This weekend’s talking points from the Currie Cup
The Blue Bulls and Lions are still rewarded for poor form, Damian Willemse continues to look like a gem and Griquas show spirit.
The Lions somehow are still in the Currie Cup race despite their iffy form. Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images.
It says much for the weird state of the Currie Cup that it’s lowest ranked team is still only a win (four log points) behind from a place in the semifinals.
Indeed, this weekend’s action did nothing more than reward the majority of the teams for their inconsistency.
Here are the talking points of the round.
How many lives do the Lions and Blue Bulls have left?
Despite the Durban weather not suiting their style of play, Swys de Bruin’s Lions really didn’t look like a team worthy of a playoff place on Friday.
The Sharks dominated from start to finish as the men from Ellis Park simply couldn’t adapt.
Had this match just been one where the Lions were playing for pride and the development of some youngsters, this performance would’ve been forgivable.
But a sixth loss in ten games is still enough to see them in fourth position.
The Blue Bulls continue to score tries but their lack of composure means they’ve lost seven out of 10.
Yet both can still make the semis, which essentially means they’re still being “rewarded” for poor form.
How on earth is that a good advertisement for local rugby?
Damian Willemse continues to excite
The gifted playmaker from Western Province, who’s still only 19, made a much publicised switch to fullback from flyhalf for Sunday’s derby against the Bulls.
The fact that he had a solid outing as the last man in defence wasn’t really a highlight.
Willemse is too talented not to have shone in a position that’s a bit more forgiving than flyhalf.
Instead, it was his steeliness under pressure to nail a match-winning kick that was encouraging.
If he missed, Province would’ve lost by two.
They won by three.
And it was down to a teenager who’s goalkicking is actually still iffy…
You gotta love the smaller fry
It took one half of rugby to make Cheetahs fans concerned over their depth again.
By now it’s obvious that their Pro14 commitments is seriously hampering the Currie Cup title defence but last week’s narrow win over the Pumas suggested there could be hope.
That hardly seemed to bug the cheery Griquas, who scored 25 points in the second half of the central derby to claim a magnificent 59-24 victory.
It was a triumph for the spirit and skill of Peter Engeldouw’s men, who clearly haven’t lost heart after a string of recent defeats.
They deserve their spot in the top seven of South African rugby.
