The third round of the Currie Cup Premier Division kicks off in Kimberley on Friday, when Griquas host Western Province from 15:00, with the home side determined to build on their victory over the Boland Kavaliers last weekend, while the Capetonians will be eager to notch up their first victory of the season.
Saturday’s action begins in Pretoria, where the Bulls welcome the Pumas at 15:00. Later that day, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV will look to make home advantage count when they face the Cheetahs at 17:10 in Durban.
The Boland Kavaliers will play their third consecutive Sunday fixture, this time against the Lions in a 15:00 kick-off in Wellington.
Desperate to reverse their fortunes
In Friday’s clash, WP will be desperate to reverse their fortunes after two early losses. However, Kimberley is known to be a tough hunting ground, and Labeeb Levy’s charges will need a marked improvement to overcome the hosts.
Griquas have dominated recent encounters between the two sides and are on a seven-match winning streak against WP. Their most recent victory came in September last year, when they triumphed 37-29 at home.
After a narrow loss to the Pumas in the opening round, Pieter Bergh’s men bounced back with a 48-39 win over a spirited Kavaliers outfit. They’ll be confident heading into this clash against a youthful WP side still finding their feet in the competition.
The Bulls, early pacesetters in the competition, will aim to extend their dominance over their eastern neighbours, the Pumas. Their 40-24 win in this fixture last September was a second successive win for the men from Pretoria following a heavy 63-15 loss to the team from Mpumalanga in May 2023.
This season however, the Bulls have looked formidable, collecting maximum points from their opening two matches and playing a very attractive brand of rugby. Their two wins so far includes a 64-0 demolition of the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV at Loftus Versfeld, and a convincing away win over WP in the North-South derby.
The Pumas, who edged Griquas in round one, fell short against a determined Cheetahs side in Bloemfontein last weekend and Saturday’s clash in Pretoria will be another stern test for the 2022 champions from Mbombela.
Build on their thrilling win
In Saturday’s late afternoon fixture, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV host the Cheetahs at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont, Durban, where Frans Steyn’s charges will be eager to build on their thrilling win over the Pumas last weekend.
Steyn, now 38, enjoyed two stints at the Sharks, from 2006 to 2009 and again from 2012 to 2014.
Clashes between these two sides have often delivered fireworks, with the Durbanites holding a narrow 3-2 edge in their last five meetings. However, based on current form, the young KZN outfit will go into this one as underdogs.
JP Pietersen’s young squad will be looking to bounce back after last week’s heavy defeat at Loftus, but they face a tough challenge against a Cheetahs side that showed grit in overcoming the Pumas. The last time these two met, the Sharks XV edged it 25-20.
Sunday’s fixture in Wellington sees the Kavaliers take on a confident, high-flying Lions side. The Bolanders, newly promoted to the Premier Division, will be pleased with their six league points so far.
However, the Highvelders – last year’s runners-up – present their toughest challenge yet. With just one loss in their last five matches in this competition (a narrow defeat to their Durban rivals in the 2024 final), the Lions boast a powerful yet mobile pack of forwards and a potent backline. Fans in Wellington are in an entertaining, attacking spectacle on Sunday afternoon.
All matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport Rugby.
Match information
Griquas vs Western Province
Date: Friday, 8 August
Venue: Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley
Kick-off: 15:00
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Bulls vs Pumas
Date: Saturday, 9 August
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 15:00
Referee: Morne Ferreira
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV vs Cheetahs
Date: Saturday, 9 August
Venue: Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium, Durban
Kick-off: 17:10
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Boland Kavaliers vs Lions
Date: Sunday, 10 August
Venue: Sanlam Boland Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 15:00
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Who will be the four winners in Round 3 of the Currie Cup?
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