Wins for Lions, Sharks and Pumas as Currie Cup nears business end

With just one round to come, there are only five teams left in the running for a semi-final spot, with all five teams theoretically still capable of missing out.

Lions steamroll Bulls to keep semi-final hopes alive

The Lions kept their Currie Cup semi-final hopes alive with a commanding 44-5 victory over the Bulls in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon. The result ended the Bulls' faint playoff chances, while boosting the Lions into fourth place on the log.

Former Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith played a starring role against his old side, opening the scoring with a penalty before crashing over for the first try. He added the conversion and another penalty soon after, but the Bulls briefly hit back through Jaco van der Walt to trail 10-5 after 17 minutes. The Lions quickly reasserted control, with Smith's boot and an SJ Kotze try extending their advantage to 20-5 by halftime.

The second half was all Lions as they piled on the points to seal a bonus-point win. Captain PJ Botha crossed early after the break, followed by further tries from Richard Kriel, Sam Francis and Hassiem Pead to complete the rout.

With the victory, the Lions not only eliminated their arch-rivals but also put themselves firmly in the hunt for a semi-final berth.

Pumas power past Western Province with second-half surge

The Pumas roared back from a sluggish start to crush Western Province 39-13 in Cape Town, running in four unanswered second-half tries to also maintain their push for the playoffs.

WP struck first, with Connor Evans crossing after just 37 seconds and Kyle Smith adding a penalty to give the hosts a 10-0 advantage. But the Pumas found their footing late in the first half when Andre Fouche powered over from a maul, leaving it 10-7 at the break.

From there, the Pumas took control. Tries from Tiaan de Klerk and Sango Xamlashe in quick succession put them firmly in front, while Clinton Swart's accurate kicking kept the scoreboard moving. Darren Adonis then sealed the bonus point when he dotted down after latching onto Xamlashe's grubber.

With WP struggling to contain the visitors' momentum, Junior Banda crashed over late to cap a dominant second-half display. The emphatic win not only gave the Pumas maximum points but also reignited their push for a place in the playoffs.

Sharks edge Boland with last-gasp penalty

The Sharks edged Boland 33-31 in a dramatic Currie Cup clash in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday, clinching victory with a penalty deep into injury time for only their second win of the campaign.

The hosts looked in control for much of the match, with Jacques Marais scoring twice and Albie Bester also crossing as Jean Smith kept the scoreboard ticking through a series of accurate kicks. By the 56th minute, the Sharks had surged into a 27-14 lead and appeared on course for a comfortable victory.

Boland, however, responded with trademark resilience. Tries from Donavon Don, Dayan van der Westhuizen, and HP van Schoor, coupled with James Tedder's reliable boot, saw the visitors claw their way back before a late penalty put them 31-30 ahead with just minutes remaining.

But the Sharks had the final say. Siya Masuku stepped up in added time to slot a decisive penalty, ensuring the home side walked away with the spoils.

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