Springboks
The Sharks have been dealt another blow in their quest to defend the Currie Cup title after scrumhalf Charl McLeod was ruled out of the competition with a fractured hip.
The Golden Lions booked their place in the top four of the Currie Cup when they fought back to clinch an unlikely draw against the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday. By moving up to 45 log points, the Golden Lions ensured they will play in their first semi-final in the Premier Division for the first time since 2008.
Later on Saturday, Western Province moved back into the top four on the log with a well-deserved 15-10 victory over The Sharks in a scrappy match in Durban.
The Blue Bulls and Griquas have both kept their play-off aspirations alive with bonus point victories over the Pumas and Leopards respectively.
Sharks (7) 10 / WP (7) 15 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted DHL Western Province at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban 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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In a bore-fest, DHL Western Province held a desperate Sharks side back to win. The most exciting part of the game was the last 5 minutes.
Cheetahs (15) 25 / Lions (5) 25 (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs hosted the MTN Lions at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 15:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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A last-ditch fightback from the Lions resulted in 14 points by them, with 3 minutes left on the clock, to eventuate in a draw. Kiss-your-sisters, boys!
Blue Bulls (28) 47 / Pumas (7) 12 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls hosted the Ford Pumas at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria 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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The Blue Bulls won with consumate ease, after scoring 3 tries in the first half and another 3 in the second half, against the 2 tries by the Pumas.
At one stage in the match the Pumas were reduced to 13 men, after 2 yellow cards, shortly after one another.
With three rounds to go before the Currie Cup play-offs, six teams in the Premier Division can still qualify for the semi-finals.
The Sharks have axed lock Alistair Hargreaves from the team for their Currie Cup clash against Western Province on Saturday.
DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has only 22 fit players for match selection, he said at Wednesday’s team announcement.
Micheal Bondesio returns to the MTN Golden Lions team as coach John Mitchell make one side to the team that narrowly lost to to the Vodacom Blue Bulls last week Saturday. Dylan des Fountain returns on the bench, while Michael Killian was cleared to play after tweaking his hamsring on Saturday.
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar has named the same side that bravely outlasted the Lions in Johannesburg last week, to take on the resurgent Pumas in Currie Cup action at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has made just two changes, both in the forwards pack, for their vital Currie Cup clash with the front-running Lions at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein this weekend.
Vodacom Blue Bulls flanker Dewald Potgieter will not play in the remainder of the Absa Currie Cup competition after injuring his ankle.
Victories for the Blue Bulls and Free State Cheetahs at the home grounds of the front runners of the Currie Cup ensured the competition is still wide open with just three rounds to go before the semi-finals.
The Blue Bulls beat the log leading Golden Lions (21-18) in Johannesburg, while the Free State Cheetahs were too good for Western Province in Cape Town (34-20).
WP (6) 20 Cheetahs (24) 34 (Final Score)
DHL Western Province hosted the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Newlands, Cape Town 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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The Free State Cheetahs took the game by the scruff of the neck early on and by Halftime were leading by 18.
DHL Western Province refused to lie down and came back hard at the Free State Cheetahs, to only concede a late try by Coenie Oosthuizen, and resulting in a 14-point loss for the Home side.
DHL Western Province now face the Sharks and then the MTN Lions in successive weeks.
Lions (6) 18 / Blue Bulls (18) 21 (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions hosted the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 15:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Blue Bulls desperately held on, with superb defence to win this cliff-hanger by 3 points.
Sharks (14) 29 / Griquas (10) 18 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted GWK Griquas as Kings Park, Durban 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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The Sharks scored their 4 tries for a bonus point win, but the Griquas gave them a torrid time and in the end lost by only 8 points.
The Blue Bulls have a tough task if they want to keep alive their Currie Cup semi-final hopes when they travel to Johannesburg on Saturday to face the table-topping Golden Lions.
On Friday in Cape Town, Western Province host the resurgent Free State Cheetahs in a tricky encounter for the home team, after the side from Bloemfontein crushed The Sharks last weekend.
In the two other games of the weekend, Griquas travel to Durban to face The Sharks, still hurting from their defeat in Bloemfontein last week, while both the Pumas and the Platinum Leopards will be aiming for their second victory of the season in Nelspruit.
DHL WP Coach Allister Coetzee named his team to take on the Toyota Freestate Cheetahs at DHL Newlands on Saturday 24 September at 17h05.
Scrumhalf Ross Cronje and hooker Kyle Cooper have been included in the Sharks team for Friday’s Currie Cup clash against Griquas in Durban.
Lions coach John Mitchell has made two changes and two positional changes as he named his side to face the Vodacom Blue Bulls on Saturday.
Regular Vodacom Bulls Super Rugby wing Gerhard van den Heever has been included in the Vodacom Blue Bulls team to play the Lions at Coca Cola Park in a Currie Cup match on Saturday.
Van den Heever will replace the injured Akona Ndungane in the only change to the side that beat Western Province last weekend.
Coach Naka Drotske has announced a team showing two changes from the team that so comprehensively beat the Sharks. Continue reading
I know it is RWC time and I have written before (read here) about the fairy tale Curry Cup win of Griqualand West against the mighty Blue Bulls in 1970. This week I received this wonderfully written account by Michael Kokkinn about that historic match. Micheal’s father was not only one of the selectors of the Griquas team but also a sort of mentor to coach Ian Kirkpatrick. Michael actually attended the match in 1970 and here is his first hand personal recollection of the match.
My personal thanks to Michael for this personal first hand and historical recollection of that match. You can feel the passion for the game as you read his story. This is heartland South African rugby and it is people like him that make South African rugby what it is.
1970 Griquas Team - Currie Cup winners
Western Province No 8 Duane Vermeulen has confirmed he won’t be available for selection for the remainder of the 2011 season.
The Free State Cheetahs sent out a strong warning that even though they are lingering in fourth position on the Currie Cup log, they have what it takes to run with the front runners.And the Blue Bulls showed that they are not to be written off, yet.
Blue Bulls (20) 28 / WP (3) 20 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls hosted DHL Western Province at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria 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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The Vodacom Blue Bulls won the match against DHL Western Province but failed to get a 4-try bonus point, which ultimately almost certainly means the end of their Currie Cup aspirations for 2011.
Cheetahs (23) 53 / Sharks (18) 32 (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs hosted The Sharks at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 15:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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This was a 9-try festival of running rugby, won by the Toyota Free State Cheetahs with 5 tries to 4.
In the process the Toyota Free State Cheetahs bag 5 Log points and The Sharks only 1.
Leopards (9) 23 / Lions (21) 43 (Final Score)
The Platinum Leopards hosted the MTN Lions at Profert Olen Park, Potchefstroom at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Mission accomplished for the Lions, 6 tries to 2. Full haul of 5 Log points for the MTN fellas.
In a surprising move the Sharks have actually named their team to play the Cheetahs within the suggested time frame.
England lock Courtney Lawes has become the first player at the 2011 Rugby World Cup to be cited after allegedly kneed Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma in the head. Continue reading
The top three teams on the Currie Cup Premier Division log have opened a gap on the chasing pack with five rounds left before the playoffs next month.
Cheetahs (12) 22 / Blue Bulls (9) 22 (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs hosted the Vodacom Blue Bulls 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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A kiss-your-sister result, but better than a loss either way, I suppose.
Sharks (14) 33 / Pumas (17) 20 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Ford Pumas at Kings Park, Durban at 15:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Once again the Sharks made hard work of it to beat the Pumas and only took the lead late in the game, but still managed to bag all 5 available Log Points in the process.
Lions (20) 41 / Griquas (6) 25 (Final Score)
The MTN Lions hosted GWK Griquas at Coca-Cola Park, Joannesburg 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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A Game of two contrasting halves!
The MTN Lions absolutely dominated the first half yet the determined Griquas were determined not to give up and dominated the second half.
The Lions bag a full 5 Log Points and the Griquas get nothing.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls coach, Pine Pienaar, made two positional changes to his starting back-line as he looks to revive the side’s Currie Cup campaign.