Although the eight teams that will progress to the 2014 Vodacom Cup quarterfinals are basically determined, a lot can still happen in terms of finishing in the top two positions in both sections.
The North Section is heading towards a humdinger, with five teams still in the hunt to reach the play-offs. Only the Steval Pumas, runners-up in 2013, are guaranteed of a place in the quarterfinals and only a disaster will see them finish lower than in top spot.
Looking at the various permutations in this section, the Steval Pumas (currently first on the log on 27 points) need one log point from their match against the Golden Lions at Alberton Rugby Club on Saturday afternoon to ensure they finish top of the pool.
For the defending champion Golden Lions (fourth on 19 points, points’ difference of +99), a bonus-point victory in this rematch of the 2013 final will be enough to reach the play-offs yet again, but if they fail to do that, the Leopards XV (fifth on 18 points, PD +73) can still overtake them.
The Leopards XV host GWK Griquas (second on 22 points, PD +101) in Klerksdorp on Saturday afternoon in a rematch of the 2005 final, which was when the team from the Northern Cape clinched one of their four Vodacom Cup titles.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls (third on 21 points, PD +88) will be aiming for a big win over the last-placed Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls in Pretoria on Friday afternoon, where they should qualify for the play-offs.
A very big victory over their northern neighbours could still see the team from Pretoria sneak into the top two on the log, should GWK Griquas not win with a bonus point. That could see the Vodacom Blue Bulls overtake the side from Kimberley on points’ difference and earn hosting rights in the quarterfinal round.
In the only other North Section pool match, only pride is at stake when the Valke host the Down Touch Griffons in Kempton Park on Friday afternoon.
In the South Section, the top four will consist of the Cell C Sharks, DHL Western Province, SWD Eagles and the Toyota Free State XV, but the order in which they finish can still change. As it stands, the KwaZulu-Natalians can’t finish lower than second, meaning they will host one of the quarterfinals.
The Cell C Sharks XV (currently first on the log on 27 points) host the EP Kings in Durban on Friday afternoon as a curtain-raiser to their Vodacom Super Rugby clash later that evening. Although the team from Port Elizabeth are fifth on the log, they can’t make the quarterfinals anymore.
Two log points from this match will be enough for the KwaZulu-Natalians to secure first place on the South Section log.
At this stage, it looks like the winner of the match between the second-placed DHL Western Province (23 points) and third-placed SWD Eagles (21 points) will also earn hosting rights in the quarterfinals. This encounter takes place in George on Friday evening.
However, the Toyota Free State XV (fourth on 21 points) can still pass both these teams on the log if they secure a big win over the Kenyan side, the Tusker Simba XV, in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon.
The final pool match of the season will take place in Piketberg on Saturday afternoon, where the Regent Boland Cavaliers and Border Bulldogs will be playing to avoid the South Section wooden spoon in 2014.
Round Seven fixtures:
Friday, April 25
Vodacom Blue Bulls v Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls
Kick-off: 15h00
Venue: Loftus Versfeld B, Pretoria
Referee: Eduan Nel
Valke v Down Touch Griffons
Kick-off: 15h00
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Referee: Juan Sylvestre (Argentina)
Cell C Sharks v EP Kings
Kick-off: 16h30
Venue: Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
SWD Eagles v DHL Western Province
Kick-off: 19h00
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Saturday, April 26
Toyota Free State XV v Tusker Simba XV
Kick-off: 14h30
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Golden Lions v Steval Pumas
Kick-off: 15h00
Venue: Alberton Rugby Club, Alberton
Referee: Ben Crouse
Leopards XV v GWK Griquas
Kick-off: 15h30
Venue: Klerksdorp Rugby Club, Klerksdorp
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Regent Boland Cavaliers v Border Bulldogs
Kick-off: 16h00
Venue: Piketberg
Referee: Daniel Fortuin
