Semifinal race still wide open
The final round of the Absa Currie Cup First Division is a mathematician’s dream, with various permutations meaning any of the six teams can still qualify for the semifinals.
The only certainties are that the EP Kings and Regent Boland Cavaliers will finish in the top two, but their final positions depend on the result between the Cavaliers’ match against the SWD Eagles in George on Friday afternoon.
In the only other game this weekend, the two teams at the bottom of the log, the Valke and Border Bulldogs, take on each other in East London on Friday evening.
The Kings and the Tasol Solar Griffons completed their league matches last weekend.
When two teams finish on the same amount of log points, the team with the better points’ difference will be placed in the higher position on the log. A full set of Competition Regulations are available on www.sarugby.co.za.
The permutations:
EP Kings (currently on 42 log points) will finish top of the Absa Currie Cup First Division log if the Cavaliers lose and don’t get any bonus points from their match against SWD, otherwise they will be second.
Regent Boland Cavaliers (41) will finish top of the log if they beat SWD (with or without a bonus point) or lose but score one bonus point (for losing with fewer than eight points or scoring four tries). If they lose without scoring a bonus point, they will be second.
Tasol Solar Griffons (18) will finish fourth on the log if SWD lose without scoring two bonus points and the Valke and Bulldogs draw and they don’t score four or more tries each.
SWD Eagles (16) will finish third on the log if they beat the Cavaliers or score two log points, either from a draw or two bonus points. If they lose, they will be out of the semifinals.
Valke (16) will be third on the log if they beat Border and SWD lose to Boland, or fourth if they beat Border and SWD beat Boland. They will be fourth on the log if they draw with Border and SWD lose, but they will not make the semifinals if they lose.
Border (15) will finish third if they beat the Valke and SWD lose to Boland.
Weekend’s fixtures:
SWD Eagles vs Regent Boland Cavaliers
Date: Friday, 30 September 2011
Kick-off: 5:05pm
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Rasta Rashivenga
Last three games in Absa Currie Cup First Division:
6 August 2010: SWD won 45-36 in George
17 September 2010: Regent Boland Cavaliers won 38-33 in Wellington
19 August 2011: Regent Boland Cavaliers won 49-24 in Wellington
Border Bulldogs vs Valke
Date: Friday, 30 September 2011
Kick-off: 7:00pm
Venue: Buffalo City Stadium, East London
Referee: Jason Japtha
Last three games in Absa Currie Cup First Division:
20 August 2010: Valke won 38-37 in East London
2 October 2010: Border Bulldogs won 56-49 in Kempton Park
19 August 2011: Valke won 57-42 in Kempton Park