Referees
Peter de Villiers has confirmed that John Smit will captain the Springboks at the World Cup. Rassie Erasmus was appointed as technical adviser.
At a press conference on Monday, Peter de Villiers confirmed the appointments of his captain and management staff. Smit will continue as captain with Victor Matfield named as vice-captain. Erasmus has been brought in as a technical adviser and conditioning coach Derik Coetzee is the other new appointment.
On Friday the first two quarter finals were played, the first between Pampas XV and the Free State Cheetahs at Olën Park in Potchefstroom and the second between Griquas and the Pumas at GWK Park in Kimberley. On Saturday the last two matches were between the Golden Lions and the Blue Bulls at Wits University and the last one between Western Province vs the Sharks at Newlands.
The details of the results are listed below.
The Semi Finals are on 7 May 2011, they are as follows:
- Griquas vs Blue Bulls
- Pampas XV vs Sharks XV
This article was written before this weekends matches by Liam del Carme.
With the gap between form players and his likely World Cup picks widening by the week, Bok coach Peter de Villiers, perhaps understandably, has resorted to cliche. A few of the players mentioned here already started their return to form. Funny how one week later you can see such a big difference.
Stormers (22) 32 /Sharks (9) 12 (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers hosted the Sharks at Newlands, Cape Town at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Stormers comprehensively outplayed the Sharks, for a full bag of 5 Log points…. the Stormers are on fire!
Bulls (13) 43 / Chiefs (20) 27 (Final Score)
The Bulls hosted the Chiefs at Loftus Versveld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
After a shocker of a first half, the Bulls came out of the blocks in the second half to score 3 converted tries in 9 minutes, resulting in the fact that they built up a good lead and causing the Chiefs to play catch-up from thereon in.
They solidified their lead with great goal kicking by Morné Steyn and denied the Chiefs a single Log point.
Mission accomplished fot this week, now every week needs to be like this, a 5-pointer!
Force (19) 30 / Crusaders (22) 42 (Final Score)
The Western Force hosted the Crusaders at NIB Stadium, Perth at 14:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Force put up a brave fight but the Crusaders were just too powerful at the end.
Waratahs (10) 28 / Rebels (6) 9 (Final Score)
The Waratahs hosted the Melbourne Rebels at Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney at 11:40 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Waratahs made hard work of winning this one but eventually went some distance with the score.
Hurricanes (22) 28 / Reds (5) 26 (Final Score)
The Hurricanes hosted the Reds at Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Hurricanes had a great first half, racking up their 4 tries and then it was time for the Reds to claw their way back and with 4 minutes to go the Reds held a slender 1-point lead. The Hurricanes got a penalty opportunity on full time and Aaron Cruden calmly slotted it, for a 2-point win by the Hurricanes.
When we raised the referee issue again here on the blog during the Highlanders vs Blues game, I knew we were onto something. But like this article says there will always be opposing views. My question was, will we ever get consistency? At the end of this article read another article about the fears the Waratahs have for Jonathan Kaplan later today.
Cheetahs (32) 47 / Brumbies (26) 36 (Final Score)
The Cheetahs hosted the Brumbies at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Cheetahs raced out of the blocks and within 27 minutes had already secured their bonus point for tries, but then let in a number of Brumbies tries with suspect defence once again their downfall. After halftime it was a more conservative approach and the Cheetahs finally saw the game home with an 11-point win.
‘There is no fate but what we make.’ Cheesy I know, but this famous movie line might just be the best description of what the future holds for young Lionel Cronje.
Highlanders (0) 10 / Blues (9) 15 (Final Score)
The Highlanders hosted the Blues at Carisbrook, Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
This was not rugby, it was full-out combat… it was hard and relentless! It was brilliant.
It was parry and counter-parry and it was brutal, with the Blues eventually closing out the game with no less than 26 phases by their forwards, to win by 5.
Herewith ALL the Super Rugby team sheets as they were announced for week 11 of Super Rugby 2011.
John Plumtree sprang a few surprises when naming his side for the clash with the DHL Stormers this coming weekend.
It never seizes to amaze me how South African rugby teams and coaches remain oblivious to such obvious solutions to their problems.
Alister Coetzee has named his strongest possible side to take on the Sharks in Cape Town on Saturday.
South Africa’s World Cup-winning coach Jake White has been appointed as the coach of Australia’s ACT Brumbies Super Rugby team.
Interesting article in the New Zealand Herald this morning states that New Zealand Maori rugby side is in line to play a historic series in South Africa later this year.
According to the article Rugby News reports that the Maori will play two matches against a “shadow” Springbok side after the World Cup. The article then further states:
The hot topic this week seems to be the Bulls or more specifically the Bulls’ dramatic slump in form after their shock loss against the Western Force. Somehow this loss goes down a lot more dramatically than in 2008 (I think it was when they also lost in Perth against the Western Force). Continue reading
It is interesting to note the difference in reaction to two South African Super Rugby franchises which seem to be having the exact same problem.
The Bulls won’t even make it through to the knockout stages in defence of their Super rugby title, says former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick. And Fitzpatrick launched a scathing critique of the Pretoria-based team’s failings in this year’s Super 15, as they crashed to defeat against the Western Force in Perth.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, is starting to push the panic buttons.
Lions (13) 30 / Chiefs (19) 34 (Final Score)
The MTN Lions hosted the Chiefs at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Chiefs scored 5 tries to the MTN Lions 3 tries, but the Lions boot was on song, making for a thrilling end with the MTN Lions desperately attacking to try and win with a 4-point deficit to extinguish, it was once again too little, too late.
Sharks (13) 40 / Hurricanes (13) 24 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Hurricanes at Kings Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Sharks fired and misfired at times but managed to win and get their bonus point for tries to boot.
Force (12) 26 / Bulls (15) 21 (Final Score)
The Western Force hosted the Bulls at NIB Stadium, Perth at 14:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Force won against a lacklustre and at most mid-table Bulls side.
Not good enough Bulls… simply aweful!
Reds (16) 19 / Waratahs (9) 15 (Final Score)
The Reds hosted the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 11:40 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Reds, with superb defence held out the Waratahs under sustained attack for almost 20 minutes near their goal line.
Crusaders (13) 18 / Highlanders (15) 26 (Final Score)
The Crusaders hosted the Highlanders at Trafalgar Park, Nelson at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on Tv in SA.
A gritty Highlanders side showed how to beat the Crusaders at home with formidable defence and forwards who spoil every possible fast ground ball of the opposition, both teams scoring 2 tries.
Blues (23) 40 / Rebels (17) 23 (Final Score)
The Blues hosted the Melbourne Rebels at North Harbour Stadium, Albany at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was bradcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV on SA.
The Blues started like a house on fire, then allowed the Melbourne Rebels to claw their way back with 2 tries and good goal kicking, with some poor Blues licking to posts by Stephen Brett. At the end of the 2nd Half the Blues pulled away again, with 2 well-worked tries.
The Blues scored 6 tries to 2 by the Melbourne Rebels.
The words of Irish international Fergus Slattery echoed perhaps best the general feeling about South African rugby at the end of the 1976 tour. Commenting to Phillip Jones of the Sunday Times before he left South Africa Slattery said: “The first thing I would tell a young player is not to play like the Springboks. They are five years behind the times.”
Herewith ALL the Super Rugby team sheets as they are announced for week 9 of Super Rugby 2011.
The Sharks have named Partick Lambie in their team to face the Hurricanes this weekend however Bismarck du Plessis will miss the match.
The Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby Unions have paid tribute to Brad Thorn after he announced that he will join Japanese club Fukuoka Sanix Blues following the Rugby World Cup.
The Crusaders have named their team to face the Highlanders this weekend with Richie McCaw and Dan Carter both missing the match due to injury.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie has made two changes to his starting team for Saturday’s clash against the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium with prop Guy Shepherdson earning his run-on debut for Queensland.
The Cheetahs can look forward to welcoming back no less than four players from injury for their clash against the Brumbies next week.