Currie Cup

Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie says the Currie Cup desperately needs SA's best players to raise the standard of rugby's oldest competition, reports DEVIN ...

“The Bulls still have a very strong Currie Cup team they can put on the field, which is good for the competition, and the Lions will do the same this week. Fourie added: “We really want to play internationally, that’s a fact. “It will lift the standard of the competition, and also the interest, and it’s a good thing because the competition needs it.”

IOL Sport's rugby writer Ashfak Mohamed looks at five Bulls players who need game-time against Griquas on Saturday to be sharp for the United Rugby ...

The former Lions loosehead prop has begun his transition to tighthead since joining the Bulls a few weeks ago, and is a work in progress. The nippy scrumhalf has been a breath of fresh air every time he takes to the field, whether it has been for the Currie Cup or URC team. White prefers the more experienced Embrose Papier and Zak Burger, but Johannes must be ready in case of an injury.

Among the players picked for the match at Loftus are Cornal Hendricks, Harold Vorster, Arno Botha and Lizo Gqoboka. The Bulls have selected a strong team ...

They are always a tough side to play against and we are certain that they will come out guns blazing this weekend,” said Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, ahead of the match. “We are trying to have a good balance in this team, as evidenced by our selection. We have given a few of the guys who have been playing URC some time out while others we will continue to add value to the Currie Cup.”

Jake White picked a powerful starting line-up to tackle giant-killers Griquas, with Currie Cup coach Gert Smal out of action this week due to an illness.

“We are trying to have a good balance in this team, as evidenced by our selection. They are always a tough side to beat, and we are certain that they will come out guns blazing this weekend,” White said. URC coach Jake White has hinted previously that he may call on some of his stars to help out the Currie Cup side, who are on top of the log on 32 points – although the unbeaten Cheetahs, a point behind, have a game in hand.

The Vodacom Bulls again selected a shadow URC team ahead of their crucial Carling Currie Cup encounter against Windhoek Draught Griquas at Loftus Versfeld ...

Having experienced both Southern and Northern Hemisphere rugby early in his career, Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee says the latter offers more growth for SA ...

But I think with the new URC tournament format, it’s still fresh in the minds and getting a taste of it. “When I started my career, I enjoyed playing Super Rugby, the tours to Australia and New Zealand, playing against world-class players. It gives you a bit of taste in that,” he said.

The Cheetahs gathered enough reserves to grab a hard-fought Currie Cup victory over the gritty Lions on Friday at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

The Cheetahs scored both their first half tries through mauls. After they withstood a fiece opening spell from the Free Staters – during which time the visitor had two tries disallowed – the home side went into the half-time break 20-14 in front. READ

The Bulls' Currie Cup side tackle Griquas on Saturday with Jake White in the coach's box and not regular mentor, Gert Smal though there are no concerns over ...

"We are trying to have a good balance in this team, as evidenced by our selection. They are always a tough side to beat and we are certain that they will come out guns blazing this weekend," said White. It's definitely not Covid-19 or anything like that," he said.

The Pumas won the kicking battle both in the air and in terms of territory, while flying fullback Devon Williams brought the aerobatics with both of their ...

The Pumas soared into a 17-3 halftime lead after excellent scrumhalf Chriswill September sent a pass from the base of a ruck high and wide to right wing Sebastian de Klerk, who passed to the jet-propelled Williams on his inside for his second try shortly before the break. Williams sped over for the opening try in the eighth minute after the Sharks over-threw a lineout in their own 22, with outstanding Pumas centre Eddie Fouche then producing a telling dart and then a lovely offload to midfield partner Alwayno Visagie, who fed Williams down the left wing. The Pumas won the kicking battle both in the air and in terms of territory, while flying fullback Devon Williams brought the aerobatics with both of their tries as they upset the Sharks 20-10 in their Currie Cup match at Kings Park on Friday evening.

The Durbanites could not blame their four weeks of Currie Cup inactivity because the Pumas hadn't played in five.

On 30 minutes, the Sharks eventually got into the Pumas’ 22 and to their credit they got three points from it when Boeta Chamberlain snapped over a drop goal. The momentum had shifted in the game in the third quarter but the Pumas hung in and were the next to score, an against the run-of-play penalty by Fouche, to give them a 20-10 lead with a quarter of the game remaining. Marnus Potgieter, the Sharks’ best player in the first half, went over in the corner carrying a pair of defenders but could not get the ball down, but they went back to a lineout near the Pumas’ line and Mbatha was driven over for a try.

It was the unbeaten side's second-half display that helped them to victory over the struggling Lions, who have now slumped to their ninth loss in the ...

Tiaan Swanepoel made quick work of the straightforward, under-the-uprights conversion to add the extras and take the score to 7-0. The visitors struck again after 10 minutes with a converted score by Marnus van der Merwe (13-14) to give the Free State team the lead for the first time in the fixture. The Lions extended their points advantage to 13-0 early in the second quarter when Swanepoel shot a massive one through the posts again, and a few minutes later, the Cheetahs got over the line by Gideon van der Merwe. Veteran Ruan Pienaar made it a full-point try with his conversion to take it to 13-7 at the 26th minute.

Follow Currie Cup action with our coverage of Sharks vs Pumas from Kings Park in Durban on Friday afternoon.

The match in Durban will see teams currently in third and fifth positions on the Currie Cup log going into battle against each other. As things currently stand, the KwaZulu-Natalians have Windhoek Draught Griquas breathing heavily down their necks. DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 19: Cameron Wright of the Cell C Sharks during the Carling Currie Cup match between Cell C Sharks and Tafel Lager Griquas at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on January 19, 2022 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images/BackpagePix/BackpagePix)

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs maintained their unbeaten record in the Carling Currie Cup with a 35-26 (halftime 14-20) victory over the Signma Lions at the ...

A brace of tries by Airlink Pumas fullback Devon Williams and a gutsy effort was enough to score a massive 20-10 upset win over the Cell C Sharks in their ...

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs maintained their unbeaten record in the Carling Currie Cup with a 35-26 (halftime 14-20) victory over the Signma Lions at the ...

The Pumas defeated hosts the Sharks on Friday evening in Durban to maintain their push for a Currie Cup playoff spot.

The Pumas defeated hosts the Sharks on Friday evening in Durban to maintain their push for a Currie Cup playoff spot. The Pumas defeated hosts the Sharks on Friday evening in Durban to maintain their push for a Currie Cup playoff spot. The Pumas defeated hosts the Sharks on Friday evening in Durban to maintain their push for a Currie Cup playoff spot.

Missed penalties and poor second half discipline cost the Lions as they fell to a disappointing 35-26 defeat against the Cheetahs in their Currie Cup clash ...

However the Lions showed great character to win the ball back from the kick off and attack the Cheetahs line, leading to Gideon van der Merwe being yellow carded for a professional foul. The Cheetahs discipline then started letting them down as Swanepoel knocked over two penalties either side of the Cheetahs second overturned try due to a double movement from prop Aranos Coetzee, putting the home side up 13-0 after 23 minutes. However the miss worked in the Lions favour as from the goal line drop out, the Lions attacked back into the Cheetahs half, spread the ball quickly down the line where Stean Pienaar managed to get away to run around and score under the posts for a converted try.

The Currie Cup resumes on Friday, 6 May and the six teams in action will be pushing to secure their playoff spots.

The Currie Cup resumes on Friday, 6 May and the six teams in action will be pushing to secure their playoff spots. The Currie Cup resumes on Friday, 6 May and the six teams in action will be pushing to secure their playoff spots. The Currie Cup resumes on Friday, 6 May and the six teams in action will be pushing to secure their playoff spots.