It was a weekend of bizarre and strange events during the Carling Currie Cup matches, but all it did was to reinforce the notion that the top spot in the competition is most-definitely a two horse race, while the Cell C Sharks claims of a top four space are on very shaky ground indeed.
To start off with, the team that didn’t play this weekend - The Windhoek Draught Griquas - were probably the ones smiling the most as the Sharks loss in Bloemfontein leaves them four points behind them with a game in hand, while even the Airlink Pumas, whose white line fever saw them fluff several chances and go down against a resurgent DHL WP, also have a chance of hauling the Sharks in.
With only a few weeks left, the competition now is firmly in two scenarios - who will claim top spot and who will miss out on the semifinals - both to be decided in the coming weeks.
It would have been sweet irony to use the two bizarre moments of the weekend to try and explain the fortunes of the sides, but with the Pumas still very much in contention, the lights going out in the final few minutes of their game against WP at the Mbombela Stadium doesn’t really work, other than the beauty of a Xhosa commentary clip that is doing the rounds on social media at the moment.
PUMAS HAVE ALL THE TOOLS
The Pumas have all the tools to shock the bigger unions and on some of their performances should deserve a Currie Cup semifinal spot, but if their play in the last two weeks is anything to go by, the white line fever they have - the lack of finishing when they get into the opposition red zone - may well be their undoing again.
Last season the Pumas missed out on a playoff spot by the narrowest of margins and unless coach Jimmy Stonehouse finds a remedy for this malaise they may well do so again.
WP on the other hand finally looked like a team that were taking the Currie Cup seriously and the passion in their play - their defence in particular - looked as if some stern words had been thrown around at training sessions this past week.
The fringe players from the URC that filled the ranks made a significant impact, but it was more the typical-Stormers defence structure that refused to give the Pumas any look-in that won them the game in the end.
Unfortunately, that sort of resolve has rarely been seen from the team this year, and this is why - while still mathematically possible - it is unlikely they will overtake any of the teams above them and cause a playoff flutter.
Talking about flutters, the Sigma Lions’ gamble of playing a URC team in the Currie Cup sent out all sorts of wrong signals and ultimately backfired on them - even though it came through the other bizarre moment of the weekend.
The final pass from Burger Odendaal - who will leave for Wasps in a few weeks’ time - in his own goal area to Richard Kriel to gift the Bulls a victory probably summed up the Lions’ season this year.
CHANGE IN STRATEGY
For one, the message sent out earlier in the season was one of backing a junior side that won the under-20 competition last year. And then halfway through when results weren’t going their way, a change in strategy suddenly saw a lot more experience filter back to the team.
Last week they shunted Mzwhake Nkosi, their talented young coach - who they admitted at their weekly press conference was told “to develop players” and not worry about results - aside.
Ivan van Rooyen came in and his management team took over the coaching - which wasn’t a great look for the side and will ultimately bring about more questions in the weeks to come than the Lions will feel comfortable answering.
And then it backfired. The Bulls were on a canter and scored five first-half tries with a second-string outfit while the Lions looked lost at Loftus. The change in momentum was interestingly aided by Griffon Colby’s sudden change of heart and 11 straight penalties from the 38th minute against the Bulls.
The final penalty count of 18-8 against the Bulls does look very lopsided and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gert Smal has several discussions this morning with the referees bosses on how his team suddenly got everything so wrong.
But that anger would have been blunted by Odendaal’s pass and the Bulls win.
The Lions meanwhile, still haven’t told the players by Sunday who would be travelling to Wales this week, with the team flying out on Tuesday.
The one game that did go to script was the Cheetahs win over the Sharks, which was as clinical as Hawies Fourie’s side has been this season and it isn’t surprising they are still unbeaten this season.
And now, with the competition split in two, it seems the top spot will be settled when they host the Bulls in a few weeks’ time in Bloemfontein.
While the rest of the contenders fight it out for the spots that are left.
Carling Currie Cup results this past weekend
Airlink Pumas 17 DHL WP23
Toyota Free State 44 Cell C Sharks 15
Vodacom Bulls 43 Sigma Lions 37