Currie Cup Best Bets – Pumas To Win, Cheetahs & WP On The Plus

It’s all to play for for half of the teams in action in the final round of the Currie Cup regular season on Saturday, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The pacesetting Bulls (44) and second-placed Sharks (40) have secured home semi-finals, while the Cheetahs (26) and Lions (24) are out of the hunt, leaving the three remaining teams – Griquas (33), the Pumas (32) and Western Province (30) – to vie for the final two play-off places.

The Peacock Blues and Lowvelders will go head-to-head to kick off the action in Kimberley, where the winners are guaranteed one of the semi-final berths. The Bulls then play host to the Cheetahs, knowing that two log points will be enough to ensure they finish in pole position. Finally, Province face the difficult task of having to defeat the Sharks in Durban if they are to qualify for the play-offs.

Rugby Championship Is Back On & Off To Queensland, Australia

Griquas v Pumas

Saturday – 14:30

The so-called minnows have stood up strong this season and it’s a bit of a shame that they have to duke it out for a place in the play-offs. Both can still make the final four, if Province succumb to the Sharks, while a draw could also possibly see them both advance, but they’ll want to punch their ticket with victory in Kimberley.

The teams are evenly matched and similarly spirited competitors who fight with all their might until the bitter end. This was highlighted in their Round Three showdown in Nelspruit, where the Pumas eked out a 26-22 win. Their pack laid the platform for that victory, however, they can expect a staunch reply at Tafel Lager Park, a notoriously tough battleground for visiting teams, especially after the dominant display the Griquas forwards put on in their 46-25 pummelling of Province last Sunday.

The Pumas flexed their muscles in their 28-19 win over the Cheetahs at the weekend as well, particularly with the rolling thunder that is their driving maul, and the Peacock Blues will have to find a way to halt what’s been an unstoppable weapon up to this point.

Both sides have dangerous backlines and reliable goal-kickers, so defence and discipline will prove decisive. This is where the Pumas have the edge. Griquas know how to score tries; their 38 touchdowns are seven more than the Pumas’ tally, but they’ve leaked 42, 11 more than the Lowvelders and the third-most of the competition. Therefore, I’m tipping the Pumas to pip a closely-contested clash.

Bulls v Cheetahs

Saturday – 17:00

The Bulls are the clear favourites. They’ve been the best team on show all season, boasting seven wins and two losses, while the Cheetahs have won just three matches and lost six. The defending champions have also hardly lost at Loftus under Jake White, however, they can’t afford to take the struggling Free Staters lightly, as they’ll look to finish their campaign on a positive note.

It’s unlikely that the men from Pretoria will overlook the Cheetahs, though, as they have to secure at least two log points as aforementioned to ensure they finish the league phase in first place and remain at Loftus for the remainder of their title defence.

The Bulls have shown they have enough depth to rest a few of their key players and still get the job done. If White goes that route, they should still claim a comfortable win, however, it should help the Cheetahs to cover the spread.

However, if White opts for a full-strength side, expect the Bulls to cover the spread.

Sharks v Western Province

Saturday – 19:00

The coastal rivals are set to collide at a wet Kings Park, which will make for a power struggle as opposed to a free-flowing spectacle. Rain was expected but never came in their third-round clash in Cape Town, however, the weatherman is sure of himself this time around, forecasting a 90% chance of precipitation at the time of writing.

Territory will thus be of the utmost importance and it’s the hosts who are more familiar with playing percentage rugby. What’s more, the Province pack have been found wanting in the gain line battle, last Sunday’s heavy defeat in Kimberley being a case in point, although their set pieces are solid.

On the flip side, the rain will rob the Sharks of their fast-paced and expansive offence, which saw them blow the Lions out of the water at Ellis Park last Saturday. As noteworthy, albeit less celebrated than the eight tries they scored in the 56-14 demolition was their defence as they stayed disciplined and held their line for the first 60 minutes.
Province were able to sneak the win in the last meeting thanks to a late penalty goal by Tim Swiel, whose boot will once again play a key role, but the Sharks are a team on the rise and should make it four wins on the trot.