The Sharks are expected to feast on the Lions in the first of the two 
semifinals, in Durban on Saturday.
However, not all experts agree as to who will win the other semifinal when the Blue Bulls host the Free State Cheetahs in Pretoria.
Currie Cup play-off matches are not for the faint of heart and encounters between the Sharks and Lions have always been at the top end of the scale in terms of physical demands.
And in this game there is so much more at stake – not just because it is the semifinal, but because neither team have won a trophy for years.
The Sharks last tasted success in 1996 and last played in a Currie Cup Final in 2003. The Lions narrowly lost in last year’s Final to the Cheetahs, but they also go back to before the turn of the century for their last Currie Cup win – 1999.
Road to the playoffs:
Sharks:
v Western Province won 28-25
v Boland won 38-13
v Bulls lost 35-14
v Falcons won 28-10
v Cheetahs lost 31-9
v Lions won 16-11
v Griquas won 15-44
v Western Province won 10-32
v Boland won 7-41
v Bulls won 34-24
v Cheetahs won 22-10
v Falcons won 19-44
v Lions won 20-34
v Griquas won 66-12
Lions:
v Bulls lost 7-21
v Cheetahs lost 22-18
v Falcons won 35-23
v Boland won 57-17
v Griquas won 32-36
v Sharks lost 16-11
v Western Province won 27-13
v Bulls won 27-30
v Cheetahs lost 28-38
v Falcons won 14-83
v Griquas won 41-20
v Boland won 10-31
v Sharks lost 20-34
v Western Province lost 14-6
Don’t expect too much in terms of fancy footwork, or expansive and extravagant moves when the Blue Bulls and Free State Cheetahs go head-to-head in their semifinal in Pretoria on Saturday.
Encounters between these two sides – who have met in the play-offs every year since 2004 – have produced some of the most dramatic results. Also, some of the most brutal.
Just think back to the Final of 2005, when a bounce of the ball literally handed the Currie Cup to the Cheetahs.
And with neither side making a secret of the fact that they will again be out to physically dominate the opposition, to pummel them into submission, the bar will be raised considerably.
Road to the playoffs:
Blue Bulls:
v Lions won 7-21
v Western Province lost 26-17
v Sharks won 35-14
v Cheetahs won 31-23
v Boland won 10-26
v Falcons won 7-50
v Lions lost 27-30
v Griquas won 41-12
v Western Province won 37-6
v Sharks lost 34-24
v Boland won 69-19
v Cheetahs won 5-23
v Griquas won 22-58
v Falcons won 22-20
Free State Cheetahs:
v Griquas won 16-20
v Lions won 22-18
v Western Province lost 9-3
v Bulls lost 31-23
v Sharks won 31-9
v Falcons won 55-14
v Boland won 10-15
v Griquas won 22-3
v Lions won 28-38
v Western Province lost 17-35
v Sharks lost 22-10
v Bulls lost 5-23
v Falcons won 7-78
v Boland won 50-40
