‘Big four’ into Currie Cup semis: ProRugby decision vindicated

After several weeks of action – and plenty in between – it’s ended up exactly how the SA Rugby bosses hoped it would: with the so-called big four (and new entrants to ProRugby) smoothly through to the Currie Cup semifinals.

And, one of the teams the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers (Western Province) have “replaced” in Pro Rugby, the Cheetahs, fell just short (as they so often seem to do in SA rugby), by finishing fifth on the points table.

The Pumas were sixth and Griquas seventh – with neither threatening to trouble the established order.

The Southern Kings – the other ProRugby team of the last few years – have also been replaced, but they didn’t even get a chance to prove themselves (like the Cheetahs did) in the Super Rugby Unlocked competition or Currie Cup as they have fallen on hard times financially.

With log points carried over from the Super Rugby Unlocked competition (won by the Bulls) the Currie Cup was never going to be a true reflection of strength or fairness over the course of its seven weeks of action.

It all unfolded pretty much like everyone thought it would.

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That said, the Cheetahs lost almost half their team over the course of the last few weeks and months; players bailing as quickly as they could once news broke that the team would no longer be a part of ProRugby from 2021.

Their experienced captain Ruan Pienaar also missed the whole competition through injury, significantly weakening the challenge of Hawies Fourie’s team and still the Cheetahs’ future remains uncertain.

A young and largely experimental Bulls team may have been smashed by the Pumas in their final game, but don’t read anything into that result (except that at least Jimmy Stonehouse and his charges could celebrate a win and finish on a high).

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Jake White’s team remain the favourites to make it a domestic double by also claiming the Currie Cup.

They will face the Lions, who they beat just a few days ago but are a side on the up and not to be written off, while Western Province will host the Sharks in the other semifinal – a match that should have taken place last weekend but was cancelled because of Covid concerns.

Covid has played a massive part in the Currie Cup, with several games cancelled or postponed and the semis will only be played next Saturday, with the final a week later, but what is certain is that two cracking semifinals lie ahead.

And, SA Rugby’s decision to go north with the Bulls, Western Province (Stormers), Sharks and Lions appears vindicated.

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