Jake White has, as usual, added his opinion on this controversial issue, and for once, I agree with him. We all know how big the gap is between the Vodacom Cup and the watered down version of the Currie Cup. This same difference applies to the Currie Cup and Super Rugby. How the powers that be plan to promote a team from the third division to the first, when this team could very well be an also-ran in the lower division, defies all logic. Even if they bought top players for every position, there is no way that they can become a force to be reckoned with in such a short space of time.
Apparently, the inclusion of the Kings in the 2013 Super 15 is already confirmed. What happened to good old-fashioned play-offs? I am willing to bet a case of excellent wine on the Kings being slaughtered by the Lions in the unlikely event of such a game being played.
Somehow, just when you think politics have disappeared from SA rugby, it rears one of its seven serpent heads.
Will SA rugby revert to a Cats team again, combining the Cheetahs and Lions? This would be grossly unfair to the Cheetahs, and to the Lions. I can vividly remember when the Stormers and Bulls were losing match after match, yet ended up as finalists a year or two later. The Cheetahs have fought back gallantly (not last Saturday, though!), and with most of their remaining matches at home, they could very well end up in the top 8 this year.
This is a huge challenge for Jurie Roux and his team. I have a lot of faith in the man (hy het mos darem op die bakermat van SA rugby sy tande geslyp). If anyone can pull it off, he will. What such a coup will do to his future in our rugby set-up is another matter, if the serpents had the last say.
Die Bulle se toer na doer onder
As mens dan moet toer, is dit seker nie te sleg om te begin teen die span vierde van onder af op die punteleer nie. Ek lees dat die Bulls planne beraam om hul tradisionele swak tweede wedstryd van die toer te besweer. Hulle moet net nie so daarop fokus dat hulle die eerste wedstryd onderskat nie.
Die Waratahs in Sydney volg hierna en weereens gaan dit nie maklik wees nie. Behalwe die tweede toerwedstryd-spook is daar nog altyd die onvoorspelbaarheid van die Aussies teen die vaste spelpatroon van die Bulle.
Die grootste toets is egter wanneer hulle die Chiefs en Highlanders in Kiwiland moet pak. Fisiek gaan dit hul grootste uitdaging wees en daarby nog ook die gevaar van vlugvoetige agterspelers.
Enige en alle oorwinnings kan net tot die voordeel van die Bulle en die ander SA spanne wees. Ons wens hulle alle voorspoed toe.
All I can say to the hapless Lions, who face the log leaders, the Chiefs, in their first match on tour, is: Dit kan net beter raak. As ewige optimis wonder ek of die Chiefs nie dalk hul topspelers gaan laat rus, hul ritme verloor en teen ’n begeesterde Lions span die onderspit gaan delf nie. Mens kan mos maar droom, of hoe?
Home Alone II
Die Stormers se loslootjie kom op ‘n baie goeie tyd, so na die toer oorsee. Benewens die kans om te herstel van groter en kleiner beserings, kan die manne ook hul huiswerk op datum bring, by wyse van spreke.
Sharks/Highlanders
Although only two places on the log separate these teams, the stats show that the visiting side has only lost two of their nine matches versus the home side’s record of 4 out of 9. The major reason for this, in my opinion, is that the Sharks have finished their tour, and the early season pace setters are now on tour. Hopefully, the fact that their destiny is now in their own hands, will force the Sharks to play to their potential and pull this, plus quite a few more, off.
Cheetahs/Western Force
Daar sal nie sommer weer so maklike geleentheid vir die Cheetahs wees om hul lojale ondersteuners te vergoed vir die debakel laas Saterdag nie. Ek glo dit sal die span se benadering wees en die Force kan hulle maar regmaak vir ‘’n begeesterde Vrystaat span.
On Booing
The totally unsportsmanlike behaviour, which was originally the preserve of Newlands, has now spread like a virus to many other stadiums. There is very little that the administrators can do about this, so I suspect true rugby fans may need to literally take matters in their own hands and deliver a few well-intentioned “klep op nosses” at the perpetrators of this cowardly behaviour. I suspect most of them are not really there for the rugby any way, so why not give them a reason to stay away?
Hard werk, ou Grote. Die week is kort. Of soos ons hier in die Kaap sê: die tyd gaan djou kortwiek.
