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Rugby

Free State target a home semi

───   MORGAN PIEK 15:50 Mon, 19 Aug 2019

Free State target a home semi | News Article
Benhard Janse van Rensburg - Gallo

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs have their sights set on the semi-finals of the Currie Cup this week, with the team hosting Western Province on Saturday in what is their first round-robin match.


A bonus-point win in this game will assure the Cheetahs of at least the second spot in the standings.

They could even end up topping the standings if the Golden Lions manage to upset the Griquas in Kimberley.

Over the weekend the Free State pulled off a 43-37 win over the Pumas in Nelspruit, and the coach Franco Smith told OFM Sport that it was important to return with a good performance.

“It was an important win for us. The guys did show some signs of nerves out there, but we did claw our way back into the match.

“In doing that we did produce some of the best rugby and some of the best rugby in the competition.

“Now we are focusing on the game against Western Province, we do want to put on a better performance and we want to keep on improving.”

The Griquas in their turn have been arguably the most impressive team in the competition this year and their only stumbling block was the 68-14 defeat to the Free State in Bloemfontein.

A win over the Lions will ensure that they finish at the top of the table and they already have a two-point cushion over Free State and the team from Johannesburg.

While they have already secured their first semi-final berth in 21-years, they cannot afford to let down their guard as the Free State and Lions could easily still finish in the top two spots ahead of the rest.

Saturday’s match at the Toyota Stadium between Free State and Western Province kicks off at 17:05, the match between the Peacock Blues and Lions in Kimberley will kick-off at 15:00.


@MorganPiek OFM Sport

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