Cheetahs hit form as race to qualify for the Currie Cup hots up in SA Cup

The Cheetahs, Boland Kavaliers and Valke were impressive winners in the sixth round of the SA Cup at the weekend to ensure they remain in the race to qualify for the Currie Cup Premier Division.

The two unbeaten front runners, Griquas and the Pumas, secured comfortable victories to keep their winning runs intact. The Cheetahs bagged their fourth win and second in a row when they overran the SWD Eagles 87-15 in Bloemfontein to move into third spot on the league table.

The Kavaliers shrugged off their two previous losses by outgunning the Border Bulldogs 52-3 to move into fourth place on points’ difference, although they share the same amount of league points with the Griffons and Valke.

The East Randers also hrugged off a first-half blitz by the men from the Northern Free State to score two tries in the dying minutes to gain a thrilling 45-40 win in Kempton Park.

The Pumas brushed aside the Leopards by 80-10 in Potchefstroom, while holders Griquas opened the weekend’s action when they defeated Eastern Province 70-17 in Kimberley on Friday afternoon.

With only three league rounds remaining before the playoffs, Griquas and the Pumas lead the table on 30 points each; the Cheetahs are third on 22 points, which is two more than the Kavaliers, Griffons, and Valke.

EP are seventh on 12 points, with the defeat in the Northern Cape a big blow to their semi-final aspirations, while SWD (seven points), the Leopards (four) and Border (two) complete the standings.

In the weekend’s action at the Free State Stadium, the Cheetahs scored 13 tries to two and pulled away in the second half after the Eagles had put up an admirable fight in the opening half. Cohen Jasper, Prince Nkabinde, and Rewan Kruger scored early for the Cheetahs, but the Eagles hit back with two tries through Kirwin Cupido and a conversion and penalty goal slotted by Roshwin Abrahams.

The home team dominated after the break as they raced away to score 10 unanswered tries, with no less than five players – Marko Janse van Rensburg, Nkabinde, Kruger, Neels Volschenk and Pierre Uys —each going over twice. Clayton Blommetjies and Jasper shared 11 successful conversions between them.