Nie Cele
It’s a special weekend for rugby fans!!!All eyes will be on today’s mouth-watering Carling Currie Cup Premier Division semi finals.
Four teams are slugging it out for the coveted trophy. Much at stake is the pride and the historic trophy more than anything else for all the teams.
Carling Currie Cup is one tournament every Rugby team wants to win. The coveted trophy has a very important rich history hence every team wants to do well and come out guns blazing for this encounter.
Rugby SA website reported “Last year, the Free Staters sprang a minor surprise by beating the Vodacom Bulls by 31-27 in a pulsating semi-final in Bloemfontein, while in the other semi-final, the Airlink Pumas edged the Hollywoodbets Sharks 26-20 to progress to the 2023 final, where the Toyota Cheetahs prevailed 25-17 over the team from Mpumalanga to lift the famous trophy for a seventh time.
Rugby SA website reported that ” Last year the Free Staters sprang a minor surprise by beating Vodacom Bulls 31-27 in a pulsating semi final in Bloemfontein . While in the other semi final the Airlink Pumas edged Hollywoodbets Sharks 26-20 to progress to the final where the TOYOTA Cheetahs prevailed 25-17 over the team from Mpumalanga to lift the famous trophy for the seventh time.
This year the defending champions, followed the low road to the playoffs when their victory last in weekend over Airlink Pumas , in their final league match saw them grab the available knockout spot
Playing in Saturdays first semi final in Doornfontein, The ADT Lions will have both form and home ground advantage on their side when they take on Free State rivals as they aim to reach the final for the first time since 2019.”
Apart from playing at the imposing Emirates Airline Park, the Joburg outfit established themselves as the best side during the league phase of the Premier Division. They amassed 437 points in their 10 games and only conceded 215, which placed them as the most prolific scoring side as well as the team with the best defence.
Furthermore the Fidelity ADT Lions have been consistent with their form and scoring abilities during that time, while the Toyota Cheetahs have been blowing hot and cold at the same time, only cliching their semi-final berth with a nervy win in the last round of regular action.
While the log leaders lost only once in the league, their Free State opponents could only manage five wins, a draw and four losses during the same period.
However, knockout rugby is an entirely different beast, as showed by last year’s results and the Johannesburg hosts will be wary of the dangers of underestimating the gritty defending champions .
The second semi-final between the Vodacom Bulls and Hollwoodbets Sharks XV at Loftus has all the hallmarks of another Currie Cup classic and is a repeat of the finals in 2020 and 2021 seasons, both won by team Pretoria.
This year, the defending champions followed the low road to the playoffs when their victory last weekend over the Airlink Pumas, in their final league match, saw them grab the last available knockout spot.
Playing in Saturday’s first semi-final in Doornfontein, the Fidelity ADT Lions will have both form and home ground advantage on their side when they take on their Free State rivals as they aim to reach the final for the first time since 2019.”
Apart from playing at the imposing Emirates Airline Park, the Joburg outfit established themselves as the best side during the league phase of the Premier Division. They amassed 437 points in their 10 games and only conceded 215, which placed them as the most prolific scoring side as well as the team with the best defence.
Furthermore, the Fidelity ADT Lions have been consistent with their form and scoring abilities during that time, while the Toyota Cheetahs have been blowing hot and cold at the same time, only clinching their semi-final berth with a nervy win in the last round of regular action.
While the log leaders lost only once in the league, their Free State opponents could only manage five wins, a draw and four losses during the same period.
However, knockout rugby is an entirely different beast, as showed by last year’s results, and the Johannesburg hosts will be wary of the dangers of underestimating the gritty defending champions.
The second semi-final, between the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks XV at Loftus Versfeld, has all the hallmarks of another Currie Cup classic and is a repeat of the finals of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, both won by the team from Pretoria.
Toyota Chetaahs is expected to meet ADT Lions in the first match at Emirates Stadium in Johannesburg while later just after two hours Vodacom Bulls and Sharks will meet in a match pundits believe is going to be a humdinger encounter in Pretoria.”
In a build up to these matches, this publication spoke exclusively to Lionel Mapoe , centre winger for Bulls.
His objective prediction was that Loftus will be packed to the rafters with Bulls supporters and his opinion was that it’s going to be a close match.
“The stage is set. This is one of the oldest rugby competition that serves as a breeding ground or Rugby national team talent. During these matches every team’s game plan is different . But we have planned accordingly and we know what to fix for this very important one.”
Mapoe also pointed out home ground advantage will also be an important factor for the Bulls.
“We know what to do and not to do. In reality it’s not going be a walk over or an easy one. However the mood in the camp is positive, we know our supporters are also there and the message is clear we want to get to the finals. This is just another important game to win to get to the finals.”
Meanwhile Bulls Legend Akona Ndungane , echoed his sentiment arguing that Carling Currie Cup has a rich and proud history.
“Every player wants to win this trophy all teams know what is at stake . My blood is blue but believe both games are going to be tough.There is no doubt Bulls are favourites by virtue of playing at home. The coach is building a squad that will win trophies. And the squad he has can just do that and win trophies including this one.”
Pressed to make a prognostic grading on a richter scale of 1-10 for the four outfits, he first said,” Bulls are on the comfort zone and space they deserve 6/10, Lions 7/10, Cheetahs 6/10and Sharks 5/10.”
Ndungane also highlighted the need to take the game to the people in remote and peri-urban places in the country. “This will help attract more fans.
ADDITIONAL INFO BY RUGBY SA WEBSITE.
