“So World Rugby (IRB) know what they're doing? Two of the best 7s outfits ever play off for 9th and 10th place. Never really a fan of Sevens and I think they've just killed it.” – the Volume 20, Number 2 inimitable Dan Retief in reaction to the Hamilton 7s 31 January 2020 Register to receive your own free weekly newsletter at www.rugbyrsa.co.za 2020 Rugby Season Looks Like a Cracker We usually dedicate the last page of this newsletter to discussing the rugby action you can look forward to on the weekend but this week there is simply too much of it. As a result, we’re just putting selected tournament schedules on that page for this issue. As we mentioned in our last newsletter, this weekend is effectively the beginning of the southern hemisphere rugby season with Super Rugby kicking off today and The fourth round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens the FNB Varsity Cup beginning on Monday evening. Series takes place in Sydney this weekend but, based on the disastrous performance put in by the Blitzboks In this issue we have two Super Rugby stories: one last weekend in Hamilton, we’re expecting the worst. looking at the chances of the four South African teams this year; and another previewing the first round match- On top of all that, the Six Nations 2020 also kicks off ups. this weekend along with the second tier European six nations competition, Rugby Europe. The first will see And the second local PRO14 derby takes place in Wales host Italy and Ireland entertain Scotland on Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon when Cheetahs Saturday while France will welcome the whingers on entertain Southern Kings. After last week’s last gasp Sunday. win in Port Elizabeth, the home side will be wanting to milk the home-ground advantage and extend their In the Rugby Europe tournament, Spain visits Sochi to record against their opponents to 12 wins from 12. play Russia and Romania will travel to Tbilisi to face Georgia on Saturday. And then on Sunday Portugal will be hosting Belgium in Lisbon. On top of that, the second tier English and French competitions (Championship and Pro D2) continue as well. And, across in Japan, the Top League will see a full house of eight matches this weekend – as a reminder, there are a number of South Africans making hay in that league again this year. KEY TOPICS IN THIS NEWSLETTER SA’s Super Rugby Prospects in 2020 Disaster in Hamilton for the Blitzboks Super Rugby 2020: Round One Preview Rekindling the FNB Varsity Cup Flame? PRO14: Close But No Cigar for Kings Can Lions Rediscover Super Rugby magic? Page 1 SA’s Super Rugby Prospects in 2020 There’s an interesting analysis by Rob Houwing on “There are few genuine superstars left on the books in News24 that assesses the strengths, weaknesses and Jo’burg, but the Lions do have a few young figures prospects of South Africa’s Super Rugby franchises in with the potential to suddenly ‘explode’ in Super the season that begins today at 8am with the Blues- Rugby this year: names like Hacjivah Dayimani, Chiefs New Zealand derby. The author has highlighted Vincent Tshituka, Tyrone Green and Mannie Rass what he calls five strengths and five potential snags for spring to mind.” each team. For instance, one of the strengths he highlights about Bulls prospects involves the coach: “The continuity that comes with Pote Human having a second successive season as head coach: that may not seem anything special to some of the more settled outfits competition-wise when it comes to masterminds, but he will be the only South African franchise coach NOT making his debut at this level in 2020, has been part of the broader Loftus rugby furniture for many years ... and did pretty well last year, when all is said and done.” On the other side of the ledger he reckons Bulls may Houwing views the schedule as both a potential be under pressure due to the “quite extraordinary loss strength and a snag: a lot of home games up front but of lock personnel since 2019.” the last nine matches will all be in South Africa, most of them at Emirates Airlines Park. But: He writes: “This year’s squad will be without the services of three highly-touted internationals in Lood “Playing away from the Highveld (and often overseas) de Jager, RG Snyman (that pair massive lineout and so much in the first few weeks could be hazardous to general athletic factors) and Jason Jenkins, plus the Lions’ quest to be up among the contenders from Zimbabwean-born Eli Snyman who has flown the relatively early on ... we have seen often enough coop to Benetton. Plenty rests, you’d think, on the before the detrimental effect on attendances in SA expected main combo of Kruger and Andries Ferreira when a team looks dead in the water too quickly.” staying healthy.” He also worries about the depth of the squad, which About Lions he writes that they “remain fresh in many has been a perennial problem in Joburg. However, a minds as gutsy bridesmaids of recent Super Rugby little bird whispered during the week that Super Rugby campaigns, considering their runners-up status in three teams are going benefit from Saracens’ deserved years on the trot between 2016 and 2018 … but even relegation (mentioned last week) and, it appears, that that agreeably high status seems a bit beyond them Lions are at the front of the queue. nowadays.” It’s still a rumour at this point but we’re told that Vincent Koch, Will Skelton and Brad Barritt are among the players being enticed into a move to Johannesburg. That could make things very interesting indeed. For those interested in the two also ran franchises, he analysed the chances of Stormers and Sharks – but, we suspect that he was partaking in very large quantities of a recently legal “herb” when he wrote those two reports. Page 2 Page 3 Super Rugby 2020: Round One Preview PRO14: Close But No Cigar for Kings Without a shadow of doubt, the best place to get a We noted last week that Southern Kings had not ever comprehensive preview of every Super Rugby match beaten Cheetahs in PRO14, despite having played before the kick-off every week is Rugby365.com. The four times before. What we didn’t know at the time only challenge is that they typically publish the was that the record stretches back to when both teams previews the day before each set of matches, hence contested Super Rugby so, in all, it was ten played Friday’s matches are previewed on Thursday and you and ten lost by the PE franchise. have to wait for today to see the previews of tomorrow’s matches. On Saturday they came out the blocks in a rush and were leading 13-0 after 30 minutes. Significantly, all Part one this week deals with the two Australasian the points were scored by flyhalf, Bader Pretorius, in derbies today: Blues vs Chiefs and Brumbies vs Reds. his first start for the franchise: two penalty kicks, a It also looks at the match we’re going to zoom into try and a conversion kick. here: Sharks vs Bulls in the fish tank. The prediction is one hell of a surprise to anybody who actually knows something about rugby: Sharks to win by five points. We doubt that, very much and fully expect to see the Bulls on the rampage down in Durban. But you judge the logic for yourself: “The Bulls are undefeated in their last nine Super Rugby games against the Sharks; a 16-all draw in March 2016 their only blemish amid that run. The Sharks will begin their Super Rugby campaign at But Cheetahs fought back and, even though Kings home for the first time since 2015; they’ve won five of kept scoring, managed to close the gap to six points their last seven fixtures when beginning the season on with only four minutes left on the clock. The home home soil... side hung on until the hooter sounded but then, in Kings’ red zone, Ruan Pienaar launched an up-and- “Cornal Hendricks (Bulls) has scored five tries in his under into space that was gathered by Rhyno Smith last six Super Rugby games – including three tries in and dotted down. his last two games – after not having scored in any of his first eight appearances for the Bulls. Not much to The experienced scrum-half then stepped up to take choose between these two sides and based on pre- the conversion and, in so doing, by snatched almost season form the favourites tag goes to the home side – certain victory away from Kings. The result was by a very narrow margin.” heartbreak in Port Elizabeth and an extended record: eleven played against Cheetahs and eleven lost. We’ll see who has egg on his face next week. Meanwhile, check out Rugby365.com today for Kings have another chance this week in previews of Lions’ and Stormers’ fixtures. Bloemfontein and the team and coaching staff will take a lot of confidence from the 75 minute performance. But they will also fully understand that, the next time they get an opportunity, they need to hold it together for the full 80 AND the extra minutes after the hooter. Cheetahs, on the other hand, will be looking to assert their dominance over the Kings by racking up their 12th win against the team from PE this Saturday.