Heat is on for SA Cup play-off spots

ROUND EIGHT PREVIEW: Seven teams are still in with a shout of reaching the semifinals of the SA Cup with only two rounds of league action remaining, although a few of these sides will hope for help from others if they are going to qualify for the play-offs.

All five games this weekend will have an influence on the final standings, with the action kicking off at 18.00 on Friday evening in George, where the SWD Eagles host the defending champion Griquas.

The other four matches are all scheduled to start at 15.00 on Saturday.

Boland Cavaliers welcome the table-topping Pumas to Wellington. The Falcons travel to Potchefstroom to take on the Leopards.

The Cheetahs host the Border Bulldogs in Bloemfontein whilst Eastern Province takes on the Griffons in Gqeberha.

The Pumas are sitting pretty at the top of the standings on a perfect 35 points from their seven games, with three points more than Griquas. These two teams are assured of their places in the semifinals.

The chasing pack of five teams all still have their work cut out for them in the last two rounds.

The Cheetahs are third on 27 points, followed by the Boland Cavaliers (25) in fourth, while the Griffons are fifth on the same amount of log points.

The Falcons who are in sixth position on 20 points, can’t afford to slip up, while the seventh-placed EP on 17 points, will have to hope on favours from other teams if they are going to sneak into the top four.

South Western Districts (eighth on seven points), the Leopards (ninth on four) and Border (10th on two) bring up the rear.

In George, Griquas will aim to keep the pressure on the Pumas after going down against the men from Mpumalanga last weekend, with SWD playing for pride as they can’t make the play-offs anymore.

Last year, the men from the Northern Cape won a high-scoring affair in Kimberley and they will be looking to replicate that in the heart of the Garden Route on Friday.

Boland Cavaliers will fight tooth and nail to keep their fourth spot on the log against the high-flying Pumas at Boland Stadium on Saturday.

In 2024, the Pumas won the corresponding clash by 49-0, but the Boland outfit’s form this year is much better and they will not be going down fighting.

The team from Mpumalanga are within touching distance of top spot on the log though and they will have all the motivation they need in the Boland on Saturday.

The Leopards can be a tricky customer at home in Potchefstroom, something the Falcons will be mindful of when they travel west.

The East Randers, currently in sixth spot on the log will also know nothing but a proper victory will be good enough if they are going to stay in the race to the top four.

The Cheetahs will be careful not to be overconfident when they host the Border Bulldogs in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon, but the form book points to a big win for the Free Staters, who look set to hold onto their third place on the standings.

And in Gqeberha, Eastern Province will also be playing for survival when they host the Griffons at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

The Griffons are fifth on the log and will want to keep the pressure on the two teams just above them on the standings, while EP’s mathematical chance of still reaching the semifinals will be blown away if they fail to beat the Northern Free Staters.

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Friday, May 2

SWD Eagles v Griquas

(Outeniqua Park, George – kick-off: 18.00; 16.00 GMT)

Teams: 

SWD Eagles: 15 Roshwin Abrahams, 14 Rosco Syster (co-captain), 13 Clive Kruger, 12 JP Duvenhage (captain), 11 Mpho Ntsane, 10 Eric Zana, 9 Sachin Toring, 8 Leighton van Wyk (co-captain), 7 Dian Basson, 6 Wayne Khan, 5 Gaywin Smith, 4 Azola Mati, 3 Christo Swanepoel, 2 Stephan Leonard, 1 Cole Haggard.
Replacements: 16 Marco Fuhri, 17 Stefaan Grundlingh, 18 Cecil Rittles, 19 Ethan Stuurman, 20 Gerschwin Muller, 21 Marlo Weich, 22 Edwin Sass, 23 Dehovine Johannes.

Griquas: 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Gurwin Wehr, 10 Tylor Sefoor, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Carl Els, 7 Marco de Witt (captain), 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Athenkosi Khethani, 3 Cebo Dlamini, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Leon Lyons.
Replacements: 16 Gustav du Rand, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Gustav Erlank, 21 Bobby Alexander, 22 Zane Bester, 23 Connor Mahoney.

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys

Saturday, May 3

Boland Cavaliers v Pumas

(Boland Stadium, Wellington- Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)

Teams: 

Boland Cavaliers: 15 Domenic Smit, 14 Riaan Louw, 13 Lunathi Nxzele (vice-captain), 12 Jurick Lewis, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 James Tedder, 9 Chriswill September 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Sibusiso Sangweni, 6 Gift Dlamini, 5 Michael Benadie, 4 Khwezi Mafu, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Sithembiso Sithole
Replacements: 16 HP van Schoor, 17 Wayrin Losper, 18 Dian Heunis, 19 Gary Porter, 20 Ludio Williams, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Erik Lambrecht, 23 Darian Hock

Pumas: 15 Jaycee Nel, 14 Lundi Msenge, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Darren Adonis, 10 Clinton Swart 9 Ross Braude, 8 Willie Engelebrecht, 7 Ruwald van der Merwe, 6 Andre Fouche, 5 Tiaan de Klerk, 4 Jeandre Leonard, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Etienne Janeke
Replacements: 16 Darnell Osuagwu, 17 Stephan de Jager, 18 Deward Maritz, 19 Heinz Bertram, 20 Ntsika Fisanti, 21 Russwill Fredericks, 22 Danrich Visagie, 23 Tino Swanepoel

Referee: Griffin Colby

Leopards v Falcons

(Olen Park, Potchefstroom – Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)

Teams: 

Leopards: 15 Luan van der Walt, 14 Sino Tshontyi, 13 Matthew Fortuin, 12 Bryan Breda, 11 Naiden Jaarts, 10 Brandon Keevy, 9 Chad Adams, 8 Eben Verster, 7 Uzile Tele, 6 Gcino Mletshe, 5 Chris van Heerden, 4 Hanro Potgieter, 3 Ig Prinsloo, 2 Jason Alexander,m 1 Jason Jansen
Replacements: 16 Ricardo Fourie, 17 Tatenda, Chayayi, 18 Werner Geldenhuys, 19 Lood Prins, 20 Didi Sekati, 21 Sanele Zungu, 22 Shaun Baxter, 23 Clyde Lewis

Falcons: 15 Mbembe Payi, 14 Adrian Joubert, 13 Musa Tshabalala, 12 Waqar Solaan, 11 Ezrick Alexander, 10 Sergio Stalmeester, 9 Wernich Aucamp, 8 Zingisa April, 7 Godfrey Muzanargwo, 6 Abulele Ndabambi, 5 Andrew Volschenk (captain), 4 Mihlali Stamper, 3 Blaine Golden, 2 An Other,1 Kayden Kiewit
Replacements: 16 Pierre Rabie, 17 Lindokuhle Seteni, 18 Thabo Ntunja, 19 Philip Apea-Adu, 20 Tyler Jonker, 21 Liam Kloosman, 22 Zeilinga Strydom, 23 Molwa Mafuma

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen

Cheetahs v Border Bulldogs

(Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-off 15.00; 13.00 GMT)

Teams: 

Cheetahs:  15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Prince Nkabinde, 13 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Michael Annies, 10 George Lourens, 9 Jandre Nel, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Sisonke Vumazonke, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Victor Sekekete (Captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Vernon Paulo, 1 Schalk Ferreira
Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Banele Mthenjane, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Pieter Jansen van Vuren, 20 Pierre-Raymond Uys, 21 Tiaan Swanepoel, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Carel-Jan Coetzee

Border Bulldogs: 15 Maxwell Klaasen, 14 Simthembile Ntleki, 13 Mbasa Nkonki, 12 Ryan Maree, 11 Sakhekile Dingile, 10 Oliver Zone, 9 Abdur Smail, 8 Soso Xhakalashe, 7 Hlomla Payi, 6 Oyisa Balekile, 5 Caleb Radcliffe, 4 Ayabonga Nomboya, 3 Siphetho Manakaza, 2 Mangaliso Zixesha, 1 Luxolo Koza (captain)
Replacements: 16 Kamvelihle Fatyela, 17 Sokhana Mpemba, 18 Sibusiso Lali, 19 Camagu Dlisani, 20 Ntokozo Vidima, 21 Jayden Shaw, 22 Simthembile Zozi, 23 Zenande Mdledle

Referee: Lulutho Matomela

Eastern Province v Griffons

(Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha – Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)

Eastern Province: 15 Jaden Bantom, 14 Rodney Damons, 13 Sherwin Slater, 12 Troy Delport, 11 Davian Swanepoel, 10 Chris Humphries, 9 Shirwin Cupido, 8 Athi Manentsa, 7 Jac van der Walt, 6 CJ Velleman, 5 Stefan Willemse (captain), 4 JJ Scheepers, 3 Duncan du Buisson, 2 Deon Plaatjies, 1 Siya Nzuzo.
Replacements: 16 Masikane Mazwi, 17 Arno Gustafson, 18 Andile Ngonyama, 19 Johannes Huisamen, 20 Laken Gray, 21 Wayne Ngubane , 22 Chadwin November , 23 JD Jooste.

Griffons: 15 Keanu Vers, 14 Christiaan Nel, 13 Aphiwe Stemela, 12 Chris Hollis, 11 Qamani Kota, 10 Duan Pretorius, 9 Richman Gora, 8 Ulrich Stander, 7 Thomas Ongera, 6 Mingo Piti, 5 Curtly Thomas, 4 Lungi Mbiko, 3 Buhle Nojekwa, 2 Willem vd Hever, 1 Simon Westraadt
Replacements: 16 Chadley Wenn, 17 Xolani Jacobs, 18 Mthokozisi Gumede, 19 Matt Gray, 20 Calla Pienaar, 21 Rian Olivier, 22 Kyle Cyster, 23 Quan Eymann, 24 Jared Kruger, Joshua Paris, 29 Jaywinn Juries

Referee: Dylen November

Image credit: Gallo Images