SA Rugby to have local tournament from 26 September - 23 January

[TRF_heineken]

So did you guys managed to watch the Superhero Showdown on Saturday? What were your thoughts after that first run for the players?

For those who didn't watch. here are the scores:

Bulls 49 - 28
Stormers 34 - 21 Lions

I was a bit surprized at the Bulls backline that started the match:
9. Ivan van Zyl
10. Morne Steyn
11. Kurt-lee Arendse
12. Cornal Hendricks
13. Stedman Gans
14. Travis Ismaiel
15. Gio Aplon

That backline was on fire!! Who would have thought that a team coached by Jake White would have such a potent attacking backline?

 

[mdaclarke]

Given how long they had been away the quality was much better than I expected. I was especially impressed with the Bulls

 

[TRF_heineken]

Given how long they had been away the quality was much better than I expected. I was especially impressed with the Bulls

Yeah, I have to say, that was for me also very impressive. I also thought the ball handling was very good, and the knock-ons weren't as evident as in the past when there were warm-up matches.

 

[TheOvalBall]

Pity the Bulls Sharks was so one-sided, but the Bulls looked really good. Some of the passing of the Sharks was horrendous.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Pity the Bulls Sharks was so one-sided, but the Bulls looked really good. Some of the passing of the Sharks was horrendous.

In fairness to the Sharks, they came back well in the second half. And they were without a lot of key players out due to injury.

But yeah, the Bulls blew them away in that first half.

 

[unrated]

Yea won't read too much into these games, we played a new scrumhalf every 25 minutes and rotated across the park. We have many injuries but that's no excuse, the bulls played really well. I still favour us in a competitive match but atleast we can now say watch out for the Bulls

On a side note. Me and my friends ballot applications for all our games was unsuccessful, it's with a tear in my eyes that my account has not lost the money that was supposed to be spent on a British and Irish lions game. Now I'm hoping just to get a post sale ticket for Sharks vs B and I or even for the Stormers vs them. Such is my desperation.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Yea won't read too much into these games, we played a new scrumhalf every 25 minutes and rotated across the park. We have many injuries but that's no excuse, the bulls played really well. I still favour us in a competitive match but atleast we can now say watch out for the Bulls

On a side note. Me and my friends ballot applications for all our games was unsuccessful, it's with a tear in my eyes that my account has not lost the money that was supposed to be spent on a British and Irish lions game. Now I'm hoping just to get a post sale ticket for Sharks vs B and I or even for the Stormers vs them. Such is my desperation.

Yeah, same here.

But one of my friend's works for the security company for Ellis Park, and he says he might be able to get some tickets from the company.

There is also the hope that some tickets by the big companies, will be sold at a later stage.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Bulls were the only team with some semblance of accuracy. Stormers only won thanks to our dominant scrum until Malherbe went off and we let the Lions back in.

I hear the three injuries are all from the Stormers. Man, I wish we would stop basing our game around scrum and defense. That said, with the amount of down time coming in to these games its a wonder its only 3 new injuries across the board.

With the Bulls seemingly on the up I think we are going to have a competitive "SRU". A 3 horse race in my mind between the Stormers, a Sharks team carrying the most baggage post hard lock-down and a (revitalized?) Bulls.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Bulls were the only team with some semblance of accuracy. Stormers only won thanks to our dominant scrum until Malherbe went off and we let the Lions back in.

I hear the three injuries are all from the Stormers. Man, I wish we would stop basing our game around scrum and defense. That said, with the amount of down time coming in to these games its a wonder its only 3 new injuries across the board.

With the Bulls seemingly on the up I think we are going to have a competitive "SRU". A 3 horse race in my mind between the Stormers, a Sharks team carrying the most baggage post hard lock-down and a (revitalized?) Bulls.

And don't forget about the Cheetahs. They were good prior to the Lockdown, and they have acquired some good players too during the lockdown, Roscoe Specman and Frans Steyn are going to make some impact in their backline.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

And don't forget about the Cheetahs. They were good prior to the Lockdown, and they have acquired some good players too during the lockdown, Roscoe Specman and Frans Steyn are going to make some impact in their backline.

I'll wait for the final line-ups but I do not believe the Cheetahs will have the pack to really mix it with the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers. I have them a tier below on equal footing with the Lions. Then below them the Pumas and Griquas are banana peels you have to watch out for on the day. The luck of the bounce and a call this way or that and they are well capable of catching you out but really, it would be an upset. At least they are a step or two above the Kings and should be competitive enough particularly if the bigger teams dare take them on with 'B' sides.