Following the completion of Round 18 of the Super Rugby regular season, the confirmed fixtures for the 2011 Super Rugby Finals Series Qualifiers are:
Date: Friday 24 June 2011
Teams: Blues (4th) vs Waratahs (5th)
Date: Saturday 25 June 2011
Teams: Crusaders (3rd – NZ Conference winners) vs Sharks (6th)
Date: Friday 24 June 2011
Teams: Blues (4th) vs Waratahs (5th)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-Off: 19h35
Date: Saturday 25 June 2011
Teams: Crusaders (3rd – NZ Conference winners) vs Sharks (6th)
Venue: Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Kick-Off: 19h35
Although the Waratahs and Sharks finished the regular season with the same amount of points (57) and victories (10), the Waratahs were placed fifth due to their superior points for and against differential.
The Crusaders vs Sharks takes place on Saturday as the Sharks must travel from South Africa.
The winners of the Super Rugby Qualifiers will advance to the Semi-Finals, where they will face either the Australian Conference winnners, the Reds or South African Conference winners, the Stormers who have a bye this coming weekend after finishing first and second respectively in the overall standings.
In the semi-finals, the Reds will host the lowest-ranked Qualifier in Brisbane on Saturday 2 July at 19h40, whilst the Stormers will host the highest ranked qualifier in Cape Town, also on Saturday 2 July at 17h05.
The Waratahs have suffered soooo many injuries – I’ve switched off my phone, just in case Chris Hickey gets so desperate he has to sink to recruiting burnt out old wingers for the semi final (although, I might just check the voicemail every few days, just in case?)
so die crusaders behoort dan teen die stormers in die semi te speel
Sharks only leaving Tuesday night for kiwiland. We had the option of leaving straight from Joburg tonight, but opted to leave on Tuesday night.
Not sure if that is a good thing or not. I feel we should have left tonight to give ourselves more time to get over the jetlag.
GO SHARKS. 😎
@ Puma:
The Sharks did it perfectly right, they watched the Bulls way and it worked for us so many times. Hope the road to success the Bulls paved wont be wasted by the 2 flag bearers left for SA.
@ superBul:4 – Super,
With Bulls leaving to travel late for overseas, it made perfect sense. That way they kept their altitude conditioing. You can only keep the altitude conditioning for about 2 weeks max maybe less. So they have more lung power and leg power than the other team by doing that, in their first game.
We a COASTAL team, we don’t come with altitude conditioning. Sharks therefore should have travelled tonight. Better then getting there early. Anyhow they going on Tuesday night arrive in kiwiland their time Wednesday night. That leaves us very little time to prepare over there. Only two days.
Bulls made us proud Super. Very proud. BUT they never won a semi overseas. That they always done here on saffa shores. This is different for Sharks and much harder. We have to play a play off first then a semi and if we make that a final. Gonna be very difficult.
Stormers I feel will make a home final. They will beat whoever they play in the semi. If it is Blues/Saders or Tahs. Then they will have to travel to Oz to play Reds.
So I am hoping we can beat Saders and beat the Reds and it is a all saffa final again…. 🙂 🙂 🙂 The dream lives on. Well for this week while Sharks are still in it. We in for a hard long fight over there.
We also have a kiwi ref?????
@ Puma:conditioing = conditioning.
@ Puma:Meant Stormers will make the final. Not sure about a home final. Unless the Reds get beat.
Op hierdie heerlike Maandag oggend wil ek net se ek het die naweek se RUGBY geniet. Die laaste wedstryd van die naweek was soos poeding. Ek het maar net geweet die Cheetahs sal deur daardie soliede verdediging van die Stormers kom. Die SA span wat by vere die mooiste driee gedruk het die jaar moes net. Die Stormers het self n paar mooi driee gedruk. Baie geluk aan hulle dat hulle vir hul n tuis semi en afnaweek los gespeel het.
Die Sharks het ek deurentyd gedurende die wedstryd gese is meer akuraat as die Bulle. Soos een Bul ondersteuner op die Bulls blog gese het , die seisoen sal hy onthou as die seisoen van “knocks” Dit was toe ook weer so in Saterdag se game, met die doelyn wat wink slaan ons aan nie een keer nie maar twee keer. Die Sharks het hierdie wen verdien en ek wens hulle kan die heel pad gaan. Dit sal die moeilikste pad moontlik wees maar met spel soos Saterdag is dit tog moontlik.
Daar het n stilte op Loftus neergedaal en hopelik sal die ander ervare Bulle nie te groot skok vang as hulle uitdraf sonder die name van Victor, Danie, Bakkies, FduP en GS in die 22 tal nie. Daar is genoeg ander spelers met 30+ superwedstryde agter die rug. Nuwe idees is nodig en hopelik kry ons n “eddie jones” byvoeging by om ons bietjie skerper spel laat speel.
Die ou met die laser is toe nie n Bul ondersteuner nie maar is geplant 😯 Nee hy is regtig nie nodig in enige samelewing nie. Die sleg maak van alle Bul ondersteuners is vir my net so ongevraagd as daardie simpel laser straal foefie. Om alle mense onder een kam te skeer waneer so iets gebeur toon ook maar net jou eie onvolwassenheid. Jou lae hou. So is dit dus nie vir my snaaks dat oud mede bloggers nou die geleentheid gebruik om “cheap shots” op die Bul ondersteuners te gooi nie. Hulle raak nou van hul frustrasies op verskeie blogs en die media kwyt. IN KORT DIT WAS DOM , Simpel en ongevraagd om met n laserstraal te skyn op Lambie.
Hi Super,
The danger in seeing all things associated with “your own” as only good and everything not associated with “your own” as only bad, can not only lead an individual to shine a lazer in the eyes of opposition but will also on occasion compel supposedly more reasonable fans, to defend the indefensible.
And so I’m pleased that you did not try and defend the lazer crazy Bulls fan, Super. That fool’s behaviour never did make all Bulls supporters bad in my opinion simply because I do not see the minority being representative of the majority.
The flak all Bulls supporters are now getting as a result of the lazer incident will be from those who believe “their own” is always good and those not “their own” always bad. Simply ignore them.
After all, elke huis het sy kruis..
fender @ 9
agree … you should see the kind of comments posted on other sites!!
hey gbs
i see you!!
just three things:
1. hope you enjoyed the wedding?
2. did you watch the game afterwards?
3. how did that paintball shooting of a few weeks back go? did the laaities kick your asses cause i didnt see you comment on that again!!
Good morning fellas!
Well done to the teams through to the play-off’s, a special congratulations to the Sharks who beat the Bulls at Loftus!
Now there is only 6 left…. and my beloved Bulls are not amongst those anymore, just ONE game too many lost in the early rounds.
I said weeks and weeks ago in an Arickle here on Rugby-Talk that it would take 56 to 58 Log points just to reach the Play-off’s… and it proved correct, 57 Log points was the cut-off mark.
The unfortunate team in 6th spot, the Sharks, now have a MASSIVE MOUNTAIN to climb, and it is highly unlikely they could take the eventual title.
At present form the Waratahs should or could beat the Blues this coming weekend….
The Reds are’nt what they were a few weeks ago anymore, they have markebly regressed in the last few weeks, so I see trouble for them in a semi.
My prediction for a Final… how’s about shocking all of you and predicting a Stormers / Waratahs Final at Newlands!
11@ Ashley:
Hello Asbakkie,
1. Wedding was fine, Parys is a freegin cold place.
2. No, have not watched the games yet, that WILL happen sometime today, from the PVR Recordings…. but I believe it was remarkable rugby all round?
3. Paintball was fun… I did comment on it… Let’s put it this way, the lighties have found a new respect for their elders… and proudly paraded the multitude of blue marks all over their bodies to all and sundry. I caught a beauty from one of the lads, Os, in the neck…. but luckily it left no marks.
@ Ashley:
i met him just after the paintball game, he took a few hits and trying to be young again had him nearly writing his knee off but hey this Cappie is stil a fit boykie. The other guys got off far worse. Well if not he can bloody well show no pain. In the 2 days i spend with him he was fit and strong.
I doubt he will talk much about the Bulls, he must feel he let them down, not being there. Hahahaha , just joking GBS.
Having PVR now gave me the opportunity to watch incidents in slow motion, over and over again. Well with the Bakkies penalty i can only say this our referees CAN not blow a game without preconceived ideas or opinions. That penalty was given ONLY because it was Bakkies. In one decision Bakkies was again highlighted and guess where will it bite us. In this years World Cup.
For years Schalk was blown up until he dyed his blond hair, that made it more difficult to see him and he could go on with his game , what can Bakkies do, absolutely nothing i feel. Hope that linesman can learn that Rugby is a tough game and stop pointing out meaningless incidents. I worry for my beloved game.
The Bulls had a year where we will remember the knock onns.
The Refs had a sh@t year.
Some many mistakes, so many games swung by poor decisions.
Watch the WC will end in controversy again.
I have to admit that Bakkies was unlucky with those first two penalties against him.
But hey, we saw a great game of rugby.
Morning all.
Good Rugger Saturday except for Baby Boks who were, quite frankly k@k.
Just decided DSTV is a large pile of smelly sh1t!
Kids bought me a drifta for Fathers day, and contrary to all the advertising there are great swathes of area in and around JHB where there is F ALL signal.
Can’t use the piece of sh1t at home or at the office.
DSTV’s reaction “They should have told you when you bought it. Take it back.”
It was activated at the DSTV shop FFS, couldn’t they check on their “coverage” (Or should that be “no coverage” map and told the wife, “sorry, but this isn’t going to work at your house address, where do you intend using it so that we can check if there’s a signal there?” Oh, and my office is less than 1 km from the farking DSTV shop, who just happen to have a signal.
You’ve all been warned, DSTV, Tugjob Merchants of Note IMO.
Time for a trip to “Hello Peter”.
super @ 14
that first penalty was stupid indeed … in fact, that was only the 1st of a lot of stupid mistakes made by the refs in that game!!
..
on the wc … whats so controversial in us defending our title successfully? 😀
@ biltongbek:
The handling cost us , wonder if Camphor Cream sponsors the Bulls. The knockonns could have made it a completely different game in my oppinion.
@ superBul:
Just before the end of the first half I was confirming to myself why I didn’t like Wynand Olivier, as I was about to make a comment on rugby-Talk about this guys inability to pass, he passed the ball and the Bulls scored.
I agree the handling cost the Bulls, but then again so did their lack of looking for the player in a better position to offload to.
That being said, it was a very good advertisment for SA rugby.
Just to give you guys an idea of what foreigners thought about the game between the Bulls and the sharks.
“Half time, 16 -13 to the Sharks in what I believe is the best S15 game this season. Full stadium and a full out game.
This is not being disrespectful because I live here, but why oh why are crowds so dire and the fans so dull in NZ? Hurricanes v Crusaders and the cake tin 1/4 full if we were lucky. Eden park is the same as is Hamilton. Looking at Aussie and SA the attendances as so much bigger.
I prefer seeing the NZ S15 playing in places like Timaru and Nelson…Whanagrei and Tauranga, New Plymouth and Napier, the fans come out for the guys and there is an atmosphere. NZ is only 4 million and if we are going to have apathy in the big venues take it to people who will appreciate the game.”
“Well an excellent game of rugby, got to love those Sharks!!!! Never took a step backwards, best Super 15s game I recon so far this season”
“Phew some game”
“Just to go back to the Bulls Vs Sharks game – this is why I enjoy watching the SA S15 games. Aus & NZ games have the attacking skill and flair but to me often lack a little in intensity, where as the HC has amazing intensity but not always the attacking flair but SA seems to be somewhere in the middle of the two and that’s why I really enjoy watching the games involving the Stormers, Sharks & Bulls so much. I even enjoy most of the commentators as well.”
These are actual qoutes from another rugby blog.
see the waratahs are struggling with some injuries
..
from rugby365
“Star hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has become the latest casualty.
Also adding to the Waratahs’ already extensive injury absentee list are five-eighth Daniel Halangahu (hamstring) and prop Al Baxter (head knock).”
..
so it seems like beale will be moving to flyhalf, which is a shame, because he’s been playing excellent rugby at 15.
rugby 365 (again)
“Ma’a Nonu could be heading to South African next year, according to his former mentor and current Sharks coach John Plumtree.”
@ Ashley:
Sharks toe lyk dit
Hulle is mos altyd anders, eerste met pro rugby, eerste met spelers invoer, eerstes wat spelers oral gebruik todat hulle skoon wegvlug uit “The Last Outpost” Weet die, daar is n rokie so daar is seker a vuurtjie.
Ons praat later weer… moet gou vir BonzaiHandbriekie dokter toe vat, arme kind se rug en arm is gekrok, sy kan bykans nie beweeg nie…. een of ander spasma in die rug, nek en arm.
Congrats to the Sharks and their supporters, was an awesome game and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!!!
Good luck to the Sharks and Stormers, hou ons naam hoog, julle het groot skoen om vol te staan!!!! 🙂
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