On current form, the Fidelity ADT Lions are considered strong favorites when they face the defending champions, the Toyota Cheetahs, in the first of two Carling Currie Cup Premier Division semi-finals this Saturday. The match, set to take place in Johannesburg, will kick off at 14:30.
The second semi-final will occur at 17:00 in Pretoria, where the Vodacom Bulls will take on the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV. The winners of both semi-finals will face each other in the Currie Cup final on Saturday, 21 September, at 16:00. All matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Last year, the Free State Cheetahs pulled off a slight upset by defeating the Vodacom Bulls 31-27 in a thrilling semi-final in Bloemfontein. Meanwhile, in the other semi-final, the Airlink Pumas narrowly beat the Hollywoodbets Sharks 26-20. The Cheetahs went on to win the final, defeating the Pumas 25-17 to claim their seventh Currie Cup title.
This season, the defending champions took a more difficult path to the playoffs. Their victory last weekend over the Airlink Pumas in the final league match secured them the last available spot in the knockout stage.
In Saturday’s first semi-final, the Fidelity ADT Lions will enjoy the benefits of strong form and home-ground advantage as they aim to reach their first final since 2019. The Lions will be playing at Emirates Airline Park, where they were the top team during the league phase. They scored 437 points and only conceded 215, making them the most prolific team offensively and the best defensively.
Additionally, the Lions have shown consistent form throughout the season, while the Toyota Cheetahs have had more inconsistent performances, only securing their semi-final spot with a tense win in the last round. The Lions, having only lost once in the league, face a Cheetahs side that managed five wins, a draw, and four losses.
However, as last year’s results demonstrated, knockout rugby is unpredictable, and the Johannesburg side will need to be cautious against the gritty defending champions.
The second semi-final between the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks XV at Loftus Versfeld promises to be another Currie Cup classic. It is a repeat of the 2020 and 2021 finals, both won by the Bulls. Although the Pretoria side had occasional slip-ups, they have a deep pool of talent and secured second place on the log, earning them a crucial home semi-final.
The Sharks struggled early in the season, losing three games in a row, but recovered with six wins and a draw during a seven-game unbeaten streak. Last weekend, the Sharks defeated the Bulls 24-18 in Durban, setting up a rematch for this week’s semi-final in Pretoria.
Both teams have bolstered their squads with Vodacom United Rugby Championship players, making this an intriguing contest to watch.
In the event of a draw after 80 minutes in the semi-finals, the winner will be decided by:
1. The team with the most points after two periods of extra time (10 minutes each way).
2. If still tied, the team that scored the most tries in the match (including extra time).
3. If the score remains level, the team with the higher log position after the league phase will be declared the winner.
**Carling Currie Cup Semi-Finals Match Information:**
**Semi-final 1:** Fidelity ADT Lions vs Toyota Cheetahs
– Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
– Date: Saturday, 14 September
– Time: 14:30
– Referee: Christopher Allison
– TV: SS Rugby
**Semi-final 2:** Vodacom Bulls vs Hollywoodbets Sharks XV
– Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
– Date: Saturday, 14 September
– Time: 17:00
– Referee: AJ Jacobs
– TV: SS Rugby
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