Currie Cup hits halfway mark: Five talking points | The Citizen

The 2023 edition of the Currie Cup has reached the halfway mark and it is the defending champions, the Pumas, who lead the way. Here are five talking points so far.

Pumas on the charge

The men from Mbombela were the surprise winners of the Currie Cup last year, pipping Griquas in the final in Kimberley. But so far in 2023 they have shown that was not a once-off and that they are very much in the running to go back-to-back.

Right now, the Pumas sit at the top of the log with 29 points from six wins from seven games. Their only loss so far was against the Sharks (19-12) in Durban, but they have registered several good wins, among them their recent 25-24 win against WP, 64-6 against the Griffons, 61-21 against the Cheetahs and 63-15 against the Bulls.

Griffons without puff

The newcomers to the competition have found the going extremely hard, whether they have played at home in Welkom, or on the road. They are currently bottom of the points table with a mere seven points from seven games.

Their only win has come against the Bulls — a 32-28 win on home soil, in a shock of a result that forced changes in the Pretoria team’s coaching structures.

While the Griffons have played some enterprising rugby at times and scored some nice tries, their shaky defence has been their biggest problem.

Bulls

There was plenty of excitement about former hooker Edgar Marutlulle getting the head coaching job of the Currie Cup team, but sadly that only last a short while as four straight defeats resulted in a change at the top, with Jake White taking over.

Under Marutlulle, the Bulls lost to the Pumas, Western Province, Cheetahs and Griffons.

White, as director of rugby at the Bulls, decided enough was enough, he demoted Marutlulle and stepped in and the Bulls won their next three games to be fifth on the table.

URC players

Some of the bigger teams have mixed and matched their sides, with some experienced players featuring in both the United Rugby Championship and Currie Cup, while other outfits have backed only one group of men to play in the Currie Cup.

But, now with the Lions out of the URC and the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers only having the playoffs to deal with over the next few weeks, we’re sure to see stronger teams and many more familiar names playing in the Currie Cup.

It should make for a thrilling climax.

Contenders

So, the Pumas are top of the table and deservedly so, but who are the teams who’ll challenge them the hardest?

The Cheetahs, who’re second with 26 points, are probably the strongest side right now after the Pumas and with a settled side playing together, could be serious challengers later on.

The return of URC players to the Lions, Bulls, Sharks and Stormers could change things, but then some of those teams will also be affected by players being called into the Springbok set-up.

Could Griquas be the side to again go all the way to the final?