With just two rounds remaining of the new, highly successful eight-team format, the Kings, on 55 points, hold an eight-point lead over their Mpumalanga rivals, on 47, with the match given added spice by the fact that the two teams drew 30-all in their first-round tie at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit last month.
In Friday’s other match, the winless Border Bulldogs will host the third-placed Leopards in East London in a match which the Potch team can use to seal their place in the semi-finals.
The seventh-placed Valke will host 2011 champions the Regent Boland Kavaliers on Saturday in Kempton Park, with only pride at stake. The Kavaliers have lost nine of their 12 matches this season and will want to finish on a high, but they face a stiff task against the tough-as-teak East Randers, who are always a handful on their home ground.
And in the weekend’s final match, the fourth-placed Griffons will host the fifth-placed SWD Eagles in a match which may well decide this season’s four semi-finalists. The Griffons, who set the early pace in the competition, currently have 38 points, two ahead of the George-based side.
Pumas flyhalf JC Roos remains top of the First Division point-scoring log after Round 12, with 131 points made up of two tries, 32 conversions and 19 penalties. But joining Roos on 131 is Leopards flyhalf André Pretorius, with EP Kings No 10 George Whitehead third on 115.
Leopards wing Allister Kettledas has regained his place at the top of the try-scoring table, with 11 touchdowns. Behind him in second place is EP Kings eighthman Luke Watson with 10, while Valke fullback JW Bell and Ford Pumas centre JW Jonker each have nine tries.
This weekend’s fixtures – Round 13:
Border Bulldogs vs Leopards
Date: Friday, 21 September
Kickoff: 19:00
Venue: Buffalo City Municipal Stadium, East London
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Assistants: Matt Kemp, Loyiso Bosman
Last meeting: 4 August in Potchefstroom (First round): Leopards won 53-28
EP Kings vs Ford Pumas
Date: Friday, 21 September
Kickoff: 19:10
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Quinton Immelman
Assistants: Francois Groenewald, Christie du Preez
Television Match Official: Johann Meuwesen
Last meeting: 3 August in Nelspruit (First round): Teams drew 30-30
Valke vs Regent Boland Kavaliers
Date: Saturday, 22 September
Kickoff: 15:00
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Referee: Marius Jonker
Assistants: Eduan Nel, Attie Buitendag
Last meeting: 4 August in Worcester (First round): Kavaliers won 79-26
Griffons vs SWD Eagles
Date: Saturday, 22 September
Kickoff: 15:00
Venue: North West Stadium, Welkom
Referee: Tiaan Jonker
Assistants: Jaco Kotze, Pieter Janse van Vuuren
Last meeting: 3 August in George (First round): Eagles won 20-13
Round 12 results:
Regent Boland Kavaliers 38-42 SWD Eagles
Ford Pumas 41-10 Border Bulldogs
Leopards 57-22 Valke
EP Kings 60-19 Griffons
Round 11 results:
Border Bulldogs 19-35 Eastern Province Kings
SWD Eagles 64-34 Leopards
Valke 22-29 Ford Pumas
Griffons 54-37 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Round 10 results:
Border Bulldogs 33-53 Griffons
EP Kings 45-24 Valke
Leopards 39-34 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Ford Pumas 70-27 SWD Eagles
Round 9 results:
Regent Boland Kavaliers 33-36 Ford Pumas
SWD Eagles 7-29 EP Kings
Valke 38-36 Border Bulldogs
Leopards 32-38 Griffons
Round 8 results:
Ford Pumas 38-27 Leopards
EP Kings 57-19 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Border Bulldogs 27-33 SWD Eagles
Griffons 36-39 Valke
Round 7 results:
Griffons 34-67 Ford Pumas
Border Bulldogs 32-39 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Valke 22-47 SWD Eagles
EP Kings 20-12 Leopards
Round 6 results:
Leopards 53-28 Border Bulldogs
Regent Boland Kavaliers 79-26 Valke
SWD Eagles 20-13 Griffons
Ford Pumas 30-30 EP Kings
Round 5 results:
Griffons 10-34 EP Kings
Valke 22-51 Leopards
SWD Eagles 21-21 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Border Bulldogs 18-51 Ford Pumas
Round 4 results:
EP Kings 56-5 Border Bulldogs
Regent Boland Kavaliers 20-23 Griffons
Leopards 68-35 SWD Eagles
Ford Pumas 36-35 Valke
Round 3 results:
Valke 20-37 EP Kings
SWD Eagles 22-16 Ford Pumas
Griffons 29-24 Border Bulldogs
Regent Boland Kavaliers 21-23 Leopards
Round 2 results:
EP Kings 38-15 SWD Eagles
Border Bulldogs 11-33 Valke
Ford Pumas 33-10 Regent Boland Kavaliers
Griffons 41-20 Leopards
Round 1 results:
Regent Boland Kavaliers 20-25 EP Kings
SWD Eagles 46-8 Border Bulldogs
Leopards 32-23 Ford Pumas
Valke 27-37 Griffons
Source: Rugby15
