At last we have reached the last open round of the Currie Cup Premier Division of 2009, to determine the last qualifier for the semi-finals and to determine the order in which the top 4 Teams finish!

Four games are again played this weekend, one tonight, Friday 9 October 2009, and three tomorrow, Saturday 10 October 2009.

The games are as follows:

Friday 9 October 2009:

Leopards v Blue Bulls
(Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, Phokeng – 19.10, 17.10 GMT)

Saturday 10 October 2009:

Griquas v Sharks
(GWK Stadium, Kimberley – 15.00, 13.00 GMT)

Boland Cavaliers v Free State Cheetahs
(Boland Stadium Wellington – 15.00, 13.00 GMT)

Golden Lions v Western Province
(Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg – 17.05, 15.05 GMT)

Friday 9 October 2009:

Leopards v Blue Bulls
(Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, Phokeng – 19.10, 17.10 GMT)

The Bulls will take the No 3 spot on the Curry Cup Log unless they lose this match AND if Griquas win against the Sharks, something not a all likely to happen.

The Bulls have chosen a strong Team, wanting to practise their game plan for the semi-final of next week. Expect the Bulls to play their own brand of rugby, to concentrate on their strong aspects and their weaknesses.

The Leopards have shown guts but lack the quality to win against a top 4 side.

My prediction is for the Bulls to win comfortably but to be careful of sustaining injuries, accordingly expect the Bulls to throw a host of subs on after Half Time. Bulls to win by 35 PLUS.

Teams:

Leopards: 15 Colin Lloyd, 14 Nicky Kritzinger, 13 Jovan Bowles, 12 Japie Nel, 11 Shuaib Samaai, 10 Cecil Dumont, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Christo van Niekerk, 7 Thabo Mamojele, 6 Wilhelm Koch (captain), 5 Edrich Linde, 4 Bradley Mockford, 3 Barend van der Walt, 2 Gavin Williamson, 1 Nardus Lombard
Replacements: 16 Martinus van der Westhuizen, 17 Philip Lemmer, 18 Bennie Adams, 19 RW Kember, 20 Theo van Wyk, 21 Clayton Durand, 22 Berndt Theissinger

Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier , 11 Gerhard van den Heever, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Heini Adams, 8 Danie Rossouw, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Pedrie Wannenburg, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Fourie du Preez, 21 Burton Francis, 22 John Mametsa

Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Gareth Lloyd-Jones, Reuben Rossouw
TMO: Arrie Schoonwinkel

Saturday 10 October 2009:

Griquas v Sharks
(GWK Stadium, Kimberley – 15.00, 13.00 GMT)

The very willing Griquas will be motivated at home against the Sharks and know that if they lose, they are basically throwing away a very good season.

The Sharks made minced-meat of the Griquas in their first encounter this year and now have their Bokke back, so although the game is played in Kimberley, one cannot help but feel that the Sharks will be too strong. The Sharks have the added motivation to move up from No 2 to No 1 on the Log.

This will be a brutal match and should the Sharks manage to open up a big gap early on the Griquas might just lie down and whimper. On the other hand, if the scores stay close, Griquas will play harder and harder to make the semi’s.

Difficult to predict accurately on this game…. my feeling is that Griquas are done and dusted…. Sharks by 18 PLUS.

Teams:

Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Jaco Bekker, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Trompie Nontshinga, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Wesley Wilkins, 5 Jacques Lombaard, 4 Cecil Kemp, 3 Ruaan du Preez, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Albertus Buckle.
Replacements: 16 Dries Kruger, 17 Drew van Coller, 18 Brendon Snyman, 19 Rohan Kitshoff/Heinrich Stride, 20 Donald Stevens, 21 Wilmaure Louw, 22 Gavin Passens.

The Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche (captain), 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Riaan Swanepoel, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Juan Hernandez, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 John Smit, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 Andries Strauss, 22 Waylon Murray.

Referee: Mark Lawrence
Assistant referees: Gareth Lloyd-Jones, Lourens van der Merwe
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

Boland Cavaliers v Free State Cheetahs
(Boland Stadium Wellington – 15.00, 13.00 GMT)

Another mismatch for the Cheetahs who will be far too strong to be troubled by a lowly and troubled Boland.

Cheetahs will collect their 5 Log points and then drive the nails squarely into the Boland…. Cheetahs by 50 PLUS.

Teams:

Boland Cavaliers: 15 Hayden Groepes, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 Cornal Hendricks, 12 PJ Vermeulen, 11 Wendal Wehr, 10 Danré Gerber, 9 Charlie King, 8 Junior Bester, 7 Hilton Lobberts, 6 David Hendricks, 5 Rito Hlungwane (captain), 4 Nico Esterhuyse, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Harry Vermaas, 1 Janro van Niekerk.
Replacements: 16 Clemen Lewis, 17 Michael de Neuilly-Rice, 18 George Earl, 19 Angelo Brinkhuys, 20 Danie van der Merwe, 21 Dewey Swartbooi, 22 Elgar Watts.

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Danwel Demas, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Frans Viljoen, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Nico Breedt (captain), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 WP Nel, 17 Izak van der Westhuizen, 18 Hendro Scholtz, 19 Lucas Floors , 20 JP Joubert, 21 JW Jonker, 22 Fabian Juries.

Referee: Joey Salmans
Assistant referees: Matt Kemp, Marc van Zyl
TMO: JC Fortuin

Golden Lions v Western Province
(Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg – 17.05, 15.05 GMT)

This game I will follow with great interest, at the time of kickoff WP will already know whether they need 4 or 5 Log points to stay top of the Log. I have a feeling that they will require 5 Log Points.

The Lions seem be an improving side and ran the Sharks close last week, having hoped to keep their Currie Cup chances alive. This week is quite different, the Lions are already out of the race and will only have pride to inspire them to perform.

WP always seem to have the wood over the Lions and this Saturday should not be different. The Lions have tis uncanny ability to withhold bonus points from WP and thus either keeping them from semi’s or putting them in some other precarious position. This Saturday the Lions will determine whether WP plays the Bulls in the semi or probably the Cheetahs.

Personally and from a selfish Bulls perspective (yes I can admit that I view things with blue glasses on) I hope that the Lions either win or denies WP a bonus point for tries.

I predict a hard and physical battle and for WP to win but failing to score the bonus point…. WP by 9.

Teams:

Golden Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Dusty Noble, 13 Jannie Boshoff, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Johan Jackson, 10 Herkie Kruger, 9 Chris Jonck, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Nico Luus, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Hans van Dyk, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Torrie Meyer, 17 Wayne Swart, 18 Willem Stoltz, 19 Todd Clever, 20 Ruan Boshoff, 21 Walter Venter, 22 Michael Killian.

Western Province: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Frikkie Welsh, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Sireli Naqelevuki, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Luke Watson (captain), 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 JC Kritzinger, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JD Moller, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Matt Toomua, 22 Gio Aplon

Referee: Marius Jonker
Assistant referees: Ben Crouse, Madel Herselman
TMO: Michael Cupido