The Golden Lions and Western Province will play their compulsory Currie Cup friendlies against a combined side of the Eastern Province Mighty Elephants and the Border Bulldogs on May 31 and June 13 respectively.
The combined sides will be selected from two of the three unions that will form the envisaged Spears franchise. The two fixtures have been arranged to gauge the strength of the region against Currie Cup competition.
The original plan to include the third side in the region, SWD Eagles, has not materialised and they will play the Blue Bulls as an individual union in their compulsory friendly on June 6.
In the first round of the Vodacom Cup competition the Eagles beat the eventual winners Blue Bulls in George.
The compulsory friendlies are between the six sides in the First Division of the Currie Cup competition which are all at home against the top six sides in the Premier Division.
The two sides that had to (re)qualify to play in the Premier Division, the Valke and Boland Kavaliers, are not required to play these friendlies.
The fixtures are:
Saturday May 31: Border Bulldogs v WP
Friday June 6: SWD Eagles v Blue Bulls
Friday June 13: Pumas v Griquas; Leopards v Free State Cheetahs; EP Mighty Elephants v Golden Lions; Griffons v The Sharks.
Sapa – Rugbyweek.com
