SA Rugby
The Southern Kings have been given a player boost by the news that both Western Province Currie Cup hero Demetri Catrakilis and Lions and Bok hooker Bandise Maku will be joining them for the 2013 edition of Vodacom Super Rugby.
In what is fast become a rout, and a crisis for not only the Cheetahs, but also for South African Rugby, another promising lock has signed a contract to play in Europe for the next two years.
Three players in Naka Drotske’s 2013 Super Rugby wider training group, have been selected to play 7’s rugby with Paul Treu’s Blitzbokke. Robert Ebersohn, Kevin Luiters, and Hansi Graaff will be available for the Dubai, and Port Elizabeth legs of the IRB Sevens Tournament.
When the Springbok squad of 31 (one more player to be added) was announced on Sunday, my first impression was that there was a squad of fully fit players, bar maybe some niggles after the Currie Cup Final of the day before.
It now appears that there were indeed real injuries to be considered, specifically the injuries of Adriaan Strauss (knee) and Francois Louw (neck) as well as Springbok Captain Jean de Villiers (hamstring).
The worst kept secret in South African rugby has finally been confirmed. Elton Jantjies will be a Stormer in 2013.
Lions flyhalf Butch James is set to return to play for the Sharks, which would delay his retirement until July 2013.
Rather than do the conventional match report, herewith the Currie Cup Highlights on video for you rugby mad individuals to feed on.
What a match it was, what a final.. and what an unexpected result! Final score was: DHL Western Province 25 / 18 The Sharks.
Well done DHL Western Province, that was impressive.
So here goes….
The Springboks will travel to the Northern Hemisphere next weekend with five uncapped players but without their all-time leading try-scorer and most experienced player, Bryan Habana.
Sharks (12) 18 / 25 (16) WP (Final Score)
The Sharks and DHL Western Province did battle in the Currie Cup Final, Premier Division at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 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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EP Kings (6) 6 / 16 (0) Cheetahs (Final score)
The Eastern Province Kings and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the 2nd Currie Cup Premier Division Promotion / Relegation game at Nelson Madela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 19:10 SA Time (18:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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Herewith the two teams for this weekend’s Currie Cup Premier Division Final at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban.
DHL Western Province Under-21 coach John Dobson has announced his team for Saturday’s 2012 Absa Under-21 Final against the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Durban (kick-off 14:00 SA Time).
Regular Vodacom Blue Bulls Currie Cup starters Francois Venter and Arno Botha have been included in the Vodacom Blue Bulls Under-21 squad to play DHL Western Province on Saturday.
Springbok utility back Jaco Taute says he would like to be considered at fullback when he plays for the Stormers in next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Two Vodacom Blue Bulls player will undergo medical procedures in the next week following a long and taxing 2012 rugby season.
Jaco Taute, Lions and Springbok centre and fullback has penned his deal with the Stormers on loan from the Golden Lions Rugby Union, for Super Rugby 2013.
With the first game done and dusted already in the Currie Cup Premier Division Promotion / Relegation series and the EP Kings needing a mighty 40 point win, including bonus point for tries, it is an uphill battle for the men from Eastern Province.
We see calls from EP’s Alan Solomons going out not to judge the EP Kings and Southern Kings on these two games, but seriously, what else are we supposed to do?
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs is hardly featuring a full Free State side, let alone a full Super Rugby side, due to the plethera of injuries they are currently experiencing, coupled to the fact that the Griquas portion of their Super Rugby Franchise is NOT included in these games at all.
What we DO KNOW is that the mainstay of these two Super Rugby Franchises will be players from the respective Currie Cup sides, so the current reflection is the nearest we can come to judging what might transpire next year in Super Rugby at the Southern Kings.
Well, enough of that, we have to concentrate on Friday’s Promotion / Relegation game first and foremost, and here’s the Team sheets for this encounter:
We read all kinds of articles in the build up to a final and one can point out one hundred reasons why a team could win and why the opponents can win, but for me the mental preparation is really one of the most important parts in the buildup.
It matters not what we as supporters believe or say in the press or on blogs or on whatever other forum, what matters is pretty simple!!!
Vodacom Blue Bulls player Mornè Steyn has been suspended for one week of rugby after being found guilty by a SARU Judicial Officer on Tuesday.
Die Blou Bulle Maatskappy (Edms) Bpk is verheug om te bevestig dat Pierre Spies sy kontrak met die BBM tot November 2015 verleng het.
The Free State Cheetahs started preparations for round two of their battle with the Eastern Province Kings facing a new injury crisis.
Word out of Durban so far is that all is going according to plan, even with an adjustment either way to the team dynamics, depending on coach John Plumtree’s planning.
Would there be changes to the team? my prediction is one or two at most, but much depends of returning injured players as well as weather conditions. One would ask the question, but why make a change to a winning team? the answer simply being that much depends on how the coach sees the opposition and how they will play and how the make up of his team can counter any threats they pose.
The Sharks will host DHL Western Province in this year’s Absa Currie Cup final after wildly contrasting victories over the Vodacom Blue Bulls and defending champions the MTN Golden Lions respectively in Saturday’s semi-finals.
Jaco Peyper will referee the Currie Cup final between the Sharks and Western Province in Durban on Saturday afternoon.
Lions (3) 16 / 21 (6) WP (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions and DHL Western Province did battle in the 2nd Currie Cup, Premier Division Semi-final at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 19:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
Man of the Match: Eben Etzebeth
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Sharks (9) 20 / 3 (0) Blue Bulls (Final Score)
The Sharks and the Vodacom Blue Bulls did battle in the 1st Currie Cup, Premier Division Semi-final at Mr Price Kings Park at 16:30 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
Man of the Match – Patrick Lambie
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Cheetahs (24) 53 / 14 (0) Kings (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and EP Kings did battle in the first of two Promotion / Relegation games to determine entry for the Currie Cup, Premier Division for 2013 at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 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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Herewith a team by team breakdown of the selected sides for this weekend’s Currie Cup Premier Division Semi-final matches.
Springbok No 8 and Bulls captain Pierre Spies may further his career up north after French club Bayonne reportedly have made a massive offer for his services over the next three years.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union announced the MTN Golden Lions team to play DHL Western Province on Saturday, 20 October 2012 in the second semi-final match of the 2012 Absa Currie Cup competition.
Volksblad reports that GWK Griquas have finalised their contracts for the 2013 season. Though there aren’t any notable new signings, some loan players have been contracted.
It’s crunch-time in the Currie Cup, with only semi-finals and finals remaining but only one of the four semi-final sides, the Blue Bulls have a clean bill of health on their 22 squad players.
Coenie Oosthuisen has been ruled out for between 8 – 12 weeks with a back injury, which basically rules him out for the rest of 2012.
The Currie Cup Semi-finalists have been confirmed following the last game of the open rounds, the game between the MTN Golden Lions and Vodacom Blue Bulls at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg.
Although the watered down Currie Cup, without the Springbok players for most of the season, has clearly lost popularity judging from the low spectator numbers at all the Currie Cup games, the good thing to come from the competition was the levelling of the playing field between the 6 competing sides.
In addition, some bright new future prospects have really come to the fore during the competition, players like Raymond Rhule – speed merchant from the Free State Cheetahs, Scarra Ntubeni – young hooker from Western Province, Ruan Combrinck – winger of the Golden Lions and Marnus Schoeman – flanker from the Griquas.
ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division – Log
Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | BPts | Pts |
1 | The Sharks | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 292 | 233 | 59 | 32 | 18 | 7 | 35 |
2 | MTN Golden Lions | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 285 | 279 | 6 | 26 | 28 | 4 | 28 |
3 | DHL Western Province | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 272 | 226 | 46 | 28 | 19 | 5 | 25 |
4 | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 280 | 291 | -11 | 24 | 31 | 3 | 23 |
5 | GWK Griquas | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 250 | 313 | -63 | 28 | 35 | 4 | 20 |
6 | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 268 | 305 | -37 | 26 | 33 | 6 | 18 |
Lions (16) 29 / 50 (22) Blue Bulls (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions and Vodacom Blue Bulls did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg 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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