Super Rugby Unlocked: Round 3 [23 - 24 October 2020]

[TRF_heineken]

​

Friday, 23 October 2020

Venue: Mbombela Stadium
Time: 19:00 CAT (SA, GMT+2)
​

Saturday, 24 October 2020

Venue: Emirates Airlines Park
Time: 16:30 CAT (SA, GMT+2)

Venue: Loftus Versfeld
Time: 19:00 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I have made my Superbru picks. I see I am going slightly against the grain %-wise by picking the Lions and Sharks ahead of their more fancied opposition.

My picks then Stormers, Lions and Sharks all by less than 8.

 

[unrated]

Stormers, Cheetahs and Sharks for me.

With the recent pro 14 news, this Cheetahs and Lions game might be a real grudge match, or should I say cat fight.

 

[Seeker]

Stormers
Cheetahs (I want them to win the Unlocked championship - revenge for being kicked out).
Sharks

 

[Seeker]

 

[Twistie]

Stormers ,cheetahs,sharks for this round.

 

[unrated]

We are looking good with outside back depth at the Sharks. I know pro x rugby teams need big depth especially when Internationals overlap with the comp.

Our outside back depth going forward looks something like this now
Makazole Mapimpi
Sbu Nkosi
Aphellele Fassi
Werner Kok
Madosh Tambwe
Lwazi Mvovo
JP Pietersen
Thaakir Abraham's (Junior Springbok)

And now Yaw Penxe from the Kings
Think Muller du Plessis can also play wing

I don't know about the other teams but is this the most stacked outside backs depth in the world right now?

 

[TRF_heineken]

We are looking good with outside back depth at the Sharks. I know pro x rugby teams need big depth especially when Internationals overlap with the comp.

Our outside back depth going forward looks something like this now
Makazole Mapimpi
Sbu Nkosi
Aphellele Fassi
Werner Kok
Madosh Tambwe
Lwazi Mvovo
JP Pietersen
Thaakir Abraham's (Junior Springbok)

And now Yaw Penxe from the Kings
Think Muller du Plessis can also play wing

I don't know about the other teams but is this the most stacked outside backs depth in the world right now?

And Manie Libbok, who can play fly half, wing and Fullback.

Yeah that's a pretty stacked group and all of them with some pedigree. Although I think Mvovo and Pietersen are a bit over the hill and maybe not like they were a couple of years ago.

 

[unrated]

Yea haha Mvovo is very much over the hill, almost did not even make that hill. He has become just as slow as Ndungane was in his final years. I remember a Cursaders prop running down a Ndungane breakaway, then we all knew his days was over. Seen something similar with Mvovo, i think Thomas the tank is clocking a faster 100m than him

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Cheetahs vs lions cancelled...

 

[rugby rulz]

Well played the Bulls !! In the game against the sharks everything seemed to fall into place after we scored the first try.

Hendricks had a good game and combined well with Gans, which was good to see ! Hopefully they can keep it up and grow their chemistry ! I was critical about their centre combination, but now I am sceptically optimistic ! They played all the small match-ups well !

The forwards were very good and nr 7 Louw was phenomenal ! Van Zyl also had a good game, and it's almost if one can already see Fourie du Preez's influence starting to pay off. It's not fair to single players out because everyone gave it their best so hats off to all the players. Nortje was also a monster and there I have to eat humble pie, so well played young man !

I hope Jake can keep the guys grounded and focus hard for the Stormers game !

 

[Seeker]

Yea haha Mvovo is very much over the hill, almost did not even make that hill. He has become just as slow as Ndungane was in his final years. I remember a Cursaders prop running down a Ndungane breakaway, then we all knew his days was over. Seen something similar with Mvovo, i think Thomas the tank is clocking a faster 100m than him

I thought your Sharks would beat the Bulls for sure.

2020 has been a very bizarre year.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Pity about the Cheetahs v Lions being cancelled. That cat fight was close to pick of the round IMO. As it turned out Bulls v Sharks wasn't a contest and just as odd the Stormers v Pumas was a nail biter and a half.. I know nothing. Happy enough for the log points (again) but we barely made it over the line (again). Two games is not much in terms of a pool of information but if I had to set up something in the way of "power rankings":

1 Cheetahs
2 Bulls

3 Stormers
4 Sharks
5 Pumas

6 Lions
7 Griquas

Thoughts? I do expect however that there will be a lot of movement still. My expectation still is for the Lions to climb a bit and Cheetahs to drop a tad. Which is why that match getting cancelled irks me so but possibly I really do know nothing. Luckily for my Superbru it seems my league knows even less.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

So, the pumas, griquas, and cheetahs, have they picked up any of the talent from the super teams or are they (particularly the first two) just using the leftover players and somehow still managing to compete?

Well played the Bulls !! In the game against the sharks everything seemed to fall into place after we scored the first try.

Hendricks had a good game and combined well with Gans, which was good to see ! Hopefully they can keep it up and grow their chemistry ! I was critical about their centre combination, but now I am sceptically optimistic ! They played all the small match-ups well !

The forwards were very good and nr 7 Louw was phenomenal ! Van Zyl also had a good game, and it's almost if one can already see Fourie du Preez's influence starting to pay off. It's not fair to single players out because everyone gave it their best so hats off to all the players. Nortje was also a monster and there I have to eat humble pie, so well played young man !

I hope Jake can keep the guys grounded and focus hard for the Stormers game !

What’s the Fourie du Perez influence you speak of? Is he an assistant coach and or Has he been particularly involved With that one player?

 

[Seeker]

Pity about the Cheetahs v Lions being cancelled. That cat fight was close to pick of the round IMO. As it turned out Bulls v Sharks wasn't a contest and just as odd the Stormers v Pumas was a nail biter and a half.. I know nothing. Happy enough for the log points (again) but we barely made it over the line (again). Two games is not much in terms of a pool of information but if I had to set up something in the way of "power rankings":

1 Cheetahs
2 Bulls

3 Stormers
4 Sharks
5 Pumas

6 Lions
7 Griquas

Thoughts? I do expect however that there will be a lot of movement still. My expectation still is for the Lions to climb a bit and Cheetahs to drop a tad. Which is why that match getting cancelled irks me so but possibly I really do know nothing. Luckily for my Superbru it seems my league knows even less.

The Cheetahs vs Lions game was postponed (PP), as in to be hopefully made up later.

https://super.rugby/superrugby/

 

[TRF_heineken]

So, the pumas, griquas, and cheetahs, have they picked up any of the talent from the super teams or are they (particularly the first two) just using the leftover players and somehow still managing to compete?


What’s the Fourie du Perez influence you speak of? Is he an assistant coach and or Has he been particularly involved With that one player?

The Griquas and Pumas didn't pick up any SR players, but they rather acquired players who didn't get SR contracts that played Varsity Cup.

The Cheetahs made a few aqcuisitions though. They brought in Ruan Pienaar, Frans Steyn, Roscoe Specman and a couple of fringe players.

As for Fourie Du Preez. He is now a consultant with the Bulls. Mostly assisting the scrumhalves as well as the tactics of the backline. Much like Victor Matfield assists with the Lineouts and the forwards.

The Bulls were just fantastic, and I didn't think they'd win especially after they struggled in the first half especially at scrum time. But when Thomas Du Toit went off injured, and Trevor Nyakane came on for the Bulls, everything just clicked.

Elrich Louw, Stedman Gans and Duane Vermeulen was all outstanding for the Bulls.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

The Cheetahs vs Lions game was postponed (PP), as in to be hopefully made up later.

https://super.rugby/superrugby/

I understand that but I wonder whether they will actually get to it. maybe that is just me being pessimistic.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

So, the pumas, griquas, and cheetahs, have they picked up any of the talent from the super teams or are they (particularly the first two) just using the leftover players and somehow still managing to compete?


What’s the Fourie du Perez influence you speak of? Is he an assistant coach and or Has he been particularly involved With that one player?

The only transfer between these competing teams I know of is lock Le Roux Roets going from the Sharks where he was a bench player to captaining the Pumas though he got injured in the 1st round (delivering a MotM performance in my book).

I really think the Pumas made an astute signing there. I do like the look of Roets (ever since him coming on for the Sharks vs Stormers in proper SR turned the tables for them at scrum time) and he has shown he can have impact from the get-go rather than just off the bench.

 

[Seeker]

I understand that but I wonder whether they will actually get to it. maybe that is just me being pessimistic.

Expect the unexpected should be the International motto for everyone and everything in 2020.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I understand that but I wonder whether they will actually get to it. maybe that is just me being pessimistic.

It all depends on the 2 teams, I know there's provision that should a match be postponed due to COVID-related illnesses, the teams have an option to take the match as a draw, if both teams agree to it, or that they must reschedule the match at a time suitable for them to play, without interfering with the other matches.

The problem is that only 1 team has a bye on a weekend, so the only way to go about playing this match, is to do it midweek.

They can't postpone the playoffs or extend it to another week, because as soon as SR Unlocked ends, these teams start the Currie Cup.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

It all depends on the 2 teams, I know there's provision that should a match be postponed due to COVID-related illnesses, the teams have an option to take the match as a draw, if both teams agree to it, or that they must reschedule the match at a time suitable for them to play, without interfering with the other matches.

The problem is that only 1 team has a bye on a weekend, so the only way to go about playing this match, is to do it midweek.

They can't postpone the playoffs or extend it to another week, because as soon as SR Unlocked ends, these teams start the Currie Cup.

Exactly why I don't see it happening. It'd be a physical encounter and luck of the draw so I can't see any team choosing a mid week. You'd essentially be compromising the rest of your tournament for 2 additional points (I don't believe anyone will be expecting to win with a BP here) and possibly 2 less.

Wonder what the expected turn-around would be for Lions being able to come back in. Would be difficult for them if they had to share the spoils with the Griquas coming up as well.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

i know there game had been called off but interested since he is joining us next month how Jasper Wiese has been playing?
could see a back row of
6. Liebenberg
7. Brink
8. Wiese
At some point for Tigers next season.

 

[TRF_heineken]

i know there game had been called off but interested since he is joining us next month how Jasper Wiese has been playing?
could see a back row of
6. Liebenberg
7. Brink
8. Wiese
At some point for Tigers next season.

Well he was a beast last week against the Bulls.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

i know there game had been called off but interested since he is joining us next month how Jasper Wiese has been playing?
could see a back row of
6. Liebenberg
7. Brink
8. Wiese
At some point for Tigers next season.

He outshone Duane Vermeulen and not subjectively speaking which says a lot IMO. Vermeulen made up for it with a MotM showing this week which if anything just makes Wiese's feat more impressive.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Wow sounds impressive, don't really watch Pro rugby so didn't know how well he was playing but to outshine Duane sounds extremely promising.