Saffa duo powers Munster’s Euro charge
23 Jan 2012
GARETH DUNCAN looks at the Saffas who impressed in the European Cup over the weekend.
Munster have started their Pro 12 title defence on a disappointing note. They currently lie third on the tournament table, with only eight wins from their 13 fixtures to date as they trail current leaders and Irish rivals Leinster – who they beat in last season’s final – by 10 log points.
However, Munster will be delighted with their European Cup campaign as they finished the group stages as the only undefeated club in the competition. South African props Wian du Preez and BJ Botha have been a major influence up front as they’ve started in all six wins – the latest a 51-36 drubbing of Brian Mujati’s Northampton Saints at Milton Keynes on Saturday.
Munster props BJ Botha and Wian du Preez
Du Preez, who signed for Munster from the Cheetahs in 2010 after an impressive 2009 loan spell, and Botha, who joined the club from Ulster following a poor run of injuries last season, were powerful around the park as they contributed largely at the breakdowns and on defence. Normally strong in the scrums, they didn’t have a great start at the set-piece as they were dominated in the first half, but they were able to rectify their front row woes after the break and were more solid thereafter.
Botha was an effective ball carrier and he forced his way over the whitewash from close range in the 30th minute. It was an important try as it staged a first-half comeback as Northampton led 13-3 in the first quarter.
Munster will now host Ulster at Thomond Park in their quarter-final tie on 7 April.
In other weekend results, Saffa-laden Saracens will face Clermont at home in the next round as they beat flanker Bian Vermaak, scrumhalf Tobie Botes and lock Corniel van Zyl’s Treviso 26-20 to top Pool 5. SA-born prop Matt Stevens, hooker John Smit, lock Mouritz Botha and inside centre Brad Barritt started for the English defending champions before flanker Justin Melck featured off the bench. Botha was the standout forward as he made 10 tackles, won three line-out feeds and scored an important try in the first half while Barritt was outstanding on defence with 12 tackles (the most in the match) and gained 56m from six ball carries.
Scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar continued his fine form with the boot as he slotted five penalties for lock Johann Muller, fullback Stefan Terblanche and No 8 Pedrie Wannenburg’s Ulster, but they still lost 19-15 to flanker Gerhard Vosloo and reserve prop Daniel Kotze’s Clermont at the Stade Marcel Michelin.
SA-bound Frans Steyn started at outside centre for Racing Metro, who also had lock Francois van der Merwe and No 8 Jacques Cronje in their match squad. Steyn kicked two penalties, including a 50m shot, but it couldn’t help his side as they went down 36-30 against Cardiff Blues.
Hooker Richardt Strauss and reserve prop Heinke van der Merwe featured in Leinster’s 25-3 win over Montpellier while scrumhalf Rory Kockott’s two penalties couldn’t help Castres as they were edged 16-13 at home by Scarlets.
EUROPEAN CUP QUARTER-FINALS
Munster vs Ulster
Leinster vs Cardiff Blues
Edinburgh vs Toulouse
Saracens vs Clermont Auvergne
12 Comments
23 Jan 2012, 06:59 am
We need a few of these guys back Dragons
23 Jan 2012, 07:15 am
frans steyn looking dikgat again…..
23 Jan 2012, 09:27 am
who cares…looks like Heyneke is the Man.
wonder who his assistants will be?
23 Jan 2012, 10:40 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-3: treu…rassie…nienaber ….if rumours to be believed anyway
23 Jan 2012, 10:48 am
Were does this confident Heyneke info come from?
Looking forward to Saries vs Clermont, Munster & Ulster should be a cracker too.
That long haird blond french flank Gerhard Vosloo had a solid game for Clermont, was a very close game.
23 Jan 2012, 10:55 am
Not sure how these 2 ‘powered’ munster to victory, as the munster scrum conceded two penalty tries fro 5m scrums and their scrum looking pretty poor throughout….
23 Jan 2012, 11:38 am
@Sharkshooter-6: They don’t watch these games, they just read the score and teamsheets. The Munster scrum got murdered all game. As you say, 2 penalty tries, both from scrums, point to this. Du Preez got taken off just after halftime after another scrum buckled. Mujati had him for breakfast, then murdered his replacement as well. Tonga’uiha had Botha’s number from the first scrum. Unfortunately, it was the only good thing Northampton had.
23 Jan 2012, 11:51 am
Tobie Botes will be getting plenty of offers from provinces and clubs after his display yesterday.
23 Jan 2012, 12:30 pm
@Sharkshooter-6: @gecko-7: It was their worst scrumming performance of the season – yes. But they are usually solid at the scrums and did well in the tight and loose around the park.
It should be noted that Northampton have one of the strongest scrumming units in Europe, and they showed that at home on Saturday. But Saints were dominated in every other department.
As for Wian being subbed, it is the trend in Europe for props to be rotated between the 50th-65th minute period. Check the records.
23 Jan 2012, 12:39 pm
@Gareth-9: Gareth, I agree with your trend statement, but Wian got taken off in the middle of a scrummaging session on their own goalline. Two failed scrums where Munster front rwo stood up on both under pressure, (second) penalty try was obviously coming, they hauled him off and brought on Horan. Didn’t help, they went up again (3rd time) and second penalty try was awarded.
23 Jan 2012, 15:01 pm
Steyn really messed up with that charge down try from his kick. Can pretty much say he cost Racing the game!! He did play hard to try and make up for it, but the team never really came back after that mess.
24 Jan 2012, 16:44 pm
@Sharkshooter-6: I was thinking the very same thing. Pity the rest of the Saints team is not on the same page as their tight five. The first of those penalty tries was a humiliation for the Munster front row.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.