Dramatic finish in sight as Currie Cup approaches semis

26 September 2016 - 17:16 By Craig Ray
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The Sharks and the Golden Lions are headed into a showdown for the fourth Currie Cup semi-final place unless something dramatic happens to Western Province at Newlands on Friday.

To be safe WP need to beat Boland with a try-scoring bonus point to claim a semi-final berth‚ and on the evidence of this season‚ that should be a formality.

Boland have managed two victories – against the winless EP Kings and Pumas – while they have been solidly beaten against the four ‘big’ unions.

The Lions host the Sharks in Friday’s early match and both will enter the game with a quarterfinal mindset because they cannot rely on WP stumbling later that evening. It should be a straight knockout‚ albeit with some subtle scoring variables.

The Sharks have 25 log points and the Lions 22. WP are on 23. If the Lions beat the Sharks with a four-try bonus point‚ but the Durban side grab two bonus points of their own‚ WP would be eliminated if they fail to beat Boland with a bonus point because they have an inferior points’ difference.

At least the Cape team will kick-off just after 7pm on Friday knowing exactly what the permutations are.

For the Lions it’s a case of beating the Sharks and stopping them from claiming two points from the game to be safe. And even if the Sharks do earn two bonus points from their clash to move to 27 log points‚ it might not be enough.

In that scenario‚ if the Lions take five points from the match and move to 27‚ and WP win later with a try scoring bonus point‚ moving to 28 points‚ the Lions would safely make the semis because of a superior points’ difference to the Sharks.

WP coach John Dobson will be an interested spectator in the outcome of the Sharks vs. Lions match as he’ll know exactly what his side needs to do by the time they run on to the Newlands pitch.

Griquas (20 points) also have an outside chance of making the semis‚ but it’s a long shot.

Griquas would have to beat top-of-the-table Free State Cheetahs in their clash‚ with a bonus point while hoping the Lions and WP both lose without bonus points.

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