Currie Cup round eight preview
The eighth round of the Currie Cup is set to go over the weekend and the games are slowly becoming more important. With only four matches remaining in the 2010 round robin section every club is keen on locking up victories. Western Province and the Sharks will continue to duke it out for first spot, while the Griquas and Cheetahs argue over fourth position.
Pumas vs. Blue Bulls
The Pumas will host the Blue Bulls at Witbank Stadium in the round’s first match.
The Pumas are coming off of a tough loss at the hands of the Lions last week, but looked in their best form of the season. They will have an opportunity to take advantage of a Bulls side that will be missing their Tri Nations players.
The Bulls sneaked out a victory over the Griquas last week and will be hoping to have an easier outing against the Pumas. Sitting in third position, every game counts for a Blue Bulls side that has had difficulty remaining consistent from game to game.
The Pumas are currently in seventh with seven points, while the Blue Bulls are in third with 22 points.
Golden Lions vs. Leopards
The Golden Lions will host the Leopards in Johannesburg on Friday.
The Golden Lions celebrated a narrow victory over the Pumas last week and will be keen to remain in the hunt for fourth spot with another win over the lowly Leopards. The Lions still sit a full seven points away from a spot in the second round and cannot afford to lose to the Leopards this weekend.
The Leopards meanwhile are trying to avoid relegation, and need only three points to catch the Pumas who sit one spot above them in the standings. Nevertheless, they will be in a tough spot against a strong Lions side who is at home on Friday.
The Golden Lions are in sixth with 15 points, while the Leopards are in last with four points.
Natal Sharks vs. Griquas
The Sharks will host the Griquas at home in Durban for their eighth round match.
The Natal Sharks have another tough test ahead of them in round eight after defeating Western Province last week. The Griquas have showed impressive form in their loss to the Blue Bulls in round seven. The Sharks will have to bring their best game this weekend.
After a narrow loss to the Blue Bulls the Griquas will be looking to steal a win from the table-topping Sharks. The Griquas have been an impressive force on the offensive side of the ball, but continue to have trouble stopping teams on the defensive side, having relinquished the third more points-against of any squad. They will need a better effort against the most potent offence in the League.
The Sharks are currently in first with 30 points, while the Griquas are in fourth with 22 points.
Western Province vs. Free State
Western Province will host the Free State Cheetahs at home in Pretoria in the week’s final match-up.
Western Province are coming off of their first loss of the year at the hands of the Sharks and find themselves in an unfamiliar second place. They will have their hands full once again against an always dangerous Free State Side.
Free State broke out for 57 points and nine tries last week against the Leopards and although Western Province will pose more of a threat, the Cheetahs now know they can rack up the points on offence. Nevertheless, Western Province still has the best point-differential in the league and the Cheetahs will need to be extra sharp on defence if they hope to keep them from achieving the bonus try.
Western Province is currently in second with 27 points, while the Cheetahs are in fifth with 20 points.
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