South Africa Rugby

When selecting the lucky 37 to venture to South Africa in search of a famous win, Ian McGeechan had two options; pick the best players in each position and aim to play open expansive rugby, or choose bulk and defend your way to a series win.

Sadly, he chose to go with the latter.

McGeechan (and his gang of coaches) have sent a clear message to South Africa, reading "we're taking you on up front."  Not only is this disappointing because it may be extremely boring to watch, but also because frankly Geech, it isn't going to work.

To take the World Champions on in one three test-long arm wrestle (at their own game in a sense) is playing them at a game that they are much better at.

South Africa are a team that has had time to mould, yet still add new blood. A Lions squad filled with players unfamiliar with each other and not used to going into battle together, cannot cope with these Springboks.

I cannot help but sit here and ponder how some guys have got onto this tour.

Three English guys Simon Shaw, Joe Worsley, and Harry Ellis must all be thanking their lucky stars because how these three players are going to South Africa and players like Nick Kennedy, Tom Croft, Paul Sackey, Danny Care, and Delon Armitage aren't going is something which I'm not sure I could answer...at all.

Other omissions like Ryan Jones, Mike Blair, Ian Gough, and the Evans brothers from Scotland just seen absurd as they have been outstanding performers.

It just seems as though McGeechan has really chose to fight fire with fire, which if you think about it literally is never a good idea because surely the best way to fight fire is with...water?

An 18-11 victory to the Cape Town based side over the Highlanders was a tight affair, significant for many more reasons than the match result itself.

The Highlanders took a 6-0 lead into halftime, a fair snapshot of the game.  It was a match where it was not lack of ability kept the points low, but the organisation and effectiveness of the team’s defences and hunger.

In the second half the Stormers took control of the match, and while the Highlanders kept coming at the South Africans – who were seeking their first win of a five match tour – there was something significantly different in the way Stormers went about their business.

If they had played like this all season, then they would be fulfilling the preseason talk of being title challengers.

For the Highlanders, it was their last home match before a tough run home against the Sharks and Lions in South Africa, and then the Force at Subiaco; who can lay claims to being Australia’s best side.

With 23 points and only a maximum 15 points available left to the Otago based franchise, it effectively ends the Highlanders unlikely charge to the semi-finals, and will likely consign the team to the bottom half of the table.

For a team that took the scalps of both the 2007 (Bulls) and 2008 (Crusaders) Super 14 champions, as well as the Reds and Cheetahs; this could be considered a bit unfair.   This was also a team that lost to the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Brumbies, by less than five points.

But this week, like their previous match against the Blues, their inadequacies as a potential championship team were revealed.  Team spirit and tenacious defence are vital components, but the inability to string together consistent and threatening attack is the difference between teams like the Highlanders, and potential title challengers.

Still, they will play the part of a dangerous spoiler.  Upset victories over the Sharks or Force in coming weeks would derail those respective side’s top four chances.

If the team stays together, the young players, with talents like outstanding fullback Israel Dagg and playmakers Matt Berquist and Dan Bowden, will only get better with time.

However, it was the Stormers that really warranted mention.

A team that last season lost four matches in their opening rounds, before winning three matches on their major tour—a South African record—to finish unbeaten from their last seven rounds.  They only missed out on a top four spot by point’s difference, and were only three competition points off finishing second on the table.

They were strong odds to take a semi final position this year.

But they have been far and away the biggest disappointment of the 2009 Super 14.

There was though a significant occurrence this week; that would have taken the attention of all the South African teams, especially the prospective and incumbent test players.

The naming of the British Lions team.

Suddenly, the talk and conjecture is over.  And the tour now begins in just over one month.

And in reaction, for the first time this season, we saw a menace and intensity in the South African tactical display that has not been evident so far this Super 14.

For with the greatest respect to the Super 14, the Lions tour will now be evident in the minds of the South African players, arguably the second most important international rugby event after the World Cup, and in the minds of many, the most significant rugby event.

The Stormers loose forward combination of Luke Watson, Duane Vermeulen and Schalk Burger was terrifying, as a trio effecting over 50 tackles, 20 rucks, 20 runs, and six turnovers. 

There was the trademark ferocity in the visiting teams brute effort, the niggle and physicality that we expect from high level South African performances.

The offensive defence and co-ordinated pack mentality effectively won the match for the Stormers, as now a mammoth incentive for the players has been prompted, that of an international test cap for a Lions series.

In a game that was almost identical for each sides respective statistics, it was this that appeared to separate the two teams.

Stormers:  18

Tries: Naqeulevuki, Grant

Conversions: de Waal 1/2

Penalties: de Waal 2/3

Highlanders: 11

Tries: Smith

Conversions: Berquist 0/1

Penalties: Berquist 2/2

Match statistics: Highlanders – Stormers

 

Rucks/Mauls: 73 - 66

Line breaks: 2 – 2

Scrums: 12 – 7

Scrums lost: 0 – 0

Line outs: 9 – 19

Line outs lost: 3 – 4

Runs / Metres: 82 (413) – 76

Kicks / Metres: 31 (993) – 32 (1183)

Tackles: 81 – 72

Tackles Missed: 15 – 15

Turnovers: 23 – 24

Penalties: 4 – 6

Possession: 50 -50

While many local rugby fans, players, supporters and administrators are preoccupied with the poor SA Super 14 form, going through the motions of the Vodacom Cup, thinking about the British and Irish Lions tour starting the end of May, and preparing a team for the Currie Cup in July, a more sinister and monumental dilemma lurks for South African Rugby.

This is the expansion of Super Rugby for the benefit of all South African rugby players—and particularly, whether the current SA Rugby administration is leading South African rugby down a mine shaft.

It defies logic that two individuals at SA Rugby should be so prescriptive on the expansion of the Super 14 without adequately caucusing all the affected rugby unions and stakeholders (SuperSport, SABC, government, stadium owners, tourism, and trade), tabling a variety of future planning scenarios and outlining the advantages and disadvantages to growing the game.

In a short 12 months, these two SA Rugby representatives at SANZAR today, will be no more and all of SA Rugby will be burdened, for the following six years, with the malaise of a short-sighted vision espoused just last week Thursday.

Remember, SA Rugby have had four years to develop and craft a future competition and tournament model.  Instead, they are furtively introducing a model—in so clandestine and secretive a fashion—without any real consideration for the catastrophic consequences it will have on the existing five franchises—and in particular the Lions, Cheetahs, and Stormers.

Where is the transparency and where is the open-door policy and canvassing of opinions in structuring the SANZAR R3.5 billion broadcasting deal? There is none—and because of this it smacks of reckless, negligent behaviour in which the directors of SA Rugby and SANZAR have failed in their fiduciary duty to their shareholders. A most serious indictment on corporate governance and flouting of company law in South Africa.

What most people forget is that section 424 of the Companies Act in South Africa is not limited to directors of the company but applies to "any person", including an ordinary employee such as a financial manager even if he is neither a shareholder nor a director or officer of the company. The liability can also attach to a juristic person such as a company as in SA Rugby, provided it can be demonstrated that the so-called "controlling mind" of the company, its board of directors, as in SA Rugby’s board meeting last week, was aware of the activities.

I submit that it will not be too difficult to demonstrate this and have this challenged by any one, or a couple, of the aggrieved rugby unions, which feel that SA Rugby and its directors have acted in a reckless and negligent manner to the detriment of its shareholders.

These same three franchises—the Lions, Stormers, and Cheetahs, were on the ropes and in a financial quandary in February/March 2006 and it was their will and motivation to elect individuals who would sandbag and eliminate any future competition to their franchise. In short, the inclusion of a sixth South African franchise.

The fear factor then was that any one of these three Super Rugby franchises would be relegated in either 2007, 2008 or 2009 and they could sit out the Super 14 for a year or maybe two and this would have catastrophic consequences for them.  Hence, the Southern Spears were iced at a cost of R27.1 million to SA Rugby, with no thought of any future planning.

Along the way, since then, the R30 million provided by SuperSport was earmarked by SA Rugby for a high-performance academy and centre in Alicedale in the Eastern Cape. Plans were drawn up and still lie in wait for implementation. Then in 2007 SA Rugby were facing a R20 million loss, so the R30 million allocated for the academy and high-performance centre was dropped into the SA Rugby bottom line to declare a R10 million profit, and poof, gone, in a snap, was the funding for the academy, confirmed with the epitaph of a press release issued by SA Rugby that there is no funding available for the academy.

Now fast forward to Thursday last week when certain individuals at SA Rugby finalised their preferred option for Vodacom Super Rugby expansion at a meeting of the board of directors on Thursday. An SA Rugby press release declared:

"The board accepted a recommendation from Andy Marinos, the acting managing director of SA Rugby, on South Africa’s approach to the season structure of a planned new Super 15 competition to be introduced in 2011.

"This has been a long process with all partners having to compromise in some directions," said Dr Jan Marais, the chairman of the board. "We are prepared to extend the Super Rugby competition into July for instance but the integrity of the Absa Currie Cup competition is not something that we can throw away.

"Major matches in the Currie Cup attract audiences that are larger than the equivalent Super Rugby matches and the tournament is the lifeblood of our 14 provinces. It is also very important to South African rugby that we secure a Super Rugby franchise for the Eastern Cape and we will be tendering for a sixth team if we reach agreement on future structures."

The details of South Africa’s position will now be communicated to Australia and New Zealand as part of an ongoing series of discussions and workshops in the search for an agreed position.

The board also received an explanation on the Legacy project for the Port Elizabeth region as an outcome of the Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series. A total of R2 million has been earmarked for the region to uplift rugby at grassroots level, although the specific project has not yet been finalised.

"SA Rugby is putting R1 million of the profits from the tour into the project and other money is being invested into other legacy projects around the country," said Dr Marais. "Another R1 million is being invested by the British & Irish Lions into the Port Elizabeth project as part of an agreement we reached with government.

"This was all done amicably and as part of a negotiation around SA Rugby being granted special dispensation to be allowed to play the match between the Coastal XV and the Lions on Youth Day, June 16."

First, it is inconceivable to equate the magnitude of a R3.5 billion 5-year (2011-2015) Super Rugby agreement, with a single, paltry R2 million one-off grant to the Eastern Cape for development on Youth Day.

Second, the Coastal XV is NOT playing, but June 16—Youth Day—is the date set down as the launch and roll out of the new sixth South African Super Rugby franchise, the Southern Kings.

Has SA Rugby forgotten their pledge and agreement with government and the Eastern Cape unions? Either this is selective memory, or the accuracy of SA Rugby’s media releases need to be checked, double-checked and triple-checked—but more of that in the sequel.

Over the next 60 days SA Rugby together with their SANZAR partners, the NZRU and ARU, need to resolve a Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby expansion plan conundrum that has eluded the three Southern Hemisphere administrators, who are on the eve of signing before June 31, another multi-year (five-year) broadcast agreement for Super Rugby.

SANZAR’s broadcasting deal, currently worth $323 million over five years—or R2.9 billion over five years, as in R581 million a year—expires at the end of next year, but needs to be renegotiated before June 31.

A broadcasting deal as lucrative as this could be in jeopardy, as the SANZAR officials are at odds as to how to attract spectators to the Super Rugby series following years of declining spectator audiences and TV ratings and each have their own ideas as to how to do this and by all accounts appear to be a country mile apart from each other in terms of resolving this.

The ARU under O’Neil wants to shed South Africa and invite Japan to participate in some Pacific Rim tournament, but his motives are about as transparent as mud in wanting to pursue the commercial sponsors in Japan. O’Neil quite simply wants the fifth franchise for Melbourne and has lobbied hard for this.

The NZRU under Steve Tew have been conspicuous by their absence in tabling a workable solution, yet have inserted a NZRU project manager to oversee options, which is more than crafty, as they will have a hand in the authorship of the expansion plans.

Then there is SA Rugby, who this year and the next are the acting secretariat of SANZAR, have had four years to put together a solution or series of options, especially when the Eastern Cape have had no franchise in the history of Super Rugby.

It is quite perplexing then and more than a concern that they are leaving it a little late in the day in terms of coming up with simple, conflict-free solution, especially given the siren call to deliver a Super Rugby franchise to the Eastern Cape and to expand Super Rugby with a broadcast product that will attract spectators to games and viewers to the telecasting of the Super Rugby matches.

Why then launch a Super Rugby franchise, the Southern Kings on June 16 to play the British and Irish Lions for one game only, with much fanfare and hoopla, and not have a single fixture thereafter? Are we so delusional that one spends R15 million (R11.5 million gate receipts plus R3.5 million team assembly and staging) for the day, blow out of town and say, "See ya!"

Let’s assume then, hypothetically, that we were the secretariat of SANZAR and had from now till June 31 to present an expanded Super Rugby series to the broadcast sponsors, that also needed to include the Tri-Nations to Four Nations, to include Argentinia, what rugby product or products could be considered for presentation in offering a new revitalised rugby inventory for broadcast television and sponsors and which will add value and grow spectatorship and viewing audiences:

1. We all agree that Super Rugby requires expansion and revitalisation due to declining spectatorship and viewership.
2. We agree that SANZAR Super Rugby must be played in 3 conferencesof South Africa, New Zealand and Australia as the local derbies attract spectators.
3. We agree that a variety of options could be considered for expansion or non-expansion of Super Rugby. These are:

3.1 Super 14 remains as is, from 2010 to 2015, with 14 teams (5+5+4) with a promotion relegation system, for an extra franchise in each of the SANZAR countries to play the last-placed team of that country in a Tri-Game series. The three extra franchise-in-waiting teams play in a sub tournament six months prior to the S14. One could add anyone or Argentina, the Pacific Islands, Japan, Africa or US to this.

3.2 S14 goes to Super 15 in 2010 to 2015, with five teams from each of the SANZAR countries with a promotion relegation system, for the extra franchise in each of the SANZAR countries to pay the last-placed team of that country in a Tri-Game series.

3.3 S14 goes to Super 18 in 2010 to 2015, with six teams from each of the SANZAR countries. No promotion relegation and all teams are included and none are threatened with relegation.

This then is what is so perplexing about SA Rugby backing a sterile Super 15 model, that goes nowhere, to roll out in 2011:

1. Everyone at the SA Rugby president’s council is obligated in terms of a June 8 2005 president’s council resolution, which, to date, has never been rescinded, to see that the Eastern Cape gets a Super Rugby franchise. This is a legal and binding agreement that has been tested in the Cape High Court. Exclusion of the Eastern Cape Super Rugby franchise will have dire consequences for SA Rugby.

2. SA Rugby has spent R27.1 million to keep the Eastern Cape at arms length of Super Rugby.

3. SA Rugby have vowed to government to include the Eastern Cape in Super Rugby in 2010. Note: They have to, lest they face the withdrawal of government’s support for their 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cup bid, plus a massive claim and another publicly embarrassing legal lambasting.

4. With a relegation and promotion series, the Lions, Cheetahs, and Stormers are in line to face relegation not only in 2010, but in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, which will have catastrophic financial results if any of these franchises sit out for but one year.

5. There is general consensus at SANZAR that there should be three conferences—South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand—given that local derbies boost gate attendances.

Oy Vey!

Led by the Bulls and the Sharks, bar a massive change of form, one would think that at the very least, one of the forerunning South African franchises will be represented in the semi, if not the grand final.

However, the Cheetahs and Lions continue to disappoint, which is a further blight on a nation hoping to implement another team in the competition.

Surely, the overall depth of South African rugby, considering that numerous unions are still not represented, is immense in the strongholds of Pretoria and Durban, but weak elsewhere.

Bulls: 16 tries scored (equal seventh), 14 tries conceded (equal third)

Key statistics: Second in scrum retention, 12th in total rucks, 12th in missed tackles, 14th in offloads

Bulls (penalties/free kicks): 28: 57

Bulls (22): Crusaders (away), Waratahs (away), Brumbies (away), Chiefs (home), Western Force (home), Cheetahs (home), Sharks (away)

Fearsome in the pack, with a powerful scrum, and can move up field rapidly without stringing phases together.

Despite looking more complete with solid backline play, they run hard andstraight, with little offloading.  A statistically weak defence that hasn’t been often breached, if they are in a strong position for another top four berth.

Sharks: 21 tries scored (Second), 14 tries conceded (Third)

Key statistics: First in kicks from hand, third in turnovers conceded, third most scrums won, fifth in running metres, 14th in missed tackles

Sharks (penalties/free kicks): 37: 66

Sharks (26 points):  Hurricanes (home), Cheetahs (away), Crusaders (home), Highlanders (home), Waratahs (home), Bulls (home)

The first statistic tells the biggest story, with the Natal based franchise being the best kicking team of the competition, playing a well structured tactical game.  Equally, their complete game is solid at the set piece and their backs are involved constantly during the match.

Curiously, they have missed more tackles than any other team, which is a testament to their cover defence that they don’t leak more tries.  All but guaranteed a final berth with so many home games still to come.

Stormers: 16 tries scored (equal seventh), 11 tries conceded (equal first)

Key statistics: First in goal kicking, 13th in total scrums

Stormers (penalties/free kicks): 32: 58

Stormers (13):  NSW Waratahs (away), Brumbies (away), Hurricanes (away), Highlanders (away), Chiefs (home), Western Force (home), Cheetahs (away)

Not much to say in a team that sits in the bottom half of most match statistics, beyond a brilliant points kicking percentage and brilliant defence.  However, at the half way point of the competition, the Stormers are by far the biggest disappointment of the tournament.

With Springboks littered throughout the team, a vast improvement needs to be displayed for the benefit of the passionate Western province fans.  Tough finish to the season.

Cheetahs: 9 tries scored (14th), 23 tries conceded (13th)

Key statistics: First in line outs won, 14th in ball carries, equal first in fewest turnovers, 13^th in total rucks 

Cheetahs (penalties/free kicks) : 41: 52

Cheetahs (2):  Brumbies (home), Sharks (home), Chiefs (home), Crusaders (home), NSW Waratahs (home), Bulls (away), Stormers (home)

For a cellar dweller, they surprisingly wield the best lineout and the best ball security of any team in the competition.  Really, these are damning statistics for the coaching team, as these are patterns in which there on field play should be built around. 

They rarely use the pill in hand, being uninventive with the ball in play.  Have still to play a home game this season.

Lions: 14 tries scored (10th), 22 tries conceded (12th)

Key statistics: Ninth in turnovers conceded, third best in scrum retention, 12th in total line outs, 10th in ball carries, first in drop goals

Lions (penalties/free kicks): 30: 50

Lions (12): Chiefs (away), Blues (away), Queensland Reds (away), Western Force (away), Crusaders (home), Highlanders (home), NSW Waratahs (home)

While the Lions are not setting the competition on fire, their consistency withtheir statistics (withmost of them in the middle of all the teams) this has been matched with an upset win over the Brumbies and a late charge against the Hurricanes.  Strong in the pack, they are punching above their weight.

What a great weekend of rugby. The Highlanders finally pull off a win over the big guns and the Chiefs carried on with their awesome running rugby. The Hurricanes came from behind to beat the Lions in Ellis Park while the Sharks where devastating in savaging the Brumbies.

The Bulls were caught sleeping on Friday and very much like the Sharks, Reds game the result was always going to go to the home team. Let’s be honest the Bulls are a great team and should never have lots to the Highlanders.

However the Highlanders player very well, scrummed like trogons and ran out deserved winners 36-12. The Crusaders beat the Stormers 11-7 in what was a very tough game of rugby. Not pretty rugby, but good rugby.

The last three games of the weekend was certainly the better games of the weekend and the Chiefs were fantastic and even the Reds came to the party with some good tries themselves. Although the game was over in the first half it was still great to watch. The Chiefs have now won four games in a row and are looking very good for a top 4 finish. Final score 26-50!

The Lions came very close to a fantastic win over the much fancied Hurricanes, in the game of the weekend they just lost at home 32-38. They did however walk away with two valuable bonus points. But big ups have to go to the Canes for the way they came from behind to gain a very important win on tour. This will certainly not make life easier for the Sharks next weekend.

The Sharks were sublime on Saturday. Although they did let in two soft tries the Brumbies were never in the game. JP Peterson scored his sixth try of the season, along with another four from the rest of the Sharks.

John Plumtree has rightfully said that his charges need to keep their feet on the ground and understand that the Super 14 is far from over. Play the Canes on Saturday will not be easy, however I think this will be the pick of the weekend and there will be 40,000 Sharks fans rooting their boys on, so it should be a cracker.

On a sadder note, Brumbies lock Shawn Mackay was run over outside a Durban night club on Sunday morning. He was trying to cross the road on his way back to the hotel at around 04H15 when he was struck by an armored security patrol vehicle.

He has got a broken leg and spinal injuries. He has been put into a medically induced coma for the next 48 hours so as to stabilise his condition. According to the team doctor he is critical but stable and only time will tell whether he will make a full recovery.

The Springbok 7’s came close to winning their first ever title in Hong Kong but the determination of Fiji was just too much. Fiji ran out 26-24 winner to claim their first title in ten years. Maybe next year the Springboks will get it right.

Last week the Sharks saw RED and they must have thought they were stuck in the old Beetles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

Everything had gone Pink, well at least the Force did. What is it with those jerseys? The Force must have felt like the biggest bunch of pansies when they were handed their kit on match day.

In a hard-fought battle the Sharks played great rugby, played to their strength and did what they should have done last week. JP Peterson is playing some of his best rugby again and proved it with the fantastic try he scored on Saturday, five in six games. The Sharks go home 22-10 victors winning three of their four games on the road.

Matt Goddard is the most pathetic excuse for a referee I have ever seen. I thought our club game was handled poorly on Saturday, but this guy takes the cake. How the hell can he tell a captain that he does not want his ball to be spoilt? How can you tell Bakkies Botha that he must use his big ears and listen better?

Mr. Goddard you are a disgrace and I have said this before and I will say it again and no offence to my short friends and so other short people out there, “you have short man syndrome and will never be bigger than this wonderful game called rugby.” For once show some grace and respect to the players and to the paying public that have come to see the game and not you.

The Bulls pulled off a fantastic victory over the Hurricanes and given the fact that there were five yellow cards and one red, it was not a bad game to watch.

I do have a question to ask Deon Stegmann got three weeks for a deserved spear tackle, but what happened to the Canes player that rucked Bakkies Botha over the wind pipe? That my fellow sports fan in one question we will not get an answer for. The Bulls took away a stunning 14-19 victory.

The Cheetahs got another thumping 32-8 and I am ready to say they can drop out of the Super 14 as they would not be missed. Bring in the Japanese team lets try something new. The Lions beat the Brumbies after a week full of racism allegation. Less to do about racism and more about quotas!

Playing players of colour because the rugby union says a team must. In most cases these players are there on Merit but I am afraid to say some are not and are just there to make up numbers. Earl Rose is not one of those players and he created the spark that the Lions needed to win 25-17.

Other results saw the Crusaders beat the Tahs in Sydney, 13-17, and in the game of the weekend saw the Chiefs put 63 points against the Blues including four tries by Sitiveni Siviatu. The Blues were just out gunned by the Chiefs. I think they have the deadliest backline in the whole of the Super 14. Final score: 63-32!

Where two from here well, the Sharks are back home and beside the real threat of having a brain fart they should go forward to a Semi Final Spot. The Bulls have to ensure that they keep their momentum going and they two will also be in the top four.

Who will be the others well this question is the hardest of the lot? Maybe Chiefs, Canes, Brumbies, the Crusaders, and just possibly the Stormers!

It was Shark Fin soup on the menu at Sun Corp Stadium on Saturday. The undefeated Sharks got taught a lesson in rugby by the Reds, who played away from the Sharks strengths and played to their own strengths.

The game was one of missed opportunities for the Sharks and it cost them dearly. The loss of Ruan Pienaar for three weeks with a knee injury was an even bigger blow. François Steyn had a shocker and although not him alone.

Maybe it is time we let him go to France and buy Butch James back for the Sharks and the Springboks. Although the Sharks did show some great flair at times they were just out played. The Reds ran out deserved winners, 25-13.

The Highlander just lost to the Chiefs at home, 14-10. The Crusaders threw away a great opportunity to beat the Force but ended up throwing away a big lead to draw the game 23-all.

The Sharks will have to be in top form to beat the Force on Saturday in Perth. In other games the Blues skinned the Cheetahs, 46-12, the Brumbies beat the fancied Tahs, 21-11, and the Lions got thumped by the Stormers, 56-18. Although the Lions struck early with two wonderful tries they just did not have the gas to keep the tempo up. The Stormers found top gear and the rest was history.

In the Six nations Wales stumbled in Italy but still managed a 20-15 win. The Scotts lost to Ireland, 22-15, in a classic test match, kick vs. kick, only to be sealed off by a late try in favour of the Irish. Early St. Patrick’s Day party for them.

Ireland now look certain to take the Six Nations. If Ireland are to finally win their first Grand Slam they will need to go to Cardiff on Saturday and beat Wales. England finally won a game by beating visiting France, 34-10.

On the soccer front, the big news mid week was that all four English clubs have made it through to the next round of the UEFA Cup. Then onto the game of the weekend was most certainly the Manchester United Vs Liverpool. A game hyped up by United as the title clincher. The only problem was that Liverpool did not stick to the script. Man U getting thumped and deservedly so, 4-1.

The Gunners finally started scoring goals by beating Blackburn Rovers 4-0. Spurs did the Gunners and themselves a great service by beating Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park. Chelsea moved to second ahead of Liverpool with a 1-0 win over Manchester City. Even though Man U had lost I still don’t see them not winning the title this year. Although who will finish in second, third, and fourth is still anybodies guess.

Next week I will have news on Varsity and their quest for top three finish in the 1st Division. Feedback from the third and final test between SA and Australia and hopefully some updates for the up and coming Formula One season.

Cheers for now, keep fit and enjoy your sport.

—ONETIME

The question on all Super 14 fans' lips at present is “Where are the New Zealand teams?”

The answer is very simple: playing rugby in Japan, Ireland, England, and France. Why, you may ask?

It's as simple as "money talks." If I'm a good No. 10 playing rugby in New Zealand, will I ever get that All Black contract? Maybe, but only if Dan Carter falls off of the face of the earth.

Guess what, injuries happen, and Dan is not in the rugby picture for now. Now is the time to stand up and be counted. Too bad only one young man has; he is 19 years old and from the Blues in Hopes.

One wonders if the drain of players will hurt New Zealand now, and also, if it will create a major problem leading up to the 2011 World Cup.

South Africa had the same problem a few years back, but what it did was give the youngsters the opportunity to put their hands up and be counted.

To anyone who thinks that the All Blacks will be weak in the next Cup, I think you are right. The majority of their players will be the same squad that played in 2007, and they were already getting long in the tooth then.

It's unfortunate, because New Zealand has a wealth of good youngsters, and given enough opportunity in the Super 14, Air New Zealand Cup, and the Tri-Nations, they could be a force to reckon with.

This weekend produced the lowest scoring game in the history of the competition; a 6-0 victory by the Highlanders over the Crusaders did not leave rugby fans with a nice taste in their mouths.

But on the plus side, the Chiefs-versus-Force matchup was fantastic. The Chiefs got over their bad luck and thumped their opponents 31-13.

The Cheetahs got beaten again, and I seriously doubt that they are going to win a game this season after dropping another contest—29-12 to the Hurricanes.

The Waratahs and Reds was a battleground brawl. The 'Tahs came up triumphant, 15-10, but it was not the prettiest game around.

Same goes for the Stormers-Bulls contest. Although one can't get tired of Luke Watson being booed all day long. The Bulls won 14-11.

Naming the game of the weekend is a no-brainer: Blues versus Sharks. Although the score line looked close, the bottom line is this: The Sharks dominated every part of the game.

Scrums, line-out, loose play, the back line brakes, and of course, the defense. A.D. Jacobs is without a shadow of a doubt the best center in world rugby at the moment.

Stephan Terblanche is the most consistent fullback in the Super 14, and the Sharks' pack is the best-balanced of the competition. This was just their first bonus point win of the season, but I feel it is the first of many to come.

The Sharks escaped 35-31 winners at Eden Park, although you'd be forgiven for thinking that the Sharks were playing in Kings Park.

The Arsenal seems to have found their goal-scoring form again, although it was against a championship side; they beat Burnley 3-0. Their top players are slowly starting to make a return from injury, and hopefully, this bodes well for the rest of their season.

Manchester United again turned on the charm, thumping Fulham 4-0. Chelsea was too strong for Coventry (a 2-0 final), and Everton beat Middlesbrough 2-1.

On the cricket side, Graham Smith is out again with a broken hand, and we won’t see him for the rest of the Test season.

Australia's a team on a mission, already up 1-0 in the series and setting the Proteas 556 runs to win. They are set to take the second test here in Durban.

So what does all this mean for South African cricket? Well, for starters, a change in personnel.

Morne Morkel needs to make way for his older brother, Albie, and I would suggest that Mark Boucher moves aside for A.B. De Villiers. And with Smith out, Ashwel Prince should be an automatic choice for the third test in Newland.

We had the opportunity of dethroning Australia as the No. 1 test side in the world, but this will just have to wait.

England looks set to lose the test series in the West Indies, and India seems to be in top form over in New Zealand.

The Sri-Lankan team is out of action for a while after the disgusting act of terrorism in Lahore; considering that Pakistan is regarded as one of the most dangerous countries in the world and that nobody will ever be safe there, I am sure that it will be a very long time before any team tours there again.

What about this week coming up?

Well, the Six Nations will come to a grand finale, with Ireland having the only realistic chance of winning the game.

After chatting this evening with Craig Joubert, the referee that had the pleasure of doing the Ireland-England game last week, it seems that the Irish should be favorites. I don’t see the Scotts upsetting them at Murray Field, and even if they do, the point difference should be in their favor.

The Sharks play the Reds on Saturday, and let's hope that the Sharks repeat their performance from two years ago. The Lions go to Cape Town, and the Cheetahs take on the Blues on Friday.

The Bulls and the Hurricanes both have byes while the Brumbies host the Waratahs, the Crusaders host the Force, and the Highlanders play the Chiefs.

My picks of the weekend would have to be Brumbies-Waratahs and England-France.

Until next time, take care, keep fit, and enjoy the sport. Oh, and before I forget, Manchester United plays Liverpool this Saturday; that should also be a cracker.

One time.

This World cup will go down in history as the best ever because in a few hours, the four teams that will meet in the semi-finals didn't even stand a chance of making it past the Quarter finals, but they did.

The four giants of sevens rugby, New Zealand, England, South Africa, and defending champion Fiji, all lost in their quarter final matches to Wales, Samoa, Argentina, and Kenya, respectively.

New Zealand, who were the favourites in the tournament only conceiving two tries in pool play lost to the Welsh who were more convincing than the Kiwis throughout the game pipping the 2008 IRB sevens series champions by a point (15-14).

But more was to come as England, another crowd favourite took on Samoa. But the Samoans, who were tagged as the underdogs, kept the lead throughout the game, and in the dying minutes a try from Josh Drauniu leveled the score at 26 all which took the game to sudden death.

It was a mistake by the English which led to the try by forward Simaika Mikaele, which took them to the semis.

One of the bigger upsets was the South American giants, Argentina, pipped the IRB series leader, South Africa, through tries by winger Martin Bustos Moyano, who scored a double, both were converted and Argentina managed to scrape through 14-12.

The biggest upset of the day was when the Kenyans, who in the last few years have become the giant killers, met against Fiji, the current World Cup holder.

Kenya has previously beaten all the teams in the IRB sevens series except fij,i and when the two giants met, history was in the making. Kenya was trying to beat the fijians and for the first time in history, make it to the World Cup semis whereas Fiji was making sure it defends its cup and not crash out like the other giants of sevens.

The game began with a bang when Kenyan flyhalf Collins Injera, broke through some weak Fijian defence to score the first try and a few moments later, Biko Adema broke some weak tackles to score under the post taking them to a convincing lead.

Fiji did hit back in the second half with a bollocking run by French based winger Napolioni Nalaga, who broke through the middle pushing away the Kenyans and setting a beautiful try to his supporting winger, Orisi Sareki to score under the post.

Little did they know that that will be the only score they'll make because the Kenyans hit back with two quick tries to defeat the world champions as well as making it to the semis to face the meticulous Argentinians.

The other semi will be decided between the flamboyant Samoans, who will take on the mighty Welsh.

In a few hours, a new World champion will be crowned and the 2009 Rugby World Cup will come to an end. Sevens rugby is bidding to be included in the Olympic games and after all that has happened today, the IOC needs to think twice about why this sport shouldn't be included.

It was certainly a weekend of upsets in the Vodacom Super 14. The Champions losing at home to the Hurricanes, the Brumbies losing at home to the Force and the Stomer’s also losing at home to the Blues.

Is the loss of Dan Carter and Robbie Deans the telling factor of the Crusaders poor start of the season? I think not, traditionally they are slow starters and with a rather big injury list for the beginning of the season they will be back.

The Hurricanes start to the season has also not been as the pundits have expected, but they hit their straps on Friday and beat the Crusaders for the first time in six years, running out 24-30 winners in Christ church.

The Waratahs have gone 3 in 3 with a solid performance over the Highlanders in Sydney, winning 34-16. The Stormers where poor, handling was shocking!

To any Stormers supporters, let me ask you the question, how far do you think they will get with their current tight five? If you answer honestly you will know the answer to the question, nowhere.

Rassie is under serious pressure and feels that he is not getting the support of his players. Well maybe the fact that Puke Watson is playing in his team has something to do with it. Ok let’s be fair he has played some really good rugby this season, but when you team hates you, one rotten apple is all it takes.

PS: Rassie also does not want to play Luke away from Newlands in South Africabecause he feels that he will be booed. LOL, what do you think will happen in the rest of South Africa who thinks that the Springbok Emblem should be the national emblem of the country. IDIOT!

The Western Force played a great game of rugby to win in ACT. Although they were outclassed in the tight five, the rest of their game was very clever and they out thought and outplayed the Brumbies.

Scoring 4 tries including a hat-trick from Cameron Sheppard, they only time the Brumbies looked like scoring was with a penalty try for a supposed illegal scrum. No ways would I have given a penalty try on the contrary, I would have pinged the Brumbies for illegal binding with the lose head going in on the tight head and shoving up.

The came the rain at Ellis Park and a referee by the name of Philip Bosh! The fact that it was only his second Super 14 game, one has to ask why. Yes he was the same referee that did the opening game of the Super 14 last the one that ended 6-3 between the Force and the Hurricane.

All that players ask for is constancy. Well Mr. Bosh you ruined a great game and yes some of my colleagues will disagree with me, but he was shocking. The Bulls have gone 3 and 0 and Pierre Spies is playing exceptional rugby.

The Lions were unlucky and had the referee been more constant I think the result would have gone to the home side instead of them going down 9-16.

The Rugby God’s where smiling on the Sharks in New Zealand. The Chiefs had three TMO decisions over turned, but defence counted in the Sharkies favour. It was sad to see Jean Deysel leave the field after only two minutes of the game and the knee injury will keep him out for at least eight weeks.

The Sharks will know that they were in a game on Saturday, but it was great to see how all the players put their bodies on the line for the team. JP Peterson scoring two tries and Frans Steyn one the Sharks did have the opportunity to get the bonus point try, however to late she cried.

Their next game against the Blues is where the Sharks have to stand up to be counted. If they can walk away with another win and a bonus point to boot will put them in a very strong position for the rest of the season. Sharks 22, Chiefs 15.

The less said about the Reds and Cheetahs game the better. Final score 22-3 to the Reds, crap!

The Australians have come back with vengeance, by thumping the Proteas by 162 runs. Congratulations to Jacque Kallis on being the first South African and All Rounder to reach 10000 runs and 250 wickets. Ricky Ponting won another toss four in a row and had no hesitation to bat first.

After being in trouble at 33 for 3 they amassed 466 with a ton for debutant M J North and a 96 not out by Man of the Match Mitchell Johnson. Smith dropped Ponting on 43 this proved to be a turning point in day one.

South Africawas poor in their batting and only AD De Villiers with 104 not out was the shinning light when SA could only make 220. The second inning of Australiasaw the world best all rounder Kallis take 3 wickets to turn the game on its head, seeing them fall to 207 all out.

By this time the damage was done and leaving South Africa with a world record 451 runs to win. This was always going to a tough task on a difficult wicket. This Friday the second test starts in Durban and it is a must win game for the South Africans if they want to become the worlds best test side.

Congratulations to Manchester Untied for Winning the Carling Cup and getting one step closer to the quadruple. Liverpool has thrown away all chances of winning their first league title in 17 years by losing 2-0 away to Middlesbrough.

Villa game the Gunners another chance by drawing 2-2 with Stoke at home. Arsenal seems to have forgotten how to score goals drawing 0-0 with Fulham. Please Fulham what a terrible team and the Gunners can’t score.

Chelsea is back at No. 2 and is starting to look like a championship side again. But there are still plenty of games still left, but I don’t see Man U losing from here on in.

Until next week, enjoy the sport.

Cheers

ONETIME.