Currie red-hot favourites as tasty play-off ties get under way
After 90 matches in the 2021/22 regular season between September 4 and March 12, the Tennent’s Premiership has now reached the play-off stage.
Table toppers Currie Chieftains head into the next couple of weeks - the final is on Saturday April 2 - as favourites given they have won 17 games on the spin since an opening day loss at Hawick.
However, this is knockout rugby and anything can happen with two tasty-looking last-four ties taking place this afternoon at 3pm.
Currie take on Edinburgh Accies, who finished fourth in the table, at Malleny Park.
“It’s a massive day for the club and we are expecting a big crowd and a great atmosphere, we are all really excited to host such a big game at Malleny again,” Currie head coach Mark Cairns said.
Accies have stand-off Jamie Loomes back for this one and head coach Iain Berthinussen said: “A semi-final play-off away to Malleny Park to play the stand-out team of the season, what a challenge.”
In the other tie, Hawick, who finished third, will be at second placed Marr. “The players know that our best performance of the season will be needed to win this game,” Marr head coach Craig Redpath said.
Matty Douglas, the Hawick head coach, said: “We have worked hard over the last couple of weeks with good numbers at training and a real focus on the semi-final.
“If we can take our home form on the road then, hopefully, we are on the right end of the result.”
In the Gallagher Premiership, meanwhile, England captain Owen Farrell will return after a lengthy injury absence in Saracens' clash against Bristol tomorrow.
Farrell has not played since suffering an ankle problem during England's 32-15 victory over Australia back in November.
The 30-year-old was poised to make his comeback in January but then injured his other ankle while training with his club, causing him to undergo surgery and miss the entire Guinness Six Nations.
Fly-half Farrell will start for Saracens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which becomes the 40th different venue to stage a Premiership game.