2021 Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup

[Chilli]

This is the team Adriaan Strauss captained to a 26-24 loss against Argentina in Argentina.
This was Coetzee's 5 match in charge.

1. Tendai Mtawarira 79 caps
2. Adriaan Strauss 58 caps
3. Vincent Koch 3 caps
4. Eben Etzebeth 48 caps
5. Lood de Jager 21 caps
6. Francois Louw 47 caps
7. Oupa Mohoje 9 caps
8. Warren Whiteley 7 caps
9. Faf de Klerk 4 caps
10. Elton Jantjies 6 caps
11. Bryan Habana 118 caps
12. Damian de Allende 17 caps
13. Lionel Mapoe 5 caps
14. Ruan Combrinck 3 caps
15. Johan Goosen 7 caps

16. Lourens Adriaanse 1 caps
17. Steven Kitshoff 2 caps
18. Pieter-Steph du Toit 12 caps
19. Jaco Kriel 2 caps
20. Rudy Paige 3 caps
21. Morné Steyn 61 caps
22. Jesse Kriel 13 caps

Look at all those sub 10 cap players in that match day 22! Yes, many of those would become established greats over time, but you can't chuck so many newbies and youngsters into the deep end at once. It's just setting yourself (and them) up for failure.

Meyer had 48 tests (3rd longest tenure of any Bok coach) to build a core team knowing that his Bulls warhorses from a decade ago (Victor Matfield and Fourie Du Preez) would retire after the World Cup, as would Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers and Bryan Habana all the way from Jake White's tenure. Meyer was particularly terrible at identifying talented players. He handed out so many caps to one-season-wonders, thereby making it impossible to build depth behind veteran players, many approaching their sell-by dates.

So when Coetzee took over he had a problem. He had this crazy, intricate game plan of "total rugby" in mind, and few players with the international experience to actually try and implement it at the highest level. At the time, the Lions' were having some success in Super Rugby playing a unique brand of rugby (for South Africa at least) so Coetzee loaded the Bok team with Lions play makers. But the plan was just too much of departure from what the other players were used to, and the Lions players were just too green to make the gamplan work in isolation.

It's tough to put that on Strauss. You can only do so much as captain when you have a bad coach that instructs the selections, gameplan and training and preparation, but doesn't really have buy-in from the players.

Ja.

[Chilli]

I would argue that the Lions team back then was greater as a whole than the sum of it's parts. They were a very well drilled team that played well together but when you removed the players from the team and placed them in another team they were found to be very average.

Strauss was mobile enough for a hooker and very strong over the ball. He secured many turn overs by himself and he made his tackles. Also preformed his core duties better than most hookers I've seen over the years.

Ja.

[assfly]

I played prop & hooker for 20 years.

I had this image in my head when I read your post:

[Chilli]

I played prop & hooker for 20 years.

I had this image in my head when I read your post:

Pretty much, only heavier.

[TheNatalShark]

I disliked Strauss on the basis that at his peak he was a very very good player, and when Bismarck wasn't at his best/busy being in the sin bin Strauss was better than him.

[Chilli]

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Jeremy Ward, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Wiehahn Herbst 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Werner Kok.

Date: Saturday, May 15
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 18.15 (16.15 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Referees: Griffon Colby, Paul Mente
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen

$harks by 30

[assfly]

Bulls and Lions in trouble for a lack of transformation. Had it coming.

https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/pro14 ... 3a80b8aa91

[Chilli]

Lions: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 André Warner, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 MJ Pelser, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sithembiso Sithole.
Replacements: 16 PJ Botha, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Morné van den Berg, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Dan Kriel.

Date: Saturday, May 15
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 13.30 (11.30 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant Referees: Rasta Rashivenge, Morne Ferreira
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni

Stormers by 50

[OomStruisbaai]

Bulls and Lions in trouble for a lack of transformation. Had it coming.

https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/pro14 ... 3a80b8aa91

Thanks for that. Look like the definition for PoC did change

SA Rugby boss questions ‘system’ as provinces fail to achieve transformation targets

CAPE TOWN – SA Rugby president Mark Alexander has questioned the lack of transformation in senior franchise and provincial teams after only a handful of unions managed to achieve their targets last season.
Most of the provinces who competed in the 2020 Super Rugby or PRO14 season, Super Rugby Unlocked and the Currie Cup failed to achieve the desired 45 percent representation for ‘generic black’ players, and 22 percent for ‘black African’ players.

I

n fact, only the KwaZulu-Natal and Western Province Rugby Unions had reached the 45 percent generic black target, with only KZN and Eastern Province attaining the 22 percent black African mark.

With the generic black target, there were obviously better results, although it was still short of the required totals. In the early 2020 Super Rugby tournament, which was called off in March due to Covid-19, as well as the PRO14 event contested by the Cheetahs and Southern Kings, the statistics were as follows… Bulls: 33%, Eastern Province/Southern Kings: 34%, Free State: 26%, Golden Lions: 33%, KZN/Sharks: 42% and WP/Stormers: 46%.

In Super Rugby Unlocked, the data was: Bulls: 35%, Free State: 26%, Golden Lions: 32%, Griquas: 38%, KZN/Sharks: 56%, Pumas: 28% and WP/Stormers: 48%.
In the Currie Cup, it was as follows: Bulls: 30%, Free State: 32%, Golden Lions: 26%, Griquas: 33%, Sharks: 62%, Pumas: 36% and WP/Stormers: 46%.
The black African statistics were markedly poorer. In Super Rugby/PRO14 – Bulls: 11%, Eastern Province/Southern Kings: 22%, Free State: 15%, Golden Lions: 19%, KZN/Sharks: 34% and WP/Stormers: 12%.

In Super Rugby Unlocked – Bulls: 10%, Free State: 13%, Golden Lions: 20%, Griquas: 19%, KZN/Sharks: 37%, Pumas: 16% and WP/Stormers: 14%.
In the Currie Cup – Bulls: 11%, Free State: 19%, Golden Lions: 16%, Griquas: 16%
Sharks: 44%, Pumas: 19% and WP/Stormers: 15%.

In the SA Rugby annual report tabled this week, Alexander said: “When the success of transformation is determined by budget allocation, one must, unfortunately, ask the question whether it is a symp­tom of a system that has not changed at its core.
“If the statistics are correct, we have a shrinking coloured and white player base in our country, and if we fail to attract the rest of the population group­ings to our sport, we will have a small pool of players on which to draw.
“Transformation asks for our busi­ness to be done differently; it is a process of fundamentally restructuring the very basis of our business with different priorities, and the reallocation of current resources that will con­tribute to a conscious, deliber­ate, planned, and goal-directed change with the sustainable growth of rugby being at the heart of it.
“The enabler is not necessarily more money, but rather how we differently use the monetary re­sources that we have, smarter and more effectively.”
SA Rugby said in their report that they “acknowledge work needs to be done at professional and developmental level” with contracting of players at provincial level to be successful with their 2030 Strategic Transformation Development Plan.
“Continually advancing as part of a journey towards better representation is very important, with a long-term end-goal in sight, and the unions realise there is a need to improve their team demographics,” read the report.
“Contracting players was not as straight-forward in 2020 as under normal circumstances, due to the pandemic, and all the provinces realise that player contracting is a prominent contributing factor to meeting their self-determined transformation targets.”
There was better news on the governing body’s performance in achieving their Eminent Persons Group (EPG) National Barometer outcomes – which encapsulates 43 categories signed off with government – with 87 percent, in relation to the pass mark of 50 percent, although it was down on the previous year’s 97 percent.

[Chilli]

[Sards]

So one of the Lions or Stormers is guaranteed a W this weekend. Tough one. Alberts is back for the Lion's so going Lion's

[Chilli]

Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Marco Janse van Vuren, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Erasmus, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Chris Smith, 23 James Verity-Amm.

Sharks by 21

[handyman]

I see the 4th placed Kiwi team smashed the top Aussie team by 21 points. Not sure I believe in the longevity of the Trans Tasman comp.

[Chilli]

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Allister Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Johan du Toit, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Tim Swiel.

No PSDT? Is he injured already?

Stormers by 47.

[Chilli]

I see the 4th placed Kiwi team smashed the top Aussie team by 21 points. Not sure I believe in the longevity of the Trans Tasman comp.

Ja.
The Aussies will get nothing out of being smashed week in and week out

[handyman]

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Allister Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Johan du Toit, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Tim Swiel.

No PSDT? Is he injured already?

Stormers by 47.

Rested according to Sport24.

[handyman]

I see the 4th placed Kiwi team smashed the top Aussie team by 21 points. Not sure I believe in the longevity of the Trans Tasman comp.

Ja.
The Aussies will get nothing out of being smashed week in and week out

And fans of both sides will get tired of one-sided contests.

[Chilli]

I see the 4th placed Kiwi team smashed the top Aussie team by 21 points. Not sure I believe in the longevity of the Trans Tasman comp.

Ja.
The Aussies will get nothing out of being smashed week in and week out

And fans of both sides will get tired of one-sided contests.

Not the Kiwis.
They like a bit of dick swinging.

[Sards]

I see the 4th placed Kiwi team smashed the top Aussie team by 21 points. Not sure I believe in the longevity of the Trans Tasman comp.

Ja.
The Aussies will get nothing out of being smashed week in and week out

Thats why some of our unions wanted out of soup rugby

[Sards]

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Allister Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Johan du Toit, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Tim Swiel.

No PSDT? Is he injured already?

Stormers by 47.

Rested according to Sport24.

He must be exhausted after 80 minutes in 12 months

[OomStruisbaai]

SS

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Rainbow Cup SA News
'North v South' Rainbow Cup final confirmed
14 May 2021 | 16:39
Leinster © Gallo Images
The Rainbow Cup is set to culminate in an historic ‘North v South’ final on 19 June so that the dual tournaments operating in Europe and South Africa will tie together to produce one winner.

Planning is now at an advanced stage and all written approvals are expected imminently for the game to take place at a European venue.

At this stage in the process it was important for teams, their fans, broadcasters and sponsors to hear of these developments ahead of this weekend’s Rainbow Cup games in Europe and South Africa.

[handyman]

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Allister Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Johan du Toit, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Tim Swiel.

No PSDT? Is he injured already?

Stormers by 47.

Rested according to Sport24.

He must be exhausted after 80 minutes in 12 months

Up your game boet. You are better than this.

[Sards]

Rested according to Sport24.

He must be exhausted after 80 minutes in 12 months

Up your game boet. You are better than this.

Sorry.
Its 2 games of 80 minutes.

[Sards]

What time is the first game.

[Sards]

Looks amazing up at the Vaal. Here I am spread out on the couch with a comforter and a fire idling along.



until I need to braai. Will add Namibian charcoal to boost that.

Question....why do the commentators always have to say...." coming off narrow losses to the Sharks and Bulls "

A loss is a loss ffs

[Sards]

Welcome to the Vaal...Sergeal

[Sards]

And Sergeal gets the ball back...

[Sards]

Abner gets the 3

[Sards]

Stormers counter rucking vastly improved.. ...hmmmm

[Sards]

Everytime the Lions backline gets going the Stormers infringe to break the attack

[Sards]

Willemse refusing to pass on attack. Looked really good until he got the ball

[Sards]

Man the Lions get distance on their kicks

[Sards]

Similane intercepts and its trytime...
After a dodge Stormers turnover

[Sards]

Bongi wil do well at the Sharks...

[Chilli]

Damn Stomps, you can surely do better than that

[Sards]

Herschel is shit 3 times in a row...hands like tits

[Chilli]

Willemse passed.
And the Stomos score

[Sards]

Damn Stomps, you can surely do better than that

There is a glimmer of hope. The counter rocking vastly improved...could it be because PSDT is not there.

[Sards]

Willemse passed.
And the Stomos score

Exactly. It's his only job on attack. The rest of the backline can do the job. If they get the ball

[Chilli]

What a great try