Currie Cup playoff race set for dramatic final weekend

Cecil Parsons will be key for the Lions when they host the Stormers in the Carling Currie Cup match at Ellis Park on Friday.

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The Currie Cup Premier Division reaches its climax this weekend, with the final round of league action set to determine the two remaining semi-finalists.

Defending champions Griquas and the Cheetahs have already secured their places in the playoffs, but five teams remain in contention for the two remaining spots.

The Pumas are best placed on 17 points, followed by the Kavaliers and Stormers XXIII on 16, the Lions on 15 and Sharks XV on 13. The winless Bulls XV are out of the reckoning.

Friday’s action gets underway at Ellis Park, where the Lions host Stormers XXIII at 5.05pm, before Sharks XV take on Bulls XV in Durban at 7.15pm.

On Saturday, the Pumas host the Cheetahs at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit at 2pm, while the final match of the league phase sees the Kavaliers entertain Griquas in Wellington at 3pm on Sunday.

With Griquas and the Cheetahs battling for top spot and the five chasing teams fighting over third and fourth, the permutations should make for a tense weekend across Johannesburg, Durban, Nelspruit and Wellington.

The Pumas are in the strongest position among the chasing pack and know a victory over the Cheetahs would put them beyond the reach of the teams below them.

Even a losing bonus point could be enough, depending on results elsewhere. Still, the Pumas will be determined to avoid leaving their fate in the hands of other teams, particularly with the Kavaliers and Stormers XXIII only one point behind.

The most direct shootout comes at Ellis Park on Friday, where the Lions and Stormers XXIII meet in a potentially decisive clash.

A victory for the Capetonians would take them to at least 20 points, while the Lions could also force their way into the top four with a home win. Bonus points, however, could prove crucial in the final calculations.

Sharks XV are the outsiders on 13 points and must beat the Bulls XV in Durban, preferably with a bonus point, before hoping for slip-ups from the teams above them.

Their points deficit means qualification is possible only if several results go their way, but with two semi-final places still up for grabs, the KwaZulu-Natal side have every incentive to keep the pressure on the rest of the chasing pack.

The equation for the Kavaliers is similarly straightforward, although more difficult.

They finish their league campaign against defending champions Griquas in Wellington on Sunday, by which time they will know exactly what is required.

A victory would give the Kavaliers a strong chance of reaching the semi-finals for a second successive season, while bonus points could keep them alive if the results in Johannesburg and Nelspruit go their way.

The Sunday clash could therefore become the decisive fixture of the round.

Boland have also hit form at the right time, winning three of their last five matches, including victories over Bulls XV, Stormers XXIII and the Lions. They will hope that momentum can carry them through what promises to be a dramatic final weekend of the league phase.