SA Cup: Crunch derby on the cards
Yesterday at 04:07 AM
A big Free State derby is one of the big games in the round 5 of the SA Cup, with several intriguing matches lined up as the race for Currie Cup Premier Division qualification heats up.
Defending champions Griquas and 2024 finalists Pumas are leading the standings with the maximum 20 league points, having won all four of their matches so far. Below them, an interesting race is developing between the Griffons (third, 16 points), Boland Kavaliers (fourth, 13 points), Cheetahs (fifth, 12 points), and Valke (sixth, 11 points).
With just four regular league games remaining before the semi-finals on the weekend of 17 May, the contenders below the unbeaten pacesetters know they cannot afford any slip-ups.
SWD Eagles will kick off the weekend's action Friday when they host Valke at Outeniqua Park in George.
The Eagles suffered a heavy loss last week against the high-flying Pumas in George, and the Valke, who are two positions higher on the log, will be another big test for the men from the Garden Route. The East Randers have their sights set on a top-four position, so they can be expected to target this encounter as another opportunity to move up the ladder.
The 2024 runners up, the Pumas, should have too much firepower for last-placed Border Bulldogs when the two meet later on Friday evening in Nelspruit.
Saturday's first fixture is in Kimberley between Griquas and the Kavaliers. The title-holders have collected a league-best tally of 304 points so far and have only conceded 58, giving them a points differential of 116 points better than the second-placed Pumas.
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This gulf in points illustrates the mammoth task awaiting Hawies Fourie’s men in Kimberley, where the home side haven't lost a game since the competition’s inception. This will easily be Boland's most difficult game of the tournament, so it will be interesting to see how the visitors rise to the occasion as they aim to stay in the race.
Then the focus moves to Bloemfontein for the clash between the Cheetahs and their neighbours, the Griffons. The Northern Free Staters are enjoying a much better campaign than their hosts, who are coached by Springbok legend Frans Steyn.
As things stand, the men from Welkom have four more log points than the Cheetahs. Last week, the Griffons gave a good account of themselves before bowing to pace-setters Griquas, while the Cheetahs had to fight tooth and nail to beat Eastern Province.
In the corresponding fixture last year between the two neighbours, the Griffons emerged victorious by just three points in Welkom. However, playing in Bloem might give the Cheetahs that extra lift against a very difficult derby opponent.
Meanwhile, in Gqeberha, EP will be aiming for their second win of the season when they host the Leopards at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. The Elephants are three league points better off and two places above the second-last Leopards, who last week enjoyed their first win of the season against Border.
Despite having only one win in the bag so far, EP has been competitive in all their games and at times unlucky not to close out matches successfully. The hosts will regard themselves as favourites against a Leopards outfit who have managed to score only 45 points in four games to date.
SA Cup round 5 fixtures:
Friday
SWD vs Valke, Outeniqua Park, George, 3:30pm
Pumas vs Border, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, 7pm
Saturday
Griquas vs Boland, Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley, 2pm
EP vs Leopards, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, 3pm
Cheetahs vs Griffons, Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, 3pm
Photo: Marnus Prinsloo/Gallo Images
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