Log leaders clash in Vodacom Cup
Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:55
The respective log leaders in the North and South Sections of the Vodacom Cup, the Cheetahs and the Blue Bulls, will clash on Saturday as action resumes after the Easter break.
The match will be played in Petrusburg, located between Bloemfontein and Kimberley, on Saturday.
The match is one of four Vodacom Cup matches to be played at smaller, community-based venues at the weekend.
Hosts the Cheetahs top the standings in the South section with four wins from four starts to date, whilst the Blue Bulls lead the North section after winning three of their first four encounters.
The Cheetahs have been scoring a lot of tries, securing bonus points in all three of their wins.
The young Blue Bulls team, meanwhile, have begun to play more consistently after a shaky start and a tight contest is on the cards.
The second-placed teams in each section also have interesting assignments at the weekend.
Defending champions Griquas travel to Vredendal on the West Coast on Saturday to face the Boland Cavaliers , whilst Western Province, who are lying second in the South section, host the Pumas at the Faure Street Stadium in Paarl on the same day.
Both Griquas and the Cavaliers, who are third in the South Section, will be eager to get back on the winning trail after suffering losses ahead of the Easter break.
The two teams will be evenly matched based on their performances so far and the match could go either way.
WP are the only other unbeaten team after four rounds of competition and will be looking to preserve their 100 percent record against an erratic Pumas outfit.
The hosts have a lot of speed amongst their outside backs and it is likely they will try and move the big Pumas pack around the park before striking out wide.
On current form, Western Province should be favoured to take the points.
The Lions, currently third in the North section, have a tough away assignment against the Wildebeest, who are fourth in the South section, in Durban on Saturday.
After making slow starts, both teams have come good in recent weeks and will be determined to maintain momentum as the play-offs draw nearer.
A loss for the Lions could seriously hurt their ambitions if the Pumas or Leopards are successful at the weekend.
The Wildebeest, meanwhile, have the SWD Eagles breathing down their necks in the South section.
The Eagles are at home against the Valke in Uniondale in the Little Karoo on Saturday and must win to stay in contention.
Last year's Absa Currie Cup First Division champions will start as favourites but will have to work hard against a determined Valke team.
The Leopards are expected to come away with a win when they meet the Border Bulldogs in East London on Friday.
Although the Leopards have won only one of their four matches to date, they will face a struggling Border side that is rooted at the bottom of the South Section without a point from four starts.
The Leopards will have enough in them to get the win and keep themselves in the running.
Two more struggling teams, the Mighty Elephants and the Griffons will do battle at the EPRFU Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The Elephants have lost all four of their matches to date but did put in an encouraging performance in going down 33-35 against the Blue Bulls two matches back.
The Griffons beat Border in round two but they have since lost their last two against the Wildebeest and the Eagles.
This is expected to be a tough battle between two sides desperate for success.
This weekend's fixtures:
Friday:
Border Bulldogs v Leopards, East London, 19.10
Saturday:
Cheetahs v Bulls, Petrusburg, 15.30
Boland Cavaliers v Griquas, Vredendal, 15.30
Western Province v
Pumas, Faure Street Stadium, Paarl, 16.00
Wildebeest v Lions, Durban, 14.30
Eagles v Valke, Uniondale, 15.30
Mighty Elephants v Griffons, EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth, 15.30
