SA Rugby
Sharks coach John Plumtree says their improved play at set-pieces and ability to handle pressure better were key factors to overcoming the Stormers at Kings Park on Saturday.
Round 3 of Super Rugby of 2013 certainly delivered it’s share of surprises, frustration, disapointment, elation and joy.
Here’s having a disection of a number of the games:
Sharks (0) 12 / 6 (0) Stormers (Final Score)
The Sharks and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Bulls (14) 36 / 26 (9) Force (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Chiefs (10) 45 / 3 (3) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 08:35 SA Time (06:35 GMT, 19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets as they are announded for Round 3 of Super Rugby 2013.
Coach John Plumtree has opted for continuity and kept the exact same squad of 22 players for their encounter with the Stormers in Durban on Saturday. In the only change within that squad, strongman Jean Deysel will be starting this week with Jacques Botes moving to the bench.
DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has made few changes to the squad that lost their opening match against the Bulls last weekend.
Burton Francis, the much travelled 26-year old Griquas flyhalf, will fly in to join the Toyota Cheetahs on their Australasian Tour to replace the injured Elgar Watts.
Francis recently joined Griquas after initially forming part of the Southern Kings wider training group in the pre-season.
There were several decisions this last weekend which are worth debating. One of them was the try scored by Chiliboy Ralepelle of the Bulls, a try which took the home team to 25-10 with 13 minutes to play.
Now that the euphoria amongst Sharks fans has settled down, many are beginning too ponder how the Sharks team went from a commanding lead of 21 points after 50 minutes of rugby, to scrambling desperately to prevent the Cheetahs snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. By contrast Cheetahs fans are grimly searching for some positives to take out of the match. The following thoughts was posted on the Cheetahs Blog.
The good performances by the Cheetah looseforwards against the Sharks the past weekend, has given coach Naka Drotskè enough reason to hold back the return of bok flanker Heinrich Brüssow. The Cheetahs loose trio of Frans Viljoen, Lappies Labuschagne and Phillip van der Walt gave a good account of themselves in a losing cause. Boom Prinsloo also made a positive contribution from the replacement bench. Phillip van der Walt played probably his best Super Rugby match to date and he combined well with Lappies in creating a well-crafted try.
Tuks (16) 16 / 18 (16) Maties (Final Score)
The University of Pretoria FNB UP-Tuks and University of Stellenbosch FNB Maties did battle in the Varsity Cup at Tuks Rugby Stadium at 19:005 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Wits (16) 24 / 63 (34) UJ (Final Score)
FNB Wits and FNB UJ did battle in the Varsity Cup at Wits Rugby Stadium, Johannesburg at 16:45 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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I am thrilled with the win against tough opponents in such testing conditions Sharks coach John Plumtree admitted after his team’s 29-22 victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. “We just had to get the win, even if it was ugly he said.
DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has some tough decisions to make this week after a poor showing in key areas last week.
Expecting the worst, I was reluctant to the point of rather snooze off in front of the TV when the Southern Kings vs Western Force match started at 06:00 this morning in New Zealand.
The first 10 minutes was not encouraging at all with the Kings hardly seeing the ball. On the brink of switching the TV off, the Kings scored the first try of the match. Intrigued I started to watch, with more interest and what a delight it turned out to be.
SuperBru points in the back of my mind, I was not concerned about them losing. So I kept on watching not because they were edging ahead and eventually winning but because of the delightful rugby they dished-up.
The defence was good, the set piece solid (mostly), the line-out better than the Stormers on the weekend and the ball handling in the backline refreshing and full of variation. There was some enchanting inter-passing between forwards and backs, good hands, nice light touches and good decision-making when they carried the ball. Some exciting new talent was on display as well on the wing with Sergeal Petersen. Demetri Catrakilis had an impressive game at flyhalf. Seems that we have a wing here that could be a Springbok in the making and Catrakilis impressed as a flyhalf that can dictate as well as play the running game.
The 1st game up in a season of Super Rugby is never easy, but hell it was nice to sit in the Press Benches at Loftus Versfeld again watching Super Rugby!
Firstly, I have to complain bitterly about 2 things though…. the first being Pretoria Traffic Department’s abhorrent handling of the traffic around Loftus, before the match. Many people were still stuck in traffic after the match had started, not a first time occurence in Pretoria either.
Get yourselves sorted out Traffic Department, you are a blight on Pretoria!
Secondly I have to complain about 3G Internet coverage at Loftus! None of the Cell Networks allowed any workable Internet access for the scribes in the Press Boxes and with 45 000 supporters in the stands with their Cell Phones on, these Networks were all clearly overloaded. Note to myself, take this up with the Bulls… they in turn would have to take it up with their principle sponsors, Vodacom and the other Cell Networks, or else provide a working Wi-Fi Hotspot scenario for proper Internet Access.
For both the Vodacom Bulls and the DHL Stormers, this was not easy either! These 2 “Big Guns” went hammer and tongs with one another at Loftus Versveld on Friday evening 22 February 2013.
The Bulls won on the evening, by 25 / 17, bagging 4 Log Points and giving the Stormers no Log Points.
Have you ever wondered where the TV and Radio Commentators get all their statistics on Teams, Coaching Staff, Players, participating Countries and detailed Tournament History?
Well, wonder no more, because here is exactly what they work from, for your own personal pleasure!
I took the trouble and the liberty to take the 402 page printed Media Guide Book – converted it into a fully indexed PDF Document (which opens with any version of Adobe Reader – which is normally installed on almost all computers – and the latest version of Adobe Reader XI [Free version or Professional version] is available for download and installation from www.adobe.com).
If you do not have Adobe Reader, you certainly still live in the stone age and definately do not belong in front of a computer… with your knuckles certainly scraping the ground when you walk! Tell you what, I’ll even teach you to make fire and help you re-invent the wheel… how’s that?
Whoopie!
Kings (5) 22 / 10 (10) Force (Final Score)
The Southern Kings made their debut in Super Rugby against the Western Force at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Cheetahs (5) 22 / 29 (16) Sharks (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Bulls (9) 25 / 17 (0) Stormers (Final Score)
The Vodacon Bulls and DHL Stormers do battle in Super Rugby at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This is the live match discussion Article.
The match is broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets for Round 2 of Super Rugby 2013.
Going through the Internet, looking for interesting rugby titbits, I once again came accross Dewald Potgieter’s Blog, one which SuperSport publishes week by week in the active rugby season down south.
Dewald continues to surprise with his easy and well-written articles.
Interestingly, my wife was at the Christmas Function of the Blue Bulls end of last year, where Dewald Potgieter also acted as Master of Ceremonies… and the same sentiments eminated from her. Dewald is a very well-spoken and eloquent young man, take your time to read what he says.
The Sharks will take on the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in their Vodacom Super Rugby campaign with arguably the strongest side available to them and will be captained by Francois Steyn.
Coach John Plumtree said that he had very tough decisions to make in naming the team and of course to find the right balance as some positions had atleast two players fighting it out for the jersey.
The Toyota Cheetahs team to take on the Sharks in Bloemfontein on Saturday at 17h05 has been named.
Naka Drotskè has finally shown his cards, when he announced the squad that will go on tour after this weekend’s match versus the Sharks. The Cheetahs have a gruelling tour facing the current Super 15 champions, the Chiefs, the Highlanders and the Waratahs on consecutive weekends, before winding down their tour with a match against the Western Force. Naka has selected a squad of 26 players to go on tour, with the versatility and experience seemingly the decider in some positions. As expected, bok hooker Adriaan Strauss will captain the side.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named an experienced outfit to face the Stormers on Friday at Loftus Versfeld in the opening match of the local 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby competition.
The Southern Kings team to take on the Western Force in their debut Super Rugby game in Port Elizabeth on Saturday does not feature any foreign players in the starting line-up.
The Toyota Cheetahs have received a timely boost with the news that both Springboks Coenie Oosthuizen and Johan Goosen will be ready for their Vodacom Super Rugby opener against the Sharks in Bloemfontein.
He’s the one that got away, but it seems suspicion is mounting in the Western Force camp that a spy intent on aiding new Super Rugby franchise the Southern Kings filmed some of their training on Tuesday.
The Sharks squad to play in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby tournament shows no great surprises, with two players drafted in from outside, a couple of new faces that have been in the system and the familiar faces we all know.
The Sharks are again being hampered by numerous injury setbacks before the Super Rugby season officially kicks off, no less than seven stars out for anything between 4 weeks and 8 weeks.
Maties (8) 13 / 8 (8) NMMU (Final Score)
Ther University of Stellenbosch FNB Maties and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University FNB NMMU did battle in the Varsity Cup at Danie Craven Stadium at 19:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Jean DeVilliers has been named as the Stormers captain for Friday’s Super Rugby opener against the Bulls at Loftus.