Saturday’s three Vodacom Super Rugby matches involving the Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Toyota Cheetahs ended in a whitewash for the South African teams as they all recorded good victories.
The Cell C Sharks consolidated their spot at the top of the Vodacom Super Rugby log with a superb 30-25 victory over the in-form Crusaders in Christchurch – the first defeat for the team from Canterbury in New Zealand since 2001 against South African opposition and also the maiden victory for a team from the Republic in the Land of the Long White Cloud this season.
The Durbanites became the first South African team to ever in Christchurch since the franchise system was put in place in 1998.
It was only the second time a SA team managed to beat the Crusaders in Christchurch, when Northern Transvaal won there in 1996, and the third time out of 46 matches that the seven-time Vodacom Super Rugby champions lost at home to a team from the Republic – the Cats beat the Crusaders in Nelson in 2001.
The Crusaders also drew twice at home to teams from South Africa in the early years of Super 12, in 1996 against Western Province and in 1997 against the Sharks.
Later on Saturday afternoon, the DHL Stormers won their third successive home game of 2014 when they easily beat the high-flying Force by 24-8 in Cape Town, outscoring their visitors by three tries to one – ironically the same try count as in the Sharks/Crusaders match.
Saturday ended in ecstasy for the Toyota Cheetahs as they managed to beat the Brumbies for the first time since 2011 when they won this replay of their 2013 qualifier by 27-21, thanks mainly to a very good second half performance.
On Sunday morning, the Lions started very well against the Waratahs in Sydney, but the home team had too much left in the second half and eventually won this match by 41-13.
The Vodacom Bulls, currently second in the South African Conference behind the Cell C Sharks, had a bye this weekend.
Crusaders (13) 25 / 30 (10) Cell C Sharks:
The Cell C Sharks recorded probably their greatest ever victory in New Zealand when they became the first South African team since 2001 to beat the Crusaders away from home.
The KwaZulu-Natalians scored three tries to one, but had to play with 14 men for 63 minutes following a red card to Jean Deysel as they won by 30-25.
The Cell C Sharks’ three tries were the most they scored in one match since round four, more than two months ago.
The visitors started very well when S’bura Sithole went over in the ninth minute following a great run by Frans Steyn, but Colin Slade cancelled it four minutes later when he scored for the Crusaders. Slade added a conversion and two penalty goals, but Frans Steyn’s three-pointer just before the break ensured the Cell C Sharks trailed by only three points at the break.
The second half belonged to the Cell C Sharks. They defended extremely well and snuffed out the Crusaders’ attack every time. They also used their opportunities with tries to Cobus Reinach – an opportunistic effort after kicking through loose ball, shortly after the break, and Kyle Cooper, who burst over after a good drive by the visitors four minutes before the end, proving the difference.
Scorers:
Crusaders:
- Try: Colin Slade (1)
- Conversion: Colin Slade (1)
- Penalty goals: Colin Slade (5)
Cell C Sharks:
- Tries: S’bura Sithole (1), Cobus Reinach (1), Kyle Cooper (1)
- Conversions: Frans Steyn (2), Tim Swiel (1)
- Penalty goals: Frans Steyn (2), Tim Swiel (1)
DHL Stormers (17) 24 / 8 (3) Western Force:
The DHL Stormers continued their good run at home in Cape Town when they beat the Force by 24-8 in a rather one-sided Vodacom Super Rugby match at DHL Newlands.
It was the Capetonians’ third consecutive home win this season and their fourth out of five starts at DHL Newlands.
The DHL Stormers basically had the game in the bag by the break after a very good first half performance, during which they dominated territory and possession and took the points when they were on offer
Juan de Jongh rounded off a good attacking move in the 20th minute and referee Chris Pollock awarded a penalty try just before half-time for a superb DHL Stormers scrum, when the Force had a man in the sin-bin.
The DHL Stormers made their numerical advantage count early in second half when Ruan Botha went over for their third try as they scored 14 points with the Force reduced to 14.
The visitors came back strongly for the rest of the match and managed to hold onto the ball much better, but the DHL Stormers defended very well, even when they were reduced to 13 men late in the match with Cheslin Kolbe and Jaco Taute in the bin.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers:
- Tries: Juan de Jongh (1), Ruan Botha (1), Penalty Try (1)
- Conversions: Peter Grant (3)
- Penalty goal: Peter Grant (1)
Western Force:
- Try: Matthew Hodgson (1)
- Penalty goal: Sias Ebersohn (1)
Toyota Cheetahs (9) 27 / 21 (11) Brumbies:
The Toyota Cheetahs caused a minor upset when they beat the Australian Conference leading Brumbies by 27-21 at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday evening.
The home team started the match very well and were 9-0 up after 16 minutes, thanks to three penalty goals by Johan Goosen.
However, the Brumbies started building pressure, especially upfront where they looked very strong at scrum-time, as they fought back to lead by 11-9 at the break. It could’ve been more had the visitors not missed four shots at goal in the first 40 minutes.
The Toyota Cheetahs quickly forgot their struggles late in the first half and came out storming after half-time. They played very well and scored both their tries, by Willie le Roux after a great Shaun Venter break and Goosen from a superb cross-kick by Elgar Watts, in the first 12 minutes of the second half.
Leading 21-11 and later 24-21 after the Brumbies mauled Stephen Moore over for their second try five minutes before the end, Goosen stepped up to the plate with a drop-goal of more than 50 metres to give the home team some breathing space at the death.
That is how it stayed as the Toyota Cheetahs recorded a great win which will have had the Cell C Sharks smiling down in New Zealand.
Scorers:
Toyota Cheetahs:
- Tries: Willie le Roux (1), Johan Goosen (1)
- Conversion: Johan Goosen (1)
- Penalty goals: Johan Goosen (4)
- Drop goal: Johan Goosen (1)
Brumbies:
- Tries: Robbie Coleman (1), Stephen Moore (1)
- Conversion: Nic White (1)
- Penalty goals: Nic White (3)
Waratahs (17) 41 / 13 (13) Lions:
The Lions started their third Australasian tour match of 2014 very well against a strong Waratahs outfit in Sydney, but a dip in play in the second half saw them lose this Vodacom Super Rugby match by 41-13.
Jaco Kriel scored the Lions’ only try in a first half during which they mostly matched the Waratahs and defended very well. The home team lead by 17-13 at the break, with Marnitz Boshoff converting the visitors’ try and adding two penalty goals.
But it was a different proposition in the second half as the Lions conceded 24 unanswered points and three more tries, while not managing to add anything to their tally.
Two quick tries in the first 10 minutes after the break, by Rob Horne and Adam Ashley-Cooper, effectively ended the Lions’ challenge
Waratahs flyhalf Bernard Foley scored 21 points for the home team through a try, five conversions and two penalty goals.
Scorers:
Waratahs:
- Tries: Rob Horne (2), Adam Ashley-Cooper (1), Bernard Foley (1), Kurtley Beale (1)
- Conversions: Bernard Foley (5)
- Penalty goals: Bernard Foley (2)
Lions:
- Try: Jaco Kriel (1)
- Conversion: Marnitz Boshoff (1)
- Penalty goals: Marnitz Boshoff (2)
Duane skop lyn toe!
Coming weekend it is the Lions against the Force. Can the Lions do the Bulls a favourite?
Must say the braaivleis Saturday was extra lekker!!
Ai, maandag, moet maar werk toe gaan, gaan seker weer hoor hoe al die stormers moet bokke wees.
MacroBull wrote:
Net as ons wil he die Bokke moet suksesvol wees.
@ nortierd:
It was a financial ruin for the ‘Imvestors’:
The Sharks – who lost to the Brumbies who had lost to the Saders – beat the Saders at home?
The hopeless Stormers won it easily against the Force!
The Cheetahs won under a neutral referee?!
The incosistancy of top ANZAC teams might imply some use of PED and HGH, which are cyclic by nature 🙂
Hondo wrote:
How much did you lose this weekend?
Not good results for the punters
@ nortierd:
😆 Nortjie, old Hondo who tells us every week that the Sharks only win because the refs assist them has no answer this week!!! Sy KAK theory het teruggekom om hom in die GAT te hap.
These are some posts by Kiwi Blogers….
BOB
“What about the referee’s performance. 26 penalties, yes 26. No wonder players are kicking a lot now, they have to get out of their own half and kicking your way out is easiest. Otherwise the opposition get more kicks at goal than you do. Some will say it’s the players fault, I strongly believe that it’s the three officials fault. A word to a player who looks like he’s going to transgress, can stop it in it’s tracks. No wonder crowds are not improving. In another code there were 8 penalties the whole game a day later. What would you watch?”
Blaming the ref… Yeah right.
Dee – West Auckland – 11:30 AM Monday, 19 May 2014Like
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BOB
“What about the referee’s performance. 26 penalties, yes 26. No wonder players are kicking a lot now, they have to get out of their own half and kicking your way out is easiest. Otherwise the opposition get more kicks at goal than you do. Some will say it’s the players fault, I strongly believe that it’s the three officials fault. A word to a player who looks like he’s going to transgress, can stop it in it’s tracks. No wonder crowds are not improving. In another code there were 8 penalties the whole game a day later. What would you watch?”
Modern day rugby union players are coached to break the rules. The objective is to cheat if you can get away with it. Offside play, forward passes, tackling off the ball, hands in the ruck and almost anything that will stop the opposition from scoring a try.
The more penalties awarded the more proof there is that the offending team is following the game plan. Don’t blame the match officials. The rules are the rules and it is players who are coached to break the rules.
rossnz – Hamilton – 11:30 AM Monday, 19 May 2014Like
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I cant understand why the Crusaders player who grabbed the leg was not given a yellow card. Plan and simple cheating, and he got what he deserved, it was not much of a stomp.
That was enough to fire the Sharks up, and the rest was history. MaCaw, like many of the top player, was only playing at half speed. They expected to win
Bruce Z – 11:30 AM Monday, 19 May 2014Like
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BOB
“What about the referee’s performance. 26 penalties, yes 26. No wonder players are kicking a lot now, they have to get out of their own half and kicking your way out is easiest. Otherwise the opposition get more kicks at goal than you do. Some will say it’s the players fault, I strongly believe that it’s the three officials fault. A word to a player who looks like he’s going to transgress, can stop it in it’s tracks. No wonder crowds are not improving. In another code there were 8 penalties the whole game a day later. What would you watch?”
The one where play doesn’t stop after every tackle.
Jack P – 11:33 AM Monday, 19 May 20141Like
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BOB
“What about the referee’s performance. 26 penalties, yes 26. No wonder players are kicking a lot now, they have to get out of their own half and kicking your way out is easiest. Otherwise the opposition get more kicks at goal than you do. Some will say it’s the players fault, I strongly believe that it’s the three officials fault. A word to a player who looks like he’s going to transgress, can stop it in it’s tracks. No wonder crowds are not improving. In another code there were 8 penalties the whole game a day later. What would you watch?”
Yes, I agree with you. If the referee had blown the Crusaders early for their standard tactics – jersey pulling, leg holding, rolling out the ruck on the wrong side, taking men out in midfield in attack and defence, all of which was evident on Saturday night, we might just see a flowing game – and no head stomping.
Having had to watch the Crusaders getting away with cheating tactics all season, I found it hard not to sympathise with the Sharks. Perhaps the referees will take a closer look now.
Sharks_forever wrote:
Sharks made the Bookies smile this weekend
@ Sharks_forever:
Thats why Hondo still posts on his 3310
@ MacroBull:
@ nortierd:
😆
@ nortierd:
@ 8
Not too much really, it all looked done deals beforehand, the taking on offer was appalling anyway and didn’t worth the risk 🙁
Previous week was better with a lot of Stormers and Sharks faithfulls backing their teams 🙂 🙂
@ nortierd:
@11
Not much was on offer which discouraged me
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