White River Rugby Club will host bitter rivals Nelspruit tomorrow. The men who proudly wear the red-and-white hooped jerseys will be hoping to cement their top position on the log table.
White River head the Phakisa Premier League log on 21 points after six matches (won four, lost two). In the process they have bagged five bonus points.
Nelspruit are in fourth place with 15 log points (won 2, drawn 1, lost 3).
Nelspruit scored a hard-fought 36-31 win over Sasol in Secunda on May 25. This excellent win was followed by a 42-31 loss to Middelburg at Mbombela Stadium.
Last Saturday White River beat Sasol 35-22 at home. The previous Saturday they lost
38-25 away to Witbank.
With three matches remaining in the league after tomorrow’s clash, victory is vital for both teams.
If White River win they are sure to qualify for the semi-finals, with the strong possibility of hosting home knock-out games.
Nelspruit need the win after a indifferent season so far. A loss would put them under pressure for a top-four finish after the final league matches on July 13.
The last time these two teams played was at Kudu Park on May 4. White River gave Nelspruit a 50-21 hiding after being 14 points down early in the match.
Hoards of Nelspruit’s fanatical supporters will be travelling up the R40, hoping their team will prove their worth with a victory. White River’s faithful fans believe their team can go all the way this season.
It promises to be a thrilling match.
See teams in today’s printed edition of Lowvelder.
