2011 ABSA Currie Cup – Round Four Preview
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) domestic premiership competition, Currie Cup, enters the fourth round of their 2011 season. All eight teams will contest each other in four weekend matches
for the 2011 ABSA Currie Cup competition.
The four games will be played on Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6.
The first match of round four will be played between the Leopard and Pumas, at Olen Park, Potchefstroom. The teams are placed at 7th and 8th position in the Currie Cup
table respectively and both sides will be looking forward to register their first win in the season.
Pumas have a few closely contested matches and are a better side than the Leopards. Pumas have registered four bonus points from their three games so far in the season and will start as the
favourite over the scoreless Leopards side.
Furthermore, in last year's season of the Currie Cup, Pumas defeated the Leopards in both games of the season. However, Pumas head coach Jimmy Stonehouse has not written them off and urged
his players to work hard to register their first win in the season.
The second match of round 4 of the Currie Cup will be played between the Griquas and Natal Sharks, at Kimberly Stadium, on Friday, August 5. Defending champions Sharks, are currently unbeaten
in the tournament and are leading the points table with 14 points. Griquas on the other hand, are placed at 5th place with their seven points in the season, including a win.
However, last year, Griquas handed over a 40 – 34 defeats to the Sharks at the same venue, as Sharks will be eager to repay Griquas the favour.
Griquas head coach, Abré Minnie, has expressed his hope that his side can reproduce a performance similar to last year's win. However, he is wary of the Sharks current momentum and team combination.
Minnie said, “We’re very happy with the result in Nelspruit, but obviously we wouldn’t have minded a better second half performance. Having said that, the victory gave us huge confidence,”
said GWK Griquas coach Abré Minnie.
In the third match of round four, Toyota Free State Cheetahs will play against the Western Province side in the first of two matches of round 4 to be played on Saturday, August 6. Cheetahs
will host the Province’s side at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein. In last year’s Currie Cup, Province had won two of three encounters between the sides, which include a win at the same venue.
Western Province is currently placed at the 3rd position in the Currie Cup table with 12 points coming from their three games in the season. However, Cheetahs are currently on a
two match-losing streak and are presently at the fourth place with their seven points in the season so far.
The fourth and the last match of the round will be played between Blue Bulls and Golden Lions. Bulls will host the Lions at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, on Saturday, August 6. The
young Bulls side will face a tough challenge as they take on one of the unbeaten sides of the tournament.
However, return of some key players after being released from their Springboks’ duty has boosted their match preparations. The strengthened Bulls team will be looking forward to register their
second win of the tournament to increase their standings on the points table.
Lions on the other hand, will be eyeing a bonus point victory to reclaim their top spot in the Currie Cup table.
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