Super RugbyThe Vodacom Bulls and Toyota Cheetahs scored historic wins in New Zealand, while a nail-biting win by the DHL Stormers resulted in a clean sweep of South African teams over their New Zealand counterparts in an exciting fourth round of Vodacom Super Rugby.

FEATURING: VIDEO HIGHLITES OF ALL 4 GAMES!!

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In Auckland, on a sunny Sunday afternoon the visiting Vodacom Bulls shocked the previously undefeated Blues team with a great mix of attacking rugby, accurate tactical kicking and some very physical line-out drives to claim their first ever win at Eden Park (28-21).

The Bulls, who remain unbeaten after three matches came inches from scoring a bonus point try, while a late try by Rene Ranger gave the hosts a losing bonus point.

Earlier during the weekend, on Saturday afternoon, the DHL Stormers got their first win of the season when they beat the defending Vodacom Super Rugby champions, the Chiefs, by 36-34 in Cape Town, despite “losing” the try-count by three to four.

It was the first time in almost four years that the DHL Stormers conceded four tries at home. The last time this happened, was on 3 May 2009, incidentally also against the Chiefs, but on that occasion the Capetonians lost 14-28.

The Cheetahs started the sweep early Saturday morning South African time, when the team from Central South Africa beat the Highlanders 36-17 after leading 30-7 at the break at Rugby Park.

The 17-point win margin was the Toyota Cheetahs’ biggest ever over a New Zealand team at any venue. They have only won seven from 35 clashes against Kiwi sides (26 defeats and two draws) and the previous biggest victory was by 28-12 on 6 March 2010 against the Hurricanes in Bloemfontein.

The last time South African teams recorded three wins on a single weekend against New Zealand sides, was on 24/25 April 2009, but all three wins were at home – the Toyota Cheetahs beat the Crusaders in Bloemfontein (20-13), the Vodacom Bulls beat the Chiefs in Pretoria (33-27) and the DHL Stormers beat the Highlanders in Cape Town (18-11).

It also happened on 16/17 February 2007, when the Sharks beat the Highlanders in Durban (23-16), the MTN Lions beat the Crusaders in Johannesburg (9-3) and the DHL Stormers beat the Chiefs in Cape Town (21-16).

The first and only other time the South African teams won home and abroad was on 13/14 April 2001. On that weekend, the MTN Lions beat the Blues in Whangarei (26-23), the Sharks beat the Chiefs in Taupo (24-8) and the DHL Stormers were too strong for the Crusaders in Cape Town (49-28).

In the only South African derby of the weekend, The Sharks had to work very hard to beat the Southern Kings by 21-12 on Saturday evening in Port Elizabeth. No tries were scored in this encounter, where both sides’ discipline let them down at stages. Pat Lambie scored all the visitors’ points with the boot.

Down Under, the Hurricanes, Reds and Brumbies recorded good victories over the weekend.

In Wellington, the Crusaders lost their second successive match as the Hurricanes beat them by 29-28 at Westpac Stadium on Friday, despite the visitors outscoring the home team by four tries to two.

Also on Friday, the Reds were too strong for the Rebels in Melbourne, winning by 23-13, while the impressive Brumbies crushed the Waratahs by 35-6 in Canberra on Saturday.

 

CheetahsHighlanders (6) 19 / 36 (30) Toyota Cheetahs:

For 15 minutes late in the first half of their match against the Highlanders, the Toyota Cheetahs played the kind of rugby that has seen teams qualify for the playoffs in Vodacom Super Rugby.

The Toyota Cheetahs, with their pack magnificent, were sublime and scored three tries as they caused one of the biggest upsets of the season thus far by beating the men from Otago by 36-19 at Rugby Park in Invercargill.

Sarel Pretorius scored twice and Robert Ebersohn also crossed the tryline for the visitors as their Springbok flyhalf, Johan Goosen, kicked eight from eight for a personal haul of 21 points.

Although they conceded three tries, all of them scored by Kade Poki, the Toyota Cheetahs’ defensive effort was much better than in the last two weeks. The also played with pace, passion and patience, used their opportunities and let the Highlanders pay for any mistakes.

Pretorius’ first try, in the 20th minute, followed from a great run by the impressive Lappies Labuschagne down the left hand touchline, while his second came after an intercept in their half, with five minutes left in the first half.

Ebersohn scored in the 30th minute from a charged down kick which was referred to the Television Match Official, but he had no qualms with the Toyota Cheetah midfielder’s efforts and the try was awarded.

Those three tries had a negative effect on the home team. They tried in vain, but could not replicate the Highlanders’ fight back from 2012, when they triumphed 36-33 after the Toyota Cheetahs lead 30-9 at the break in Bloemfontein.

It was also the first time ever the Toyota Cheetahs, playing as a franchise, beat the Highlanders. It took them eight matches to break their Otago duck. It was also the Highlanders’ first defeat at Rugby Park since 2002 – almost 11 years.

Note: In 1997, Free State upset the Highlanders in Invercargill by 49-18, but that was in the days before franchises in South Africa.

Scorers:

Highlanders – Tries: Kade Poki (3). Conversions: Lima Sopoaga, Colin Slade.
Toyota Cheetahs – Tries: Sarel Pretorius (2), Robert Ebersohn. Conversions: Johan Goosen (3). Penalty goals: Goosen (5).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUGPwGdWO_E[/youtube]

 

StormersDHL Stormers (26) 36 / 34 (17) Chiefs:

The DHL Stormers won their first match of the 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby season by 36-34, but it was a close call in an entertaining encounter at DHL Newlands against the defending champion Chiefs.

The home team lead 26-17 at the break and in the process, scored more points in the first 40 minutes of this match than they did in the 160 combined minutes of their first two games, against the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria and The Sharks in Durban.

The foundation for this victory was laid upfront, which is one area where the DHL Stormers struggled in Pretoria and Durban. They disrupted the Chiefs’ lineout superbly, scrummed well and were very effective with their driving play.

The DHL Stormers started very well, with Gio Aplon going over from a superb inside pass by Elton Jantjies, in the seventh minute. The Chiefs hit back with two tries of their own, through Charlie Ngatai and Tim Nanai-Williams, and both from grubbers inside the home team’s 22.

But Aplon ended the first half as he started it with his second try two minutes before the break. With a bunch of penalty goals by both sides, the home team went into the break 26-17 ahead.

Nic Groom scored the DHL Stormers’ third try in the 50th minute and Joe Pietersen’s conversion put them ahead by 33-20. The Chiefs, who were shown two yellow cards during the match, fought hard to get back into the match and although they scored two more tries, by Ngatai and Andrew Horrell, their discipline was what cost them ultimately.

Pietersen kicked five penalty goals and converted all three of the DHL Stormers’ tries for a personal haul of 21 points. He did not miss one kick at goal during the match.

The kicking boot of Pietersen proved to be the difference in the end – his opposite number, Gareth Anscombe, missed one penalty kick – and the DHL Stormers finally have a tick in the column for victories.

Scorers:

DHL Stormers – Tries: Gio Aplon (2), Nic Groom. Conversions: Joe Pietersen (3). Penalty goals: Pietersen (5).
Chiefs – Tries: Charlie Ngatai (2), Tim Nanai-Williams, Andrew Horrell. Conversions: Gareth Anscombe (4). Penalty goals: Anscombe (2).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk3cZXoNfM0[/youtube]

 

SharksSouthern Kings (3) 12 / 21 (12) The Sharks:

The Sharks had to work very hard to beat the Southern Kings by 21-12 in front of a full house of 42,000 fans at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday evening, as Springbok flyhalf Pat Lambie recorded all of this team’s points for the second successive week.

Lambie was successful with six penalty goals and one dropped goal, while his counterpart from the Kings, Demetri Catrakilis, slotted all four of his attempts at goal.

The six kickable penalties conceded by the Kings probably indicated their biggest problem on the night – discipline. It’s true that both sides were penalised heavily during the match, but it happened more within range for The Sharks and they duly made the score board tick over each time Lambie got the opportunity to aim at goal.

The home team especially struggled at scrum time and conceded a heap of penalties in this facet. Unlike their problematic discipline, the Kings’ defence was superb and held firm for 80 minutes under numerous onslaughts from the runners up from 2012.

But the KwaZulu-Natalians were probably a bit too lateral on attack and although they created a few try-scoring opportunities, they were kept out by brilliant defence by the Kings.

Scorers:

Southern Kings – Penalty goals: Demetri Catrakilis (4).
The Sharks – Penalty goals: Pat Lambie (6). Drop goal: Lambie.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prTlyZC69GY[/youtube]

 

Vodacom BullsBlues (6) 21 / 28 (15) Vodacom Bulls:

A very strong first half laid the foundation to this first ever Vodacom Bulls win at Eden Park on Sunday. The visitors scored two very well-worked tries in this session and had the Blues at sixes and sevens with their accurate tactical kicking and driving mauls. The backline also attacked with zest when the opportunity arose.

The Blues did well in coming back into the match in the second half, but that effort took too much out of them and they faded away in the closing spell.

The Blues took the early lead with a penalty by flyhalf Baden Kerr, but Mornè Steyn soon levelled matters with a penalty of his own.

Kerr then hooked a penalty attempt before slotting another soon after to give his side the lead for the second time, but the next quarter belonged to the Bulls.

First Lionel Mapoe rounded off a great movement by his inside backs and when the Blues dropped another tactical bomb soon after, Akona Ndungane stepped inside his man to round off a very convincing half for the Bulls, playing in their alternate pink strip.

The Blues came out firing in the second half and raced back into the lead following a penalty by Kerr and a converted try by Charles Piutua.

The Bulls responded magnificently and after some impressive play by their pack, Arno Botha exploited some space to score his first of the year. Steyn, who fluffed his lines twice in the first half, kicked the conversion and another penalty to ease the Bulls back into a defendable lead.

A late run by Ranger had the Blues within four with as many minutes to play, but Steyn kicked another penalty on the buzzer to have his team’s hands in the air and that of the Blues on their knees.

Scorers:

Blues – Tries: Charles Piutau, Rene Ranger. Conversion: Baden Kerr. Penalties: Kerr (3) Vodacom Bulls – Tries: Lionel Mapoe, Akona Ndungane, Arno Botha. Conversions: Mornè Steyn (2). Penalties: Steyn (3).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCYua668NDw[/youtube]

 

Other results – Round 4:

Hurricanes 29 / 28 Crusaders (Wellington)
Reds 23 / 13 Rebels (Brisbane)
Brumbies 35 / 6 Waratahs (Canberra)

48 Responses to Super Rugby: A review of Round 4 – The South African weekend

  • 31

    @ The_Young_Turk:
    Is Oscar guilty of murder or was it a accident?

  • 32

    @ The_Young_Turk:
    No the hope they lose comes in when its the business side of the competition. And its only for those teams that is above you. All those under you with no way of catching up will be the team one needs to cross fingers for beats the other South African team. Example how many Stormers or Bulls supporters were rooting for the Lions when they upset the Tjarkies last year?

  • 33

    32 @ Bliksem:
    Flok, as kakpraat ‘n kolletjie was… het ons jou Spottie genoem!

  • 34

    31 @ Bliksem:
    You really want to know my opinion or trying to make a point?
    32 @ Bliksem:
    As I said it depends on the situation of the log. For example if your team ends top of the conference like the Stormers has for the last 2 seasons, the competition is not over. Who would you prefer to play in the semi and final? Obviously you would prefer to avoid the “stronger” teams. Therefore you need to make your picks already earlier in the comp where you identify the “stronger teams” and hope they don’t do well. Thus this weekends matches for example – it was in all the other teams interest that the Chiefs lost. They are considered a strong favourite for the title and going to be hard to beat in NZ. So no one wants them to finish top of the log.

    As for your example of the Sharks/Lions last year, I was rooting for the Sharks because as I said earlier I want as many saffer teams in the play off as possible because I want saffer rugby to be strong in general. That’s my personal view. Other fans have different views and for some the home team comes before all else. For me Bok rugby comes before all else.

  • 35

    I also backed the Blues, thinking that the Bulls would kick every fucking ball away aimlessly. They didn’t, and look at the result. When the Bulls play this kind of rugby, you see why they are such a great team.

  • 36

    The Fantasy Rugby Dream Team for Round 4 looks very different from last week.
    Only centre Ben Tapuai, his team-mate Rob Simmons and Bulls loose forward
    sensation Arno Botha survive from Round 3.

    It was a weekend of surprises with 4 away wins putting a spanner in many a
    fantasy team. There was a fine Hat-trick of wins for South African sides over
    Kiwi opposition; along with one of tries for Highlanders winger Kade Poki who
    captains this weeks dream team.

    The vice captain is “Super” Sarel Pretorius who reminded managers why he’s
    fantasy gold with a brace of tries in the Cheetah’s historic triumph over the
    Highlanders. The scrummie topped the try-scoring table in Super Rugby 2011
    (with Basson and Maitland) crossing the white chalk 9 times.

    Pat Lambie carries his real-life form into Fantasy Rugby and is the designated
    kicker having scored all the Sharks points in their try-less away win over the
    Kings.

    http://fantasyrugbyscout.com/2013/03/11/fantasy-rugby-dream-team-round-4/

  • 39

    27 @ Bliksem:
    You wouldn’t be saying ‘forget about scrum infringements’ Bliksem if you watched the Scotland Wales game on Saturday, made for a very disapointing afternoon this side. You’re also stretching it to say from 130 rucks and mauls there are maybe 130 tries possible – how many of them take place for a team in posession deep in their own territory on defence etc?

  • 40

    19 @ Puma:
    24 @ grootblousmile:
    Interesting insight guys thanks Approve

  • 41

    Interesting Rugger this weekend.

    I didn’t manage to watch the Cheetahs game, and I believe there were 2 intercept tries, but a convincing win on the scoreboard none the less.

    Stormers actually played some attractive Rugby, it was an entertaining game. Now please don’t go back to the dour style of recent years.

    Sharks were IMO too individualistic against the Kings. I think they were expecting a walk in the park and consequently everyone just wanted to score tries.

    As soon as players start trying to do too much individually and loose the team structures, they are easy to defend against.

    Having said that, at least the Kings did defend their line well.

    HOWEVER, what are SARU going to do about the Kings showing them a middle finger with the 3 foreign players on the field? The very fact that they had 3 foreigners in the match day 22 was against the rules if my understanding is correct. Should the referee on the day have done something about it, or is there another structure in place to control it?

    Either way, if SARU let it slip, it will just be another indication of their total lack professioanlism IMO.

    Oh, and I have to agree with PUMA, Jaftha was terrible. It almost seemed like he was favouring the home side IMO.

    Nice to see both Newlands and PE basically full, although between SuperSport and the Kings there was more than a small degree of spin doctoring concerning the attendance. They quoted an attendance figure of 42 000. Basically the stadiums capacity, yet there were MANY empty seats with one seating block completely empty. So nou ja, what to believe.

    Of course it all goes to the Kings trying to make the point that they are worthy of being in the competition on ALL aspects, not just on the field.

    I was awake and in the office for the Bulls game, but too sh1t scared to swith the TV on. Not because of the type or quality of Rugby I might see, but because I was afraid of not getting my work finished for a meeting that morning.

    I like the innovation of a Sunday game. Maybe the SA teams should consider it as well. The rule saying that before April a match may not start before 17h00 in SA means hat there will always be a late night game which finishes around 21h00 (9pm), which I’m sure puts many fans off at times.

    Just a thought. I’m not sure who would have to sanction such a move.

    Anyway, well done to all of the winners. A good performance for SA Rugby.

    Oh, and well done to the Golden Lions on the Vodacom Cup victory over the Leopards.

  • 42

    Askies for the double comment. Thought I clicked this thread instead of the Bulls vs Blues thread/post:

    Can’t believe I missed a Bulls game! I never miss a game….ever!! Dammit!! Think I must have killed the alarm instead of snoozing it. Watched the Sharks game with fellow Sharkies and had way to much to drink… Hahaha!

    Beer

    Great result for SA! Hope next week we’ll have the same success? Maybe the Kings can put one over the Chiefs I hope? Bulls over Crusaders, Cheetahs over the ‘Tahs and Sharks over the Brumbies? Wouldn’t it be great if we klap the kiwis 2 from 2 and the ozzies 2 from 2… ?

    I-Wish

    I recon the Lions will have to dig deep to get their place back in Super Rugby! After watching the Sharks vs Kings game, I must say, the Kings looks hungry! Maybe the’re not a walking 5-pointer…

    Movie-Time

    I still climbed 4 places on SuperBru, not to bad considering the kak predictions I made!! Hahaha!!

  • 43

    @ superBul: Bliksem!! I’m a slow learner, so I’ll need to watch this video a few more times before understanding Rugby…

    In Love Devil

  • 44

    @ Scrumdown:
    With the possesion that the Highlanders had and territorial dominance, they should have won. But the intercept try and charge down try took the wind out of their sails.

    I was wondering if anyone else noticed the 3 foreign players in the Kings line up. If SARU does something about it, I will be very surprised. Although the official stand is only 2 foreign players, I think they will turn a blind or just give the Kings a mild slap on the wrist.

  • 45

    There is a full explanation on Rugby365 re the foreign players of the Kings. It boils down that Adonga is regarded as a local player.

  • 46

    45 @ dWeePer:
    The explanation they give is a load of Bullshit frankly.

    According to tha, any AFRICAN qualifies as a SA Player. Bolloks.

    Talk about twisting the rules as one sees fit.

  • 47

    44 @ Lion4ever:
    I said at the time if it was in the UK, (or even in UK Soccer) there would be Groot Kak.

    Look at London Welsh’ manager. Banned for LIFE for fielding a foreign player after bullshitting on his visa application.

    In Soccer in the UK clubs are regularly “fined” log points for similar offences.

    Limp wristed, spineless SARU won’t do FA. They have piss in their collective veins IMO.

  • 48

    seems like the sports world is abuzz this morning, not over the 3 – 0 drubbing sa teams gave their kiwi counterparts, but about aus cricketers not doing their homework. one of the funniest comments around this issue comers from cricinfo:
    “Reasons for dropping Test cricketers: 1. Texting a South African, 2. Not texting a South African.”
    @tickerscricket pithily defines modern-day cricket management

    Overjoy
    morning everyone

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