A clash between DHL Western Province and the Airlink Pumas in Cape Town complete midweek fixture list, with Tafel Lager Griquas enjoying a bye.
The game at DHL Stadium will get the proceedings underway at 15h00, and that will be followed by the match at Hollywoodbets Kings Park between the Cell C Sharks and the Toyota Cheetahs, which kicks off at 17h45.
The Jukskei derby between the Sigma Lions and Vodacom Bulls kicks off at 20h00 at Emirates Airline Park, with all matches to be broadcast live on SuperSport.
In the first match of the day in Cape Town, DHL WP will be determined to land a second win after falling to four losses in their previous five outings.
After spending some time on the road, the Capetonians now have three back-to-back home matches and will be hoping that home ground advantage will lead to better results, starting with the Airlink Pumas on Wednesday afternoon.
In their two meetings last season, the Cape side beat the Lowvelders 37-23 in Nelspruit, while the sides played out to an exciting 40-40 draw in the Mother City.
Hawies Fourie’s Toyota Cheetahs – the only unbeaten side left in the competition – are enjoying a rich vein of form which gained them five straight wins, with the latest a solid 24-17 triumph over DHL WP in Bloemfontein.
However, the Cell C Sharks will be looking to their double dose of wins last year over the Free Staters as motivation for their intention to bounce back from last week’s 35-21 loss in Pretoria.
In 2021, the team from KwaZulu-Natal ran out winners 38-31 and 47-30 against the Toyota Cheetahs. However, the Toyota Cheetahs – with experienced Springboks Frans Steyn and Ruan Pienaar in sublime form and fit-again Clayton Blommetjies now back at fullback – are a far more dangerous proposition this season.
On current form, the Vodacom Bulls should have the measure of their Gauteng neighbours in the late evening kick off in Johannesburg. The defending champions are placed nicely in second spot on the log with only one loss in five games, while the Sigma Lions are still hunting their first win of 2022.
Last year, the men in the light-blue jerseys won their two fixtures between the sides 48-21 and 40-21 respectively. Springbok prop Lizo Gqoboka will lead an otherwise youthful-looking Vodacom Bulls against the Sigma Lions in Johannesburg.
Match information:
DHL Western Province vs Airlink Pumas
Date: Wednesday, 23 March
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 15h00
Referee: Griffin Colby
TV: SuperSport
Cell C Sharks vs Toyota Cheetahs
Date: Wednesday, 23 March
Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17h45
Referee: Morne Ferreira
TV: SuperSport
Sigma Lions vs Vodacom Bulls
Date: Wednesday, 23 March
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 20h00
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
TV: SuperSport
