Western Province have not conceded a home defeat to the Lions since 2005 and will aiming to defend this record when these sides meet up in week two of the 2010 Currie Cup at 15h00 on Saturday.
The hosts have recorded five victories over their opponents from Johannesburg during the last five years at Newlands. Former Lions lock Anton van Zyl who represented the Gauteng side in 33 games, will make his 50th Currie Cup appearance for WP against his former team.
The last time the Lions beat WP was in the last game of the round robin phase in 2009, when they secured a 27-25 win at Coca-Cola Park. Western Province did not concede a home league defeat in the Currie Cup last year.
History will also be on the side of The Sharks on Saturday when they host the Blue Bulls at the Stadium Durban at 17h00.
The defending champions have only achieved defeated their KwaZulu-Natal opponents twice during their last 10 fixtures. The last time the Bulls were victorious in Durban, was back in 2006 when they secured a 50-32 win over the Sharks.
These teams contested the Currie Cup final in 2008. On that occasion it was The Sharks who triumphed in their 14-9 win over the Blue Bulls in Durban.
The Free State Cheetahs will be aiming to record their first home victory of the season on Friday when they host the GWK Griquas at Park at 19h00.
Naka Drotske’s men lost their first match of the season, at home against Western Province last Saturday, while the team from Kimberley stunned The Sharks last weekend.
The Free State Cheetahs conceded two home defeats in their first two Currie games last season – one being against the GWK Griquas, and will be determined to secure their first win in 2010.
In the other Currie Cup Premier Division game of the weekend, the Pumas and the Platinum Leopards will battle it out in Witbank on Saturday at 15h00.
Both teams conceded defeats last weekend and will be aiming to record their first win of the season at the Puma Stadium.
Free State Cheetahs v GWK Griquas
Park, Bloemfontein. Kick off: 19h10 (Live on SuperSport 5)
Friday, 16 July 2010
Referee: Mark Lawrence (SARRA)
Assistant referees: Francois Groenewald (WP), Cobus Wessels (SWD)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (Boland)
Head to Head: Free State Cheetahs v GWK Griquas (since 2005)
P: 9 W: 8 L: 1 PF: 295 PA: 138
23/07/2005
Free State 19
Griquas 17
Park, Kimberley
24/06/2006
Free State 55
Griquas 14
Park, Bloemfontein
19/08/2006
Free State 31
Griquas 20
Park, Kimberley
07/07/2007
Free State 51
Griquas 10
Park, Bloemfontein
08/09/2007
Free State 21
Griquas 17
Park, Kimberley
20/06/2008
Free State 20
Griquas 16
Park, Kimberley
08/08/2008
Free State 22
Griquas 3
Park, Bloemfontein
10/07/2009
Free State 18
Griquas 28
Park, Bloemfontein
29/08/2009
Free State 58
Griquas 13
Park, Kimberley
Free State Cheetahs’ recent form at home:
· Their first home game of the 2010 Currie Cup last weekend ended in defeat to Western Province last Saturday.
· The Free State Cheetahs won their last five home games in the Currie Cup despite losing their first two home games at Park during last year’s competition.
GWK Griquas’ recent form on the road:
· The visitors recorded away victories against Western Province, Free State Cheetahs, Boland Kavaliers and the Platinum Leopards during last year’s Currie Cup.
· The GWK Griquas only conceded away defeats against The Sharks and the Blue Bulls in the 2009 competition.
Player/ match stats:
· The Free State Cheetahs flyhalf Louis Strydom has scored 714 points in his 100 Currie Cup games to date.
· Winger Jongi Nokwe has scored five tries in four Tests for the Springboks.
· Hendro Scholtz will play in his 89th Currie Cup for the Free State Cheetahs on Friday.
· Juan Smith (flank) has represented the Boks in 62 Test matches.
· Skipper Badenhorst has played in 102 Currie Cup games for the Free State Cheetahs, The Sharks, Valke and the Pumas.
· GWK Griquas scrumhalf Tertius Carse could earn his 50th Currie Cup cap on Friday. He previously represented the Western Province, GWK Griquas and SWD Eagles.
· GWK Griquas flyhalf Naas Olivier, who previously represented Western Province and the Platinum Leopards, has scored 554 points in his Currie Cup career.
Western Province v Lions
Newlands Stadium, Cape Town. Kick off: 15h00
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARRA)
Assistant referees: Ben Crouse (Blue Bulls), Marc van Zyl (WP)
TMO: Johan Meuwesen (EP)
Head to Head: Western Province v Lions (since 2005)
P: 10 W: 6 L: 4 PF: 238 PA: 222
03/09/2005
WP 38
Golden Lions 23
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
08/10/2005
WP 23
Golden Lions 17
Newlands, Cape Town
29/07/2006
WP 30
Golden Lions 28
Newlands, Cape Town
23/09/2006
WP 36
Golden Lions 42
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
23/06/2007
WP 18
Golden Lions 13
Newlands, Cape Town
18/08/2007
WP 16
Golden Lions 19
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
02/08/2008
WP 13
Golden Lions 27
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
04/10/2008
WP 14
Golden Lions 06
Newlands, Cape Town
22/08/2009
WP 25
Golden Lions 20
Newlands, Cape Town
10/10/2009
WP 25
Golden Lions 27
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
Western Province’s recent form at home:
· The hosts only recorded one home defeat – an Currie Cup semi-final loss to the Blue Bulls – during last year’s competition.
· In 2008, Western Province suffered only one defeat, against The Sharks.
Lions’ recent form on the road:
· The Lions achieved two away wins against the Platinum Leopards and the Boland Kavaliers in the 2009 Currie Cup.
· The visitors defeated the GWK Griquas, Blue Bulls, Valke and Platinum Leopards in the 2008 competition.
Match/ player stats:
· Western Province lock Anton van Zyl will earn his 50th Currie Cup cap on Saturday. He previously represented the Lions in 33 games and will achieve his 17th cap for the Cape side against his former side.
· Western Province flyhalf Willem de Waal has scored 1233 points in his Currie Cup career.
· WP and SA Sevens star Fabian Juries has already scored 50 tries in the competition. (Mighty Elephants 39, Free State 7, Griffons 4).
· SA Under-20 centre Jaco Taute and flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who represented the Baby Boks at this year’s IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina, were involved in the Lions’ victory over the Platinum Leopards last weekend.
· Lions centre Marius Delport played in his 50th Currie Cup game last Saturday after representing the Blue Bulls in 49 previous games.
· Former SA Under-20 flanker Rynardt Elstadt and flyhalf Lionel Cronje both made their debuts for Western Province against the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last Saturday.
- Franco van der Merwe played in his 50th Currie Cup game for the Lions on Saturday.
· Jaco Peyper, who officiated at the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina, will handle this game featuring WP and the Lions.
The Sharks v Blue Bulls
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria. Kick off: 17h05 (Live on SuperSport 1)
Referee: Jason Jaftha (SARRA)
Assistant referees: Francois Veldsman (Boland), Reuben Rossouw (KZN)
TMO: JC Fortuin (WP)
Head to Head: The Sharks v Blue Bulls (since 2005)
P: 10 W: 8 L: 2 PF: 252 PA: 225
05/08/2005
Sharks 18
Blue Bulls 14
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
21/07/2006
Sharks 37
Blue Bulls 28
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
16/09/2006
Sharks 32
Blue Bulls 50
The Stadium Durban
28/07/2007
Sharks 29
Blue Bulls 10
The Stadium Durban
21/09/2007
Sharks 26
Blue Bulls 18
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
05/07/2008
Sharks 14
Blue Bulls 35
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
06/09/2008
Sharks 34
Blue Bulls 25
The Stadium Durban
25/10/2008
Sharks 14
Blue Bulls 9
The Stadium Durban
24/07/2009
Sharks 19
Blue Bulls 13
The Stadium Durban
12/09/2009
Sharks 29
Blue Bulls 23
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
The Sharks’ recent form at home:
· The hosts have conceded only two home defeats during the last two seasons in the Currie Cup.
· Both defeats occurred last season, against Western Province and the Free State Cheetahs (semi-final).
Blue Bulls’ recent form on the road:
· The defending champions lost away from home four times in 2009 – against The Sharks, Lions, Western Province and Free State Cheetahs.
- In 2008, the Blue Bulls were defeated by The Sharks in the 2009 Currie Cup final in Durban.
Player/ match stats:
· The Sharks’ flanker Jacques Botes will play in his 97th Currie Cup on Saturday. He has scored 33 tries in his career in this competition.
· Fullback Patrick Lambie represented the SA Under-20s during this year’s IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina.
· The Sharks utility back Stefan Terblanche will play in his 90th Currie Cup game in Durban on Saturday. He also scored 19 Test tries for the Springboks.
· John Mametsa has played 130 games for the Blue Bulls since 2002 and has scored 41 Currie Cup tries in his career for the Loftus Versfeld side. He added 14 tries for the Blue Bulls during the 2007 season and scored a brace against the Pumas last weekend.
· Blue Bulls utility back Jaco van der Westhuizen has played in 32 Tests for the Springboks.
· Gerrit-Jan van Velze captained the successful Blue Bulls side who claimed the 2010 Cup. He also previously captained the SA Under-20s in 2008.
Pumas v Platinum Leopards
Pumas Stadium, Witbank. Kick off: 15h00
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Referee: Joey Salmans (SARRA)
Assistant referees: Stuart Berry (SARRA), Stefan Breytenbach (Pumas)
TMO: n/a
Head to Head: Pumas v Platinum Leopards (since 2005)
P: 6 W: 2 L: 4 PF: 162 PA: 285
24/06/2005
Pumas 43
Leopards 56
Puma Stadium, Witbank
30/06/2007
Pumas 34
Leopards 26
Puma Stadium, Witbank
18/08/2007
Pumas 24
Leopards 22
Olen Park, Potchefstroom
26/07/2008
Pumas 14
Leopards 54
Olen Park, Potchefstroom
19/09/2008
Pumas 29
Leopards 77
Puma Stadium, Witbank
03/10/2008
Pumas 18
Leopards 50
Olen Park, Potchefstroom
Pumas’ recent form at home:
· The hosts were undefeated in Witbank during last year’s Currie Cup First Division competition.
· The Pumas suffered defeats to the Border Bulldogs, Griffons and the Platinum Leopards in 2008.
Platinum Leopards’ recent form on the road:
· The Platinum Leopards lost all seven away games in their Currie Cup campaign last year.
Player/ match stats:
· In 2006 Colin Lloyd equaled Carel du Plessis record of scoring 19 Currie Cup tries in one season.
· The Platinum Leopards’ Cecil Dumond is the brother of The Sharks flyhalf Monty Dumond.
· Philip Lemmer (Platinum Leopards) has achieved his SA colours in wrestling.
· Pumas winger Allistair Kettledas scored 18 tries in 2009 Currie Cup First Division, just one short of Colin Lloyd's record of 19 in 2006.
· The Pumas’ Shaun Venter represented the Springbok Sevens during the 2009/ 2010 IRB Sevens World Series.
· Pumas flyhalf Ricardo Croy is the son of former Western Province League scrumhalf Richard Croy.
· The Pumas’ Hannes Franklin and Jacques Coetzee represented the Auto & General Lions during the 2010 Super 14.
· Western Province’s Stuart Berry will handle this game between the Pumas and the Platinum Leopards.
