Hunger for home semis will drive Lions, Sharks

THE burning desire to earn home semifinals in the Currie Cup will drive the Golden Lions and Sharks in the penultimate round of pool matches this weekend, while the battle at the bottom of the log is expected to heat up.

A victory for the Lions will guarantee them a home semifinal, while a bonus point win for the Sharks would mean they only need a point in their final pool match next week to cement the other home semifinal.

Further down the log, the Cheetahs, Griquas and Blue Bulls are still locked in their battle to avoid the wooden spoon, but they also still have hopes of securing a semifinal spot.

The Bulls

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Western Province at Loftus Versfeld tonight, and tomorrow the Lions go up against Griquas in Kimberley and the Sharks take on the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

The Bulls will be strengthened by the return of Springbok wing Bjorn Basson and hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, who have been on the sidelines for several weeks with a stomach and a knee injury.

Their presence is expected to add invaluable experience and skill to the team as the desperation mounts to climb off the bottom of the log table.

Bok prop Dean Greyling, who has served his suspension for charging into a ruck dangerously at Test level, was also bracketed alongside Morné Mellett in the front row and, should he take to the field, it would add grunt to the Bulls’ tight five.

In Cape Town, Province coach Allister Coetzee opted for continuity in selection, with the only change to his starting 15 being nippy scrumhalf Nic Groom taking over from Louis Schreuder.

With both teams boasting strong packs and backlines, the clash could prove to be thrilling.

Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar was particularly pleased to welcome back Basson, and said a victory was essential to save his team’s campaign.

“It certainly is good to know Bjorn is fit and ready to go,” he said. “He is a world-class player and we will try to get the ball in his hands … we are not out of the competition yet and that is a positive for us. We realise though that only our very best efforts over the last two weeks will get us into a possible playoff spot and that is what I expect from the team.”

With Province at risk of dropping out of the top four if they lose, Coetzee was under no illusions about the challenge and said: “At this stage of the competition it can still change a lot and we’re all aware of that. Some teams can suddenly fall out, whereas other sides can suddenly catapult themselves back into contention.

“We know we weren’t good against the Lions and we want to improve on that. In terms of the Bulls, this is a different side, they’ve got an all-Bok front row for starters. For every player who wants to make it in South African rugby you have to pass the test at Loftus,” said Coetzee.

In the Lions camp, captain and prop JC Janse van Rensburg expected to face a charged-up Griquas outfit and he emphasised the importance of laying a good foundation up front to keep alive their hopes of registering their fifth successive victory.

“We’ve worked very hard on our defence and our set phases because they’re a very good team in the set pieces,” said Janse van Rensburg. “It’s a very important game for us and them, but our focus is on what we want to do. We also have to make sure that we do not make the same mistakes that cost us (against them) earlier in the season.”

Sharks coach John Plumtree — who welcomed back Springbok wing JP Pietersen yesterday from a long injury lay-off with a broken thumb — also spoke highly of the Cheetahs and said a victory would require a solid 80-minute effort. With Sapa