The Vodacom Super 14 competition puts elite rugby players through one of the toughest tests in the game – with up to 15 maximum efforts over 16 weeks, often across 10 time-zones against teams wishing to displace the Bulls as the reigning Super Rugby champions.
Second part of a series by McLook, a blogger with a passion that we share, Springbok History. McLook is also a blogger right here on R-T. We thank him for the generosity to post his articles here.
The Lions will have to face the Brumbies without an injured “King” Carlos Spencer when they play the Brumbies in Canberra this weekend. In addition Deon Van Rensburg, centre for the Lions, is on his way home after tearing muscles in his thumb.
Naka Drotske has announced a side which shows 5 changes to play the Hurricanes on Saturday night. Continue reading
After 3 weeks of gruelling Super 14 rugby we start to see patterns of the various problems emerging in the South African Super 14 sides. Here is a sideways glance at how I see the respective shortcommings and possible areas to work on.
New Zealand perspectives on the 1970 All Black tour to South Africa.
Courtesy of McLook
Hier is die twee spanne wat gekies is na die 3de rondte se wedstryde / Here are the 2 teams after the 3rd rounds games.
Once again there are 4 Varsity Cup Matches today, starting at 16:30, with the game between Maties and Tuks. This is the thread for discussion of the games.
| Week Five, Monday, March 1 | ||||
| Maties v Tuks | Danie Craven Stadium | 4.30pm (TV) | 64 / 17 | |
| UJ v UCT | UJ Stadium | 6.30pm (TV) | 23 / 30 | |
| NMMU v Pukke | Xerox NMMU Stadium | 6.30pm | 24 / 31 | |
| Shimlas v TUT | Shimla Park | 6.30pm | 37 / 31 | |
Recent reports from the UK suggested that former Bok and World Cup winning flyhalf, Butch James has concluded a deal with the Stormers for the 2011 Super 15. Continue reading
Die Vodacom Stormers het Vrydagaand op dramatiese wyse teen die besoekende Brumbies verloor. Continue reading
The SA Rugby Union (SARU) is killing the Goose that lays the golden eggs – against scientific advice and proven experience that helped Jake White’s team to win the 2007 World Cup.
Stephen Jones, that irrepressible British critic of Southern Hemisphere rugby, has predictably launched a scathing attack on the latest version of the Super 14, labelling it “tripe”, “sickly”, “a shambles” and “pap rugby”.
It certainly looks like we chose the right weekend to get away from civilization and into the bush. Only one of the SA Teams managed a win this weekend… and there were 4 losses.
After this weekends overdose of Rugby, it is hard to start writing a match report. Where do you start. The games on Friday is almost erased out of your mind after the humdinger that was played at Loftus last night.
It is again time for all our esteemed rugby gurus and knowledgeable bloggers to pick the South African players who performed best over this weekend.
The Vodacom Bulls played against the Waratahs at Loftus in Pretoria. The Bulls showed tremendous guts and determination to come from 17 – 0 down and win the game 48-38.
The Cheetahs head into round three with newfound confidence and will fancy their chances against the Highlanders in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Western Force played Chiefs in ME Staduim , Perth. Chiefs win with a bonus point
South Africa won by 90 runs
Reds played Blues at Lang Park Brisbane. Blues won the game 27-18 and scored 4 tries and achieved the bonus point.
The Hurricanes played the Lions at Westpac Stadium, Wellington. Chiefs won 33-18. Another bonus point given.
France left themselves with a ‘home run’ to a Six Nations Grand Slam after the tournament leaders held their nerve to beat Wales 26-20 at the Millennium Stadium on Friday.
The Crusaders hosted the Sharks this morning at the AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Crusaders ground the Sharks down and scored their 4-try bonus point with a minute to go. Saders 35 / 6.
The Stormers host the Brumbies at Newlands, Cape Town. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match will be broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The high flying Bulls are taking on the stubborn Waratahs at 19:10 on Saturday 27 February 2010 at Loftus, Pretoria. The Bulls have opted for a bit of rotation whereas the Waratahs have winged all week about Victor Matfield not found guilty for foul play. Just purely for the whinging, the Waratahs deserve to lose this game.
The Cheetahs take on the Highlanders in Blingfontein (Bloemfontein) at 17:05 SA Time on Saturday 27 February 2010. What to make of these two perrenial underachievers, what will happen?
The Force host the Chiefs at the ME Stadium, Perth, Australia at 13:05 SA Time on Saturday 27 February 2010.
The Reds take on the Blues at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane on Saturday 27 February 2010 at 10:40 SA Time. What do we make of this match… it is extremely difficult to predict!
The Crusaders and the Sharks go head to head, both smarting and coming off embarrassing losses last week. Both teams will be looking to make amends and putting their 2010 Super 14 season back on track.
The Hurricanes and the Lions go head to head early Saturday morning (SA Time) at the Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand. The Hurricanes have won against the Blues and the Force, probably 2 of the “Not-so-good” teams in the competition this season whereas the Lions have lost their 2 encounters against the Stormers and the Chiefs.
The Stormers and the Brumbies go head to head at Newlands, Cape Town Friday evening at 19:10 SA Time. The Stormers are 2 wins from 2 outings whereas the Brumbies are 1 win from 2.
The first weekend of the competition kicks off on Friday with the teams divided into North and South sections.
Friends,
As has become the habit with this Super 14 Competition, we have put up a Page (under TEAMS just below the Rugby-Talk header graphics) with the Teams of all participating Franchises this week.
Any team that can dominate the Pretoria Bulls for 60 minutes like the ACT Brumbies did last weekend is a genuine title threat, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee says. Continue reading
So much was said this week about the outcomes of the weekends games. We will argue about it forever and your view might just be influenced by our allegiance to a certain team. I read this article on Sport24 by Gary Boshoff. This article opened my eyes a bit, i was totally against the touch rugby the Lions played. Maybe i must rethink my view.