Ken Borland

There was a time not that long ago when everything was rosy at Newlands and the Stormers, having just beaten the defending champion Chiefs and the high-flying Brumbies, were happily ensconced as strong SuperRugby contenders.

But last weekend was a truly awful one for last year’s South African Conference winners as they crumbled before an under-strength Crusaders team and their own crowd was split down the middle, with allegations that the support for the visitors was way beyond the limits of decency. The Stormers team was booed when they stepped off the bus at their own stadium, were reportedly spat on and there were also reports of home team supporters being assaulted after the game.

The off-field clashes were bad enough, but once the Stormers were on the field, the lineout was a shambles, the scrum shaky and the attack virtually non-existent as they slumped to a 14-19 defeat that left them in 11th place on the log and trailing the Sharks by six points in the South African Conference.

Meanwhile, up in Bloemfontein, the Cheetahs were busy putting together an impressive 34-16 win over the Rebels. It was a record-equalling fourth successive win for the Central Franchise and it is difficult to imagine a bigger difference in the mood of two teams when the Stormers travel north to take on the Cheetahs on Saturday.

But as depressingly poor as the Stormers were against the Crusaders, they showed the previous weekend against the Brumbies that they are still equally capable of reaching great heights when they get it all together on the day.

Perhaps it was because the Brumbies gave them a very clear pointer of where to concentrate their efforts by all their talk of physicality before the match and the Stormers seemed rather vague in their game plan against the Crusaders, although even the best-laid plans will come to naught without any first-phase ball.

In previous years, the Cheetahs’ game has been based on all-out attack from even the most unpromising positions, but coach Naka Drotske has introduced a measure of selectivity now when it comes to spreading the ball wide, while the defence has been outstanding and the set-pieces solid.

Apart from the Cheetahs looking a better rounded outfit this year, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee also has injury problems to contend with.

Elton Jantjies has been named at flyhalf but has a badly bruised chest that may yet rule him out, while wing Gerhard van den Heever, flank Rynardt Elstadt and replacement lock Don Armand have succumbed to injury.

Up to now, there has been no pressure on the Cheetahs, but suddenly the expectation is growing and they can prove conclusively that their wonderful recent form has not just been a false dawn as they come up against one of the SuperRugby powerhouses.

Victory against the Stormers will lift the Cheetahs into the race for conference honours, in fact, they could top the South African section as the Sharks face their bogey team, the Crusaders.

But the Stormers have been knocked down, vilified and written off before. Their defence has remained phenomenal, heroic at times against the Crusaders, suggesting the attitude in the team is still good and Bloemfontein could well be the venue for their resurgence.

There has been speculation that the Crusaders might have poured all their resources and energies into winning at Newlands, but then again they have always found the Sharks a surprisingly soft touch, winning 14 of their 16 matches, including four at King’s Park. The average score is 32-22 to the New Zealanders.

A bye last weekend will ensure that the Sharks are well-rested, while the return of Jannie du Plessis at tighthead prop will give the home team considerable presence in a set-piece that has been a real strength for the Crusaders.

Sharks coach John Plumtree said this week that his team have also worked very hard to make sure that their lineout doesn’t suffer the same fate as the Stormers’, but much will also depend on the Natalians’ ability to win the collisions. Their loose trio of Keegan Daniel, Jacques Botes and Marcell Coetzee has a slightly lightweight look to it, and the injured Willem Alberts and Jean Deysel can’t return quickly enough.

Frans Steyn is back at fullback, where he should have much more space to attack, which the Sharks have the players to do with some success.

But they will not be beating the Crusaders unless they win the battle for possession up front. The Kiwis are also exceptionally clever in the legalised mess that makes up the rucks these days and, if they bring the same intensity and precise execution they displayed at Newlands, then the Sharks will be under pressure.

One feels the Sharks cannot afford to even be a bit off their game on Friday night, even though the Crusaders might not be as ferocious as they were in seeing off the Stormers.

The Southern Kings are the other local team in action as they take on the log-leading Brumbies in Canberra.

The Brumbies, after the hardship of flying back from their two matches in South Africa, produced perhaps the least impressive performance of their season last weekend in scraping past the mediocre Bulls, but the Australian front-runners can be expected to have regained the spark and clinical execution that saw them to the top of the standings.

The return of first-choice players like centre Pat McCabe, Fotu Auelua, the battering ram at eighthman, and Ben Alexander, the veteran prop, suggests coach Jake White is looking for the quick kill.

The rookie Kings have little protection against a slick Brumbies side if they fire on the night, save for the impressive tenacity they have shown in defence and some spirited attacking play that kept them in touch with the Hurricanes until the hour mark last weekend.

Springbok Waylon Murray starts at outside centre and will beef up the midfield, while the coaching staff are also managing their resources by playing hooker Bandise Maku, prop Kevin Buys, lock David Bulbring, loose forward Jacques Engelbrecht and scrumhalf Shaun Venter off the bench for the fourth match of their arduous five-week tour.

Teams

Southern Kings (v Brumbies, Friday 10:40): George Whitehead, Sergeal Petersen, Waylon Murray, Andries Strauss, Ronnie Cooke, Demetri Catrakilis, Nicolas Vergallo; Cornell du Preez, Wimpie van der Walt, Devin Oosthuizen, Rynier Bernardo, Steven Sykes, Grant Kemp, Hannes Franklin, Schalk Ferreira. Replacements: Bandise Maku, Kevin Buys, David Bulbring, Jacques Engelbrecht, Shaun Venter, Marcello Sampson, Elric van Vuuren.

Sharks (v Crusaders, Friday 19:10): Frans Steyn, Odwa Ndungane, Paul Jordaan, Meyer Bosman, JP Pietersen, Pat Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Keegan Daniel, Marcell Coetzee, Jacques Botes, Franco van der Merwe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jannie du Plessis, Kyle Cooper, Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: Craig Burden, Wiehahn Herbst, Anton Bresler, Ryan Kankowski, Charl McLeod, Riaan Viljoen, Louis Ludik/Sbura Sithole.

Cheetahs (v Stormers, Saturday 17:05pm): Hennie Daniller, Willie le Roux, Johann Sadie, Robert Ebersohn, Raymond Rhule, Burton Francis, Piet van Zyl, Phillip van der Walt, Lappies Labuschagne, Heinrich Brüssow, Francois Uys, Lood de Jager, Lourens Adriaanse, Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane. Replacements: Ryno Barnes, Coenie Oosthuizen, Ligtoring Landman, Boom Prinsloo, Sarel Pretorius, Francois Brummer, Ryno Benjamin.

Stormers (v Cheetahs, Saturday 17:05pm): Jaco Taute, Joe Pietersen, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Gio Aplon, Elton Jantjies, Nic Groom, Duane Vermeulen, Michael Rhodes, Siya Kolisi, Andries Bekker, De Kock Steenkamp, Frans Malherbe, Deon Fourie, Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: Martin Bezuidenhout, Pat Cilliers, Gerbrandt Grobler, Nizaam Carr, Louis Schreuder, Gary van Aswegen, Damian de Allende.

Other fixtures

Friday: Blues v Highlanders (Auckland, 8:35)

Saturday: Hurricanes v Waratahs (Wellington, 8:35am); Force v Rebels (Perth, 10:40).

Byes: Bulls, Chiefs, Reds.

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The Stormers are not going to relinquish the South African Conference title without a fight judging by their brilliant 35-22 victory over the previously-unbeaten Brumbies at Newlands in the pick of the weekend’s SuperRugby action.

Although the Stormers are currently lying third in the conference standings, they are just three points behind the first-placed Sharks.

The Sharks have gone to the top of the conference after a thumping 64-7 win over the Rebels in Durban, but not too much should be read into that because the Melburnians were desperately poor and unable to secure much first-phase possession.

The Stormers, in contrast, were up against the competition-leading team who had dismantled the Sharks so impressively the weekend before. But this time the Brumbies were not able to physically dominate the opposition and, with the superb Stormers’ pack matching them in the collisions, the Australians were always chasing the game.

Brumbies coach Jake White perhaps divulged too much during the week when he expressed his confidence that his side could physically dominate the Stormers as well; if nothing else, it fired up the home side and the likes of Andries Bekker, Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi and De Kock Steenkamp came out in a ferocious mood.

And the Stormers’ backs were no less impressive.

Current Springbok captain Jean de Villiers produced an inspirational performance at inside centre, while Gio Aplon was electrifying on attack. Elton Jantjies may not be the incumbent Springbok flyhalf, but on Saturday night’s showing he might just be the form number 10 in the country as he pulled the strings beautifully for the Stormers’ backline, showing wonderful vision, skill and awareness.

But the premier reason why the Brumbies’ four-match unbeaten run was finally ended was their failure to get forward momentum and Bekker was immense and prominent all over the field in ensuring the Stormers had the front-foot ball. South Africa’s best number 5 lock left many bemoaning the fact he is off to Japan at the end of the competition and will probably not be available for the Springboks.

In Durban, the Rebels made a tasty meal for the Sharks as the home side made up for their anonymous display against the Brumbies with a record 10-try feast.

Such was the dominance and vigour of the Sharks’ tight five that the Rebels were made to look rather foolish, conceding a couple of tightheads, making no impression in the lineouts and comprehensively losing the crucial battle of the gain-line.

Hooker Kyle Cooper, who is rapidly becoming a cult figure at Kings Park, gave another livewire display and scored a memorable try from 20m out, while 20-year-old Pieter-Steph du Toit looks a top-class prospect.

A thoroughly dominant scrum gave a rampaging loose trio a wonderful base to launch from and Keegan Daniel, Ryan Kankowski and Jacques Botes produced a marvellous display of support play and skilful attack.

Coach John Plumtree’s changes obviously sparked a more enthusiastic display from the Sharks and the Kings Park hierarchy will be delighted that members of the younger generation like Cooper, Wiehahn Herbst, Du Toit, Cobus Reinach, Pat Lambie and Paul Jordaan are making such progress.

But veterans such as Meyer Bosman, a sly old hand at inside centre, Tendai Mtawarira, the cornerstone of their pack, Franco van der Merwe, the leader of the lineout, their loose trio, and exciting backs Louis Ludik, Lwazi Mvovo and JP Pietersen are also still making vital contributions.

The other South African winners over the weekend were the Cheetahs, who completed their most successful tour ever with their third victory, 19-10 over the Western Force in Perth.

Apart from getting themselves in trouble by exorbitantly trying to run the ball from their own 22 on a couple of occasions, the Cheetahs were impressive, especially in defence.

Their attempt in the 27^th minute to run the ball out of their own 22, having held the Force scoreless until then, was particularly expensive as a flustered Raymond Rhule passed the ball into a Force player, the visitors regained possession and quickly spread the ball wide for Winston Stanley to dive over in the corner for their only try.

It gave the Force the lead and they held it until the last 10 minutes when the Cheetahs showed the character and new maturity that had been missing in the last couple of seasons when they went down to numerous narrow defeats.

Riaan Smit, the replacement for the injured Johan Goosen in the number 10 jersey, then kicked a couple of penalties and then made the crunching tackle that dislodged the ball as the Force desperately attacked in the closing minutes. The loose ball was hacked ahead and right wing Willie le Roux, a conspicuous absentee from Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer’s plans thus far, was on hand to claim the match-winning try.

Another Cheetah who has been given short shrift by Meyer – openside flank Heinrich Brüssow – returned to the starting line-up and had a huge impact, especially at the breakdowns.

Bulls coach Frans Ludeke’s controversial selection backfired as the Bulls slumped to a 23-18 defeat at the hands of the Reds in Brisbane.

The introduction of some fresh faces up front, especially the return of Dewald Potgieter to the loose trio, certainly added some extra intensity to the Bulls’ early efforts, but the backline defence and the poor game plan gave little protection when the Reds’ elusive backs began stepping and weaving.

The Reds’ kickers did not pose any such threat and the Bulls could easily have won this game had they stuck to kicking the home side into the corners and pressurising their lineout.

But a flatfooted, often porous defence did not put any pressure on the Reds’ ball-carriers and, just to add to the growing sense of frustration, referee James Leckie did not officiate with any consistency either.

The one area where Leckie was consistent was in the yellow-carding of Jono Lance and Lionel Mapoe for tip-tackles. According to the details of the law, the decisions were correct because both Lance and Mapoe lifted their opponents’ legs beyond the horizontal. But neither tackle had any malicious intent whatsoever and Mapoe was particularly unfortunate because, in his case, prop James Slipper was actually leaping upwards anyway to evade the tackle.

The current rule on tip-tackles is ridiculous because it is open to exploitation by the ball-carrier and, if the IRB law-makers had any feel for the game, they would amend it. Reinach was the third unfortunate casualty of the nonsense law during the Sharks game.

Just to show how easily the Bulls could have won the game, outside centre JJ Engelbrecht came within inches of scoring a match-winning try after the hooter, but had just stepped on the touchline.

The Southern Kings were the least surprising South African losers of the weekend, going down 55-20 to the seven-time champion Crusaders in Christchurch. The Kings actually scored first with a first-minute penalty by Demetri Catrakilis, but the Crusaders replied with two tries in the opening 15 minutes as the rookies seemed overawed by playing in Christchurch, away from home for the first time.

The in-your-face defence that characterised their previous games was strangely absent and they were soundly dominated in the rucks, again not committing enough players.

Flank Wimpie van der Walt did drive over for a try in the dying moments of the first half, but the Crusaders went into the break 31-13 in front.

The nerves obviously settled a bit in the second half and the Kings gave a better account of themselves, even though there was still some hesitancy in defence. Fullback George Whitehead capped an impressive game as he rounded off a great try in the closing moments, but the Kings now know that being on the road in Australasia is not a cosy experience for greenhorns.

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The Stormers return to SuperRugby action at Newlands on Saturday with a crunch match against a top-class Brumbies side enjoying a four-game unbeaten run.

A compelling victory over the Sharks last weekend in Durban has ensured that the pressure is not on the Brumbies in Cape Town – a venue they have also enjoyed impressive success at – but on a Stormers side that is painfully aware that a defeat will leave them with a dismal record of just one win in four matches, and a game against the Crusaders to follow.

The Brumbies have stated in no uncertain terms that they see the collisions as the key battle on Saturday and it just happens to be the area where they most comprehensively outplayed the Sharks last weekend.

It’s no secret that the Stormers regard the Sharks as the most physical challenge they face in this competition, so they have certainly taken notice of last weekend and coach Allister Coetzee was happy to concede that the Australians will be favourites at Newlands.

“I can’t remember when last I saw a Sharks team giving away so much momentum to the opposition. The Brumbies are a quality team and there is no doubt they must start as favourites this weekend,” Coetzee said this week.

It is also no secret that the Brumbies are the masters of ball retention, so if the Stormers forwards don’t front up on Saturday, they will be spending a lot of time without the ball, tackling, and, as stout as the Capetonians’ defence is, Jake White’s team have shown enough on attack this year already to suggest they can score tries against any team.

“If we score tries I can’t see the Stormers winning against us with kicks,” White rather bullishly said this week.

But it’s true because the Brumbies have been just as impressive on defence this year, they are in the faces of the opposition, their discipline under White has been good and, having lost just two of their six matches at Newlands since 1998, it’s easy to see why many people consider the Brumbies to be the favourites on Saturday.

The Stormers have lost star wing Bryan Habana, who had an operation for torn knee ligaments and is out for at least 10 weeks, but fellow Springbok Juan de Jongh returns at outside centre, allowing Jean de Villiers to shift back to his regular position of inside centre. Tiaan Liebenberg is also back, bringing a more physical presence at hooker.

Six Springboks have paid the price for the Sharks’ poor show last weekend with coach John Plumtree dropping Odwa Ndungane, Frans Steyn, Charl McLeod, Ryan Kankowski, Jannie du Plessis and Craig Burden. Ndungane is out of the match-day 22 altogether, but the other five are on the bench for the game against the Melbourne Rebels in Durban on Saturday.

After a miserable afternoon last weekend in pouring rain watching a lacklustre effort by the home side, Sharks fans will be hoping to get much better value for their Kings Park ticket fee on Saturday as last year’s beaten finalists look to bounce back against one of the competition’s minnows.

The Sharks have provided little hint of their attacking quality this year and the dropping of inside centre Steyn in favour of the more subtle skills of Meyer Bosman suggests Plumtree has identified his vice-captain as the problem.

More particularly, the lack of conditioning of Steyn, who has come off a long period of inactivity after an ankle injury and a tough week of training awaited the 2007 World Cup winner.

But the Sharks will obviously need a much better effort from their forwards if they are to do any meaningful attacking on Saturday and the eagerness of promoted players such as Jacques Botes, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kyle Cooper and Wiehahn Herbst could inspire the pack to dominate the rather no-name-brand mediocrity of the Rebels.

What could threaten the Sharks is a fast and loose game which brings Rebels backs such as James O’Connor, Lachlan Mitchell, Cooper Vuna and Mitch Inman into the contest.

A change of personnel is also what Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has prescribed after his team’s disappointing performance in last weekend’s 41-19 defeat by the Crusaders, with nine changes being made. Four of those are due to injury, with wing Akona Ndungane, centre Wynand Olivier, scrumhalf Francois Hougaard and lock Flip van der Merwe all ruled out.

“Player management” and “rotation policy” is what Ludeke is calling flyhalf Morné Steyn’s demotion to the bench for the match against the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday, but the points machine could be paying the price for some defensive lapses last weekend in Christchurch.

With Steyn heading for France at the end of the SuperRugby campaign, the reign of Louis Fouché as the Bulls’ pivot could start this weekend against one of the world’s most innovative flyhalves in Quade Cooper.

The Reds will be smarting after their 19-12 defeat at home to the Force last weekend and will be hoping for a much better display from their fit-again halfbacks, Will Genia and Cooper, in particular.

The Queenslanders will be desperate to get back to winning ways at home, with the Force upset being only their fourth loss in 26 games at Suncorp Stadium, because the gap between them and the Brumbies, who have a game in hand, at the top of the Australian Conference could be more than 10 points if they lose to the Bulls.

Suncorp Stadium is a “fast” venue, a quick pitch helping the expansive style of the Reds and, with inspirational 2011 title-winning captain James Horwill back in harness and so much disruption in the Bulls camp, the home side will be favourites.

The Crusaders are most definitely favourites in Christchurch on Saturday as they take on the Southern Kings, playing in New Zealand for the first time.

The Kings have produced some stirring displays in Port Elizabeth this season, showing plenty of tenacity and spirit, but they are in for the fight of their lives against the Crusaders, who looked back in top form in dispatching the Bulls so clinically last weekend.

Coach Matt Sexton is also rapidly going through his store of captains with prop Schalk Ferreira becoming the fourth player to lead the team out in four matches. Luke Watson, Darron Nell and Steven Sykes have all succumbed to injury.

If the Kings fail to match the tremendous passion and determination they showed in Port Elizabeth, then their first SuperRugby tour could get off to the most inauspicious of starts.

The Cheetahs are also in action overseas as they take on the Western Force in Perth and we will see if the central franchise is dependent on flyhalf Johan Goosen for its success.

The Cheetahs have won in Invercargill and Sydney on this tour, with Springbok flyhalf-in-waiting Goosen playing a key role. But the 20-year-old tore his cruciate ligament while practising his goal-kicking at the start of the week and Naka Drotske’s team will be without him for the rest of the campaign.

“To lose Johan to injury is a major blow, but this is the perfect time for Riaan Smit to prove his worth and we have full confidence in him,” Drotske said.

Apart from the exciting Smit appearing at flyhalf, the match also marks the return of Heinrich Brüssow to the starting line-up. Out-and-out fetchers are not exactly in vogue in South African rugby at the moment, but with the Cheetahs looking to play a fast-paced game, the Springbok will be looking to impress with his skills at the tackle area.

With the Kings, Bulls and Stormers all up against tough opposition we are probably relying on the Sharks and Cheetahs to provide odds-on South African victories this weekend.

Whatever the result in Cape Town, the Brumbies are guaranteed to retain the top spot on the combined log, with the Bulls, Blues and Reds all chasing second place if the Chiefs slip up against the Highlanders in Hamilton in Friday’s only game.

The top spot in the South African Conference will be there for the taking if the Bulls go down in Brisbane, with the other four teams all theoretically capable of overtaking the three-time champions, although the Sharks are the most likely to claim the bonus-point victory that will secure first place on the log. DM

Teams

Southern Kings (v Crusaders, Saturday 8h35): George Whitehead, Marcello Sampson, Ronnie Cooke, Hadleigh Parkes, Sergeal Petersen, Demetri Catrakilis, Shaun Venter, Jacques Engelbrecht, Wimpie van der Walt, Cornell du Preez, David Bulbring, Daniel Adongo, Kevin Buys, Bandise Maku, Schalk Ferreira. Replacements: Edgar Marutlulle, Jaco Engels, Rynier Bernardo, Devin Oosthuizen, Nicolas Vergallo, Waylon Murray, Elric van Vuuren.

Bulls (v Reds, Saturday 10h40): Zane Kirchner, Lionel Mapoe, JJ Engelbrecht, Francois Venter, Bjorn Basson, Louis Fouché, Jano Vermaak, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Grant Hattingh, Paul Willemse, Werner Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Morné Mellett. Replacements: Willie Wepener, Frik Kirsten, Juandré Kruger, Jacques Potgieter, Ruan Snyman, Morné Steyn, Jan Serfontein.

Cheetahs (v Western Force, Saturday 12:45): Hennie Daniller, Willie le Roux, Johann Sadie, Robert Ebersohn, Raymond Rhule, Riaan Smit, Sarel Pretorius, Phillip van der Walt, Lappies Labuschagne, Heinrich Brüssow, Francois Uys, Lood de Jager, Lourens Adriaanse, Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane. Replacements: Ryno Barnes, Coenie Oosthuisen, Rynhard Landman, Boom Prinsloo, Piet van Zyl, Burton Francis, Ryno Benjamin.

Sharks (v Melbourne Rebels, Saturday 17:05): Louis Ludik, JP Pietersen, Paul Jordaan, Meyer Bosman, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Keegan Daniel, Marcell Coetzee, Jacques Botes, Franco van der Merwe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Wiehahn Herbst, Kyle Cooper, Beast Mtawarira. Replacements: Craig Burden, Jannie du Plessis, Jandré Marais, Ryan Kankowski, Charl McLeod, Frans Steyn, Riaan Viljoen.

Stormers (v Brumbies, Saturday 19:10): Joe Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Gerhard van den Heever, Elton Jantjies, Dewaldt Duvenage, Duane Vermeulen, Rynhardt Elstadt, Siya Kolisi, Andries Bekker, De Kock Steenkamp, Frans Malherbe, Tiaan Liebenberg, Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: Deon Fourie, Pat Cilliers, Don Armand, Nizaam Carr, Nic Groom, Damian de Allende, Jaco Taute.

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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.

 http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-03-18-superrugby-wrap-cheetahs-keep-sa-flag-flying/#.U_x0SPmSxe8