2011 ABSA Currie Cup: Round 1 Update – Rugby Union
At the end of the first round of the South African domestic Rugby Union competition, the 2011 ABSA Currie Cup, the Free State Cheetahs have established themselves on the top of the Currie Cup table.
Four games between the eight contesting teams of the 2011 Currie Cup were played in the first round of the Currie Cup.
The tournament opener was played between Golden Lions and Pumas on Friday, July 15 at Ellis Park Johannesburg. Lions were riding on the strong performance of their fly half Burton Francis and defeated Pumas 31 – 27.
The second match of round one was played between the defending champions, Natal Sharks, and Vodacom Blue Bulls at Kings Park Stadium, Durban on Saturday, July 16. The Sharks fly half Fredrick Michalak, with his exceptional display of kicking and ball carrying
skills, helped Sharks to defeat the Bulls by a margin of 19 points as the final scorecard read 35 – 19.
Free State Cheetahs defeated the Leopard 40 – 12 at Bloemfontein on Saturday, July 16.
In the last match of the round one of the Currie Cup, Western Provinces and Griquas played a 26 – all draw at Newlands Stadium, Cape Town on Saturday, July 16. Provinces playing with a young and in-experienced squad and were close to securing the victory
but errors helped the Griquas to remain in the game.
On the points table, both Free State Cheetahs and Natal Sharks with their respective bonus point victories are present on top of the table with five points each. Cheetahs however have a higher point difference and are placed on the first position and are
followed by the defending champions Sharks.
Lions are placed third on the table with four points while Griquas and Western Provinces, courtesy of their draw game, are placed in 4th and 5th position. Pumas, with their losing bonus point are placed on the sixth position while
Bulls and Leopards are placed at 7th and 8th position respectively.
Burton Francis, Fredric Michalak, Gary Van Aswegen, Monty Dumond and Ricardo Croy are the top five highest points' scorer after the first round of the 2011 Currie Cup. Burton Francis, Fredric Michalak, Gary Van Aswegen, Monty Dumond and Ricardo Croy are
placed at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th position with 21, 20, 16, 16 and 12 points respectively.
Rocco Jansen with his two tries is the highest try scorer in the round one of the Currie Cup. Burton Francis and Gary Van Aswegen are the top penalty scorers as the pair has scored four penalties each in their respective matches.
In other news, Western Provinces' fly half Gary Van Aswegen has been ruled out from the game for next six to eight week. Van Aswegen partially tore his knee ligament in the weekend encounter at Griquas. The knee will remained braced for two weeks, which
will then be followed by six weeks rehabilitation.
The round two of the 2011 Currie Cup will start from Friday, July 22.
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