Preview: Vodacom Cup Round Four
Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:09
The Border Bulldogs will be aiming to break an 11-year drought against Western Province in Cape Town when they meet in the Vodacom Cup at Newlands on Saturday.
Border are languishing at the bottom end of the South section log and will be eager to secure their first win of the season. The last time Border defeated WP in Cape Town was in 1999, when they recorded a 40-33 win at Newlands.
The SWD Eagles host the Sharks XV at the Brickston Sports Grounds in Oudtshoorn. The Eagles last defeated their Durban opponents nine years ago, with a 28-23 win in April 2001. The Sharks XV recorded an 18-13 win over the Eagles in last year's Vodacom Cup match.
The Free Staters, who are currently in second position on the Vodacom Cup South section log, will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways following their 26-17 defeat to the Sharks XV last week.
EP last defeated the Free State Cheetahs nine years ago, when they secured a 47-15 win in Port Elizabeth.
The Blue Bulls will be aiming to continue their undefeated 2010 run when they host the Leopards at Loftus Versfeld on Friday. The hosts have conceded only one defeat in their last ten games at home.
In the other Vodacom Cup games on Friday, the Valke travel to Windhoek for their North section clash against the Welwitschias, the Griffons host the Golden Lions at the North West Stadium in Welkom, and Griquas and the Pumas play at the AR Abass Stadium in Kimberley.
The Pampas XVs are also in action on Friday. The Argentineans are in Wellington for their South section clash against the Boland Cavaliers.
Two referees make their Vodacom Cup debuts this weekend - Pieter de Villiers (Golden Lions) will handle the game between Free State Cheetahs and Eastern Province, and Bongani Maloni (Border) will take charge of the Sharks XV vs SWD Eagles game.
* Blue Bulls v Leopards (North section)
The Blue Bulls have lost only two of their last ten home games against the Leopards in the Vodacom Cup. In 2005 the hosts conceded a 17-11 defeat while their other loss to the Leopards (34-26) was in March 1998.
The hosts recorded a 45-34 win over their opponents the last time these sides met, which was in the 2009 Vodacom Cup semi-final. The last time the Leopards defeated the Blue Bulls (19-17) was in March 2006.
Date: Friday, March 19
Kick-off: 17h05
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Stuart Berry (SARU)
Assistant referees: Lusanda Jam, Andries Botha
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
* Griffons v Golden Lions (North section)
The Griffons lost all three home games in the 2009 Vodacom Cup. They also conceded their first home defeat of this season’s competition after going down to Griquas (59-31) in Round Two. The Johannesburg side did not win a game away from home during the 2009 competition, but defeated the Valke 34-13 in Nigel in Round Two of this season’s competition.
The Griffons have won only one of their last 11 matches against the Golden Lions. The last time the Griffons defeated their Johannesburg opponents was in February 1998 when they recorded a 37-27 win in Welkom. The Golden Lions convincingly defeated the Golden Lions 53-32 in 2009.
Date: Friday, 19 March 19
Kick-off: 19h00
Venue: North West Stadium, Welkom
Referee: Mlungiseli Mdashe (Valke)
Assistant referees: Ben Crouse, Local
* Free State Cheetahs v Eastern Province (South section)
The Free State Cheetahs have conceded only one home defeat against Eastern Province in their Vodacom Cup history. The defeat happened in 1999 when the Port Elizabeth side triumphed 40-27. The hosts were convincing 51-21 winners when these sides met in the 2009 Vodacom Cup competition.
The last time Eastern Province defeated the Free State Cheetahs was in March 2001 when they recorded a 47-15 win in Port Elizabeth.
Date: Friday, March 19
Kick-off: 15h45
Venue: Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Referee: Pieter de Villiers (Golden Lions)
Assistant referees: François du Bruin, Marlize Jordaan
* Griquas v Pumas (North section)
Griquas were undefeated at home in 2008 and 2009 but lost their first home game of the 2010 Vodacom Cup when the Blue Bulls defeated them 22-17. The Pumas won two of their away games in the Vodacom Cup last season, against the Lions and Griffons, but conceded a home defeat to the Blue Bulls in Round Two this year.
Griquas have won eight of their last nine games against the Pumas in the Vodacom Cup. The last time the Pumas defeated their Kimberley hosts in this competition was in March 2002. Griquas recorded a 37-31 win over the Pumas in Witbank in the 2009 Vodacom Cup.
Date: Friday, March 19
Kick-off: 16h00
Venue: AR Abass Stadium, Kimberley
Referee: Matt Kemp (Western Province)
Assistant referees: Martin Lekhanye, Local
* Boland Cavaliers v Pampas XV (South section)
This will be the first game between these sides. The 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 and defeated the SWD Eagles 25-24 in Round Three.
Among the Cavaliers new recruits for the 2010 season were Hottie Louw (Treviso, Italy and Ricoh, Japan), Bolla Conradie (WP), Hyron Thysse (Pumas), Ashton Constant (SWD Eagles) and Raoul Larson (Eastern
Province). Conradie played 18 Tests for the Springboks while Louw played in three.
The Pampas XV ran in eleven tries against the Border Bulldogs last Saturday.
Date: Friday, March 19
Kick-off: 16h30
Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Jason Jaftha (SARU)
Assistant referees: François Groenewald, Roslyn Fortuin
* Western Province v Border Bulldogs (South section)
The hosts have been defeated in only two of their last 10 home games in the Vodacom Cup. The Bulldogs have conceded two defeats on the road in this season’s competition. They suffered a 73-14 loss to the Pampas XV last weekend and also went down to the Sharks XV (69-8) in Round One.
WP have won eight of their last ten games against the Border Bulldogs. They comprehensively defeated their East London opponents 51-21 when these sides last
met in Cape Town in March 2007.
WP recorded a 26-16 win over the Bulldogs during the 2009 Vodacom Cup.
Date: Saturday, March 20
Kick-off: 14h30
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Pro Legoete (SARU)
Assistant referees: Archie Sehlako, Petri Bosch
TMO: Johann Meuwesen
* SWD Eagles v The Sharks XV (South section)
SWD have won three of their home games against the Sharks XV in the Vodacom Cup. They recorded a 25-16 win over the Durban side when these sides last met in George in March 2007.
The Sharks XV secured a 18-13 win over the Eagles in 2009.
Date: Saturday, March 20
Kick-off: 16h00
Venue: Brickston Sports Grounds, Oudtshoorn
Referee: Bogani Maloni (Border)
Assistant referees:
François Veldsman, Cobus Wessels
* Welwitschias v Valke (North section)
The Namibians are still in search of their first home victory in the 2010 Vodacom Cup after conceding defeats to the Griffons (45-26) and Griquas (29-27).
The Welwitschias have never defeated the Valke in the four games played between these sides. The last time these sides met in Windhoek, way back in February 1999, the Valke secured a 11-8 win.
Date: Friday, March 19
Kick-off: 19h00
Venue: Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Tiaan Jonker (Golden Lions)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rashivenga, Local
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