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Currie Cup | Rugby Union | Tournament | rugbyunplugged.com
ABSA CURRIE CUP - "MY TEAM, MY PASSION"
SOUTH AFRICAN rugby fans are known for their unwavering support for their provincial sides and that is exactly what they have been urged to provide at today’s launch of the 72nd Absa Currie Cup.
The Absa Currie Cup Premier Division kicks off on Friday, 15 July when the MTN Golden Lions host the Ford Pumas at Coca-Cola Park in Jo'burg. The final is scheduled for Saturday, 29 October.
“This season’s Absa Currie Cup will call on fans to show their passion for their teams in the oldest provincial competition in world rugby,” said SARU CEO Jurie Roux.
“Our campaign, ‘My team, my passion’ encapsulates the essence of being a South African rugby fan, as everyone has their favourite side. Passion is a powerful feeling and an undeniable emotion and as South African rugby supporters, we share that passion, never mind which team you support.”
Roux said the Absa Currie Cup remains a vital cog in South African rugby, as it is one of the toughest stepping stones to Springbok honours.
“Just look at the new breed of Springbok players who are emerging. Guys such as Pat Lambie, Elton Jantjies, Bjorn Basson, Flip van der Merwe and Coenie Oosthuizen all made a big impression playing in the Absa Currie Cup and we’re expecting more of the same this season,” Roux said.
“The Absa Currie Cup is where passion, skill and teamwork meet. There is nothing to compare to the thrill of seeing legends in the making as our top provincial sides battle it out to be crowned kings of the South African rugby landscape.”
Happy Ntshingila, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Absa, reaffirmed Absa’s commitment to rugby in South Africa.
“As the longest standing supporter of rugby in the country and the team sponsor of the Springboks, we remain committed to developing the game at all levels and contributing to sustaining the depth of rugby in South Africa,” said Ntshingila.
The defending Absa Currie Cup champions, The Sharks, have a tough opening fixture, against the Vodacom Blue Bulls, champions in 2009, at Mr Price Kings Park in Durban on Saturday, 16 July.
THE SHARKS - CURRIE CUP WINNERS 2010
THE Vodacom Blue Bulls got their first Absa Currie Cup Premier Division points of the season when they beat the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in a hard match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (33-30).
This followed the MTN Golden Lions sending out a strong message with a big victory against GWK Griquas in Kimberley (49-7), while on Friday evening DHL Western Province won easily against the Platinum Leopards (47-9) and The Sharks had to fight hard to beat the Ford Pumas in Nelspruit (23-22).
FORD PUMAS 22 - 23 THE SHARKS
THE defending Absa Currie Cup champions had to dig deep and could only secure their victory over the Ford Pumas late in the game when prop Dale Chadwick crashed over. Fly half Frederic Michalak’s conversion gave The Sharks a one-point lead at 23-22, which they managed to hold on to for the final five minutes to win their second game of the season.
It was the second successive weekend where the Ford Pumas made their more fancied opponents work hard for a win. Judging by the way they played in their first two games, a first 2011 victory for the team from Mpumalanga is not far away. At the break, they were still ahead by 19-16.
The Sharks’ victory, their second from as many games, saw them finish the second week of Absa Currie Cup action in the second position on the log. It wasn’t easy as the home team kept the score board ticking over thanks to five penalty goals by Tiaan Marx, who also converted Coenie van Wyk’s great try in the right corner for a personal points haul of 17.
Michalak, who also played a central role in his team’s first round victory over the Vodacom Blue Bulls, contributed 18 points to The Sharks’ cause with one try, two conversions and three penalty goals.
15 MJ Mentz 14 Deon Scholtz 13 JW Jonker 12 Pieter Engelbrecht 11 Ashwin Scott 10 Tiaan Marx 9 Shaun Venter 8 Christo le Roux 7 Jaco Bouwer 6 Corne Steenkamp (captain) 5 Marius Coetzer 4 Willem Serfontein 3 Ashley Buys 2 Marthinus van der Westhuizen 1 De-Jay Terblanche BENCH: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld 17 Brett Nel 18 Eduan van der Walt 19 RW Kember 20 Tian Meyer 21 Coenie van Wyk 22 Carl Bezuidenhout
SCORERS T: Coenie van Wyk C: Tiaan Marx P: Marx (5)
15 Stefan Terblanche 14 Mark Richards 13 Marius Joubert 12 Meyer Bosman 11 Louis Ludik 10 Frederic Michalak 9 Ross Cronje 8 Keegan Daniel (captain) 7 Marcell Coetzee 6 Jacques Botes 5 Ross Skeate 4 Anton Bresler 3 Wiehahn Herbst 2 Craig Burden 1 Dale Chadwick BENCH: 16 Kyle Cooper 17 Eugene van Staden 18 Jan Andre Marais 19 Francois Kleinhans 20 Cobus Reinach 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter 22 Sibusiso Sithole
SCORERS T: Frederic Michalak, Dale Chadwick C: Michalak (2) P: Michalak (3)
LEOPARDS 9 - 47 WESTERN PROVINCE
DHL Western Province looked much better on Friday night in Potchefstroom when they beat the Platinum Leopards by 47-9 (halftime 23-9). It was a rather one-sided match where the visitors’ defence held out as they scored five tries in a match they dominated from the kickoff.
Demetri Catrakilis, in his first Absa Currie Cup start, succeeded with nine out of his eleven kicks at goal, converting all five of DHL WP’s tries and adding four penalty goals. He finished the game with 22 points behind his name.
The stats won’t make happy reading for rugby fans in North West though, as the Platinum Leopards have now gone 22 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division games without a victory, since they were promoted at the end of the 2008 season. Their last victory at this level was on 28 August 2009 against the Regent Boland Cavaliers in Potchefstroom, when they won by 50-16.
DHL WP meanwhile will be much happier with this performance after they drew their first round match against GWK Griquas at DHL Newlands last weekend. The team from Cape Town looked more composed and also fared better upfront.
15 George Tossel 14 Danie Dames 13 Joubert Engelbrecht 12 Charl Weideman 11 Vainon Willis 10 Clayton Durand 9 Wesley Moolman 8 Morne Hanekom 7 MB Lusaseni 6 Philip de Wet 5 Ruan van Heerden 4 Brendon Snyman 3 Stefan Bezuidenhoud 2 Gavin Williamson 1 BG Uys BENCH: 16 Stoffel Duvenhage 17 Berend Botha 18 Thabo Mamojela 19 Christo van Niekerk 20 Theo van Wyk 21 Walter Venter 22 Hoffman Maritz
SCORERS P: Clayton Durand (3)
15 Conrad Jantjes 14 Danie Poolman 13 Johann Sadie 12 Tim Whitehead 11 JJ Engelbrecht 10 Demetri Catrakilis 9 Dewaldt Duvenage 8 Nick Köster 7 Siya Kolisi 6 Rohan Kitshoff 5 De Kock Steenkamp 4 Hilton Lobberts 3 Brok Harris 2 Deon Fourie (captain) 1 Wicus Blaauw BENCH: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg 17 Frans Malherbe 18 Adriaan Fondse 19 Nic Fenton-Wells 20 Louis Schreuder 21 Isma-eel Dollie 22 Marcel Brache
SCORERS T: JJ Engelbrecht, Brok Harris, Johann Sadie, De Kock Steenkamp, Nick Koster C: Demetri Catrakilis (5) P: Catrakilis (4)
GWK GRIQUAS 11 - 49 GOLDEN LIONS
THE MTN Golden Lions finished week two at the top of the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division log after their 49-11 rout of GWK Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon, with scrumhalf Jano Vermaak scoring three tries in 25 minutes.
The visitors lead by 36-6 at the break in a match where they just had too much fire power for the team from the Northern Cape. Apart from Vermaak’s hat-trick, wing Lionel Mapoe weighed in with two tries, while Burton Francis (fly half), Deon van Rensburg (wing) and Waylon Murray (centre) also scored.
Francis, who converted three tries and added a penalty goal, missed four attempts at goal, while Hein Cronje, who replaced the MTN Golden Lions fly half late in the match, missed a further two kicks at goal.
15 Riaan Viljoen 14 Richard Lawson 13 Wilmaure Louw 12 Barry Geel 11 Fabian Juries 10 Monty Dumont 9 Shannon Rick 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain) 7 Davon Raubenheimer 6 Justin Downey 5 Martin Muller 4 Hendrik Roodt 3 Lourens Adriaanse 2 Ryno Barnes 1 Steph Robberts BENCH: 16 Matthew Dobson 17 Jean Botha 18 Frikkie Spies 19 Jaco Nepgen 20 Matthew Rosslee 21 Logan Basson 22 Rudi Vogt
SCORERS T: Jonathan Mokuena P: Monty Dumond (2)
MTN Golden Lions: 15 Michael Killian 14 Deon van Rensburg 13 Waylon Murray 12 Doppies la Grange (captain) 11 Lionel Mapoe 10 Burton Francis 9 Jano Vermaak 8 Joshua Strauss 7 Derick Minnie 6 Cobus Grobbelaar 5 Franco van der Merwe 4 Wikus van Heerden 3 Jacobie Adriaanse 2 Bandise Maku 1 Patric Cilliers BENCH: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout 17 JC Janse van Rensburg 18 Johan Snyman 19 Dries van Schalkwyk 20 Michael Bondesio 21 Hein Cronje 22 Alwyn Hollenbach
SCORERS T: Jano Vermaak (3), Burton Francis, Lionel Mapoe (2), Deon van Rensburg, Waylon Murray C: Francis (3) P: Francis
BLUE BULLS 33 - 30 CHEETAHS
AFTER trailing 6-17 at the break in their match in Pretoria on Saturday evening, the Vodacom Blue Bulls fought back strongly to eventually beat the Toyota Free State Cheetahs by 33-30 in a highly entertaining game.
At times it looked like the Vodacom Blue Bulls, Absa Currie Cup champions in 2009, were going to lose their second game of the season, but they showed some good resilience to claw their way back into the lead, which they manfully defended in a frantic final 10 minutes.
Fly half Francois Brummer kicked 18 points for the home team, while his direct opponent, Sias Ebersohn, contributed 15 of his side’s points. Both teams scored three tries each in this thrilling match, the Vodacom Blue Bulls getting all theirs in the first 20 minutes of the second half.
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs got the score board ticking over in the 10th minute when full back Hennie Daniller, a former Blue Bull, scored the first of his team’s tries. Nineteen minutes later prop Marcel van der Merwe got the Cheetahs’ second try as they went ahead by 17-3.
A penalty goal in the final minute of the first half by Brummer pulled the Vodacom Blue Bulls closer, but the 24 points the home side scored in the first 20 minutes of the second half, compared to the Cheetahs’ 10, was the difference in the end.
15 Jurgen Visser 14 Gerhard van den Heever 13 Stephan Dippenaar 12 Stefan Watermeyer 11 Akona Ndungane 10 Francois Brummer 9 Dustin Jinka 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze 7 Dewald Potgieter 6 Derick Kuün 5 Juandré Kruger 4 Fudge Mabeta 3 Rossouw de Klerk 2 Gary Botha (captain) 1 Corné Fourie. BENCH: 16 Willie Wepener 17 Juan Schoeman 18 Okkie Kruger 19 CJ Stander 20 Lohan Jacobs 21 Marnitz Boshoff 22 Francois Venter.
SCORERS T: Gerhard van den Heever, Derick Kuün, Akona Ndungane C: Francois Brummer (3) P: Brummer (4)
15 Hennie Daniller 14 Philip Snyman 13 Corné Uys 12 Andries Strauss (captain) 11 Riaan Smit 10 Sias Ebersohn 9 Tewis de Bruyn 8 Boom Prinsloo 7 Pieter Labuschagné 6 Johan Wessels 5 Waltie Vermeulen 4 Francois Uys 3 WP Nel 2 PW van Vuuren 1 Marcel van der Merwe. BENCH: 16 Michael van Vuuren 17 Trevor Nyakane 18 Izak van der Westhuizen 19 Pieter Myburgh 20 Piet van Zyl 21 Johan Goosen 22 Philip Burger.
SCORERS T: Hennie Daniller, Marcel van der Merwe, Francois Uys C: Sias Ebersohn (3) P: Ebersohn (3)
THE SHARKS started the defence of their Absa Currie Cup title in emphatic fashion against the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Durban on Saturday, while GWK Griquas almost caused an upset in Cape Town.
Three teams got their season off to winning starts – the defending champions, the Toyota Free State Cheetahs and the MTN Golden Lions, while DHL Western Province and GWK Griquas had to settle for a draw.
MTN Golden Lions 31 - 27 Ford Pumas
THE MTN Golden Lions had to dig deep to beat the Ford Pumas at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg on Friday evening. They won 31-27 after the visitors lead 17-16 at the break, and with 10 minutes to go the team from Mpumalanga was still ahead by 27-26.
Alwyn Hollenbach scored the match-winning try for the MTN Golden Lions in the 70th minute, after which the home team hung on to their lead for a hard-fought victory.
The Ford Pumas looked impressive at times, especially when they spread the ball wide. Like the home team, they also scored three tries in the match.
15 Jaco Taute 14 Dylan Des Fountain 13 Alwyn Hollenbach 12 Doppies La Grange (C) 11 Lionel Mapoe 10 Burton Francis 9 Jano Vermaak 8 Joshua Strauss 7 Derick Minnie 6 Cobus Grobbelaar 5 Franco van der Merwe 4 Wikus van Heerden 3 Jacobie Adriaanse 2 Bandise Maku 1 Pat Cilliers BENCH: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout 17 Caylib Oosthuizen 18 Johan Snyman 19 Dries van Schalkwyk 20 Michael Bondesio 21 Hein Cronje 22 Michael Killian
SCORERS T: Jacobie Adriaanse, Burton Francis, Alwyn Hollenbach C: Francis (2) P: Francis (4)
15 MJ Mentz 14 Deon Scholtz 13 JW Jonker 12 Pieter Engelbrecht 11 Ashwin Scott 10 Ricardo Croy 9 Shaun Venter 8 Christo le Roux 7 Jaco Bouwer 6 Corne Steenkamp (C) 5 Marius Coetzer 4 Rudi Mathee 3 Ashley Buys 2 Marthinus van der Westhuizen 1 Dawie Steyn. BENCH: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld 17 Brett Nel 18 Willem Serfontein 19 RW Kember 20 Tian Meyer 21 Tiaan Marx 22 Carl Bezuidenhout
SCORERS T: Ashwin Scott, Pieter Engelbrecht, Marius Coetzer C: Ricardo Croy (3) P: Croy. DG: Croy
Western Province 26 - 26 Griquas
ABSA Currie Cup runners up from 2010, DHL Western Province, could only manage a 26-26 draw against GWK Griquas in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon. The scores were locked at 16-16 at the break, but the home team took the lead through a converted try by Johann Sadie and a penalty goal by Gary van Aswegen in the final 20 minutes.
GWK Griquas’ Monty Dumond broke Province hearts with his third penalty goal eight minutes from time to level the scores, which is how it finished. He contributed 16 of the visitors’ points with the boot, as did Province’s Gary van Aswegen.
Both teams scored two tries each, with Rocco Jansen crossing twice for the visitors. One of Jansen’s tries was from a turn over in his team’s 22 after which he sped down the touchline, kicked ahead, gathered and scored.
15 Conrad Jantjes 14 Danie Poolman 13 Johann Sadie 12 Tim Whitehead 11 JJ Engelbrecht 10 Gary van Aswegen 9 Louis Schreuder 8 Nick Koster 7 Siya Kolisi 6 Wimpie van der Walt 5 De Kock Steenkamp 4 Hilton Lobberts 3 Brok Harris 2 Deon Fourie (C) 1 Wicus Blaauw BENCH: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg 17 Frans Malherbe 18 Adriaan Fondse 19 Rohan Kitshoff 20 Nick Groom 21 Demetri Catrikilis 22 Marcel Brache
SCORERS T: Siya Kolisi, Johann Sadie C: Gary van Aswegen (2) P: Van Aswegen (4)
15 Riaan Viljoen 14 Richard Lawson 13 Wilmaure Louw 12 Barry Geel 11 Rocco Jansen 10 Monty Dumond 9 Shannon Rick 8 Jonathan Mokuena (C) 7 Davon Raubenheimer 6 Justin Downey 5 Martin Muller 4 Hendrik Roodt 3 Lourens Adriaanse 2 Ryno Barnes 1 Steph Roberts BENCH: 16 Matthew Dobson 17 Jean Botha 18 Frikkie Spies 19 Jaco Nepgen 20 Matthew Rosslee 21 Earl Rose 22 Fabien Juries
SCORERS T: Rocco Jansen (2) C: Monty Dumond (2) P: Dumond (3) DG: Dumond
Cheetahs 40 - 12 Platinum Leopards
THE Toyota Free State Cheetahs, who last won the Absa Currie Cup in 2007, looked impressive in the first half as they beat the Platinum Leopards by 40-12 at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
The home team crossed for six tries – five of them before the break – as they finished the first round of action at the top of the log. The half-time score was 35-5 and the second stanza didn’t replicate the free scoring of the first half, with the Free Staters scoring their sixth and final try five minutes from full time after “try drought” of 40 minutes.
15 Hennie Daniller 14 Riaan Smit 13 Corné Uys 12 Andries Strauss (C) 11 Rayno Benjamin 10 Sias Ebersohn 9 Tewis de Bruyn 8 Boom Prinsloo 7 Pieter Labuschagné 6 Johan Wessels 5 Waltie Vermeulen 4 Francois Uys 3 WP Nel 2 Michael van Vuuren 1 Marcel van der Merwe BENCH: 16 PW van Vuuren 17 Trevor Nyakane 18 Izak van der Westhuizen 19 Pieter Myburgh 20 Piet van Zyl 21 Philip Snyman 22 Philip Burger
SCORERS T: WP Nel, Andries Strauss, Rayno Benjamin, Corne Uys, Philip Burger, Philip Snyman C: Sias Ebersohn (2), Riaan Smit 3
15 George Tossel 14 Danie Dames 13 Joubert Engelbrecht 12 Charl Weideman 11 Vainon Willis 10 Clayton Durand 9 Wesly Moolman 8 Morne Hanekom 7 MB Lusaseni 6 Renaldo Bothma 5 Ruan van Heerden 4 Brendon Snyman 3 Stefan Bezuidenhoud 2 Gavin Williamson 1 BG Uys BENCH: 16 Stoffel Duvenhage 17 Berend Botha 18 Thabo Mamojela 19 Christo van Niekerk 20 Theo van Wyk 21 Walter Venter 22 Hoffman Maritz
SCORERS T: Vainon Willis, BG Uys Conversion: Clayton Durand
The Sharks 35 - 16 Blue Bulls
AT Mr Price Kings Park in Durban, The Sharks scored three first half tries in a match the 2009 Absa Currie Cup champs, the Vodacom Blue Bulls, wouldn’t remember for the right reasons. The home team laid their foundation upfront and disrupted the team from Pretoria in the set phases, especially at lineout time, winning comfortably by 35-16 after leading by 22-9 at the break.
Buoyed by this forward dominance, The Sharks’ loose forwards and backline had a field day, with captain Keegan Daniel and French international Frederic Michalak impressive.
The Sharks also defended very well, conceding only one try in a match where the Vodacom Blue Bulls’ attack was not at its best. When Daniel scored his team’s fourth try early in the second half, the game was over as a contest.
15 Stefan Terblanche 14 Louis Ludik 13 Marius Joubert 12 Meyer Bosman 11 Mark Richards 10 Frederic Michalak 9 Ross Cronje 8 Keegan Daniel (C) 7 Marcell Coetzee 6 Jacques Botes 5 Ross Skeate 4 Anton Bresler 3 Wiehahn Herbst 2 Craig Burden 1 Dale Chadwick BENCH: 16 Kyle Cooper 17 Julian Redelinghuys 18 Jan Andre Marais 19 Francois Kleinhans 20 Cobus Reinach 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter 22 Sibusiso Sithole
SCORERS T: Frederic Michalak, Louis Ludik, Marcell Coetzee, Keegan Daniel C: Michalak (3); P: Michalak (3)
15 Jurgen Visser 14 Gerhard van den Heever 13 Stephan Dippenaar 12 Stefan Watermeyer 11 Akona Ndungane 10 Francois Brummer 9 Dustin Jinka 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze 7 Dewald Potgieter 6 Derick Kuün 5 Juandré Kruger 4 Fudge Mabeta 3 Rossouw de Klerk 2 Gary Botha (C) 1 Corné Fourie BENCH: 16 Willie Wepener 17 Juan Schoeman 18 Okkie Kruger 19 CJ Stander 20 Lohan Jacobs 21 Marnitz Boshoff 22 Francois Venter
SCORERS T: Derick Kuün C: Francois Brummer P: Brummer (3)
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
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