SA Rugby
Callie Visagie
Akona Ndungane
Vodacom Bulls hooker Callie Visagie and wing Akona Ndungane has been ruled of out action for this weekend’s VodacomSuper Rugby match against the Western Force at Loftus Versfeld, it was confirmed on Monday.
Ndungane has in fact been ruled out for a month after he broke his hand, while Visagie will miss the clash against the Perth side due to a chest injury.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter, who missed the last match against the Toyota Cheetahs due to a hamstring strain, will train on Tuesday and should be fit to be considered for the weekend.
UJ (0) 0 / 34 (5) Tuks (Final Score)
FNB UJ (University of Johannesburg) and FNB UP-Tuks (University of Pretoria) did
battle in the Varsity Cup at UJ Stadium, Johannesburg 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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Shimlas (34) 44 / 24 (8) UCT (Final Score)
FNB UFS-Shimlas (University of the Free State) and FNB UCT (University of Cape Town) did
battle in the Varsity Cup at Shimla Park, Bloemfontein 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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Duane Vermeulen
Stormers captain Duane Vermeulen will not play in the team’s next Super Rugby match, against the Highlanders in Dunedin on 28 March.
Vermeulen played his 5th consecutive match for the Stormers when they hosted the Chiefs at Newlands this past weekend.
According an agreement between the SA Rugby Union and the Super Rugby franchises, key Springboks will not be allowed to play more than 5 games on the trot in this year’s competition, in order to keep them fresh for the Rugby World Cup later in the year.
This means centre Juan de Jongh will take over the captaincy for the game against the Highlanders, with Schalk Burger likely to be included in the starting team.
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Cell C Sharks lock Pieter-Steph du Toit has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury sustained in his side’s win over the Toyota Cheetahs on Saturday.
Du Toit’s injury is a huge blow to the Sharks and the Springboks as it means he is almost certainly ruled out of the World Cup in England later this year.
Du Toit left the field during the first half after he twisted his knee during a tackle. The 22-year-old tore his anterior cruciate ligament on the same knee where a similary injury kept him on the sidelines for most of the 2014 season.
He hopped on a plane to Cape Town to see a surgeon while there were mixed emotions among his team-mates, who headed to Durban after their 29-10 victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Nick Mallett
Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett says the DHL Stormers made wrong substitutions in their loss to the Chiefs at Newlands last Saturday.
The Stormers annihilated the Chiefs at scrum time, with Steven Kitshoff and Vincent Koch wrecking havoc.
The home side led 13 / 3 at one stage, but let things slip, eventually going down 28 / 19.
Alistair Vermaak and Frans Malherbe replaced Kitshoff and Koch in the 61st minute of the match, while Neil Rautenbach also replaced Scarra Ntubeni at hooker in the 63rd minute. These substitutions gave the Chiefs breathing room up front and enabled them to take control of proceedings.
The pressure will be on in the penultimate round (Round 6) before the FNB Varsity Cup play-offs the following Monday.
With 6 teams still in the hunt for a place in the semi-finals, Round 6 could have a major influence on the final Log positions and play-off venues this year.
Log-leaders FNB UP-Tuks face 4th-placed FNB UJ in a high-stakes Gauteng derby in Johannesburg, while the other big game will see the unbeaten FNB UFS-Shimlas host defending champions FNB UCT in Bloemfontein.
The other 2 matches will involve teams in the bottom half of the standings, with FNB NWU-Pukke looking to move into the Top 4 with an away win against newcomers FNB CUT and 3-times champions FNB Maties hoping to keep their play-off hopes alive when they host FNB NMMU.
The Stellenbosch side have only missed out on the semi-finals once in 2011, and they will know that defeat to the 7th-placed Madibaz will take their fate out of their hands.
Maties showed good character to fight back and beat UJ for their 1st win of the season in Round 5, but they will face an NMMU side that will be desperate to salvage something from a disappointing campaign.
In Bloemfontein the CUT Ixias will want to be more competitive after suffering 5 heavy defeats so far, but have their work cut out for them against a hungry NWU-Pukke side, while across town UFS-Shimlas will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak against a confident Ikeys team coming off a big win in Potchefstroom.
The final match of the evening will be in Johannesburg where UJ will be out to prove their play-off credentials at home against a rampant UP-Tuks side that has their eye on a home semi-final.
The Cell C Sharks scored an impressive bonus point victory in Bloemfontein as the 3 other South African Vodacom Super Rugby sides in action in Round 5 faltered.
The Emirates Lions could not emulate their win from last weekend as they came up against a Crusaders side hitting their straps in Christchurch on Saturday morning, with the Cantabrians running out comfortable winners (34 / 6).
On a sunny Cape Town afternoon, the DHL Stormers’ impressive 4-match winning run came to a sudden end as they were beaten by 28 / 19 by the Chiefs, who outscored their hosts by 3 tries to 1. The home team dropped from 1st to 3rd on the Combined Log.
In the final match of the weekend, the Cell C Sharks ended a mini-slump with a 27 / 10 victory over the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, which saw the team from Durban move into the Top 6 on the Combined Log.
It was the Durbanites’ 1st try-scoring bonus point away from home in a local derby in almost 3 years.
The Vodacom Bulls had a BYE this weekend while there were yet again more away victories (4r) than home wins (3).
The Cell C Sharks picked up their second victory of the Super Rugby campaign as they saw off the Toyota Cheetahs 27 / 10 in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
An improved performance was always on the cards following the defeat the men from Durban suffered against Stormers in their previous outing and the revival particularly at scrum-time will be encouraging for both the Super Rugby team and the Springbok coaching set-up.
The experience Tendai Mtawarira and brothers Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis brought to the game was crucial on the day, but the real winner for the Sharks was their defence against a Cheetahs outfit that was predictably full of running.
The Chiefs inflicted the DHL Stormers’ first defeat of the Super Rugby season, winning 28 / 19 in Cape Town on Saturday.
In a pulsating encounter, the former champions outscored their hosts 3 tries to 1, with flyhalf Aaron Cruden chipping in with 18 points, scoring a try and setting up another along the way.
The result moves the Chiefs level with the Hurricanes at the top of the New Zealand conference, 2 points behind the tournament-leading Brumbies in the overall standings. The Stormers are 2 points further adrift.
In front of a crowd of over 42 000, the Stormers led 16 / 13 at the interval.
The Steval Pumas, Xerox Golden Lions and Vodacom Blue Bulls all recorded good victories in Round 2 of the Vodacom Cup this weekend.
These 3 teams from the North Section are tied on 10 Log points at the top of the standings, with the Steval Pumas in 1st position because of a better points’ difference.
There were only 3 matches in this Round. The action in the South Section will kick off next weekend.
Gurthrö Steenkamp
Springbok prop Gurthrö Steenkamp has announced his retirement from international rugby, stating his wish to focus his career at Toulouse.
Steenkamp, many would feel, was still heavily in contention to make the Springbok World Cup squad after featuring through 2014. His retirement may well cause Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer some headaches.
The 33-year-old loosehead prop began his career at the Cheetahs in 2002 and then the Cats in 2004 before moving to the Bulls where he played the bulk of his rugby from 2005 – 2011.
Steenkamp was also selected for the Springboks from 2004 and made 53 appearances, scoring 6 tries.
The burley prop has been a part of the Toulouse setup since 2011 and has made 76 appearances for the French Giants.
Cheetahs (3) 10 / 27 (22) Sharks (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Cell C Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 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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Stormers (16) 19 / 28 (13) Chiefs (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at
Newlands, Cape Town at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT, Sunday 02:00 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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Crusaders (13) 34 / 6 (3) Lions (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Emirates Lions did battle in Super Rugby at
AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 05:30 SA Time (16:30 NZ Time, 03:30 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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It is Round 5 of Super Rugby 2015 this weekend.
There are 2 games on Friday 13 March and 5 games on Saturday 14 March.
The Vodacom Bulls have a BYE weekend.
The first 4 Rounds were very unpredictable and the local South African derbies in Round 4 had some stunning results.
2 Undefeated teams remain in 2015, all of whom are in action this weekend. Will these undefeated teams simply kick on and retain their unbeaten status, or will they be pegged back this weekend.
In the South African derby this weekend, between the Toyota Cheetahs against the Cell C Sharks, once again picking a winer is a difficult task… The game between the DHL Stormers and the Chiefs in Cape Town will also be a biggie!
Round 5 promises so much!
The Friday games are: Hurricanes vs Blues in Palmerston North and Western Force vs Melbourne Rebels in Perth. On Saturday the action starts at sparrow fart, SA Time, with the Crusaders hosting the Emirates Lions at 05:30 SA Time in Christchurch, whereafter the Highlanders take on the Waratahs in Dunedin and then it’s the Reds hosting the Brumbies in Brisbane, before the Action shifts to South Africa. thew DHL Stormers take on the Chiefs in an earlier than normal time, at 15:00 SA Time in Cape Town, after which the Weekend’s Super Rugby concludes with the derby between the Toyota Cheetahs and Cell C Sharks in Bloemfontein.
The earlier than usual Super Rugby starts in SA gives us the opportunity to also do a Live Game Article for some SIX Nations action on Saturday, when England and Scotland play in the Clacutta Cup game at 19:00 SA Time and then on Sunday we will also feature the Italy vs France game at 16:00 SA Time.
SANZAR has announced the Match Official appointments for Round 5 of the 2015 Super Rugby season, including Shaun Veldsman’s return to the TMO box in Cape Town after recovering from a recent knife attack.
The Action is started off by Glen Jackson in the match between the Hurricanes vs Blues and followed on Friday with Rohan Hoffmann officiating in the game between the Western Force vs Melbourne Rebels.
On Saturday, Nick Briant takes care of the Crusaders vs Emirates Lions clash, followed by Craig Joubert in the Highlanders vs Waratahs clash, followed by Andrew Lees in the Reds vs Brumbies clash. Later on Saturday Jaco Peyper is the Referee in the DHL Stormers vs Chiefs clash and the weekend is concluded with Chris Pollock officiating in the Toyota Cheetahs vs Cell C Sharks clash.
Hopefully we see some correct and cosistent officiating in Round 5 and no matches are adversely affected by dubious decisions by the officialdom.
There has been some seriously contentious decision-making by Referees, Assistant Referees and maybe even more worryingly so by the TMO’s in Super Rugby, the Varsity Cup and even the SIX Nations in 2015. Something will have to be done to bring more consistency between interpretations of match officials and to get fair results, failing which the game of Rugby Union will continue to suffer and lose part of it’s supporter base. Just this week I have spoken to 2 individuals who have indicated that they have lost all interest in rugby due to the nature of officiating!
Lions head coach Johann Ackermann has announced his team to take on the Crusaders in Christchurch this weekend.
After an injury free victory over the Blues last week, Ackermann has been able to name the same starting team this week, with just a couple of changes on the bench.
A convincing 63 / 8 victory over FNB CUT in Pretoria saw FNB UP-Tuks move past the unbeaten FNB UFS-Shimlas to the top of the FNB Varsity Cup standings.
The Free State side claimed a last-gasp 23 / 21 victory over FNB NMMU in Port Elizabeth, but that was not enough to keep their place at the top of the Log as the rampant UP-Tuks moved past them on points difference.
There were also wins for the 2 Cape sides as 3-time champions FNB Maties notched their first win of the season by edging FNB UJ 16 / 15 in Stellenbosch, while FNB UCT beat FNB NWU-Pukke 40 / 21 in a replay of last year’s final in Potchefstroom.
UP-Tuks were ruthless in their demolition of CUT, running in 9 tries to pile more pain on the newcomers who have suffered heavy defeats in every game of their debut season thus far.
After conceding 3 early tries, the NMMU Madibaz fought back bravely at home against UFS-Shimlas, only to have their hearts broken by a late penalty which leaves them languishing in 7th place with just 1 win.
Maties were also made to work hard for their victory, having gone 15 / 0 behind against UJ at one stage in Stellenbosch, but 2nd-half tries from Beyers de Villiers and Jacobus van der Merwe were just enough to secure a narrow victory for the home side.
Flank Jason Klaasen grabbed a hat-trick in Potchefstroom as defending champions UCT moved up to 3rd place on the standings with a convincing win over NWU-Pukke who drop down to 5th position with just 2 rounds left before the play-offs.
Arno Botha
The Vodacom Bulls are enjoying a BYE during this weekend’s Vodacom Super Rugby action and this will help the squad to get rid of little niggles, aches and pains. Chomping at the bit will be flanker Arno Botha, who is now fit again, having played off the bench for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the Vodacom Cup this weekend and playing in a starting position in the Vodacom Cup side on the weekend.
The rest will also result in a break for Callie Visagie (ribs), Lappies Labuschagne (SC joint) and Jacques-Louis Potgieter (hamstring), who will all again train next Monday.
Cheslin Kolbe
There’s a lot of fuss being made in the Cape about where Cheslin Kolbe should be deployed in the DHL Stormers team following Nick Mallett’s comments from the Supersport studio that he should perhaps play scrumhalf because of his size.
There has also been some hysterical overreaction to the attention paid to Kolbe by Cell C Sharks centre Frans Steyn in the coastal derby last weekend.
However, when it comes to the player himself, and the management who decide where he plays, it is a case of all calm on the western front. Kolbe knows he is playing a physical sport where the gladiatorial attitude prevails, and that opposition targeting you just comes with the territory in rugby and can actually be seen as a compliment.
As for the coaches, they don’t agree with critics who, because they believe Kolbe is not featuring as much on the counter-attack as he did during last year’s Currie Cup, feel that he is not himself at present.
Eben Etzebeth
The Stormers are sweating over the availability of Eben Etzebeth after the Springbok lock injured his shoulder in their 29 / 13 Super Rugby win over the Sharks at Newlands last weekend.
“Lock Eben Etzebeth took a bang on his shoulder against the Sharks which has affected his previous (chest) injury a bit, which is normal for 2 injuries in such close proximity. He is a bit uncomfortable and a call will be made on his participation later this week,” read a statement on the Stormers’ official website.
Etzebeth missed the entire 2014 Super Rugby season with an ankle injury, and was sidelined for the first 3 games on this year’s campaign following a chest injury sustained in pre-season.
Jannie du Plessis may not have been involved in the weekend’s scrumming massacre at the hands of the Stormers, but he has examined the evidence and given his diagnosis on what went wrong.
The Sharks efforts against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday steadily disintegrated as the game went on.
Their set piece meltdown culminated in three tightheads over a period of 15 minutes.
Du Plessis might not have had a front-row seat on Saturday’s proceeding, but he did manage to get his hands on a video which he scrutinized at length.
“I was certainly not expecting it (conceding three tightheads in 15 minutes),” the Springbok tighthead said.
“We had prepared really well, but there are a few technical things that went wrong.
BJ Botha
Munster on Wednesday revealed that BJ Botha, Niall Scannell and Kevin O’Byrne have all signed contract extensions with the province.
The Springbok prop, Botha, signed a 6-month contract extension.
Scannell advanced to a 2-year full contract and O’Byrne signed a 1-year development contract.
The South African prop, Botha, has been with the province since the start of the 2011 / 2012 season, making 93 appearances.
Michael Rhodes
Saracens are delighted to announce the signing of Michael Rhodes from the Stormers.
Michael Rhodes, the Stormers and Western Province forward, will join Saracens at the start of next season, adding South African power to the wolf pack.
Mark McCall, Director of Rugby, said: “We have some time ago identified Michael as a player who could make significant contribution to the squad, playing in the second row or the back row, carrying the ball and we are confident we can provide an environment where he will realise his full potential. We’re delighted he will be joining us next season.”
Pukke (21) 21 / 40 (24) UCT (Final Score)
FNB NWU-Pukke (North West University) and FNB UCT (University of Cape Town) did
battle in the Varsity Cup at 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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Maties (0) 16 / 15 (10) UJ (Final Score)
FNB Maties (University of Stellenbosch) and FNB UJ (University of Johannesburg) did
battle in the Varsity Cup at Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch 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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Round 5 of the FNB Varsity Cup will see a replay of last year’s epic final between FNB NWU-Pukke and FNB UCT in Potchefstroom on Monday.
The hosts will be looking to avenge their dramatic defeat, which saw the Ikey Tigers score 3 tries in the last 5 minutes to clinch the title, and keep their place in the Top 4, heading into the 2nd half of the current season.
In the other fixtures embattled 3-time champions FNB Maties will be looking for their 1st win this year when they host FNB UJ in Stellenbosch, while FNB UP-Tuks take on FNB CUT in Pretoria and log-leaders FNB UFS-Shimlas travel down to Port Elizabeth to face the FNB NMMU Madibaz.
Despite the inevitable hype that will come with the showdown in Potchefstroom, which will be televised live on Supersport 1 at 19:00 SA Time, NWU-Pukke coach Robert du Preez insists that it will not be about revenge but staying in the hunt this season with the play-offs fast approaching.
“We are not thinking about revenge, it will be stupid to go into a match with a revenge mind set, we just want to take things one game at a time.
“There is a lot riding on the game, with Ikeys being just 1 point behind us. We take things one game at a time and we want to take this opportunity to consolidate our standings and move up in the rankings. They are probably one of the most difficult sides to beat and it’s always tough to play against them no matter what the occasion,” said Du Preez.
Maties have only ever missed out on the play-offs once, and they will have to win the rest of their games convincingly to avoid that fate again, starting against a confident UJ side at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
The CUT Ixias have suffered heavy defeats in every game of their debut season so far, and will certainly have their work cut out for them again against a UP-Tuks side determined to bounce back from their first defeat of the season last week.
Pace-setters UFS-Shimlas are the only team in the competition that is yet to lose this season, and they face another test in Port Elizabeth against an NMMU side that has to win if they are to keep their hopes of sneaking into the play-offs alive.
No fewer than 24 tries were scored in the 1st 4 matches of the Vodacom Cup in 2015, with big wins for the Xerox Golden Lions, Steval Pumas, Vodacom Blue Bulls and Leopards XV.
• The Vodacom Blue Bulls easily overcame the Hino Valke in Kempton Park by 37 / 13.
• The Xerox Golden Lions trounced the Namibian FNB Welwitschias by 53 / 3 in Windhoek.
• The Steval Pumas romped over the Down Touch Griffons by 57 / 18 in Nelspruit.
• In the last game of Vodacom Cup action for the weekend, the Leopards XV beat a spirited Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls side by 22 / 9 in Potchefstroom.
Sam Cane
The Chiefs may have felt they deserved to win against the Highlanders after dominating play, but that is behind them as they now focus on their tour to South Africa.
The Chiefs next match is away in Cape Town against the undefeated DHL Stormers on 14 March, they then travel up the coast to Durban to take on the Cell C Sharks in what is sure to be a tough tour.
The South Africa opposition does not end there as their 1st fixture back home is to the traveling Cheetahs.
The DHL Stormers remained unbeaten and still Top of the South African Conference, by defeating the Sharks 34 / 13 in a feisty derby.
A super solo score by Johnny Kotze and a Penalty Try against Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, wrapped up a deserved win for the Stormers, their 4th of the season.
It’s early days but the Stormers now look like South Africa’s best hope of a Super Rugby title in 2015, based on their start to the year and the questionable form of their rivals.
When it mattered, their growing composure shone through in Cape Town, undaunted by the larger number of Springboks in the Sharks’ ranks.
The Vodacom Bulls’ recent revival continued as they secured a 39 / 20 victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday… moving them to 2nd in the SA Conference.
Handré Pollard was the visitors’ hero as he contributed 29 points via a try, 5 penalties, 3 conversions and a drop-goal. After last weekend’s morale-boosting win over the Sharks, Bulls coach Frans Ludeke will be delighted with the way his side dominated this game for large periods.
The Blues went down to their fourth-straight loss of the Super Rugby campaign on Saturday as they lost 13 / 10 to the Lions at QBE Stadium in North Harbour.
Errors aplenty, low confidence in attack and a failure to turn pressure into points cost the Blues as they crashed to a disappointing home defeat.
Meanwhile, the Lions will take their smash and grab victory with both hands as they head to the Crusaders with a tour win under their belt.
Gary Gold
After enduring a disappointing start to the season, Sharks coach Gary Gold has called on his side to ‘man-up’ and pull together.
Much is expected of a squad loaded with Springboks, but they have yet to realise their potential this season, with just 1 win from their first 4 games.
Gold said that the key to turning things around will be to remain united and take a hard look at which areas of their game are letting them down.
“This is certainly not the start we wanted in Super Rugby but it is important now to man-up and carry on with the fight.
“It is a long competition and we have got some work to do, no question of a doubt.
Stormers (13) 29 / 13 (10) Sharks (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Cell C Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at
Newlands, Cape Town 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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