Half of the Vodacom Cup fixtures this week will take place at venues that can be described as “off rugby’s beaten track” as South Africa’s premier development competition continues to spread its wings.
Cradock’s Rovers Field, the DP de Villiers Stadium in Sasolburg, Leeudoring Rugby Club in Leeudoringstad and the Bill Jardine Stadium in Industria, Johannesburg will all host Vodacom Cup matches this weekend as the competition passes the halfway mark of the group phase.
The pick of the fixtures in the North Section is on Friday evening in Nelspruit, where the Steval Pumas will host GWK Griquas at the Mbombela Stadium. These are the only two unbeaten teams left in this section and the side from Kimberley will be looking for revenge after losing this fixture at home last year to the eventual runners up.
Also in the North Section, the Valke and Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls will be looking for their first win of 2014 when they take on each other in Sasolburg on Saturday afternoon, while interest should be high for the Leopards XV’s home game in Leeudoringstad against the Vodacom Blue Bulls.
The two top teams in the South Section also take on each other this weekend when the Cell C Sharks XV host the SWD Eagles in Durban on Saturday afternoon. The KwaZulu-Natalians are unbeaten, but following a defeat in the opening round, Bevin Fortuin’s Eagles side have recorded two solid victories and are looking strong.
The EP Kings, currently lying fifth in the South Section, will be keen to get back to winning ways and not lose touch with the front runners when they host the third-placed Toyota Free State XV in Cradock.
And almost 300km south east, in East London on Friday, the Border Bulldogs will face DHL Western Province without one of our first featured rising stars, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, who has joined the DHL Stormers on tour in Australia.
Each week we will feature emerging young players from the North and the South Sections who are making their way up the rugby ladder. This week we look at two hard-working loose forwards, Thabo Mabuza (Golden Lions) and Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (Toyota Free State XV).
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Article source: http://www.thesportscampus.com/2014032634922/rugby/vodacom-cup-round-4-preview-oupa-goes-to-cradock