SA Conferense and Derbies

[tigerland12]

Basson yes , Lampie is included.

Woops, my bad vision not helping me there haha. Surely Basson is better then Mvovo and Habana (current form)

 

[PaarlBok]

Woops, my bad vision not helping me there haha. Surely Basson is better then Mvovo and Habana (current form)

Ja I like Basson. Habana is still class out of form or not, you cant replace that. Mvovo is also a good player.

 

[Blue]

Ja I like Basson. Habana is still class out of form or not, you cant replace that. Mvovo is also a good player.

Paarl Habana has been piss poor for two years. He makes too many mistakes and has lost his pace, seen when Basson hauled him in on Saturday. Two years ago he would have scored. Teh best two wings to start for SA should be Aplon and JP Pietersen amd Basson the third. Mvovo ahead of Basson is a bit of a joke .

 

[PaarlBok]

Bull Ring a sold out for saturdays Sharks clash
Sport24

Sold out signs up at Loftus

Pretoria - Saturday’s massive showdown between the Sharks and Bulls at Loftus Versfeld is guaranteed a capacity crowd as the sold out signs went up at Loftus Versfeld on Monday night.

The Bulls will be looking for their seventh straight win as they continue their late surge to try and defend their Vodacom Super Rugby title, and need a victory to ensure they make the six man Super Rugby playoffs next week.

After their nail-biting victory over the Stormers, who effectively took the conference title through their losing bonus point on Saturday, indications were that this weekend’s game would be a capacity crowd when the Bulls stopped taking telephonic and credit card bookings on their hotline at about lunchtime to give fans in the queue outside the ticket office a better chance of obtaining the tickets.

But the sold out signs were up on Monday night with tickets to the game now a hot commodity as the Sharks desperately need a victory to ensure they make the playoffs as well. The Waratahs could dump one of the two sides out of the playoffs if they beat the Brumbies, but if the Sydney side lose, both South African teams will head into the fixture knowing they are assured of their place in the playoffs.

“We are expecting a full house on Saturday and are very pleased with the support showed towards the Bulls and their final push for the playoff stages of the competition,” Blue Bulls Company chief executive officer Barend van Graan said.

The Bulls lie fifth in the competition standings, and after five early losses, have surged back with six straight wins. The Sharks are sixth and Waratahs seventh respectively.

 

[PaarlBok]

Saturdays Bull Ring clash maybe the last time for a lot of Brute and Springbok Legends, add Bakkies 100th SupeRugby match and it all lead up to one hell of clash
Sport24

Last-hurrah for Bulls stars?


Johannesburg - Is this weekend's Vodacom Super Rugby showdown the farewell for Loftus Versfeld's biggest stars?
While they have not mentioned it, and you would struggle to find any of their top players talking about it, the fact remains that when the Sharks travel to Loftus Versfeld to take on the Bulls, the home side could have their last glimpse of a number of stars who have served the cause so well over the past decade.

It could become an emotional farewell for several top Springboks as they desperately fight to secure a spot in the playoff rounds, and keep their chances alive of defending their Super Rugby title.

Several of the team's top names are either retiring or moving on after the World Cup and even if the Bulls have a good run in the playoffs to secure their title, the chances are they will have to achieve this feat away from home, as it is unlikely they will be able to secure home ground advantage for the rest of the competition.

Add to that the fact the Springboks do not play at Loftus Versfeld this year and many players will be leaving after the World Cup and this Saturday could be the last opportunity to see these Springboks on the Loftus turf. The Boks will also have no part in the Currie Cup this year because of the World Cup commitments.

This means this weekend could well be the final swansong for many of them in Pretoria, as they will have to carry the flag on foreign fields in order to win a fourth Super Rugby title in five years.

Captain Victor Matfield is retiring at the end of the season while Bakkies Botha, who is likely to run on for his 100th cap this weekend, will make a very lucrative move to the French club of Toulon.

Springboks Fourie du Preez and Danie Rossouw will be moving to Japan, while SA Rugby Player of the year Gurthro Steenkamp, who is currently injured, has signed for Toulouse in France and is likely to be joined by hooker Gary Botha.

You only have to consider the number of appearances for both the Bulls and Boks to realise how much a part of the Loftus Versfeld tapestry these players have played over the past decade. From the dynasty built under Heyneke Meyer, to the continued success of Frans Ludeke they have won every trophy on offer and played a major part in the Springboks' victory in France in 2007.

Matfield and Rossouw have both broken the Bulls career appearance records this season, and will run on for their 116th cap on Saturday. Considering Matfield also has 105 Tests under his belt and Rossouw 54, it shows the deep roots these two have in South African rugby.

Ditto for Du Preez, with 111 Super Rugby appearances and 55 Test caps is the general for both the Bulls and Bok teams in marshalling their attack.

Both has 86 Super Rugby caps and 12 Springbok caps while his namesake Bakkies has 73 Test appearances to go with his Super Rugby centenary. Steenkamp has 31 Tests behind his name and 70 Super Rugby appearances.

There is an outside chance that if certain games go their way the Bulls may have the odd playoff game at home, but at this stage it is unlikely.

There may even be an outside chance to see these stars at Loftus in their Springbok jerseys if the proposed end of season matches against the Maori team comes off - the game being touted as a farewell to the "blood brothers" Matfield and Botha, but with no official confirmation of the game yet, those who miss out this weekend at Loftus may miss their last chance to see these legends play at home.

 

[PaarlBok]

Tin Ears
Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Viljoen, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Ashley Johnson, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (capt), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.

Substitutes:16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Lourens Adriaanse, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Corné Uys, 22 Riaan Smit.

Tin Ear camp have decided not to risk Springbok flank Heinrich Brüssow. He injured his hamstring against the Crusaders and is in the fifth week of a rehabilitation process.

 

[PaarlBok]

I saw Hennie Daniller at Paarl Gym on saturday morning. Good to see they still visit their alma mater when they have time at their hands. Paarl Gym played Oakdale Agri College from Riversdal.

 

[PaarlBok]

I hereby declare the best match 22 of the year for the Stormers:
Stormers:
15 Gio Aplon, 14 Jean de Villiers, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenhage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Rynhardt Elstadt, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw

Substitutes: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Nick Koster, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Johann Sadie, 22 Conrad Jantjes

 

[PaarlBok]

Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Fourie du Preez, 21 Francois Brummer, 22 Akona Ndungane

 

[tigerland12]

Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Fourie du Preez, 21 Francois Brummer, 22 Akona Ndungane

I'm amazed Roussouw Isn't consitant in the starting side. I rate him so highly, He'd have to be better form then Potigter currently wouldn't he?

 

[Blue]

I'm amazed Roussouw Isn't consitant in the starting side. I rate him so highly, He'd have to be better form then Potigter currently wouldn't he?

Potgieter had a blinder against the goats.

A bit more mobile which is why I think he starts. Danie should start at 8 and Spies should be sent somewhere far away.

 

[Blue]

I hereby declare the best match 22 of the year for the Stormers:
Stormers:
15 Gio Aplon, 14 Jean de Villiers, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenhage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Rynhardt Elstadt, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw

Substitutes: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Nick Koster, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Johann Sadie, 22 Conrad Jantjes

Sadie for Habana and it would be the best.

 

[PaarlBok]

Dewaldt out of the Tin Ear clash and in come another Paarl Blood Sausage (Bloedwors) in Louis Schreuder, Groom to the bench. Louis captained the Paarl Gym 150th year team in which the Smith twins played aswell and sure have the same blood line like Sadie to become a great scrummie and WP captain in the future. His dad, Bertie, played with Sadie's dad many a year for Boland and this will be a big test for him against the in form Sarel Pretorius. Not an ideal situation but at least still a huge improvement on Januarie. Groom played for the Varsity Cup winners Ikey in the final.

Rugby365

Schreuder in at the deep end
Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:15

Will Louis Schreuder sink or swim? (c) Gallo
Rookie scrumhalf Louis Schreuder will make his first Super Rugby start in the final round robin game of the season when the Stormers take on the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein this weekend.

Dewaldt Duvenage has not been able to recover sufficiently from his leg injury and the former South Africa Under-21 player will get his big break as the Stormers look to secure a home semifinal with a solid performance on Saturday.

UCT's Varsity Cup-winning scrumhalf Nic Groom - who has, at times during the past twelve months, shared the WP Under-21 and Vodacom Cup scrumhalf duties with Schreuder - will warm the bench for the Stormers.

Despite the magnitude of the job at hand, Stormers backline coach Robbie Fleck is backing Schreuder to impress at the Free State Stadium in this vital encounter for the Cape side.

Fleck told rugby365.com: "It is big for him, he played well when he came over to Australia and got to play for ten minutes against the Rebels. He is a good player, he has got all the credentials - he played U21 for South Africa and he was the Western Province captain.

"What we like about his game is that he is quick to the breakdown, he has got an excelllent pass and a good kicking game. We are expecting a fast-paced game against the Cheetahs and hopefully he can get us some good, clean ball and get our backs on the run," he explained.

Schreuder will line up against one of the form scrumhalves in the competition this year in the livewire Sarel Pretorius, but Fleck does not see it as much of a head-to-head as the rest of the Stormers team will be out to 'take care' of Pretorius.

He said: "Scrummies don't really go one-on-one these days, the rest of the guys are going to have to watch Sarel."

However, the former Springbok centre is well aware of the threat that Pretorius (who heads up the top try-scorers' list this season alongside Bjorn Basson) presents and how well he fits in to the Cheetahs' open style of play.

Fleck commented: "Sarel has been excellent in broken play and that is what the Cheetahs love. They love a bit of a loose game and that brings his pace into the game and he has been exceptional this season, he has scored some great tries but we have handled him in the past when he has played for Griquas."

The Stormers backline coach has been impressed with the Cheetahs' approach this season, and says that he noted a definite shift in style after they lost a few games at the beginning of the season.

He said: "I think in the beginning of the season they were quite structured and they played a big kicking game and tried to suffocate teams, but I think they changed their mindset halfway through after they lost a couple of games and Free State are dangerous when they run the ball.

"We know that from years back that that is the way they love playing the game and it suits their culture and the history of the franchise. They are a very different sort of side from the first four or five games this season," he added.

Fleck is full of praise for the Cheetahs management and their decision to revert to the style of the "Free State of old".

"I think one thing that Naka and the management have got right is that the team is playing with a lot of freedom and a bit of a carefree attitude. It sort of suits the Free State of old," he said.

Peter Grant is back in the starting line-up for the first time since the Stormers played the Chiefs in Hamilton, the only game they have lost away from home all season, and Fleck is looking forward to the stability he will bring to the backline on Saturday despite fears that he may be a bit rusty.

He commented: "Pete [Grant] said he was feeling a bit tired during training but he is a quality player and it is good to have him back in the mix.

"I think he will bring a balance back to our game, and tactically he will be pretty astute so we are confident that he will have a good game on the weekend.

"He will be able to help Louis [Schreuder] through the game and we are expecting some big things from the two of them," he added.

While the Cheetahs have been devastating on attack this season, their go for broke attitude also presents opposing teams with a few opportunities and Fleck is hoping that the Stormers will be able to exploit those with the explosive Gio Aplon at fullback.

He explained: "We feel that it is going to be a quick game with a lot of loose ball, even though the Cheetahs score a lot of tries and they are great on attack they do cough up possession at times and we need to exploit that.

"We need some pace, first of all to counter their pace out wide but we also feel that there will be lots of opportunities and that is why Aplon is in there," he said.

 

[PaarlBok]

Plumtree not doing SA rugby any favours including Michalak as 10 for the Sharks in Lampie's place. He seems to not get that the Sharks problem is in midfield and should have played Swanepoel in 12 many many moons ago.
Sharks:
15 Patrick Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Stefan Terblanche (capt), 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Gerhard Mostert, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 John Smit, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Ross Skeate, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Louis Ludik

 

[Tordah]

Anyone watching Bulls v Sharks? Cracker of a game, ultra high intensity.

 

[qwerty51]

Yeah, it's life or death for both teams. Cracker of a finish

 

[Tangawizi]

Bulls fans seemingly showing a lot more restraint than Vancouvers hockey fans did...

All those tough wins in a row, only to blow it at home in the final round.

Well done to the Sharks though for knocking out the champ.

 

[Blue]

Bulls fans seemingly showing a lot more restraint than Vancouvers hockey fans did...

All those tough wins in a row, only to blow it at home in the final round.

Well done to the Sharks though for knocking out the champ.

Hardly blew it. Both teams played great, great rugby.

Very positive for SA rugby with a lot of guys like Petersen, Lambie, Steyn, and even Spies looking sharp.

That is the best game of rugby I have seen the Sharks play in many years. They sure turned up.

Gutted, but the Sharks deserved it.

I don't know if the Sharks can get to this level of intensity again after 32 hours of travel .

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I look forward to watching the replay based on that, Blue.

 

[PaarlBok]

Hard Luck Brutes. Myself thought the Sharks would have beaten any team on their display on saturday. The Stormers snatched up their first silverware even before their last game against the Tin Ears and earned themself a bit of a much needed break.

Final Log:
South African ConferencePos Team P W D L B PF PA PD TF TA BPts Pts
1 DHL Stormers 16 12 0 4 2 400 257 143 33 18 7 63
2 Sharks 16 10 1 5 2 407 339 68 41 28 7 57
3 Vodacom Bulls 16 10 0 6 2 416 370 46 40 37 6 54
4 Toyota Cheetahs 16 5 0 11 2 435 437 -2 44 49 12 40
5 MTN Lions 16 3 1 12 1 351 477 -126 36 49 7 25
Combined Log
Pos Team P W D L B PF PA PD TF TA BPts Pts
1 Reds 16 13 0 3 2 429 309 120 45 32 6 66
2 DHL Stormers 16 12 0 4 2 400 257 143 33 18 7 63
3 Crusaders 16 11 1 4 2 436 273 163 46 27 7 61
4 Blues 16 10 1 5 2 405 335 70 43 35 10 60
5 Waratahs 16 10 0 6 2 398 252 146 48 21 9 57
6 Sharks 16 10 1 5 2 407 339 68 41 28 7 57
7 Vodacom Bulls 16 10 0 6 2 416 370 46 40 37 6 54
8 Highlanders 16 8 0 8 2 296 343 -47 31 34 5 45
9 Hurricanes 16 5 2 9 2 328 398 -70 32 41 10 42
10 Chiefs 16 6 1 9 2 332 348 -16 33 30 6 40
11 Toyota Cheetahs 16 5 0 11 2 435 437 -2 44 49 12 40
12 Western Force 16 5 2 9 2 333 416 -83 25 42 5 37
13 Brumbies 16 4 1 11 2 314 437 -123 32 42 7 33
14 MTN Lions 16 3 1 12 1 351 477 -126 36 49 7 25
15 Melbourne Rebels 16 3 0 13 2 281 570 -289 30 74 4 24

So in the end the Stormers lost only a single game against the Brutes last week and surely deserved their log placing. Two games away from more silverware and hopefull we'll get the Sharks in a all SA final like last year. Will also like to get the Tahs for the one match that have been missing in the fixture list. Semi tickets will go on sale on thursday and expect a sold out within a day.