The Mpumalanga Pumas made a triumphant return to top-class domestic rugby with a determined 28-21 (half-time 15-16) victory over the Free State Cheetahs in their Currie Cup Premier Division match at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
It took a controversial 66th-minute try by outside centre JW Jonker to seal the Pumas’ victory, after eighthman Renaldo Bothma tapped a grubber from Stefan Watermeyer back infield even though his legs were on the touchline.
Even though Bothma, who was a rampaging ball-carrier throughout, was clearly in touch, the laws state that “a player in touch may kick or knock the ball, but not hold it, provided the ball has not crossed the plane of the touchline”.
The Cheetahs had only themselves to blame for their loss, however, as they failed to gain a platform up front and made a host of unforced errors.
The Pumas kept sustained pressure on the visitors through an excellent scrum and their abrasive defence.
The Free Staters opened the scoring in the fifth minute through a sustained attack started and ended by wing Rayno Benjamin, but the Pumas’ forwards quickly began to make their presence felt, dominating the scrums and harrying the Cheetahs at the breakdown.
Their first try came in the 20th minute as fullback JW Bell tapped a ruck penalty and darted through a gap left by lock Francois Uys, who was busy scuffling with another player.
Flyhalf Justin van Staden added the conversion to his earlier penalty and the Pumas were 10-7 up.
The Pumas scored their second try in the 32nd minute as flank Corne Steenkamp, the captain celebrating his 150th game, went over from a maul, but Free State flyhalf Willie du Plessis ensured the visitors were 16-15 up at the break with three penalties.
It could have been an even greater lead, were it not for the Pumas laying their bodies on the line in defence in the closing minutes of the first half.
The frustrated Cheetahs began to lose their discipline in the second half, with Van Staden punishing them for being offsides with a penalty and scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius joining the Pumas flyhalf, in the first half, in being yellow-carded for kicking the ball away after the whistle had blown.
A high tackle by lock Carl Wegner allowed Van Staden to kick another penalty and stretch the Pumas’ lead to 21-16 in the 62nd minute and the hard-working home side were then rewarded for their 100% effort with a third try four minutes later.
Jonker’s try was awarded with the confirmation of the TMO and the vagaries of the law were then further exposed shortly afterwards when Cheetahs wing Raymond Rhule had a try disallowed for his foot landing on the touchline while he was carrying the ball.
The Free Staters were awarded a scrum under the poles instead, from which Benjamin scored his second try, but the steeliness of the Pumas won out in the end as they ended the match by holding on to the ball for 15 phases.
The team promoted from the First Division were obviously worthy winners.
Scorers
Mpumalanga Pumas – Tries: JW Bell, Corne Steenkamp, JW Jonker. Conversions: Justin van Staden (2). Penalties: Van Staden (3).
Free State Cheetahs – Tries: Rayno Benjamin (2). Conversion: Willie du Plessis. Penalties: Du Plessis (3).
1) What position did you play at primary school? What made you change?
A: At first, I mostly switched between flyhalf and centre, but because of my kicking skills, or lack of it, I later made a permanent move to the midfield.
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: Without a doubt the singing of the national anthem. Sadly, seven minutes later it was all over as I seriously injured my knee and was out of rugby for nine months.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: Injuries are always disappointing and I’ve had quite a few, but I’ve also learnt that it’s part of the game – it all comes down to how you approach them, and I’ve learnt a lot from being out injured as well.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: There are too many to really mention, especially if you spend a lot of time with Jaque Fourie and Butch James. These two keep you entertained 24/7.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: Open by Andre Agassi – apart from being very, very inspiring, I also found it interesting to see how different things inspire different people. And it was brilliantly written – at times it felt like you were next to him on the court.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: This is a tricky one, as we are fortunate to regularly eat at great restaurants across the world, but for me nothing beats a good old South African braai, back at home with family and friends, after a long and arduous tour.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: My kids keep me very busy when I’m at home and I try to spend as much time as possible with my family, because we travel so much. Being away from home for long periods of time is probably one of the negatives of rugby, so I use my time at home as well as I can.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: Counting Crows in the Bellville Velodrome a couple of years ago. I knew all their songs and could happily sing along.
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: I drive the X6 4.0D. It’s not only a beautiful car, but also a great drive, safe, quick and just lekker.
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: BMW is all about performance and so are we at the Springboks. I think it makes for a fantastic partnership and both brands benefit a lot from being associated with one another. It’s really a great privilege to be associated with BMW.
1) What position did you play at primary school? What made you change?
A: I started out playing at No. 8 for my primary school, Pietersburg-Noord. But later in my career I became too big and slow for loose forward, so I moved to lock.
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: I was on the bench for my Bok debut, in 2001 against Italy in Port Elizabeth, and I will never forget that moment when I went on for Johan Ackermann in the 68th minute. But what will also stand out, was when we lined up and sang the National Anthem before the Test in front of a capacity crowd at the old Boet Erasmus Stadium.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: It has to be not winning the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: There have been many over the years, but the most recent was probably that fluffed kick by Fourie du Preez against Wales in Nelspruit.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: I’ve really enjoyed reading all of Vince Lombardi’s books, as it gives you proper insight into what is needed for a team to be successful.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: Hmmm, this is a tricky one as I’ve been fortunate to eat at the best restaurants, but one that will always stand out was having a superb paella with my wife on our honeymoon in the harbour in Barcelona.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: I try and spend as much time as possible with my wife and our three daughters, but I also enjoy a round of golf or going for a ride on my bike.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: I’m not really a music person and have not been to any serious concerts.
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: I have the X6 and a 335i. The X6 is spacious and very comfortable, while I quite enjoy the 335i’s speed.
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: Who would not want to be associated with one of the top brands in the world? Every time I get into my BMW, it’s fantastic and a real pleasure to drive.
1) What position did you play at primary school?
A: I mostly played wing, centre and Number 8
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: It must have been when the team was announced and I found out I was going to start my first Test for South Africa.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: Unfortunately I’ve had my fair share of serious injuries, especially in the last two seasons, and that is never nice, but it’s also part and parcel of the game we play.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: One day Jean de Villiers decided to show us his own version of the haka – it was hilarious.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: Principles & Power of Vision by Myles Munroe. It made me understand why I’ve been created and what I should do.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: Wow, this is a tough one. Probably a very special dinner with my wife in a small coastal town in Italy, right on the beach.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: At the moment, I’m trying my hand at studies, but I also try and spend as much time as possible with my wife and our two boys, while I also do a bit of corporate speaking. And there is always time to hit a couple of balls on the golf course…
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: Unfortunately I missed out when U2 came to South Africa a few years ago, so I would have to say it was watching Johnny Clegg live – he is brilliant!
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: The 335i Active Hybrid – it has lots of power and speed and is also a bit more economical on fuel!
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: For me, it’s about being part of a brand that stands for excellence, but BMW is also a cool brand and they create seriously powerful machines. I just love their cars.
1) What position did you play at primary school? What made you change?
A: I started out as a flyhalf back in Port Elizabeth.
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: I started on the bench against Italy in Durban in 2013, and it was a big moment for me when we sang the National Anthem, but also when I went on to the field for Bryan Habana in the 72nd minute.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: Any defeat in the Springbok jersey is tough and it was very disappointing that we lost twice against New Zealand last year.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: There have been a lot of funny moments, especially if you hang out with Morné Steyn or Willem Alberts – they are the two big jokers in the team.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince. It changed my life because I learned about God’s grace.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: Every time that we braai at my grandparents’ farm. I love meat and there’s always plenty to choose from.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: I enjoy reading, playing golf and watching movies.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: Some people might think I’m a bit too young, but I saw Bryan Adams perform last year, which was very good.
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: I drive the 120d. I like the fact that it’s quite small and nippy for driving in town, and it’s also very light on fuel.
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: It’s a big privilege to be part of BMW. They are an awesome brand as they stand for peak performance and delivering premium products, which is basically the same for any top-level sportsman or woman. Their vehicles are also dynamic and the quality is superb.
1) What position did you play at primary school?
A: I played flyhalf at primary school and although I’m now mostly selected at fullback or on the wing, I still like to move to the flyhalf position on the field from third or fourth phase onwards.
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: I made my Bok debut against Italy in Durban last year and singing the National Anthem was amazing, but I’d have to say the entire day was special – from the pre-match team-talk by Coach Heyneke, driving to the stadium on the bus and eventually getting my hands on the ball.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: This is a tough one as I’ve probably been blessed with not too many disappointments, but recently I’d have to say the fact that we could not follow up our brilliant season with the Cheetahs last year with a similar performance this year.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: A lot of funny things happen all the time – we have a few guys in the team who make great jokes and can provide a lot of laughter, but there are too many to mention.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: To be honest, I’m not really the reading type.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: I really like sushi a lot and will look for a sushi bar anywhere we go – as long as it’s nice and fresh, it’s the ultimate meal for me.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: I really like playing golf and in summer a game of touch rugby on the beach, but I also like to spend time with my family when there is a break in the season.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: I don’t really get time for things such as concerts and have not really been to any that stand out.
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: I drive the 335i Active Hybrid and love putting it in sport mode when the opportunity is there. It’s a very classy car.
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: I love being part of such a wonderful and world-class brand – their cars are magnificent and a pleasure to drive, but also very comfortable and fun.
1) What position did you play at primary school?
A: At school I played centre, but I moved to wing when I played at Western Province as a junior, and then last year at the Bulls I moved back to the midfield.
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: I made my debut off the bench against Argentina in Cape Town in 2012 and while it was a big moment and very special for me, I think my first start, in 2013 against Italy in Durban, will always stand out as I played the entire match and also got my first Test try.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: I had a few injuries at a young age, which I thought at the time was very bad, but with hindsight I realised it wasn’t too bad. These days I’d say it’s pretty disappointing missing out on selection for any team you play for.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: With guys such as Willem Alberts and Morné Steyn in the mix, there are many funny moments, but they mostly happen away from public eyes so I would prefer not to divulge any details.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden. It’s about a man’s escape from a labour camp in North Korea and it opened my eyes – we have so much to be thankful for.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: Without a doubt the Chicken Jean with Avo at Man’ouche Restaurant in Stellenbosch.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: I like playing golf and travelling – I recently embarked on a short golf trip to the Southern Cape with a couple of my friends – as well as going out for dinner and playing PlayStation when I’ve got time to kill at home.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: I haven’t been to too many really, but I quite enjoyed Coldplay at Cape Town Stadium a couple of years ago.
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: I drive the 335 active hybrid – it’s a brilliant car, the ride is very smooth, it’s nice to look at and has more than enough power under the hood.
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: To me it’s just a massive privilege to be part of the BMW family. I recently saw first-hand how they treat their clients and it made me realise how great this brand is. It’s really special to be part of such a world-famous brand.
1) What position did you play at primary school? What made you change?
Flank, but I think I then started to kick for the team and they moved me.
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
The best part was that I scored a try, but we lost badly so there wasn’t too much to cheer about. [the 15-32 loss to Ireland at Lansdowne Road in 2006]
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
Losing the 2007 SuperRugby final.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
Playing alongside Jacques Fourie was always very funny.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
The Landbouweekblad is about as far as my reading interest stretches.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
Venice, I’ve had some amazing pasta there.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: I like to go to the farm, hunting and golf.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
Coldplay, live in Paris
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
The hybrid 3 series, it’s fast, and spacious, and it’s a great looking car!
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
It’s a great privilege to be part of the best car brand in SA, it’s such an iconic brand that anyone would be proud to represent it.
Heyneke Meyer
1) What position were you during your playing days and what made you go into coaching?
A: I used to play loose forward but even during my playing days, I knew I wanted to be a coach. The main reason has always been to make a difference in people’s lives – while winning trophies is nice, the greatest reward is when a player comes to me and thanks me for doing something for him and making a difference in his life. So when the opportunity arose at the University of Pretoria to coach the U20s at my koshuis, Mopanie, I grabbed it with both hands. Even my choices of subjects at university – human movement science, psychology and education – were done with coaching in mind
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: From the day of my appointment until that first Test against England in Durban, everything was so humbling and overwhelming. But I’ll never forget that bus ride into the stadium and seeing South Africans from all walks of life getting up from whatever they were doing to wave at us and wish us well. It was also immensely special to stand on the pitch and sing the anthem. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m sure everyone could see that.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: Results can be disappointing, but it hurts even more when you feel you’ve let your family and loved ones down, and that transcends any result on the rugby field. I want people to be proud of the Boks and for us to give hope to South Africans – when we don’t achieve that, I’m disappointed.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: There were many very funny moments over the course of the last two-and-a-half years. Many of them I can’t really talk about because it happened at team meetings, but it’s great for team spirit to have a few real characters in the squad. I feel it’s very important to enjoy what you’re doing – then it doesn’t feel like a job. We try to create a nice and relaxed culture at the Springboks, because I feel that too plays a role in success.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: There are probably too many to mention, but I really like Vince Lombardi’s books as I believe in the same principles as he did when it comes to success. These include sacrifice for the common goal, work ethic, a willingness to pay the price for success, creating a tough environment and self-discipline. I also like books written by John Maxwell and Anthony Robbins, but Dale Carnegie’s “How to win friends and influence people” will always stand out, as it was probably the first motivational book I read, at a very young age. The bottom line from that book is that everything revolves around building and maintaining good relationships with people and it goes hand-in-hand with something Andrew Carnegie said years ago – he was in mining and likened people to mining. He basically said that if you strip away the layers in people, as you do in mining with layers of earth, you will hit gold. So it’s all about getting the best out of people and building relationships to do that. You will be successful if you can get the best out of people.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: I spend a lot of time away from home, so nothing beats my wife’s leg of lamb on a Sunday afternoon, with my family around. I cherish my time with my family and those occasions are the best. I also love any good braai with a great red wine with special friends.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: I try to spend as much time as possible with my family, preferably on our farm close to Memel. I love nature and the outdoors, wildlife and fly-fishing. I also enjoy travelling, preferably anywhere in Africa with the Okavango Delta and Lake Kariba probably two of my favourite destinations. At places such as these, I can be completely isolated.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: My three sons provide all the entertainment I need. When they were younger, it used to be their plays at school, but these days they provide a lot of great moments at home with their shenanigans.
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: I drive the X6 and the 3-series Active Hybrid – both are brilliant cars and very user-friendly, while the on-board GPS helps a lot as I’m not the best when it comes to direction. On a more serious note though, I can’t speak highly enough of the service you receive at BMW, which to me is one of the aspects that makes them market leaders. Their roadside assistance is the best in the business and I’m a BMW convert for life.
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: I have very simple tastes in life – I believe in working with the best and therefore it’s a great privilege to be part of the BMW family. The Springboks and BMW actually share a lot of values and it’s wonderful to be associated with them on many levels. For me, it’s mainly about relations with people and the people from BMW really feel like family, as they’ve been nothing but very good for us. Other shared values include excellence, leadership, performance, pleasure and perseverance, and I’m very thankful and proud to be part of the BMW family.
Beast Mtawarira
1) What position did you play at primary school? What made you change?
A: In my very young days as a rugby player, I would have to say I was a bit of a utility forward, but later on I moved to loose forward and played a lot of rugby at number 8. It was only after my U21 days that I moved to prop after Dick Muir suggested I look at making the switch.
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: It was in 2008 against Wales in Pretoria – I’ll never forget holding the jersey for the first time and realising that I’ve become a Springbok. Obviously it was very special that we won the game and it was also a great moment when I got capped afterwards.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: Probably the way in which the Rugby World Cup panned out for us in 2011, but also the fact that I missed out on selection for the quarter-final. I definitely want to make up for it next year.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: I’ll never forget the bus trip we had last year, when we went from Cardiff to Edinburgh but stopped in Manchester to see Man Utd play Arsenal at Old Trafford. It was a great trip, the boys were in a good mood and a lot of jokes flew around, with Jean de Villiers and Willem Alberts leading the way.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: The Shack by William P Young. It’s a Christian book and it opened my eyes and changed the way I think about life in general, giving me a new outlook and perspective on things.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: Without a doubt the pork ribs at Tasha’s in Durban.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: I love travelling and it’s even better when we can do it as a family, with my wife and our daughter and son in tow. My wife and I recently visited New York and it was truly awesome.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: The Chris Brown concert at Grand West in Cape Town in 2012 as part of his Carpe Diem tour.
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: At the moment I drive the 330d – it’s a brilliant car, nice and fast, and luckily quite economical on diesel as well.
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: It’s an amazing privilege and honour for me to drive their cars and to be associated with a top brand such as BMW. There are lots of similarities between BMW and the Springboks and that makes it even more special to be part of their family.
Jannie du Plessis
1) What position did you play at primary school? What made you change?
A: Unfortunately, playing in the front row has been part of my DNA since I was still very young and during my primary school days in Bethlehem I was, as I still am, a tighthead prop.
2) What was the most memorable part of your Springbok debut?
A: I made my debut against Australia in Sydney on 7 July 2007, or the 7th of the 7th in 07, which made it feel even more real. It was an immensely proud moment in my life and everything about that day, except the result, stands out.
3) What has been the biggest disappointment in your career?
A: : The year 2012 had two massive disappointments – first when the Boks lost against New Zealand in Dunedin on a day where we really played very well, and a few weeks later when the Sharks lost in the Currie Cup final in Durban against Western Province.
4) What has been the funniest moment with the Springboks?
A: It happened just the other day. A couple of us went down to Paul Jordaan’s family farm near Somerset East and when Marcell Coetzee decided it was time to shoot his first buck, his rapid-fire technique made all of us jump for cover.
5) What’s the best book you’ve read and why?
A: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand changed my view on life, but the most important book is The Bible, where all of life’s wisdom is basically summarized.
6) Where and what was the best meal you’ve ever had?
A: After a good win, nothing beats the seared tuna at the Fish Factory in Ballito, and when I’m back in Bloemfontein and time allows, I’ll always make a plan to go to Oudekraal Restaurant, on the outskirts of the city , for their famous eight-course meal which is very special.
7) What do you spend time doing outside of rugby?
A: In the days before we had a child, I used to work full-time for the military, but since Ronel and I had our daughter, Rosalie, I had to reprioritise so now my family comes first when I have time away from the game, while I will always try and make time to go the farm in the Eastern Free State as well, preferably with Ronel and Rosalie.
8) What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
A: Ronel joined us on tour in London at the end of 2012 and we went to see The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre. In 2010, I also really enjoyed Billy Elliot, also in London, which exceeded all my expectations.
9) Which BMW do you drive and what do you love about it?
A: I drive the 335 Active Hybrid. At first it was quite strange to get used to driving a car that is completely silent, but I can truly say that it’s an incredible car. The acceleration and power stand out and although it sounds like a golf cart, it’s not like that at all. I’ll drive to the moon and back in my BMW.
10) What does being part of the BMW family mean to you?
A: It’s an incredible privilege to be associated with BMW, a world-renowned brand known not only for their excellent cars, but also because it’s almost a lifestyle that has stood the test of time. As professional sportsmen, we strive to perform at our peak over a long period of time and that is something BMW has already achieved. It’s really wonderful to be able to drive a car that I dreamt of when I was still young, but coming from the farm I never thought I would drive one. Every day I get into my car, I have to pinch myself.
A surprisingly comprehensive 29-10 victory over the Sharks in Durban has confirmed the Brumbies as a top-class side and a certain contender for SuperRugby honours.
It was a win achieved in a brutally efficient fashion, with the Sharks having no response to the sheer physicality, direct approach and excellent ball retention and support play of the Brumbies.
The visitors ran in four tries in a stunning first-half display, with the Sharks managing just a Pat Lambie penalty in reply as they struggled beneath the burden of having just one-third of the possession and territory.
The Sharks lifted their intensity in the second half, but by then they were far too far behind against an uncompromising Brumbies defence and the weather was only getting worse, with heavy rain making it extremely difficult for them to score the host of tries they needed to stage an unlikely comeback.
The Sharks have not often been so outmuscled and dominated in the collisions as they were on Saturday night and coach John Plumtree admitted the players did not really know how to respond.
“Our defence clearly wasn’t up to the mark in the first half, particularly. But I don’t really want to take anything away from the Brumbies attack. The way they kept the ball and built pressure was a real lesson for us and probably a lot of teams.
“Defensively we haven’t had to sustain that type of attack before, so they just ate us up. They sapped our energy levels. It was just a tough night for us and we clearly weren’t good enough,” Plumtree said.
The Sharks loose trio of Marcell Coetzee, Keegan Daniel and Ryan Kankowski, with Jacques Botes coming off the bench, is a potentially damaging one, but it’s lacking the physicality a Willem Alberts or a Jean Deysel brings and it was Ben Mowen, Stephen Moore, Peter Kimlin, Sam Carter and, in particular, eighthman Fotu Auelua who were hitting the ball up, getting over the advantage line and also shoving the Sharks back on defence.
It’s also been a long time since the Sharks scrum was so outplayed, even suffering the ignominy of a tighthead that led directly to wing Henry Speight’s try shortly before half-time that left the home side with an insurmountable deficit to overcome.
The Cheetahs were the only South African side to win on the weekend, with both the Bulls and the Southern Kings suffering at the hands of top-class displays from their New Zealand opposition.
The Bulls were the victims of a predictable backlash by the Crusaders, a quality outfit that was in a desperate mood after losing their first two games, in Christchurch.
The Crusaders’ 41-19 victory was a fair reflection of their dominance and, had their handling and passing been better in the opening quarter, a bigger hiding would have been on the cards.
Centre Robbie Fruean is built like a house but has the pace of the guard dog outside and, after shaking off an awful start in which he dropped practically every ball that came his way, he tore through the inexperienced Bulls backline.
Apart from Wynand Olivier – and he went off injured – and Zane Kirchner, the Bulls backline doesn’t contain the strongest defenders and the Crusaders were able to constantly get over the advantage line.
And, to make matter worse, the Bulls lost another veteran back in Akona Ndungane, leaving a shuffled backline to try and cope with the constant threat. And all this time Francois Hougaard remained on the bench, unused, and it has now been revealed he will be flying home due to an ankle injury. Presumably he suffered it while sitting down, or was an injured player chosen as a substitute?
The young Bulls props – Frik Kirsten and Morne Mellett – also had a torrid time in the scrums and the Bulls were on the back foot throughout the match.
But thanks to the wastefulness of the Crusaders backs, the Bulls were only trailing 9-15 as the halftime hooter went and still in the contest. But the Cantabrians scored a crucial try through the final movement, left wing Johnny McNicholl going over, although there was the suggestion that he had lost the ball forward during the multi-phase build-up.
But the Crusaders added another try, through the impressive right wing Tom Marshall, five minutes after the break and then another, by front-row demolition man Wyatt Crockett, on the hour mark, before the Bulls scored their one and only try with 13 minutes remaining. Therefore there can be no complaints about the outcome.
The Southern Kings went down 35-24 to the Chiefs in Port Elizabeth, but anyone who deems the SuperRugby newcomers to be uncompetitive must have an agenda of some sort after the defending champions were pushed hard at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
A quick supply of ruck ball, the brilliant orchestration of halfbacks Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Aaron Cruden, and the backline’s almost telepathic use of space ensured that the Chiefs won with a bonus point, but it was the incredible tenacity and sheer gumption of the Kings that will remain the lasting memory.
It was sad that such a festive occasion, featuring splendid rugby, was marred by a couple of dreadful TMO decisions by Johan Meuwesen that cost the Kings eight points.
He firstly ruled that Demetri Catrakilis had tackled Tim Nanai-Williams late and dangerously, which was an appalling decision because the Kings flyhalf was already committed to what was a perfectly legal but crunching tackle, when the Chiefs outside centre dropped the ball.
Meuwesen then missed two forward passes in the build-up to Lelia Masaga’s second try, which rather detracted from the magical interplay between Cruden and Nanai-Williams in the build-up.
The Kings were trailing 13-18 at halftime, buoyed by Sergeal Petersen’s scintillating 85m try, but had had no luck, especially considering they also lost captain Darron Nell, in the warm-up, and fullback SP Marais to injury.
The Chiefs quickly extended their lead to 32-13 after the break and at many other venues in South Africa a pall would have descended over the stadium. But, with the large crowd giving boisterous support, the Kings mashed together some phases, playing enterprising rugby and were rewarded with a try by eighthman Jacques Engelbrecht. They spent much of the final quarter hard on attack and, with two Catrakilis penalties cutting their lead to just eight points, the Chiefs were forced to kick at goal to keep themselves safe.
The Kings could have pushed the Chiefs harder by committing more players at the breakdowns just to slow down their ball, and also to clean out the many Kiwis hampering their own recycling, but up till now the Eastern Cape rookies have done themselves proud in the toughest of competitions.
While the mood was buoyant in Port Elizabeth, there were bound to be several nights on the tiles in Bloemfontein as the Cheetahs pulled off a second consecutive victory overseas as they edged the Waratahs 27-26 in Sydney.
The smoke from the fireworks had still not cleared from the air as the Cheetahs scored a breathtaking opening try, Willie le Roux regathering his own deft chip and sending Robert Ebersohn dashing down the right wing.
Le Roux was at it again with 10 minutes remaining when he again chipped over the defence and then palmed the ball on to Raymond Rhule in an astonishing moment of skill. Rhule was brought down inside the Waratahs 22, but was unstoppable a couple of phases later as he weaved his way through to the line for a wonderful try.
The try was also the match-winning one as it gave the Cheetahs a 27-23 lead, but their fantastic defence in the closing minutes was probably the premier reason for a victory that seemed unlikely for lengthy periods when they were being dominated by the home side.
Friday’s presentation at the IRB’s Talent Optimisation Programme in Stellenbosch was entitled “Where Is Rugby Going?” and it’s a safe bet that it is going onwards and upwards in many countries thanks to courses such as this one.
The Talent Optimisation Programme is into its ninth edition and it was hosted for the eighth time by the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport, about 50km east of Cape Town and situated in an historic rugby centre. It targets coaches, trainers and match officials from the Tier 2 nations who don’t have their own high performance programme.
This year’s course had 34 participants from countries like Canada, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, Kenya, Netherlands, Romania and Russia, but was also attended by delegates from Argentina and Scotland.
The South African Rugby Union (Saru) are highly supportive of T.O.P. and this year the participants enjoyed a rare treat when Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer and his management team gave a presentation on their plans for next year’s World Cup.
“Both the quality of input – the presenters we had – and the application of the delegates were absolutely wonderful and it was a big week for them. We had 12 coaches, eight match officials and four of their coaches, and 10 strength and conditioning trainers attending. All these guys have come through the IRB educational pathways, levels one to three, and this was like a finishing school for them,” Mark Harrington, the IRB head of technical services, said.
“Saru have been brilliant, providing all their coaching staff, including Heyneke Meyer, and Nick Mallett and Mark Lawrence were also heavily involved. The feedback we received was hugely positive, especially Heyneke’s presentation, while Nick got them really thinking around the current preferred style of play in rugby. He even predicted what would happen to the Sharks five days before the game!”
Other countries represented at T.O.P. were Tonga, Singapore, Portugal, Brazil, Belgium, Germany, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, USA, Mexico, Uruguay and Spain and all the participants have significant experience and qualifications which just need to be polished in a high-performance environment.
The course was run under the watchful eyes of ex-Scotland coach Richie Dixon, former Wales lock Phil Davies, Steph Nel of the Western Province Institute, Bernd Gabbei, the IRB referee development consultant, Des Ryan, the head of sports medicine and athletic development at the Arsenal Academy, and Liam Hennessy, Ireland’s former head of fitness.
The uprising of enthusiasm within the delegates was noticeable and there is no doubt they will return to their countries eager to impart the knowledge they have obtained at T.O.P.
“It’s one of the best courses I’ve ever been to and I can’t wait to pass on the knowledge from here to other coaches back home. It was phenomenal what I learnt in terms of technique, tactics and administration too,” Kevin Mwema, a Kenyan high performance coach said.
His compatriot, Michael Owino, is a strength and conditioning coach in the national sevens programme, and he expressed similar sentiments.
“It was a great week, learning day in, day out, from someone like Liam Hennessy, who trained guys like Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell. He’s one of the best guys to get the knowledge from and I can’t wait to get home to share it all. With the kind of knowledge I now have, I can change mindsets and ensure we have the right culture in our teams,” Owino said.
“That knowledge-sharing aspect is very important and once the course is done, we will have points of further contact with the participants if they need further support. It’s all about info sharing,” Harrington said.
The strength of the T.O.P. is that the IRB have ensured that they have high-quality presenters – ex international coaches like Jake White, Mallett, Gert Smal, Alistair Coetzee, Pieter de Villiers and Jacques Nienaber, former Test stars like Brendan Venter, Rassie Erasmus and David Campese, leading sports scientists like Professor Tim Noakes and Ross Tucker, top referees such as Steve Walsh, Craig Joubert, Jaco Peyper and Lawrence, and even leadership and high performance development author Rasmus Ankerson of The Goldmine Effect.
“We have a specific focus on getting the big guns to come and speak, it’s really important that they are current experts and people that the participants can really learn from. We have twice as many applicants as we have space for and it’s really encouraging to see the depth across the Tier 2 nations,” Jock Peggie, the IRB training manager said.
That can only be good news for the future of rugby and its expansion across the globe.
People have a distorted understanding of values, but I believe:
Financial riches are not of greater importance than an honourable character;
It is better to give than to receive;
Helping someone for nothing brings its own rich reward.
“The highest standards are those given to man by God. They are the old, proven values of love, honesty, unselfishness and purity … allow these God-given principles to govern your conscience.
“As you live according to these divine standards, God’s best for you will outshine all the plans you can make for yourself.” – A Shelter From The Storm by Solly Ozrovech
My Springbok team (URC & Champions Cup players only)
15-Damian Willemse
14-Canan Moodie
13-Henco van Wyk
12-Andre Esterhuizen
11-Kurt-Lee Arendse
10-Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9-Cobus Reinach
8-Evan Roos
7-Elrigh Louw
6-Siya Kolisi
5-Ruan Nortje
4-Jean Kleyn
3-Wilco Louw
2-Johan Grobbelaar
1-Ox Nche
Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter, Marco van Staden, Cameron Hanekom, Grant Williams, Makazole Mapimpi.