It’s do or die in Bloem
27 Sep 2010
JON CARDINELLI says the loser of Saturday’s clash in Bloemfontein won’t qualify for the Currie Cup play-offs.
With two rounds to play, it looks as if the Sharks and Western Province will feature in the final four with the Blue Bulls likely to join them. What’s less certain is who will occupy fourth position: the pragmatic Cheetahs or the revamped Lions.
The points table suggests Griquas could sneak into the final four, as they’re expected to bag five points against the Pumas and their final fixture is at home. The return to Kimberley, however, will see them hosting a full-strength Bulls side, and although Griquas have done well to stay in the play-off hunt, they’re not exactly at the top of their game. They enjoyed a late comeback against WP last Saturday, but still conceded 48 points. Consistency isn’t their strong suit.
A loss to WP in Pretoria will mark the clash in Kimberley as a do-or-die match for the Bulls, but you’d have to back a side including Bok stalwarts Victor Matfield and Morne Steyn to rise above that pressure. WP have the benefit of a favourable points difference which means they could lose both their remaining matches without a consolatory bonus point and still progress to the play-offs. I can’t see this happening, however, as they’re bound to push both the Bulls and Sharks close if they don’t, as I suspect they will, win their remaining two games.
The Sharks are home and dry, and an expected win over the Leopards will secure them a home semi-final and possibly a home final. Nevertheless, the most recent result in Johannesburg will have given the Lions hope should they meet the Sharks in the play-offs.
For all the excitement around the Lions, it must be remembered that they’re yet to win a big game away from home. They lost to WP in Cape Town, the Sharks in Durban, and Bulls in Pretoria. It’s for this reason that I feel they have a mountain to climb in Bloemfontein this coming week. Saturday is their quarter-final; their final chance to make a statement.
The Cheetahs and Lions should pick up five log points apiece in the final round of competition. Naka Drotske’s charges travel to Potchefstroom to tackle the Leopards while the Lions host the Pumas in Joburg. You’d expect the two big unions to beat the minnows by a convincing margin at this stage of the season.
Those results will cancel each other out, and so there’s everything to play for in this Saturday’s game in Bloemfontein. A loss for either side will signify the end of a domestic campaign and indeed a blow to their Super Rugby preparations.
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38 Comments
27 Sep 2010, 05:18 am
In Bloem, even if you live, you die.
Slowly.
Bloem = a great place to come from but a horrible place to go to.
27 Sep 2010, 05:44 am
Go Lions I hope you win the CC and show up our kak coaches.
The Lions have showed great character and their defence the has been awesome.
27 Sep 2010, 05:50 am
News24
The heads of Springbok coach Peter de Villiers and his two assistants, **** Muir and Gary Gold, may all roll Monday when their performance reviews are done.
While nobody in the leadership of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) wanted to say anything on Saturday about the possibility of the coaches being axed, Sport24 has reliably learned that SARU are definitely considering changes to the coaching staff – and that none of the current three are safe in their positions.
From conversations with a number of top rugby officials and informed people, it appears that De Villiers may just survive. However, Muir and Gold’s days appear numbered following the Springbok team’s weak performances in this year’s Tri-Nations
So read: Gold and D1k are fired but krusty stays on because of AA. LOL
27 Sep 2010, 06:59 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1:
We all going to die one day Tackles, now if I have a choice I prefer to die slowly over…well, say 80 years for example! Beats being run over by a truck and dying in double quick time by a good country mile!
27 Sep 2010, 07:07 am
It is simple folks, Mitch’s brave Lions to do a victory lap after the match and Kaka’s farm boys to die.
27 Sep 2010, 07:18 am
If the Lions win it will be a close result, meaning the Cheetahs will likely get at least 1 bonus point. That means if the Bulls dont get at least 1 point against WP it will come down to points difference between the Bulls and Cheetahs for fourth spot.
So I’ll be supporting the crybaby-run-to-mommy-Marinos Cheetahs this weekend, just to take some pressure off the Bulls.
27 Sep 2010, 07:35 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1: miserable cnut
27 Sep 2010, 07:38 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-4: Now how can slower be better in death?
The bus option makes it quick and over, don’t you think?
27 Sep 2010, 07:42 am
Lions to Roar in Bloemfontein! Dont see RAKA outsmarting Mitch
27 Sep 2010, 07:59 am
@JL1(JL1)-8:
Do I really have to explain this further? From the day you are born you also start to die. I suggested a slow one that will take me to the ripe old age of 80. If you prefer to die young albeit quick in front of a truck, that is your choice.
27 Sep 2010, 08:07 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1:
Much like Hamilton
27 Sep 2010, 08:10 am
@whatever(whatever)-11: Hamilton’s got V8 Supercars.
27 Sep 2010, 08:16 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-12:
Bloem does not have a Tackles!
27 Sep 2010, 08:23 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-12:
And………….?
27 Sep 2010, 08:24 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-12:
yeah, they take most of the sh it that Akld does not want…..
27 Sep 2010, 08:26 am
@whatever(whatever)-14:
Kom nou Whatever, surely you get it? For a guy living in a caravan on bricks a few Holdens and Fords must seem like the ultimate wet dream…
27 Sep 2010, 08:42 am
Credit where it is due, congrats on your call on the Lions Cardinelli
27 Sep 2010, 08:46 am
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-6: Swak. Just last week you committed to the Lions, and now this.
27 Sep 2010, 09:56 am
@whatever(whatever)-14: A rowing eights who can beat Cambridge University’s.
27 Sep 2010, 10:00 am
@KevinRack(KevinRack)-3: Would not be a bad result. I do admire PdV for his loyalty, but he is not a coach.
Pray that they can persuade Mitch or even HM to come on board short term.
Groom AC for post 2011.
27 Sep 2010, 10:17 am
Better than Phokeng — I see that Earl Rose and his brother left poor Jorrie Muller in the lurch and went AWOL from their sevens responsibilities for the Lions. They couldn’t stand Phokeng. Reportedly they say it’s Phokeng Horrible. Rather like Bloem.
27 Sep 2010, 10:21 am
Ja, should be a good game. Very tight to call. My gut says that Louis Strydom will have the better day with boot, and therefore win it for my boys.
25-22 to Cheetahs in my opinion.
27 Sep 2010, 10:22 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-21:
You are speaking phokeng nonsense…JAPIE!!
27 Sep 2010, 10:24 am
Well done to the surrender-*******-no more for beating the still no 1 Sharks on Sat…
The Lions have found some steel it seems…
and to those schadenfreude-filled supporters of teams other than the Lions, go and fark yourselves silly…
27 Sep 2010, 10:33 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-19:
Its a rowing eight…
not a rowing eights
bell end…
27 Sep 2010, 11:51 am
@gunther(gunther)-25: What colour would you like your imaginary Mazda to be, pilgrim?
27 Sep 2010, 11:52 am
@Slartibartfart(Slartifartfast)-23: Oh, it’s no jape, pilgrim. It’s the gospel truth.
27 Sep 2010, 11:55 am
@Slartibartfart(Slartifartfast)-23: J.J. Harmse
Phokeng – Earl Rose has done it again.
The Lions player and his younger brother Jody deserted the Lions camp at the Platinum International Sevens Tournament here and returned to Johannesburg without permission.
The brothers were part of a Lions team that also included other contracted and Super 14 players Robert Kruger, Shandré Frolick and Chris Jonck.
The Lions team lost to the Sevens Springboks and @lantic Invitational side on Saturday. Earl Rose struggled with his form, and was involved in a stiff-arm incident against an opponent.
The Springbok, in the news earlier this month because he did not want to represent the Leopards as a loan player, apparently had had enough and decided to return to Johannesburg with his brother.
Lions coach Jorrie Muller received an SMS from both brothers: “They said that they are sorry about their performances and felt that their form was not up to standard. That is why they went home,” Muller told Sport24.
“I tried to phone them to find out what was going on, but they did not answer my calls. We therefore had to continue with only 10 players. To say that I’m angry and disappointed with their behaviour is to put it mildly.”
See?
27 Sep 2010, 11:59 am
Shandré Frolick?
What a naff, girly name!
27 Sep 2010, 12:01 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-27: So its a lie then?
27 Sep 2010, 12:40 pm
Going to be a big game for both unions, the winner here will be in the prime spot to make it to the semies in 4th spot.
Personally I hope that one of these 2 teams will win the CC .. but going to be very tough.
Go Lions .. it is in their hands now.
27 Sep 2010, 13:22 pm
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-10: Actually you start to die before you are born. Brain cells die when still unborn.
27 Sep 2010, 13:32 pm
“They said that they are sorry about their performances and felt that their form was not up to standard. That is why they went home,”
What are siamese twins?
Roses you dooses you never walk away from the pride in the middle of a battle, NEVER.
I just hope that President de Klerk tears up your contracts and tells you to f.off.
27 Sep 2010, 15:03 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1: LOL! And that coming from someone currently living in NZ! Sour grapes? When did you realize your immigration mistake? The moment you put your foot on that tainted soil? LOL!!
JC, if you look again you’ll see that both the Lions AND Cheetahs can still qualify! The team with the least chance of qualifying is the Bulls. Heck man. You call yourself a ‘clued-up’ rugby reporter?
Both the Cheetahs and Lions have guarenteed 5 points in their final matches.
27 Sep 2010, 18:03 pm
The Lions have played their final, so from here on in it’s good bye and back to Gangsters Paradise and slapping the wife around after yet another loss.
Johannesburg – The refereeing trio that handled Saturday’s Currie Cup thriller between the Lions and Sharks can count themselves fortunate that the coaches of these two teams have an agreement between them not to complain afterwards.
‘Controversial refereeing decisions overshadowed the match in which the Lions beat the Sharks with the last movement of the game.
There is doubt whether the winning try by Lions captain Franco van der Merwe really was a try and footage appears to show a defender possibly holding the ball up.
Referee Jason Jaftha awarded the try without consulting the television match official.’
Proof that quotas do exist in all spheres of South African rugby…
27 Sep 2010, 23:38 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-34: You must live in Bloem? Sympathies, pilgrim. Someone’s got to do it.
28 Sep 2010, 07:02 am
The Wellington Sevens scheduled for 2011 sold out totally — for both days — in just under four minutes.
28 Sep 2010, 21:50 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-35:
Ironically you cut out the part where it questions Mvovo’s try….also read that article.
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