Marnitz Boshoff inspires Golden Lions into Currie Cup semi-finals

Johannesburg // Golden Lions this weekend became the first qualifiers for the 2015 South African Currie Cup semi-finals after a Marnitz Boshoff-inspired 26-18 victory over the Sharks.

Fly-half Boshoff kicked two conversions and four penalties in Johannesburg to consolidate his place at the top of the scoring charts with 111 points.

Title-holders Western Province outplayed Bulls 29-14, unpredictable Cheetahs scored five tries to trounce Griquas 44-24 and Pumas overcame Kings 20-9 in other seventh-round games.

While Lions boast a perfect record and an eight-point lead in the 124-year inter-provincial championship -- the oldest in rugby -- races for other positions are hotting up.

Victory for Province in Cape Town closed the gap behind Bulls to just one point in the chase for second place and a home semi-final.

Success for Cheetahs gave them a four-point advantage over 2013 champions Sharks in the contest for the fourth and last knockout place.

Pumas are level on 13 points with Sharks, but it would be a shock if the Nelspruit-based Cinderella side qualified for the semi-finals.

Only one point separates Kings and bottom team Griquas with both trying to avoid the embarrassment of finishing last after the 10-round league phase of the competition.

Despite a good Super Rugby campaign, no Lions made the Rugby World Cup squad of the Springboks, who suffered a sensational 34-32 loss to Japan this weekend in the Pool B opener.

That allows the Johannesburg-based side to field a powerful side while Province, Bulls and Sharks have been depleted by national squad call-ups.

Sharks came to Ellis Park with a three win-three loss record and offered braver resistance than expected for an hour

Then, a converted try by lock and debutant starter Lourens Erasmus changed a narrow lead into a 19-6 advantage.

A further converted try, spectacularly scored by winger Courtnall Skosan, gave Lions a 20-point buffer with 15 minutes remaining.

But as the home crowd anticipated more scores and a sixth four-try bonus point in seven outings, Sharks clawed back to claim two tries and just miss a losing bonus point.

Defeat was particularly deflating for the Durban side as they fell behind Cheetahs, who will enjoy home advantage when the sides meet in the final league round.

After starting with five consecutive wins, Bulls lost for the second successive weekend as Province comfortably avenged an 18-point defeat in Pretoria last month.

Winger Dillyn Leyds, centre Huw Jones and scrum-half Jano Vermaak scored a try each for the defending champions and fly-half Robert du Preez slotted one conversion and four penalties.

Bulls points at Newlands stadium came from a try by winger Travis Ismaiel and three penalties by fly-half Louis Fouche.

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