Play-off chase hotting up

THE 2023 Currie Cup began in the shadow of the United Rugby Championship but after the tournament's final this Saturday between the

Stormers and Munster, expect the good old Currie Cup to explode into life and command the attention of rugby lovers.

It has started happening already.

At the weekend, the Sharks dismantled the Free State Cheetahs in an absorbing top-of-the-table contest, while the derby between the Lions and Blue Bulls was a fantastic game. Cheetahs coach, Hawies Fourie, two months ago predicting that the last month of the Currie Cup would be hotly contested as it became kthe main focus and he was right.

The Bulls and Lions are fielding the strongest teams they can — bearing in mind the Springboks are not available — and the Sharks have something special building under their hungry young coach

Joey Mongalo. Western Province are fighting hard and their big defeat of the Pumas at Athlone Stadium on Friday has put them into fourth place on the standings.

It was a costly lapse by Jimmy Stonehouse's champions as they drop to third place.

There are three rounds left until the semi-finals for Province to consolidate that place but the sixthplaced Bulls are on the charge and even the Lions can still make it, although they would have to win all three of their remaining games.

Last year's finalists, the Pumas and Griquas, are showing signs of strain as they come up against stronger teams than was the case last year when the URC teams did not release as many fringe players.

The Sharks' bonus-point victory over the Cheetahs puts them on the same number of points as the Bloemfontein outfit, but they are second on points difference. Griquas secured a bonus-point win against the Griffons on Saturday to move up to fifth place. They are only three points behind fourth-placed WP. This week’s fixtures

Friday: Griffons v Sharks, 3pm; WP v Lions, 5.05pm Saturday: Cheetahs v Griquas, 1.30pm; Pumas v Bulls, 3.35pm