The Currie Cup rolls on into Round five this weekend, with all four fixtures spread across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We suggest a bet in all 4 games.
We are past the halfway mark of the pool stages, and the standings are really starting to take shape. The Cheetahs and the Griquas both look strong on three wins from four, while at the other end of the table the Bulls XV are still winless and are basically out of time to get their season back on track.
FRIDAY
Lions v Boland Cavaliers — Click here to bet
After two solid wins in rounds two and three, the Lions suffered their second defeat last weekend as they went down to the Griquas, losing 31-19 in Kimberley. Their two wins came against the Bulls XV 42-19 and the Pumas 52-29.
Boland got off to a solid start, winning their first two games of the season, but they lost that momentum and have gone on to lose the next two. They played the Sharks last week in Durban and lost the match 19-12.
Head-to-Head
The two sides met twice in last year’s Currie Cup, with the home team coming out on top on both occasions. The fixture in Johannesburg saw the Lions win 67-19.
Betting and Verdict
The Lions are favourites at 1.20 while Boland are trading at 5.50 with the draw at 29.00. The handicap is Lions -10.5.
Both teams are coming into this week off the back of a loss, however, we saw exactly what the Lions did to Boland last year in Johannesburg. With home advantage and a much stronger squad on paper, we think they should be able to comfortably cover the 10.5-point handicap against a Boland side who are on a rough run of form.
Suggested Bet: Handicap, Lions [-10.5] at 1.83.
Griquas v Sharks — Click here to bet
After a loss in the opening round to the Stormers, the Griquas have bounced back winning their next three games in a row all at home. They held off the Lions last weekend to win the match 31-19.
The Sharks are coming off the back of a tidy win against Boland at home after beating them 19-12 last weekend. They have now won two of the first four games.
Head-to-Head
The Griquas have the upper hand, winning three of the last five between the two sides. The last time the two sides met, the Griquas won the match 26-17 in Kimberley.
Betting and Verdict
The bookies have the Griquas at 1.11 while the Sharks are trading at 8.50 and the draw is priced at 36.00. The handicap is Griquas -14.5.
The Griquas continued their impressive run of wins at home last weekend, however, in their last three home wins against the Sharks they have not come close to covering a -14.5 handicap. Their biggest winning margin across those three games was just nine points. Although we do think we will see another Griquas win here, we don’t think it will be by much, and the +14.5 on the Sharks looks a very tempting play.
Suggested Bet: Handicap, Sharks [+14.5] at 1.93.
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SATURDAY
Pumas v Stormers XXIII — Click here to bet
The Pumas are coming into this week off the back of back-to-back wins, beating Boland away from home in round three, 20-15, and following it up with a 33-31 win against the Bulls XV in Pretoria last weekend.
The Stormers XXIII hosted the Cheetahs over the weekend and although they put up a huge fight, a last-minute try saw the Cheetahs win the game 31-26. The Stormers XXIII have won two of their four games so far, both at home.
Head-to-Head
The Stormers have won three of the last five between the two sides, however, in last years encounter the Pumas thumped the Stormers 39-13 away from home.
Betting and Verdict
The Pumas are at 1.31 while the Stormers are at 4.00, and the draw is at 23.00. The handicap is Pumas -7.5.
The Pumas are coming into this week off the back of two solid wins, one of which was away from home, while the Stormers XXIII will have to travel after a disappointing defeat to the Cheetahs. We saw what the Pumas were able to do to the Stormers XXIII last year in Cape Town, and we think we could see something similar again this weekend with the Pumas at home in Mbombela.
Suggested Bet: Handicap, Pumas [-7.5] at 1.87.
SUNDAY
Bulls XV v Cheetahs — Click here to bet
The Bulls XV are still the only side without a win this season, and with three rounds left it is now make-or-break for them. They hosted the Pumas last weekend and lost the match 33-31.
The Cheetahs, on the other hand, have looked like one of the strongest sides in the competition, winning three of their four games, with their only defeat coming against the Griquas away from home. They played the Stormers XXIII last weekend in Cape Town and won the match 31-26.
Head-to-Head
The head-to-head sits dead in the middle, with both sides winning two of the last five and the other ending in a draw. The most recent fixture saw the Bulls host the Cheetahs in Pretoria, where they won the match 35-31.
Betting and Verdict
The Cheetahs are favourites and are trading at 1.33 for the win while the Bulls XV are trading at 3.85 with the draw priced at 23.00. The handicap is Cheetahs -7.5.
The Bulls XV know it is crunch time and they need a win if they stand any chance of making the semi-finals. The Cheetahs have not been able to beat the Bulls at home since 2023. Although on paper the Cheetahs look like they will cruise through this game, we think we may just see something special from the Bulls XV this weekend at Loftus.
Suggested Bet: Bulls XV to win at 3.85.
Click here for betting on all the weekend’s Currie Cup matches
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
