The 2024 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #3

Can Suzuki Griquas, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV and DHL Western Province bounce back and gain their first Carling Currie Cup Premier Division victories this coming weekend, and are the NovaVit Griffons capable of causing an early-season upset?

These are some of the questions that will be answered during round two of the Premier Division to be staged between Friday and Sunday.

Suzuki Griquas play at home in Kimberley for a second week in a row, this time against the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV, in an exciting match kicking off at 15h00 on Friday. Airlink Pumas host the Fidelity ADT Lions, also on Friday, from 19h00.

In Saturday’s only encounter, the defending champions Toyota Cheetahs welcome DHL Western Province to Bloemfontein, with the Free Staters favoured to register their second win in a row after last weekend’s romp over the NovaVit Griffons. The game is scheduled to start at 13h55.

Sunday’s 14h00 clash between the NovaVit Griffons and Vodacom Bulls at the Down Touch Investments Stadium in Welkom wraps up the weekend’s action.

Suzuki Griquas went down to the Airlink Pumas in last weekend’s opening round clash in Kimberley, and the men from the Diamond City will fancy their chances against a youthful looking Hollywoodbets Sharks XV.

Kimberley is a difficult spot for any visiting team and the Durbanites will also have to cope with the home side’s controlled aggression as the recently crowned SA Cup champions seek to get their first win.

While the Airlink Pumas gained a deserving victory in Kimberley, the Fidelity ADT Lions had to work extremely hard for their one-point triumph in Durban and an exciting game is on the cards between the two attack-minded sides at the Mbombela Stadium.

Judging on last weekend’s results, the Toyota Cheetahs should have too much firepower for a young DHL WP outfit. The men from Bloemfontein swept aside their neighbours from the Northern Free State last weekend and the Capetonians will have to show a lot of improvement from their loss to the Vodacom Bulls, if they want to succeed away from home.

In the last match up of the weekend, the Vodacom Bulls are favoured over home side the NovaVit Griffons in Welkom. Success in this fixture will keep the Pretoria outfit amongst the front runners on the log, while the purple jerseys are seeking their first league points.

Although it’s very early days, it’s no surprise Toyota Cheetahs dominate proceedings on the leading scorers list.

Ethan Wentzel heads the list with 19 points following his seven conversions and a try in the opening round. Fidelity ADT Lions flyhalf Kade Wolhuter is just three points behind on 16, while Airlink Pumas playmaker Clinton Swart is on 14 points.

Three Toyota Cheetahs players, namely Gideon van der Merwe, Daniel Kasende and Jandre Nel, as well as the Suzuki Griquas’ Mnombo Zwelendaba, have scored two tries each.

All the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division action will be broadcast live on Supersport.

Match information:

Suzuki Griquas vs Hollywoodbets Sharks XV
Date: Friday, 12 July
Venue: Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley
Time: 15h00
Referee: Christopher Allison
TV: SS Rugby

Airlink Pumas vs Fidelity ADT Lions
Date: Friday, 12 July
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Time: 19h00
Referee: Sean Muller
TV: SS Rugby

Toyota Cheetahs vs DHL Western Province
Date: Saturday, 13 July
Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Time: 13h55
Referee: Ruhan Meiring
TV: SS Rugby

NovaVit Griffons vs Vodacom Bulls
Date: Sunday, 14 July
Venue: Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom
Time: 14h00
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
TV: SS Rugby

First Division reaches business end

With the semi-finals moving into view and three teams already guaranteed places in the Carling Currie Cup First Division playoffs, there is still a lot to play for for all the teams in the competition.

Log leaders, the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, are the firm favourites over Border Bulldogs when they meet Saturday afternoon from 13h30 in East London, where they can secure a home semi-final.

So far, the Bolanders have won all four their games with bonus points, and the last-placed Bulldogs are in for a tough home encounter against the log leaders at Police Park.

The two remaining matches are both scheduled for a 15h00 kick-off on Saturday. Second-placed Valke host the third-placed Eastern Province at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park, and Leopards (fourth) are set to battle Phangela SWD Eagles (fifth) in Potchefstroom.

The Valke will want to win their match to secure a home semi-final, but the East Randers will know EP can still move past them on the log, making it an important game for both teams.

The clash in Potch is a quarter-final in essence, as the winner of this encounter will join the other three teams in the playoffs.

Duren Hoffman of the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers leads the First Division points and try-scoring charts on 50 points from 10 tries in four games, followed by EP’s Jayden Bantom and the Kavaliers’ Ashlon Davids, who are both on 43. Rodney Damons of EP has scored the second-most tries, with five.

Match information:

Border Bulldogs vs Sanlam Boland Kavaliers
Date: Saturday, 13 July
Venue: Police Park, East London
Time: 13h30
Referee: Paul Mente

Valke vs Eastern Province
Date: Saturday, 13 July
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Time: 15h00
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen

Leopards vs Phangela SWD Eagles
Date: Saturday, 13 July
Venue: Olen Park, Potchefstroom
Time: 15h00
Referee: Jonathan Lottering

Carling Currie Cup Premier Division First Division Toyota Cheetahs Vodacom Bulls DHL Western Province NovaVit Griffons Hollywoodbets Sharks Airlink Pumas Suzuki Griquas Fidelity ADT Lions

Wilco Louw returns as Boks change 12 for England...

Wilco Louw will play his first Test match since 2021 against England in London on Saturday in a Springbok starting XV wh...

England name side to play the Springboks in London...

England head coach Steve Borthwick has named his team to face the Springboks at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, making four...

Match official appointments to 17 November 2024...

Match official appointments for the next few days have been made and Andrew Brace from Ireland will be the man in the mi...

More law amendments get global trial go-ahead...

A package of law trials aimed at enhancing fan and player experience will be adopted as a global trial across all compet...

Boks prepared for quick turnaround to England Test...

The Springboks are completely aware of the challenge presented by the short turnaround between their match on Sunday aga...

Springbok Sevens squad named for 2024 Olympics

Six players with previous Olympic Games experience, including 2016 bronze medalist Rosko Specman, have been included in the 14-man Springbok Sevens squad for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Junior Boks must forge ahead despite England loss

The Junior Springboks do not want to be defined by their defeats to England and Argentina in the pool phase of the World Rugby U20 Championship, and that's why they will continue to give it their all in their remaining two matches, according to head coach Bafana Nhleko.

'Doogz' focused on getting the job done in Durbs

Springbok centre Damian de Allende, who will set the new SA record as the most capped centre pairing with Jesse Kriel, said the record had no significance for him going into the series decider against Ireland in Durban on Saturday, but that his focus was rather on securing a victory.

Match official appointments to 14 July 2024

Match official appointments for the next few days have been made, with England’s Karl Dickson taking the whistle in Durban on Saturday, when the Springboks and Ireland clash in the second Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series.

Midfield record in unchanged Bok side for Durban

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named the most experienced team in Springbok history when he retained the same 23-man matchday squad to the one which defeated Ireland 27-20 in their opening Castle Lager Incoming Series match in Pretoria last week for the second Test at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.

Nhleko shuffles Junior Bok side for Argentina rematch

The Junior Springboks have made several changes to their match-day squad for Sunday's playoff match with Argentina in the DHL Stadium in Cape Town. The match starts at 14h00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Boks playing for South Africans in series decider

Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said the team would be playing for all South Africans when they take the field against Ireland in the Castle Lager Incoming Series decider in Durban on Saturday.

Top four sides collide in Women’s Premier Division

The top four sides in the Women’s Premier Division will clash on Saturday in what may just turn out to be a dress rehearsal for the semi-finals, which are a few weeks away.

Roos: We are not going to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower

The Springbok Women’s Sevens team left South Africa on Friday with a firm understanding of what their first participation in the Olympic Games means, not only to the players selected in the squad, but also to those who came before them.

Late Durban drama as Ireland share series spoils

Ireland grabbed a dramatic 25-24 victory (half-time 16-6) over the Springboks in Durban on Saturday evening to not only level the Castle Lager Incoming Series, but also hand the Rugby World Cup champions their first defeat since lifting the Webb Ellis Cup last year.

Springbok Sevens squad named for 2024 Olympics

Six players with previous Olympic Games experience, including 2016 bronze medalist Rosko Specman, have been included in the 14-man Springbok Sevens squad for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.