The Cheetahs host the Bulls in the big Currie Cup match of the weekend on Friday. Picture: Gallo Images
The defending Currie Cup champions, the Cheetahs, will host their big rivals, the Bulls, at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Friday afternoon to kick-off an exciting weekend of action in the competition.
The high-flying Bulls are the only unbeaten side remaining in the competition, having racked up four straight wins to top the log on 18 points, and the second placed Cheetahs will not want to drop further behind with them sitting three points back.
The Cheetahs’ only loss of the competition so far came a few weeks ago against the Bulls when they went down 25-13 at Loftus and they will be eager to gain a bit of revenge and bounce back in style in front of their home fans, and head into the game off a thrilling 47-45 win over the Griffons.
The Bulls will however be looking to continue their imperious form and keep their winning run intact, and head into the match off an impressive 50-34 home win over Western Province.
For Province it was back to the drawing board after they had finally broken their Currie Cup duck a week earlier with a big 64-15 away win over the Griffons, with them following that up with their Loftus defeat.
They will now look to get back to winning ways when they host the Griffons at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening, against a fired-up visitors who will be buoyed from having run the Cheetahs close in their most recent match.
“It has been a challenging campaign so far, but the players are up for it. The guys are gaining very good experience and the exposure they are getting at this level bodes well for the future,” said Western Province assistant coach Labeeb Levy ahead of the game.
“We always want to win, but we are chipping away and we are hoping to keep making inroads as the competition continues. We beat them (the Griffons) recently, but they will come with a lot of confidence and we have to be prepared if we want to beat them (again).”
The Lions, who were stunned 35-22 at home by the Sharks for their first defeat of the season last weekend, which dropped them from first to fourth on the log, will be desperate to bounce back when they travel to Kimberley to face the Griquas on Sunday.
The Johannesburg side were made to work extremely hard to edge the Griquas 25-13 at Ellis Park a few weeks ago, so the hosts will be eager for a bit of revenge and will be smarting after a heavy away defeat to the Pumas over the past weekend.
The Sharks will be looking to build on their impressive first win of the season against the Lions when they travel to Mbombela to take on the Pumas on Saturday afternoon.
The Pumas are third on the log and enjoyed a thumping 66-26 home win over the Griquas in their last match, so they will be full of confidence, but they will be up against a fired-up Sharks team eager to pick up their second win of the season.
Friday
Cheetahs v Bulls – 5pm
Saturday
Pumas v Sharks – 3pm
Cheetahs v Bulls – 5:15pm
Sunday
Griquas v Lions – 3pm
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