Griffons the Currie Cup’s odd team out

With just two rounds to go, this year’s Currie Cup is a wideopen affair with seven teams still in the running for the semifinals.

The Sharks are the only team to have secured their place in the last four but the Cheetahs appear a shoo-in too.

The Sharks head the standings on 43 points with the Cheetahs two points back. Their draw at home against Griquas has brought them unwanted jitters but they should again contest the business end of the competition.

Another team that has lost momentum as players from the United Rugby Championship are increasingly being deployed in the Currie Cup, are the Pumas.

The defending champions need to win at least one of their remaining matches to secure passage to the semifinals. Two defeats, however, could see them lose out altogether.

They need to beat down the challenge of the Cheetahs in Mbombela if they want to take a step closer to the defence of their title.

The other big cats, the Lions are also still in the hunt, though they need to get the job done on unfamiliar terrain this weekend.

The Lions will have to abandon their propensity to concede needless penalties when they clash with the Sharks in Durban. They need to win against the log leaders if they want to elevate themselves from fifth into the semifinal places.

Captain Marius Louw explained his side’s law breaking habits by pointing to their exaggerated eagerness. “We need to make the right decisions at the right time. We need to keep cool a little bit. It’s important to have clear heads and have some desperation,” Louw said.

The Lions will fancy their chances of reaching the last four if they win in Durban. They play the Griffons, whose only win of the campaign came against the Bulls, in their last league match next Friday. The Bulls have the chance to avenge that defeat at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

The Bulls will start overwhelming favourites and are likely to sustain their Currie Cup challenge for one more week. They will play the Cheetahs in Pretoria in their last league match next Saturday.

Griquas, 2022’s finalists host Western Province in Kimberley on Friday. Though they beat WP earlier in the campaign they may find John Dobson’s side a harder nut to crack this time. With the URC having run its course Dobson may bolster his Currie Cup team with some heavy hitters.

WP play the Sharks in Cape Town in their last league match, and though their passage may be made smoother should the visitors rest players for that match, a win in Kimberley is still nonnegotiable.

Irrespective what happens in this round of results, there will be more teams than slots available for the semis by the end of the weekend.