The race for the 2025 Carling Currie Cup semi-finals is going down to the wire, with five teams battling for the top four spots on the log, and with just one round of league fixtures remaining, the stage is set for a dramatic climax to the regular season.

One match is scheduled for Friday evening while Saturday will see a busy fixture list of the remaining three games. All the weekend’s exciting action will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

With the top five teams separated by just five league points, Friday evening’s clash between the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV and the Airlink Pumas, from 19h00 in Durban, will have a huge bearing on the rest of the weekend’s action.

The first of Saturday’s three matches is the Western Cape derby between DHL Western Province and the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, which gets underway at 14h45 in Cape Town.

The Fidelity ADT Lions then host high-flying Suzuki Griquas at 17h00 in Johannesburg, while the final clash of the weekend sees the Vodacom Bulls taking on the Toyota Cheetahs in Pretoria, where the action starts at 19h05.

Friday evening’s clash in Durban is a must-win game for the visitors from Mpumalanga, who sit in fifth place with 20 points, just one point off a playoff spot. The Pumas would view this meeting as golden opportunity to climb into the top four against the Sharks XV, who are currently second from last. A bonus-point win would take the Pumas to 25 points, putting immense pressure on the Lions and Cheetahs, who play later on Saturday.

The young Sharks XV team, coached by former RWC winning Springbok JP Pietersen, have found form recently, winning their last two games after losing their first four. Conversely, Jimmy Stonehouse's Pumas have been inconsistent, with only two wins in their last five games. The last time these two sides met, in Nelspruit last August, they played to an incredible 44-44 draw.

The Western Cape derby between WP and Boland at the DHL Stadium is a crucial affair for the visiting Kavaliers, who are desperate to consolidate their second place on the log and secure a home semi-final.

With 23 points in the bag, victory in Cape Town would guarantee the Wellington outfit a home semi-final. A loss could see them slide down the log, but a semi-final spot is still very likely due to their points buffer.

Hawies Fourie’s team will be keen to get back to winning ways after their narrow loss last weekend to the Sharks XV, a result which snapped their four-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Western Province are still looking for their first win of the season and will be desperate to end their campaign on a high note.

The clash between third-placed Fidelity ADT Lions and the log-leading Suzuki Griquas is a high-stakes affair. Since losing their opening round, Griquas have won five straight games, including impressive victories over the Bulls and Cheetahs.

The log leaders from Kimberley have been a model of consistency and their fate is firmly in their own hands as victory will not only secure their playoff berth, but also guarantee them a home semi-final. However, a loss without a bonus point could see them drop as low as fourth place if other results go against them.

A bonus-point win for the Lions would catapult them into contention for a top two finish and a home semi-final if the Kavaliers stumble in Cape Town. If the Pumas secure a bonus-point win against the Sharks XV, a Lions defeat would see them drop out of the top four, ending their season. Although Griquas hold a slight edge in this match-up, with three wins from their last five encounters, they'll be looking for their first win at Ellis Park in three visits.

The league phase of the competition comes to a conclusion in Pretoria where the Vodacom Bulls, who are out of the playoff race, will be playing for pride against the Toyota Cheetahs.

The Bulls have only won one of their last five games, while the Cheetahs' recent 40-10 loss to Griquas was their first defeat in five games. These two played to a thrilling 34-34 draw last August in Bloemfontein, while the Free Staters have won three of the last five meetings between them.

By the time they run out at Loftus Versfeld, the Cheetahs will know exactly where they stand in terms of semi-final hosting rights, with any spot in the top five still a possibility, depending on other results.

Match Information:

Hollywoodbets Sharks XV vs Airlink Pumas

Date: Friday, 5 September

Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban

Kick-off:  19h00

Referee: Griffin Colby

Broadcast: SuperSport Rugby

DHL Western Province vs Sanlam Boland Kavaliers

Date: Saturday, 6 September

Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 14h45

Referee: Morne Ferreira

Broadcast: SuperSport Rugby

Fidelity ADT Lions vs Suzuki Griquas

Date: Saturday, 6 September

Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Kick-off: 17h00

Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni

Broadcast: SuperSport Rugby

Vodacom Bulls vs Toyota Cheetahs

Date: Saturday, 6 September

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Kick-off: 19h05

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen

Broadcast: SuperSport Rugby