The Southern Kings won their first-ever match Down Under as the DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls returned to winning ways on an exciting Saturday of Vodacom Super Rugby action.
The Kings ended their Australasian tour in superb fashion, clinching a win in injury time against the Rebels in Melbourne (30-27). It meant the South African dominance over Australia’s newest franchise was extended to 11 matches.
sarugby
Back on home soil, the DHL Stormers’ pack was too good for The Sharks as the Capetonians won this tough derby by 22-15 at home, levelling things between them and the KwaZulu-Natalians at 10-10 after 20 Vodacom Super Rugby matches.
Both The Sharks and the DHL Stormers will leave on their tours Down Under in the next fortnight and will realise they need to improve if they are going to remain in the hunt for a place in the top six.
In Pretoria, the Vodacom Bulls ended the Toyota Cheetahs’ impressive five-match winning streak and ensured they remain unbeaten against the team from Central South Africa (26-20). Both these teams have already toured to Australasia and will be happy that they are still very much in the playoff race.
Down Under, it was a good weekend for the Australian teams that played against New Zealand opposition, with three wins from three matches.
The Brumbies were too good for the Highlanders on Friday in Dunedin (30-19). On Saturday, the Reds beat the Chiefs in Hamilton (31-23) before the Western Force caused a big upset in Perth when they beat the Crusaders (16-14).
Melbourne Rebels (17) 27 / 30 (17) Southern Kings:
An injury-time drop goal by Demetri Catarakilis saw the Southern Kings snatch their first-ever overseas win when they beat the Melbourne Rebels by 30-27 at AAMI Park on Saturday morning (SA time).
For a second successive week the Kings waited until injury time before landing a telling blow. Last week against the Brumbies, they drew 28-28 following a converted try, but this week the men from the Southern and Eastern Cape went one better, bagging their second win of the season thanks to their flyhalf’s heroics.
This was the Rebels’ 11th successive defeat against South African opposition as they remained winless against teams from the Republic.
The Kings rushed ahead 14-0 after only 14 minutes, with left-wing Ronnie Cooke and scrumhalf Shaun Venter scoring early tries, both converted by the impressive Catrakilis.
But the Rebels clawed their way back into the match and at the break, the scores were tied at 17-17 after it looked like the Kings took their foot off the pedal a bit.
Then the home team surged further ahead and with 25 minutes to go, they were firmly in control at 27-17. But these Kings don’t give up, as the Brumbies found out last week, and they fought back.
With the Rebels’ Jordy Reid in the sin bin, the Kings’ impressive loose forward Wimpie van der Walt scored his side’s third try from a rolling maul. Catrakilis converted and five minutes later, deep in injury time, the visitors’ flyhalf put over his first drop goal of the season.
Scorers:
Melbourne Rebels – Tries: Angus Roberts, Ged Robinson, Mitch Inman. Conversions: James O’Connor (3). Penalty goals: O’Connor (2).
Southern Kings – Tries: Ronnie Cooke, Shaun Venter, Wimpie van der Walt. Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis (3). Penalty goals: Catrakilis (2). Drop goal: Catrakilis.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWa4mJdbpAw[/youtube]
DHL Stormers (16) 22 / 15 (6) The Sharks:
The DHL Stormers grinded out their third win of the season when they beat The Sharks by 22-15 in a pulsating Vodacom Super Rugby match at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon.
On the score board, the difference between the two teams was a try by Springbok centre Juan de Jongh, in his 50th match at this level for the Capetonians, after a sublime touch by his midfield partner Jean de Villiers late in the first half.
But the DHL Stormers’ error count was also much lower than that of The Sharks, who probably created more try-scoring opportunities, only to be kept out through good defence by the home team, as well as bad handling.
The DHL Stormers didn’t do anything fancy in this match, but they were superior in intensity and physicality in front of more than 41,000 supporters. Apart from De Jongh’s try, fullback Joe Pietersen kicked 17 points and was successful with each of his six attempts at goal.
Things could’ve been different for the visitors, who still lead the South African Conference, had they not squandered a number of scoring opportunities with unforced errors. But the old cliché, that the DHL Stormers wanted and needed this win more, probably applied to this match.
Looking at the DHL Stormers’ wins this season, it’s interesting that all of them came at DHL Newlands against the three conference leaders – the Brumbies (Australia), Chiefs (New Zealand) and The Sharks (South Africa).
The Sharks’ Springbok flyhalf Pat Lambie kicked five from six, missing only an ambitious effort from 50m out. His final penalty goal, in injury time, secured the KwaZulu-Natalians a losing bonus point at the end of a match where their set piece and attacking play let them down.
Matches between these two teams have been brutal in the recent past. In the last five derbies between them, or 400 minutes of rugby, only nine tries have been scored – four by the DHL Stormers and five by The Sharks. That is one try every 44 minutes.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers – Try: Juan de Jongh. Conversion: Joe Pietersen. Penalty goals: Pietersen (5).
The Sharks – Penalty goals: Pat Lambie (5).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJQddczMOmc[/youtube]
Vodacom Bulls (6) 26 / 20 (9) Toyota Cheetahs:
An early second half try by Jano Vermaak turned the tide and helped the Vodacom Bulls to their 10th successive Vodacom Super Rugby win over the Toyota Cheetahs, at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday evening.
More than 35,000 people rocked up at Loftus as the Vodacom Bulls celebrated the Blue Bulls Rugby Union’s 75th anniversary and it was Vermaak who put them on the winning track early second half of this exciting match.
It was the first time the Vodacom Bulls took the lead – the score was 9-6 to the Toyota Cheetahs at the break – and after that try, the home team never looked back as they played the percentages better, but also experienced first-hand by how much the visitors’ defence had improved in 2013.
The Vodacom Bulls also defended exceptionally well and it was only in the 73rd minute, when Trevor Nyakane (loosehead prop) crashed over for his first-ever Vodacom Super Rugby try, that the Pretorians’ try-line was breached.
Toyota Cheetahs flyhalf Burton Francis’ conversion was not successful, but at 17-19 his team was back in the hunt.
Three minutes later though Callie Visagie (replacement hooker) went over for the Vodacom Bulls’ second try, which sealed the win for the three-time champions – their first since 11 March. It also ended a very impressive five-match winning streak by the Toyota Cheetahs, who got a losing bonus point through an injury time penalty goal by replacement flyhalf Francois Brummer.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls – Tries: Jano Vermaak, Callie Visagie. Conversions: Morné Steyn (2). Penalty goals: Steyn (4).
Toyota Cheetahs – Try: Trevor Nyakane. Penalty goals: Burton Francis (4), Francois Brummer.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs77ttRzITc[/youtube]
Other results – Round 9:
Highlanders 19 / 30 Brumbies (Dunedin)
Chiefs 23 / 31 Reds (Hamilton)
Blues 28 / 6 Hurricanes (Auckland)
Western Force 16 Crusaders 14 (Perth)
The Super Rugby Logs, Super Rugby Results and our Rugby-Talk Super Rugby 2013 SuperBru Pool Leaderboard are all updated under the main Menu Items
Busy day for me and my family, we’re off to the Ghoemma Afrikaans Musiektoekennings (Afrikaans Music Awards), where Handbriekie’s new company co-hosts the event and where they are sponsoring the After-Party function for 500 VIP guests.
The event is at Carnival City in the Big Top Arena, the After-Party at a venue close to Carnival City…
Our finest garb and garments have been bought, selected, pressed, brushed, spitted & polished for the Red Carpet event. The event is captured for broadcast on TV too, by Kyknet.
The after-party will go on well into the early hours of tomorrow morning… so another night of little to no sleep looms… and tomorrow is a hard day’s business which lies ahead, so we can’t even sleep in.
Anybody who passes on to the next life at the After-Party, will also be catered for…. hehehehe
Some great play by the Bulls. I do believe they can win this competition. Spies is getting better at the captaincy role. This is a very good cheetah team.
If I read the rugby blogs and listen to all the experts, it must be a miracle that the Bulls can even compete in super rugby. They play the most one dimensional game plan which is so predictable. They have the worst flyhalf and bash it up centers. Their fullback is useless. Their front row can’t scrum. Their loose forwards gets outplayed every game. Spies can’t do anything right. It must be a miracle that they could beat the cheetahs with all their super stars.
@ leon:
@ leon:
OK, let me say something
Our star center Jan Serfontein is doing the thing his coach asked him to do, we (i included) moan and bitch all through the game about it. The fact is he never moved away from the game plan (how stupid it might seem to all of us)Jan kept the whole Cheetah team alert they spend a lot of time stopping him. So he was affective for his coach.
Spies was not bad and he was a better captain than Strauss
Jano was very good but his play was neutralized by a sleeping Morne. It looked like he had a late night , the night before. Enormous lapses of concentration at crucial times.
Chillyboy just reminded everyone that he is still there, i would actually rate him in this game above Strauss.
The Bulls have a tricky game next, the Kings decided they don’t have any baggage, no history to defend and a big desire to give you a UP You SA. One big mistake they could make is to bring Luke back for the game, that will be a War declaration, a RED flag in front of the Bulls.
At this stage some of the things fell in place for the Bulls. Like the front row playing good as a unit, the Locks getting fit again, the loose trio getting some game time together. Somehow the pick of Jan and JJ does not look bad at all. Jurgen must grab his chance and Morne most of all must get more consistent and stop daydreaming. What must happen next is a percentage improvement in every game , building towards a peak.
@ superBul:
Yea, I don’t believe the Bulls are as bad as everybody makes them out to be. I’ve been reading some of the blogs on the Bulls Website and all they do is moan and criticize. They don’t see the good parts at all.
@ leon:
to put it short and sweet, I dont want them to be brilliant NOW.
We must just accumulate and get a top 3 spot.
To do that we MUST get the Sharks out of our way. Stormers Magic Defense is not that good anymore.
@ superBul:
Yes, I agree with everything you said @4. JJ really surprised me. The cheetahs put a lot of pressure on the Bulls back line with their rush defense (they were offside most off the time according to me). Jan usually got the ball and defender at the same time.
@ superBul:
Hoeveel biere skuld GBS jou al vir julle Kings wed?
Surely it is a miracle every time that the Bulls win a game. They also has the worst coach in the history of the game. After all, every blogger can do a better job than Frans Ludeke.Read the blogs.
@ dWeePer:
Yea, I forgot about the coach.
@ leon:
Baie , sou ek se , dubbel of quits was die laaste gooi.
Sal nou maar relax netnou moet ek n bottelstoor ook run, klaar nie genoeg tyd vandat ek vir myself begin werk het nie.
I see that Jarno Vermaak is injured and replaced by Reinacht at HM’s “Bok” camp.
Congratulations to ALL of the winning teams, ESPECIALLY the Kings for winning Down Under.
I must say I battle to watch the majority of the games. It’s just not the same if ones own team is not in the competition.
Better to make fire and watch steak burn, than the IPL option.
Hehehe. Anyway, congrats all.
@ Scrumdown:
Did you not enjoy watching your loan players play?
@ Loosehead:
Hehehe.
Didn’t watch any of the games in full. Just no interest. Can see all I need on DSTV Catchup’s 8 minute highlight packages.
That’s probably why my Superbru is so utterly shyte.
Eishhhh… what a day.
Got home from the Ghoema After Party at 04:30 this morning… was up at 09:00 (had to get some sleep)… then spent most of the day at Welbekend SAPD and Bronkhorstspruit Government Mortuary, firstly to collect my friend Freddie Hyde’s personal effects and then with his wife and son and a family friend to go and do the Official Identification of the deceased.
At least the staff at the Government Mortuary at Bronkhorstspruit are all switched on and professional… well done guys and gals!
Same cannot be said about the Welbekend Police Station, except maybe for the Station Commander, Captain Mabowa (spelling)…
Here are a couple of pics I took of the wreck of the car… a VW Polo, in case you cannot make out the Make or Model.
Oh…. and was’nt a Polo hatchback… it was the sedan…
16 @ grootblousmile:
Hello Gbs ag no man thats horrible news about your pal, his family must be gutted, really tough especially for his wife and son, lots of strength through this ou pel.
18 @ Bullscot:
Thanks Bully… they have a daughter too..
She was at school today, can you believe it!
Although, it must be said, she had to go fetch her Report for last term.
19 @ grootblousmile:
Oh dear man thats tragic, must have been so hard for her, took a while for the pics to show up my word what a mess the car was left in.
@ grootblousmile:
Condolences to your friend’s family and you GBS. What happened, because that car looks like its been through the compactor at the scrapyard?
Praying for strength for you and the family.
21 @ Lion4ever:
The car was sandwiched between 2 big trucks…
One truck was stationary, waiting for Stop-and-go roadworks, Freddie’s car was stationary behind that truck in the queue…. and the 2nd truck came from behind, failed to brake / brakes failed and slammed into the back of the VW Polo, smashing and squashing the car between the 2 trucks in the process.
Accident happened at 09:00 in the morning and they could only manage to pry the 2 trucks apart and cut out Freddie’s body at about 15:00.
Could have happened to any of us….
Scary.
Hallo daar Ou Groot blou balsak.
Hey dis slegte nuus waarop ek weer hier inval. Ek is weer toegelaat om hier te kom snuffel.
Alle sterkte ou maat.
24 @ KWAGGA ROBERTSE:
Pampierperd, jou Castledrinkende DIER!
Hoe gaan dit?
Kings:
15 George Whitehead, 14 Ronnie Cooke, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Luke Watson (captain), 7 Wimpie van der Walt, 6 Cornell du Preez, 5 David Bulbring, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Schalk Ferreira
Substitutes: 16 Hannes Franklin, 17 Grant Kemp, 18 Rynier Barnardo, 19 Jacques Engelbrecht, 20 Nicolas Vergallo, 21 Marcello Sampson, 22 Siviwe Soyizwapi.
GBS, Fucking hell!
27 @ Loosehead:
You can say that again!
@ grootblousmile:
GBS. So sorry to hear this news.
It’s something that goes through my head every time I stop at one of those damned stop / go areas. Will the idiot behind me stop in time?
Condolences to the family. I’m sure you’ll do what you can to take some of the initial decision making off their shoulders and so give them less to worry about.
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