SuperSport Rugby Challenge Review – Round Five

The champions in the first two seasons of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge, the iSG Pumas and DHL Western Province, sit pretty at the top of the standings and are the the only undefeated sides left in the competition after five rounds of play.

The iSG Pumas top the North Section following a strong 37-28 win over Tafel Lager Griquas in Nelspruit on Saturday, while DHL WP side had to overcome a spirited Multisure EP Elephants team at DHL Newlands in Cape Town, winning 27-13 after trailing 10-13 at the break.

Elsewhere, the Leopards scored their first win of the completion, beating the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias in Windhoek by 81-8, but the most points of the weekend belonged to the Cell C Sharks XV, who outclassed Border Bulldogs 82-24 in Durban.

It was again a weekend highlighted by high scores, no less so at the Rugby Festival at Bosman Stadium in Brakpan earlier on Sunday, where the Vodacom Blue Bulls scored 64 points in their win over Xerox Golden Lions in a match that yielded 13 tries.

The Valke also dented the aspirations of Down Touch Griffons by beating them in a match that produced 71 points in front of an appreciative crowd.

The full standings are available here.

South Section:

DHL Western Province look set for a top of the log finish, but they learnt on Saturday that they can’t afford to underestimate any of the teams below them on the log, as the Multisure EP Elephants proved in the first half of their match in Cape Town.

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs XV made the biggest move on the log following their 66-10 win over the Zimbabwe Academy in Cape Town. The Bloem side have passed Boland into second place on the log due to points’ difference.

Boland, despite their 43-28 win over SWD in George, dropped to third on the log, but will still feel confident of continuing their push for a semi-final place.

SWD and EP will be dangerous opponents in the remaining rounds, as they have the ability to deliver a shock on the day.

The Cell C Sharks XV’s massive win over Border will keep the teams from Wellington and Bloemfontein honest, as any slip up could see the Durbanites sneak into the top two.

South Section results summary (click on link for match report)

Cell C Sharks XV 82 (54), Border 24 (10)

Cell C Sharks XV - Tries: Cullen Collopy, Khutha Mchunu, Zee Mkhabela, Charles Mayeza (3), Jeremy Ward, Sicelo Tole, Henry Chamberlain (2), Murray Koster, Penalty Try. Conversions: Inny Radebe (8), Chamberlain (2).

Border - Tries: Sipho Nofemele, Sonwabiso Mqalo, Aphiwe Stemele. Conversions: Stemele (3). Penalty goal: Dilolo Mapuko.

SWD 28 (14), Boland 43 (26)

SWD – Tries: Dillin Snel (2), Marquit September (2). Conversions: Gerhard Nortier (2), Leighton Eksteen (2).

Boland – Tries: Keenan Cronje (2), Valentino Wellman (2), Shilton van Wyk, Franna Esterhuizen. Conversions: Garrick Mattheus (5). Penalty goal: Mattheus.

DHL Western Province 27 (10), Multisure EP Elephants 13 (13)

DHL Western Province - Tries: David Brits, Kwenzo Blose, Chris Massyn. Conversions: Abner van Reenen (3). Penalty goals: Van Reenen (2).

Multisure EP Elephants - Try: Riaan Arends. Conversion: Ntabeni Dukisa; Penalty goals: Dukisa (2).

Zimbabwe Academy 10 (3), Toyota Free State Cheetahs XV 66 (33)

Zimbabwe Academy - Try: Aiden Burnett. Conversion: Brendon Mandivenga. Penalty goal: Mandivenga

Toyota Free State Cheetahs XV - Tries: Tapiwa Mafura (2), Lubalalo Dobela (2), Jamba Ulengo (2), Janus Venter, Jacques du Toit, Darren Adonis, Daniel Maartens. Conversions: Ernst Stapelberg (3), Dobela (2), Adriaan Carelse (2).

North Section:

The iSG Pumas’ handed Tafel Lager Griquas their first defeat of the season, but the men from Kimberley benefitted from the Xerox Golden Lions XV’s comprehensive defeat at the hands of the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Brakpan on Sunday.

The log leaders from Mpumalanga are sitting pretty on 25 points after their full house victory, while Tafel Lager Griquas are second on 21 log points. The Vodacom Bulls (15) moved up into a close fourth position, just two points behind their neighbours from Johannesburg (17), but both Gauteng teams will need a massive effort to make it into the top two with three rounds left.

The defeat by the Valke killed off the Down Touch Griffons’ aspirations to end the tournament in the top two, while the Leopards were aided by another hat-trick from Eugene Hare, who moved to left-wing only a week ago and now has scored six tries in that position, in their massive win in Namibia.

Hare, with a total try-count of seven, also moved up the try-scoring list where Toyota Free State XV winger Jamba Ulengo sits top with eight tries, while SWD centre Marquit September is also on seven tries after his brace against Boland.

DHL Western Province flyhalf Abner van Reenen leads the overall points scoring stakes with 64, followed by Chris Smith (iSG Pumas) and George Whitehead (Tafel Lager Griquas), who both have 54 points on the board so far.

North Section results summary (click on link for match report):

Windhoek Draught Welwitschias 8 (3), Leopards 81 (50)

Windhoek Draught Welwitschias -Try: Uazikamisa Mieze. Penalty goal: Henrique Olivier.

Leopards - Tries: Eugene Hare (3), Evardi Boshoff (2), Muziwandile Mazibuko, Morne Moos, Lungelo Gosa, Gustav du Rand, Andre Fouche, Bradley Moolman, Keagan Tait, Wilmar Groenewald. Conversions: Schalk Hugo (8).

iSG Pumas 37 (27), Tafel Lager Griquas 28 (14)

ISG Pumas - Tries: Morne Joubert (2), Renier van Rooyen, Jeandre Rudolph, Corniel Els. Conversions: Chris Smith (3). Penalty goals: Smith (2).

Tafel Lager Griquas - Tries: Anthony Volmink, Ederies Arendse, Enver Brandt, Conway Pretorius. Conversions: George Whitehead (4).

Vodacom Blue Bulls 62 (41), Xerox Golden Lions XV 24 (12)

Vodacom Blue Bulls - Tries: Lian du Toit, Diego Appollis (2), Matthys Basson, Jade Stighling (2), Travis Ismaiel (2), Duncan Matthews. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (5), Theo Boshoff (2). Penalty goal: Marnitz Boshoff.

Xerox Golden Lions XV - Tries: Bonianga Mpeku, Ruan Vermaak, Prince Nkabinde, James Venter. Conversions: Ruan Combrinck (2).

Valke 41 (31), Down Touch Griffons 31 (7)

Valke - Tries: Rodney Damons (2), Jan Venter, Andries Truter (2), Siphiwe Sithole. Conversions: Andre du Plessis (4). Penalty goal: Du Plessis.

Down Touch Griffons - Tries: Ezrick Alexander (3), Duan Pretorius, Duncan van Vuuren. Conversions: Jaywinn Juries, Pretorius, Alexander.