Saturday’s games:

Highlanders VS Hurricanes: The Highlanders and Hurricanes gave us one of the most back and forth displays of rugby seen this season when they faced eachother at Carisbrook Stadium over the weekend.

The Hurricanes came out with guns firing, running rugby, crossing over for their first try in the fourth minute of the game, but the Highlanders were never going to lie down, hitting back with a try of their own just 5 minutes later when Highlanders #8, Steven Setephano broke the Hurricanes’ line, offloading to Jimmy Cowan for the footrace to the line.

9 minutes in and true to what the commentator said, it looked as if the scoreline would reflect a phone number by the end of the game. Both teams seemed to be keen to give that to us, as a lack of defense was the order of the day, with each team running in 5 tries and the Hurricanes sneaking it 33 – 31.

My two cents worth:

  • Both teams were terrible defensively with the Hurricanes missing 27 tackles, whilst the Highlanders took the cake with 42 missed tackles.
  • The worst offenders being Jimmy Cowan, Michael Paterson and Aaron Cruden, each missing 5, but Adam Thomson was the worst of all, with 6 missed tackles.
  • The new structure of this year’s competition has really allowed the fullbacks to run the ball up a lot more, and isn’t it great to see a player like Cory Jane run with the ball, gaining a total of 138m with ball in hand.
  • Andrew Hore and Jason Rutledge both made strong statements in the #2 jumper, forcing 4 turnovers a piece.

Highlanders VS Hurricanes 2010 Highlights [tonytai2017]

Scorecard:

Highlanders: 31

Tries: Jimmy Cowan 9m, Alando Soakai 14m, Ben Smith 31m, Jason Rutledge 42m, Bronson Murray 82m

Conversions: 3/5 (60%) Israel Dagg 3/5 (60%)

Hurricanes: 33

Tries: Karl Lowe 4m, Michael Paterson 11m, Tyson Keats 23m, Aaron Cruden 39m, Ma’a Nonu 72m

Conversions: 4/5 (80%) Aaron Cruden 3/4 (75%), Piri Weepu 1/1 (100%)

Penalties: 0/2 (0%) Aaron Cruden 0/2 (0%)

Waratahs VS Brumbies: The Waratahs and Brumbies faced up in what was probably one of the most boring games over the weekend in the Super 14 2010. The Waratahs scored the only try of the game, winning 19 – 12, and in doing so, keeping an outside chance of making the playoffs.

My two cents worth:

  • Yawn

Waratahs VS Brumbies 2010 Highlights [tonytai2017]

Scorecard:

Waratahs: 19

Tries: Lachlan Turner 51m

Conversions: 1/1 (100%) Daniel Halangahu 1/1 (100%)

Penalties: 4/4 (100%) Daniel Halangahu 4/4 (100%)

Brumbies: 12

Penalties: 4/6 (67%)Matt Giteau 4/6 (67%)

Bulls VS Lions: The Bulls regained the top spot on the Super 14 log, after round 11, when they pulverised the hopeless Lions 51 – 11 at Loftus on the weekend.

All went well for the Lions during the first half, they were holding off well against the Bulls’ onslaught, and the game resembled a true, close fought, derby match.

The Bulls however, had different ideas, and came out guns blazing after the half time break. Unfortunately for the Lions, the flood-gates opened shortly thereafter, when in the 64th minute, superstar in waiting, Gerhard van den Heever ran in the first of his two tries and the second of the Bulls’ 6 try slaughter of the Lions.

My two cents worth:

  • Cobus Grobbelaar really stands out in a losing outfit, making a massive 20 tackles on the night.
  • Pierre Spies was outstanding on the night, forcing 5 turnovers at the breakdown, and gaining 98m with ball in hand.
  • How good was Jacques-Louis Potgieter’s distribution to Wynand Olivier, after stepping through the defense, brushing off a defender and still passing out 20m to Olivier for the run in.
  • The Lions’ defense may be slightly better, but is still hugely lacking, with almost every player in the team missing more than one tackle on the night.

Bulls VS Lions 2010 Highlights [tonytai2017]

Scorecard:

Bulls: 51

Tries: Derick Kuun 42m, Gerhard Van den Heever (2) 64m 66m, Morne Steyn 76m, Wynand Olivier 79m, John Mametsa 82m

Conversions: 3/6 (50%) Morne Steyn 3/5 (60%), Jacques-Louis Potgieter 0/1 (0%)

Penalties: 5/5 (100%) Morne Steyn 5/5 (100%)

Lions: 11

Tries: Wandile Mjekevu 38m

Conversions: 0/1 (0%) Herkie Kruger 0/1 (0%)

Penalties: 2/4 (50%) Herkie Kruger 2/4 (50%)

Sharks VS Blues: The Sharks gained a strong 23 – 10 come-from-behind victory over the Blues when the two teams met in Durban for the last game of round 11 of the 2010 Super 14.

Both teams were locked at 3 all, with a bit of an error riddled performance, and Andy Goode determined to kick away any decent possession, until the 26th minute, when Peter Saili crossed over for the first try of the night.

The Blues never really looked as if the would score thereafter, and  the Sharks made it 11 – 10 just before half time when Ruan Pienaar forced his way over for the try.

It was mostly all the Sharks in the second half, but the game was by no means an easy encounter from the get go, with both teams losing key players early on, in Luke McAlister for the Blues and JP Pietersen for the Sharks.

In the end, the Sharks had too much in their tanks for the Blues, whose discipline let hem down at times, and clinched the 23 – 10 victory.

My two cents worth:

  • Isaia Toeava has been strong for the Blues all season, gaining 105m on the night.
  • Jean Deysel uncharacteristically missed 4 tackles on the night.
  • There is still nothing good about Andy Goode.
  • Compliments to the Slug and Lettuce in Green Point, I was too pissed to remember anything else.

Sharks VS Blues 2010 Highlights [tonytai2017]

Scorecard:

Sharks: 23

Tries: Ruan Pienaar 40m

Conversions: 0/1 (0%) Ruan Pienaar 0/1 (0%)

Penalties: 5/6 (83%) Ruan Pienaar 2/3 (66%), Andrew Goode 1/1 (100%), Rory Kockott 2/2 (100%)

Drop Goals: 1/2 (50%) Ruan Pienaar 1/1 (100%), Andrew Goode 0/1 (0%)

Blues: 10

Tries: Peter Saili 26m

Conversions: 1/1 (100%) Stephen Brett 1/1 (100%)

Conversions: 1/2 (50%) Stephen Brett 1/2 (50%)