“If successful in the bid [to host the Rugby Sevens World Cup in 2020, SA Rugby] intends for the tournament to be hosted in the Mother City at the Cape Town Stadium.” - SA Rugby CEO, Jurie Roux Volume 19, Number 16 09 May 2019 Register to receive your own free weekly newsletter at www.leopardnewsletters.co.za Rassie and his Attention to Detail Ever since Rassie Erasmus assumed the mantle of This would have been over twenty years ago, when Springbok coach there has been a sense of guarded laptops were considerably more expensive than they optimism among Bok supporters. Even if they didn’t are today. It was also several years before video know a lot about the man, they instinctively felt that analysis became vogue. Even so Rassie approached he is the right man for the job – even if temporarily. broadcasters and managed to get them to supply him with the footage from various matches. Over a And that faith has been rewarded with some decent period of time he built up a decent collection and results after the disaster of the last several years. But spent time analysing it to better understand opponent now, some useful insight is emerging about the man teams. himself. Then one day, in 2000, he approached the Bok One of our favourite analysts is Oom Rugby, who can coaching group and highlighted a play that the be found on Twitter and, every now and then, on Australians called every time they had a line-out in AllOutRugby. He recently posted a thread on the their own 22: the throw goes to Eales, who passes it social media platform that added to the legend of our off the top to Gregan, who throws a dummy and Springbok coach. shifts it inside to Kefu, who will have built up a head of steam. Rassie’s plan to counter this move was to not be sucked into a tackle but to rather go for the intercept off Gregan. In the TriNations match against Australia that year, around the 30th minute the Wallabies had a line-out in their 22. The ball went to Eales, down to Gregan, he dummied and passed the ball straight to Rassie. Since English is only Oom’s third language – after The Springbok flank headed for the try line, Rugby and Afrikaans – we’ve elected to edit his dragging a few defenders with him, and grounded words and compile an abridged version of his tale. the ball. The story goes back to the time when Rassie was still Unfortunately, the try wasn’t awarded because too playing the game and spent some of his hard-earned many bodies were around the ball for a clear income on a laptop computer. grounding to be seen. As Oom suggests, it was our first glimpse of Rassie in strategising action. KEY TOPICS IN THIS NEWSLETTER Another Weird Super Rugby Weekend Can We Host a Rugby Sevens World Cup? The Irish Dominate the 2018/19 PRO14 RWC Referee Appointments Raise Eyebrows It’s Heineken Cup Final Weekend Completing the Bok Selection Puzzle Page 1 Another Weird Super Rugby Weekend The Irish Dominate the 2018/19 PRO14 Without question, the biggest shock of the weekend Last weekend saw the play-off rounds of the 2018/19 came in the very first match when the team that our PRO14 competition take place between the teams editor still insists is “the worst in the competition by a that ended in the second and third positions on each country mile”, managed to burgle a draw in of the league’s two conferences. The victors in the Christchurch. There could have been another two play-off matches would win the right to contest a unexpected result in Brisbane a short while later but semifinal against one of Leinster or Glasgow discipline cost the visiting Sunwolves. Warriors, which two finished top of the two tables. The five yellow cards were excessive and the Japanese team paid dearly for them (especially as one was a second card offence for the same player and was thus turned into red) early in the second half. Playing the last 30 minutes a man down was always going to difficult but, despite that, the final result was still closer than one might have expected: 32-26. Early Saturday morning the Hurricanes extended the Rebels’ losing run with a performance that always had the visiting Australians chasing the match. That was Interestingly, even at play-off stage, all four of the followed by an exciting kiwi derby between the Welsh sides were already out of the running – despite Highlanders and Chiefs that swung one way and then that country having won the Six Nations a few weeks the other but ended in a draw. back. Also out, were both of the South African teams, but the less said about that the better. Another ill-disciplined performance by the Blues featured two yellow cards and saw the kiwi team go The last six this season were four Irish, one Scottish down narrowly to the Brumbies in Canberra, 26-21. and one Italian side but one of the Emerald Isle’s The following match was also a close encounter with teams (Connacht) lost to another (Ulster) in a play- the Bulls edging the Waratahs 28-21 at Loftus. off match that was too close to call up to the 78th minute. That was when South Africa’s Marcel The final game of the weekend saw the Stormers Coetzee went over for the try that secured the match facing the Jaguares in Buenos Aires in what was also a for Ulster. tight match, ending 30-25 in favour of the hosts. Earlier in the day, Munster welcomed the Italians (Treviso aka Benetton) to Limerick in what turned out to be another hard-fought encounter. In the end, the home team won it thanks to a 78th minute penalty kick. The result means that three Irish and one Scots team will contest the semifinals next weekend. We’ll preview those fixtures in next week’s newsletter. Page 2 Page 3 It’s Heineken Cup Final Weekend A Picture Begins to Emerge in the SRC Europe's top rugby clubs are going toe-to-toe in The SuperSport Rugby Challenge 2019 completed its Newcastle this weekend for the right to be crowned second round this past weekend and at least part of Heineken Cup Champions. the picture is beginning to emerge with five of the sixteen teams having racked up two wins from two On Friday, two French clubs ASM Clermont Auvergne matches. and La Rochelle will contest the Challenge Cup Final (20:45 on DStv #208). The timing is such that you can The Five are Tafel Lager Griquas, Xerox Golden probably switch over at the conclusion of the Super Lions, iCOLLEGE Pumas, DHL Western Province Rugby clash between the Bulls and Crusaders. (all on ten points) and Boland Cavaliers (on nine points). And then, at the same venue, what for many is the pièce de résistance of the rugby weekend, the These points are a result of the matches this past Heineken Champions Cup final is on Saturday when Saturday, when five away teams took the spoils: the Irish club, Leinster, defends their title against Border Bulldogs lost to Province 24- 48; Down London's Saracens (18:00 on DStv #201). Touch Griffons went down to Griquas 26-35; Zimbabwe Academy were defeated by Cell C Sharks; But first, the Challenge Cup. The French Rugby site, Leopards lost out to the Lions 27-55; and Valke RugbyRama [Health warning: the site French and suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of the Pumas doesn’t appear to have an English version – Ed], 19-26. reports that La Rochelle’s appearance is the first final of their history in European Cup. Their opponents, The home teams to win were: EP Elephants who beat however, have been here before and have also SWD Eagles in a high-scoring affair 59-31; Cavaliers contested the higher level Champions Cup trophy. who prevailed over Toyota Free State 21-10; and Vodacom Blue Bulls who hammered Namibia 87-21. But that said, the new-comers got to the final through playing an exciting brand of running rugby and they Unlike last week when all the matches where on will probably not see any reason to mess with the Saturday, they’re spread over the weekend this week. formula. It should a real humdinger of a match. And to On Friday, Sharks host Province (15:00); Blue Bulls add some spice, a couple of Saffers should run out for entertain Griffons (16:50); and Pumas welcome Clermont. Leopards (19:00). The match on Saturday is being billed as a clash of Saturday sees Lions at home for first time this season two knockout rugby titans. For Leinster it would be a when they take on Valke (12:00) as a curtain raiser to remarkable fifth star to add to their badge and a the senior Lions team’s Super Rugby clash with the defence of their crown, whilst Saracens will be looking Waratahs; Buldogs host Cavaliers (15:30); and to make it a third title in four years. There will Namibia tackles Griquas (16:00). probably also be a few saffers in action for the London club. Sunday is the second double-header of the tournament at D'Almeida Stadium in Mossel Bay when the EP Elephants play Free State (12:00) and SWD Eagles challenge the Zimbabwe Academy. It should be an entertaining day out for rugby fans in the vicinity.