Currie Cup: Lions surge past WP, Sharks edge out Cheetahs

The win, marked by a hat-trick of tries from Renzo du Plessis, kept the Lions in contention at the top of the table alongside the Bulls.

Du Plessis made an immediate impact, scoring the first try of the match in the eighth minute, following a brilliant no-look pass from Rynhardt Jonker.

Although Bronson Mills missed the conversion, the Lions quickly regained their momentum, with Nico Steyn adding a penalty to restore their five-point lead.

Western Province responded with a try by JC Mars in the 18th minute after an impressive sequence of passes. However, Du Plessis, along with Mills, crossed the line again, helping the Lions establish a 10-point lead.

Steyn's precision with the boot added to the Lions' advantage, culminating in a 34th-minute try by Du Plessis, completing his hat-trick after an overthrow at a line-out.

The second half saw Quan Horn charge down a kick, gather the ball, and score a try within two minutes of the restart, extending the Lions' lead to 30 points.

Despite a period of Western Province dominance, which saw Steyn sent to the sinbin, the Lions' defence held firm in the final quarter, ensuring a bonus-point victory.

Sharks triumph over Cheetahs in thrilling victory in Bloemfontein

In a nail-biting Currie Cup clash in Bloemfontein, the Sharks XV edged out the Cheetahs with a 25-20 victory, thanks to a late try by Eduan Keyter in the 78th minute.

This victory propels the Sharks XV into the top four of the Currie Cup standings, closing the gap on the defending champions to just three log points.

The match was a closely contested affair, with the Sharks XV leading 18-10 at half-time. Yaw Penxe was instrumental in the first half, crossing the try line twice, including a spectacular intercept try.

Lionel Cronje also contributed to the scoreboard with two crucial penalties.

However, the Cheetahs mounted a strong comeback in the second half, with Vernon Paulo and Ethan Wentzel scoring tries to push the home side into a 20-18 lead by the 74th minute.

It seemed as though the Cheetahs were set to snatch victory, but Keyter had other plans.

With just minutes left on the clock, the Sharks XV executed a well-planned lineout just outside the Cheetahs' 22.

Keyter broke through a couple of tackles and scored the decisive try, securing a dramatic win for the visitors. 

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