Ken Borland

Flyhalf Chris Noakes scored 17 points in 20 minutes as the Otago Highlanders’ replacement players snatched a dramatic 36-33 (half-time 9-23) victory over the Free State Cheetahs in their SuperRugby match in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Noakes, who replaced regular flyhalf Mike Delany midway through the second half, scored a try and kicked three conversions and three penalties, including an angled, long-distance match-winning effort in the 79th minute.

The Highlanders rebounded from a 9-30 deficit and the yellow-carding of hooker Andrew Hore and flank James Haskell to record their seventh win in nine matches and stay five points behind leaders and New Zealand Conference pace-setters, the Waikato Chiefs.

The Cheetahs seemed to have the match sown up when flyhalf Johan Goosen, rapidly becoming one of the legends of Free State rugby, scored a jinking try from 70 metres out to stretch their lead to 28-9. But the 19-year-old injured his shoulder in the process of scoring the try and had to leave the field, the Cheetahs suffering a spectacular meltdown thereafter.

The Highlanders began throwing the ball around and attacked like a Sevens side and were rewarded with three tries in six minutes, two by replacement scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan, as they ripped the stunned Cheetahs apart.

The home side had used strong driving play and the boot of Goosen to put themselves in a powerful position through tries by prop Coenie Oosthuizen and lock Andries Ferreira, as well as Goosen’s fine solo effort early in the second half.

Goosen was replaced by Sias Ebersohn, who missed three penalties, including an easy effort from in line with the right upright that could have made his team the victors.

Scorers

Cheetahs – Tries: Coenie Oosthuizen, Andries Ferreira, Johan Goosen. Conversions: Goosen (2), Sias Ebersohn. Penalties: Goosen (3), Ebersohn.

Highlanders – Tries: Chris Noakes, Jimmy Cowan (2). Conversions: Noakes (3). Penalties: Mike Delany (3), Noakes (2).

The South-Western Districts Eagles ended a disappointing season by going down 31-47 (half-time 17-20) to the Border Bulldogs in their Vodacom Cup match in Queenstown on Saturday.

The Bulldogs went down early to a superb individual try by right wing Clinton Wagman, and conceded two more tries in the first half as they trailed 13-17 deep into injury time.

Border flyhalf Ntabeni Dukisa was on-song with the boot, however, and his two first-half penalties kept the home team in touch before fullback Logan Basson took advantage of an overlap on the left wing to score.

The Eagles relied on their rolling maul to score two tries through flank Shaun Raubenheimer and lock Grant le Roux, but the Bulldogs inched their noses just in front in first-half injury time when scrumhalf Ntando Kebe rounded off a slick move from broken play, Border’s handling being one of their greatest strengths as they ended their campaign on a high.

The Bulldogs took their confidence-booster into the second half and their third try came by way of a penalty try after the Eagles kept spoiling the ball at the ruck.

Dukisa once again kicked the conversion and then added a 48th-minute penalty to put Border 30-17 ahead, but the Eagles cut the gap to 30-24 when centre Cornelius Rautenbach cut through after a tap-penalty, fullback Deroy Rhoode converting.

The Bulldogs were quick to return to Eagles’ territory, however, with loosehead prop Armand Fourie dotting down after a series of forward drives. Dukisa converted and added a penalty and the Bulldogs were almost home and dry with a 40-24 lead going into the final 10 minutes.

Eagles left wing Baldwin McBean and Border replacement scrumhalf Lesley Deen-Ruiters exchanged tries to end the scoring.

Border were able to enjoy their first win of the season, after some close misses, in their final game and no one would have been more delighted than eighthman Lubabalo Mzwakali, who celebrated his 50th game with a brilliant performance.

SCORERS

Border Bulldogs – Tries: Logan Basson, Ntando Kebe, penalty try, Armand Fourie, Lesley Deen-Ruiters. Conversions: Ntabeni Dukisa (5). Penalties: Dukisa (4).

SWD Eagles – Tries: Clinton Wagman, Shaun Raubenheimer, Grant le Roux, Cornelius Rautenbach, Baldwin McBean. Conversions: Deroy Rhoode (3).

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/vodacom-cup/news/120428/Eagles_go_down_to_Bulldogs

The ACT Brumbies swarmed to a 34-20 (half-time 17-6) victory over the Gauteng Lions, putting themselves in pole position in the Australian Conference, in their SuperRugby match at Ellis Park on Friday.

Wing Henry Speight, with two tries, was one of the driving forces for the overwhelming victory, along with the strong running of flyhalf Christian Lealiifano and a dominant forward pack.

The Lions, who are under pressure to maintain their SuperRugby status with the South African Rugby Union having guaranteed the Southern Kings promotion next year, produced an abject display and only rallied to score two tries in the final quarter to narrow the losing margin.

“I’m very happy. The way we carried the ball was so precise, we stuck with things and we put them under real pressure in the 22. We had some great stuff going on on the gain-line and things are starting to come together that we’ve been working on,” Brumbies coach Jake White said after the match.

The Brumbies went behind early to a penalty by Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies, but struck back with a 12th-minute try by prop Ruaidhri Murphy, who ploughed over the line from a ruck set up when Speight was stopped just short of the line after bursting down the blindside wing.

The visitors fell behind again, though, as Jantjies kicked another penalty four minutes later, and the Lions held on to the lead until the 22nd minute as Lealiifano and fullback Jesse Mogg missed three kicks between them.

With scrumhalf Nic White feeding them quick ball from the rucks, the Brumbies backs were a constant threat with their direct running and changes in the point of attack and Speight grabbed his first try after White’s long pass to outside centre Andrew Smith had set up a ruck, from which Lealiifano made a half-break to present the wing with an easy touchdown.

Speight was involved again as the Brumbies scored five minutes before half-time, cutting in from his wing and breaking through the porous Lions defence and popping the ball to Smith to dot down.

The lacklustre Lions had defended poorly and kicked wastefully in the first half and started the second half in even worse fashion as they conceded two tries in the first seven minutes.

Lions fullback Andries Coetzee presented wing Joe Tomane with a welcome gift try as he failed to gather a Mogg grubber and flank Michael Hooper, having hassled the Lions all game at the breakdown, then punished them from the kickoff as he burst clear and set up prop Ben Alexander for a powerful finish.

Speight scored again for the Brumbies in the 58th minute after the Lions twice presented them with turnovers in the 22, stretching the lead to an unassailable 34-6.

The situation was made worse for the Lions in the 63rd minute when replacement centre Butch James charged into a ruck with his shoulder and was yellow-carded. But the home team finished the match as the stronger side, with centre Jaco Taute and loosehead prop Caylib Oosthuizen scoring never-say-die tries at the death, both converted by Jantjies.

“It was our worst defensive performance of the season. We weren’t effective in the tackle and they hurt us with their carry and got enough breaches. They kept hold of their ball while we lost ours and they were more effective at the breakdown. I thought Hooper was outstanding, he’s world-class, that boy,” Lions coach John Mitchell said.

But the Brumbies were the stars of the show with imposing eighthman Fotu Auelua also amongst their heroes and named man of the match.

The Lions have now won just one of their eight matches and face a daunting task when they play the pace-setting Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on May 5.

The Chiefs will have the chance to extend their lead on top of the standings when they host the Wellington Hurricanes on Saturday.

Scorers

Lions – Tries: Jaco Taute, Caylib Oosthuizen. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2). Penalties: Elton Jantjies (2).

Brumbies – Tries: Ruaidhri Murphy, Henry Speight (2), Andrew Smith, Joe Tomane, Ben Alexander. Conversions: Jesse Mogg, Christian Lealiifano.

Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula announced on Thursday that he was happy with Cricket South Africa and their efforts in the whole process of implementing the Nicholson Commission’s recommendations.

Judge Chris Nicholson, who was appointed by Mbalula in October, recommended in March that CSA chief executive Gerald Majola be suspended, that irregular bonus payments be recovered and that a steering committee to restructure the board and their governance processes be appointed.

“We’re satisfied that CSA are implementing the Nicholson recommendations,” Mbalula said in Sandton on Thursday. “The board accepts they could have played a better role at the time they were called to do so, but there has been no resistance in going through this process and we are satisfied that we have done our duty.”

The CSA board were called to Sandton to report back to Mbalula on their progress and it was noticeable that a much better vibe existed amongst their members and they even went into a huddle, team-style, to consider the final statement released jointly by CSA and the sports ministry.

Mbalula said there was no need for the CSA board to resign.

“The CSA board of directors will remain in place until the next annual meeting at the end of September because it is in the best interests of stability and taking the game forward for all stakeholders.

“It’s just a few months to go for this board and then they can get a fresh mandate. We wanted to address the issues and bring stability to cricket. If we had asked the board to resign, then certain things would not have been done; they’ve put the process in motion,” Mbalula said.

But, in another blow to Majola, Mbalula stressed that it was imperative CSA recover all irregular bonus payments made to top management.

“It is a very clear Nicholson recommendation that unlawful bonuses be recovered from top management. Certain people were entitled to bonuses, but if these were outside the ambit of the law and were not properly declared, then it will be taken up.

“A civil process will be launched by CSA and it will be included in the disciplinary commission against Majola. The Hawks [South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation] have also been to CSA and are in the process of their investigation. They’re on top of it, but we don’t know the outcome yet. We have to respect the process because it’s not up to us to arrest people. It was a smooth operation, not done Hollywood style, because that way things get done properly,” Mbalula said.

The disciplinary enquiry is set to be completed by May 31 and John Myburgh SC is the independent chairman appointed by the Bar Council, which is also going to be approached to appoint a prosecutor.

Goverment is now also going to be involved in the restructuring of CSA, with Sports and Recreation SA representatives, as well as from Sascoc, being added to the steering committee.

The important issue of transformation has also been added to the steering committee’s terms of reference, including a financial model that will result in funds being made available for transformation. That transformation fund will be launched at the CSA chief executives’ committee meeting on May 8.

The final report of the steering committee will be submitted to the minister for his approval, followed by consultation with the provinces and then the national indaba on sport.

“The first steps in restoring public confidence and that of the sponsors and other stakeholders have been taken,” Mbalula said.