The Vodacom Bulls were officially crowned South African Conference winners in Cape Town on Saturday evening, but The Sharks and the DHL Stormers took the spoils in the final round of Vodacom Super Rugby league action for 2013.
Although these two coastal sides, semi-finalists in 2012, missed out on the Finals Series this year, they recorded solid final round victories to end a disappointing season on a high note.
sarugby
The Sharks scored their biggest South African derby victory ever when they beat the Southern Kings by 58-13 in Durban on Saturday afternoon, carding 10 tries in the process.
And the DHL Stormers were simply too good for the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town, ending the team from Pretoria’s nine-match winning streak with a 30-13 victory. This defeat also meant the team from Pretoria, champions in 2007, 2009 and 2010, missed out on becoming the first local team to record a “SA Slam” by winning all their derbies in one season (since the expansion of the competition in 2011).
The 2013 season is now over for the DHL Stormers and The Sharks, who finished seventh and eighth respectively on the log.
The Vodacom Bulls, second overall behind the Chiefs, will enjoy a bye next weekend before hosting one of the two semi-finals in a fortnight’s time, while the sixth-placed Toyota Cheetahs will travel to Australia next week for their first-ever Vodacom Super Rugby playoff match, against the Brumbies in Canberra.
The Southern Kings will have some time to recuperate before taking on the MTN Lions in two promotion/relegation matches, in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg, on the weekends of the semi-finals and final.
Springbok record-holder Bryan Habana’s provincial career in South Africa came to an end in Cape Town on Saturday evening. He is off to France soon where he will play for Toulon. He made his debut in 2005 and played a total of 118 Vodacom Super Rugby matches (61 for the Vodacom Bulls and 57 for the DHL Stormers).
The Springbok flyer is also South Africa’s top try scorer in Vodacom Super Rugby history, with 56 tries (37 for the Bulls and 19 for the Stormers), placing him in joint-fourth position on the all-time list with Christian Cullen and Stirling Mortlock.
With Australia’s Nathan Sharpe, he is one of only two players to have played in more than 50 matches for two teams, and Habana also won the competition twice in the colours of the Vodacom Bulls.
The Sharks (26) 58 / 13 (13) Southern Kings:
The Sharks finished their season on a high by beating the Southern Kings by 58-13 at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban on Saturday afternoon, scoring nine tries in the process, as well as carding a penalty try.
The Kings, through George Whitehead (flyhalf) in the third minute, actually scored the first try of the match, which yielded 12 in total after the previous match between these two neighbouring sides was try-less.
In the end, however, there was only team on the field in Durban this time, and that was The Sharks.
It has to be said that the Kings rested a big number of their first-choice stars and the team they sent to Durban started with a bang, but once the dust had settled, The Sharks took control of the match. The home team scored their fourth try before the break and added five more in the second half.
Three of the home team’s tries – by their captain Keegan Daniel, debutant Fred Zeilinga and Meyer Bosman, who is off to France soon – came in the final 10 minutes of the match.
It was The Sharks’ biggest ever win over a fellow South African team and the Kings second biggest defeat of their debut Vodacom Super Rugby season.
Scorers:
The Sharks – Tries: Bismarck du Plessis, Marcell Coetzee, Odwa Ndungane, Riaan Viljoen, Tendai Mtawarira, Louis Ludik, Keegan Daniel, Fred Zeilinga, Meyer Bosman, Penalty try. Conversions: Bosman (4).
Southern Kings – Tries: George Whitehead, Mpho Mbiyozo. Penalty goal: Whitehead.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjwBkbgBiyA[/youtube]
DHL Stormers (23) 30 / 13 (13) Vodacom Bulls:
The DHL Stormers, on the back of yet another sublime defensive effort, produced probably their best performance of the season when they beat the Vodacom Bulls by 30-13 at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday evening.
It was a high-paced and thoroughly entertaining match and a typical South African derby where neither side gave an inch.
The DHL Stormers saved their best for last – they attacked with intent in the first half and basically wrapped it up by the break. The Bulls were made to tackle and tackle, but they could not keep Eben Etzebeth and Bryan Habana out.
When Jean de Villiers, who spent time in the sin bin for an illegal tackle, added the DHL Stormers’ third try in the 55th minute, it was basically game over. The home team used their opportunities and bagged the points when they were on offer.
However, the Vodacom Bulls never gave up and the DHL Stormers had to show why their defence is regarded as the best in the competition in the final half hour, but they managed to keep the Vodacom Bulls scoreless in the second half.
With a home semi-final looming in two weeks’ time, the Vodacom Bulls will realise they can’t repeat the litany of errors they made in Cape Town, while their ball retention and set-piece play were also not good enough.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers – Tries: Eben Etzebeth, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers. Conversions: Gary van Aswegen (3). Penalty goals: Van Aswegen (3).
Vodacom Bulls – Try: Zane Kirchner. Conversion: Morné Steyn. Penalty goals: Steyn (2).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChD-3towVkE[/youtube]
Other results – Round 20:
Crusaders 25 / 17 Hurricanes (Christchurch)
Rebels 38 / 37 Highlanders (Melbourne)
Blues 16 / 26 Chiefs (Auckland)
Waratahs 12 / 14 Reds (Sydney)
Force 21 / 15 Brumbies (Perth)
Well, I hope Jan Serfontein is ready for the semi. Venter was clearly very rusted and there were many gaps in the Bulls backline. Dewald Potgieter must also calm the team a bit more. When the Bulls were under pressure, they panicked and start making mistakes. Well, all the senior player should have stepped in and get the guys to do the basics better.
Hopefully this was a wakeup call for the Bulls.
Like back in March, after their disastrous tour, I still believe the Bulls will win this years super 15. They just have to focus.
I was really impressed with Jacques du Plessis.
Well done Stormers for your victory. Was very disappointed about the result but sounds like Stormers played extremely well and beat us comprehensively.
1 @ leon:
Thanks Leon its reassuring to hear that Jacque du Plessis did well, at least we have some cover for the number 5 position then. Not sure why he was used as a flank for the Baby Boks as from his physical stats it seems he should be a lock, plus with him being so young he will possibly still grow a bit more, think I saw he was 2.01m tall and think that’s too tall for a flank and better for a lock.
1 @ leon:
Its understandable that Francois Venter may have been a bit rusty as think he only played that game for the Blue Bulls against the Lions since his injury before this game. Haven’t seen enough of the two to compare him and Serfontein but Venter was playing Super rugby last year already and may have played more if not for injury this year. I guess the important thing is the partnership with JJ Engelbrechy was maybe a struggle and as you mention this showed itself in defence it normally takes time for players to develop the partnership, so maybe regardless of who of Serfontein and Venter is the better player it will be better if Serfontein is fit for the semi-final as by now he and JJ should have a good understanding of each other so that should be better already defensively.
@ Bullscot:
Yes, Jacques is big, strong and got some aggression. This is what our tight five need. You captured my thoughts exactly on Francois Venter. Just rusty. He need a few games to get the partnership with JJ going.
baie dankie bulle vi fokken niks
nou sit ek met toetie opgeskeep vi nog ñ fokken jaar!!
6: ja ou asbak, ek het my bes probeer, alles gegee om die ref uit te haal saterdag, maar self hy het met mag en mening gesorg dat die Bulle nie kon wen nie. Dan was jul verlos van AC en sy bende! 🙂
Geluk met jou span, hulle lyk altyd goed wanneer dit nie eintlik saak maak nie. Sien ook ou Gavin Rich moan en kerm en kla nou baie oor sy ou stormpies spannetjie wat volgens hom eintlik die beste was in SA ongeag dat hul 7de op die log lê. Gooi nou die een na die ander verskoning op die supersport blog. Hy moet aanbeweeg, die kompetisie gaan aan vir die groot spanne, hehe.
Sterkte vir die Cheetahs en die Bulle, hoop hul kan die SA vlag goed dra namens volk en vaderland !
Peyper to ref S15 qualifier
2013-07-15 12:24
Refs for the playoffs this weekend
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Cape Town – South Africa’s Jaco Peyper will referee the Super Rugby qualifier between the Crusaders and Reds in Christchurch on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 09:35 SA time.
Peyper was handed the whistle after a series of impressive performances this season.
He will be assisted by Garratt Williamson and Mike Fraser, while Vinny Munro will be the TMO.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Glen Jackson will be the man in the middle in the second qualifier on Sunday (08:10 SA time) between the Brumbies and Cheetahs in Canberra.
Jackson will be assisted by Rohan Hoffmann and James Leckie, with Matt Goddard handling the TMO duties
just had to share this
..
a comment made on sport24 under “coetzee slams tour from hell”
The big 5, its disciples, fan club members and the Cheetahs supporters, would like to thank the Stormers and Sharks supporters for their (lack of) contribution they made on this forum over the last few months. While the play offs are ongoing and you lot have no more business on here, we would like you to stay safe and we hope to see you again, when the Currie cup starts. Go well.
It is a Bulls/Crusaders final at Loftus.
You heard it here on RT first, so bookmark this post.
@ Puma:
Neutral refs, interresting. Sanzar bowing to pressure?
11 @ leon:
Neutral refs, but both assistants are from the country that the play-offs are played in. In the Cheetahs/Brumbie game both assistants are Aussies and in the Sader/Reds game both assistants are Kiwis. Think the tmo’s are from the same countries.
For it to have been totally neutral it should have been NH refs and assistants also the tmo.
Then again some kiwi bloggers don’t rate Peyer at all. Let us see how it goes.
Next year hope we see neutral refs in every game.
10 @ Pietman:
Piet too many are just writing the Cheetahs off. They very well could beat the Brumbies. They should have beaten them last year had the ref not got given a unfair penalty against the Cheetahs on the 80th min in Canberra.
Brumbies are playing great rugby this year, also the only team to have beaten the BIL mid week team. Though they were not great last week against the Force. I know Jake will have Cheetahs sussed, though if any team could beat the Brumbies it is the Cheetahs. They are rested as well. Pity they could not have travelled sooner, rather than have to wait for the outcome of the games first on Saturday. Though they do only play on Sunday. So that is a day extra to get over the travel. It is only if the in the following week they might only have a 6 day turn around before playing again.
Have supported Jake’s Brumbies this whole season against the other Oz teams and also against the Kiwi teams, though this is our saffa boys here. So this week we all Cheetahs. Supporting our Bloem boys 100% this week against the Brumbies. I hope they win and have a feeling they just may do that.
Don’t forget the Brumbies also had to travel to Perth. Think just over 5 hour flight to Perth then another 4 and a quarter hour flight back to Canberra. Not as long a flight as Cheetahs just that they had to play this weekend, our Bloem boys had a rest. Their bye came at a great time for them.
GO CHEETAHS GO!
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