Saffas abroad
30 May 2010
Keo.co.za looks at the South Africans who have performed in Europe this weekend.
Marius Joubert was part of the Clermont side that broke their Top 14 final jinx with a 19-6 victory over Perpignan. Clermont had suffered 10 defeats in as many finals, and although Joubert played a small role in a forward-dominated match, he celebrated enthusiastically with his long suffering team-mates at the final whistle.
In England, Saracens, fielding five South Africans in their starting line-up and two more on the wood, fell 33-27 to Leicester in an enthralling Premiership final. Saracens skipper Ernst Joubert scored in each half, but Dan Hipkiss’ late try sealed the result for the Tigers.
Finally in Ireland, CJ van der Linde‘s Leinster succumbed to the Ospreys 17-12 in the Magners League final.
27 Comments
30 May 2010, 20:55 pm
OK. I watched the highlights of the Leicester vs Saracens final on All out Rugby this afternoon.
Now, maybe it’s just the camera angles, or the ugly amateur club style jerseys they wear, or the more subdued atmosphere or something, but the game just doesn’t look as fast paced, powerful, and physically spectacular as the Super 14 final looked to me.
Heck, even the players look less bulked up, less intimidating and less defined in terms of muscle development.
That wing who scored for one of the teams (Hipps, or Higgs or something – the guy with the short, dark hair) doesn’t even look like he has a sprinter’s legs.
Maybe it’s the lighter skin tones or something, I don’t know.
All I know is, it looks like club rugby versus international rugby to me.
And if you think about it, Ernst Joubert wouldn’t have made either of the two Super 14 teams on Saturday, neither would Schalk Brits, or any of those South Africans playing in the Premiership final.
That’s my view.
30 May 2010, 21:08 pm
Or maybe, just maybe, it is that you just watched the highlights of the match and therefore did not get a true feeling of what the match was actually like…
30 May 2010, 21:14 pm
@Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season(Tacitus)-1: How can you comment if you haven’t seen the game?
The Leicester player that scored was a replacement centre not wing, Hipkiss.
Ernst Joubert is a class act, not a Bok but still a very good player. Him and Brits made the Premiership team of the year. Brits was voted players’ player of the year.
Brits should be on the bench for the Boks.
30 May 2010, 21:25 pm
@Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season(Tacitus)-1:
You have a point. One thing I do know is that CJ is not some saviour that Grant and the like are making out. He is a 15 min bench player at best. That is based on the games I have seen him play (or not play) this season!
30 May 2010, 21:27 pm
@nicks(nicks)-2:
Possible.
But Hougaard scintillating run and full paced swerve for his untouched try on Saturday looks just as impressive on a 30 second highlights reel as it did live.
I didn’t get the same impression from the tries scored in the Leicester-Saracens game. Everything seems to be a bit slower paced.
As I said, maybe it’s just my impression.
30 May 2010, 21:29 pm
@whatever(whatever)-4: Ah come on. If CJ sorts out his injury problems he’s a game-breaker. Are you forgetting how well he performed in the 2007 RWC out of position even?
30 May 2010, 21:30 pm
@Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season(Tacitus)-1: I don’t usually blog here but I watched the whole Saracens match after watching the S14 final and it was like watching a test match then the local U14C’s have a go at each other. Even worse was today’s Barbarian’s V England match. It’s almost like watching two different types of rugby altogether.
30 May 2010, 21:31 pm
@rugbywriter(rugbywriter)-6:
Even when he was back in SA, CJ was very impressive with ball in hand, and even scored some Currie Cup tries by sprinting down the touchline like a wing.
But he has always dropped his bind at scrumtime, and the number of penalties he has conceded in the scrums is astronomical.
I really don’t rate him as a scrumming prop, but like Schalk Brits, he is great in the loose.
30 May 2010, 21:34 pm
@grumble(grumble)-7:
Yip.
30 May 2010, 21:36 pm
@whatever(whatever)-4: bj is my favorite…..not cj.
but i would rather have a half fit cj at 3 than captain plod.
30 May 2010, 21:37 pm
@rugbywriter(rugbywriter)-6: agree mate
30 May 2010, 21:45 pm
Of course, if my understanding is correct, then the Guinness Premiership should really be compared to our Currie Cup and not to the Super 14.
However, the fact of the matter is that the team that won the Currie Cup is exactly the same team that won the Super 14 final on Saturday.
So not much difference when comparing the finals of the two competitions. In fact, yesterday’s S14 final was actually an exact repeat of last year’s Currie Cup semifinal.
30 May 2010, 21:59 pm
@Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season(Tacitus)-1: remember when SA played Leicester and Saracens?
*cue excuses
30 May 2010, 22:02 pm
@Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season(Tacitus)-12: Whilst it’s nice to see Saffas doing well overseas let’s be honest how many of those playing in the Saracens Leicester match (or elsewhere in the premiership) does anyone wish were back home representing their S14 team? Are any Stormers fans thinking that if only Brits had been hooking for them yesterday they’d have won?
30 May 2010, 22:03 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-13:
I’m glad you’re here. I asked you this question on the barbarians thread, but what’s your view on the comparative intensity of the Guiness Premiership vs the Super 14 final?
30 May 2010, 22:10 pm
@Tacitus
I would imagine most of the UK Premiership fans attending the game, regardless of which team they were supporting, would have left feeling that they got their money’s worth and witnessed an extremely entertaining event. Had any of them, in turn flicked on the tele and watched the highlights of the S14 affair I reckon they would have flicked backed over to Coronation Street fairly quickly. Besides Hougaard snipping break and step, the game was reduced to very banal crash a drive display neutralised by brick wall defence. I give full credit to the players and the coaches from both teams for a very successful campaign. I have no doubt that both of these teams would dismantle any European competition. However I cant help feeling that SA’s indigenous style of rugby (although extremely effective) is a bad advertisement for the 15 man game and not very inspiring for rugby supporters North of the Limpopo. Flicking over to Premiership final immediately after the game gave me the reassurance i needed that professional rugby (in some parts of the world) is not slowly evolving into an appendage of grid iron. They may not have legs like Wynand up north but I don’t think male rugby supporters should be too worried about that in any case. That what the cheerleaders are for.
30 May 2010, 22:14 pm
@Ringo(Ringo)-16:
What’s not to like about the physicality, intensity, controlled aggression and pounding impacts of the South African game?
30 May 2010, 22:34 pm
@Ringo(Ringo)-16: Wish I’d watched the same Premiership final you watched. The one I watched was slow and error strewn with loads of missed tackles. Watched directly after the S14 final it appeared to me almost as if had been filmed at a different speed.
Whilst Bulls, Stormers, Saracens and Leicester fans would all no doubt tout their respective finals as the better show-piece as a neutral I enjoyed the S14 final more.It felt more like a test match than a provincial/club match or final. I suppose the Heineken cup final would have been a better comparison that had the same feel about it.
30 May 2010, 22:56 pm
i wonder if brendan venter was blowing kisses yesterday? Hahahaha bloody arrogant fool
30 May 2010, 23:59 pm
This really is quite a pathetic case of ‘my league is better than yours’. Why is it that any article here about the NH is full of ridiculous comparisons and belitlling like this? Remember that there are 12 english rugby clubs and only 5 South African provinces, so the talent is spread much more thinly in the UK. If england formed franchises, two would certainly be very competetive in the UK: London (sarries, quins, wasps and London Irish) and the midlands (Gloucester, Leicester and Northampton).
Anyways, none of this really matters. They are two completely different tournament, each with its merits and disadvantages, and its accompanying sets of supporters. It ireally is quite pathetic that some on here always feel the need to make comparisons and belittle english rugby.
31 May 2010, 00:21 am
do not say some here Nicks, just say Tacitus.
31 May 2010, 00:34 am
I have to say that ref for Sarries game was even worst than Craig Joubert. Allowed forward passes, Saints killed the ball at ruck time and was totally unfit to manage a final. So Craig was not worst ref in the world Saturday but damn close
31 May 2010, 00:37 am
Sorry Tigers..
31 May 2010, 01:24 am
@oranjewurm(oranjewurm)-22: Dave Pearson lol. One thing Pearson did do that Joubert didn’t was allow the tackled player to place the ball, hence the was quicker ball for the backs and more tries.
31 May 2010, 10:42 am
@Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season(Tacitus)-1: Have to agree it just isn’t s14
31 May 2010, 13:33 pm
@Chaotc99(Chaotc99)-25: Guys, it probably is being played at half speed compared to the southern game, as the field surface up north is very bloody different to the southern ones.
3 Jun 2010, 14:37 pm
The final of Top14 (french championship) compared to the S14 final was very poor in term of intensity, Marc Lievremont the France coach, even said so. He said that was the reason why it was going to be difficult against SA in 10 days.
But as some of you said in their posts, both are very different competitions in term of preparation, number of matches during the year, conditions, interpretation of the referee etc…
Should be a very tough match, too bad that Du Preez won’t play, we (French) wanted to see him play as he is probably the best player in the world today.
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