[2013 Currie Cup] Round 10

[Draggs]

Round 10 Fixtures

Ellis Park, Johannesburg (Saturday 12, 15:00 Local)


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Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein (Saturday 12, 17:05 Local)


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Kings Park Stadium, Durban (Saturday 12, 19:00 Local)
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[TRF_stormer2010]

I like this strength vs strength Currie cup. It means that there is all to play for even in this last round or rather especially in this last round with all three matches having an effect even if only mathematically in the case of the Lions who SURELY won't fail to pick up a single point?! So it's expected that the Cheetahs vs Bulls will essentially be a QF while WP and Sharks- even though garaunteed a home SF- are playing for a potential home final should we each overcome our SF opponents.

Throw the conundrum of the returning Springboks into the mix; do you go for team continuity or the proven class of the Bokke?- well, I am almost more excited than I was for the test match against NZ in Ellis Park... actually I just might be a little more excited!

Proooooovince!

 

[Draggs]

Every year we dump the Boks back in and fail. I really wish we didn't just drop the front row into place.
Glad to see PSdT starting though, he was excellent for the week we had him earlier in the season.

Sharks v WP is the big one no doubt. The winner is the top of the log, no BP/point difference stuff here.

Western Province: 15. Gio Aplon, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Cheslin Kolbe, 10. Demetri Catrakilis, 9. Louis Schreuder, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Siya Kolisi, 6. Deon Fourie (captain), 5. De Kock Steenkamp, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Scarra Ntubeni, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16. Frans Malherbe, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Michael Rhodes, 19. Schalk Burger, 20. Nic Groom, 21. Kurt Coleman, 22. Jean de Villiers


Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Tim Whitehead, 12 Heimar Williams, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel (capt), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Peet Marais, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Stephan Lewies, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Cobus Reinach, 21 Pat Lambie, 22 Louis Ludik

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagné, 6 Johannes Prinsloo, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Substitutes: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Freddie Ngoza, 19 Teboho Mohoje, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Piet Lindeque, 22 Willie du Plessis.

Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Rudi Paige, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross (captain), 5 David Bulbring, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Subsitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Jean Cook, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Francois Venter, 22 Clayton Blommetjies.


Griquas: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Luzuko Vulindlu, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Jonathan Francke, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Du Randt Gerber, 9 Jacques Coetzee, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Jaco Nepgen, 6 RJ Liebenberg, 5 Rory Arnold, 4 Rynard Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse (c), 2 Matt Dobson, 1 Janro van Niekerk.
Substitutes: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Brummer Badenhorst, 18 Dalton Davis, 19 Patrick O'Brien, 20 Enrico Acker, 21 JP Nel, 22 Logan Basson.

Lions: TBA

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Pote Human, Griquas coach, is resting a fair bit of starters for the possible promotion/relegation game. Not sure yet what the outcome is going to be, but there is a revote on the possible expansion to 8 teams again this week. If approved, Pumas and Kings will be promoted and Griquas can stay put.

If not, Griquas will play the Pumas.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I can't see the Griquas lose out to the Pumas but stranger things have happened and the Griquas havn't had their edge this year after the opening round though they've come close enough in a few. I am 50/50 for the possible expansion. As is I think 6 teams is better but I think could be better IF the smaller unions could be more competitive but as is there is really no incentive for the best players to play for the likes of the Pumas other than as a stepping stone to one the unions in SR.

On a bit of a side note I think of the newbies SP Marais and Paul Willemse have been the guys to have done the most to get noticed. I like the look of Marnitz Boshoff as well but its difficult to tell with players playing at the Lions. I love Kolbe but I have doubts over his effectiveness in tighter matches, will have a better opportunity to assess in this game, the play-offs and SR.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Well, Griquas is the only minor feeder province regarding Super Rugby. The Pumas, Leopards, Valke, Boland, Border, SWD, Griffons never have a player being selected for the Super Rugby teams which makes them a lesser team than the Griquas. They just don't have the quality to beat a Griquas team that can have players like Schoeman, Le Roux, Stemmet, Mnisi, Prinsloo, Brummer, Vulindlu, Jansen, Landman, Barnes and Adriaanse. It's a bit unfair.

All the more reason to have a long hard look at the franchise system that is being implemented in SA currently. It's ridiculous how the smaller unions are being ignored by SARU in the current system. It makes the Currie Cup First Division meaningless.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Well, Griquas is the only minor feeder province regarding Super Rugby. The Pumas, Leopards, Valke, Boland, Border, SWD, Griffons never have a player being selected for the Super Rugby teams which makes them a lesser team than the Griquas. They just don't have the quality to beat a Griquas team that can have players like Schoeman, Le Roux, Stemmet, Mnisi, Prinsloo, Brummer, Vulindlu, Jansen, Landman, Barnes and Adriaanse. It's a bit unfair.

All the more reason to have a long hard look at the franchise system that is being implemented in SA currently. It's ridiculous how the smaller unions are being ignored by SARU in the current system. It makes the Currie Cup First Division meaningless.

The alternative is a system similar to the one NZ has set up which does have a lot going for it... I just can't see the current franchisees giving up their power though.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

The alternative is a system similar to the one NZ has set up which does have a lot going for it... I just can't see the current franchisees giving up their power though.

Well, the real issue lies in the franchise kick-off back in 1999. Before that, provincial teams were 'promoted' to Super Rugby. When the franchise system was introduced, SARU ignored the whole principle of the franchise system and the smaller unions, sans Griquas, are only part of the franchise on paper. Nothing more. You're right in thinking he big 5 will not give up their power easily, but SARU does have something to say as well, with the contracts being handed out to Springboks. SARU has the power to change the system and I feel, in the long run, a wider spread of the quality players will be a good development for SA rugby as a whole.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Well, the real issue lies in the franchise kick-off back in 1999. Before that, provincial teams were 'promoted' to Super Rugby. When the franchise system was introduced, SARU ignored the whole principle of the franchise system and the smaller unions, sans Griquas, are only part of the franchise on paper. Nothing more. You're right in thinking he big 5 will not give up their power easily, but SARU does have something to say as well, with the contracts being handed out to Springboks. SARU has the power to change the system and I feel, in the long run, a wider spread of the quality players will be a good development for SA rugby as a whole.

I think it's just a matter of time before we will see the centralised contracts being implemented. Many Springbok players and ex-players/coaches has been vocal about this issue lately. It's bound to happen at some stage.

What is interesting to me is the power-struggle between the big unions and the smaller unions. this Currie Cup revote debacle was the latest part in this issue. And when the Kings didn't get the voting going the way they wanted, they are now asking for a revote. the Quota system was another thing where this fight happened.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Well, the real issue lies in the franchise kick-off back in 1999. Before that, provincial teams were 'promoted' to Super Rugby. When the franchise system was introduced, SARU ignored the whole principle of the franchise system and the smaller unions, sans Griquas, are only part of the franchise on paper. Nothing more. You're right in thinking he big 5 will not give up their power easily, but SARU does have something to say as well, with the contracts being handed out to Springboks. SARU has the power to change the system and I feel, in the long run, a wider spread of the quality players will be a good development for SA rugby as a whole.

Yep. The thing was those teams effecctively forming the franchises were already ahead of the lesser teams and it was an easy way to get going. Then adding the next best as we went on.

As it is the 'feeder unions' have no chance and the bigger unions prefer to keep the quality "in-house' rather than borrow from their so-called feeders. Even the Cheetahs keep on buying the Sr players from the Griquas rather than be happy to let them play CC there and for good reason; they were probably banking on Riaan Viljoen and Sarel Pretorius and without any notice the Griquas passed them off to the Sharks and Waratahs without the Cheetahs having a say.

So do we keep it as is, allow for the lesser teams to compete for a place in SR like clubs do in Europe or separate the franchises from the big unions altogether and have the provinces and SR franchises as separate entities like NZ have done and have the Bokke centrally contracted. Tough decisions. I think SR expansion and SA having 6 teams in SR goes a long way to helping us TBH even if it does dilute the comp as a whole a tad.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Back to the CC round 10

Looking forward to this weekends games, things are spicing up

Bulls will come with a massive onsluaght and if they get it, it will be well deserved. Still putting by bet on Cheetahs but narrowly.
WP and Sharks game going to be a cracker wit the returning Boks, feel WP are a bit more advantaged due to this and giving them the win, also close.
Lions will declare on 300 for 1 by tea time.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I expect wins from the Lions, Bulls (but not enough to sneak into the play-offs) and WP so.. WP to host the Cheetahrs and Sharks the Lions.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I expect wins from the Lions, Bulls (but not enough to sneak into the play-offs) and WP so.. WP to host the Cheetahrs and Sharks the Lions.

yeah that's my prediction too...

I for one am now hoping that the Bulls don't make the playoffs... So that they can get rid of Pine Pienaar. Has anyone else noticed that the last 2 games of the Bulls, Victor Matfield was in the coaching box, barking orders?? Where the hell was Pine?? probably making some cleaning gel...

Anyways, I'm curious to see a glimpse of the Bulls backline for next year's Super Rugby tournament. Pollard, Basson, Serfontein, JJ Engelbrecht, Ndungane and Visser/Blommetjies...

 

[Gena_ZA]

Jislaaik, with the 2 Bok centers back and Vleis playing at 8th man I am starting to wonder, Bulls might just do this....

 

[Gena_ZA]

yeah that's my prediction too...

I for one am now hoping that the Bulls don't make the playoffs... So that they can get rid of Pine Pienaar. Has anyone else noticed that the last 2 games of the Bulls, Victor Matfield was in the coaching box, barking orders?? Where the hell was Pine?? probably making some cleaning gel...

Anyways, I'm curious to see a glimpse of the Bulls backline for next year's Super Rugby tournament. Pollard, Basson, Serfontein, JJ Engelbrecht, Ndungane and Visser/Blommetjies...

I want to see more of Sampie Masriet, can't understand why he does not get more opportunities.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Jislaaik, with the 2 Bok centers back and Vleis playing at 8th man I am starting to wonder, Bulls might just do this....

The could... they could just do what they did to the Griquas... But I'm not getting my hopes up...

 

[Gena_ZA]

Remember some years ago the Bulls needed to make up a scary points difference in the last game against the Stormers.
Right, that day we had a big party at my place and did my dear Bulls friends tear me apart that day...

 

[TRF_heineken]

Remember some years ago the Bulls needed to make up a scary points difference in the last game against the Stormers.
Right, that day we had a big party at my place and did my dear Bulls friends tear me apart that day...

Haha, moet ons nooit afskryf nie!!

I like Sampie too, he's just a bit dodgy on defence... then again, so is Bjorn Basson!!

 

[Gena_ZA]

changed my mind, Bulls to take this one

 

[Gena_ZA]

My SuperBru perditions:

Lions by 100
Bulls by 8
WP by 12


Been lucky so far this season on Bru