Gaining valuable momentum will be the focus for all the teams in action in the Currie Cup – sponsored by DirectAxis Financial Services – this weekend, as some sides reach the halfway stage of their campaigns and others edge closer to the final stages of their pool games.

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and Xerox Golden Lions – who are both unbeaten – will kick off the action in Bloemfontein on Friday evening, while the Phakisa Pumas host the Cell C Sharks in Nelspruit and the Vodacom Blue Bulls take on Tafel Lager Griquas in Pretoria on Saturday. DHL Western Province have a bye. 

The battle for places in the top four on the standings in the Currie Cup First Division – also sponsored by DirectAxis Financial Services – will intensify this weekend as the teams face the realisation that there are only three pool rounds remaining, including this weekend, to earn semi-final spots.

The Boland Cavaliers and Valke will kick off the action at Esselen Park in Worcester on a jam-packed Saturday, which will also feature matches between the Jaguares XV and SWD Eagles in Potchefstroom, the Border Bulldogs and Eastern Province in Mthatha, and the Down Touch Griffons and Leopards in Welkom.

Winning momentum becomes vital in Currie Cup

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and Xerox Golden Lions – who are the only two unbeaten teams in the Currie Cup Premier Division – will be hunting their third victories in a row when they meet in the city of roses.

Both sides have been impressive on attack, scoring 30 points or more in both their matches this season, while the Free Staters boast the best defence in the competition, which is expected to set the scene for an exciting encounter.

The Johannesburg outfit won the last two matches between the sides, but they will be wary of the fact that the last time they toppled the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein was way back in 2015.

The Xerox Golden Lions opted for continuity in selection with the only change to the starting team that defeated DHL Western Province being the inclusion of lock Wilhelm van der Sluys in place of Marvin Orie, who has joined the Springbok squad.

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs team shows three personnel changes, with Tapiwa Mafura (winger), Marnus van der Merwe (flanker) and Ox Nche (prop) earning starts, while a notable inclusion on the bench is former Springbok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar.

In Nelspruit, the Phakisa Pumas and Cell C Sharks will enter their encounter under pressure to win, with an eye on the semi-final stages. The hosts have lost all three of their matches so far and need to win all their remaining games with bonus points to salvage any hope a possible place in the top four, while the KwaZulu-Natalians have won one of their two games and will determined to build momentum after coming off a bye.

Should the Phakisa Pumas succeed in earning their first win of the season, it would mark their first victory against the Cell C Sharks since 2015. But they will have to step up their defence significantly to achieve this after conceding 100 points in the last three matches.

The Phakisa Pumas named the same starting team that faced the Vodacom Blue Bulls last week, while the only change to the Cell C Sharks starting XV was the inclusion of Junior Springbok captain Phendulani Buthelezi on the side of the scrum, which saw Jacques Vermeulen being included among the replacements.

The battle between the Vodacom Blue Bulls and Tafel Lager Griquas is also expected to be a tight tussle as they both take to the field in their third-last pool matches.

The Kimberley outfit will be determined to return to their winning ways after suffering their first defeat last week, while their Pretoria counterparts – who are second last on the log – will be keen to build on their first win last week to power their way up the standings.

The Vodacom Blue Bulls have dominated the encounters between the sides for the last six years, but this will have no significance this weekend as a slip-up for either team could come at a big price in the next few weeks as the pool stages nears its conclusion.

In the only change to the Vodacom Blue Bulls starting team, former Junior Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok returns to pivot, while Marnitz Boshoff has been named among the replacements. Springbok Sevens player Stedman Gans has also been drafted in among the replacements.

The Tafel Lager Griquas team, in turn, shows a few changes, with Victor Sekekete (lock), Andre Swarts (centre) and Anthony Volmink (fullback) earning starts.

Currie Cup Premier Division Round 4 fixtures:

Friday, 2 August

Toyota Free State Cheetahs v Xerox Golden Lions

Kick-off: 19h15

Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein

Referee: Jaco Peyper

Assistant Referees: Marius van der Westhuizen and Griffin Colby

TMO: Lourens van der Merwe

TV: SS1

Toyota Free State Cheetahs – 15 Darron Adonis, 14 Tapiwa Mafura, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer (capt), 8 Henco Venter, 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Marnus van der Merwe, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Sitno Manjesi, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Reinach Venter, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Abongile Nonkontwana, 21 Gerhard Olivier, 22 Ruan Pienaar, 23 Louis Fouche.

Xerox Golden Lions – 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jan-Louis la Grange, 11 Stean Pienaar, 10 Shaun Reynolds, 9 Ross Cronje (capt), 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Pieter Jansen, 1 Sti Sithole. Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Leo Kruger, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Rhyno Herbst, 20 James Venter, 21 Len Massyn, 22 Dillon Smit, 23 Manuel Rass.

Saturday, 3 August

Phakisa Pumas v Cell C Sharks

Kick-off: 15h00

Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni

Assistant Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron and Stephan Geldenhuys

TMO: Christie du Preez

TV: SS1

Phakisa Pumas – 15 Devon Williams, 14 Morne Joubert, 13 Ryan Nell (capt), 12 Henko Marais, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Christ Smith, 9 Ashlon Davids, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Stefan Willemse, 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Marne Coetzee, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel. Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Hilton Lobberts, 19 Phumzile Maqondwana, 20 Ginter Smuts, 21 Kobus Marais, 22 Alwayno Visagie, 23 Morgan Naude.

Cell C Sharks – 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Jeremy Ward (co-captain), 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Tera Mtembu (co-captain), 7 Phendulani Buthelezi, 6 Luke Stringer, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Juan Schoeman. Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Gideon Koegelenberg, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Aphelele Fassi.

Vodacom Blue Bulls v Tafel Lager Griquas

Kick-off: 17h15

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Referee: Divan Uys

Assistant Referees: AJ Jacobs and Griffin Colby

TMO: Pro Legoete

TV: SS1

Vodacom Blue Bulls – 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Dylan Sage, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Marco van Staden, 6 Ruan Steenkamp (capt), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima. Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Adri Smit, 20 Wihan Vosloo, 21 Andre Warner, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Stedman Gans.

Tafel Lager Griquas – 15 Anthony Volmink, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Michal Haznar, 12 Andre Swarts, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 George Whitehead (capt), 9 Zak Burger, 8 Neill Jordaan, 7 Sias Koen, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 AJ le Roux, 1 Khwezi Mona. Replacements: 16 Wilmar Arnoldi, 17 Mox Mxoli, 18 Johan Momsen, 19 Zandre Jordaan, 20 Chriswill September, 21 Chris Smit, 22 Bjorn Basson, 23 Ruan Kramer.

Battle for top four places intensifies in Currie Cup First Division

The clash in Worcester between the Valke and Boland Cavaliers – who will enter the round in second and third place on the log respectively – is expected to be tense as both teams target a victory to remain in the race for a possible home semi-final.

The Valke will enter the match as favourites with two victories and two draws in their four matches up to now, which has left them unbeaten, while the hosts have won two and lost two. They have, however, been closely matched on attack with 16 tries a piece, but the Valke’s defence has been superior.

Boland will draw inspiration from the fact that they won their last two home games against the Gauteng outfit, but the Valke have won two of their last three games between the sides, which will boost their confidence.

The SWD Eagles will have their work cut out at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potchefstroom as they look to topple log leaders, the Jaguares XV, whose superb form so far has seen them cruise to four bonus point victories in a row.

The George side, however, will take comfort from the fact they have suffered only one defeat this season, but they will be wary of the fact that they need to do enough to push through for a win to avoid slipping further behind the pace setters with an eye on the semi-final stages.

The SWD Eagles’ defence, in particular, has to be rock solid as the Argentineans have scored more than double the number of their tries in the opening four rounds.

The Down Touch Griffons will be hunting their fourth victory in a row against the Leopards when sides cross paths in Welkom in what is expected to be a gripping clash.

The hosts are currently in fourth place on the standings and they will be determined to remain in the top four, while the Leopards trail by only two points. A defeat for the men from Potchefstroom, however, could place them under immense pressure in the last two pool games to sneak into a semi-final position, which will fuel their determination going into the clash.

The bottom-of-the-log clash in Mthatha between the Border Bulldogs and EP Elephants could also be hard-fought as both teams attempt to make up for their slow starts to the season.

The sides have been closely matched on attack with the men from the Port Elizabeth scoring only two tries more than their East London neighbours, but the EP Kings have been more effective on defence. Border, however, have won the last two outings between the sides, which could charge them up.          

Currie Cup First Division Round 5 Fixtures:

Saturday, 3 August

Boland Cavaliers v Valke

Venue: Esselen Park, Worcester

Kick-off: 14h00

Referee: Ben Crouse

Jaguares XV v SWD Eagles

Venue: Fanie du Toit, Potchefstroom

Kick-off: 15h00

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

Border Bulldogs v Eastern Province

Venue: Mthatha Stadium, Mthatha

Kick-off: 15h00

Referee: Archie Sehlako

Down Touch Griffons v Leopards

Venue: HT Pelatona Projects Stadium, Welkom

Kick-off: 15h15

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen