[2014 Super Rugby] South African conference

[TRF_heineken]

No Helberg and no Hannekom + no Roux - now that is just plain stupid

As for Naka and his comments about not needing a defensive coach as the structures are in place now - duh Naka, teams change by the year and work you out; if you don't have an expert to analyze and think forward you will be where you were 2 years ago before you realize it

Helberg is in the squad.

Bees Roux was stretchered off against the Sharks with a neck injury and wasn't selected because they don't know yet the severity of his injury.

As for Stokkies, he's in the Vodacom Cup squad as he's recovering from injury and is still out at the moment.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Misread on Helberg sorry
Roux - "While Roux looked to have hurt his neck, the medical diagnosis said he sustained a "severe neck stinger" and was assisted from the field "as a precaution"." - no reason not to be included in the squad concidering they need a powerman in the tight 5
Stokkies - could have included him, why not

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Uhhh, about that...

Sharks squad for 2014 Super Rugby
Lourens Adriaanse, Willem Alberts, Jacques Botes, Anton Bresler, Dale Chadwick, Marcell Coetzee, Kyle Cooper, Tonderai Chavhanga, Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Bismarck du Plessis (captain), Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Andre Esterhuizen, Tyler Fisher, Hansie Graaf, Monde Hadebe, Paul Jordaan, Ryan Kankowski, Patrick Lambie, Stephan Lewies, Peet Marais ,SP Marais, Charl McLeod, Tendai Mtawarira, Tera Mtembu, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, Etienne Oosthuizen, JP Pietersen, Cobus Reinach, S'bura Sithole, Francois Steyn, Tim Swiel, Stefan Ungerer, Jaco van Tonder, Heimar Williams

That is a pretty handy squad that. The Sharks are firm favorites for the SA ***le for good reason. Last year they and the Stormers can largely put down to massive injuries IMO. Do you think that Esterhuizen kid will get some time? Chavanga is a surprise to me; didn't knoww he was in the Sharks squad.

Misread on Helberg sorry
Roux - "While Roux looked to have hurt his neck, the medical diagnosis said he sustained a "severe neck stinger" and was assisted from the field "as a precaution"." - no reason not to be included in the squad concidering they need a powerman in the tight 5
Stokkies - could have included him, why not

That was my thoughts as well. I mean the Stormers have included Kolbe and Etzebeth in their squad and we will be waiting for much longer for those guys than the Lions would need to include Hanekom and Roux in a matchday line-up.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Uhhh, about that...

Sharks squad for 2014 Super Rugby
Lourens Adriaanse, Willem Alberts, Jacques Botes, Anton Bresler, Dale Chadwick, Marcell Coetzee, Kyle Cooper, Tonderai Chavhanga, Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Bismarck du Plessis (captain), Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Andre Esterhuizen, Tyler Fisher, Hansie Graaf, Monde Hadebe, Paul Jordaan, Ryan Kankowski, Patrick Lambie, Stephan Lewies, Peet Marais ,SP Marais, Charl McLeod, Tendai Mtawarira, Tera Mtembu, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, Etienne Oosthuizen, JP Pietersen, Cobus Reinach, S'bura Sithole, Francois Steyn, Tim Swiel, Stefan Ungerer, Jaco van Tonder, Heimar Williams

Their top XV will look very similar to the Springboks top XV... Scary.

 

[TRF_heineken]

That is a pretty handy squad that. The Sharks are firm favorites for the SA ***le for good reason. Last year they and the Stormers can largely put down to massive injuries IMO. Do you think that Esterhuizen kid will get some time? Chavanga is a surprise to me; didn't knoww he was in the Sharks squad.

Yeah that squad looks very scary... On paper. It's just a matter of whether the team could gel. The team all of a sudden looks predominantly Afrikaans. As for Chavanga, It's great to see him back in SA. I saw a photo of him on Sport24, and he looks a lot more stocky than he used to be. Wonder how his pace will be...

That was my thoughts as well. I mean the Stormers have included Kolbe and Etzebeth in their squad and we will be waiting for much longer for those guys than the Lions would need to include Hanekom and Roux in a matchday line-up.

I dunno why they didn't pick him. He was supposed to be a frontrunner in my books. Maybe there is something else going on, or perhaps he's part of another squad...

 

[TRF_heineken]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Bulls-hunt-Potgieter-Smith-20140226

Bulls are trying lure Dewald Potgieter and Juan Smith.

I'm okay with Dewald, as long as he isn't captain. Always admired his work rate and could still feature in the Super Rugby Season this year.

As for Juan, he has been tremendous for Toulon, the bit I've seen on highlights. But he will only be available at Currie Cup Time.
If they want a loose forward, why not go for someone like Marnus Schoeman?? We have enough big guys, we need a bloody fetcher!!

 

[Bull]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Bulls-hunt-Potgieter-Smith-20140226

Bulls are trying lure Dewald Potgieter and Juan Smith.

I'm okay with Dewald, as long as he isn't captain. Always admired his work rate and could still feature in the Super Rugby Season this year.

As for Juan, he has been tremendous for Toulon, the bit I've seen on highlights. But he will only be available at Currie Cup Time.
If they want a loose forward, why not go for someone like Marnus Schoeman?? We have enough big guys, we need a bloody fetcher!!

Read that yesterday somewhere, seems like a waste of time and money. I agree 100% with Marnus Schoeman, he is originally from Pta but was overlooked by the Bulls and left for Griquas. He is exactly the type of player the Bulls need seeing that Stegmann is constantly injured.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Read that yesterday somewhere, seems like a waste of time and money. I agree 100% with Marnus Schoeman, he is originally from Pta but was overlooked by the Bulls and left for Griquas. He is exactly the type of player the Bulls need seeing that Stegmann is constantly injured.

I wouldn't say it's necessarily a waste of time and money. We need an experienced guy since Spies, Botha and Stegman are out. We are left with Rookies and they will need some experienced guys to aid them.

And if we continue to have injuries, we will be sitting with a problem like the Stormers did with their Fly Halves last year.

 

[Kevin Robarts]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Bulls-hunt-Potgieter-Smith-20140226

Bulls are trying lure Dewald Potgieter and Juan Smith.

I'm okay with Dewald, as long as he isn't captain. Always admired his work rate and could still feature in the Super Rugby Season this year.

As for Juan, he has been tremendous for Toulon, the bit I've seen on highlights. But he will only be available at Currie Cup Time.
If they want a loose forward, why not go for someone like Marnus Schoeman?? We have enough big guys, we need a bloody fetcher!!

Fetchers are badly under-rated in RSA rugby. Every starting side should have one and another on the bench

 

[TRF_heineken]

Fetchers are badly under-rated in RSA rugby. Every starting side should have one and another on the bench

Except the Cheetahs and the Sharks

The Cheetahs have Coenie Oosthuizen and the Sharks have Bismarck.

But yeah... This is the one area we need to focus on.

 

[Bull]

The Lions have included Tecklenburg another Bulls discard for the weekends game. Bulls are gonna get schooled on the ground, again.

 

[Kevin Robarts]

Except the Cheetahs and the Sharks

The Cheetahs have Coenie Oosthuizen and the Sharks have Bismarck.

But yeah... This is the one area we need to focus on.

Nah, as many fetchers as possible in the tight 5 PLUS an out and out fetcher at flank and another flank fetcher on the bench. Thats how you beat oversized teams that are slow to the breakdown

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Some interesting reading a mate of mine just compiled and e-mailed;


With the help of the VodacomRugbyStats App, I have compiled an almost endless list of stats for you to enjoy. Let's do this!

First up, let's have a gander at the log:

1: Sharks – 18 points / played 4

2: Chiefs – 13 / 3

3: Brumbies – 13 / 4

4: Lions – 12 / 5

5: Waratahs – 11 / 3

6: Bulls – 10 / 4

7: Force – 10 / 4

8: Reds – 9 / 4

9: Crusaders – 8 / 4

10: Highlanders – 7 / 3

11: Blues – 7 / 4

12: Hurricanes – 6 / 4

13: Rebels – 6 / 3

14: Stormers – 5 / 4

15: Cheetahs – 5 / 5

Easy to say the Sharks are doing well, Stormers and Cheetahs kak, but let's dig a little more into the team stats to see why.

SA Teams

Bulls:

Kicks from hand: 3rd

Lineouts won on own throw: 5th

Tackles: 7th

Carries: 8th

Missed tackles: 9th

Defenders beaten: 10th

Handling errors: 10th

Points: 10th

Tries: 13th

Offloads: 15th

Meters run: 15th

Clean breaks: 15th

Not a whole lot happening in the game breaking stats here, but the Bulls are doing okay elsewhere, and they are thus mid table.

Stormers:

Handling errors: 4th

Tackles: 5th

Missed tackles: 6th

Carries: 6th

Lineouts won on own throw: 8th

Defenders beaten: 8th

Kicks from hand: 11th

Clean break: 13th

Points: 14th

Meters run: 14th

Offloads: 14th

Tries: 15th

As you would expect, Stormers aren't scoring tries, but the unlike previous years, they are also slipping tackles nowadays, 14th spot on the log no mystery then.

Lions:

Kicks from hand: 1st

Points: 1st

Tackles: 2nd

Lineouts won on own throw: 2nd

Missed tackles: 5th

Meters run: 9th

Offloads: 11th

Handling errors: 11th

Tries: 11th

Carries: 12th

Defenders beaten: 14th

Clean breaks: 14th

Lions are tackling a lot, and kicking a lot. Simple game plan, and they take their opportunities. Just goes to show rugby never had to be complicated as they now lie in 4th.

Sharks:

Points: 2nd

Tries: 4th

Defenders beaten: 4th

Kicks from hand: 4th

Meters run: 6th

Offloads: 6th

Clean breaks: 8th

Lineouts won on own throw: 9th

Carries: 9th

Handling errors: 12th

Missed tackles: 13th

Tackles: 15th

The Sharks are controlling their games well, and clearly retaining the ball well as they have only had to make 251 tackles so far. Clinical and dominant at times, this Sharks team is rightfully top of the log.

Cheetahs:

Meters run: 1st

Tackles: 1st

Handling errors: 1st

Missed tackles: 1st

Kicks from hand: 2nd

Offloads: 3rd

Defenders beaten: 3rd

Carries: 3rd

Lineouts won on own throw: 4th

Points: 4th

Clean breaks: 6th

Tries: 7th

One thing is for certain about the Cheetahs, their games are all in fast forward. Most tackles and most meters run is an interesting combo, they are also kicking the ball more than anyone except the Lions! This is a team capable of much, but sadly just playing a little too fast and loose.

From teams to individual players, this makes for interesting reading too:

Carries:

Willie le Roux (cheetahs) 53

Charles Piutau (blues) 50

Luke Braid (blues) 47

Clean Breaks:

Israel Folau (waratahs) 8

Julian Savea (hurricanes) 6

Jesse Mogg (brumbies) 5

Lwazi Mvovo and Willie le Roux 5

Defenders Beaten:

Charles Piutau (blues) 16

Malakai Fekitoa (highlanders) 14

Aidan Toua (reds) 13

Handling Errors:

Julian Savea (hurricanes) 11

Nicholas White (brumbies) 10

Nick Cummins (force) 10

Kicks from hand: 7 out of top 10 SA players

Willie le Roux (cheetahs) 48

Marnitz Boshoff (lions) 46

Beauden Barrett (hurricanes) 45

Meters Run:

Willie le Roux (cheetahs) 434m

Charles Piutau (blues) 269m

Aidan Toua (reds) 241m

Missed tackles:

Francois Venter (cheetahs) 12 *5th in tackles made

Johan Goosen (cheetahs) 10

Willie le Roux (cheetahs) 10

Offloads:

Luke Braid (blues) 9

Willie le Roux (cheetahs) 9

Aaron Cruden (chiefs) 8

Israel Folau and SP Marais 8

Tackles:

Phillip van der Walt (cheetahs) 78

Matt Hodgson (force) 69

Pieter Labuschagne (cheetahs) 69

Tries:

Israel Folau (waratahs) 6

Jesse Mogg (brumbies) 4

Chris Feauai-Sautia (reds) 3

Try Assists:

Quade Cooper (reds) 4

Nicholas White (brumbies) 3

Willie Le Roux (cheetahs) 3

Turnovers won:

Adriaan Strauss (cheetahs) 9

Marcell Coetzee (sharks) 7

Michael Hooper (waratahs) 7