Preview: First Division, Round 11
The SWD Eagles will look to keep their First Division play-off hopes alive when they host the Leopards at Outeniqua Park in George on Friday.
With four rounds remaining of the new eight-team competition, the unbeaten EP Kings, on 45 points, and second-placed Pumas, with 37 points, are virtually assured of their place in the 5 October semifinals.
The Griffons (33) and Leopards (32) are third and fourth respectively, with the Eagles the only other team with a realistic chance of breaking into the top four.
The men from George, who have 26 points, currently trail the Leopards by six and it is likely that nothing less than a victory will do if they are to prevent their season from coming to a premature end after the round robin stages.
In Friday's other match, the bottom-placed and winless Border Bulldogs have the unenviable task of hosting the unbeaten, log-leading EP Kings at the Buffalo City Municipal Stadium.
With the Kings having won the corresponding first-round tie 56-5, the Bulldogs, who have played some attractive rugby at times this season but without reward, will have to dig deep if they are to finally break their duck.
Saturday sees the seventh-placed Valke at home to the Pumas, who will want to come away from Kempton Park's Barnard Stadium with five log points if they are to keep the pressure on the Kings – no easy task as the Valke, as they have proven time and again over the years, are more than a handful on their home turf.
And in the weekend's final match, the third-placed Griffons host defending champions the Boland Kavaliers, who are almost certainly out of the running for a semifinal place with just 19 points from their 10 matches – a massive 13 points adrift off the play-off zone with just four matches remaining.
Pumas flyhalf JC Roos has moved to the top of the First Division point-scoring log after Round 10, with 112 points made up of 29 conversions and 18 penalties. Just 10 points behind Roos in second place is Leopards flyhalf Andre Pretorius, with EP Kings No.10 George Whitehead third on 95.
Leopards wing Allister Kettledas and Valke fullback JW Bell still lead the try-scoring stakes with eight touchdowns, with five players – Danie Dames, Jaco Bouwer, JW Jonker, Luke Watson and Philip de Wet on seven.
First Division fixtures:
Friday, September 7
SWD Eagles v Leopards
Kick-off: 19.00
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Quinton Immelman
Assistants: Mlungiseli Mdashe, Cobus Wessels
Border Bulldogs v EP Kings
Kick-off: 19.10
Venue: Buffalo City Municipal Stadium, East London
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistants: Tiaan Jonker, Christie du Preez
TMO: JC Fortuin
Saturday, September 8
Valke v Pumas
Kick-off: 15.00
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Referee: Ben Crouse
Assistants: Stephan Geldenhuys, Pieter de Villiers
Griffons v Boland Kavaliers
Kick-off: 15.00
Venue: North West Stadium, Welkom
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistants: Pieter Janse van Vuuren, Jaco Kotze
