Spotlight on Cape sides as race to Premier Division Final heats up
PREVIEW: Victories for Boland and Western Province in Round Six of the Women’s Premier Division will ensure that both of them will remain in the race to the final on March 29 along with the unbeaten Bulls.
Meanwhile, the Golden Lions Women and EP Queens will try to sidestep the wooden spoon this season.
The Lions face an uphill battle when they host the Bulls, rampant as ever, at Wits Rugby Club in Johannesburg, while the Queens travel to Cape Town, where they face Province.
Boland will have one final league match at home and welcome the Sharks in Wellington. Free State will also return to the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein and will take on Border in a match that could go a long way to restore confidence following their big defeat from last weekend.
The Queens arrive in Cape Town fresh on the back of their first victory of the season.
EP coach Con van Rooyen made some tweaks with Anacadia Minnaar moving to her more regular position of flyhalf and Sibabalwe Klaas starting at scrumhalf.
Former Bulls and Springbok Women's Sevens player, Unathi Mali, is playing off the bench, a good strategy to counter the energetic WP bench.
The home side, returning to City Park for the first time this season, will start as huge favourites and a bonus point win will keep the pressure on Boland, who are just one point better on the log.
Boland will have Lara Schats back at flyhalf, with the former Hong Kong international's trusted boot an asset to the home side, already loaded with strike power in the backline. Schats has kicked 18 conversions so far this season and generally guided the backline with aplomb.
A big crowd is expected at Boland Stadium in Wellington and the Sharks could be in for a long afternoon. KZN captain Tayla Kinsey will again play at flyhalf, while Mary Zulu dons the inside centre jersey, but whether that will change their fortunes remains to be seen.
Bulls captain Libbie Janse van Rensburg will start at flyhalf in Johannesburg, giving Zintle Nonkasana a run at fullback, while more significantly, the Qawe twins, Chumisa and Chuma, will form a rare midfield pairing.
Regular Bulls hooker Micke Gunter finds herself at openside flank this weekend, a role she has fulfilled in the past.
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The Lions have been unlucky in a couple of outings, losing at the death twice, but the form book suggests a tough afternoon at Wits for the home team.
A lot will depend on the performance of Rumandi Potgieter, who will face her former Bulls teammates for the first time, and the duel between her and fellow Springbok Women’s scrumhalf Unam Tose will be worth watching.
Another battle that will justify the entrance fee will be between props Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Lions) and Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls). Charlie, who starts at tighthead, is the incumbent Springbok loosehead and Khuzwayo her lieutenant, so an interesting tussle is on the cards.
Free State Women coach Anchin Klein has made several changes to his squad following their second half mishap against Boland last weekend. Mekyla Bennet moves from the back to the side of the scrum, while a new front row will also run on. Lonele Fuzile will start on the wing against her former teammates.
Border have run hot and cold this year and depending on how well they recovered from the mauling by the Bulls last weekend, could just edge their hosts, who are two points better on the log. Both have won twice, and this will be a close match.
Match information:
Saturday, March 8:
Boland v Sharks
Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 11.30 (09.30 GMT)
Referee: Stiaan Marx
Western Province v EP
Venue: City Park, Athlone
Kick-off: 11.30 (09.30)
Referee: Luvuyo Maceba
Golden Lions v Bulls
Venue: Wits Rugby Club, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 13.30 (11.30)
Referee: Siya Mhana
Free State v Border
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00)
Referee: Richard Bruno
Photo credit: @WP_RUGBY