The 2014 Cell C Community Cup qualifying race continues to hot up in a number of provinces, with arguably three of the biggest club matches of the weekend taking place in places as geographically diverse as Cape Town, Kathu and Uitenhage.
Three of the 20 slots for the 2014 edition of SARU’s elite tournament for non-university or so-called ‘open’ clubs have already been filled, with provincial premier leagues the battleground for the remaining places over the coming months.
As defending champions, GAP Despatch will be assured of their place should they not qualify automatically as the top open club in Eastern Province at the end of the 2013 season.
The reigning Grand Challenge champions suffered their first defeat since the opening round of the Community Cup in February when they were beaten 49-25 last Saturday by Varsity Cup semi-finalists NMMU Madibaz at the students’ Port Elizabeth campus – a result which would have given their rivals plenty of encouragement.
A capacity crowd is expected at the Rosedale Sports Ground outside Uitenhage for one of the biggest rivalries in South African club rugby, as Gardens host Progress.
Both teams are still in the running for a Community Cup slot in what is proving to be a fiercely fought Grand Challenge competition. With NMMU leading the standings on 31 points and Despatch in second place on 30, Gardens are tied third with Harlequins six points back in a chasing bunch of seven clubs separated by just three points.
Gardens (24) however have the luxury of having played one match fewer than Harlequins (24), Crusaders (23), African Bombers (21) and Park (21), which means their main competition in any possible breakaway from the main bunch may well be fifth-placed Spring Rose (23), who, like Gardens, have a match in hand.
But such is the nature of Grand Challenge rugby that not even ninth-placed Progress, who have 18 points, are out of contention just yet as the competition reaches the halfway stage, and a victory over Gardens in the Uitenhage derby will make for an intriguing second half of the season.
Progress have never quite reached the lofty heights of 2006, when, as a wild card, they beat Maties at the Danie Craven Stadium in the old national club championships, but they have shown signs of revival this year by reaching the final of the increasingly popular and prestigious pre-season Eastern Cape Super 12 competition, which is sponsored by the Eastern Cape government and which feature the the top six clubs from EP and Border.
Gardens, meanwhile, have never quite fulfilled their potential but will be realistic title contenders should they beat Progress on Saturday and then Despatch and NMMU in the coming weeks.
EP – Grand Challenge, Saturday (Round 8 of 16):
- Gardens vs Progress
- Crusaders vs Brumbies
- Orlando Eagles vs Kruisfontein
- Utd Barbarians vs St Marks
- African Bombers vs SAPS
- Park vs Spring Rose
- Harlequins vs NMMU
