It’s the Absa Currie Cup Final most people anticipated; it’s the Sharks against the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Durban and the men in light blue could not be any more determined to go one better after their semifinal win over the defending champion Vodacom Free State Cheetahs.

The Bulls beat the Cheetahs 31-19 in a hard-fought encounter in Pretoria on Saturday evening, just hours after the table-topping Sharks made sure they would be hosting the Absa Currie Cup Final.

The Sharks, who have lost just twice this season, beat the Xerox Lions 29-14 in their semifinal in Durban, with both teams scoring two tries in a high-quality encounter.

The difference in the end was the kicking boot of September’s Absa Currie Cup Player of the Month, Ruan Pienaar, who contributed 16 points, whilst fellow Bok star Frans Steyn also weighed in with a monstrous 58-metre penalty goal.

Of course, the Sharks against the Bulls – in Durban – is a repeat of last year’s drama-filled Vodacom Super 14 Final; a game the Bulls won 20-19 in the last minute through a superb Bryan Habana try and Derick Hougaard’s subsequent conversion.

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It seems that the the remaining two spots for the semi-finals of the Currie Cup will go down to the wire, after this weekend’s happenings both on and off the field.

“Yes, when Western Province and the Lions go head-to-head just after 17.00 (South African time) on Saturday, October 4, there will be one spot in the play-offs remaining and they will be contesting that place.

The Sharks and Blue Bulls have secured their places. All that remains is to determine who finishes first and who ends up second. First place brings with it home ground advantage in a possible Final.

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What an exciting Currie Cup weekend it was once again! In Wellington Vodacom Western Province battled to a 23 – 7 victory over the Boland Kavaliers on poor field conditions and failed to gain their vital bonus point to stay in contention for the semi-finals.

“The pre-match withdrawal of captain Jean de Villiers with a stomach bug and the pressure on Western Province to score four tries, conspired to destabilise the Cape Town outfit and ultimately cost them the all-important bonus point.

Given the context of the game, Boland’s patience, spoiling tactics and superb defensive resiliency proved to be an effective concoction for the home team, with the Kavaliers already resigned to a bottom-two finish and the visitors chasing the defending champion Cheetahs to clinch a playoff berth.

A jittery Western Province failed to convert their try-scoring opportunities and saw several promising offensive manoeuvres into Boland territory fizzle out because of unforced errors.

WP scored three tries through centre Sireli Naqelevuki (2) (redeeming himself after dropping the ball on the score line earlier!) and number eight Luke Watson, while inside centre Morgan Newman slotted a conversion and flyhalf Peter Grant kicked a pair of penalties.

Winger Danwel Demas scored Boland’s only try and fullback Justin Peach converted.”

The Sharks ended the weekend at the top of the log by beating the Lions 34 – 20 in Johannesburg.

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Vodacom Western Province flanker Schalk Burger from Western Province was cleared on technical grounds after facing a disciplinary hearing in Cape Town yesterday.

Burger was cited after being ordered from the field following two yellow card incidents in Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup match against Free State in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Committee chairman Willem Gaum ruled that a player could not be cited for an incident after having been ordered from the field in such circumstances.

Due to this technicality the chairman ruled that Burger had no case to answer.

Burger is thus free to face the Valke in Saturday’s Currie Cup clash.

A 62-metre penalty-kick by Wildeklawer Griquas fullback Riaan Viljoen gave the home team a 21-20 (halftime 12-6) victory over Vodacom Western Province in an exciting Absa Currie Cup match in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon.The result marks the Kimberley team’s first victory of the season, and their desperate desire for a win was clearly visible in the number of kamikaze tackles that were meted out during the course of play.

Coach Dawie Theron’s charges complemented their physicality in the tackle with deft handling and strong, straight-running off the ball in a match which saw the lead change hands five times.

Griquas’ regular kicking ace, flyhalf Conrad Barnard missed four of five attempts at goal – converting hooker James van der Walt’s try after skewing an earlier conversion of wing Gavin Passens’ score – but fortunately for the home team, Viljoen was ready to step into the breach by slotting all three of his penalty-kicks.

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The Xerox Lions produced a splendid display of running rugby to wallop the Boland Cavaliers 57-17 (half-time 24-10) in a one-sided ABSA Currie Cup game at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday.This was by far the best showing this season by last year’s loosing finalists and they announced their return to form in emphatic style with clinical execution of pattern and game plan.

The visitors had momentarily stunned the home team when in the tenth minute, the gangly Bradley Mockford intercepted a pass on his own ten metre line and off-loaded in the tackle to promising eigthman Dries van Schalkwyk, who sprinted 40m to dot down under the poles.

The Lions hit back shortly afterwards however, through a penalty by the mercurial fullback Earl Rose, who then showed a touch of magic with a prodigious side step, breaching the advancing defence to touch down under the poles, allowing the Lions to nudge into the lead.

Coach Eugene Eloff had indicated that a lot of time had been dedicated to working on finishing off moves during the week and he will be glad that that investment paid dividends.

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Two late tries earned Vodacom Western Province a 26-17 come-from-behind Absa Currie Cup victory over archrivals the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Newlands in Cape Town, on Saturday evening.Despite trailing in possession stakes for most of the first 40 minutes, first-half tries from JP Joubert and Pedrie Wannenburg – with flyhalf Morné Steyn converting – helped the Vodacom Bulls into a commanding 14-3 at half-time lead.

That lead then became 17-9 in the second half, before replacement Bulls loose forward Hilton Lobberts was sin-binned in the 68th minute – setting up a heart-stopping finish as Vodacom WP launched a stunning fightback in the final 10 mintues.

Flyhalf Willem de Waal – who scored 20 points on his WP debut last week – had kept his side within striking distance with his metronomic boot for most of the match, but late tries by fullback Gio Aplon and inside centre Gcobani Bobo, with De Waal adding the extras, handed the home side a famous victory, much to the delight of the partisan Newlands crowd.

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