Cheetahs v Lions: Is it time to revive the Cats in the URC?

A cracking weekend of Currie Cup action is on the cards with the Cheetahs hosting the Lions in the headline act at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon (kickoff 5pm).

It is a very interesting match-up, with the second on the log Cheetahs, who are the tournament favourites, expected to have way too much firepower for a relatively young Lions team, who have however received a few URC backups to bolster their team.

With the Lions struggling in the URC and the Cheetahs removed from the tournament ahead of its latest edition, the match is set to bring up some questions on where to go from here for both teams.

Although it didn’t work the first time with the Cats in Super Rugby, it has been brought up again whether to join the two sides together for the URC.

Another option is for the Cheetahs players to go on loan to the Lions for the URC campaign, but that wouldn’t really benefit the union and would only weaken them for the Currie Cup competition.

Whatever is decided it seems a complete waste that players such as Frans Steyn, Rosko Specman and Ruan Pienaar are not playing in the URC and the SA Rugby Union needs to find a solution in the long run.

So the Cheetahs will be eager to hammer that point home against the Lions on the weekend and the visitors will need to be firing on all cylinders if they are to put up any sort of challenge against the home side.

Another enticing clash sees the third placed Bulls travel to Kimberley to face the fourth placed Griquas in what should be an entertaining encounter on Saturday afternoon (kickoff 2:30pm).

The Bulls have had no trouble in throwing in their URC stars to feature in the Currie Cup and they will name a strong team again to take on the Griquas, however the hosts have been in great form in the Currie Cup this season and have every chance of pulling off an upset on their home turf.

The other match sees the Sharks travel to Mbombela to take on the Pumas on Friday night (kickoff 7pm), with the in form table toppers expected to comfortably overcome the hosts.