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Month: September 2012
After his first seven tests in charge, Heyneke Meyer has a 42% win ratio. This is the worst return of any Springbok coach since Carel du Plessis in 1997 with 37%. By comparison, Peter de Villiers boasted a win ratio of 71% after his first seven games in charge, having beaten the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time since 1998.
Meyer’s draw against England was the first time the Boks had failed to beat them since 2006, while the draw against Argentina was the first time in history that the Springboks had failed to beat the Pumas. Not only did De Villiers have a much better start, but he kept us entertained at press conferences.
Peter de Villiers’ first 7 games
Played 7 Won 5 Lost 2 – Win percentage of 71%
Wales (Bloemfontein): WON 43-17
Wales (Pretoria): WON 37-21
Italy (Cape Town): WON 26-00
All Blacks (Wellington): LOST 08-19
All Blacks (Dunedin): WON 30-28
Wallabies (Perth): LOST 09-16
Argentina (Johannesburg): WON 63-09
Heyneke Meyer’s first 7 games
Played 7 Won 3 Draws 2 Losses 2 – Win percentage 42%
England (Durban): WON 22-17
England (Johannesburg): WON 36-27
England (Port Elizabeth): DRAW 14-14
Argentina (Cape Town): WON 27-06
Argentina (Mendoza): DRAW 16-16
Wallabies (Perth): LOST 19-26
All Blacks (Dunedin): LOST 11-21
Peter de Villiers’ next 15 games
(more…)
Heyneke Meyer admitted after the 21 – 11 loss to New Zealand on Saturday that it had been a mistake to give Morné Steyn another chance after the break. Steyn’s wayward kicking cost the Boks a rare chance of victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand.
Round 1 results
Roodepoort 26 – 12 Naka Bulls
College Rovers 61 – 00 Noordelikes
Old Selbornians 43 – 33 Bloemfontein Police
Durbanville Bellville 53 – 20 Blanco
Pretoria Police 43 – 12 Welkom Rovers
Brakpan 28 – 00 Sishen
Despatch 72 – 10 White River
Rustenburg Impala 53 – 21 Villagers Worcester
Round 2 results
CUP quarterfinals
Old Selbornians 28 – 26 Brakpan
College Rovers 41 – 30 Despatch
Pretoria Police 36 – 25 Durbanville Bellville
Rustenburg Impala 31 – 19 Roodepoort
PLATE quarterfinals
Welkom Rovers 37 – 22 Blanco
Noordelikes 38 – 30 White River
Naka Bulls 25 – 23 Villagers Worcester
Bloemfontein Police 22 – 17 Sishen
Round 3 RESULTS // Wednesday 19 September
CUP semifinals
College Rovers 72 – 10 Old Selbornians
Pretoria Police 35 – 25 Rustenburg Impala
PLATE semifinals
Bloemfontein Police 27 – 07 Noordelikes
Eagle Towing Welkom Rovers 35 – 24 Naka Bulls
Round 4 fixtures // Friday 21 September
PLATE Final
13:00 Bloemfontein Police vs Welkom Rovers
CUP Final
15:00 College Rovers vs Pretoria Police
| Game 3 of 3 Saturday 22 September 19h10 Golden Lions v Natal Sharks | ||
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Lions
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Sharks
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Rob (Ou Grote): Lions by 3 James (Ou Grote): Sharks by 3 Bet.coza: Sharks (0.80 / 1.00) Rob (Sharksworld): Sharks by 5 Gareth (KEO): Lions by 7 Tank (FRG): Sharks by 7 |
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| Game 2 of 3 Saturday 22 September 17h05 Blue Bulls v Free State Cheetahs | ||
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Blue Bulls
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Cheetahs
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Rob (Ou Grote): Cheetahs by 3 James (Ou Grote): Cheetahs by 7 Bet.coza: Bulls (0.70 / 1.10) Rob (Sharksworld): Bulls by 4 Gareth (KEO): Bulls by 8 Tank (FRG): Cheetahs by 4 |
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| Game 1 of 3 Saturday 22 September 15h00 Western Province v Griquas | ||
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Western Province
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Griquas
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Rob (Ou Grote): WP by 3 James (Ou Grote): WP by 7 Bet.coza: WP (0.35 / 2.20) Rob (Sharksworld): WP by 8 Gareth (KEO): WP by 12 Tank (FRG): WP by 9 |
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Heyneke Meyer has dug his heels in and persisted with selecting the out-of-form Morné Steyn. Francois Louw of Bath starts ahead of Marcell Coetzee who is relegated to the bench. Flip ‘Yellow card’ van der Merwe gets a rare start following the suspension of Eben ‘Ysterbeth’.
Jannie du Plessis is named in the starting team despite a hamstring injury and may be forced to pull out at the last minute. Meyer again favours the one-dimensional Zane ‘Sideshow Bob’ Kirchner at full back ahead of Patrick ‘Splinters’ Lambie.
Expect the usual ‘skop-en-jag/stampkar’ game plan, kicking away possession and in the end a huge defeat for the hapless Boks. New Zealand by 30.
Springbok team
15. Zane Kirchner (Blue Bulls)
14. Bryan Habana (Western Province)
13. Jean de Villiers (captain, Western Province)
12. Frans Steyn (Sharks)
11. Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls)
10. Morné Steyn (Blue Bulls)
09. Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland)
08. Duane Vermeulen (Stormers)
07. Willem Alberts (Sharks)
06. Francois Louw (Bath)
05. Flip van der Merwe (Blue Bulls)
04. Juandré Kruger (Blue Bulls)
03. Jannie du Plessis (Sharks)
02. Adriaan Strauss (vice-captain, FS Cheetahs)
01. Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks)
Replacements
16. Tiaan Liebenberg (Western Province)
17. Dean Greyling (Blue Bulls)
18. Andries Bekker (Stormers)
19. Marcell Coetzee (Sharks)
20. Johan Goosen (Free State)
21. Juan de Jongh (Stormers)
22. Pat Lambie (Sharks)
New Zealand – 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Brodie Retallick, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Aaron Smith, 21 Beauden Barrett, 22 Tamati Ellison
| Game 5 of 5 Saturday 15 September 19h10 Sharks v WP | ||
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Sharks
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Western Province
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Rob (Ou Grote): WP by 3 James (Ou Grote): Sharks by 3 Bet.coza: Sharks (0.80 / 1.10) Rob (Sharksworld): Sharks by 5 Tank (FRG): WP by 5 |
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| Game 4 of 5 Saturday 15 September 17h05 Cheetahs v Lions | ||
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Cheetahs
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Lions
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Rob (Ou Grote): Cheetahs by 3 James (Ou Grote): Lions by 3 Bet.coza: Cheetahs (0.70 / 1.20) Rob (Sharksworld): Lions by 8 Tank (FRG): Cheetahs by 3 |
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