43rd minute, the hosts were leading by a point, but they scored almost immediately with warning lights going on for the Free Staters.
The visitors deserve a lot of credit for never giving up and in the end, with the Cell C Sharks reduced to 13 men with two yellow cards in quick succession, the Toyota Cheetahs could still salvage a draw, but it wasn’t to be as the hosts scored at crucial times to keep the scoreboard ticking over and maintaining a two-score lead for most of the second half.
Scorers:
Cell C Sharks 38 (19) – Tries: Thaakir Abrahams (2), Kerron van Vuuren (2), Henco Venter, Cameron Wright. Conversions: Boeta Chamberlain (3), Lionel Cronje.
Toyota Cheetahs 31 (18) – Tries: Evardi Boshoff, Craig Barry, Cameron Dawson, Robert Ebersohn. Conversion: Brandon Thomson. Penalties: Thomson (3).
DHL WP and New Nation Pumas in thrilling stalemate
DHL Western Province and the New Nation Pumas played to a 40-all draw in a pulsating Carling Currie Cup clash at Newlands on Sunday, where the skill and conditioning of both sides were on display in a high-octane and high-scoring affair.
The teams maintained an incredibly high pace for the full 80 minutes of the action-packed clash, which saw four tries being scored in the first quarter, three in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth on a perfect afternoon for running rugby.
The Capetonians led the dance and threatened to pull away on a number of occasions, but the never-say-die attitude of the Lowvelders saw them stay in the hunt and selvedge a draw with a final converted try in the 78th minute.
Scorers:
DHL Western Province 40 (26) – Tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Dan du Plessis, Seabelo Senatla (2), Sazi Sandi, Tristan Leyds. Conversions: Tim Swiel (5).
New Nation Pumas 40 (19) – Tries: Eddie Fouché, Simon Westraadt, Daniel Maartens, Shane Kirkwood, Erich Cronjé, Eduan Swart. Conversions: Eddie Fouché (5).