In Brazil, a Country Who Not Too Long Ago Had Similar Economic Issues As South Africa, Clubs Started Seei
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“In Brazil, a country who not too long ago had similar economic issues as South Africa, clubs started seeing young players as a commodity to export." – Rheeder Rugby suggesting that South Africa is to world rugby what Brazil is to world football. Volume 20, Number 3 07 February 2020 Register to receive your own free weekly newsletter at www.rugbyrsa.co.za A Massive Improvement Shown by Blitzboks After the disaster of last weekend in Hamilton, South In the wee hours of Sunday morning, the last potential Africa welcomed two class players back into the line- banana skin awaited the team from South Africa: up for the Australian leg of the series. Cecil Afrika and Samoa. Having lost both their Saturday matches quite Werner Kok returned to bring some much needed flair narrowly (France (24-17) and Argentina (28-21)), they and mongrel back into the team. [We’ll leave it as an had a point to prove. exercise for the reader to decide who brought which of those characteristics back into the team – Ed.] Fortunately for South African supporters, the islanders failed to turn up for the game because Blitzboks came Blitzboks first match was tough, on paper but, on out of the blocks like a steam train. They won 36-0 and grass, they ended their three-match losing streak by it could have been worse – Werner Kok lost control of demolishing Argentina. Scoring four tries in the first the ball in contact just centimetres from the line early half, they continued their dominance into the second in the second half. stanza, to the extent that they were 38-0 up before the opponents got on the scoreboard. Final score 52-14. With the lack of quarter-finals at this tournament – and last week – that put Blitzboks into a semi-final against Next up was another tough match – last week’s losing a resurgent USA team. It was JC Pretorius who scored finalists, France. Once again, Blitzboks struck first, for virtually from the first kick-off but USA struck within the first minute, and although the French struck back twice in quick succession to take a 12-5 lead. back almost immediately, our boys were not finished, scoring twice more before the break for a 19-7 half- A bit of brilliance from Selvyn Davids, chipping the time score. Final score 24-12. defensive line and then gathering his own kick drew the teams level and that’s how they went into half- time. The second half was an arm wrestle until about three minutes in when the captain Stedman Gans stepped his man and scored under the posts. All Blitzboks had to do then was to defend the 19-12 lead, which they did. The final against Fiji was disappointing for two reasons: the heavens opened and the match had to be played in a torrential downpour; and Blitzboks lost 12- 10. It was much better than last week and they closed the gap a bit on series leading New Zealand but it was a disappointing end. Close, but no cigar. KEY TOPICS IN THIS NEWSLETTER Super Rugby: How the 2020 Season Began Six Nations Off to a Satisfying Start PRO14: Cheetahs Demolish Southern Kings Alberts: Lions Return Was Easy Decision FNB Varsity Cup 2020 in a Cracking Start SA is to Rugby what Brazil is to Football Page 1 Super Rugby: How the 2020 Season Began It all kicked off last Friday morning with a New Zealand derby between Blues and Chiefs in Auckland. The home side got off to a flier and was leading 17-5 at the break but the men from Wellington fought back hard in the second half to take a valuable away win (29-37), albeit without a bonus point. Next up it was back across the Tasman for a convict derby featuring Brumbies against Reds in Canberra. The advantage kept swing from one side of the field to the other but when all was said and one, the score was 27-24 to the home team. Unsurprisingly, the champion Crusaders easily That night, Bulls had to travel to the fish bowl in dispatched Waratahs (43-25) while, in the match after Durban and, unaccountably, went down to one of the that and on Saturday afternoon, New Zealand’s weakest teams in the competition. And badly: 23-15. It Hurricanes just didn’t bother to turn up to play in Cape was no surprise to us then, when Bulls’ Director of Town against Stormers (27-0). Rugby resigned the Monday after that abysmal result. Bulls management insists, however, that the two events are unrelated. Yeah, right. Saturday morning saw what was perhaps the best match of the weekend when Sunwolves welcomed Rebels to Fukuoka and soundly defeated them. If we have one criticism it is that, with a 36-13 scoreline after 61 minutes, the Japanese side relaxed in defence and conceded two easy tries, which cost them the bonus point that was within their grasp. The final match of the weekend featured Lions away to Jaguares – and lest we forget, Lions were the only South African franchise able to beat the Argentines in their own back yard last year. It was a tough match for the very young team from Johannesburg against what was essentially a full- strength Argentinian national team. The cause wasn’t helped by the first minute injury to Lions inside centre, Dan Kriel, which saw him replaced by Manuel Rass. But despite that, at the halfway mark, the visitors were still in it with a scoreline of 10-8 but then the holes in what had been a dogged defence began to appear from about the 50-minute mark. Final score was 38-8. Page 2 Page 3 PRO14: Cheetahs Demolish Southern Kings FNB Varsity Cup 2020 in a Cracking Start After last weekend’s one-point game in Port Elizabeth, The first match of the weekend saw University of a lot was expected of the return match in Bloemfontein Pretoria (Tuks) entertaining North-West University this weekend. Where Cheetahs showed signs of rust late Monday afternoon. And it was a fantastic last weekend, they looked like a well-oiled machine exhibition of running rugby that ended with the teams this weekend as they ran in seven tries in beating only two points apart. Southern Kings 45-0. In the process, both teams achieved a four-try bonus The try-festival had the home crowd in raptures but, in point and the losers got a second bonus point for reality, it was a tough match in two key areas: up front finishing within seven points. Final score: 42-40. in the scrums where the home team were utterly Both could be contenders when the season gets to the dominant; and on defence where the white and orange sharp end in mid-April. wall just held, and held, and held, for over 80 minutes. The three remaining games on Monday kicked off at Still, the scoreline is deceptive. At the 66 minute mark, 7pm and thus, only one could be televised – that was the score was 24-0 – but then Kings had a player sent Stellenbosch University (Maties) versus University off for a high tackle. The next 14 or so minutes saw of the Free State (Shimlas). It was another high- the home team score three converted tries to add scoring affair but this one heavily weighted in favour another 21 points. of the home team. The final score was 67-16. But spare a thought for Kings interim coach Robbi Kempson. His team simply couldn’t find way through the beefed up Cheetahs defence this week, which bodes well for Cheetahs but will be a massive worry down in Port Elizabeth. Both teams have eleven matches left in the season – many of them at home. First, however, they two-week break before packing their bags for a trip to Europe. Cheetahs will have a have a three match tour to face Leinster, Ulster and Dragons while Kings will only have a two-match trip to play Munster and Scarlets, before entertaining Connacht in Port Elizabeth. Meanwhile, the team at University of the Western And where Cheetahs have a real chance at a play-off Cape (UWC) was welcoming opponents from the spot, Kings will need a major miracle just to get off the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) to Bellville. bottom of their conference table. Perhaps it’s time SA And it was vistors who grasped the nettle with two rugby gave other franchises a shot at PRO14 glory. converted tries within virtually the first ten minutes. UWC fought back but the men from Johannesburg were just too strong and the final score saw the visitors take five points from the road trip. Final score 10-40. The final match of the opening round was University of Johannesburg (UJ) hosting University of Cape Town (Ikeys). It was a tight affair for the first thirty minutes or so but the result was never in doubt after Ikeys scored both before half-time and almost immediately after it. Final score 16-25. Page 4 Page 5 Six Nations Off to a Satisfying Start Alberts: Lions Return Was Easy Decision As noted last week, this past weekend also saw the As we noted last week, a number of former players beginning of the European Six Nations and Rugby are winging their way back to Johannesburg to rejoin Europe competitions, each of which features six the Lions franchise that helped launch their careers. nations. Among them are Jaco Kriel – who will be sidelined until April while he recovers from ankle surgery.