The 4 South Section teams in the Vodacom Cup quarter-finals will be out for revenge after none of them progressed past the last 8 in 2014.
Teams from the north have dominated proceedings in the Vodacom Cup, which kicked off in 1998.
Only 3 times out of 17 campaigns have non-Northern teams won the competition – that was in 2000 (Toyota Free State XV), 2011 (Pampas XV) and 2012 (DHL Western Province). GWK Griquas, runners-up in the South Section this year, played in the North Section previously.
The Vodacom Cup remained in the north for the other 14 years. The Xerox Golden Lions (1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2013) and GWK Griquas (1998, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2014) have won it 5 times each, the Vodacom Blue Bulls 3 times (2001, 2008, 2010) and the Hino Valke once (2006).
The defending champions will be the 1st team in action in the quarter-finals this year when the Steval Pumas travel to GWK Park in Kimberley on Friday evening to play GWK Griquas (kick-off at 19:00 SA Time).
Peter Engledow’s team from the Northern Cape lost only 1 of their pool matches this year, which gives them an impressive winning record of 15 out of their last 17 Vodacom Cup matches.
The Steval Pumas, coached by former Blitzbok speedster MJ Mentz, have been a strong contender in recent years – they were runners up in 2013, lost in the semi-final last year and won 5 of their 7 pool matches this year.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls host the Toyota Free State XV in the 2nd quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld on Friday evening (kick-off at 19:10 SA Time – live on Supersport 1). It’s a replay of last year’s quarter-final, won by the men from Pretoria by a single point.
The Nollis Marais-coached Vodacom Blue Bulls scored 40 tries in their 7 pool matches this season, which is the most by any team. Their opponents from Bloemfontein, coached by Rory Duncan, were the top try-scoring side in the South Section with 28.
Saturday’s 2 quarter-finals take place in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The SWD Eagles will have a massive mountain to climb when they travel to Emirates Airline Park to take on the top side from the North Section, the Xerox Golden Lions (kick-off at 14:10, live on Supersport 1).
The men from George, coached by former Springbok fullback Bevin Fortuin, have notched up a few impressive wins this season, but facing a mean-looking Xerox Golden Lions side at altitude is another proposition.
Russell Winter, coach of the Johannesburg-based side, would have faced Fortuin many times in his provincial career and will know it would be a massive mistake to underestimate the Eagles, but the Xerox Golden Lions would still be favourites to qualify for their 3rd successive semi-final.
The last quarter-final is at City Park in Athlone, where John Dobson’s South Section champions, DHL Western Province, will host the Leopards XV.
The men from Potchefstroom, coached by Chaka Willemse, needed a bonus-point victory in their final pool match to make it into the top 8, which they duly did in Windhoek last weekend, but a visit to the Cape is a different proposition.
Vodacom Cup – Team by Team Historic performances:
Xerox Golden Lions:
- Best performance: Champions in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2013
- Performance in 2014: Runners-up (lost to GWK Griquas in the Final, 30 / 6)
DHL Western Province:
- Best performance: Champions in 2012
- Performance in 2014: Lost in quarter-finals (13 / 8 to Steval Pumas)
Vodacom Blue Bulls:
- Best performance: Champions in 2001, 2008 and 2010
- Performance in 2014: Lost in semi-finals (16 / 15 to Xerox Golden Lions)
GWK Griquas:
- Best performance: Champions in 1998, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2014
- Performance in 2014: Champions (beat Xerox Golden Lions in the Final, 30 / 6)
Steval Pumas:
- Best performance: Runners-up in 2013
- Performance in 2014: Lost in semi-finals (15 / 14 to GWK Griquas)
Toyota Free State XV:
- Best performance: Champions in 2000
- Performance in 2014: Lost in quarter-finals (22 / 21 to Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Leopards XV:
- Best performance: Runners-up in 2005
- Performance in 2014: 5th in North Section
SWD Eagles:
- Best performance: Lost in semi-finals, 1998
- Performance in 2014: Lost in quarter-finals (84 / 15 to GWK Griquas)
Vodacom Cup – Previous Winners:
- 1998: GWK Griquas
- 1999: Xerox Golden Lions
- 2000: Toyota Free State Cheetahs
- 2001: Vodacom Blue Bulls
- 2002: Xerox Golden Lions
- 2003: Xerox Golden Lions
- 2004: Xerox Golden Lions
- 2005: Xerox GWK Griquas
- 2006: Hino Valke
- 2007: GWK Griquas
- 2008: Vodacom Blue Bulls
- 2009: GWK Griquas
- 2010: Vodacom Blue Bulls
- 2011: Pampas XV
- 2012: DHL Western Province
- 2013: Xerox Golden Lions
- 2014: GWK Griquas
Quarter-Finals Fixtures:
Friday 15 May:
GWK Griquas vs Steval Pumas:
- Kick-Off: 19:00 SA Time
- Venue: GWK Park, Kimberley
- Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Vodacom Blue Bulls vs Toyota Free State XV:
- Kick-Off: 19:10 SA Time
- Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
- Referee: Rodney Boneparte
(Live on SuperSport 1 & CSN)
Saturday 16 May:
Xerox Golden Lions vs SWD Eagles:
- Kick-Off: 14:10 SA Time
- Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
- Referee: Oregopotse Rametsi
(Live on SuperSport 1 & CSN)
DHL Western Province vs Leopards XV:
- Kick-Off: 15:30 SA Time
- Venue: City Park, Athlone, Cape Town
- Referee: Jaco Kotze
Will be hoping for wins for Pumas, Blue Bulls, SWD and Leopards.
Have noted Scottish referee Lloyd Linton has been in charge of some of the Vodacom Cup games, pity he hasn’t got a quarter final, wonder if he will be assistant ref in any of them.
@ Bullscot:
At least we agree on SWD 🙂
Interesting article on Sport 24 by Lanning on whether to buy players in or to develop.
His conclusion is that buying in players gives you the Sharks while developing players gives you the Lions.
Best is probably a combination…
@ robzim:
I wonder though? Did’nt the Lions buy a few crucial players as well? The key is that they bought unappreciated players like, Whitely, Warrick, Mapoe, Combrinck, Mostert, Redelinghuys, Ross Cronje, Mnisi, Schalk van der merwe, Robbie Coetzee, Lusaseni etc That could not establish themselves at their previous provinces.
The Lions bought smart it appears.
@ MacroPolo:
Good point.
They have certainly done well with those slightly “under the radar” players.. as an added benefit they do not have big ego’s to manage.
Unfortunately, to win the big trophies, a team needs a few superstars like the Bulls had when they won super rugby ( same applies to football for example Barcelona, Real Madrid etc..) and that is where the Lions come short at the moment.
@ robzim:
Will be interesting to see how the Lions can sustain this, they are doing well in south african terms, which in turn not really well in Super Rugby terms.
Currently they are still riding the wave of “you dont know what you have untill you lose it”, the fans are very understandably still holding a grudge against SARU, and maybe other teams as well, for what happened in 2013, and that could be the big driving force in the union at the moment and the players are really feeding off of it and doing well, these new players have been fantastic and revitalized and the guys are really playing for each other, which is great to see, it is the best part of the Lions… The thumping they got in Christchurch and a “win” (more a case of not losing) in Auckland played a part in reminding them again of “those days”.
The real test will come when supporters realize that they are not scoring that many tries and that Akkerman “standing up for his players” is not any more different that any other coach.
@ robzim:
That article was also poorly written imo
“When flying to Joburg or Cape Town, do you buy a ticket or build a plane?”
Worst analogy ever
“A cursory glance at a recent Sharks match 23 revealed that only 5 players, Pat Lambie, Marcel Coetzee, Fred Zeilinga, Waylon Murray, and Kyle Cooper were schooled in the region. Their solution to losing Willem Alberts? Signing ex-Bulls and current Waratahs flank, Jacques Potgieter.”
I think we can all assume the Lions have more locally based players, but we don’t know, because Tank did not even attempt to compare, so he is essentially comparing and apple with nothing but guesswork, also ignoring factors such as how many people actually play rugby at a renowned rugby school in matric in Natal compared to Johannesburg?
The Lions also have 2 Varsity Cup teams to essentially draw from So do Western Province… the sharks have… eh a Varsity Shield team to develop players from.
There is almost no choice for the Sharks but to buy players… just need to buy the right players.
Lions starting team
Player (Shooled or Youth Career)
Andries Coetzee (Mpumalanga, joined lions at 21yo), Mapoe (cheetahs), Harold Verster(Limpopo), Alwyn Hollenbach (Cheetahs), Jantjies (Gauteng), Faf de Klerk (Pretoria)
Warren Whitely (Sharks), Robert Kruger (Pumas), Jaco Kriel (Mpumalanga/Lions), Franco Mostert(North West/Bulls), Martin Muller(WP), Redelinghuys (Sharks), Robbie Coetzee (Sharks)
So in the Starting 15 there is one player Schooled in Johannesburg, and the way he got there is also debatable.
MacroPolo wrote:
I think from a supporter point of view there is a massive dislike and distrust of SARU, but any bad blood felt towards the other teams seems to have dissipated. (Except possibly (unfairly?) towards the Kings)
There seems to be something of a feeling (among the supporters) that in a perserve way, the year away from SRdid the Lions something of a favour.
As for the management of the GLRU / Lions Rugby (PTY) LTD, I think they are probably just pleased that the team is at least, for the most part competitive.
One must remember that KdK was installed as President (in 2009) after a long and somewhat “bloody” palace revolution, but for a long list of reasons, actually achieved next to nothing for the first 5 years!
IMHO, the people who have probably had the biggest influence in changing the culture at New Doornfontein are probably Johan Ackermann and Rudolph Strauli.
BUT, as I stated elsewhere, opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one, and that is just my opinion.
We must also remember that the Lions have actually had a very good year thus far in respect of injuries.
With the somewhat shallow depth that they have this has been a blessing.
Question is, is the short injury list as a result of very good conditioning, (the team seem to be able to play for a full 80 without any problems), or just good luck?
11 @ Scrumdown:
Good point. Look how well the cheetahs did in 2013 when they had very few injuries. They made the playoffs.
Im worried about warren whitely though, like DDA he is almost certain of a place in the bok matchday 23… But he is playing an awful lot of rugby And the load will unlikely be lifted.
And everyone should have an arsehole or we grt constipated 🙂
Has to have*
The Vodacom Cup Quarter-Final between the Vodacom Blue Bulls vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs has just kicked off!
It is broadcast live on SuperSport 1.
Staat’s Willie du Plessis has already missed a long range attempt and now has an easier attempt at goal.
FS Cheetahs 3 / 0 Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls have just blown the best possible chance, Beerwinkel knocking with an open line 5m in front of him
Lovely try by the Blue Bulls, Jamba Olengo doing the initial damage and it is passed out well to Wian Liebenberg who scores a power try, wide right.
Blue Bulls 7 / 3 FS Cheetahs
Nice to see us doing well GO BLUE BULLS!
Have just put a thread up with BIG news about Manu Tuilagi….
Blue Bulls 7 / 6 FS Cheetahs
As Willie du Plessis slots another penalty
Beautiful try William Small-Smith, Blue Bulls!
Blue Bulls 14 / 6 FS Cheetahs
Naand manne, nou moet ons ou bulletjies maar hoop om ‘n vodacom wedstrydjie te wen, na daardie skandalige spel van die Bulle vanoggend.
Willie du Plessis slots another one, after missing one just now.
Blue Bulls 14 / 9 FS Cheetahs
En Visser soos altyd, knocker op sy beste. Swakste speler ooit vir Bulle ?
24 @ Ben-die-Bul:
Ja jong, dit was omtrent skande gewees!
26 @ Ben-die-Bul:
Ek het ALTYD gedink hy is Vodacom Cup kwaliteit… maar hy is nie eers op daai standaard nie!
Hierdie is Varsity rugby, net met ander truie .
Tian Schoeman slots a penalty… cool calm and collected.
Why he is at Vodacom Cup and Jacques-Louis Potgieter is overseas with the Bulls, only Frans Ludeke will know!
Blue Bulls 17 / 9 FS Cheetahs
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