Saturday’s Currie Cup semi-finals see defending champion Pumas travel to Hollywoodbets Kings Park to play the Sharks while the Free State Cheetahs welcome the Blue Bulls to Toyota Stadium.
Saturday 17 June
Free State Cheetahs | Draw | Blue Bulls
Odds TBA*
The table-topping Cheetahs will expect to follow up last week’s 31-27 win over the Bulls at Loftus with a similar result in Bloemfontein.
Hawies Fourie’s men, who will welcome back talisman Ruan Pienaar for this one, again look likely to claim their seventh title this season.
Having fallen 38-35 to the Pumas at the same venue and stage last season, the Cheetahs should be extra motivated here.
The Bulls will certainly push them close, with the likes of Johan Goosen out to prove a point to the Springbok selectors, but may ultimately fall short after suffering two defeats to the Cheetahs already this season.
Get on the Cheetahs to clear the handicap.
Sharks | Draw | Pumas
Odds TBA*
Not much will separate the Sharks and Pumas when they clash in Durban.
The hosts finished second on the log, having dispatched of Jimmy Stonehouse’s men 19-12 at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in April before falling 22-24 to the same opponents in Mbombela in May.
They head into this one off the back of a 5-44 drubbing in Cape Town after coach Joey Mongalo made a raft of changes to his usual side. They’ll definitely be looking to take the pain from that loss into this weekend.
The Pumas will be frothing out at the chance to make a second-successive final. Given the pride and gees Stonehouse manages to engender from his side, they won’t be taking any steps back come kick-off.
In a showdown that should come down to the wire, get on the Sharks to take i by a whisker.
Pumas on the plus.
