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2022 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #13

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The Vodacom Bulls host arch-rivals the DHL Western Province in the feature Carling Currie Cup fixture on Wednesday evening in Pretoria, while there are also matches scheduled for Kimberley and Nelspruit as the second round of the Premier Division gets underway.

The North versus South derby kicks off at 20h00 in Pretoria and is the last of the day’s three encounters. The Airlink Pumas host the Sigma Lions in the first match of the day in Nelspruit, where kick-off is scheduled for 15h30, and that game is followed by the Windhoek Draught Griquas against Cell C Sharks clash in Kimberley, starting at 17h45.

The Toyota Cheetahs have a bye, while all of Wednesday’s action will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

At the halfway stage of league phase of the competition and with all teams having completed six games, the unbeaten Toyota Cheetahs are topping the standings with 26 points. The Free Staters – champions in 2019 – currently enjoy a one-point lead over defending champions the Vodacom Bulls, who are chasing a coveted third Carling Currie Cup crown in a row.

The Cell C Sharks (18 points) and the Windhoek Draught Griquas (15 points) occupy positions three and four respectively in the race for the four semi-final spots.

Getting Wednesday’s action underway will be the fifth-placed Airlink Pumas, who are playing at home against the seventh-placed Sigma Lions, and the Lowvelders will no-doubt be eager to add a second scalp in as many games following their 37-11 away win over the DHL WP in the previous round.

Last year, Jimmy Stonehouse’s team managed to beat the Sigma Lions 39-10 in Nelspruit and 36-33 in Johannesburg. On current form and with a solid win over DHL WP under their belt, the Airlink Pumas should feel confidence of extending their winning streak over the team from Gauteng.

Next up is the match in Kimberley, where Windhoek Draught Griquas entertain the Cell C Sharks, and both teams will be eager to consolidate their semi-final ambitions.

Travelling to Kimberley is always tricky for any side, so the Durbanites will have to be at their best if they are to topple their Northern Cape hosts, who had a bye in the previous round.

These two sides clashed three times last year, with each one bagging a league win before the KwaZulu-Natalians managed to edge the Peacock Blues 28-24 in their 2021 semi-final clash in Durban.

The Vodacom Bulls are on a mission to make it three competition wins in a row, and they host arch-rivals DHL WP knowing they’ve had the measure of their Cape Town opponents in their previous four meetings.

After DHL WP stunned the men in light blue jerseys 48-21 in Pretoria in the opening round of the 2021 competition, the Vodacom Bulls turned the tables 34-21 in the return clash and also beat Province by 34-31 in their semi-final clash, en route to their second successive Carling Currie Cup triumph.

In the opening round of the 2022 competition played in January, the Vodacom Bulls were again too strong for Jerome Paarwater’s team as they bagged a 40-21 win at the DHL Stadium.

Carling Currie Cup First Division

The first round of Carling Currie Cup First Division matches took place last weekend and Eastern Province, the Black Lion from Georgia, Valke and the Down Touch Griffons all kicked off their campaigns with good victories.

EP beat the SWD Eagles 34-15 on 1 April in George, while the rest of the matches were played a day later.

The Zimbabwean Goshawks lost their first home fixture at the Villager ground in Cape Town by 34-10 against the Black Lion from Georgia; the Valke travelled to Piketberg where they downed the Boland Kavaliers by 32-26; and the Down Touch Griffons trumped the Border Bulldogs 106-7 in Welkom.

A full round of matches is scheduled to take place between Thursday 7 and Saturday 9 April.

Carling Currie Cup Premier Division fixtures are:

Airlink Pumas vs Sigma Lions
Date: Wednesday, 6 April
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Kick-off: 15h30
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
TV: SuperSport

Windhoek Draught Griquas vs Cell C Sharks
Date: Wednesday, 6 April
Venue: Windhoek Draught Park, Kimberley

Kick-off: 17h45
Referee: AJ Jacobs
TV: SuperSport

Vodacom Bulls vs DHL Western Province

Date: Wednesday, 6 April
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Kick-off: 20h00

Referee: Griffin Colby
TV: SuperSport

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.