Oppidani take control
There is just one round of fixtures left in the 2011 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Steinhoff Koshuisrugby League with five teams stiil fighting for places in the semifinals.
The final round robin matches will only take place in early August due to the break for exams and holidays but things are very interestingly poised after some influential results in recent times.
Oppidani continued their dominant form this season with big wins over Rangers and bottom of the table Northernz in recent weeks, and with only one loss this season they look certain to finish on top of the table.
Harlequins bounced back from their loss to Bay XV with a strong showing against the Stallions last week when they beat them 28-0. Quins face a crucial game against Rangers in August in which anything but a loss will secure them a place in the play-offs.
Just one point seperates the next three teams on the log and Bay XV, Oceans and Xanadu will all be hoping for positive results in August as the three of them look likely to fight over the two remaining semifinal places.
Bay XV will be full of confidence after their big 26-5 win over Harlequins, who are now just two points ahead of them on the log and they face a virtual quarterfinal against Xanadu when the league resumes in August.
A win for Xanadu will leapfrog them past the Bay XV but they will also follow the fortunes of Oceans, who smashed Pointers 40-0 last week, with interest. Oceans square up against Northernz who have not won a single game and they will surely be backing themselves to secure a place in the knock-out phase with a win over this season's whipping boys.
Results:
May 18:
Rangers 0 Oppidani 28
Bay XV 26 Harlequins 5
May 25:
Laboria 0 Xanadu 28
Stallions 0 Harlequins 28
Oceans 40 Pointers 0
Northernz 12 Oppidani 29
The NMMU Steinhoff Koshuisrugby log:
(As at Monday, May 30 - played, won, points)
1. Oppidani 9, 7, 34
2. Harlequins 8, 6, 28
3. Bay XV 8, 6, 26
4. Oceans 8, 5, 25
5. Xanadu 8, 4, 25
6. Stallions 9, 4, 17
7. Rangers 8, 3, 17
8. Pointers 9, 2, 15
9. Laboria 9, 1, 5
10. Northernz 8, 0, 1
