World Cup
Highlanders (22) 39 / Lions (17) 29 (final score)
The Highlanders hosted the Lions at the House of Pain, Dunedin at 08:35 on Friday morning. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Highlanders won 39 / 29 with both sides earning a bonus point for tries scored.
So the Sharks want Butch James back at all costs. Why, you have to ask yourself.
Here are the Teams announced to play in the 6 Super 14 games for the weekend.
OK, GBS is busy, so it gives me a chance to entertain you with MY version of what I believe will happen this weekend. My team isn’t playing, so I do not stand a chance of seeming over-confident or arrogant, so let’s look at what’s on in Super 14 Round 7.
For the last 18 months South Africans had to listen to boredom about the ‘boring rugby’ they play, but Super rugby statistics at the half-way stage of the competition suggests it is in fact the Antipodean teams that does most of the playing, WITHOUT the ball. Continue reading
The Highlanders may be a team that the Lions have targeted for a Super 14 victory, but the reality is that the New Zealanders will be looking at Friday’s match in Dunedin as an opportunity to pick up five log points.
Bulls star scrumhalf, Fourie du Preez gave the coaching staff and players of the Bulls quite a scare on the eve of their Australasian Tour, twisting an ankle in practise on Tuesday.
The Vodacom Cheetahs will take on the Reds this Friday, 26 of March at Vodacom Park, kick-off 19:10.
This will also be the last for the Vodacom Cheetahs before they leave on Saturday, 27 March for the tough part of the Vodacom Super 14 competition in Australasia. The next home game will be against the Blues on the 1st of May.
Allister Coetzee, head coach of the Vodacom Stormers, today announced his touring squad of 26 players. The Vodacom Stormers depart for Australia on 29 March and play the Force in Perth on 2 April, the Blues in Auckland on 10 April, the Chiefs in Hamilton on 16 April and finally the Reds in Brisbane on 23 April. Continue reading
Courtesy of Onerb:
As supporters we must often be reminded that our teams have weaknesses, some we recognise and others we will not readily accept although they are crystal clear.
Today I am not going to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Bulls. I’m merely correlating the view that the Cheetahs have the Sharks number on any other day with the FACT that the Bulls struggle against the Force.
The Western Force remain winless after six rounds but skipper Nathan Sharpe believes the Super 14 team has turned the corner and will give the unbeaten Bulls a run for their money on Saturday night.
STORMERS coach Allister Coetzee says that his team are “just starting on Polly Shortts” on their marathon journey to the Super 14 title, and that the Bulls are still the leaders of the race.
An interesting weekend of super rugby, even though it probably caused premature cardiac arrest in a number of Northern households. Even though the Bulls did little to inspire any of their supporters on the night, it got me thinking, what went wrong? Where is this supposed Total Rugby, that the Bulls are allegedly the only disciples of?
Bloemfontein – The Cheetahs’ Super 14 defeat against the Stormers just got worse – with star players Lionel Mapoe and Frans Viljoen both crocked at Newlands.
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Former All Blacks No 8 Murray Mexted has questioned the Hurricanes’ tactical nous and says they must get back to some old-fashioned basics to get their Super 14 season back on track.
I said it numerous times this season. Either someone is reading my posts or see it the way I see it. The Bulls are aiming to emulate the 7 times champions, the Crusaders. Mark Hinton from the Sunday Star Times in New Zealand wrote the following article.
Having had a bit of leisure time and having studied the Recording of the Bulls vs Hurricanes match here are my impressions of the match.
The Bulls won a very close encounter, by 19 / 18, scoring one try and conceding 2 tries.
The Vodacom Bulls will create history if they qualify for the Vodacom Super 14 semifinals and finals this year by playing the crucial matches in Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Stormers (13) 21 / Cheetahs (5) 8 (final score)
The Stormers hosted the Cheetahs at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Stormers won this difficult encounter 21 / 8, but it comes at a cost, there are injuries both sides.
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Force (10) 10 / Waratahs (8) 14 (final score)
The Force hosted the Waratahs at the ME Stadium, Perth at 13:10 SaA Time today. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Waratahs won by 14 / 10.
I asked our fellow blogger, Onerb, to do a piece for us, here it is.
(PS! Onerb, jy mag maar skrywe, welgedaan!)
Highlanders (6) 16 / Sharks (10) 30 (final score)
The Highlanders hosted the Sharks at Carisbrook, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time on Saturday 20 March 2010. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast op SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Sharks won a hard and somewhat scrappy game by 30 / 16, scoring 3 tries and conceding 1 try.
The Sharks finally have their 1st elusive win after 6 games!
Crusaders (22) 46 / Lions (16) 19 (final score)
The Crusaders hosted the Lions at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 06:30 SA Time on Saturday 20 March 2010. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The Game was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Crusaders won 46 / 19 but had to work hard with their 2nd stringers to achieve the win.
Bulls (10) 19 / Hurricanes (15) 18 (final score)
The Bulls hosted the Hurricanes at Loftus, Pretoria at 19:10 on Friday night, SA Time. This is the match Thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Bulls slowly ground out an ugly win by 1 point, 19 / 18 and stay top of the Log, now with 24 Log Points!
Option taking by the Bulls were slow and ponderous but they know how to be patient and it showed!
Blues (10) 39 vs Brumbies (16) 34 (final score)
The Blues hosted the Brumbies at Eden Park, Auckland at 08:35 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Blues won a very exciting match 39 / 34, scoring 5 tries to 3 in the process and earning a full 5 Log points. The Brumbies earned only 1 Log point.
Christo Buchner
A new captain and fullback are among the moves the Sharks have made in a desperate bid to get their first victory in this year’s Super 14.
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We have 6 games to look forward to this weekend, namely:
| 19 | Blues | v | Brumbies | Auckland | 08:35 |
| 19 | Vodacom Bulls | v | Hurricanes | Loftus Versfeld | 19:10 |
| 20 | Crusaders | v | Auto & General Lions | Christchurch | 06:30 |
| 20 | Highlanders | v | The Sharks | Dunedin | 08:35 |
| 20 | Western Force | v | Waratahs | Perth | 13:10 |
| 20 | Vodacom Stormers | v | Vodacom Cheetahs | Newlands Rugby Stadium | 17:05 |
Springbok flanker Wikus Van Heerden is set to play for the Lions for the rest of the S14. Continue reading
This is not a bad Sharks team although one can question a few obtions taken by Plumtree, the biggest being the choice of captain? surely after the successes Stefan Terblanche has had last season as capt should have counted in his favour? Continue reading
When two South African Super 14 teams clash there will be a war of words. It happened from the isolation years and i am sure that it will never stop. On the Cheetahs website i found this , it is in Afrikaans and there is also a link to the interview.
Lionel Mapoe may soon be on his way to the Blue Bulls due to a salary dispute with the Free State Rugby Union (FSRU).
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Here are the Teams announced thus far for the weekend’s clashes, we will update this thread as more teams are made known. The contents herof can also be found under Teams – Super 14- Round 6 just below the header graphics.
Allister Coetzee, coach of the Vodacom Stormers, on Wednesday announced his team to play the Vodacom Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday 20 March. Continue reading
Bulls scrumhalf, Fourie du Preez, on Wednesday extended his contract with the union till the conclusion of the Super 15 competition in 2011.
Wiehahn Herbst has been flown to New Zealand to join the Sharks After it was confirmed that Deon Carstens will play no further part on tour.