Sharks and Cheetahs fight for top of Currie Cup log

The Sharks host a depleted Free State Cheetahs in a crucial top-of-the-table Currie Cup clash at King’s Park on Saturday‚ which will leave one team looking over their shoulders.

So far the Cheetahs and Sharks have been setting the pace with five wins apiece from six matches.

The Cheetahs top the standings on 25 points while the Sharks are just a point behind. But defeat will allow the chasing pack to close in on one of the two pacesetters for a home semifinal position.

For Robert du Preez’s men it’s a must-win home game while the visitors are down to fringe squad members with 25 players in Belfast with the Cheetahs’ PRO14 team.

Blitzbok star Chris Dry will captain Free State for the first time as coach Daan Human was forced to dig deep into his player resources to staff the Currie Cup unit.

After starting the season with a defeat in the first round against the Free Staters‚ the Sharks are on a five-match winning streak. Free State will in turn be hunting their third victory in a row.

The Sharks have had an edge over the Free State Cheetahs in recent years in Durban‚ where they won four of their last five matches dating back to 2012‚ but the defending champions will draw inspiration from their victory in Durban last season.

The Sharks made five personnel changes to their run-on team – three of which were injury-enforced – which sees a new front row selected‚ while Keegan Daniel returns to the loose trio and wing Tythan Adams‚ a former Gold Cup star‚ will make his debut.

The first match of the weekend takes place in Pretoria on Friday evening‚ where in-form Griquas travel to face the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. The hosts are in a desperate state after four consecutive defeats.

The last time the men from Kimberley beat the Blue Bulls was in 2012‚ but with both sides having won only two matches this season‚ the clash could prove to be a tight tussle.

Blue Bulls coach John Mitchell made wholesale changes to his team with only six players – Lizo Gqoboka‚ Ruben van Heerden‚ Jannes Kirsten‚ Nic de Jager‚ JT Jackson and Warrick Gelant – retaining their places in the stating team that went down against the Pumas later week.

The Golden Lions will look to bounce back from three successive defeats when they take on the Pumas in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.

But they will face tough competition as the visitors are high on confidence after two wins – one of which was a 51-point score against the Blue Bulls.

The Golden Lions team shows a number of personnel changes‚ amongst them the return of No 8 Ryan Kankowski and wing Madosh Tambwe to the starting team‚ while the bench has been boosted with the inclusion of Springbok Sevens player Branco du Preez.

The Pumas‚ meanwhile‚ made only two injury-enforced changes with looseforward Willie Engelbrecht and flyhalf Kobus Marais replacing Francois Kleinhans and Justin van Staden respectively.

Friday:

Blue Bulls v Griquas (Loftus Versfeld‚ 6.15pm)

Saturday:

Golden Lions v Pumas (Ellis Park‚ 2pm)

Sharks v Free State Cheetahs (King’s Park‚ 4.15pm)

- TimesLIVE