Despite Bryan Habana’s move to Cape Town, the excellent form of Gio Aplon and the experience of Frikkie Welsh, Fijian International Sireli Naqelavuki still remains in the picture as Stormers wing.
In fact Stormers head coach Rassie Erasmus admitted he has a “soft spot” for the Fijian, who cost Western Province dearly when a head-high tackle - the result of a lazy, stiff arm - handed Springbok star Morné Steyn and opportunity to win the Currie Cup semifinal for the Blue Bulls last Saturday.
Steyn duly obliged and slotted a penalty from near 50 metres, at an angle, to see the Bulls advance to face the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup Final, while WP will be watching from the sidelines.
It wasn’t Naqelevuki’s only blunder this year, while his poor work rate and generally disappointing form has seen him become ‘persona non grata’ in Cape Town.
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According to statistics the Cheetahs have the recipe to take the excellent penalty kicking of Morne Steyn out of the equation - excellent discipline.
The simple recipe, which none of the All Blacks, Wallabies, British and Irish Lions or other Currie Cup teams could come up with this year, is outstanding discipline.
The Cheetahs have conceded only 129 penalties to date in this year’s Currie Cup, which is fewer than any other team. The Blue Bulls have been penalised 23 more times than the Free Staters.
In fact, the Bulls have conceded the third most penalties in the competition.
Western Province, who ironically lost their semifinal against the Bulls by conceding a late penalty at Newlands, conceded the fewest penalties after the Cheetahs with 135.
The Lions (141), Sharks (157) and Griquas (165) all conceded more penalties than the Cheetahs.
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According to Stormers senior coach Rassie Erasmus, Springbok flanker Schalk Burger will captain the Western Cape Super 14 franchise the Stormers in 2010.
Addressing a media gathering at Newlands on Tuesday, Erasmus revealed that Burger is the “front runner” to taker over from Jean de Villiers as Stormers skipper - with the Bok midfielder having joined up with Irish province Munster.
With Luke Watson, who took over as Currie Cup captain while the Boks were on international duty, having joined up with English club Bath, nit left a vacancy at both No.8 and in the captaincy department.
“Schalk [Burger] is the front runner,” Erasmus said.
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In an ill-tempered Currie Cup semi-final match which at times almost reached boiling point, the Cheetahs shocked the Sharks in the dying seconds to beat them 23-21 in their Absa Currie Cup semifinal in Durban on Saturday. The standout player was undoubtedly Cheetahs flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter who scored the winning drop goal on the stroke of full-time, with the Sharks desperately defending their one-point lead, and scored one of the visitors’ two tries. Potgieter secured 18 of the Cheetahs’ 23 points.
The unerring boot of flyhalf Morne Steyn condemned Western Province to also-rans when he landed seven match-winning penalties in the Bulls 21-19 win in their semi-final at Newlands on Saturday evening. Province enjoyed the distinction of scoring the only try of the match and, late in the second half, they looked like they could score an upset win over the highly-fancied Bulls but the Springbok marksman landed the decider three minutes from the end.
The match marked the end of a woeful day for Province who saw their age-grade sides taste defeat in the Under-19 and Under-21 divisions as well.
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Western Province lock Andries Bekker must prove on Saturday that he truly belongs with the best locks in the world if the Blue Bulls are to be stopped from reaching their second consecutive ABSA Currie Cup final.
The Western Province Springbok, although contributing hugely in general play, looked well short of his best in the lineouts [...]
Xerox Lions hooker Hans van Dyk has been cited for allegedly biting Vodacom Western Province flanker Francois Louw on the forearm during the first half of an Absa Currie Cup Premier Division match in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Van Dyk was cited by commissioner, Attorney Mr Andy Prior of Durban, after reviewing video and other evidence.
Van Dyk [...]
The Golden Lions Rugby Union Chief Executive Manie Reyneke have revealed that he has eight World-class coaches’ CVs on his desk - from New Zealand, Australia and England.
Media speculation has named White’s former Springbok assistant coach and current Western Province mentor Allister Coetzee as the front-runner for the position of Super 14 head coach.
However, Reyneke has dismissed [...]
The World is experiencing tough economic times, but this did not stop the Springboks from attracting their best average spectator attendance in 2009 in a decade (apart from one year).
SA Rugby announced on Wednesday that 288 551 people watched the Springboks’ six home Test matches at that an average of 48 085 fans per Test [...]
The Sharks face the Griquas in a crucial Currie Cup clash on Saturday, but John Plumtree will be sweating over the fitness of some key Springbok players.
While there is every chance that Springbok captain John Smit might be fit to face Griquas, it looks unlikely that Bok lock Johann Muller will join him in the [...]
The Cheetahs again had the Leopards‘ number when they ran in a convincing 60-17 victory over their North Western neighbours in their Currie Cup match in a wet Bloemfontein on Friday night. The Leopards started and finished with a bang, but the fireworks were delivered by a slick Cheetahs side who ran the Leopards ragged in [...]
