The Cheetahs ended a two-year losing streak against the Lions, while the Griquas dashed the Bulls’ play-off hopes.
This weekend’s Currie Cup action saw the Cheetahs and Boland Cavaliers secure wins to remain in first and second on the table, while the Bulls slipped to join the Sharks and Western Province in the pits.
Once table-leaders, the Bulls now need two bonus-point wins and other results to play in their favour to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Boland and Cheetahs, meanwhile, each hold 21 points at the top of the table with Cheetahs having a greater points difference. Griquas sit third with one point behind them, while there is a close middle-of-the-table battle between Lions (16) and Pumas (15).
Boland and Cheetahs soar
The weekend’s action could not have started better, with Boland fighting back from a 21–3 half-time deficit to beat the Pumas 29–26 in Nelspruit. Despite receiving two yellow cards, Boland dominated the second half with three tries and a penalty try.
Canada international Ross Braude and former Scarlets prop Eduan Swart each scored twice for the Pumas in their losing cause.
The Sharks beat Western Province 29–21 in their bottom-of-the-table clash in Durban, leaving the latter the only team without a win so far. The victory offers the Sharks some consolation after such a miserable campaign in defence of their title.
The Cheetahs held off a Lions comeback to win 47–31 in Bloemfontein. The Lions fought back from 33–12 down after 50 minutes but in the end fell five tries to seven (including one penalty try by the Cheetahs).
It was the Cheetahs’ fourth win in a row, and ended their losing run against the Lions that stretched back to 2023.
Hooker Marko Janse van Rensburg and fullback Clayton Blommetjies each scored twice for the home team.
Bulls lose while Griquas push on in Currie Cup
The weekend’s final fixture saw the Bulls fall to Griquas 42–21 at Tuine Sport Club, Pretoria. It was their third defeat in a row.
The Griquas controlled the entire game until a red card right at the end. They led 21–7 at half-time before holding on for the bonus-point win. They scored six tries to three, including a hat-trick by winger Gurswin Wehr, to extend their winning streak to four games.
The next Currie Cup match, played between Cheetahs and Griquas in Bloemfontein on Friday, could see the home side extend their lead at the top of the table, or the Griquas jump both them and Boland to take the lead.
