Original Contributions
How big is the role that bonus points play in rugby these days? Are teams and specifically SA teams scared of bonus points or impotent to get them?
Has the bonus point hurdle become to high for SA teams to get over, or are SA teams just coached wrong in terms of bonus points?
It was the penultimate Round of rugby in The Rugby Championship of 2013, with the South African Springboks playing the Australian Wallabies at Newlands, Cape Town and the Argentinian Pumas playing the New Zealand All Blacks in Argentina.
The Springboks comfortably beat the Wallabies by 28 / 8, however a 4th bonus point try just barely eveded them, whilst the All Blacks won away from home against the Pumas by 33 / 15, barely getting their 4th try in the dying seconds of the match.
The All Blacks are now 5 points clear on the Combined Log (23 points), the Springboks 2nd (18 points), followed at quite some distance by the Wallabies (4 points) and the Pumas (2 points).
The competion is now poised for two games next weekend, where the Springboks and All Blacks will contest for the Championship title, whilst the loser between the Pumas and Wallabies will receive the wooden spoon for 2013.
Here are 2 highlites videos of the matches played:
Pumas (9) 15 / 33 (11) All Blacks (Final Score)
The Argentinian Pumas and New Zealand All Blacks did battle in The Rugby Championship at Estadio Ciuda
de la Plata, La Plata, Argentina at 00:40 Sunday SA Time (19:40 ARG Time, 22:40 GMT, 11:40 Sunday NZ 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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Springboks (23) 28 / 8 (3) Wallabies (Final Score)
The South African Springboks and Australian Wallabies did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Newlands, Cape Town at 17:00 SA Time (15:0 GMT, 01:00 Sunday AEST).
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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Griquas (10) 10 / 52 (15) Blue Bulls (Final Score)
GWK Griquas and the Vodacom Blue Bulls did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
GWK Park, Kimberley at 14:00 SA Time (12:00 GMT).
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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Golden Lions (20) 25 / 31 (16) Sharks (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions and The Sharks did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
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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FS Cheetahs (17) 27 / 29 (13) WP (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and DHL Western Province did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
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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Golden Lions (13) 35 / 26 (7) Blue Bulls (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions and Vodacom Blue Bulls did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
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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Sharks (26) 50 / 26 (16) FS Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Sharks and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
Kings Park, Durban at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT).
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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WP (6) 19 / 13 (10) Griquas (Final Score)
DHL Western Province and GWK Griquas did battle in the 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, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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All this hand wringing and cries of foul because the French ref Romain Poite, in this past Saturday’s game, sunk South Africa’s chances of winning in Eden Park Auckland, since 1937 needs a rethink.
As fans whose emotions are fueled by the learned and very emotional commentators and animated in studio television presenters, we need to make a far more calculated observation on this, as South Africa is now playing at the highest level of international sports and all occasions and events need to be anticipated, rehearsed, with a number of options planned to give South Africa the advantage.
In what can surely only be described as a moment of madness Gloucester’s loose head prop Nick Wood looked down lifted his right leg and brought it down on former Bulls flanker Jacques Burger’s head as he lay prone at the bottom of a ruck. This meant Wood’s participation in Gloucester’s Premiership match away to Saracens on Saturday ended within a minute and a half of it starting as the referee quite rightly brandished the red card.
The build-up to this match was incredible, it was so hectic that it almost seemed like this was a World Cup final, or the last match before the end of the earth.
However, after just 15 minutes of play some fans wished for the end of the world to come.
Blue Bulls (6) 18 / 29 (20) WP (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls and DHL Western Province did battle in the 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, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Griquas (17) 24 / 25 (11) Sharks (Final Score)
GWK Griquas and the Sharks did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
GWK Park, Kimberley at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT).
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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All Blacks (17) 29 / 15 (10) Springboks (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks and South African Springboks did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).
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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Wallabies (14) 14 / 13 (3) Pumas (Final Score)
The Australian Wallabies and Argentinian Pumas did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Patersons Stadium, Perth, Australia at 12:05 SA Time (18:00 Perth Time, 07:05 Arg Time, 10:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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It is the uncertainty factor that produces the biggest satisfaction and enjoyment in sport. That uncertainty; brought about by not being sure whether you’ll be able to be victorious or not. That’s why as athletes and human beings we seek and thrive on competition. We find it in challenging ourselves to complete a marathon or to play against individuals or teams with higher rankings. That’s why as nations we play test matches and why even in test matches we want to compete against the very best.
It is sort of boring to play against a team that you know you are going to win. The uncertainty factor is absent and therefore also the real joy in the victory.
I’ve been living in NZ now for 12 years and for only the second time in 12-years there is a real uncertainty in Kiwi land about a test match against South Africa. The last time was in 2010 after the 2009 Springbok victory in Hamilton. The uncertainness in 2010 was not because it was felt that SA played good rugby but because there was uncertainness about the All Black team’s ability to handle the box kick and Matfield in the line-out.
FS Cheetahs (23) 26 / 23 (3) Golden Lions (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and MTN Golden Lions did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
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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As we enter Round 6 of the 2013 Currie Cup, WP is setting the pace at the top of the Log, with 16 Log points. The Griquas find themselves in last place with 8 Log points.
The Blue Bulls last week showed us that they are still a force in the competition, even having lost many players to Europe, injury and to the Springboks. It is stil a close nit affair as the difference between current leaders WP and 5th place Blue Bulls is only 6 Log points. So, a defeat for WP could see them fall down quite a few spots. The Griquas will also need to find winning ways soon, if they were to challenge for a semi final, a defeat this weekend could put this totally out of reach and probably see them end in last place.
In 6 games played this year in The Rugby Championship these teams have combined only managed to get 1 Log point. Here is a head to head breakdown of how the two teams compare.
These teams have met each other 19 times in the past, with the Wallabies winning 14 and the Puma’s winning 4 and only 1 draw. With the current form of these sides, a draw could not be a far fetched result in this case.
The Wallabies have scored a total of 493 against the Pumas compared to the Puma’s 287. This leaves a average score line of 26-15 in favour of the Wallabies.
Neither team has manged any wins this year, but the Pumas did manage a to get a bonus point against the Springboks in Mendoza.
The Pumas will be backing themselves for a win in Australia, coming off 2 good performances against the Springboks and All Blacks respectively.
Australia is playing their final home game in this year’s Rugby Championship before touring to South Africa and Argentina and at this stage a win is non negotiable for the Wallabies. They will attempt to trash the Pumas to earn back some respect from the Australian rugby public, as this is one their worst years in rugby history.
This is building up to be one of the classic clashes in the history of The Rugby Championship. Here is a head to head breakdown of how the two teams compare.
These teams have met each other 85 times in the past, with the All Blacks having won 48 of these encounters and the Springboks 35, only 3 draws have ever been recorded between these sides.
If history and statistics are to be believed, then it would seem that the All Blacks have the edge over the Springboks in this game, having scored a total of 1612 points against the Springboks while the Springboks have only scored 1313 points against the All Blacks. This is an average score of 19-15 in favour of the All Blacks.
The Springboks also have the highest success rate of all other teams against the All Blacks, by winning 40% of the encounters between these sides.
The largest winning margin by the All Blacks over the Springboks was 36 points and the largest winning margin by the Springboks was 17.
This however looks like the year of the BOK and if the Springboks can keep up to their form of late they could beat the All Blacks over the weekend. This is always as massive clash and the table is set for yet another massive clash.
The media is a buzz with content relating to how happy and positive the Springboks currently are, that there are no injury worries, that the Springboks are grounded and yet want to go up a step or two and continue to improve. Scribes from all over say the All Blacks are on edge and South African supporters seem to be favouring a win for the Springboks in New Zealand on the weekend.
The weather and possible game plan variations are being discussed at lenght, questions are asked whether the Springboks will continue to play more ball in hand rugby or whether this weekend will see a slight shift towards a more conservative approach.
The All Blacks say they will stick to their game plan and they will match the Springbok physicality.
Let’s face it though, it will be tough… it will be war, it will be hard as nails between the two best sides in the world.
Edenpark Rugby Club have recently moved from the Golden Lions provincial structures, to the Falcons in order to conform with the Provincial sports boundaries as set down by the Gauteng Provincial Government.
As a result of the red tape and hence late registration with the Falcons, Edenpark were not able to compete in the Falcons league structures, and had to make do with only a handfull of friendlies throughout the season.
The hype building up to this match was big and the result as well especially if you support the Springboks. They dominated from the word go and also built the lead from early on. The match started at a huge tempo and held that most of the match, giving fans a great match to watch. The scoring of the match started slow with the Springboks scoring a early try but the Wallabies stayed in touch with penalties.
The end result of 38 – 12 in favour of the Springboks and a bonus point to boot has moved the Springboks 1 Log point clear at the top of the Log, 1 point ahead of the All Blacks, who they will be facing next weekend.
The All Blacks managed a win as expected over the Pumas, but it was far from convincing. The weather played a big part here as it rained for about 70% of the match. This contributed to the large amount of handling errors and lack of running.
The end result of 28 – 13 for the All Blacks and no bonus points, favoured the Springboks more over this past weekend, as they now top the Log with 1 point more than the All Blacks. Argentina still find themselves in third place ahead of struggling Australia and with their next match in Australia will most probably back themselves for a win.
WP (15) 25 / 19 (0) Sharks (Final Score)
DHL Western Province and the Sharks did battle in the 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, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Blue Bulls (3) 26 / 10 (5) FS Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls and The Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the 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, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Griquas (19) 32 / 38 (17) Golden Lions (Final Score)
GWK Griquas and the MTN Golden Lions did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
GWK Park, Kimberley at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT).
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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It would seem Springbok fans don’t allow too much margin for error when it comes to rugby.
Are Springbok fans putting too much pressure on rugby players to perform at 150%, week in and week out.
Wallabies (6) 12 / 38 (16) Springboks (Final Score)
The Australian Wallabies and South African Springboks did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia at 12:05 SA Time (20:05 AEST, 10:05 GMT).
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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All Blacks (15) 28 / 13 (10) Pumas (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks and Argentinian Pumas did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 04:35 Arg Time, 07:35 GMT).
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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There was much annoyance among Springbok fans when it was announced not long before South Africa’s test match against Argentina in the Rugby Championship that the release of Bryan Habana was required by his new club Toulon. This increased even more when it came to light that five of the players in the current Springbok Squad for the Rugby Championship were being ‘released’ to go back to their clubs in France while the rest of the players would return for a break to South Africa.
Sharks (13) 34 / 18 (10) Blue Bulls (Final Score)
The Sharks and Vodacom Blue Bulls did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
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, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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FS Cheetahs (22) 40 / 20 (6) Griquas (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and GWK Griquas did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT).
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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