Pienaar shines in Ulster’s Euro charge
9 Apr 2012
GARETH DUNCAN looks at the Saffas who impressed in the leagues around the world over the weekend.
Last week, I headlined with scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar as he was pivotal in Ulster’s elevation on the Pro12 log and was considered a key player in their pursuit for a semi-final place in their dometsic and European Cup campaigns.
The former Sharks halfback this week again proved why he is an important figure in the Northern Irish club’s squad when he helped the team to a 22-16 win over props Wian du Preez and BJ Botha’s Munster in the European Cup quarter-final clash on Sunday.
Pienaar made a valuable contribution from the kicking tee as he slotted 14 points via a conversion and four penalties (the highest individual haul in the match). This included three long-distance goal attempts. The 28-year-old was also impressive in general play, making 14 tackles (without missing one), forcing three turnovers and providing quality ball for the backline behind a dominating pack.
Ulster scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar kicked 14 points
Fullback Stefan Terblanche, lock and skipper Johann Muller and No 8 Pedrie Wannenburg also featured in the victory. Terblanche rushed 50m in total (the second highest by an Ulster player), while Muller (who made 17 tackles and won three lineout feeds) and Wannenburg (who made 13 tackles and won two lineout feeds) played crucial roles on defence and in the lineout battle.
Ulster will depend on their South African squad contingent, especially Pienaar, to play influential roles on the pitch as they head into a challenging month ahead. They face Connacht (14 April), Leinster (20 April) and Munster (5 May) in their final league fixtures as they chase a play-off spot in the Pro12, while they also tackle Edinburgh in Dublin in the European Cup semi-finals (28 April). It will be Ulster’s first showing in the European Cup last four since they won the competition in 1999.
In other European Cup quarter-final matches, reserve prop Daniel Kotze’s Clermont downed Saffa-laden Saracens 22-3 in Watford. Former Free State front-rower Kotze delivered a strong defensive performance off the bench in the second half, making 10 tackles.
While Saracens (who had seven Saffas in their match 22) disappointed at Vicarage Road, hooker Schalk Brits was the outstanding all-round performer for the English Premiership defending champions as he gained the most ground with ball in hand in the game (55m), made two offloads and beat two defenders, and forced two turnovers.
Hooker Richardt Strauss was solid in defending European Cup champions Leinster’s 34-3 win over the Cardiff Blues. Reserve prop Heinke van der Merwe played off the wood.
In the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals, former Sharks tighthead prop Eugene van Staden scored a telling try in Biarritz’s 26-23 win over the London Wasps.
Brive inside centre Riaan Swanepoel converted five penalties in his team’s 15-11 win over Scarlets. Outside centre Ronnie Cooke, tighthead prop Pat Barnard, reserve lock Retief Uys and replacement fullback Scott Spedding also made appearances for the victors.
Toulon captain Joe van Niekerk led his charges to a convincing 37-8 thrashing of current English Premiership log leaders Harlequins at the Stade Félix-Mayol, while lock Anton van Zyl continued his good form in Stade Francais’ 22-17 win over the Exeter Chiefs.
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25 Comments
9 Apr 2012, 09:45 am
Gareth, why wasn’t there a thread for the heineken cup games? You guys have threads and results for k@k school games but no live thread for heineken or varsity cup?
9 Apr 2012, 13:12 pm
is this the self same pienaar said to be useless by most in here?
9 Apr 2012, 13:30 pm
@ shark,
He had a very good game, he’s kicking was accurate and consistently accurate. Looks like he matured as a player like most players do who head overseas.
I was very impresses but I’m still not convinced with his defense, he looks a bit scared to make contact.
I can tell you that he’s way better than duvenage.
9 Apr 2012, 13:38 pm
we have so many talented forwards, we are truly blessed. Players based overseas:
1. Wian du preez – van staden – heinke
2. Schalk brits – richard straus
3. Mujati – bj botha
4. Anton van zyl – bakkies
5. Johann muller
6. Francious louw – wannenberg
7. Danie rossouw – ernst joubert
8. Joe van niekerk – robbie diack
9. Ruan pienaar – du preez – claasens
9 Apr 2012, 14:10 pm
@NoRugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-4: Don’t get your hopes up. Strauss & Diack declared for Ireland and Joubert just this week declared for England.
9 Apr 2012, 14:14 pm
@ gecko,
Ja I know but they’re born and talent injected in Mzansi 4sho
9 Apr 2012, 14:33 pm
Pienaar is the best we have, some display he gave
And that while opposing Munster scrumwith two props in BJ Botha and Wian du Preez , I thought he made the difference
9 Apr 2012, 14:41 pm
@ hondo,
There’s none better than hougaard, when the game was finished between bulls and saders, you could see the respect the sader players have for him.
That guy is pure class.
Period.
9 Apr 2012, 15:33 pm
I thought Pienaar was average. He played no different to how he played for The Sharks. He still missed pressure kicks near the end of the game which was not mentioned in this article.
One of the commentators noticed that he did not run with the ball once.
I still think Pienaar is a liability in pressure situations.
9 Apr 2012, 15:45 pm
Hougaard hasn’t been tht influential@scrummie this season. Either tht or Bulls need to allow him to play to his natural strengths @9 and stop KiCKinG
9 Apr 2012, 15:54 pm
@ white,
You’re right, the reason he doesn’t run is because he’s scared to make contact. That tackle stat is misleading, usually another player will make the hit and pienaar then assist then backs off again.
@ papoose,
You can’t expect hougaard to play the same game at scrummie to when he was playing wing. The bulls ask their scrummie to kick a lot and he’s been doing that very well.
You notice how the bulls create almost a tail like formation at the ruck to give hougaard more time to kick? Very clever and effective.
9 Apr 2012, 15:58 pm
Hougaard played scrummie and fullback on Saturday. If it wasn’t for his cover tackling the Bulls might have lost. S’true.
The kid is phenomenal.
9 Apr 2012, 16:41 pm
@White Shark(Predawn)-9: Pressure kicks? He missed one goal attempt in the match. He’s doing his job at Ulster, playing in his preferred position of scrumhalf.
9 Apr 2012, 16:42 pm
@White Shark(Predawn)-12:
I agree sir. Hougaard is a wonderfrul talent
9 Apr 2012, 17:02 pm
Swanepoel kicked 5 penalties?? 15-11?? Should that not then be 25?
9 Apr 2012, 17:02 pm
I mean 15 lol
9 Apr 2012, 17:03 pm
Was counting 5 tries…
9 Apr 2012, 17:18 pm
Pienaar is invisible at scrumhalf. Perhaps that’s how he likes it I guess. Anyone can box kick as a scrummie but the real talent lies in darting runs and knowing when to offload.
9 Apr 2012, 20:04 pm
@Gareth(GarethDuncan)-13: He missed a kick with 5min to go that would have put them 8 points up. Instead they had to tackle like mad for the rest of the game. Aside from his kicking he didn’t do much, but Ulster’s game plan did not include using their back much – the once they did they scored a cracker.
9 Apr 2012, 23:29 pm
There’s something missing in ruan’s psychological make-up. It seems playing at higher levels exposes every weakness of a player. There’s no place to hide. I can’t help but think of dan carter. He was once rated only the third best emerging 10 prospect in NZ at junior international level behind cameron mcintyre and luke mcalister.
Look where he is now.
10 Apr 2012, 00:45 am
Daniel Kotze, tight head prop from Clermont France is set to join the french national rugby team…..While in South africa there is no real good tight head.
10 Apr 2012, 07:43 am
Schalk Brits Must be called into Bok reckoning this year
Him and Heinkie van der Merwe are better then Any player in the S15
at moment
10 Apr 2012, 08:02 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-22:
I disagree,
I think Chilliboy, Bismarck and even Tiaan Liebenberg are all ahead of Brits at the moment.
10 Apr 2012, 09:04 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-22: Brits just showed this weekend, once again, when up against a quality pack, he disappears (like Pierre Spies). Brits is fine playing against average teams, but against the better sides his natural game doesn’t suit.
10 Apr 2012, 18:26 pm
@gecko(gecko)-24: Spot on. Brits went missing big time. As did the overrated Mouritz Botha.
Saracens were owned by the Clermont pack in general and completely outscrummaged. We know Matt Stevens isn’t a bad scrummager so some of the blame must go to Brits…
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