Currie Cup
Jonathan Kaplan
Do I really need to confirm what everyone else already knows… This was not a good weekend for referees!
We are operating in a system where I have said that these type of weekends are not avoidable and until key elements of the system are exposed, and then adequately addressed, this will continue into the future.
The referees are not getting it right, and it is pointless saying after the fact, that things need to be looked at, when the writing was on the wall from the get go.
Not a happy camper: Lion’s coach Johan Ackermann
Xerox Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann was close to tearing his hair out in frustration, not so much by the way his team stumbled to a 36-26 loss at the hands of the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their Absa Currie Cup encounter, but more by the refereeing decisions that negated his side’s normally strong scrum platform.
Ackermann called the contest “the most boring game” and admitted to being frustrated by referee Marius van der Westhuizen’s high penalty count – against both sides – at the set piece, that robbed the game of much momentum and made it a stop-start affair.
Griqua players celebrate their first win of the Currie Cup.
The mini-slump being experienced by the defending champions, the Sharks, is a key feature of the Currie Cup at its midway point in league play.
Two losses on the trot – after a three-match winning start that hadn’t produced much champagne rugby and was already delivering certain warning signs – have left the Durban-based side with an increasingly precarious hold on a “semi-final” slot.
They lie fourth on the overall table and with an awful lot of work to do in the second half of their ordinary-season roster if they are to recover enough ground to challenge for rights to a possible home final – perhaps simply making sure they actually get into the last four must be a shorter-term, lesser objective now.
Blue Bulls (19) 36 / 26 (12) Golden Lions (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls and Xerox Golden Lions did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Sharks (8) 18 / 21 (15) Griquas (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and GWK Griquas did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division at
Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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FS Cheetahs (7) 17 / 31 (16) Pumas (Final Score )
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and Steval Pumas did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division at
Free State Cheetahs at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Cheslin Kolbe
Western Province made it five from five in the Currie Cup with a convincing 49-14 win over the Eastern Province Kings at Newlands on Friday night.
The hosts, the only remaining unbeaten team in the Currie Cup, picked up their third bonus point win of the season in the process as they racked up seven tries whilst conceding just two, reports WP’s official website.
Skipper Juan de Jongh opened his team’s tally in the 11th minute when he snapped up a loose EP Kings pass, that after kickers Scott van Breda (Kings) and Demetri Catrakilis (WP) missed goal kicks inside the first ten minutes.
WP (21) 49 / 14 (7) EP Kings (Final Score)
DHL Western Province and the Eastern Province Kings did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division at
Newlands, Cape Town at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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This weekend sees the resumption of The Rugby Championship with the All Blacks hosting the Pumas in Napier and the Springboks traveling to Perth to face the Wallabies.
Last weekend we had the Round 4 of the ABSA Currie Cup and there has been some movement at the top of the Rugby-Talk SuperBru group.
The 6 Important games we focus on which are played this weekend, consists of the 2 Rugby Championship Test matches as well as 4 ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division matches.
Jamba Ulengo
Springbok Sevens player Jamba Ulengo will make his Currie Cup debut for the Blue Bulls when they tackle the Golden Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Ulengo’s inclusion on the left wing is one of five changes to the backline that did duty in the home loss to Western Province last week.
The Bulls will also field a new halfback combination, as Rudy Paige is promoted from the bench, while Jacques-Louis Potgieter has recovered from a rib injury to take his place at flyhalf.
The Sharks have made a massive six changes to their starting XV for their clash against Griquas this Saturday as coach Brad MacLeod-Henderson reacted strongly to the 32-22 loss to the Pumas last weekend.
Fullback SP Marais, wing Tonderai Chavhanga and props Matt Stevens and Dale Chadwick all make way, along with flank Francois Kleinhans and lock JC Astle, who are injured.
Jake White
The loss of some stalwarts to overseas clubs since the end of the Super Rugby season is making life tough for the young coaches who are going it alone for the first time at the helm of the Cell C Sharks in this Absa Currie Cup season.
Director of rugby Jake White has opted to take a back seat and not have any involvement with the Sharks senior team in the domestic season so that he can focus on the development of the players in the age-group teams as well as give head coach Brad MacLeod-Henderson and his assistants Sean Everitt and Paul Anthony the chance to experience the pressure that comes with being in charge
Jimmy Stonehouse
Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has received a lot of praise for the way his team have impressed this season, but he does not put it down to anything revolutionary.
The Pumas, as a smaller union, were never expected to set the Currie Cup on fire, especially amongst teams with Super Rugby experience and national players waiting in the wings.
However, Stonehouse and his men now sit third on the log, a single point behind the Golden Lions (through four rounds) and many have touted the coach as the ‘next big thing.’
Lourens Adriaanse
Some introspection, mixed in with analysis and hard work is the theme of this week’s preparations for the Cell C Sharks’ Currie Cup return leg match against Griquas at Kings Park on Saturday (17:05 SA Time kick-off).
Sharks website editor Michael Marnewick reports that the Durbanites were not happy with the result of their match against the Pumas last week, acknowledging that there were aspects of their game they will need to improve on if they hope to do the double against tricky opponents who, like the Pumas this season, love nothing better than to get one over a traditionally “bigger” union.
The Match Officials for this week’s action have been confirmed, with George Clancy refereeing the Wallabies vs Springboks showdown.
The Rugby Championship:
Australia vs South Africa
- Venue: Patersons Stadium, Perth
- Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
- Assistant Referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
- TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
- Assessor: Andrew Cole
New Zealand vs Argentina
- Venue: Mclean Park, Napier
- Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
- Assistant Referees: Jérôme Garcès (France), Rohan Hoffmann (Australia)
- TMO: Peter Marshall (Australia)
- Assessor: Lyndon Bray
DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has made four changes to his starting team for Friday night’s ABSA Currie Cup clash with the EP Kings at Newlands.
Only one of those changes is enforced, with wing Seabelo Senatla ruled out because of the ankle injury sustained against the Vodacom Blue Bulls last weekend. Coetzee said earlier in the week that Senatla would be out for a minimum of two weeks, but it seems likely now that he will be out for three or four. Continue reading
S’bura Sithole
Centre S’bura Sithole believes the Sharks must start improving on their basics if they want to bounce back from their first Currie Cup loss of the season over the weekend.
The defending champions suffered a shock 32-22 loss against the Pumas in Nelspruit to drop behind the Mpumalanga side from second to fourth on the Premier Division table after four rounds of the competition.
“I think it’s just our basics and fundamentals that are letting us down,” Sithole said on Tuesday.
Carlos Spencer
EP Kings head coach, Carlos Spencer, has made five changes to the starting lineup that will take on Western Province at Newlands on Friday.
Spencer announced that Steven Sykes will once again captain the side as regular skipper, Luke Watson, was still recovering from a concussion.
Changes to the forward pack include Lizo Gqoboka, who will return to the side at loosehead prop in place of BG Uys, with Shaun McDonald coming off the bench on at Flank, rotating with Thembelani Boli who moves to the bench.
Nizaam Carr
He has been one of the stellar performers nationwide as the Currie Cup approaches its halfway stage in pre-knockout play this weekend.
But will Nizaam Carr, the tearaway No 8 for log-leaders Western Province, fall prey soon to that all too common shortcoming by South African coaches at either Super Rugby or provincial level: flogging players to the point of exhaustion or often not unrelated injury?
A week and a half ago, WP coach Allister Coetzee admitted to some journalists that Carr, whose game-to-game work-rate has often been little short of extraordinary, was in need of some “off” time – remember that the domestic competition has no bye-weekend luxuries.
Frans Ludeke
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has laid it on the line. Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup showdown with neighbours the Xerox Golden Lions is almost a season-decider for his team.
Having won just one out of four games thus far, the Blue Bulls desperately need to reverse their fortunes and while their performance against Western Province was a lot better than their opening three games, they still couldn’t get a win in the game, despite dominating possession.
Ludeke has made it clear that the Bulls need to up their finishing, something that has been a difficult thing for them this season, and they need to take the points on offer when they are in control.
JD Schickerling
Blue Bulls Under 21 lock Marvin Orie has cited for dangerous tackle which led to WP lock JD Schickerling breaking his neck.
According to the SA Rugby Twitter page, Orie will appear before a SARU disciplinary hearing on Tuesday, starting at 16:00 SA Time.
Advocate Tokkie van Zyl has been appointed as the Judicial Officer.
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
The rugby spectator who was stabbed at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday evening, shortly before the end of the Currie Cup match between the EP Kings and the Golden Lions, is recovering well, according to Stadium management.
Stadium management’s chief executive Chantal du Pisani and Charl Crous, EP Rugby chief executive along with representatives from the Mount Road SAPS visited the victim on Monday.
“He is recovering well and is in relatively good spirits,” said Du Pisani.
Thomas du Toit
The Cell C Sharks limped back into Durban after their defeat to the Steval Pumas wounded not only psychologically by their Nelspruit ordeal, but also physically.
Star young flank Francois Kleinhans went off early at Mbombela Stadium with a broken wrist, and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
That is a big blow for the Sharks as they have lost Jean Deysel and Keegan Daniel to Japanese clubs, while Ryan Kankowski is of course also back in Japan.
Jesse Kriel
The Vodacom Blue Bulls were given another mixed dose of news when the injury report arrived following their 23-18 loss to DHL Western Province in their Absa Currie Cup clash on Saturday.
While there was good news that both injured flyhalves – Jacques-Louis Potgieter and Tony Jantjies – had recovered from their ailments that forced them to miss the Western Province game, the Bulls were given the news that they will need a new fullback this weekend when they prepare to take on the Xerox Golden Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Jacques Botes
Fortunately for the Cell C Sharks they have a good chance of redeeming themselves when they host struggling GWK Griquas in Durban this coming weekend, but the warning lights are flickering for the Absa Currie Cup champions.
There were excuses aplenty for the Sharks coaches after their 32-22 defeat to the Steval Pumas in Nelspruit in round four, and some of them were legitimate. Injuries did during the course of the game decimate their pack.
And let’s also not take anything away from the Pumas, who have been strong at home this season and also pushed the Sharks in the first round game much more than the final scoreline would suggest.
Seabelo Senatla
Speedster Seabelo Senatla will almost certainly miss Friday night’s home Absa Currie Cup clash with the EP Kings at Newlands, but the DHL Western Province brains-trust will be holding thumbs that his absence from the game won’t be for long.
The Springbok Sevens star will have the ankle that he twisted during his match winning performance for WP against the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Loftus this past weekend assessed on Monday.
He said after the match that the ankle didn’t feel bad, and he was apparently walking comfortably on Sunday, but WP coach Allister Coetzee has listed him as a doubtful starter for Friday night’s game.
Few would deny that up-tempo Western Province, last year’s runners-up, look favourites for the 2014 Currie Cup title at this point.
There is every chance that at the midway turn in ordinary-season play next weekend, they will only have consolidated their position at the top of the table and remain the only side with a 100 percent win record from five matches.
That is because Friday night at Newlands sees a clash between the leaders and the EP Kings, currently the wooden-spoon outfit with a mere one point – it would be a real turn-up for the books if the visitors come away victorious.
Schalk van der Merwe
Eastern Province Kings coach Carlos Spencer was a frustrated man after his team suffered their fourth straight loss in the Currie Cup, going down 41-22 to the Lions at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday night.
Despite the losing streak, the Kings showed a massive improvement after they had been thumped by the same opponents 60-19 in their clash in Johannesburg earlier this month.
The Kings showed great fighting spirit and enjoyed a narrow 22-21 lead with 20 minutes remaining, before the Lions’ experience and aggressive driving play earned them two final tries to seal the victory.
Frans Ludeke
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says his side showed encouraging signs in their defeat to Western Province that they are on the right track.
It has been a tough start to the season for the Pretoria side, with just one win from their four games so far, and they were left disappointed again at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday as the unbeaten Cape side beat them for the second time in a few weeks.
However, despite the frustration of coming up short again, Ludeke was upbeat and took some positives from his side’s performance.
Allister Coetzee
Opening a three-point gap atop the Currie Cup log, after a tightly contested 23-18 victory over a much-improved Blue Bulls side at Loftus Versfeld gave Western Province coach Allister Coetzee a lot to smile about.
“We are very happy with the win, we were up against a desperate Bulls side and they showed the way they came out tonight and they really came at us,” Coetzee said.
“It is a massive win for us, to come out here at altitude to beat the Bulls with a relatively young side and it is the first time that they’ve lost at Loftus this year.”
Jimmy Stonehouse
With the Pumas having kept their home record in tact in the Currie Cup, coach Jimmy Stonehouse will be targeting away victories following their 32-22 victory over defending champions the Sharks in Mbombela on Friday evening.
“The sign of a good team is whether they can win away from home and although it was easier in the First Division we won all our away matches which is difficult in the Currie Cup Premier Division,” Stonehouse said.
“Our first aim is to get the bonus point when we are playing away. Obviously you go for the victory – but you hope things stick and come away with a win.”
Xerox Golden Lions keep EP Kings at bay
The Golden Lions got their Currie Cup rugby title bid back on track when they scored a bonus-point win in overcoming a courageous Eastern Province Kings outfit 41-22 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday night.
With Ruan Combrinck in outstanding form with the boot, slotting all seven of his kicks at goal with five conversions and two penalties, the Lions will be satisfied to come away from Port Elizabeth with five points.
EP Kings (19) 22 / 41 (21) Golden Lions (Final Score)
The Eastern Province Kings and Xerox Golden Lions did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division at
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Blue Bulls (0) 18 / 23 (3) WP (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls and DHL Western Province did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Renaldo Bothma
The Pumas defeated defending Currie Cup champions, the Sharks, 32-22 (half-time 18-9) at Mbombela Stadium on Friday night.
The hosts used their majority possession to score a four-try bonus point victory to move to the second place on the Currie Cup log.
Playing an exciting brand of rugby, the Lowveld-based side demonstrated how to win with an expansive mindset.
The Sharks initially did well to soak up the pressure from a probing Pumas attack by exiting well from their own half using flyhalf Fred Zeilinga’s clearance kicking to great effect.