Preview: Vodacom Cup Round Three
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:21
We move into Round Three of the Vodacom Cup this weekend with two matches on Friday and six on Saturday.
On Friday, the Valke take on the Leopards in a Vodacom Cup North section game at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng, and in Witbank the Griffons will be aiming to break a 10-year drought against the Pumas when these sides meet in a Vodacom Cup North section game.
The Welkom side's last victory over the Pumas was their 13-8 win way back in 2000.
On Saturday the Sharks XV will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways after going down to Western Province last weekend when they host the Free State Cheetahs in Empangeni. The hosts have a proud record against the Bloemfontein team as they have won five of their six home games against the Free State Cheetahs in the Vodacom Cup.
The Golden Lions and the Blue Bulls are in action in a Vodacom Cup North section game to be played at the Raiders Rugby Club on Saturday, while Western Province and Eastern Province renew their rivalry in Port Elizabeth at the EPRU Stadium.
Saturday’s Vodacom Cup action continues in Windhoek when the Welwitschias host the defending champions, Griquas.
At Newlands in Cape Town, in the main curtain-raiser to the Stormers vs Hurricanes Super 14 match, the Argentinian Pampas XV host their first 'home game' of the competition against the Border Bulldogs at 16h50.
Pumas vs Griffons
In the 2009 Vodacom Cup the Pumas lost all their home matches, while the Griffons lost all their away games. The Griffons have played in four away games against the Pumas and have never defeated the hosts in Witbank.
Date: Friday, March 12
Venue: Puma Stadium, Witbank
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistant referees: Rasta Rashivenga, Stefan
Breytenbach
Leopards vs Valke
The Leopards have conceded four out of six home defeats to the Valke in the Vodacom Cup competition. Last year the Leopards secured a 42-10 win over the Valke in Kempton Park.
Date: Friday, March 12
Venue: Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
Kick-off: 18.30 (16.30 GMT)
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Assistant referees: Jan Venter, Local
Golden Lions vs Blue Bulls
The Golden Lions conceded only one home defeat in 2009, a 34-47 loss to the Pumas, and have won four of their seven home games against the Blue Bulls in the Vodacom Cup. The Blue Bulls defeated the Young Lions 51-17 the last time these sides met in Johannesburg in 2007.
The Blue Bulls have won the Vodacom Cup four times, in 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2004, while the Golden Lions have won the Vodacom Cup twice - in 2001 and 2008.
Date: Saturday, March 13
Venue: Raiders RFC, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Archie Sehlako
Assistant referees: Mlungiseli Mdashe, Madel Herselman
Eastern Province vs Western Province
EP lost all three of their home games last season, but they have won three of their six home games played against WP.
WP defeated EP 46-5 the last time these sides met in Port Elizabeth in 2007.
Former WP captain De Wet Barry joined EP in 2009 after a short career with Harlequins in England. He played 39 Tests for the Springboks.
The WP team includes players such as Willem de Waal, Dylan des Fountain, Conrad Hoffman, Frikkie Welsh, JD Moller and Fabian Juries who have Super 14 experience.
Date: Saturday, March 13
Venue: EPRU Stadium, Port
Elizabeth
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: François Veldsman
Assistant referees: Bongani Maloni, Phillip Bosch
Sharks XV vs Free State
The Sharks XV conceded only one home defeat in the 2009 Vodacom Cup - in their semi-final match against Griquas. The Bloemfontein side won all three of their away games last season.
The Sharks XV have won five of their six home games against the Free State in the Vodacom Cup. The last time the Free State Cheetahs defeated the Sharks XV away from home was in 2000, when the Bloemfontein team recorded a 37-27 win in Durban.
Date: Saturday, March 13
Venue: Empangeni, Kwazulu Natal
Kick-off: 15.30 (13.30 GMT)
Referee: Matt Kemp
Assistant referees: Dilbert November, Reuben Rossouw
Pampas XV vs Border
This is the first game between these two teams. It will be regarded as the Pampas XV's first "home game" in the Vodacom Cup.
The Border team includes Solly Tyibilika, who has played eight Tests for the Springboks and Lonwabo Mtimka, who has played 102 matches for Border.
Date: Saturday, March 13
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 16.50 (14.50 GMT)
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Assistant referees: François Groenewald, Local
Boland vs South Western Districts
The Boland Cavaliers did not win a home game during the 2009 Vodacom Cup, but defeated WP 37-28 in Bredasdorp in their first game of the 2010 season. This will be SWD Eagles’ first away game of the 2010 Vodacom Cup. They won two away games during the 2009 competition, against Free State and Border.
The SWD Eagles last defeated the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington in 1999 when they recorded a 27-3 win.
Boland's Argentinian prop Eusebio Guinazu has represented the Stormers in this season’s Super 14, and among the Cavaliers' other new recruits are former Western Province players Hottie Louw (lock) and Bolla Conradie (scrumhalf). Louw has played in three Tests for the Springboks and Conradie in 18 Tests. Boland's Hilton Lobberts has played two Tests for the Springboks.
Bevin Fortuin has played in 101 games for SWD Eagles and two Tests for the Springboks.
Date: Saturday, March 13
Venue: Saldanha, West Coast
Kick-off: 16.00 (14.00 GMT)
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Assistant referees: Quinton Immelman, Linston Manuels
Namibia Welwitschias vs Griquas
Griquas lost one home game in the 2009 Vodacom Cup, against the Blue Bulls.
Johnny Redelinghuys, Shaun Esterhuizen, Jane du Toit, Wacca Kazombiase, PJ van Lill, TC Losper, Tinus Venter, Bradley Langenhoven, Heini Bock, Chrysander Botha, Eugene Jantjies and Jacky Bock have all represented Namibia at Test level and Langenhoven scored a try for Namibia during their 13-105 defeat to the Springboks at Newlands in 2007.
Date: Saturday, March 13
Venue: Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Kick-off: 14.00 (12.00 GMT)
Referee: Joey Salmans
Assistant referees: Sewes Terblanche, Local
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