Fireworks loom as rivals meet

THE Eastern Province Rugby Union Grand Challenge Cup returns after a two-week break, with teams gearing up for the second round of fixtures at various fields in Nelson Mandela Bay tomorrow.

One of the games will feature a cracking club derby when traditional rivals Gardens and Harlequins meet at the Derrick Ferreira Stadium in Uitenhage.

Fireworks have often been the order of the day when these sides square up and tomorrow should be no exception.

Harlequins are second in group B, trailing Park by three points, while Gardens will be hoping to maintain their unbeaten run after nine games.

Home-ground advantage should give them added confidence.

The visitors will be looking to prove themselves after losing their last encounter with Garden in the Super 12 competition.

Both sides have had impressive campaigns in the Grand Challenge, bagging 43 and 37 points respectively.

EPRU have decided to proceed with the top five teams in group A of the first round to be paired with group B’s bottom five teams.

Gardens and Parks go into the next round as the teams to look out for as they showed their ability in collecting 43 and 40 points respectively from nine games.

The matches will start at 3.30pm.

Fixtures:

United Barbarians v Suburban (Ramaphosa), Gelvandale Wallabies v Central (Chapman), Windvogel v Spring Rose (Windvogel), African Bombers v Trying Stars (Zwide), Despatch v Parks (Despatch), Brumbies v SAPS (Grahamstown Oval), Kruisfontein v Progress (Sport Complex), Gardens v Harlequins (Derrick Ferreira), NMMU v Stars of Hope (South Campus)