SA Rugby
After my tribute to Jan Ellis I thought I just have to write something about the man who was a big part of Jan’s success as a Springbok rugby player, Piet Greyling.
Currie Cup-winning Transvaal captain in 1971 and 1972, former Springbok flanker Piet Greyling, was arguably one of the best, but certainly one of the toughest.
The picture below shows Piet Greyling with his Transvaal side who got a share of the Currie Cup for the first time in 19 years – having previously won it in 1952 – when they shared the cup with Northern Transvaal in an epic final and controversial 14-14 draw at Ellis Park in 1971. The next year Greyling led his Transvaal side to a 25-19 win over Eastern Transvaal at Pam Brink Stadium in Springs to win the cup with the help of Gerald Bosch who dropped the winning points in the final minutes. It was back in 1972, before the Currie Cup final against Eastern Transvaal in Springs that the former Bok captain uttered these famous words to his Transvaal team-mates: “Eighty minutes of agony for an eternity of pleasure.”
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The Lions’ next scheduled MTN Lions Challenge match against Namibia in Windhoek, has been cancelled.
GWK Griquas have beaten the Southern Kings 30 -27, in what was the Kings final warm up match. This result raises yet more questions as to the Kings preparedness for this years Super 15. Simon Westraadt scored a try five minutes from the final whistle to seal the Kings loss. Burton Francis converted, bringing his personal haul to 20 for the match. Burton Francis must have been left smiling, after he was left out of the Kings group earlier this year.
Cape Town – Schalk Burger may be a surprise starter against the Bulls if he comes through fitness tests this week.
Emerging Test referee Lourens van der Merwe will make history when he officiates in the first Vodacom Super Rugby match involving the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth next Saturday.
New scrum laws to make amateur rugby safer will come into effect at club and schools level as the season gets under way this month, following an initiative introduced by the South African Rugby Union (Saru). A new scrum engagement sequence has been devised for amateur rugby to minimise the risks of serious injury suffered in this facet of play.
Much needed good news for Cheetahs fans came from the Cheetahs camp, following the shock retirement of star bok flanker Juan Smith. Coenie Osthuizen, who has been recovering from back and neck injuries, was cleared for scrummaging sessions and came through unscathed. Furthermore, flyhalf sensation Johan Goosen has also been cleared to start after receiving treatment for a troublesome heel. Word is that he could have played against the Bulls but the coaches opted to rather rest him.
World Cup-winning Springbok midfielder Frans Steyn will take over the captaincy of the Sharks.
Sharks coach John Plumtree confirmed that the 25-year-old will fill the void left by the absence of regular skipper Keegan Daniel through injury.
Record-breaking South African test referee Jonathan Kaplan will retire from professional refereeing at the end of the 2013 South African season.
The Southern Kings have named all five of their foreign players in their final 35-man Super Rugby squad despite SARU’s ruling that they are only allowed two.
With an ace up their sleeve, the Sharks and Stormers will have their greatest chance yet to end their Super Rugby trophy drought this year.
Hy het die afgelope twee jaar ondanks vier operasies moedig vir sy ondersteuners probeer terugveg.
Maar die Springbok-flank Juan Smith het Maandag weens ’n hakseningbesering geen ander keuse gehad as om finaal die gordyn oor sy suksesvolle rugbyloopbaan te laat sak nie.
NMMU (8) 24 / 16 (16) Wits (Final Score)
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) did battle in the Varsity Cup, at NMMU Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 19:00 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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GWK Griquas have named a strong and experienced team to play against the Southern Kings in their final warm-up match on Wednesday 12 February, 19h00 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth. This will surely be another stern examination of the Southern Kings preparedness for the ardous Super Rugby series which lies ahead.
Some of the Griquas players will want to show the Cheetahs’ coaches that they are able replacements, should injuries occur.
new viral Bulls campaign, “Stand by Me”
Tuks (8) 24 / 16 (0) UCT (Final Score)
The University of Pretoria (Tuks) and University of Cape Town (UCT) did battle in the Varsity Cup at Tuks Rugby Stadium at 16:45 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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So the long awaited “non-grudge” game between South Africa’s newest Super Rugby franchise and the team they displaced has come and gone, with the Lions winning the game on the score board.
But who were the real winners on the day and why?
Here’s my personal take on it all:
South Africa’s Blitzbokke did their nation proud!
Going into the semi-final, they faced Samoa, who took them all the way to extra time before the golden goal by the Blitzbokke put South Africa in the final against New Zealand who was also taken into extra time by Fiji in their semi-final.
The final was a total demolition job by the Blitzbokke on New Zealand, with the Blitzbokke romping to 28 / 0 (4 converted tries) by halftime.
They kept their composure, scoring again after halftime, leading 35 / 0, before New Zealand scored 3 times in a gutsy effort to pull the score back to respectable levels against 1 final score by South Africa.
South Africa won in fine style, by 40 / 21.
DHL Stormers lock Eben Etzebeth will miss the start of his team’s 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby campaign, after being ruled out of action for six to eight weeks.
The Vodacom Bulls sounded a stern warning ahead of their Super Rugby campaign as they demolished the Toyota Cheetahs 32-10 in their pre-season friendly at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
With the news this week that Springbok great, Jan Ellis, passed away at the age of 71, I just had to write this tribute to Jan.
Jan Ellis personifies Springbok rugby for me. It has been said that as humans we think in pictures. When we think of something we see a picture of some sorts and this picture can differ from one person to the next, which is why we sometimes voice the same words but come up with different understanding or meaning. The best communicators are those who can create clear and vivid pictures in the mind of his listeners.
When I think of Springbok rugby I see Jan Ellis. Hard, uncompromising, fast with a touch of artistic moodiness and flair but with relentless motivation to succeed based on a staunch work ethic and absolute conviction of what is right and wrong – that is Jan Ellis in a nutshell, for me.
So, I don’t see all that, I just see pictures of Jan Ellis flashing through my mind.
(see the photo gallery I’ve created of Jan Ellis here).
The analogy between the Springboks and Jan Ellis, for me, came along probably because I had so many pictures of Jan Ellis when I started with my sampling of rugby pictures in 1970. I was born in Windhoek, South West Africa (now Namibia) and Jan was SWA’s second Springbok, the first being Sias Swart.
Stormers (17) 57 / 0 (0) Boland (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers beat the Boland Kavaliers in their warm-up match in preparation for Super Rugby at Cape Town Stadium. Match report to follow.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 2 on TV in SA.
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South Africa made a solid start on day one of the USA Sevens in Las Vegas on Saturday morning (SA time) by winning both of their pool matches against Uruguay and Canada to qualify for the Cup quarterfinals with a match to spare.
Lions (22) 41 / 31 (7) Kings (Final Score)
The MTN Lions and Southern Kings did battle in the MTN Lions Challenge at Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 14:15 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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The South African Rugby Union on Friday expressed its deep sadness at the passing of legendary former Springbok looseforward, Jan Ellis.
The one-time joint record holder for the number of Springbok caps succumbed to cancer at a hospice in Pretoria after suffering from the disease for some time. He celebrated his 71st birthday in January.
The Cheetahs have announced their group of 35 players for this year’s Super Rugby tournament. It differs substantially from last year’s squad, with numerous players having pursued careers overseas. Considering that ten of last year’s squad’s names don’t appear, one could be forgiven for expecting a weaker squad but it looks like a good squad overall.
The Kings revealed that they will wear an all black strip when playing at home in this year’s Super Rugby competition.
MTN Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has announced the following team to take on the Southern Kings this Saturday at Ellis Park.
The match kicks off at 14:15 but gates open at 10:30 for the Oostelikes versus Alberton curtain raiser.
Scans of Johan Goosen’s troublesome left heel have shown that there is no damage other than bruising.
The teams for Saturday 9 February’s warm up match between the Vodacom Bulls and the Toyota Cheetahs in Polokwane, have been announced. Springboks will captain both sides, with Pierre Spies making a return for the Bulls, and Adriaan Strauss leading the Cheetahs charge.
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers will lead the DHL Stormers into battle in their second pre-season friendly of 2013, when the men from the Cape take on neighbours, the Regent Boland Cavaliers, at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday (14:45).
The 1974 Tour of the Lions to South Africa was undoubtedly the most unsettling tour ever for Springbok rugby. Touring unbeaten through South Africa superior in every aspect in virtually every single match including the test matches it was a massive wake-up call for South African rugby.
I was 12 years old when this tour eventuated. In my mind at that time the Springboks had an aura of invincibility. I was too young to know about the 1956 and 1965 tours as the patriotic Afrikaans media did not write much about it. The country was still in euphoria after the 1970 victory over Lochore’s All Blacks and the unbeaten 1971 tour to Australia. It was never said in so many words but generally the 1972 loss against England was seen as just a hiccup; a fleeting glitch due to team selections and underestimation of the opposition.
The Sharks have announced their 24 man team for their pre-season match at the Woodburn stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Friday night.
Despite a wet conditions, courtesy of a late downpour, the Shimla’s still put Varsity Cup newcomers Wits to the sword. Wits the 2012 Varsity Shield winners were hammered 61 – 8, and by eight tries to one.