The Vodacom Bulls and Toyota Cheetahs scored historic wins in New Zealand, while a nail-biting win by the DHL Stormers resulted in a clean sweep of South African teams over their New Zealand counterparts in an exciting fourth round of Vodacom Super Rugby.
FEATURING: VIDEO HIGHLITES OF ALL 4 GAMES!!
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In Auckland, on a sunny Sunday afternoon the visiting Vodacom Bulls shocked the previously undefeated Blues team with a great mix of attacking rugby, accurate tactical kicking and some very physical line-out drives to claim their first ever win at Eden Park (28-21).
The Bulls, who remain unbeaten after three matches came inches from scoring a bonus point try, while a late try by Rene Ranger gave the hosts a losing bonus point.
Earlier during the weekend, on Saturday afternoon, the DHL Stormers got their first win of the season when they beat the defending Vodacom Super Rugby champions, the Chiefs, by 36-34 in Cape Town, despite “losing” the try-count by three to four.
It was the first time in almost four years that the DHL Stormers conceded four tries at home. The last time this happened, was on 3 May 2009, incidentally also against the Chiefs, but on that occasion the Capetonians lost 14-28.
The Cheetahs started the sweep early Saturday morning South African time, when the team from Central South Africa beat the Highlanders 36-17 after leading 30-7 at the break at Rugby Park.
The 17-point win margin was the Toyota Cheetahs’ biggest ever over a New Zealand team at any venue. They have only won seven from 35 clashes against Kiwi sides (26 defeats and two draws) and the previous biggest victory was by 28-12 on 6 March 2010 against the Hurricanes in Bloemfontein.
The last time South African teams recorded three wins on a single weekend against New Zealand sides, was on 24/25 April 2009, but all three wins were at home – the Toyota Cheetahs beat the Crusaders in Bloemfontein (20-13), the Vodacom Bulls beat the Chiefs in Pretoria (33-27) and the DHL Stormers beat the Highlanders in Cape Town (18-11).
It also happened on 16/17 February 2007, when the Sharks beat the Highlanders in Durban (23-16), the MTN Lions beat the Crusaders in Johannesburg (9-3) and the DHL Stormers beat the Chiefs in Cape Town (21-16).
The first and only other time the South African teams won home and abroad was on 13/14 April 2001. On that weekend, the MTN Lions beat the Blues in Whangarei (26-23), the Sharks beat the Chiefs in Taupo (24-8) and the DHL Stormers were too strong for the Crusaders in Cape Town (49-28).
In the only South African derby of the weekend, The Sharks had to work very hard to beat the Southern Kings by 21-12 on Saturday evening in Port Elizabeth. No tries were scored in this encounter, where both sides’ discipline let them down at stages. Pat Lambie scored all the visitors’ points with the boot.
Down Under, the Hurricanes, Reds and Brumbies recorded good victories over the weekend.
In Wellington, the Crusaders lost their second successive match as the Hurricanes beat them by 29-28 at Westpac Stadium on Friday, despite the visitors outscoring the home team by four tries to two.
Also on Friday, the Reds were too strong for the Rebels in Melbourne, winning by 23-13, while the impressive Brumbies crushed the Waratahs by 35-6 in Canberra on Saturday.
Highlanders (6) 19 / 36 (30) Toyota Cheetahs:
For 15 minutes late in the first half of their match against the Highlanders, the Toyota Cheetahs played the kind of rugby that has seen teams qualify for the playoffs in Vodacom Super Rugby.
The Toyota Cheetahs, with their pack magnificent, were sublime and scored three tries as they caused one of the biggest upsets of the season thus far by beating the men from Otago by 36-19 at Rugby Park in Invercargill.
Sarel Pretorius scored twice and Robert Ebersohn also crossed the tryline for the visitors as their Springbok flyhalf, Johan Goosen, kicked eight from eight for a personal haul of 21 points.
Although they conceded three tries, all of them scored by Kade Poki, the Toyota Cheetahs’ defensive effort was much better than in the last two weeks. The also played with pace, passion and patience, used their opportunities and let the Highlanders pay for any mistakes.
Pretorius’ first try, in the 20th minute, followed from a great run by the impressive Lappies Labuschagne down the left hand touchline, while his second came after an intercept in their half, with five minutes left in the first half.
Ebersohn scored in the 30th minute from a charged down kick which was referred to the Television Match Official, but he had no qualms with the Toyota Cheetah midfielder’s efforts and the try was awarded.
Those three tries had a negative effect on the home team. They tried in vain, but could not replicate the Highlanders’ fight back from 2012, when they triumphed 36-33 after the Toyota Cheetahs lead 30-9 at the break in Bloemfontein.
It was also the first time ever the Toyota Cheetahs, playing as a franchise, beat the Highlanders. It took them eight matches to break their Otago duck. It was also the Highlanders’ first defeat at Rugby Park since 2002 – almost 11 years.
Note: In 1997, Free State upset the Highlanders in Invercargill by 49-18, but that was in the days before franchises in South Africa.
Scorers:
Highlanders – Tries: Kade Poki (3). Conversions: Lima Sopoaga, Colin Slade.
Toyota Cheetahs – Tries: Sarel Pretorius (2), Robert Ebersohn. Conversions: Johan Goosen (3). Penalty goals: Goosen (5).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUGPwGdWO_E[/youtube]
DHL Stormers (26) 36 / 34 (17) Chiefs:
The DHL Stormers won their first match of the 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby season by 36-34, but it was a close call in an entertaining encounter at DHL Newlands against the defending champion Chiefs.
The home team lead 26-17 at the break and in the process, scored more points in the first 40 minutes of this match than they did in the 160 combined minutes of their first two games, against the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria and The Sharks in Durban.
The foundation for this victory was laid upfront, which is one area where the DHL Stormers struggled in Pretoria and Durban. They disrupted the Chiefs’ lineout superbly, scrummed well and were very effective with their driving play.
The DHL Stormers started very well, with Gio Aplon going over from a superb inside pass by Elton Jantjies, in the seventh minute. The Chiefs hit back with two tries of their own, through Charlie Ngatai and Tim Nanai-Williams, and both from grubbers inside the home team’s 22.
But Aplon ended the first half as he started it with his second try two minutes before the break. With a bunch of penalty goals by both sides, the home team went into the break 26-17 ahead.
Nic Groom scored the DHL Stormers’ third try in the 50th minute and Joe Pietersen’s conversion put them ahead by 33-20. The Chiefs, who were shown two yellow cards during the match, fought hard to get back into the match and although they scored two more tries, by Ngatai and Andrew Horrell, their discipline was what cost them ultimately.
Pietersen kicked five penalty goals and converted all three of the DHL Stormers’ tries for a personal haul of 21 points. He did not miss one kick at goal during the match.
The kicking boot of Pietersen proved to be the difference in the end – his opposite number, Gareth Anscombe, missed one penalty kick – and the DHL Stormers finally have a tick in the column for victories.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers – Tries: Gio Aplon (2), Nic Groom. Conversions: Joe Pietersen (3). Penalty goals: Pietersen (5).
Chiefs – Tries: Charlie Ngatai (2), Tim Nanai-Williams, Andrew Horrell. Conversions: Gareth Anscombe (4). Penalty goals: Anscombe (2).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk3cZXoNfM0[/youtube]
Southern Kings (3) 12 / 21 (12) The Sharks:
The Sharks had to work very hard to beat the Southern Kings by 21-12 in front of a full house of 42,000 fans at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday evening, as Springbok flyhalf Pat Lambie recorded all of this team’s points for the second successive week.
Lambie was successful with six penalty goals and one dropped goal, while his counterpart from the Kings, Demetri Catrakilis, slotted all four of his attempts at goal.
The six kickable penalties conceded by the Kings probably indicated their biggest problem on the night – discipline. It’s true that both sides were penalised heavily during the match, but it happened more within range for The Sharks and they duly made the score board tick over each time Lambie got the opportunity to aim at goal.
The home team especially struggled at scrum time and conceded a heap of penalties in this facet. Unlike their problematic discipline, the Kings’ defence was superb and held firm for 80 minutes under numerous onslaughts from the runners up from 2012.
But the KwaZulu-Natalians were probably a bit too lateral on attack and although they created a few try-scoring opportunities, they were kept out by brilliant defence by the Kings.
Scorers:
Southern Kings – Penalty goals: Demetri Catrakilis (4).
The Sharks – Penalty goals: Pat Lambie (6). Drop goal: Lambie.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prTlyZC69GY[/youtube]
Blues (6) 21 / 28 (15) Vodacom Bulls:
A very strong first half laid the foundation to this first ever Vodacom Bulls win at Eden Park on Sunday. The visitors scored two very well-worked tries in this session and had the Blues at sixes and sevens with their accurate tactical kicking and driving mauls. The backline also attacked with zest when the opportunity arose.
The Blues did well in coming back into the match in the second half, but that effort took too much out of them and they faded away in the closing spell.
The Blues took the early lead with a penalty by flyhalf Baden Kerr, but Mornè Steyn soon levelled matters with a penalty of his own.
Kerr then hooked a penalty attempt before slotting another soon after to give his side the lead for the second time, but the next quarter belonged to the Bulls.
First Lionel Mapoe rounded off a great movement by his inside backs and when the Blues dropped another tactical bomb soon after, Akona Ndungane stepped inside his man to round off a very convincing half for the Bulls, playing in their alternate pink strip.
The Blues came out firing in the second half and raced back into the lead following a penalty by Kerr and a converted try by Charles Piutua.
The Bulls responded magnificently and after some impressive play by their pack, Arno Botha exploited some space to score his first of the year. Steyn, who fluffed his lines twice in the first half, kicked the conversion and another penalty to ease the Bulls back into a defendable lead.
A late run by Ranger had the Blues within four with as many minutes to play, but Steyn kicked another penalty on the buzzer to have his team’s hands in the air and that of the Blues on their knees.
Scorers:
Blues – Tries: Charles Piutau, Rene Ranger. Conversion: Baden Kerr. Penalties: Kerr (3) Vodacom Bulls – Tries: Lionel Mapoe, Akona Ndungane, Arno Botha. Conversions: Mornè Steyn (2). Penalties: Steyn (3).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCYua668NDw[/youtube]
Other results – Round 4:
Hurricanes 29 / 28 Crusaders (Wellington)
Reds 23 / 13 Rebels (Brisbane)
Brumbies 35 / 6 Waratahs (Canberra)
A better weekend for South African sides we could not have asked for!
4 South African wins out of the 5 teams which played, with the 5th team (Kings) having played a fellow SA side coming out of the match with a lot of credit.
All 3 SA wins to overseas sides were against New Zealand sides, with the Stormers beating the defending champs, the Cheetahs destrying the Highlanders and the Bulls completing the hat trick or New Zealand whitewash against the previously high flying Blues.
This was a victory of Structure and defence over razzle-dazzle and flinging the ball around nilly willy.
What was great in all 3 those matches was how well the SA Forwards dominated the New Zealand forwards and how much better the SA defence worked and combined to get success.
To those saying that New Zealand was miles ahead in the game of rugby and in the way they play the game, think again… SA smashed that myth to smitherines.
… and if South African sides can cut out even a bit more of their needless kicking, watch out, because then you will really be put to the sword!
The Brumbies, sporting a South African as coach, also looked bloody good!
The Crusaders new game plan seems to be not functioning as well as they hoped… and must be considered a “Work in progress”. I hope it does not suddenly gel against the Bulls coming weekend.
The Waratahs looked absolutely clueless and the Rebels looked like rubble!
The 2 dour Six Nations matches already played looked like absolute twaddle compared to the rugby played in the Super Rugby competition!
Must say, it is a well-written Article this one… spot on by the writer in his summation of the games.
Morning GBS,
I gladly take my humble pie, thought the Bulls would be under the cosh, but they stood proud, and as a result my blossoming Superbru surge suffered, but I anm hardly dissappointed.
Two away wins over the kiwi’s, plus another one at home makes for good reading. More pleaseing is that the Blues, and Chiefs were the pride of NZ thusfar this season. If we take away the “bye points” then the Crusaders and Waratahs are even further down. That would put 4 SA teams in the top 10!
waratahs look vulnerable, and so do the Rebels, so Cheetahs could still, if they stay focussed come back with between 12 – 14 points.
Bulls have 4 in the bag, and some tough matches to go, but can also come back with a good haul.
5 @ Cheetah4eva:
I was quite surprised by the Bulls myself… and elated, of course
Even more surprising was the Stormers playing with purpose against the Chiefs, and the Sharks being really dour against the Kings.
The Sharks will hace to step up a few gears against Jake the Snake’s Brumbies
7 @ Cheetah4eva:
Interesting thing about the Brumbies…
When the Bulls get to play them in 3 weeks time, the Bulls would already have been in Australia for a week (having played the Reds) whereas the Brumbies would just have returned from SA, thus having had the arduous West to East trek accross the oceans… so home advantage will be watered down by the travel factor and time zone changes.
@ grootblousmile:
True that! I hope the Bulls can pull it off, as the Brumbies have become very consistent indeed. They have hardly conceded any second half points this season.
Some of the young loosies are really turning up the heat. lappies, vd Walt, Arno Botha, and even Spies has upped his game considerably.
Heyneke will have plenty of options come RC time.
Fetchers: Stegmann, Brüssow. 7 flanks Arno Botha, Marcel Coetzee, Elstadt, Potgieter, and Alberts
8’s Spies, Vermeulen and vd Walt, with that Engelbrecht from Kings also playing well
8 @ grootblousmile:
Bulls have a very good chance to beat the Brumbies as they will be settled and Brumbies just arrive back after the travel. Like you say the travel that way is really takes it out of you.
11 @ Puma:
Congrats on your team’s win yesterday… but hell it was ugly, ugly, ugly!
I think the Sharks approached the game completely wrong. They dominated possession and territory by far but they were very predictable on attack, making it easier for the Kings to defend.
A win is a win nonetheless and the SHarks, Bulls and Brumbies are still unbeaten this year.
This coming weekend though, one of the Sharks or the Brumbies will lose (playing each other)…. and the Bulls face the Saders who will be desperate for a win. Might be that after the weekend we will only have 1 undefeated side in the Comp.
Nobody gave the Bulls a chance at the beginning of the season and nobody gave them a chance against the Blues… so I’m still happy.
7 @ Cheetah4eva:
Don’t really take too much notice of that game mate. I called it here during the week if you remember, said Sharks always play terrible against a weaker side, they seem to always do that somehow. I had said Sharks would only win by 7 or 10 and I was right. I was not surprised at all but yes disappointed again by our showing against a weaker side. Also it was a bit of the unknown, sure we saw them play the Force, but still that was not enough to go on really. The most important thing is we won and come away with 4 points. Last year this time we only had one win out of 3. Had 7 points to our 12 now. Sharks will get better so don’t worry about us we start slow always and never play that well at the start.
Sharks are missing quite a few players as well that will come back. Our biggest loss so far is Bissie and for some that might not think so is Keegan. Keegan adds a very different dimension to our loose trio and we miss his captaincy right now too.
My only concern is we still have to play in the humidity which is a bloody nuisance. Humidity never allows us to play really well either. Last year we travelled early which was better as it got us away from the humidity and we played in the better weather in NZ that you get this time of year. This year we will be there when there weather will be more rain and cold. So hoping we travel well.
For now we better than last year, might be playing better but we are 3 from 3. I will take that. Just have to up our game for the Brumbies. If we lose Deysel we in a bit of trouble though. We then without a big ball carrier and also Deysel is quite good on the deck.
12 @ grootblousmile:
Well I told you we would not beat them by much. Typical Sharks always struggle against a weaker side. Just the way it is. I expected it. For now will take the win any day of the week. Also Jaftha was really terrible. NOT the reason we never played well, but he messed us about with our scrums. He should be pulled up about that really. NOT good enough if he continues reffing like that. And I used to rate him highly and always wanted him after 2011 to be reffing Super Rugby. Doubt he is ready yet made far too many mistakes last night.
Anyhow your Bulls were brilliant this morning. Was pumping my fists in the air for them. Felt that great the way they played and beat the Blues. Felt just as great for the Stormers last night beating the Chiefs and especially the way they played as well. For now it seems Sharks have caught the playing bug from last year of the Stormers…………… 😯 ……….. hahaha. Ag, we will come right we also waiting on some big players to come back from injury.
Don’t want to be a turd in a punch bowl but the conference system have created a somewhere “un-patriotic” scenario. That is due to the conference system the only way your supported team will advance up the log is if another South African or whatever country your from team lose. What Australian or New Zealand teams do and their log position have what so ever no importance to us. We are in competition with each other for 2 spots and Kiwi and Australian teams beating your local rivals is the only way to get there. Sooooo…….
15 @ Bliksem:
Well I can tell you, this system will NEVER EVER break my spirit from supporting my fellow South African teams against the overseas team. I will NEVER do that ever ever support a overseas team against a saffa team. So there are, some of us are around .. you see!
15 @ Bliksem:
Well I can tell you, this system will NEVER EVER break my spirit from supporting my fellow South African teams against the overseas team. I will NEVER support a overseas team against a saffa team. So there are, some of us are around .. you see!
12 @ grootblousmile:
Another reason I think Bulls could beat the Brumbies is that they play two very physical saffa teams before they have to travel back to Australia. So it won’t just be the travel, they will be very tired after facing Sharks one week and the Stormers the next. Then travel and have to face the Bulls? Jeepers no they not going to beat the Bulls, that is if the Bulls play like today.
So you see we work as brother’s in arms here……. we send them back for Bulls totally shattered…..
Bulls have the best chance to top our conference. I think the Saders are there for the taking as well. Though like I have said many times, if the Bulls travel late they still have that extra with the Altitude training in their lungs. I know the commentators said they were tired, but that was nonsense I never saw them getting tired they played great until the very last minute. Altitude training can carry you like that as well (talking stamina here not the rugby played), as when you play at sea level a few days after leaving altitude you feel stronger. If I rmember everyone wrote Bulls off think it was in 2010 when they travelled to play in NZ and I said Bulls will win their first game but lose their 2nd I was right. Think it was 2010 you won your first and lost the the lowly Landers at the time. Then went on to win another in Oz. Though Bulls will be pumped after beating the Blues and really think they have a good chance to beat the Saders. Good luck to them hope they do.
Next week the altitude training the Bulls still had for the Blues game will just about be gone. You don’t keep that for long. A week or a bit then it is gone. The reason too I think the Bulls go late when they go to NZ. NOT only the jet lag it is keeping their altitude training for that first game.
@ Puma:
Who do you support Puma?
@ Puma:
Nothing wrong with the Sharks attack. Sharks were just unfortunate to get Kaplan and Japhta after each other. No tries or low scoring games is no one but referees fault due to his inability to take control of the break down. Peyper seem to wise up to Kiwi tactics and defenses look ordinary when referees take control and we get quick ball. Kiwi’s have developed a method with their tackling making sure they fall on wrong side accidently slowing up the ball. The game against England the refereed nailed them for it. Testing the boundaries and see what they can get away with cost them 15 points. When they adhere to the referees strict breakdown interpretation we saw 6 tries being scored and both defenses looked ordinary.
20 @ Bliksem:
Sharks
21 @ Bliksem:
Yip my Sharks will come right. I expected them not to win by much in this game. I could be the only one that expected it, but said it here during the week. So I am not suprised. The main thing we came out of this game with a win. Yip Kaplan and Jaftha not great. Jaftha was worse I think, he got it wrong with the scrums also with other calls. Just pleased Sharks won. This week will be tough for my team if we lose Deysel. We don’t have Alberts and we will lose a big ball carrier also Deysel has been really good in the breakdowns getting us some good ball there. He will be missed huge if he can’t play.
19 @ Puma:
There’s a few reasons why the Bulls always travel late…
Frans Ludeke spoke to us about it last Saturday night.
Firstly it is to reduce the lenght of the tour
Secondly like you say to have the time zones beaten to a large extent
Thirdly to have the altitude factor still in the lungs
This year however, teams HAVE TO travel at least 5 days before the match, the COMPETITION RULES state so. Bulls were lucky that the game was on Sunday, gave them a day extra to recover from the previous game and they could still train twice here in Pretoria before travelling.
Bulls have now won 6 from 7 of their first games on tour in the last 7 tours.
Very chuffed and surprised to see the Bools won this morning in NZ. As many have said it was a great weekend for SA rugby. It’s unfortunately not often that we manage to route the kiwis and it’s something to be savoured. I too, like the oompie, will always support a saffer team against overseas teams.
If you adopt the view as Bliksem does of only focusing on your conference, you miss the bigger picture. It remains crucial to finish top of the overall log so you need your anzac rivals to also suffer defeats. So a balanced approach is called for – always cheer for your team and then for the saffer teams to beat the strong overseas opposition and to lose against the weak opposition.
However for someone like me, my main goal is to have a saffer team win the cup and so while I hope that team will be the Stormpoppies, if they are in not contention I would switch to the saffer team with the best chance to lift the cup. My ideal scenario would be to see 4 saffer teams in the play offs – positions 1,4,5 and 6. With the conference system of course it’s not possible to have teams from the same country fill all the positions 1,2 and 3. Four teams in the play off would be highly unlikely though so the best that can realistically be hoped for is saffer teams in position 1,4 and 5. I also hate to see a saffer team finish last in the table.
24 @ grootblousmile:
Bulls get it right for their first game when travelling. Well most of the time. Yes I did take notice the game was on Sunday and Bulls had that extra day to prepair. Also I put my picks in before they announce the teams then saw Blues changed 6 players. Just had a very good feeling Bulls would win this game. Anyhow even if the Blues never changed the players the way the Bulls played they would still have won. They were just so physical and played a terrific game of rugby. I only watched the 2nd half but really enjoyed it. Was worth it getting up early.
Well I had no idea teams had to travel 5 days before the game. Think most would anyhow as it makes sense for most of us. I don’t buy this you travel late and you don’t suffer jet lag, you do as I know I do. Where the Bulls score is they keep their altitude conditioning for the first game.
Anyhow good luck to Bulls for next week I think they could beat the Saders. Brumbies will be tired to face the Bulls and Bulls have a good chance to beat Brumbies too. For that matter the Reds too they not as good as they were two years back. Brumbies are the best team in Oz.
@ Puma:
Forget About scrum infringements. There is about what 10 of them in a game. Which at most can get a team 15 points if you get a referee who likes to guess a bit.
But the break down there are around 130 rucks and mauls a game which means 130 times 7 points maybe up for grabs. Take it most tries are being scored on 2nd and third phase ball that will make it between 60 and 40 opportunities to get a 7 pointer. Now it happens 0 times in a game so you tell me why? If the ball keeps coming out slow then there is something wrong. Wise words from Andre Watson. Look at what quick ball do. 2000 Australia vs NZ and 2000 SA vs NZ Chiefs vs Lions at Ellis Park
@ The_Young_Turk:
Why you say its my view. You are now assuming I am supporting the Kiwi and Aussie teams which is a insults. I would rather bang my sister than do that. I was just showing the reality of the situation and what the conference system have done. Basically a Kiwi team beating a Kiwi team have become irrelevant as what your fellow conference teams does is relevant as them keep on winning will not get you above them.
@ Bliksem:
Sorry, got that impression from your post. Apologise now that you’ve clarified. It’s just comments on an internet board you know. It’s difficult to understand the full intention from a brief comment.
@ Bliksem:
As far as the strategy of who to pick in order to favour your team, I was mainly trying to point out that it’s more nuanced than just hoping your conference opponents always lose. The situation of the log and position of the teams will affect what would be the best situation for your team.
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