Vodacom Cup – The Final

Published 13 May 2011 | By superBul

Pampas XV (8) 14 / Blue Bulls (0) 9 (Final Score)

The Pampas XV, the only undefeated team in this year’s Vodacom Cup, will be hoping for one more victory in 2011 when they host the defending champions, the Vodacom Blue Bulls, at Profert Olën Park in Potchefstroom on Friday at 19h00.

The Argentineans will start as red hot favourites as they are currently on a 10-match winning streak, which started with a 52-29 victory over the Tasol Solar Griffons. Since then, they have managed to secure two more 50-point victories, against the Valke (57-15) in round seven and against the Welwitschias (52-10) in Windhoek in round nine.

What’s more, the Pampas XV have already beaten the Vodacom Blue Bulls this season, by 27-22 at Profert Olën Park in round three. They were impressive in their 41-26 semi-final victory over the Sharks XV last weekend, and defeated the Toyota Free State Cheetahs (41-34) in extra time of a thrilling quarter-final clash.

A number of players from the Argentinean team have been outstanding this year, with winger Juan Imhoff currently the joint-leading try-scorer together with DHL Western Province’s JJ Engelbrecht on 10 tries. Winger Agustin Gosio is the second leading try-scorer with seven five-pointers to his name.

Pampas XV flyhalves Nicolas Sanchez (79) and Santiago Iglesias (62) are also amongst the leading Vodacom Cup points’ scorers this season.

The “hosts” have also been the most entertaining team thanks to their expansive rugby this year. They have scored 53 tries this season, with Iglesias converting 24 of those tries and Sanchez converting 19.

However the Vodacom Blue Bulls, three-time Vodacom Cup champions, can count on huge finals experience, having played in eight finals at this level.

Eight players who competed in the 2010 Vodacom Cup final for the Vodacom Blue Bulls have been included in their match 22 for Friday’s clash. Centre Stefan Watermeyer, flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff, scrumhalf Ruan Snyman, flank Okkie Kruger, prop Morne Mellett, locks Cornell Hess and Mthunzi Mabeta and captain Gerrit-Jan van Velze, who will make his fourth Vodacom Cup final appearance, were members of the team that defeated the Toyota Free State Cheetahs 31-29 at Loftus Versfeld last year. Boshoff is currently the fourth leading points’ scorer in the competition with 78 points.

The Pretoria team kicked off their 2011 title defence with four consecutive defeats – against the Sharks XV (30-19), Boland Cavaliers (20-17), Pampas XV (27-22) and DHL Western Province (16-8). However, since then they have won five of their last six games, which included a 47-34 semi-final victory in Kimberley over GWK Griquas, as well as a nail-biting 28-26 quarter-final win over the MTN Lions in Johannesburg.

The visitors to Potch have won four of their six matches played outside Pretoria. Their only away defeats were against the Sharks XV and the Pampas XV earlier this year.

Pampas XV road to the final:
Date Fixture Result
26-Feb-11 Pampas XV 52 Tasol Solar Griffons 29 W
04-Mar-11 MTN Golden Lions 6 Pampas XV 15 W
12-Mar-11 Pampas XV 27 Vodacom Blue Bulls 22 W
18-Mar-11 GWK Griquas 29 Pampas XV 32 W
26-Mar-11 Pampas XV 38 Platinum Leopards 20 W
01-Apr-11 Ford Pumas 20 Pampas XV 46 W
09-Apr-11 Pampas XV 57 Valke 15 W
15-Apr-11 Welwitschias 10 Pampas XV 52 W
29-Apr-11 Pampas XV 41 Toyota FS Cheetahs 34 W
06-May-11 Pampas XV 41 Sharks XV 26 W
Vodacom Blue Bulls’ road to the final:
Date Fixture Result
26-Feb-11 Sharks XV 30 Vodacom Blue Bulls 19 L
05-Mar-11 Vodacom Blue Bulls 17 Boland Cavaliers 20 L
12-Mar-11 Pampas XV 27 Vodacom Blue Bulls 22 L
19-Mar-11 Vodacom Blue Bulls 8 DHL Western Province 16 L
25-Mar-11 Toyota FS Cheetahs 21 Vodacom Blue Bulls 45 W
02-Apr-11 Vodacom Blue Bulls 29 EP Kings 28 W
08-Apr-11 Border Bulldogs 8 Vodacom Blue Bulls 34 W
16-Apr-11 Vodacom Blue Bulls 23 SWD Eagles 25 L
30-Apr-11 MTN Golden Lions 26 Vodacom Blue Bulls 28 W
07-May-11 GWK Griquas 34 Vodacom Blue Bulls 47 W

The Blue Bulls team for the Vodacom Cup final on Friday May 13th against the Pampas at Olën Park, Potchefstroom is:

Clayton Blommetjies, Sampie Mastriet, Stefan Watermeyer, Francois Venter, Hayden Groepes, Marnitz Boshoff, Ruan Snyman, Gerrit-Jan van Velze (c), Marnus Schoeman, Okkie Kruger, Juandré Kruger, Cornell Hess, Stephanus Pretorius, Zane Botha, Morné Mellett.

Replacements:

Henri Bantjes, Corné Fourie, Mthunzi Mabeta, CJ Stander, Dustin Jinka, Wesley Dunlop, Bradley Moolman.

19 Responses to Vodacom Cup – The Final

  • 1

    bdb on 13 May 2011 at 10:23 am

    Sterkte aan albei spanne, hoop die Blou Bulle wen, maar as daar nou een span is waarteen ek nie omgee my span verloor nie, is dit hierdie Pampoene span. Hulle speel met soveel toewyding en passie, en geniet nog die spel.

  • 2

    Scrumdown on 13 May 2011 at 3:52 pm

    Go you Argie Bargie, bunch of Falkland Island invading raiders from across the sea.

    Give those Pretorians a good hiding.

    It’ll be the first trophy won in Potch for some time, and I bet you won’t be allowed to take it back to South America, so it’ll stay in the Leopards cabinet.

    At least then they’ll have one more than the W…… Oh sherbet I better shut up before all of the streeptruie come up and donner me.

    Go Pampas. Trust your game.

  • 3

    Scrumdown on 13 May 2011 at 3:54 pm

    @ Scrumdown:
    In fact, because the Leopards are part of the Lions franchise I’ll suggest to Manie and Kevin that the Lions should usurp the cup and put it in the foyer at Coca-Cola Park.

    Goodnight all. Time for the Captain.

  • 4

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 7:11 pm

    Will come and update now and then have guests

  • 5

    Loosehead on 13 May 2011 at 7:31 pm

    VRYSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Fluck, we are not playing.

  • 6

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 7:53 pm

    The Blue Bulls are bullied by the hard tackling men from Argentina. They look like the team that lost 4 at the start of the season. Come on drink that Red stuff you old boeties had last week.

    The Pampas men tackles like we were taught in our young days, had solid and telling.

  • 7

    JL1 on 13 May 2011 at 8:13 pm

    Die Pampas moet hulle naam verander na “OnsGeeDiePas”

    Well done, way better than NZ not even allowing Tonga or Fiji or Samoa any games

  • 8

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 8:21 pm

    @ JL1:
    Hierdie ouens speel hard, hul skrums flok ons wild op

  • 9

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 8:25 pm

    Whooooow maybe this is a first, the Bulls force uncontested scrums

  • 10

    JL1 on 13 May 2011 at 8:36 pm

    Maar al ons spanne sukkel met skrums, ons het agter uit gegaan met skrums

  • 11

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 8:38 pm

    Argentyne het n passie vir skrums

  • 12

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 8:45 pm

    The Pampas boys tackle like demons, they tackle to kill

  • 13

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 8:47 pm

    O hel die Bulle lyk moeg, dalk te veel gelos vir die einde, manne met hande op kniee. Lyk my Bulle is PE

  • 14

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 8:52 pm

    2 minutes left 5 points difference

  • 15

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 8:56 pm

    Pampas XV 14/ Blue Bulls 9 ( Final Score)

  • 16

    JL1 on 13 May 2011 at 8:56 pm

    Pamapas P-klap die Bulle

  • 17

    superBul on 13 May 2011 at 9:01 pm

    Pampas XV tackled themselves to a Million Rand and the Vodacom Cup. Congrats to Argentina Boys. They deserved this one.

  • 18

    bdb on 13 May 2011 at 10:19 pm

    Geluk aan die Pampas, waardige kampioene en dit dubbel en dwars verdien, deur die hele seisoen en ook vanaand se wedstryd.

    My span was twee keer voor … toe hul uitgedraf het in die begin van die wedstryd en na halftyd verby was !

    Bulle moet nog steeds bekommerd wees as MS beseer word. Boshoff is maar so-so, en speel heeltemal te diep agter die voordeellyn.

    Watermeyer en Schoeman het vir my uitgeblink, verder was die Bulle stil gespeel. Sal graag wil sien dat WO en Watermeyer kombineer. Ek sal self oorweeg om Watermeyer te omskep in ‘n losskakel, hy skop goed, kan ook pale toe skop, en sal ‘n sterk losskakel uitmaak om oor die voordeellyn te kom. Het glo op skool ook pale toe geskop.

  • 19

    Ashley on 14 May 2011 at 8:23 am

    congratulations to the pampas … well deserved trophy this … even more amazing given the fact that they didnt drop a match for the duration of the tournament
    and
    especially given the time these guys have been away from home!!
    well done guys!!

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