Super Rugby Round 10 threw up a mixed bag for the South African Franchises, with the Stormers and Bulls winning and the Cheetahs and Sharks both tasting defeat.
Force 6 DHL Stormers 13
DHL Stormers – Penalty try; Conversion: Demetri Catrakilis; Penalties: Demetri Catrakilis and Kurt Coleman
Western Force – Penalties: Luke Burton 2
The Stormers started this game fast and in dominating fashion and it looked like a hiding was on the cards for the Force, but they seemed to fade as the game progressed. They were aided by a penalty try as early as the 9th minute after the Force scrum disintegrated under their own poles. Many refs would have awarded a penalty, but referee Mike Fraser went straight for the penalty try.
An interesting aspect of this game was the leading role that Schalk Burger played as a ball distributor from the first receiver position, which has been missing from the Stormers game for a while.
The second half only produced three points, as the Stormers left the Force to enjoy the lion’s share of possession and relied on their strong defensive pattern to snuff out wave after wave of attack.
The Stormers now take the trip back to Cape Town to face face the conference leading Bulls.
Cell C Sharks 10 Vodacom Bulls 17
Vodacom Bulls – Try: Francois Hougaard; Penalties: Handre Pollard 4
Cell C Sharks 10 – Try: Marcell Coetzee; Conversion: Fred Zeilinga; Penalty: Fred Zeilinga
The Bulls arrived in Durban with the intent to display a much more constructive, running game plan, relying on multiple phases and more passing than they are used to. They came up against a Sharks defense with a lot more structure than they have produced this season and were occasionally caught behind the advantage line, with some of the inter passing becoming too complicated for players not used to such an open game.
The Bulls blew the game open in the 32nd minute, with Rudi Paige breaking around the blindside of a scrum and with some clever interplay between himself and Francois Hougaard saw Hougaard score a fantastic try in the corner from 80m out. The Sharks scrum looked to be creaking a bit, with Springboks Jannie du Plessis looking especially vulnerable. Springbok loosehead Tendai Mtawarira was more consistent than Du Plessis, but not hugely better. If these two do not raise their game before the Rugby World Cup, the Springboks may be in for a tough time at scrum time.
The Bulls repeated the mistake they made against the Reds last weekend and again were not switched on just after half time. Last week, they conceded two tries straight after half time and this week they were ripped apart in midfield, leading to Marcel Coetzee’s try.
Handre Pollard provided the Bulls with a lot more direction as he looks to prove his credentials as the Springbok starting flyhalf. The Bulls will also be awaiting the Doctor’s report with some trepidation. Rudy Paige left the field with what appears to be a serious knee injury and he has been one of the form scrumhalves in the competition.
The Sharks were hammering away at the Bulls try line in the final minutes of the game, but were thwarted by Francois Hougaard who competed for a ball in a ruck and won the penalty that relieved the pressure.
The Sharks have the bye next weekend and this should give them some time to re-group and try to get their season back on track. The Bulls travel to Cape Town to meet the returning Stormers.
Toyota Cheetahs 17 Reds 18
Toyota Cheetahs – tries: Rayno Benjamin, Boom Prinsloo. Conversions: Joe Pietersen. Penalty: Pietersen
Reds – tries: Adam Korczyk, Samu Kerevi. Conversion: James O’Connor. Penalty: O’Connor. Drop goal: Nick Frisby
The Cheetahs returned to their home turf after a morale boosting win against the Force in Perth last weekend and were probably confident of victory against the struggling Reds. What they encountered though was a Reds side determined to start turning their season around.
The Cheetahs were already struggling given the injuries to Lood de Jager and Oupa Mahoje and were given a jolt with the late withdrawal of wing Raymond Ruhle. Losing open side flank Heinrich Brussouw to a broken arm and fullback Coenie van Wyk to a broken ankle proved to be further body blows, which was made worse when tight head prop Coenie Oosthuizen had to leave the field with back pain.
The Cheetahs were first to cross the try line in the 32nd minute after slick inter-passing between their backs, freeing up winger Ryno Benjamin to score. The Reds repeated their feat of last weekend by scoring two tries after the half time break to take the lead. James O’Connor brushed off two poor tackles to put Adam Korczyk in for the score. Soon thereafter Adam Thompson punched up field to set up a ruck, after which center Samu Kerevi crashed over for the Reds second try. The Cheetahs replied soon thereafter when number 8 Boom Prinsloo scored after a lineout maul.
The game came to the boil in the 73rd minute when Reds flyhalf Nick Frisby popped over a drop goal. The Cheetahs then had the opportunity to win the game through a last minute penalty kick by flyhalf Joe Pietersen, but he sent the kick wide. This Cheetahs will probably kick themselves after this loss as they had every opportunity to win it, but inexperience saw them unable to close the game out.
They now face a testing trip to Emirates Park to face the Lions who had the bye this weekend.
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