Springboks
Ambitious Western Province paid a dear price for their win over Griquas at the weekend, with a major injury blow ahead of their crucial north-south derby against the Blue Bulls this coming Saturday.
While the 48-32 won over Griquas took WP a giant leap closer to a spot in the play-offs, the hamstring injury of star prop Wikus Blaauw could not have come at a worse time.
The Blue Bulls grabbed five valuable Currie Cup points in Potchefstroom on Saturday, but struggled to beat a game Leopards side 39-26.
Lions (10) 22 / Sharks (10) 20 (Final Score)
The Xerox Lions hosted the Sharks at 17:05 SA Time at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & HD and on M-Net on TV in SA.
In a nail-biter till the end the Lions came back at the death to score a try through captain Franco van der Merwe and with the sucessful conversion from Elton Jantjies sealingthe win by only 2 points…. final score Lions 22 / 20.
Leopards (13) 26 / Blue Bulls (24) 39 (Final Score)
The Platinum Leopards hosted the Vodacom Blue Bulls at 15:00 SA Time totay. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & HD and on M-Net.
The Bulls scored 6 tries to 2 by the Leopards, but the Leopards put up a brave fight against an off-colour Blue Bulls side.
Not good enough Blue Bulls, you face the WP next….
WP (29) 48 / Griquas (3) 32 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Western Province hosted the GWK Griquas at Newlands, Cape Town at 19:10 on Friday 24 September 2010. This is the match threads for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSpor 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
WP never looked in danger to lose this game and scored 7 tries, but Griquas made a good comeback in the second half and scored 5 tries of their own.
2 Players got hat tricks in tries, J J Engelbrecht for WP and Bjorn Basson for Griquas.
Here are the Team sheets for the Currie Cup Premier Division clashes of the coming weekend.
Coach Naka Drotske has announced 2 changes to the run on team that faces the Puma’s this weekend. Continue reading
The Blue Bulls Rugby Union believe the growing storm surrounding their signing of Springbok winger Bjorn Basson is an “internal matter” in the Cheetahs franchise and has nothing to do with them.
Vodacom WP coach Allister Coetzee today announced his team to take on the Griquas at Newlands on Friday 24 September 2010. Kick-off is at 19h10.
Gary Botha is back as captain and hooker for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their Absa Currie Cup clash against the Leopards in Potchefstroom on Saturday.
The ink has not yet dried on the Blue Bulls contract of Griquas and Springbok wing Bjorn Basson and already there have been major consequences for the Griqualand West Rugby Union (GWRU).
The Vodacom Blue Bulls have made a massive coup by signing Griquas and Springbok winger Bjorn Basson to join them from November 1.
Western Province are comfortable with the knowledge that Griquas are coming to Cape Town on Friday in a desperate mood for if there is one thing they really want right now, it is to have their game subjected to a thorough examination.
The Blue Bulls are approaching their remaining Currie Cup league fixtures as quarterfinals and “must-win” games. Continue reading
The Currie Cup clash between the Bulls and the Lions was marred as a contest by over zealous officating. Continue reading
Six teams are still jostling for semi-final places in the 2010 Absa Currie Cup as the Premier Division competition enters its final three weeks of league fixtures.
Blue Bulls (6) 24 / Lions (6) 21 (Final Score)
The Blue Bulls hosted the Lions at Loftus, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, M-Net and SuperSport HD in SA.
The Bulls squeeked a win by 3 points whilst Jacques-Louis Potgieter was off with a yellow and the Lions coming back strongly.
Sharks (18) 30 / Cheetahs (9) 16 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Cheetahs at ABSA Stadium, Durban at 15:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, M-Net and SuperSport HD in SA.
The Sharks extended their lead on the Currie Cup Log with this bonus point win, whereas the Cheetahs were prevented from scoring any Log points.
Griquas left it late, with Riaan Viljoen scoring the second of his tries two minutes from time, to secure his side a fortuitous 29-20 win over the Leopards on Friday.
Western Province have sent out ample confirmation that their three match mid-season slump is now well behind them as they hammered the Pumas 62-10 in a one-sided Absa Currie Cup match at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Friday night.
Pumas (3) 10 / WP (27) 62 (Final Score)
The Pumas hosted WP at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit at 19:10 SA Time on Friday 17 September. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
WP ran in 8 tries, all of which were converted by Willem de Waal (5) and Gary van Aswegen (3)a gainst the solitary try by Elgar Watts of the Pumas.
The Pumas tried hard but came up against a WP side who were doing everything at blistering pace and who were in the mood for blood.
ABSA, one of the South African Rugby Union’s (SARU) biggest sponsors, are upset over several of the predominantly white teams in the Currie Cup.
The Blue Bulls, Lions and Western Province are apparently willing to splash the cash to sign Springbok wing Bjorn Basson from Griquas.
The following matches will be broadcast this weekend:
This weekend we see the following 4 matches:
| 17 | GWK Griquas | v | Platinum Leopards | GWK Park, Kimberley | 19:00 |
| 17 | Pumas | v | Vodacom Western Province | Puma Stadium, Witbank | 19:10 |
| 18 | Sharks | v | Vodacom Free State Cheetahs | The Absa Stadium Durban | 15:00 |
| 18 | Vodacom Blue Bulls | v | Xerox Lions | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | 17:05 |
The two most interesting clashes both take place on Saturday 18 September, those between the Sharks and Cheetahs and the Blue Bulls against the Lions.
Xerox Lions coach John Mitchell came out in support of Springbok assistant coach Dick Muir attributing the recent successes of his team to Muir’s planning. Continue reading
Here are the team sheets for this weekend’s Currie Cup Premier Division action, all have been announced.
The Vodacom Bulls and Vodacom Blue Bulls have secured the services of their world class number eight, Pierre Spies, till October 2012.
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named an unchanged side for Saturday’s vital Absa Currie Cup clash against the Lions at Loftus Versfeld.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has announced the team to play the Sharks in a very important match this weekend. Continue reading
Mmmm, where have we heard these lies before?
According to SARU, the Absa Currie Cup remains the top priority for the South African Rugby Union and it will never be allowed to be “watered-down” by any other competition.
This is the message from the chairperson of SARU’s Executive Committee, Dr Jan Marais, who also rejected claims in some quarters that SARU was killing off the Currie Cup in a deal that only favoured Australia.
A former Loftus Versfeld hero will make his make his return to Currie Cup rugby on the field in a Lions jersey on Saturday.
Vodacom WP coach Allister Coetzee today announced his team to take on the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, on Friday 17 September 2010. Kick-off is at 19h10.
Tue, 14 Sep 2010 8:45 (courtesy of iafrica.com)
Forgotten Springbok Earl Rose could pay dearly for the potentially fatal decision to turn down an offer to play Currie Cup rugby with the Leopards. Continue reading
How do we ensure South African rugby can still put forward a quality domestic competition to guarantee the long term survival of the game in this country? Continue reading