Preview: Currie Cup Round 12

Seven teams remain in playoff contention as the Currie CupPremier Division reaches the penultimate round, while the league phase of the First Division and Mzansi Challenge culminates with three matches, in Potchefstroom, Mdantsane, and Windhoek as a handful of teams are still in the hunt for reaching the playoffs.

The Cell C Sharks and Toyota Cheetahs will be looking to secure home advantage for the semi-finals via big wins in Durban and Nelspruit this weekend. At this stage, the Airlink Pumas are still in the race for a home playoff. If the defending champions lose their remaining league games, however, they may miss out on the semi-finals altogether.

Four other teams – DHL Western Province, the Fidelity ADT Lions, the Vodacom Bulls and Windhoek Draught Griquas – are gunning for a place in the knockouts. A couple of those teams may fall out of the playoff race this weekend.

Windhoek Draught Griquas need to beat DHL WP in Kimberley on Friday to keep their playoff hopes alive. They have reason to feel confident, given their previous success against the Capetonians, and the fact that DHL WP are coming off a 20-point loss in Round 12.

That said, DHL WP may be harder to beat now that the Vodacom United Rugby Championship has concluded, and the union’s focus has shifted to the Currie Cup. The Capetonians sit in fourth place – and are ahead of the Fidelity ADT Lions and the Vodacom Bulls thanks to their superior points’ difference – but will drop down the standings if they lose this Friday.

The NovaVit Griffons claimed a historic victory over the Vodacom Bulls in round four of the tournament. This week, the Northern Free Staters will face a stronger team when they travel to Loftus Versfeld, and the result may be very different.

A Vodacom Bulls side loaded with Springboks will be favourites to beat a team languishing at eighth on the log. The big question is whether Jake White’s charges will secure a four-try bonus point, and finish the weekend in the top four.

After dominating the early stages of the tournament, the Airlink Pumas as well as the Toyota Cheetahs have slumped to several disappointing results. The defending champions could fall down the rankings if they lose to the Free Staters in Nelspruit this Saturday.

The Toyota Cheetahs will secure home advantage for the semi-finals if they beat the Airlink Pumas this weekend. If they succeed in Nelspruit, they will watch the final game of the round with interest, and hope that the Fidelity ADT Lions do them a favour by ending the Cell C Sharks’ six-game winning streak.

The KwaZulu-Natalians are unlikely to be complacent, though. A win against the Fidelity ADT Lions will ensure that they finish the league stage in the top-two – and host a semi-final.

If the Cell C Sharks claim a bonus-point win in Durban, and if the Airlink Pumas secure a big win over the Toyota Cheetahs, then Joey Mongalo’s side may take an unassailable lead at the top of the log with a round to spare.

Windhoek Draught Griquas v DHL Western Province

Venue: Windhoek Draught Park, Kimberley

Date: Friday, 2 June

Time: 15h00

Referee: Griffin Colby

TV: SuperSport

Vodacom Bulls v NovaVit Griffons

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Date: Friday, 26 May

Time: 17h05

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

TV: SuperSport

Airlink Pumas v Toyota Cheetahs

Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Date: Saturday, 3 June

Time: 17h00

Referee: Morne Ferreira

TV: SuperSport

Cell C Sharks v Fidelity ADT Lions

Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban

Date: Saturday, 3 June

Time: 19h05

Referee: AJ Jacobs

TV: SuperSport