Round 6
Rebels (15) 46 / 14 (7) Sharks (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and Cell C Sharks did battle in Super Rugby 2018 at
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia at 10:45 SA Time (19:45 AEDT, 08:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Los Pumas (13) 20 / 37 (13) Wallabies (Final Score)
The Argentinian Los Pumas and Australian Wallabies did battle in The Rugby Championship 2017 at
Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza, Argentina, at 00:40 SA Time (22:40 GMT, 19:40 ARG Time, Sunday 08:40 AEST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Benetton (14) 31 / 3 (3) Kings (Final Score)
Benetton Treviso and the Southern Kings did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Stadio Monigo, Treviso, Italy at 20:00 SA Time (20:00n Italy Time, 18:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Springboks (3) 24 / 25 (8) All Blacks (Final Score)
The South African Springboks and New Zealand All Blacks did battle in The Rugby Championship 2017 at
DHL Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa, at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, Sunday 03:05 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Cheetahs (17) 26 / 29 (10) Glasgow Warriors (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Glasgow Warriors did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa at 20:35 SA Time (19:35 UK Time, 18:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Blue Bulls (21) 40 / 41 (17) FS Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the Currie Cup 2017 at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa at 14:05 SA Time (12:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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WP (22) 39 / 3 (3) Golden Lions (Final Score)
DHL Western Province and the Xerox Golden Lions did battle in the Currie Cup 2017 at
DHL Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa at 19:00 SA Time (17:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Waratahs (10) 22 / 41 (19) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby 2017 at
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Australia at 08:05 SA Time (16:05 AEST, 18:05 NZ Time, 06:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Lions (13) 34 / 29 (16) Sharks (Final Score)
The Emirates Lions and Cell C Sharks did battle in Super Rugby 2017 at
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg, South Africa at 17:15 SA Time (15:15 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Stormers (22) 53 / 10 (3) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby 2017 at
DHL Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa at 15:05 SA Time (13:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Reds (12) 15 / 34 (14) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Reds and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby 2017 at
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia at 10:45 SA Time (19:45 AEDT, 21:45 NZ Time, 08:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Chiefs (3) 28 / 12 (9) Bulls (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby 2017 at
FMG Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Blues (12) 24 / 15 (8) Force (Final Score)
The Blues and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby 2017 at
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand at 06:15 SA Time (17:15 NZ Time, 12:15 AWST, 04:15 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Highlanders (20) 51 / 12 (0) Rebels (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby 2017 at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEDT, 06:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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This week it is Round 6 of Super Rugby 2017!
There is 1 game on Friday 31 March 2017, 5 games on Saturday 1 April 2017 and 1 game on Sunday 2 April 2017.
Four teams have BYE weekends this week, the Brumbies, Southern Kings, Jaguares and Sunwolves.
The action kicks off on Friday with the game between the Highlanders and Melbourne Rebels in Dunedin, at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, , 17:35 AEDT, 06:35 GMT).
The action starts pretty early on Saturday, with the Blues hosting the Western Force in Auckland at 06:15 SA Time (17:15 NZ Time, 12:15 AWST, 04:15 GMT)
The first South African team to see action is the Vodacom Bulls, in Hamilton when they play away against the Chiefs, on Saturday morning 1 April 2017 at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT).
The third game of Saturday morning is when the Reds host the Hurricanes in Brisbane at 10:45 SA Time (19:45 AEST, 21:45 NZ Time, 08:45 GMT).
A few hours later, on Saturday afternoon, the DHL Stormers host the Toyota Cheetahs in Cape Town at 15:05 SA Time (13:05 GMT). The Emirates Lions host the Cell C Sharks in Johannesburg at 17:15 SA Time (15:15 GMT).
The last game of the Round is in Sydney, Australia on Sunday when the Waratahs host the Crusaders at 08:05 SA Time (17:05 AEST, 19:05 NZ Time, 06:05 GMT).
Pukke (13) 13 / 24 (7) Wits (Final Score)
NWU-Pukke (North West University) and Wits (Witwatersrand University) did battle
in the Varsity Cup 2017 at the Fanie du Toit Stadium, Potchefstroom at 19:00 SA Time (17:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Tuks (54) 100 / 0 (0) CUT-Ixias (Final Score)
UP-Tuks (University of Pretoria) and CUT-Ixias (Central University of Technology) did battle
in the Varsity Cup 2017 at Tuks Sports Grounds, Pretoria at 16:45 SA Time (14:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Waratahs (3) 17 / 21 (21) Rebels (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby 2016 at
Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 08:05 SA Time (06:05 GMT, 16:05 AEDT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Bulls (20) 23 / 18 (10) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby 2016 at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Kings (23) 33 / 28 (20) Sunwolves (Final Score)
The Southern Kings and Sunwolves did battle in Super Rugby 2016 at
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, Sunday 00:05 Japan Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Brumbies (13) 23 / 48 (20) Chiefs (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby 2016 at
GIO Stadium, Canberra at 10:40 SA Time (08:40 GMT, 19:40 AEDT, 21:40 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Blues (15) 24 / 16 (6) Jaguares (Final Score)
The Blues and Los Jaguares did battle in Super Rugby 2016 at
QBE Stadium, North Harbour at 08:35 SA Time (06:35 GMT, 19:35 NZ Time, 03:35 ARG Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Lions (20) 37 / 43 (22) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Emirates Lions and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby 2016 at
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg at 19:00 SA Time (17:00 GMT, Saturday 06:00 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Highlanders (14) 32 / 20 (14) Force (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby 2016 at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time (06:35 GMT, 19:35 NZ Time, 14:35 AWST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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The Xerox Golden Lions reigned over the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their ABSA Currie Cup derby on Saturday evening at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria thanks to a thrilling 36 / 28 win in their Top of the Table clash.
Johan Ackermann’s outfit consolidated their position on the Top of the Premier Division standings and at the same time opened up a 4 point lead over their Northern neighbours, who suffered their 1st defeat of the campaign.
Last year’s winners, DHL Western Province, strengthened their grip on 3rd place with a gritty 37 / 27 away win over the Cell C Sharks in Durban. Elsewhere, the ORC Griquas and the Eastern Province Kings scored their 1st wins of the competition.
In Kimberley, the Griquas prevailed 32 / 15 over the Steval Pumas while a 14-man EP Kings side defeated the Toyota Free State Cheetahs by 32 / 24 at home in Port Elizabeth.
With just 4 Rounds of ordinary league action remaining before the play-off’s, the Xerox Golden Lions are leading the race for semi-final places. They have 29 Log points, followed by the Vodacom Blue Bulls (25), DHL Western Province (20), Cell C Sharks (13), Toyota Free State Cheetahs (12), Steval Pumas (9), Eastern Province Kings (7) and ORC Griquas (6).
Blue Bulls (7) 28 / 36 (30) Golden Lions (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls and Xerox Golden Lions did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Sharks (17) 27 / 37 (10) WP (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and DHL Western Province did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup at
Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Trans-Jukskei derby is the highlight of Round 6 and a sneak preview of a possible Currie Cup Final.
The undefeated neighbours, the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the Xerox Golden Lions, have been the standout teams and also the 2 most entertaining sides.
Johan Ackermann’s Golden Lions are leading the standings on 25 Log points – having collected a full-house 5 points in all 5 their outings this season.
The Blue Bulls are a solitary point behind, also winning 5 from 5 but won the last Round’s game without a bonus point.
The weekend’s action starts in Port Elizabeth on Friday where the winless Eastern Province Kings host a vastly-improved Toyota Free State Cheetahs team.
Saturday’s early match will see another winless team, ORC Griquas, host a struggling Steval Pumas outfit in Kimberley. Although the Pumas have 2 wins to their credit, including beating the Cell C Sharks in Round 1, they have struggled to maintain their early momentum.
The 3rd-placed DHL Western Province, who are a full 9 points behind the Golden Lions, face the Cell C Sharks in Durban in Round 6 – both desperate for some consistency in a season where promising victories have been soured by disappointing defeats.
Then, of course, we head to Pretoria for what may well be 1 of the best matches of the season.
ORC Griquas and Leopards, the 2 front runners on the ABSA Currie Cup qualifying log, face crunch matches this coming Saturday which could potentially have a huge impact on their promotion ambitions to the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division.
1st-Placed ORC Griquas (16 points) travel to the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, to face the Hino Valke. Leopards (2nd on 15 points) host 3rd-placed Boland Cavaliers in Potchefstroom. As things stand, it is currently a straight shoot-out between Griquas and Leopards for that vital promotional spot and with just 1 more Round remaining after Saturday’s Round of games, neither one can afford a slip up.
5 Of the 7 sides will play their penultimate fixtures of the qualifying campaign this weekend. Boland Cavaliers and SWD Eagles have both already played 5 matches to date while the rest of the sides have played 1 less encounter.
Boland complete their schedule on Saturday when they travel to Potch to take on the Leopards, while SWD have a bye.
Leopards moved to within a point of Griquas last weekend thanks to a hard-fought 24 / 20 win over a resilient Down Touch Griffons in Welkom.
While the Potch side are the favourites on their home ground against Boland, they know that nothing but a bonus-point win will keep them in the race. Boland will be no pushovers and last weekend they were deserved winners over the Hino Valke.
Griquas visit 2nd from bottom Hino Valke in Kempton Park and the Log leaders, who enjoyed a rest last weekend, should be favourites to add another win to their tally of 3 from 4 outings so far.
Down Touch Griffons are rooted at the bottom of the Log with 1 win from 4 and only 5 league points to show and they host the Border Bulldogs (4th) in the remaining Saturday fixture. Border showed good form during the early Rounds, however, 2 successive defeats have shattered their ambitious promotional hopes.
The 3 final fixtures take place next Saturday (25 July) and the winner of the qualifying Round will compete in the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, which kicks off on 7 August.
There were tries aplenty as the Vodacom Cup moved up a gear with the quarter-finals moving into sight for the 16 teams vying for the title.
In the South Section, the SWD Eagles probably delivered the biggest upset as they outplayed the Cell C Sharks XV in George on Friday evening, winning comfortably by 36 / 13 after a superb 2nd half performance where they scored 29 unanswered points.
GWK Griquas showed they will not let go of their title without a proper fight as they completely outclassed the Boland Cavaliers by 62 / 19 in Velddrif on Saturday afternoon, while the Toyota Free State XV beat the EP Kings by 50 / 45 in an extraordinary match in Bloemfontein where the scorers with still tied at 42 / 42 with only 5 minutes remaining on the clock.
DHL Western Province were predictably too strong for the Border Bulldogs as they cemented their position at the top of the South Section log with a 34 / 6 win on Saturday afternoon.
In the North Section, last weekend’s log leaders, the Xerox Golden Lions, enjoyed a BYE and was overtaken at the top of the standings by the Vodacom Blue Bulls, who beat the Down Touch Griffons by 40 / 21 in Pretoria on Friday afternoon.
The Steval Pumas’ 31 / 23 victory over the Leopards XV in Potchefstroom on Friday means the race to the top of the North Section log is now effectively between 3 teams.
The FNB Welwitschias recorded their 1st win of the season when they beat the Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls by 24 / 17 in Windhoek on Saturday afternoon.
The 6 teams occupying positions 2 to 7 on the South Section log clash in 3 encounters this weekend, which will have a major impact on the eventual standings in the Vodacom Cup.
First up on Friday evening, the SWD Eagles (4th) host the Cell C Sharks XV (6th) at scenic Outeniqua Park in George, where both teams will be looking for their 2nd win of the season.
On Saturday, 2nd-placed GWK Griquas – 1 of only 3 unbeaten teams left in the competition – travel to Velddrif to take on the Boland Cavaliers (7th), before the Toyota Free State XV (3rd) host the 5th-placed EP Kings in Bloemfontein.
The other South Section clash is in Cape Town between the table-topping DHL Western Province, also unbeaten in 2015, and the Border Bulldogs, who are still looking for their 1st log points after 3 Rounds.
With the top side in the North Section, the Xerox Golden Lions, having a BYE this weekend, the big match is on Friday afternoon between the Leopards XV and the Steval Pumas in Potchefstroom.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls will have an opportunity to move to the Top of the Northern Section log when they host the Down Touch Griffons in Pretoria on Friday afternoon, while the FNB Welwitschias and Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls take each other on in a bottom-of-the-table clash in Windhoek.
The Emirates Lions won their 2nd tour match as the Vodacom Bulls and Cell C Sharks had to dig deep to win at home in an interesting 6th Round of Vodacom Super Rugby.
The men from Johannesburg weathered an early storm and clinched their 3rd successive win over the Melbourne Rebels, by 20 / 16, courtesy of a late try by Lionel Mapoe on Friday in Melbourne. With this victory, the Emirates Lions emulated their feats in 2007 and 2011, when they also won 2 tour matches.
On Saturday, the Toyota Cheetahs started well and were in front at the break against the Crusaders in Christchurch, but the home team took proper advantage of 2 second-half Yellow Cards against the visitors from Bloemfontein to win comfortably by 57 / 14.
2 Matches were played in South Africa on Saturday afternoon, both in less-than-perfect conditions.
First up, the Vodacom Bulls had to rely on a late penalty goal by Handré Pollard to pip the Force by 25 / 24 in Pretoria before the Cell C Sharks, playing for more than 50 minutes with 13 men against 14, following 3 Red Cards, had to dig deep to beat the Chiefs by 12 / 11 in Durban.
The DHL Stormers had a BYE.
Gary Gold
Sharks coach Gary Gold has not condoned Bismark du Plessis’s Red Card offence but he has come to the support of his physical captain’s firey nature.
The Sharks captain was shown a Red Card in his team’s 1 point victory against the Chiefs in Durban on Saturday for kicking Michael Leitch’s head.
This came only a few minutes after the opposition hooker, Hika Elliot, was sent for an early shower for an illegal clean-out on Tendai Mtawarira in the 1st half.
Du Plessis is already well known as an incredibly abrasive and physical character on the field, but more and more it seems that teams are figuring out he has a short fuse.
Gold made it clear that what Du Plessis did to earn his Red Card was silly and he did not justify the foul play.
“I am not going to justify foul play, it is silly to do that,” Gold said after the match.
“I feel it was a silly thing for Bismarck to do, he lashed out from trying to free his foot – but you cannot make contact with someone’s head.
“For what it is worth, he has apologized to the group, and in his words he said he is ashamed by his behaviour.”
The Vodacom Bulls left it late, beating the Force 25 / 24 with a late penalty.
Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard kicked 20 points as his Vodacom Bulls side sneaked home against the Western Force in their Vodacom Super Rugby match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Marcel van der Merwe scored a try but his team were outscored 3 to 1 in the try-scoring stakes, as the Force’s spoiling game worked exceptionally well on their opponents. The Bulls failed to capitalise on the Force being down to 13 men at one stage.
The Bulls, who had just returned from a BYE week, were poor and out-of-sorts, and for large periods of time it looked as if it was the Force who were the home side with the way they played.
But thanks to Pollard they managed to sneak home through a penalty in the last minute, shortly after Sias Ebersohn kicked a 59-metre bomb that gave the Force the lead.
David Pocock
Allegations of homophobic slurs marred a resounding return to form for defending champions the Waratahs, who delivered a 28 / 13 win over arch rivals the Brumbies in Sydney on Sunday.
It is understood a NSW forward will be investigated for allegedly using the word “faggot” when addressing two different Brumbies players in the second half of the blockbuster derby at Allianz Stadium. The Brumbies made a formal complaint after the match.
Brumbies flanker David Pocock took the allegation to referee Craig Joubert in the 67th minute as his side trailed by 10 points, and made his concerns known again in the 72nd minute. Joubert said he did not hear the remarks – allegedly made at scrum time – but asked NSW captain Michael Hooper to have a word to his forwards.
“I’m getting some pretty aggressive comments coming from your guys – that there are homophobic slurs,” Joubert said. Hooper replied: “We’re not into that”.
But that did little to satisfy Pocock, who is a vocal supporter for same sex marriage rights.
“You heard that sir … you can’t say that, there could be gay players out there.” Pocock continued: “That’s fine, but after that their captain said: ‘That’s rugby’. That’s not right.”