WP, Sharks on course for final of Currie Cup

Western Province and the Sharks cruised to bonus-point victories Saturday and set up a top-of-the-table South African Currie Cup clash next weekend.

Leaders and defending champions Province scored six tries en route to a 38-12 victory over visiting Griquas at Newlands stadium in Cape Town.

The Sharks scored four as they overcame the Golden Lions 37-21 in rain-lashed Durban after leading by 30 points early in the second half.

The individual try-scoring honours went to Province winger Sergeal Petersen and Sharks eighthman Dan du Preez, who got two each.

Robert du Preez, older brother of Dan and son of Sharks

coach Robert senior, was the leading points scorer, with 17 from four conversions and three penalties.

Province needed just 102 seconds to score through flyhalf Josh Stander, and were 33-7 ahead by half-time against opponents who struggled in the scrums and lineouts. An air of inevitability hung over the second half, with Griquas first to score through A J Coertzen, before J J Engelbrecht of Province claimed the only other try of the half.

After falling 7-3 behind by allowing Sylvian Mahuza to score a soft try, the Sharks established a 30-7 advantage by the break. Dan du Preez increased the lead, before a mini Lions revival delivered scores from James Venter and Wandisile Simelane, but a bonus-point fourth try eluded the visitors.

Province and Sharks have 20 points each, with two regularseason rounds remaining, and the Cape Town side occupy first place on points difference. Whoever wins the clash of the leaders at Newlands will almost certainly top the final standings, which brings several benefits.

The leaders host a semifinal against the fourth-place side, while the runners-up have home advantage over the team that finishes third.

Province beat Sharks in the 2017 final in Durban, and the odds are on the same sides making the title decider for a second successive season.

The Blue Bulls, who had a sixth-round bye, lie third with 17 points, and the Lions fourth, a point behind.

The Pumas, based in Nelspruit, trounced the Free State Cheetahs 42-14 in Bloemfontein, and could squeeze into the last four by beating the Lions in the final round. Griquas cannot make the semifinals, while the bottom-placed Cheetahs, who field a reserve team because of simultaneous PRO14 commitments, face a promotion/relegation play-off.