Well then... that was a laugh. Seven days on a road trip with 94 other like minded souls. Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and beyond... 26 cars in convoy, lots of beer and generally very very good times. If you haven't heard of it before, then time to start doing the research - The Put Foot Rally is the next big thing to hit traveling and tourism in Southern Africa. Its going to be huge....
I managed to score a free space on the inaugural event with the @redsockfriday team car... With John McInroy, Graeme Madeson and the lovely Alisha Popot as company we set off not entirely sure what it was we were in for. Seven days later I was unwillingly getting on a plane back to Cape Town after freezing nights camping in the Namibian desert, drinking games around camp fires, game drives and boat cruises, not to mention white river rafting and a lot of laughs... Yep, the Put Foot Rally is for anyone that wants to get a good flavor of Africa and ave lots of fun doing it.
No doubt it will be bigger and better when it comes back next year. So get in touch with Darren Hillhouse, the legendary creator of the event, if you want to have a blast, see the sites and do your bit for charity.
http://www.putfootrally.com/
http://www.redsockfriday.com/
www.platepictures.co.za
Monday, July 4, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Sudan Crisis
In June 2008 I was fortunate enough to travel to Sudan to report on the good work of Irish aid agency GOAL. Now, with the age old civil war on the cusp of breaking out again, I reflect on GOAL's initiatives and ask, what now for the beleaguered people of this war torn country?
17th June 2008.....
After over two decades of war between North and South it is ironic that one of the many obstacles facing the people of Southern Sudan is peace.
Millions of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are now returning home. Already two UNHCR camps in Ethiopia have been closed resulting in up to 23,000 people moving back across the border into South Sudan. Many more IDPs from all over Africa’s biggest country are also moving south in hope of a brighter future.
UN David is fifteen years old. His unusual first name tells its own story. Born and raised in the United Nations run Bongo refugee camp, his family only returned from Ethiopia 4 months ago. “They spoke often about returning,” he says. Like UN, many Sudanese are getting their first taste of life in Sudan. “Life in Bonga was difficult, here there is more to do,” says twenty-three year-old Chulla Peya Hassan who moved to Bonga in 1987, aged just three; “we were repatriated a year ago, I have always wanted to come back to my homeland.”
Lacking in assets and basic education these returnees find themselves in a precarious situation often competing for fundamental services with host communities who are themselves enduring chronic poverty.
Kurmuk, a small market community on the border with Ethiopia, is experiencing a population explosion. Over 41% of the people here are reported to have returned since 2005. “Every month people are coming, so many people,” says Thomas Miteng who manages GOAL’s Primary Health Care Centre in the town. During the war years Kurmuk was heavily involved in fighting, consequently most infrastructure and services have been devastated.
At present just over 10% of the population have access to improved sanitation, infant mortality stands at 279 per one thousands live births and diarrhea and respiratory tract infections account for over 50% of the disease burden. But still people come.
“It was not easy when we came; there was no security, medicines or clean water but now it is much better,” says Marta who spent 8 years raising a family in Bonga refugee camp across the Ethiopian border. The limited data available shows that the overall health status of the population of South Sudan is among the worst in the world. With no viable health or education services NGOs have desperately been trying to fill the void.
The only primary health care facility in Kurmuk is provided and run by GOAL. The Irish NGO also recently finished the construction of market latrines (toilets) and has to date engineered more than 50 boreholes and hand-dug wells sustaining a constant supply of clean water to 160,000 people. Through healthcare provision, improved sanitation and access to clean water GOAL’s presence in the community over the past eight years has been critical for managing general health.
To vulnerable communities these vital services promote stability, reduce the risk of further population displacement and assist in preventing future tensions. However there are many challenges; “The growing population makes planning for outbreaks [of disease] very difficult,” explains Thomas, “with so many people on the move the risk of disease outbreaks remains very high. We must have buffer stock, especially now that it’s rainy season; already we are seeing many cases of malaria.”
Even in the face of such challenges GOAL’s reputation for providing vital healthcare has spread across communities, to neighboring counties and even Ethiopia. Zahara Musa is 48 years old but has the appearance of someone much older. Despite coming from a village close to the town of Damazin, which has its own State-run health facility, Zahara chose to travel for two days to access GOAL’s clinic in Kurmuk. “We hear that the clinic here is good,” she says, “we are ready for GOAL to come to my village,” she says smiling.
With improved security and better living standards not all people who come to Kurmuk were displaced by war. Mohammed El Haz is a Sudanese Arab who runs a book stall in the centre of Kurmuk’s dusty market. “I heard there was a good market and a lot of freedom,” he says smiling, “people used to be afraid to come down [to Kurmuk] but now it is safe and secure.” Already here a year, Mohammed says he plans to stay and make a success of his stall. “I have been to the [GOAL] health clinic once,” he says, “in the North [Sudan] you must pay but here it is free.”
With the population increasing at such a rapid rate, GOAL is coming under pressure to provide more services. “The Ministry of Health are asking us about setting up other clinics,” says Marion McGowan, GOAL’s Area Coordinator for the region; “Only recently they asked us to run another clinic in Chali, we already have one here in Kurmuk and one further south in Yabus but there has been an influx of patients of late.”
The rainy season in South Sudan brings with it many problems. It is the catalyst for countless diseases and makes access to GOAL’s facilities difficult. Therefore GOAL sets about innovatively training a network of health workers who can both monitor and serve local communities. With no MoH in Kurmuk GOAL is building sustainable health facilities which will exist under MoH control long after it is gone. Training local staff to run and maintain the service is critical for sustaining such longevity.
“The Ministry of Health are trying to get involved as much they can,” explains Marion, “they sometimes send our clinical officers up to Khartoum for further training. It is our goal to keep providing basic health training to enhance the capacity of the MoH to plan and manage the operations once we are gone.”
As people continue to return to South Sudan communities like Kurmuk will come under increasing pressure to provide more basic services. GOAL has been filling this void for almost a decade but its role can not be that of a permanent health provider. In time GOAL will move on from Kurmuk to breathe life into some other wretched region. However, even in its absence GOAL is ensuring that its high standards of care will continue to serve the communities which need them most long after it has gone.
17th June 2008.....
After over two decades of war between North and South it is ironic that one of the many obstacles facing the people of Southern Sudan is peace.
Millions of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are now returning home. Already two UNHCR camps in Ethiopia have been closed resulting in up to 23,000 people moving back across the border into South Sudan. Many more IDPs from all over Africa’s biggest country are also moving south in hope of a brighter future.
UN David is fifteen years old. His unusual first name tells its own story. Born and raised in the United Nations run Bongo refugee camp, his family only returned from Ethiopia 4 months ago. “They spoke often about returning,” he says. Like UN, many Sudanese are getting their first taste of life in Sudan. “Life in Bonga was difficult, here there is more to do,” says twenty-three year-old Chulla Peya Hassan who moved to Bonga in 1987, aged just three; “we were repatriated a year ago, I have always wanted to come back to my homeland.”
Lacking in assets and basic education these returnees find themselves in a precarious situation often competing for fundamental services with host communities who are themselves enduring chronic poverty.
Kurmuk, a small market community on the border with Ethiopia, is experiencing a population explosion. Over 41% of the people here are reported to have returned since 2005. “Every month people are coming, so many people,” says Thomas Miteng who manages GOAL’s Primary Health Care Centre in the town. During the war years Kurmuk was heavily involved in fighting, consequently most infrastructure and services have been devastated.
At present just over 10% of the population have access to improved sanitation, infant mortality stands at 279 per one thousands live births and diarrhea and respiratory tract infections account for over 50% of the disease burden. But still people come.
“It was not easy when we came; there was no security, medicines or clean water but now it is much better,” says Marta who spent 8 years raising a family in Bonga refugee camp across the Ethiopian border. The limited data available shows that the overall health status of the population of South Sudan is among the worst in the world. With no viable health or education services NGOs have desperately been trying to fill the void.
The only primary health care facility in Kurmuk is provided and run by GOAL. The Irish NGO also recently finished the construction of market latrines (toilets) and has to date engineered more than 50 boreholes and hand-dug wells sustaining a constant supply of clean water to 160,000 people. Through healthcare provision, improved sanitation and access to clean water GOAL’s presence in the community over the past eight years has been critical for managing general health.
To vulnerable communities these vital services promote stability, reduce the risk of further population displacement and assist in preventing future tensions. However there are many challenges; “The growing population makes planning for outbreaks [of disease] very difficult,” explains Thomas, “with so many people on the move the risk of disease outbreaks remains very high. We must have buffer stock, especially now that it’s rainy season; already we are seeing many cases of malaria.”
Even in the face of such challenges GOAL’s reputation for providing vital healthcare has spread across communities, to neighboring counties and even Ethiopia. Zahara Musa is 48 years old but has the appearance of someone much older. Despite coming from a village close to the town of Damazin, which has its own State-run health facility, Zahara chose to travel for two days to access GOAL’s clinic in Kurmuk. “We hear that the clinic here is good,” she says, “we are ready for GOAL to come to my village,” she says smiling.
With improved security and better living standards not all people who come to Kurmuk were displaced by war. Mohammed El Haz is a Sudanese Arab who runs a book stall in the centre of Kurmuk’s dusty market. “I heard there was a good market and a lot of freedom,” he says smiling, “people used to be afraid to come down [to Kurmuk] but now it is safe and secure.” Already here a year, Mohammed says he plans to stay and make a success of his stall. “I have been to the [GOAL] health clinic once,” he says, “in the North [Sudan] you must pay but here it is free.”
With the population increasing at such a rapid rate, GOAL is coming under pressure to provide more services. “The Ministry of Health are asking us about setting up other clinics,” says Marion McGowan, GOAL’s Area Coordinator for the region; “Only recently they asked us to run another clinic in Chali, we already have one here in Kurmuk and one further south in Yabus but there has been an influx of patients of late.”
The rainy season in South Sudan brings with it many problems. It is the catalyst for countless diseases and makes access to GOAL’s facilities difficult. Therefore GOAL sets about innovatively training a network of health workers who can both monitor and serve local communities. With no MoH in Kurmuk GOAL is building sustainable health facilities which will exist under MoH control long after it is gone. Training local staff to run and maintain the service is critical for sustaining such longevity.
“The Ministry of Health are trying to get involved as much they can,” explains Marion, “they sometimes send our clinical officers up to Khartoum for further training. It is our goal to keep providing basic health training to enhance the capacity of the MoH to plan and manage the operations once we are gone.”
As people continue to return to South Sudan communities like Kurmuk will come under increasing pressure to provide more basic services. GOAL has been filling this void for almost a decade but its role can not be that of a permanent health provider. In time GOAL will move on from Kurmuk to breathe life into some other wretched region. However, even in its absence GOAL is ensuring that its high standards of care will continue to serve the communities which need them most long after it has gone.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Unogwaja Challenge
Last month I witnessed my first Comrades Marathon. Until a few months ago I knew very little about the event. I had assumed it was just 'another' ultra marathon for those mad enough to want to run it.... I was wrong.
To be there and to witness first hand the sheer magnitude and emotion of the event was both inspiring and moving. This is an event which not only celebrates 'mankind's spirit over adversity' but one which helps to unify a still divided country... in short it brings out the best in all those connected to it. Its phenomenal.
To be able to witness it first hand and to have media access was one thing...to be there after filming 4 men cycling all the way from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg in 10 days and then running the race was quite another. In fact it was the culmination of an incredibly emotional and inspiring ten days.
The Comrades Marathon is an institution in South Africa. Not just 'another race,' the marathon is an esteemed pillar of many South African's lives, in many ways it is part of their identity. To run it, to complete it, is a huge feat. 90kms between Durban and Pietermaritzburg... its certainly not for the faint hearted. Yet each year thousands of entrants from all over the world line up to compete...why?
The Comrades was run for the first time in 1921 and, with the exception of a break during World War II, has been run every year since.
The brainchild of World War I veteran Vic Clapham, the race commemorates those South African soldiers killed during the war. Clapham, who had endured a 2,700kms march through sweltering German East Africa, wanted the memorial to be a unique test of the physical endurance of the entrants. The constitution of the race states that one of its primary aims is to "celebrate mankind's spirit over adversity".
In 1931 the race was won by Phil Masterton-Smith, who at 19 remains the youngest ever winner of the event; an incredible achievement. However, two years later the same man achieved something even more incredible when he finished the race in tenth place. Despite not having the money to afford a train ticket from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg, young Masterton-Smith was so determined to compete in the race that he cycled over 1700kms from Cape Town in just 10 days; on those roads, on those bicycles...and then ran the 90kms marathon.
Surprisingly this inspiring story had been somewhat over looked by Comrades historians and lovers of the race. Masterton-Smith's 1931 win ensures his name will forever be etched into the history of the great race but his incredible journey in 1933 had failed to grab much attention. Until this year.
Six months ago a young Afrikaans Dentist by the name of WP van Zyl came across the story of Masterton-Smith's 1933 race. Upon reading about this great feat he decided that this journey could be used in a modern context. So enthusiastic was he about the idea that less than 2 weeks later four men had committed to attempting to repeat the 1730kms journey to compete in the 2011 Comrades Marathon. Only one of them, WP, had ever run Comrades and none had ever cycled much more than to school and back. Nevertheless, the Unogwaja Challenge was born.(Unogwaja - hare - was the nickname given Phil Masterton- Smith by local Zulus on the farm he grew up on in the foothills of the KZN Drakensberg)
Incredibly they did it. Not only did they achieve an impossible task they too have etched their names into Comrades history. With full support of the The Comrades Marathon and the Natal Carbineers, who Masterton-Smith had fought and eventually died for during the Second World War, these four men celebrated mankind's spirit over adversity by proving that anything is possible.
Their journey, from the day WP learned of Masterton-Smith's 1933 feat to finishing their own Comrades, is full of emotion and inspiration. Strong bonds and friendships were formed, mountains crossed and history relived and made. The family of Phil Masterton-Smith reconnected, money was raised for charity and a new legacy was created.
A truly remarkable story which was documented by Plate Pictures. Please take time to look at the links below to get a taste of the epic challenge and watch this space for a complete documentary which will hopefully do its bit to inspire others to achieve what they believe is impossible...
Promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRI3Sb-FmaQ&feature=related
Stage 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsXbpMkDKH0&feature=related
Stage 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxhC9w5md54&feature=related
Stage 3 & 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXafrA5Fckw&feature=related
Stage 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3J1YNPts_4&feature=related
Stage 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yttNVHvRKMc&feature=related
Final Push: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BpdnPMQNG8
Live SABC IV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WTUKhMINNE&feature=related
To find out more visit - www.platepictures.co.za
To be there and to witness first hand the sheer magnitude and emotion of the event was both inspiring and moving. This is an event which not only celebrates 'mankind's spirit over adversity' but one which helps to unify a still divided country... in short it brings out the best in all those connected to it. Its phenomenal.
To be able to witness it first hand and to have media access was one thing...to be there after filming 4 men cycling all the way from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg in 10 days and then running the race was quite another. In fact it was the culmination of an incredibly emotional and inspiring ten days.
The Comrades Marathon is an institution in South Africa. Not just 'another race,' the marathon is an esteemed pillar of many South African's lives, in many ways it is part of their identity. To run it, to complete it, is a huge feat. 90kms between Durban and Pietermaritzburg... its certainly not for the faint hearted. Yet each year thousands of entrants from all over the world line up to compete...why?
The Comrades was run for the first time in 1921 and, with the exception of a break during World War II, has been run every year since.
The brainchild of World War I veteran Vic Clapham, the race commemorates those South African soldiers killed during the war. Clapham, who had endured a 2,700kms march through sweltering German East Africa, wanted the memorial to be a unique test of the physical endurance of the entrants. The constitution of the race states that one of its primary aims is to "celebrate mankind's spirit over adversity".
In 1931 the race was won by Phil Masterton-Smith, who at 19 remains the youngest ever winner of the event; an incredible achievement. However, two years later the same man achieved something even more incredible when he finished the race in tenth place. Despite not having the money to afford a train ticket from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg, young Masterton-Smith was so determined to compete in the race that he cycled over 1700kms from Cape Town in just 10 days; on those roads, on those bicycles...and then ran the 90kms marathon.
Surprisingly this inspiring story had been somewhat over looked by Comrades historians and lovers of the race. Masterton-Smith's 1931 win ensures his name will forever be etched into the history of the great race but his incredible journey in 1933 had failed to grab much attention. Until this year.
Six months ago a young Afrikaans Dentist by the name of WP van Zyl came across the story of Masterton-Smith's 1933 race. Upon reading about this great feat he decided that this journey could be used in a modern context. So enthusiastic was he about the idea that less than 2 weeks later four men had committed to attempting to repeat the 1730kms journey to compete in the 2011 Comrades Marathon. Only one of them, WP, had ever run Comrades and none had ever cycled much more than to school and back. Nevertheless, the Unogwaja Challenge was born.(Unogwaja - hare - was the nickname given Phil Masterton- Smith by local Zulus on the farm he grew up on in the foothills of the KZN Drakensberg)
Incredibly they did it. Not only did they achieve an impossible task they too have etched their names into Comrades history. With full support of the The Comrades Marathon and the Natal Carbineers, who Masterton-Smith had fought and eventually died for during the Second World War, these four men celebrated mankind's spirit over adversity by proving that anything is possible.
Their journey, from the day WP learned of Masterton-Smith's 1933 feat to finishing their own Comrades, is full of emotion and inspiration. Strong bonds and friendships were formed, mountains crossed and history relived and made. The family of Phil Masterton-Smith reconnected, money was raised for charity and a new legacy was created.
A truly remarkable story which was documented by Plate Pictures. Please take time to look at the links below to get a taste of the epic challenge and watch this space for a complete documentary which will hopefully do its bit to inspire others to achieve what they believe is impossible...
Promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRI3Sb-FmaQ&feature=related
Stage 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsXbpMkDKH0&feature=related
Stage 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxhC9w5md54&feature=related
Stage 3 & 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXafrA5Fckw&feature=related
Stage 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3J1YNPts_4&feature=related
Stage 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yttNVHvRKMc&feature=related
Final Push: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BpdnPMQNG8
Live SABC IV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WTUKhMINNE&feature=related
To find out more visit - www.platepictures.co.za
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Heineken Cup Round Six
HC - Round Six
After four months, six rounds and seventy-two matches the final eight teams of this year’s Heineken Cup were finally confirmed on Sunday evening. Only the six winners of each pool are guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals with two other teams qualifying as best ‘runners up.’ Unusually four teams had already booked their place by Round Five with Toulouse, Leinster, Toulon and Northampton riding high after winning their respective Pools with a round to spare. But, as ever with the Heineken Cup, there was much to play for in Round Six as all three teams needed to win to cement the advantage of a home quarter-final. There were also still four quarter-final places up for grabs with Wasps, Leicester, Ulster, Perpignan, Clermont and even the Scarlets all hoping for results to go their way.
All in all Round Six featured some critical matches but also some dead rubbers. There were four games with little relevance to the remainder of this year’s Heineken Cup. No South Africans were involved as Cardiff Blues beat Edinburgh in Scotland on Saturday or when Newport Gwent Dragons were beaten at home by Glasgow Warriors on Sunday’s final Pool game of this season’s competition. On Saturday two South Africans were involved as Munster grinded out a victory at home to London Irish. Munster prop Wian du Preez put in another solid performance, while fourteen times capped prop Faan Rautenbach was sin binned for the English side. Also on Saturday Joe van Niekerk was named on the bench as Toulon went down in Wales to the Ospreys (Toulon still won their group by a point over Munster).
The sixth and final round of pool matches featured no fewer than 39 South Africans, the most in any round of this season’s competition. Just how many will be involved come the final match on 21st May is still anyone’s guess but with Saracens out – who have ten South Africans in their squad – there will certainly be less compared to many of the games seen to date.
Friday , January 21
Pool 2: Saracens (ENG) 14-24 Clermont Auvergne (FRA)
South Africans: 10
Second placed Clermont Auvergne kept their Heineken Cup quarter-final hopes alive when they clinched a bonus point with a last-gasp fourth try in an exciting tie at Vicarage Road. The French side went into the tie needing a maximum five-point haul to give them genuine hope of qualifying from Pool Two.
With a huge Top 14 encounter against Racing next Wednesday in mind, Vern Cotter’s virtual second-string Clermont selection for the trek to Saracens suggested that this game was not the uppermost in their priorities.
No fewer than seven South Africans were involved for the Sarries side; Brad Barritt (declared for England) was named in the centre with Neil de Kock at scrum half. Ernst Joubert, Justin Melck, Mouritz Botha and Schalk Brits in the pack, tighthead prop Petrus du Plessis was named on the bench.
There were three South Africans in the Clermont side; former Sharks and Saracens utility back Brent Russell started on the wing and was joined by Marius Joubert in the centre and Willie Wepener at hooker.
Pool2: Racing Metro 92 (FRA) 11 - 36 Leinster (IRE)
South Africans: 7
Leinster assured a home quarter-final in the Heineken Cup with a convincing win over Racing Metro in Colombes, courtesy of five tries, including 21 points from outhalf Jonathan Sexton. That took their tally in six pool games to 21 tries and on this form the 2009 champions look to have every chance of regaining their crown.
Leinster’s lines of attack, support play and perhaps most crucially their patience all proved too much for a Racing side which had previously lost just once at home in the last 12 months.
Racing's interest in the competition ended last week in defeat at Clermont Auvergne and, with a tough Top 14 fixture to come against the same opposition on Wednesday, they fielded a largely second-string team. Argentina's Juan Martin Hernandez was at outhalf but there was no place in the starting line-up for the likes of Francois Steyn.
Former Cheetah’s hooker Richardt Strauss was again a critical component in Leinster’s all round play, while former Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe started on the bench. Three South Africans were involved for the French side, flanker Bernard Leroux, second row Francois Van der Merwe and prop Scott Zimmermann. Jacques Cronje and Frans Steyn were named on the bench.
Saturday , January 22
Pool 4: Aironi Rugby (ITA) 6 – 43 Ulster (IRE)
South Africans: 6
Ulster ended their twelve-year exile from the Heineken Cup knockout stages when securing second in Pool Four after a comfortable win against Aironi in Italy. It was a hugely impressive Pool phase that saw them record more victories (five from six) than the group winners (Biarritz), but miss out on top spot because of the losing bonus point picked up by Biarritz in Belfast last week. Ulster finished level on 22 points with the French club but missed out due to an inferior head-to-head record.
Three South Africans started for Ulster, number eight Pedrie Wannenburg scored twice in a man-of-the-match display while Ruan Pienaar and Johann Muller were also in the side. BJ Botha is currently sidelined with an elbow ligament injury picked up in last weeks bruising encounter against Biarritz.
The home team also fielded three South Africans although two have since declared for Italy. Gareth Krause and Jaco Erasmus (declared for Italy) started on both flanks while Quintin Geldenhuys (declared for Italy) started in the second row.
Pool 4: Biarritz (FRA) 26-19 Bath (ENG)
South Africans: 5
Biarritz secured their place in the Heineken Cup knockout stages with a four-try victory over Bath in France on Saturday. Last year's finalists were classy from the off on home soil as they enjoyed the ideal conditions a great deal more than that of Belfast seven days ago. England’s Iain Balshaw looked back to his best, Dimitri Yachvili was constantly probing and Imanol Harinordoquy led his forward pack superbly. South African prop Eduard Coetzee was again named in the French side.
Four South Africans were involved in the Bath side. Luke Watson (playing his last Heineken Cup game for Bath), Butch James and Michael Claasens were all named in the starting XV with Zimbabwean born hooker Pieter Dixon on the bench.
Pool 1: Castres (FRA) 12 - 23 Northampton (ENG)
South Africans: 3
Northampton secured a home tie in the quarter-finals with a comfortable away victory over an under-strength Castres. The result means that Saints finish the pool stages unbeaten, their 100% record means they become the first English team to do so since Bath in 2002. No team, however, has ever won the competition – or even reached the final – after winning all of their group games.
Castres, who lost at home for the first time since April, were bolstered upfront by South African props Michael Coetzee and Danie Saayman. Facing them for the English side was Zimbabwean born and former Stormers prop Brian Mujati.
Sunday , January 23
Pool 5: Leicester (ENG) - Benetton Treviso (ITA)
South Africans: 2
Although Willem de Waal made way for Kristopher Burton, Treviso still fielded two South Africans for this encounter; Benjamin Vermaak and Cornielus Van Zyl were named at flanker and second row respectively.
Pool 5: Perpignan (FRA) 37 - 5 Scarlets (WAL)
South Africans: 1
Perpignan booked themselves a home quarter-final after dominating the Scarlets on Sunday. Perpignan were halfway to their target of four tries inside 10 minutes, added another on the half-hour mark and completed the job, thus securing a bonus point, seven minutes into the second half. The 2009 French champions set their stall out early, quickly snuffing out any faint hopes Scarlets had of a bonus-point win that would have taken them through.
South African import, Gerrie Britz, crashed over for Perpignan’s fifth try in the final stages. The loose forward had come onto the field after being named on the bench for the French side.
Perpignan manager Jacques Brunel has announced to his players that he will be taking over as Italy coach after the World Cup. Reports in the Italian press on Monday said Brunel, who led Perpignan to the Top 14 title in 2009, has reached an agreement with the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) to take over from current coach Nick Mallett.
Pool 6: Wasps (ENG) 21-16 Toulouse (FRA)
South Africans: 2
What a game. Toulouse, 16-16 with a minute to go, ended up losing this crucial match and ultimately lost the opportunity of a home quarter-final. They now must travel to Biarritz, who they beat in last season’s final, in what is now one of two all French quarter finals. Daan Human and Shaun Sowerby were the only South Africans involved in this match. Human was again named in the front row while the former Sharks loose forward Sowerby was named on the bench for the French side.
The critical blow for the defending champions was a second half red card shown to Florian Fritz for a spear tackle. For Wasps, it was a matter of pride after their chances of qualification faded when losing to Glasgow last week.
Summary
The four teams with the most points after the pool stages earn the advantage of a home quarter-final. The two pool winners with the lowest points and the two ‘best placed runners-up’ have the tough task of playing their matches away from home. The quarter final matches taking place on the weekend of 8-10 April are as follows:
Northampton v Ulster
Leinster v Leicester
Perpignan v Toulon
Biarritz v Toulouse
It used to be that few clubs in France achieved much in Europe on the road, but this season four French teams have made it through to the last eight making up two all French quarter-finals. On the way to this year’s quarter finals Clermont have won at Saracens, Toulouse in Glasgow, where Wasps failed, Toulon secured what has so far been the only away victory in their group, at London Irish, Biarritz prevailed in Bath, even if they then managed to lose in Aironi, and Perpignan drew in Leicester. Even Castres, who have gone 21 matches in all competitions without an away victory, pushed Northampton all the way at Franklin's Gardens.
This year two Welsh regions are counting the cost of failing to qualify for the last eight of the Heineken Cup. Cardiff Blues and Ospreys were both fancied to make at least the quarter-finals, but didn’t manage to muster an away victory between them. The Scottish teams never threatened with Edinburgh finishing bottom of Pool One and Glasgow second from bottom in Pool Six. Certainly from an Italian perspective the highlight came with Aironi’s shock win over Biarritz in Round Three.
For the Irish it was both brilliance and the end of an era. Leinster secured a home quarter-final by winning a very difficult group. Two time champions Munster bowed out of the competition before the quarter-finals for the first time in twelve years (a feat unlikely to be repeated) and Ulster qualified for the first time since winning the competition in 1999.
With the pool stages complete, the Heineken Cup takes a break as the Six Nations gets underway. The quarter-finals of the competition will be played in early April, before the Semi-Finals in late April and early May. The sixteenth Heineken Cup Final will be played in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on the 21st of May.
With four French teams facing each other in two of the quarter finals there is a great opportunity for a British or Irish team to take this year’s title. Only one this is certain, we will know a lot more by the 10th of April.
After four months, six rounds and seventy-two matches the final eight teams of this year’s Heineken Cup were finally confirmed on Sunday evening. Only the six winners of each pool are guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals with two other teams qualifying as best ‘runners up.’ Unusually four teams had already booked their place by Round Five with Toulouse, Leinster, Toulon and Northampton riding high after winning their respective Pools with a round to spare. But, as ever with the Heineken Cup, there was much to play for in Round Six as all three teams needed to win to cement the advantage of a home quarter-final. There were also still four quarter-final places up for grabs with Wasps, Leicester, Ulster, Perpignan, Clermont and even the Scarlets all hoping for results to go their way.
All in all Round Six featured some critical matches but also some dead rubbers. There were four games with little relevance to the remainder of this year’s Heineken Cup. No South Africans were involved as Cardiff Blues beat Edinburgh in Scotland on Saturday or when Newport Gwent Dragons were beaten at home by Glasgow Warriors on Sunday’s final Pool game of this season’s competition. On Saturday two South Africans were involved as Munster grinded out a victory at home to London Irish. Munster prop Wian du Preez put in another solid performance, while fourteen times capped prop Faan Rautenbach was sin binned for the English side. Also on Saturday Joe van Niekerk was named on the bench as Toulon went down in Wales to the Ospreys (Toulon still won their group by a point over Munster).
The sixth and final round of pool matches featured no fewer than 39 South Africans, the most in any round of this season’s competition. Just how many will be involved come the final match on 21st May is still anyone’s guess but with Saracens out – who have ten South Africans in their squad – there will certainly be less compared to many of the games seen to date.
Friday , January 21
Pool 2: Saracens (ENG) 14-24 Clermont Auvergne (FRA)
South Africans: 10
Second placed Clermont Auvergne kept their Heineken Cup quarter-final hopes alive when they clinched a bonus point with a last-gasp fourth try in an exciting tie at Vicarage Road. The French side went into the tie needing a maximum five-point haul to give them genuine hope of qualifying from Pool Two.
With a huge Top 14 encounter against Racing next Wednesday in mind, Vern Cotter’s virtual second-string Clermont selection for the trek to Saracens suggested that this game was not the uppermost in their priorities.
No fewer than seven South Africans were involved for the Sarries side; Brad Barritt (declared for England) was named in the centre with Neil de Kock at scrum half. Ernst Joubert, Justin Melck, Mouritz Botha and Schalk Brits in the pack, tighthead prop Petrus du Plessis was named on the bench.
There were three South Africans in the Clermont side; former Sharks and Saracens utility back Brent Russell started on the wing and was joined by Marius Joubert in the centre and Willie Wepener at hooker.
Pool2: Racing Metro 92 (FRA) 11 - 36 Leinster (IRE)
South Africans: 7
Leinster assured a home quarter-final in the Heineken Cup with a convincing win over Racing Metro in Colombes, courtesy of five tries, including 21 points from outhalf Jonathan Sexton. That took their tally in six pool games to 21 tries and on this form the 2009 champions look to have every chance of regaining their crown.
Leinster’s lines of attack, support play and perhaps most crucially their patience all proved too much for a Racing side which had previously lost just once at home in the last 12 months.
Racing's interest in the competition ended last week in defeat at Clermont Auvergne and, with a tough Top 14 fixture to come against the same opposition on Wednesday, they fielded a largely second-string team. Argentina's Juan Martin Hernandez was at outhalf but there was no place in the starting line-up for the likes of Francois Steyn.
Former Cheetah’s hooker Richardt Strauss was again a critical component in Leinster’s all round play, while former Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe started on the bench. Three South Africans were involved for the French side, flanker Bernard Leroux, second row Francois Van der Merwe and prop Scott Zimmermann. Jacques Cronje and Frans Steyn were named on the bench.
Saturday , January 22
Pool 4: Aironi Rugby (ITA) 6 – 43 Ulster (IRE)
South Africans: 6
Ulster ended their twelve-year exile from the Heineken Cup knockout stages when securing second in Pool Four after a comfortable win against Aironi in Italy. It was a hugely impressive Pool phase that saw them record more victories (five from six) than the group winners (Biarritz), but miss out on top spot because of the losing bonus point picked up by Biarritz in Belfast last week. Ulster finished level on 22 points with the French club but missed out due to an inferior head-to-head record.
Three South Africans started for Ulster, number eight Pedrie Wannenburg scored twice in a man-of-the-match display while Ruan Pienaar and Johann Muller were also in the side. BJ Botha is currently sidelined with an elbow ligament injury picked up in last weeks bruising encounter against Biarritz.
The home team also fielded three South Africans although two have since declared for Italy. Gareth Krause and Jaco Erasmus (declared for Italy) started on both flanks while Quintin Geldenhuys (declared for Italy) started in the second row.
Pool 4: Biarritz (FRA) 26-19 Bath (ENG)
South Africans: 5
Biarritz secured their place in the Heineken Cup knockout stages with a four-try victory over Bath in France on Saturday. Last year's finalists were classy from the off on home soil as they enjoyed the ideal conditions a great deal more than that of Belfast seven days ago. England’s Iain Balshaw looked back to his best, Dimitri Yachvili was constantly probing and Imanol Harinordoquy led his forward pack superbly. South African prop Eduard Coetzee was again named in the French side.
Four South Africans were involved in the Bath side. Luke Watson (playing his last Heineken Cup game for Bath), Butch James and Michael Claasens were all named in the starting XV with Zimbabwean born hooker Pieter Dixon on the bench.
Pool 1: Castres (FRA) 12 - 23 Northampton (ENG)
South Africans: 3
Northampton secured a home tie in the quarter-finals with a comfortable away victory over an under-strength Castres. The result means that Saints finish the pool stages unbeaten, their 100% record means they become the first English team to do so since Bath in 2002. No team, however, has ever won the competition – or even reached the final – after winning all of their group games.
Castres, who lost at home for the first time since April, were bolstered upfront by South African props Michael Coetzee and Danie Saayman. Facing them for the English side was Zimbabwean born and former Stormers prop Brian Mujati.
Sunday , January 23
Pool 5: Leicester (ENG) - Benetton Treviso (ITA)
South Africans: 2
Although Willem de Waal made way for Kristopher Burton, Treviso still fielded two South Africans for this encounter; Benjamin Vermaak and Cornielus Van Zyl were named at flanker and second row respectively.
Pool 5: Perpignan (FRA) 37 - 5 Scarlets (WAL)
South Africans: 1
Perpignan booked themselves a home quarter-final after dominating the Scarlets on Sunday. Perpignan were halfway to their target of four tries inside 10 minutes, added another on the half-hour mark and completed the job, thus securing a bonus point, seven minutes into the second half. The 2009 French champions set their stall out early, quickly snuffing out any faint hopes Scarlets had of a bonus-point win that would have taken them through.
South African import, Gerrie Britz, crashed over for Perpignan’s fifth try in the final stages. The loose forward had come onto the field after being named on the bench for the French side.
Perpignan manager Jacques Brunel has announced to his players that he will be taking over as Italy coach after the World Cup. Reports in the Italian press on Monday said Brunel, who led Perpignan to the Top 14 title in 2009, has reached an agreement with the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) to take over from current coach Nick Mallett.
Pool 6: Wasps (ENG) 21-16 Toulouse (FRA)
South Africans: 2
What a game. Toulouse, 16-16 with a minute to go, ended up losing this crucial match and ultimately lost the opportunity of a home quarter-final. They now must travel to Biarritz, who they beat in last season’s final, in what is now one of two all French quarter finals. Daan Human and Shaun Sowerby were the only South Africans involved in this match. Human was again named in the front row while the former Sharks loose forward Sowerby was named on the bench for the French side.
The critical blow for the defending champions was a second half red card shown to Florian Fritz for a spear tackle. For Wasps, it was a matter of pride after their chances of qualification faded when losing to Glasgow last week.
Summary
The four teams with the most points after the pool stages earn the advantage of a home quarter-final. The two pool winners with the lowest points and the two ‘best placed runners-up’ have the tough task of playing their matches away from home. The quarter final matches taking place on the weekend of 8-10 April are as follows:
Northampton v Ulster
Leinster v Leicester
Perpignan v Toulon
Biarritz v Toulouse
It used to be that few clubs in France achieved much in Europe on the road, but this season four French teams have made it through to the last eight making up two all French quarter-finals. On the way to this year’s quarter finals Clermont have won at Saracens, Toulouse in Glasgow, where Wasps failed, Toulon secured what has so far been the only away victory in their group, at London Irish, Biarritz prevailed in Bath, even if they then managed to lose in Aironi, and Perpignan drew in Leicester. Even Castres, who have gone 21 matches in all competitions without an away victory, pushed Northampton all the way at Franklin's Gardens.
This year two Welsh regions are counting the cost of failing to qualify for the last eight of the Heineken Cup. Cardiff Blues and Ospreys were both fancied to make at least the quarter-finals, but didn’t manage to muster an away victory between them. The Scottish teams never threatened with Edinburgh finishing bottom of Pool One and Glasgow second from bottom in Pool Six. Certainly from an Italian perspective the highlight came with Aironi’s shock win over Biarritz in Round Three.
For the Irish it was both brilliance and the end of an era. Leinster secured a home quarter-final by winning a very difficult group. Two time champions Munster bowed out of the competition before the quarter-finals for the first time in twelve years (a feat unlikely to be repeated) and Ulster qualified for the first time since winning the competition in 1999.
With the pool stages complete, the Heineken Cup takes a break as the Six Nations gets underway. The quarter-finals of the competition will be played in early April, before the Semi-Finals in late April and early May. The sixteenth Heineken Cup Final will be played in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on the 21st of May.
With four French teams facing each other in two of the quarter finals there is a great opportunity for a British or Irish team to take this year’s title. Only one this is certain, we will know a lot more by the 10th of April.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Heineken Cup Round Five - Review
HC - Round Five
The Heineken Cup returned this weekend with the second last round of pool matches before next weekend’s penultimate Round Six fixtures. With Round Five complete it is now possible to get an idea of which teams will be back for the traditionally absorbing knock out stages in April.
After twelve consecutive years Munster have finally been eliminated from the competition before the Quarter Finals. Toulouse are cantering, Leinster look like real contenders and unbeaten Northampton have put up their hand as potential champions. It as a bad weekend for Wasps who surprisingly went down to Glasgow and now have a tough up hill battle to qualify. Next weekend the final round of pool games gets underway and only then will it be known which teams will be back in April for the Quarter Finals.
Round One of the competition took place back in October. Since then there have been Four Rounds of action. The competition was interrupted by the November international series and will again be put on hold after next week’s final Pool games as the Six Nations gets underway. The Quarter Finals of the competition will be played in early April, before the Semi-Finals in late April and early May. The sixteenth Heineken Cup Final will be played in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on the 21st of May.
For four months twenty-four teams have been battling it out across Six Pools. Only the winners of each pool are guaranteed a spot in the Quarter Finals with two other teams qualifying as best ‘runners up.’
The competition is the Holy Grail for the Irish and British teams but despite current champions Toulouse having the proudest record (four wins) the French teams still treat the competition with mixed regard. Teams from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy compete in the competition while also competing in their respective leagues.
Last weekend’s encounter between Leinster and Saracens involved no fewer than eight South Africans. In fact Round Five of the Heineken Cup featured a total of 30 South Africans, all plying their trade in cooler climes.
Pool 1: Friday , January 14
Pool 1: Cardiff Blues (WAL) 14-9 Castres (FRA)
South Africans: 2
Although there were two South Africans involved in this encounter only one of them is technically eligible to play for his native country; Cardiff’s loose forward Andries Pretorius moved to Wales in 2006 and has since indicated his desire to represent his adopted country. Danie Saayman, who has been a regular feature for Castres this campaign, started number 3 for the French side.
Castres once again failed to choose their strongest side, a tactic they have followed in recent matches in this competition. Former All Black Chris Masoe was named on a bench that contained Romain Teulet, French international Luc Ducalcon, Joe Tekori and a couple of Georgian piano-shifters.
Castres are currently sixth in the Top 14 and won the first leg of this fixture in Round Two by 27 – 20. However they effectively ended their chances of qualification to the knock out stages when going down 22-24 to Edinburgh in Round Four.
The Blues already had no hope of reaching the last eight in the top-tier competition but this win keeps them in the hunt for a runners-up spot which would put them in the quarter-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup (Europe’s second tier competition).
Pool 1: Northampton (ENG) 37-0 Edinburgh (SCO)
South Africans: 1
Northampton Saints became the first team to book their place in the Quarter-Finals of the competition. Their five wins from five matches is reflective of their great season so far. Although they have slipped from top of the Aviva Premiership after a bruising encounter against old foes Leicester last weekend this result leaves them with pretty much a guaranteed home quarter final in April.
Injuries to English internationals Courtney Lawes, Chris Ashton, Shane Geraghty and the presence of the less than assured Ryan Powell at scrumhalf meant the unbeaten Northampton Saints were not as potent on paper as they might have been. However an emphatic win looked to be on the cards when Zimbabwean born but South African qualified prop Brian Mujati touched down in the third minute after a drive by the Northampton pack following a lineout.
Northampton have certainly put up their hand as serious contenders for this year’s title while it is another miserable campaign for Edinburgh who yet again exit the tournament before the knock out stages.
Pool 2: Clermont Auvergne (FRA) 28 – 17 Racing Metro 92 (FRA)
South Africans: 2
Going into this match both teams were equal on nine points in second place in Pool Two, trailing Leinster by five points meaning that for the losers the Heineken Cup is over. The victors still had to hope for the result in Dublin (Leinster against Saracens) to go their way if they were to make the quarter-finals. But it was Clermont who temporarily drew level on points with Leinster at the top of Pool Two as they secured a bonus point victory in Paris and kept their slight chances of progressing to the quarter finals alive.
Despite having won the home leg 16 – 9 when the sides met last October, Racing selected a below-strength side as they seemed more focused on their domestic campaign. Hence Frans Steyn, Lionel Nallet and Sebastien Chabal were are all left out. In the absence of suspended Jonathan Wisniewski, Pumas playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez started at fly-half. South Africa’s Bernard Le Roux and Francois van der Merwe were named in the pack for Racing.
The visitors got off to a great start and led 10-0 after 15 minutes thanks to a try from Le Roux and but the home side took control in the third quarter with tries from Thomas Domingo and Jason White, both converted by Brock James, putting them 21-10 ahead. Julien Jane got one back for Racing but French centre Aurelien Rougerie sealed the bonus point with a try in the 72nd minute.
It’s all over for Paris’s big spending outfit. Racing, currently second in the Top 14 will now have to make do with a pop at the French Championship.
Saturday , January 15
Pool 2: Leinster (IRE) 43-20 Saracens (ENG)
South Africans: 8
Clermont’s victory meant Leinster needed to win with a bonus point to ensure qualification. Well, they did that, and they did it with style. Whatever resistance Saracens put up in the first half, it was a distant memory by the time the former European Champions had finished with them. For this was a performance of champions, utter domination of a team currently lying second in the Aviva Premiership. The result means that Leinster need just one point from their last fixture, away to Racing Metro, to ensure that they finish top of Pool Two. Leinster will now be short odds to go all the way in this tournament.
In tough conditions the Irish side scored six beautifully crafted tries. Two South African’s were involved in the winning side – the excellent and consistent Richardt Strauss yet again demonstrated his all round play when superbly putting Fergus McFadden in for Leinster’s fourth try. It has been an excellent season so far for the hooker. Former Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe came on mid way through the second half and by all accounts had a decent game.
It was a different story for the English side. No longer coached by Brendan Venter theystill seem unable to bring their Premiership form to Europe. Saracens were beaten 23 -25 by Leinster when the two sides met at Wembly Stadium in Round Two and never really threatened to qualify out of this tricky Pool as many expected them to.
Almost as a side story to rugby in general, Gavin Henson made his much ‘anticipated’ Heineken Cup appearance for Saracens. In fairness, despite his much abused celebrity status and time spent dancing on television he remains a damn good rugby player. It is certainly a positive development for Wales ahead of the World Cup (although he picked up a calf strain). Henson’s European registration came at the expense of former Bulls-out half Derick Hougaard. However, five South African’s were still involved for Saracens. Though now declared for England, South African Brad Barritt started at inside centre and was joined by former Lions no. 8 Ernst Joubert, former Stormers hooker Schalk Brits, while Petrus du Plessis, Neil de Kock and Justin Melck were named on the bench.
Pool 6: Toulouse (FRA) 17-3 Newport-Gwent Dragons (WAL)
South Africans: 1
Defending Heineken Cup champions and current Top 14 leaders Toulouse were without former All Black scrum-half Byron Kelleher for Saturday's clash with the Dragons. The French side labored to a win to remain as one of only two teams to be unbeaten in the Pool stages. The Dragons also went down 19 – 40 to Toulouse in Round Two and had no chance of qualifying for the quarter finals in what has proved to be a disappointing year for the Welsh team.
Toulouse can never be underestimated and have again proven their class by remaining unbeaten - even if Pool 6 is considered one of the weaker pools in this season’s competition. They have the squad, the experience and without doubt the pedigree so, yet again, they look like strong contenders for the 2011 title. South African prop Daan Human was named on the bench for Toulouse.
Pool 5: Benetton Treviso (ITA) 9 - 44 Perpignan (FRA)
South Africans: 3
Perpignan got the job done in Italy on Saturday as they claimed a five-try victory over Treviso to move them top of Pool Five on equal points with Leicester.
Three South African’s were involved for the Italian side. The experienced Willem de Waal kicked all of Teviso’s points while Benjamin Vermaak was named in the back row and lock forward Cornielus Van Zyl on the bench.
Pool 4: Bath (ENG) 55-16 Aironi Rugby (ITA)
South Africans: 5
Aironi’s Round Three victory over last year’s Heineken Cup finalists, Biarritz, means that all teams now face them with a watchful eye. However, four tries from Matt Banahan saw Bath cruise to victory at the Rec on Saturday. It was also a good day at the office for soon to depart Luke Watson, as the Bath captain scored two great tries for the home side. Worryingly Butch James limped off early in the second half, his presence is critical for Bath’s Aviva Premiership campaign. Despite the win Bath are now out of the Heineken Cup; they travel to France next week and can only do Ulster a favor if getting a result against Biarritz.
Four South African’s lined out for the winning side; joining Luke Watson and Butch James were eight times capped Michael Claasons and Zimbabwean born hooker Pieter Dixon. Aironi, with no chance of qualification, decided to leave some frontline players in Italy including a number of their South African imports. As a result only loose forward Gareth Krause was named in the side.
Pool 4: Ulster (IRE) 9-6 Biarritz (FRA)
South Africans: 5
Perhaps the biggest victory in twelve years for the Northern Irish province? There haven’t been too many European campaigns since Ulster were crowned Champions in 1999 when they have remained in contention going into the final round of Pool matches. Credit must be given to the many South African’s in their squad but this victory is one to savor for Ian Humphreys whose 78th minute penalty earned his team the vital win that was needed to bring this Pool down to the wire.
It wasn’t pretty but sometimes that isn’t what matters. Ruan Pienaar, Johann Muller, BJ Botha and Pedrie Wannenburg all helped to bolster the up front battle and it was certainly a day for it. For Biarritz it was an opportunity missed. 6-6 with two minutes to go, a draw would have done nicely for last year’s runners-up.
Ominously for Ulster the French side had unveiled their strongest hand going into this encounter with the likes of Jerome Thion, Imanol Harinordoquy, Dimitri Yachvili and Damien Traille in the starting XV. South African prop Eduard Coetzee was also named in the side, all in all it was always going to be a tough ask for the Ulstermen.
The Northern Irish side are showing signs that they might just have the mettle to see this one through. It would be naïve to write off Biarritz, so often still involved come the latter stages of this tournament, but for Ulster an opportunity to progress is finally a reality after twelve years of waiting. It now comes down to the team who secures the most points in Round Six – Ulster travel to Italy to face Aironi (who beat Biarritz in Round Three), while Biarritz entertain Bath. However, it is the French side who hold the trump card, thanks to a better head-to-head record, should the sides still be level after next weekend's games.
Pool 5: Scarlets (WAL) 18-32 Leicester (ENG)
South Africans: 0
A must win game for both sides. In the end it was the experience of two time European Champions Leicester, with 26 points scored after the break, which underpinned this impressive display. The English side proved their current status as Aviva Premiership leaders and silenced a record 12,392 Scarlets' crowd with a dominant second half display.
Only three points separated the top three in a tight and hugely competitive Pool going into Round Five. And now, with just one Round left, Leicester share top spot with Perpignan on 17 points. Scarlets head coach Nigel Davies described this showdown as his team's "biggest game in the last three years;" a win and the Welsh side had a fantastic chance of making the Quarter Finals but the loss means they must now beat Perpignan in France next weekend with a bonus point to have a chance of progressing – the margins are as fine as that.
As it stands, a bonus point victory next weekend against Welford Road visitors Treviso should be enough to see Leicester progress - either as group winners or one of two best runners-up.
Sunday , January 16
Pool 6: Glasgow (SCO) 20-10 Wasps (ENG)
South Africans: 0
After all the talk of a final show down between Wasps and Toulouse… along come the Scots to spoil the party. As a result Wasps' Heineken Cup hopes are hanging by a very thin thread. Needing a victory to stay hot on the heels of Toulouse ahead of next week's crunch Pool Six clash, Wasps' failure to pick up a bonus point means they are six points behind the French side's 21 with just one match to go. This loss means that Wasps can now only hope to qualify as one of the best second placed teams.
Wasps defeated Glasgow by ten points, 36 – 26, when the sides met at Adam’s Park last October.
Pool 3: London Irish (ENG) 24-12 Ospreys (WAL)
South Africans: 1
Despite their current run of poor form, London Irish Head Coach Toby Booth made it clear this was an opportunity for his side to turn over a new leaf. Irish went into the game looking to end a run of 10 consecutive defeats, their worst in four years, and tries from Sailosi Tagicakibau and Topsy Ojo saw them do so. Former Springbok Faan Rautenbach lined out for Irish but no other South African was represented in this encounter.
Yet another Heineken Cup campaign has come to nothing for the Ospreys. The Welsh side boast a squad of internationals such as James Hook, Marty Holah, Jerry Collins, Tommy Bowe and former world player of the year Shane Williams (currently injured) but seem unable to produce the goods where it counts. Despite making it to the quarter-final stage of the competition in each of the past three seasons, the Ospreys are yet to leave their lasting mark on Europe, and this campaign will be a bitterly disappointing for all concerned.
Pool 3: Toulon (FRA) 32-16 Munster (IRE)
South Africans: 2
Toulon were utterly deserving winners of this critical Pool 3 encounter. This will be a tough pill for Munster to swallow; their incredible record of twelve consecutive Quarter Finals is finally over. Unlucky thirteen if you like. But the two time European Champions can have no complaints, Toulon, who they beat 45-18 in October, played them off the park.
It was certainly a day for records; Munster’s record run ended and for Toulon, qualification for the quarter-finals for the first time in their history with one round still to play. In front of their s partisan crowd, Toulon outscored their visitors two tries to one while Jonny Wilkinson contributed 22 points with his boot.
Toulon are currently in a disappointing seventh position in the French league but can now look forward to European Rugby for at least another three months while Munster face the prospect of having only the Magners League(they are currently top) to contend for the first time in thirteen years.
Joe van Niekerk captained the French side while former Cheetahs prop Wian du Preez started for Munster.
Summary
With only one round to go we still do not know which eight teams will make it to this year’s quarter finals. Northampton, Toulouse and Leinster will be there but it is hard to say with certainty who will be joining them. For the first time in thirteen years two time champions Munster will not be involved but it could be the first time since 1999 that former champions Ulster make it out of the Pool stages. Who will make up the other numbers is anyone’s guess; Toulon are almost there, Perpignan, Leicester, Biarritz and even Wasps all stand a good chance.
Round Six of the Heineken Cup takes place next weekend and promises to be every bit as exciting as Round Five.
The Heineken Cup returned this weekend with the second last round of pool matches before next weekend’s penultimate Round Six fixtures. With Round Five complete it is now possible to get an idea of which teams will be back for the traditionally absorbing knock out stages in April.
After twelve consecutive years Munster have finally been eliminated from the competition before the Quarter Finals. Toulouse are cantering, Leinster look like real contenders and unbeaten Northampton have put up their hand as potential champions. It as a bad weekend for Wasps who surprisingly went down to Glasgow and now have a tough up hill battle to qualify. Next weekend the final round of pool games gets underway and only then will it be known which teams will be back in April for the Quarter Finals.
Round One of the competition took place back in October. Since then there have been Four Rounds of action. The competition was interrupted by the November international series and will again be put on hold after next week’s final Pool games as the Six Nations gets underway. The Quarter Finals of the competition will be played in early April, before the Semi-Finals in late April and early May. The sixteenth Heineken Cup Final will be played in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on the 21st of May.
For four months twenty-four teams have been battling it out across Six Pools. Only the winners of each pool are guaranteed a spot in the Quarter Finals with two other teams qualifying as best ‘runners up.’
The competition is the Holy Grail for the Irish and British teams but despite current champions Toulouse having the proudest record (four wins) the French teams still treat the competition with mixed regard. Teams from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy compete in the competition while also competing in their respective leagues.
Last weekend’s encounter between Leinster and Saracens involved no fewer than eight South Africans. In fact Round Five of the Heineken Cup featured a total of 30 South Africans, all plying their trade in cooler climes.
Pool 1: Friday , January 14
Pool 1: Cardiff Blues (WAL) 14-9 Castres (FRA)
South Africans: 2
Although there were two South Africans involved in this encounter only one of them is technically eligible to play for his native country; Cardiff’s loose forward Andries Pretorius moved to Wales in 2006 and has since indicated his desire to represent his adopted country. Danie Saayman, who has been a regular feature for Castres this campaign, started number 3 for the French side.
Castres once again failed to choose their strongest side, a tactic they have followed in recent matches in this competition. Former All Black Chris Masoe was named on a bench that contained Romain Teulet, French international Luc Ducalcon, Joe Tekori and a couple of Georgian piano-shifters.
Castres are currently sixth in the Top 14 and won the first leg of this fixture in Round Two by 27 – 20. However they effectively ended their chances of qualification to the knock out stages when going down 22-24 to Edinburgh in Round Four.
The Blues already had no hope of reaching the last eight in the top-tier competition but this win keeps them in the hunt for a runners-up spot which would put them in the quarter-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup (Europe’s second tier competition).
Pool 1: Northampton (ENG) 37-0 Edinburgh (SCO)
South Africans: 1
Northampton Saints became the first team to book their place in the Quarter-Finals of the competition. Their five wins from five matches is reflective of their great season so far. Although they have slipped from top of the Aviva Premiership after a bruising encounter against old foes Leicester last weekend this result leaves them with pretty much a guaranteed home quarter final in April.
Injuries to English internationals Courtney Lawes, Chris Ashton, Shane Geraghty and the presence of the less than assured Ryan Powell at scrumhalf meant the unbeaten Northampton Saints were not as potent on paper as they might have been. However an emphatic win looked to be on the cards when Zimbabwean born but South African qualified prop Brian Mujati touched down in the third minute after a drive by the Northampton pack following a lineout.
Northampton have certainly put up their hand as serious contenders for this year’s title while it is another miserable campaign for Edinburgh who yet again exit the tournament before the knock out stages.
Pool 2: Clermont Auvergne (FRA) 28 – 17 Racing Metro 92 (FRA)
South Africans: 2
Going into this match both teams were equal on nine points in second place in Pool Two, trailing Leinster by five points meaning that for the losers the Heineken Cup is over. The victors still had to hope for the result in Dublin (Leinster against Saracens) to go their way if they were to make the quarter-finals. But it was Clermont who temporarily drew level on points with Leinster at the top of Pool Two as they secured a bonus point victory in Paris and kept their slight chances of progressing to the quarter finals alive.
Despite having won the home leg 16 – 9 when the sides met last October, Racing selected a below-strength side as they seemed more focused on their domestic campaign. Hence Frans Steyn, Lionel Nallet and Sebastien Chabal were are all left out. In the absence of suspended Jonathan Wisniewski, Pumas playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez started at fly-half. South Africa’s Bernard Le Roux and Francois van der Merwe were named in the pack for Racing.
The visitors got off to a great start and led 10-0 after 15 minutes thanks to a try from Le Roux and but the home side took control in the third quarter with tries from Thomas Domingo and Jason White, both converted by Brock James, putting them 21-10 ahead. Julien Jane got one back for Racing but French centre Aurelien Rougerie sealed the bonus point with a try in the 72nd minute.
It’s all over for Paris’s big spending outfit. Racing, currently second in the Top 14 will now have to make do with a pop at the French Championship.
Saturday , January 15
Pool 2: Leinster (IRE) 43-20 Saracens (ENG)
South Africans: 8
Clermont’s victory meant Leinster needed to win with a bonus point to ensure qualification. Well, they did that, and they did it with style. Whatever resistance Saracens put up in the first half, it was a distant memory by the time the former European Champions had finished with them. For this was a performance of champions, utter domination of a team currently lying second in the Aviva Premiership. The result means that Leinster need just one point from their last fixture, away to Racing Metro, to ensure that they finish top of Pool Two. Leinster will now be short odds to go all the way in this tournament.
In tough conditions the Irish side scored six beautifully crafted tries. Two South African’s were involved in the winning side – the excellent and consistent Richardt Strauss yet again demonstrated his all round play when superbly putting Fergus McFadden in for Leinster’s fourth try. It has been an excellent season so far for the hooker. Former Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe came on mid way through the second half and by all accounts had a decent game.
It was a different story for the English side. No longer coached by Brendan Venter theystill seem unable to bring their Premiership form to Europe. Saracens were beaten 23 -25 by Leinster when the two sides met at Wembly Stadium in Round Two and never really threatened to qualify out of this tricky Pool as many expected them to.
Almost as a side story to rugby in general, Gavin Henson made his much ‘anticipated’ Heineken Cup appearance for Saracens. In fairness, despite his much abused celebrity status and time spent dancing on television he remains a damn good rugby player. It is certainly a positive development for Wales ahead of the World Cup (although he picked up a calf strain). Henson’s European registration came at the expense of former Bulls-out half Derick Hougaard. However, five South African’s were still involved for Saracens. Though now declared for England, South African Brad Barritt started at inside centre and was joined by former Lions no. 8 Ernst Joubert, former Stormers hooker Schalk Brits, while Petrus du Plessis, Neil de Kock and Justin Melck were named on the bench.
Pool 6: Toulouse (FRA) 17-3 Newport-Gwent Dragons (WAL)
South Africans: 1
Defending Heineken Cup champions and current Top 14 leaders Toulouse were without former All Black scrum-half Byron Kelleher for Saturday's clash with the Dragons. The French side labored to a win to remain as one of only two teams to be unbeaten in the Pool stages. The Dragons also went down 19 – 40 to Toulouse in Round Two and had no chance of qualifying for the quarter finals in what has proved to be a disappointing year for the Welsh team.
Toulouse can never be underestimated and have again proven their class by remaining unbeaten - even if Pool 6 is considered one of the weaker pools in this season’s competition. They have the squad, the experience and without doubt the pedigree so, yet again, they look like strong contenders for the 2011 title. South African prop Daan Human was named on the bench for Toulouse.
Pool 5: Benetton Treviso (ITA) 9 - 44 Perpignan (FRA)
South Africans: 3
Perpignan got the job done in Italy on Saturday as they claimed a five-try victory over Treviso to move them top of Pool Five on equal points with Leicester.
Three South African’s were involved for the Italian side. The experienced Willem de Waal kicked all of Teviso’s points while Benjamin Vermaak was named in the back row and lock forward Cornielus Van Zyl on the bench.
Pool 4: Bath (ENG) 55-16 Aironi Rugby (ITA)
South Africans: 5
Aironi’s Round Three victory over last year’s Heineken Cup finalists, Biarritz, means that all teams now face them with a watchful eye. However, four tries from Matt Banahan saw Bath cruise to victory at the Rec on Saturday. It was also a good day at the office for soon to depart Luke Watson, as the Bath captain scored two great tries for the home side. Worryingly Butch James limped off early in the second half, his presence is critical for Bath’s Aviva Premiership campaign. Despite the win Bath are now out of the Heineken Cup; they travel to France next week and can only do Ulster a favor if getting a result against Biarritz.
Four South African’s lined out for the winning side; joining Luke Watson and Butch James were eight times capped Michael Claasons and Zimbabwean born hooker Pieter Dixon. Aironi, with no chance of qualification, decided to leave some frontline players in Italy including a number of their South African imports. As a result only loose forward Gareth Krause was named in the side.
Pool 4: Ulster (IRE) 9-6 Biarritz (FRA)
South Africans: 5
Perhaps the biggest victory in twelve years for the Northern Irish province? There haven’t been too many European campaigns since Ulster were crowned Champions in 1999 when they have remained in contention going into the final round of Pool matches. Credit must be given to the many South African’s in their squad but this victory is one to savor for Ian Humphreys whose 78th minute penalty earned his team the vital win that was needed to bring this Pool down to the wire.
It wasn’t pretty but sometimes that isn’t what matters. Ruan Pienaar, Johann Muller, BJ Botha and Pedrie Wannenburg all helped to bolster the up front battle and it was certainly a day for it. For Biarritz it was an opportunity missed. 6-6 with two minutes to go, a draw would have done nicely for last year’s runners-up.
Ominously for Ulster the French side had unveiled their strongest hand going into this encounter with the likes of Jerome Thion, Imanol Harinordoquy, Dimitri Yachvili and Damien Traille in the starting XV. South African prop Eduard Coetzee was also named in the side, all in all it was always going to be a tough ask for the Ulstermen.
The Northern Irish side are showing signs that they might just have the mettle to see this one through. It would be naïve to write off Biarritz, so often still involved come the latter stages of this tournament, but for Ulster an opportunity to progress is finally a reality after twelve years of waiting. It now comes down to the team who secures the most points in Round Six – Ulster travel to Italy to face Aironi (who beat Biarritz in Round Three), while Biarritz entertain Bath. However, it is the French side who hold the trump card, thanks to a better head-to-head record, should the sides still be level after next weekend's games.
Pool 5: Scarlets (WAL) 18-32 Leicester (ENG)
South Africans: 0
A must win game for both sides. In the end it was the experience of two time European Champions Leicester, with 26 points scored after the break, which underpinned this impressive display. The English side proved their current status as Aviva Premiership leaders and silenced a record 12,392 Scarlets' crowd with a dominant second half display.
Only three points separated the top three in a tight and hugely competitive Pool going into Round Five. And now, with just one Round left, Leicester share top spot with Perpignan on 17 points. Scarlets head coach Nigel Davies described this showdown as his team's "biggest game in the last three years;" a win and the Welsh side had a fantastic chance of making the Quarter Finals but the loss means they must now beat Perpignan in France next weekend with a bonus point to have a chance of progressing – the margins are as fine as that.
As it stands, a bonus point victory next weekend against Welford Road visitors Treviso should be enough to see Leicester progress - either as group winners or one of two best runners-up.
Sunday , January 16
Pool 6: Glasgow (SCO) 20-10 Wasps (ENG)
South Africans: 0
After all the talk of a final show down between Wasps and Toulouse… along come the Scots to spoil the party. As a result Wasps' Heineken Cup hopes are hanging by a very thin thread. Needing a victory to stay hot on the heels of Toulouse ahead of next week's crunch Pool Six clash, Wasps' failure to pick up a bonus point means they are six points behind the French side's 21 with just one match to go. This loss means that Wasps can now only hope to qualify as one of the best second placed teams.
Wasps defeated Glasgow by ten points, 36 – 26, when the sides met at Adam’s Park last October.
Pool 3: London Irish (ENG) 24-12 Ospreys (WAL)
South Africans: 1
Despite their current run of poor form, London Irish Head Coach Toby Booth made it clear this was an opportunity for his side to turn over a new leaf. Irish went into the game looking to end a run of 10 consecutive defeats, their worst in four years, and tries from Sailosi Tagicakibau and Topsy Ojo saw them do so. Former Springbok Faan Rautenbach lined out for Irish but no other South African was represented in this encounter.
Yet another Heineken Cup campaign has come to nothing for the Ospreys. The Welsh side boast a squad of internationals such as James Hook, Marty Holah, Jerry Collins, Tommy Bowe and former world player of the year Shane Williams (currently injured) but seem unable to produce the goods where it counts. Despite making it to the quarter-final stage of the competition in each of the past three seasons, the Ospreys are yet to leave their lasting mark on Europe, and this campaign will be a bitterly disappointing for all concerned.
Pool 3: Toulon (FRA) 32-16 Munster (IRE)
South Africans: 2
Toulon were utterly deserving winners of this critical Pool 3 encounter. This will be a tough pill for Munster to swallow; their incredible record of twelve consecutive Quarter Finals is finally over. Unlucky thirteen if you like. But the two time European Champions can have no complaints, Toulon, who they beat 45-18 in October, played them off the park.
It was certainly a day for records; Munster’s record run ended and for Toulon, qualification for the quarter-finals for the first time in their history with one round still to play. In front of their s partisan crowd, Toulon outscored their visitors two tries to one while Jonny Wilkinson contributed 22 points with his boot.
Toulon are currently in a disappointing seventh position in the French league but can now look forward to European Rugby for at least another three months while Munster face the prospect of having only the Magners League(they are currently top) to contend for the first time in thirteen years.
Joe van Niekerk captained the French side while former Cheetahs prop Wian du Preez started for Munster.
Summary
With only one round to go we still do not know which eight teams will make it to this year’s quarter finals. Northampton, Toulouse and Leinster will be there but it is hard to say with certainty who will be joining them. For the first time in thirteen years two time champions Munster will not be involved but it could be the first time since 1999 that former champions Ulster make it out of the Pool stages. Who will make up the other numbers is anyone’s guess; Toulon are almost there, Perpignan, Leicester, Biarritz and even Wasps all stand a good chance.
Round Six of the Heineken Cup takes place next weekend and promises to be every bit as exciting as Round Five.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Heineken Cup Round Four
HC ROUND FOUR WRAP
On a weekend when even the English Premiership’s headline fixture between Chelsea v Manchester United was postponed due to arctic conditions, it was perhaps no surprise that two Heineken Cup Round Four fixtures also fell victim to the incredibly cold weather.
It is nothing short of remarkable that ten of the twelve fixtures were played across Europe on a weekend which saw airports such as Heathrow, Amsterdam and Frankfurt closed for long periods. The snow and ice might have put the brakes on those traveling during the busy holiday season but for most of the teams challenging for a place in the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup it was full steam ahead.
While nobody won the Heineken Cup this weekend, Round Four of Europe’s elite competition is without doubt the most critical for those teams with realistic aspirations of progressing to the knock out stages. Although every game is important, it is Round Four which makes or breaks a team’s season. With only two rounds remaining, it is now possible to predict who will still be involved come March.
On a weekend which must have felt light years away from South Africa’s summer months, 28 South Africans did their best to keep warm across the ten games which took place.
Friday, December 17
Pool 4: Biarritz (Fra) 34 – 3 Aironi Rugby (Ita)
South Africans: 1
Pretty much as expected; Biarritz wasted no time in inflicting revenge on the Italian outfit. A week after providing Aironi with their maiden Heineken Cup win, Biarritz secured an emphatic victory at Parc des Sports on Friday. This bonus point win keeps the French team firmly on top the pool. Biarritz will now travel to Ulster in January looking to seal a home quarter-final.
Technically only one South African was involved in this fixture. South Africa’s Gareth Krause sat this one out on the bench but South African born but Italian internationals Jaco Erasmus and Quintin Geldenhuys lined out for the Italian side.
Pool 2: Racing Metro 92 (Fra) 14 – 19 Saracens (Eng)
South Africans: 10
Saracens restored some pride in their disappointing European campaign with a creditable Heineken Cup win in Paris on Friday. The club, whose squad is full of South African imports, had lost all three matches in Pool Two heading into last night’s match and have no realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages.
It was certainly a strange night for the ten South African’s involved as constant snow made the pitch barely playable at times. In fact it was hard to make out the touch and try lines despite the best efforts from local ground staff. However the conditions did not stop former Shark’s out half and centre Brad Barrett (declared for England) scoring a well taken try for Sarries in the first half. It must have been all the sweeter for Barrett considering he gifted a try in last week’s home defeat against the same opposition. Saracens actually led this fixture 0-16 at half time. Not long into the second half the gap was only two points but Saracens did very well to hang on for what is Brendan Venter’s last European Game in charge.
Also lining out for Saracens were the former Stormers trio consisting of scrum-half Neil de Kock, back row forward Justin Melck and hooker Schalk Brits. Former Nottingham prop Petrus du Plessis was named in the front row while former Lions number eight Ernst Joubert came on off the bench for Namibian flanker Jacques Burger.
Frans Steyn and Jacques Cronje lined out for Racing Metro while young back row forward Bernard Leroux was named on the bench for the home side.
Saturday, December 18
Pool 4: Bath (Eng) 22 – 26 Ulster (Ire)
South Africans: 8
Perhaps the money spent on quality South African imports will be the difference for Ulster this time round. The Northern Irish team, who have not made it past the pool stage since being crowned European Champions in 1999, won this critical battle in the West of England. The win repeated last season's historic 'double' over Bath and will go down as one of Ulster’s finest days.
While Bath resign themselves to non-qualification for the second season in a row, the Ulstermen can now look forward to an epic clash in January with Pool Four leaders Biarritz.
It was a yellow card for Springbok Butch James which provided the catalyst for the men from Ulster. The math show that when James plays Bath tend to win and when he doesn't they don't. This time last year Bath – minus James – were heading for Christmas in eleventh place in the league with only two wins from eleven games and were virtually out of Europe. With their South Africa fly-half back, the next eleven league games produced ten wins, James not just orchestrating the rise up the table to fourth place but choreographing it as well.
But the big question now is just how long even a fit James will be around to repair Bath’s season. It is an open secret that South Africa want their 2007 World Cup winner home in plenty of time to challenge for a place in the side that defends the title next autumn. It seems to be a question of when the club let him go.
So far Bath have managed to fend off the attentions of both the Golden Lions and James's former side, the Sharks, but are prepared to talk about ending his contract at the end of the season. However, a delegation from the Lions was back in Bath last week apparently flush with funds and prepared to pay what Bath are demanding by way of compensation to have James around for the start of the Super 15 competition in February – coincidentally the same month the 31-year-old is set to marry his South African fiancee.
Luke Watson, who is certain to return to South Africa in the New Year, was again not available to lead out his side but in his absence fellow country man Michael Claassens did the honours for the second week running. Former South African schools captain Pieter Dixon was named on the bench for the English side.
Five South Africans lined out for Ulster. Johann Muller lead out the side and was joined by top signing Ruan Pienaar. Robbie Diack came back into the side at number eight, Pedrie Wannenburg again started on the flank and BJ Botha provided much of Ulster’s presence up front.
Pool 2: Leinster (Ire) 24 – 8 Clermont Auvergne (Fra)
South Africans: 2
Leinster marketing maestros dubbed this match the ‘Fever in the Avivia.’ And despite the freezing cold conditions there is no doubt Leinster turned up the heat to make this one hell of a party for the Irish fans in Dublin’s new Avivia Stadium. Prop Cian Healy crossed for two tries as the home side closed in on a place in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup with a comfortable victory over French Champions Clermont Auvergne.
A record Heineken Cup pool attendance for a game in Ireland of 44,873 saw Joe Schmidt's side establish a 10-3 half-time lead on the back of Healy's eighth-minute try. Third-quarter tries from Healy and flanker Sean O'Brien, added to nine points from the boot of fly-half Jonathan Sexton, then put the result beyond doubt. Leinster were boosted by the return of their two most influential players, British and Irish Lions Jamie Heaslip and Brian O’Driscoll. In fact the only negative from a Leinster perspective was not picking up a bonus point for scoring a fourth try. But Leinster look like a side capable of going far in this year’s competition and five point cushion at the top of Pool Two should be enough to see them bag a home quarter final in March.
Former Cheetah’s hooker Richardt Strauss again demonstrated his skills in open play when nearly crossing the line inside the first five minutes for Leinster. Former Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe came on for man of the match Cian Healy towards the end of the match.
Pool 3: Ospreys (Wal) 19 – 15 Munster (Ire)
South Africans: 1
Pool Three has provided some of the most exciting rugby in the competition so far. Dubbed The Pool of Death by many before a ball was even kicked it has proven to be just that. Munster were battled out of it by an incredible Ospreys scrum in a feisty contest that occasionally threatened to boil over, but ultimately produced another high-octane encounter that has become a Heineken Cup trademark. Will this be the season when the Ospreys finally make an impression in Europe? Rugby traditionalists will have loved what they saw on display here; a pack which ultimately won the game at the set piece for the Ospreys. This was the Welsh team’s first win against Munster in the Heineken Cup.
The loss is not the end for Munster, they have yet again managed to loose with a bonus point in the bag, but there is no doubt this result makes things a lot trickier for the Irish giants. A win on the road against Toulon and at home against London Irish is now required if Munster are to be with a chance of making it to the knock out stages for a record thirteenth season in succession.
The Ospreys starting XV featured six Lions and a couple of All Blacks. The Welsh region are now on an unbeaten run of fifteen Heineken Cup games at the Liberty Stadium since losing to Leicester five seasons ago, in which time they have twice beaten Leicester and Clermont and now Munster. This was a badly needed victory for the Welsh outfits but they also have much to do if they are to qualify for the next round and remain one point behind Munster in third place in Pool Three.
Although it was generally a bad day for Munster’s tight five, it was Ireland’s Tony Buckley and later John Hayes who were consistently penalized in the scrum. Former Cheetah’s prop Wian du Preez was not once deemed the guilty party as his front row were put under enormous Welsh pressure. All in all it was another solid performance from the South African loose-head.
Pool 3: Toulon (Fra) 38 – 17 London Irish (Eng)
South Africans: 2
Despite a twenty-one point victory, this is a game which could have gone either way. The home side led 17-0 at the break but a 14 man London Irish side managed to battle themselves right back into contention when they leveled the score at 17-17 in the second half. However the extra man showed as Toulon punished Irish’s red card for wing Sailosi Tagicakibau with a strong final quarter.
The win leaves Toulon on top of Pool Three with Munster and the Ospreys still in contention for an automatic qualification (by winning the group). Two Boks were involved in the contest: the prolific Joe van Niekirk is managing to stay fit and is in fantastic form for the French side while former Stormers prop Faan Rautenbach again lined out for the Exiles.
Pool 5: Benetton Treviso (Ita) 15 – 38 Scarlets (Wal)
South Africans: 2
Unfortunately for the Italians they were unable to repeat their heroics when beating the same opposition in the opening Magners League fixture of the season. This bonus point victory puts the Welsh side in a strong position to qualify, however, with tough matches against Perpignan and Leicester to come this group is far from decided. All in all it was a work man like display by the Welsh who dominated the Italians in most aspects of the match.
Two South Africans were involved for the Italian team. Veteran out-half Willem de Waal and second row Cornielus Van Zyl were named in the starting XV.
Pool 6: Toulouse (Fra) vs Glasgow (Scot) – postponed
Toulouse's Heineken Cup clash with Glasgow initially scheduled for Saturday was then postponed until Sunday before now being moved to Tuesday at 19h00. Toulouse will be expected to win this one comfortably and top Pool Six ahead of Rounds Five and Six next January.
Sunday, December 19
Pool 1: Edinburgh (Sco) vs Castres (Fra) - postponed
A new date for the fixture is yet to be announced, but it is possible the game could be played on Monday if conditions improve.
Pool 1: Cardiff Blues (Wal) 19 – 23 Northampton (Eng)
South Africans: 1
For the second week running Northampton scored 23 points against the Blues and for the second week running it was enough for victory. It has been a fantastic season so far for the former European Champions, who top Pool One, but Northampton know better than anyone that it where you are at the end of the season that counts.
For the Cardiff Blues it looks as though their dream of reaching the Heineken Cup quarter finals is over. Matters were made increasingly difficult for the Welsh team when number eight Xavier Rush was red carded for a dangerous tackle on Courtney Lawes.
The only positive from a Cardiff Blues perspective was introduction of British Lion Jamie Roberts at half-time for his first outing of the season following a wrist operation in the summer.
South African prop Regardt Dreyer was named on the bench for the second week running for Northampton.
Pool 5: Leicester (Eng) 22 – 22 Perpignan (Fra)
South Africans: 0
Leicester may well be left to seriously regret their missed opportunities in this fascinating encounter. Twice they had the opportunity to get themselves six points clear of the French outfit but in the end had to settle for a draw. Perpignan left Welford Road with two points, Scarlets now top the group and Pool Five remains wide open.
It was a brave performance by Perpignan who traveled to Leicester for Sunday's vital Pool Five return clash without three of their French internationals. As part of the agreement between the League and Federation French clubs are obliged to give internationals that took part in the November Tests one week off before December 31. USAP have allowed place-kicking full-back Jérôme Porical, prop Jérôme Schuster and hooker Guilhem Guirado to take a week-long vacation as a result.
Leicester will face Treviso at home in Round Six in what should result in a victory but must travel to Wales to face Scarlets in Round Five which is a must win game for both sides. The Heineken Cup has a way of bringing pools down to the wire and this season is no different with a number of Pools now in similar positions whereby three teams still have a realistic chance of automatic qualification.
Pool 6: Wasps (Eng) 38 – 10 Newport-Gwent D'gons (Wal)
South Africans: 1
Wasps moved top of Pool Six and kept their Heineken Cup quarter-final hopes very much alive with a good win over the Dragons at Adams Park on Sunday. The match had been locked at 3-3 at half-time before Wasps took control by running in four tries after the break to earn a bonus point.
A crowd of only 1,236 attended a match that was under threat of postponement until late morning. If Wasps can keep their nerve over Glasgow Warriors, then the Round Six clash with Toulouse will be a winner-takes-all thriller. South African tight head Shaun Ruwers was named on the bench for the English side.
Summary
Round Four will go down as one of the coldest and most weather affected weekends in Heineken Cup history. Arctic conditions across Europe forced two fixtures to be postponed and many others to be played in conditions not conducive to expansive rugby. These are the days when forward fire power and an ability to tuck the ball up the shirt can be the difference.
A little over four weeks remain until Round Five of this season’s Heineken Cup gets underway. A week later Round Six will conclude the pool stages of the competition before eight teams are matched in four mouth watering quarter-finals. Realistically eleven teams are now contesting the six automatic qualification spots for topping their respective Pools. The final two quarter finalists qualify as best runners up from the six Pools.
Although the various leagues across the Northern Hemisphere continue over the coming weeks, it will not be until mid January 2011 before Heineken Cup action returns. Shortly after which the Six Nations and, of course, the Super 15 tournaments get underway. The Heineken Cup Final will be played in May, then it’s the turn of the Tri-Nations before the Rugby World Cup kicks off in New Zealand…..a relentless but thrilling nine months await.
On a weekend when even the English Premiership’s headline fixture between Chelsea v Manchester United was postponed due to arctic conditions, it was perhaps no surprise that two Heineken Cup Round Four fixtures also fell victim to the incredibly cold weather.
It is nothing short of remarkable that ten of the twelve fixtures were played across Europe on a weekend which saw airports such as Heathrow, Amsterdam and Frankfurt closed for long periods. The snow and ice might have put the brakes on those traveling during the busy holiday season but for most of the teams challenging for a place in the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup it was full steam ahead.
While nobody won the Heineken Cup this weekend, Round Four of Europe’s elite competition is without doubt the most critical for those teams with realistic aspirations of progressing to the knock out stages. Although every game is important, it is Round Four which makes or breaks a team’s season. With only two rounds remaining, it is now possible to predict who will still be involved come March.
On a weekend which must have felt light years away from South Africa’s summer months, 28 South Africans did their best to keep warm across the ten games which took place.
Friday, December 17
Pool 4: Biarritz (Fra) 34 – 3 Aironi Rugby (Ita)
South Africans: 1
Pretty much as expected; Biarritz wasted no time in inflicting revenge on the Italian outfit. A week after providing Aironi with their maiden Heineken Cup win, Biarritz secured an emphatic victory at Parc des Sports on Friday. This bonus point win keeps the French team firmly on top the pool. Biarritz will now travel to Ulster in January looking to seal a home quarter-final.
Technically only one South African was involved in this fixture. South Africa’s Gareth Krause sat this one out on the bench but South African born but Italian internationals Jaco Erasmus and Quintin Geldenhuys lined out for the Italian side.
Pool 2: Racing Metro 92 (Fra) 14 – 19 Saracens (Eng)
South Africans: 10
Saracens restored some pride in their disappointing European campaign with a creditable Heineken Cup win in Paris on Friday. The club, whose squad is full of South African imports, had lost all three matches in Pool Two heading into last night’s match and have no realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages.
It was certainly a strange night for the ten South African’s involved as constant snow made the pitch barely playable at times. In fact it was hard to make out the touch and try lines despite the best efforts from local ground staff. However the conditions did not stop former Shark’s out half and centre Brad Barrett (declared for England) scoring a well taken try for Sarries in the first half. It must have been all the sweeter for Barrett considering he gifted a try in last week’s home defeat against the same opposition. Saracens actually led this fixture 0-16 at half time. Not long into the second half the gap was only two points but Saracens did very well to hang on for what is Brendan Venter’s last European Game in charge.
Also lining out for Saracens were the former Stormers trio consisting of scrum-half Neil de Kock, back row forward Justin Melck and hooker Schalk Brits. Former Nottingham prop Petrus du Plessis was named in the front row while former Lions number eight Ernst Joubert came on off the bench for Namibian flanker Jacques Burger.
Frans Steyn and Jacques Cronje lined out for Racing Metro while young back row forward Bernard Leroux was named on the bench for the home side.
Saturday, December 18
Pool 4: Bath (Eng) 22 – 26 Ulster (Ire)
South Africans: 8
Perhaps the money spent on quality South African imports will be the difference for Ulster this time round. The Northern Irish team, who have not made it past the pool stage since being crowned European Champions in 1999, won this critical battle in the West of England. The win repeated last season's historic 'double' over Bath and will go down as one of Ulster’s finest days.
While Bath resign themselves to non-qualification for the second season in a row, the Ulstermen can now look forward to an epic clash in January with Pool Four leaders Biarritz.
It was a yellow card for Springbok Butch James which provided the catalyst for the men from Ulster. The math show that when James plays Bath tend to win and when he doesn't they don't. This time last year Bath – minus James – were heading for Christmas in eleventh place in the league with only two wins from eleven games and were virtually out of Europe. With their South Africa fly-half back, the next eleven league games produced ten wins, James not just orchestrating the rise up the table to fourth place but choreographing it as well.
But the big question now is just how long even a fit James will be around to repair Bath’s season. It is an open secret that South Africa want their 2007 World Cup winner home in plenty of time to challenge for a place in the side that defends the title next autumn. It seems to be a question of when the club let him go.
So far Bath have managed to fend off the attentions of both the Golden Lions and James's former side, the Sharks, but are prepared to talk about ending his contract at the end of the season. However, a delegation from the Lions was back in Bath last week apparently flush with funds and prepared to pay what Bath are demanding by way of compensation to have James around for the start of the Super 15 competition in February – coincidentally the same month the 31-year-old is set to marry his South African fiancee.
Luke Watson, who is certain to return to South Africa in the New Year, was again not available to lead out his side but in his absence fellow country man Michael Claassens did the honours for the second week running. Former South African schools captain Pieter Dixon was named on the bench for the English side.
Five South Africans lined out for Ulster. Johann Muller lead out the side and was joined by top signing Ruan Pienaar. Robbie Diack came back into the side at number eight, Pedrie Wannenburg again started on the flank and BJ Botha provided much of Ulster’s presence up front.
Pool 2: Leinster (Ire) 24 – 8 Clermont Auvergne (Fra)
South Africans: 2
Leinster marketing maestros dubbed this match the ‘Fever in the Avivia.’ And despite the freezing cold conditions there is no doubt Leinster turned up the heat to make this one hell of a party for the Irish fans in Dublin’s new Avivia Stadium. Prop Cian Healy crossed for two tries as the home side closed in on a place in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup with a comfortable victory over French Champions Clermont Auvergne.
A record Heineken Cup pool attendance for a game in Ireland of 44,873 saw Joe Schmidt's side establish a 10-3 half-time lead on the back of Healy's eighth-minute try. Third-quarter tries from Healy and flanker Sean O'Brien, added to nine points from the boot of fly-half Jonathan Sexton, then put the result beyond doubt. Leinster were boosted by the return of their two most influential players, British and Irish Lions Jamie Heaslip and Brian O’Driscoll. In fact the only negative from a Leinster perspective was not picking up a bonus point for scoring a fourth try. But Leinster look like a side capable of going far in this year’s competition and five point cushion at the top of Pool Two should be enough to see them bag a home quarter final in March.
Former Cheetah’s hooker Richardt Strauss again demonstrated his skills in open play when nearly crossing the line inside the first five minutes for Leinster. Former Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe came on for man of the match Cian Healy towards the end of the match.
Pool 3: Ospreys (Wal) 19 – 15 Munster (Ire)
South Africans: 1
Pool Three has provided some of the most exciting rugby in the competition so far. Dubbed The Pool of Death by many before a ball was even kicked it has proven to be just that. Munster were battled out of it by an incredible Ospreys scrum in a feisty contest that occasionally threatened to boil over, but ultimately produced another high-octane encounter that has become a Heineken Cup trademark. Will this be the season when the Ospreys finally make an impression in Europe? Rugby traditionalists will have loved what they saw on display here; a pack which ultimately won the game at the set piece for the Ospreys. This was the Welsh team’s first win against Munster in the Heineken Cup.
The loss is not the end for Munster, they have yet again managed to loose with a bonus point in the bag, but there is no doubt this result makes things a lot trickier for the Irish giants. A win on the road against Toulon and at home against London Irish is now required if Munster are to be with a chance of making it to the knock out stages for a record thirteenth season in succession.
The Ospreys starting XV featured six Lions and a couple of All Blacks. The Welsh region are now on an unbeaten run of fifteen Heineken Cup games at the Liberty Stadium since losing to Leicester five seasons ago, in which time they have twice beaten Leicester and Clermont and now Munster. This was a badly needed victory for the Welsh outfits but they also have much to do if they are to qualify for the next round and remain one point behind Munster in third place in Pool Three.
Although it was generally a bad day for Munster’s tight five, it was Ireland’s Tony Buckley and later John Hayes who were consistently penalized in the scrum. Former Cheetah’s prop Wian du Preez was not once deemed the guilty party as his front row were put under enormous Welsh pressure. All in all it was another solid performance from the South African loose-head.
Pool 3: Toulon (Fra) 38 – 17 London Irish (Eng)
South Africans: 2
Despite a twenty-one point victory, this is a game which could have gone either way. The home side led 17-0 at the break but a 14 man London Irish side managed to battle themselves right back into contention when they leveled the score at 17-17 in the second half. However the extra man showed as Toulon punished Irish’s red card for wing Sailosi Tagicakibau with a strong final quarter.
The win leaves Toulon on top of Pool Three with Munster and the Ospreys still in contention for an automatic qualification (by winning the group). Two Boks were involved in the contest: the prolific Joe van Niekirk is managing to stay fit and is in fantastic form for the French side while former Stormers prop Faan Rautenbach again lined out for the Exiles.
Pool 5: Benetton Treviso (Ita) 15 – 38 Scarlets (Wal)
South Africans: 2
Unfortunately for the Italians they were unable to repeat their heroics when beating the same opposition in the opening Magners League fixture of the season. This bonus point victory puts the Welsh side in a strong position to qualify, however, with tough matches against Perpignan and Leicester to come this group is far from decided. All in all it was a work man like display by the Welsh who dominated the Italians in most aspects of the match.
Two South Africans were involved for the Italian team. Veteran out-half Willem de Waal and second row Cornielus Van Zyl were named in the starting XV.
Pool 6: Toulouse (Fra) vs Glasgow (Scot) – postponed
Toulouse's Heineken Cup clash with Glasgow initially scheduled for Saturday was then postponed until Sunday before now being moved to Tuesday at 19h00. Toulouse will be expected to win this one comfortably and top Pool Six ahead of Rounds Five and Six next January.
Sunday, December 19
Pool 1: Edinburgh (Sco) vs Castres (Fra) - postponed
A new date for the fixture is yet to be announced, but it is possible the game could be played on Monday if conditions improve.
Pool 1: Cardiff Blues (Wal) 19 – 23 Northampton (Eng)
South Africans: 1
For the second week running Northampton scored 23 points against the Blues and for the second week running it was enough for victory. It has been a fantastic season so far for the former European Champions, who top Pool One, but Northampton know better than anyone that it where you are at the end of the season that counts.
For the Cardiff Blues it looks as though their dream of reaching the Heineken Cup quarter finals is over. Matters were made increasingly difficult for the Welsh team when number eight Xavier Rush was red carded for a dangerous tackle on Courtney Lawes.
The only positive from a Cardiff Blues perspective was introduction of British Lion Jamie Roberts at half-time for his first outing of the season following a wrist operation in the summer.
South African prop Regardt Dreyer was named on the bench for the second week running for Northampton.
Pool 5: Leicester (Eng) 22 – 22 Perpignan (Fra)
South Africans: 0
Leicester may well be left to seriously regret their missed opportunities in this fascinating encounter. Twice they had the opportunity to get themselves six points clear of the French outfit but in the end had to settle for a draw. Perpignan left Welford Road with two points, Scarlets now top the group and Pool Five remains wide open.
It was a brave performance by Perpignan who traveled to Leicester for Sunday's vital Pool Five return clash without three of their French internationals. As part of the agreement between the League and Federation French clubs are obliged to give internationals that took part in the November Tests one week off before December 31. USAP have allowed place-kicking full-back Jérôme Porical, prop Jérôme Schuster and hooker Guilhem Guirado to take a week-long vacation as a result.
Leicester will face Treviso at home in Round Six in what should result in a victory but must travel to Wales to face Scarlets in Round Five which is a must win game for both sides. The Heineken Cup has a way of bringing pools down to the wire and this season is no different with a number of Pools now in similar positions whereby three teams still have a realistic chance of automatic qualification.
Pool 6: Wasps (Eng) 38 – 10 Newport-Gwent D'gons (Wal)
South Africans: 1
Wasps moved top of Pool Six and kept their Heineken Cup quarter-final hopes very much alive with a good win over the Dragons at Adams Park on Sunday. The match had been locked at 3-3 at half-time before Wasps took control by running in four tries after the break to earn a bonus point.
A crowd of only 1,236 attended a match that was under threat of postponement until late morning. If Wasps can keep their nerve over Glasgow Warriors, then the Round Six clash with Toulouse will be a winner-takes-all thriller. South African tight head Shaun Ruwers was named on the bench for the English side.
Summary
Round Four will go down as one of the coldest and most weather affected weekends in Heineken Cup history. Arctic conditions across Europe forced two fixtures to be postponed and many others to be played in conditions not conducive to expansive rugby. These are the days when forward fire power and an ability to tuck the ball up the shirt can be the difference.
A little over four weeks remain until Round Five of this season’s Heineken Cup gets underway. A week later Round Six will conclude the pool stages of the competition before eight teams are matched in four mouth watering quarter-finals. Realistically eleven teams are now contesting the six automatic qualification spots for topping their respective Pools. The final two quarter finalists qualify as best runners up from the six Pools.
Although the various leagues across the Northern Hemisphere continue over the coming weeks, it will not be until mid January 2011 before Heineken Cup action returns. Shortly after which the Six Nations and, of course, the Super 15 tournaments get underway. The Heineken Cup Final will be played in May, then it’s the turn of the Tri-Nations before the Rugby World Cup kicks off in New Zealand…..a relentless but thrilling nine months await.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Heineken Cup Round Three
Round Three - WRAP
The November internationals have come and gone and much has been said about the state of northern hemisphere rugby. It is now hard to predict anything other the New Zealand, Australia or South Africa lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy next year. Wales and Ireland appear to be going backwards, Scotland remain weak but stubborn and France, well, it’s just impossible to know where they will be by next September. Only England appear to be showing signs of emerging from a seven year rot.
So, in many ways it was welcome relief to see the Heineken Cup return to a freezing cold Europe this weekend. Round Three and Round Four feature back to back home and away fixtures against the same opposition in what traditionally can make or break a team’s season. Round One and Round Two were played in mid October before the competition took a break for the November international series.
Round Five and the final pool games in Round Six will be played in mid January. The knock out stages of the competition do not take place until after the Six Nations, the Heineken Cup Final will be played in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium next May.
The results from Round Three are already helping to paint a picture of the teams looking most likely to progress to the knock out stages and of those that are not. All in all it was another bruising weekend of European cup rugby in which 24 South Africans featured. Three of which – Johann Muller (Ulster), Michael Claasens (Bath) and Joe van Niekerk (Toulon) – captained their respective teams.
Friday , December 10
Pool 6: Glasgow (Scot) 16 – 28 Toulouse (Fra)
South Africans: 2
Glasgow Warriors coach Sean Lineed compared Toulouse to the All Blacks Before this encounter. The four times European champions showed why when they made it three wins from three matches in the Heineken Cup with a workmanlike victory over Glasgow at a freezing cold Firhill.
Glasgow produced one of the biggest shocks in the competition's history by winning in Toulouse two years ago, but rarely looked like repeating that feat on home soil against the defending champions.
It is now very unlikely the Scottish side will make it out of the group; they must now win all three remaining matches to stand a chance of doing so – the next being the small matter of an away fixture with Toulouse next week.
Technically only two South Africans were involved in this fixture, both for Toulouse; former Sharks No. 8 Shaun Sowerby and Daan Human who was yet again named on the bench. DTH van der Merwe, a regular in Glasgow’s starting XV, started on the wing but the South African born player now has 13 caps for his adopted Canada.
Saturday, December 11
Pool 4: Ulster (Ire) 22 – 18 Bath (Eng)
South Africans: 5
Ulster won the battle of the former Heineken Cup champions at Ravenhill and gave Bath a huge mountain to climb if they are going to reach the knock-out stages. Ulster have failed to qualify for the knock-out stages for the eleven seasons since winning the competition in 1999 and are hoping that money spent on quality South African imports will prove the difference this time out.
No fewer than four South Africans lined out for the Irish side. It was a great game for Padrie Wannenburg who scored Ulster’s only try of the day. But there were good performances also from former Sharks stalwarts BJ Botha, Ruan Pienaar and Johann Muller. Interestingly both captains on the pitch were South African; Johann Muller for Ulster and Michael Claassens for Bath.
The physical edge ultimately won the day for the Northern Irish as BJ Botha dominated matters at scrum-time while the back-row pair Stephen Ferris and Pedrie Wannenburg always got Ulster going forward. The forward duo were key in sealing a vital victory, particularly as Pool leaders Biarritz lost 28-27 away to Aironi in a shock result.
Pool 4: Aironi Rugby (Ita) 28 – 27 Biarritz (Fra)
South Africans: 1
Biarritz prop, Eduard Coetzee, was the sole South African involved in a day to remember for Italian rugby. Aironi pulled off a massive upset to defeat Biarritz, their first victory in Heineken Cup competition. On paper it looked a straightforward case of top against bottom but Aironi ripped up the script, keeping pace with their opponents throughout before winning the points two minutes from time in a brilliant clash at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella.
After an early penalty from Tito Tebaldi, the first of four successful kicks from him, Biarritz earned a penalty try and a second score from Takudzwa Ngwenya. The crowd continued to be entertained, with Iain Balshaw and Charles Gimenez crossing for Biarritz and James Marshall, Nick Williams and Matteo Pratichetti touching down for the hosts.
Dimitri Yachvili slotted two conversions and a penalty as the visitors looked to have secured a slender win, only for former French international Julien Laharrague to slot a drop goal two minutes from time.
Biarritz Olympique are perhaps one of the most unlucky teams in Heineken Cup history. Last year’s runners-up, the French side have made two finals and another two semi-finals, but are yet to win the biggest prize in European club rugby. No doubt they will look to make up for this shock loss in emphatic fashion when they host the Italian side next weekend. Either way this result dramatically opens up Pool Four.
Pool 1: Northampton (Eng) 23 – 15 Cardiff Blues (Wal)
South Africans: 1
South African prop Regardt Dreyer was named on the bench for Northampton who had won three of the four previous tournament meetings with the Blues. The 2000 Heineken Cup champions were fully aware they had to make the most of home advantage this weekend after opening with wins over Castres and Edinburgh.
Five yellow cards were shown in a tetchy affair but Saints wingers Paul Diggin and England star Chris Ashton showed their finishing power with the tries which enabled Northampton to maintain their one hundred per cent record in Pool One . All of Cardiff's points came via the boot of Dan Parks, who missed just one long-ranger.
Cardiff Blues, who won the 2010 Amlin Challenge Cup last season by beating Toulon in Marseille, now have a tough hill to climb when they host the Saints next weekend. The English outfit are enjoying a strong season and currently sit top of Pool One and the Aviva Premiership. Cardiff now must win the return fixture against Saints in Cardiff next week to keep their last-eight hopes alive.
Pool 1: Castres (Fra) 21 – 16 Edinburgh (Scot)
South Africans: 2
Edinburgh put in a brave display but returned from France with nothing more than a losing bonus point. The Scottish side’s hopes of progressing to the knock-out stage of the Heineken Cup now appear all but over.
Edinburgh have now claimed a losing bonus point from all three of their games in Pool One, following narrow losses to Cardiff and Northampton, but with only three games remaining, there now appears little chance of progressing further.
South African props Michaël Coetzee and Danie Saayman were named on the bench for the hosts.
Pool 2: Saracens (Eng) 24 -21 Racing Metro 92 (Fra)
South Africans: 11
Racing-Mètro effectively ended Saracens' hopes of making the Heineken Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. For Saracens, this was effectively a must-win game in their bid to qualify from the pool, having lost at Clermont Auvergne and again at Wembley, where they played Leinster.
Remarkably, Racing are the first French team ever to win at Vicarage Road as a late rally from the English hosts proved too little too late. The result leaves Saracens without a win in their three starts while Racing are right back in the running to get out of a tricky Pool Two which also contains Leinster and Clermont
Six South African’s started for the English side: Bradley Barritt (declared for England) scored a try as well as gifting one to Racing; former Stormers scrum-half Neil de Kock and hooker Schalk Brits; former Lions number eight Ernst Joubert; second row Mouritz Botha; and prop Petrus du Plessis while former Sharks prop Deon Carstens was named on the bench.
Racing Metro’s South African contingent consisted of Frans Steyn, who played at inside centre, and Jacques Cronje in the back row while Johannes Coetzee and Bernard Le Roux were named on the bench.
Pool 5: Perpignan (Fra) 24 – 19 Leicester (Eng)
South Africans: 1
Perpignan brushed aside their dismal domestic form to edge out English giants Leicester Tigers who were marking their 100th appearance in the Heineken Cup.. The English side had won here in 2001 and held a 3-1 head-to-head advantage, and could have improved on that against a Perpignan side struggling for confidence. The French team had not won since October in the Top 14 but tries from Adrien Plante and 19-point Jerome Porical set them on their way to a badly needed victory in the south of France.
Geordan Murphy's late score allowed Leicester them to collect a valuable losing bonus point which enabled them to hold a slender one-point advantage over the Catalans at the top of the pool.
Gerrie Britz was the sole South African representative for this encounter; the back row forward was named on the bench for the French side.
Pool 5: Scarlets (Wal) 35 – 27 Benetton Treviso (Ita)
South Africans = 1
A knee injury for veteran fly-half Stephen Jones took some of the gloss off Scarlets' Heineken Cup bonus-point win over Treviso. Jones, who turned 33 this week, came off after just 18 minutes on the clock after suffering a blow to his left knee. It was the Welsh international’s first start for the Scarlets since the side were hammered at Leicester in October. The hosts out-scored Treviso four tries to three but could never kill off the Italians, who had the better of the final quarter. South African Benjamin Vermaak featured at open side flanker for the Italian team.
The win puts Scarlets level on points with Pool Five leaders Leicester Tigers.
Sunday, December 12
Pool 2: Clermont Auvergne (Fra) 20 – 13 Leinster (Ire)
South Africans: 2
Leinster coach Joe Schmidt took his unbeaten side to Stade Marcel Michelin to face his former club Clermont. However, it wasn’t the best of returns for the Kiwi whose side went down by seven points.
All in all it was not the worst result for Leinster who can be relatively satisfied with a bonus point considering the side is currently without Irish internationals Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald and Brian O’Driscoll.
Leinster went into the match top of Pool Two with nine out of a possible ten points from two wins, while Clermont - who lost 29-28 to Leinster in Dublin in last season's quarter-finals – were four points behind. Pool Two is looking increasingly tight with Racing Metro, Clermont and Leinster all within two points of each other.
Leinster’s front row featured two South Africans: the impressive Richardt Strauss was joined by former Lions prop, Heinke van der Merwe, who enjoyed his first Heineken Cup start.
Leinster host the French champions in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium next week which promises to be a critical game for both sides. Having finally won the French Top 14, Clermont have made it very clear they now badly want to add the Heineken Cup to their trophy cabinet.
Pool 3: Munster (Ire) 22 – 16 Ospreys (Wal)
South Africans = 1
The much talked about return of Paul O'Connell, the former British and Irish Lions captain, lasted barely 10 minutes as he was sent off during Munster's absorbing Pool Three victory over the Ospreys at Thomond Park. The Ireland star, introduced on the hour mark as he continues his return from a long injury lay-off, was seen swinging his right arm into the face of Jonathan Thomas as he held him back.
Former Hurricanes star Jerry Collins has been in damaging form since moving to Wales from Toulon, and his partnership with fellow Kiwi Marty Holah ensures that the Welsh club field one of the most feared back rows in Europe. In fact, collectively the Ospreys have one of the best squads in Europe and it is surprising that they have yet to really challenge for the Heineken Cup.
Munster have never lost to the Ospreys in the competition, and thumped them 43-9 in the quarter-finals of the European championship last year. However on this occasion, despite losing, the Ospreys left Thomand Park with a valuable bonus point (for not losing by more than 7 points) which very much keeps the fixture alive when both sides meet next weekend in Wales.
Former Cheetah’s prop Wian du Preez had another solid game for the Irish giants and continues to demonstrate why he is a valuable signing for Munster.
Pool 3: London Irish (Eng) 13 – 19 Toulon (Fra)
South Africans: 2
A big win for Toulon which means the French big spenders have now put themselves into a strong position to challenge for a place in the quarter finals. Pool Three is arguably the most difficult qualifying pool as it also features Munster and a strong Osprey’s side, so a win away from home at this stage of the season, with a home encounter against the same opposition next weekend, means that Jonny Wilkinson and co. are very much back on track.
Toulon captain and number eight Joe Van Niekerk had another outstanding game for the French side. In particular the South African had a powerful 50 metre run which almost resulted in a try after he split the Irish defence before floating a beautiful pass to Paul Sackey. The only other South African involved in the game was former Springbok and London Irish prop, Faan Rautenbach.
Toulon returned to the top flight two seasons ago thanks, first and foremost, to their millionaire president Mourad Boudjellal, the so-called Roman Abramovich of French club rugby. Toulon are notionally credited with having the fourth highest budget in the Top 14, with €19 million. Not to qualify for the knock out stage with such and expensively assembled squad would certainly represent a poor return on investment.
Pool 6: Newport-Gwent D'gons (Wal) - Wasps (Eng)
South Africans: 0
Second-half tries from wing duo David Lemi and Tom Varndell saw Wasps turn over the Dragons at Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday. The game, switched from a frozen Rodney Parade, never took off as a spectacle.
Wasps are two points behind pool leaders Toulouse in the race for an automatic quarter-final place, with the French giants yet to visit Adams Park. The Dragons are now without a Heineken Cup win since they beat Glasgow more than 12 months ago.
Summary
The Heineken Cup is reaching its most critical juncture: Round Four will give a good indication of which teams will still be involved come the quarter finals next March. In particular Leinster v Clermont, Bath v Ulster, Leicester v Perpignan, Ospreys v Munster and Toulon v London Irish are stand out fixtures not to be missed next weekend.
The November internationals have come and gone and much has been said about the state of northern hemisphere rugby. It is now hard to predict anything other the New Zealand, Australia or South Africa lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy next year. Wales and Ireland appear to be going backwards, Scotland remain weak but stubborn and France, well, it’s just impossible to know where they will be by next September. Only England appear to be showing signs of emerging from a seven year rot.
So, in many ways it was welcome relief to see the Heineken Cup return to a freezing cold Europe this weekend. Round Three and Round Four feature back to back home and away fixtures against the same opposition in what traditionally can make or break a team’s season. Round One and Round Two were played in mid October before the competition took a break for the November international series.
Round Five and the final pool games in Round Six will be played in mid January. The knock out stages of the competition do not take place until after the Six Nations, the Heineken Cup Final will be played in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium next May.
The results from Round Three are already helping to paint a picture of the teams looking most likely to progress to the knock out stages and of those that are not. All in all it was another bruising weekend of European cup rugby in which 24 South Africans featured. Three of which – Johann Muller (Ulster), Michael Claasens (Bath) and Joe van Niekerk (Toulon) – captained their respective teams.
Friday , December 10
Pool 6: Glasgow (Scot) 16 – 28 Toulouse (Fra)
South Africans: 2
Glasgow Warriors coach Sean Lineed compared Toulouse to the All Blacks Before this encounter. The four times European champions showed why when they made it three wins from three matches in the Heineken Cup with a workmanlike victory over Glasgow at a freezing cold Firhill.
Glasgow produced one of the biggest shocks in the competition's history by winning in Toulouse two years ago, but rarely looked like repeating that feat on home soil against the defending champions.
It is now very unlikely the Scottish side will make it out of the group; they must now win all three remaining matches to stand a chance of doing so – the next being the small matter of an away fixture with Toulouse next week.
Technically only two South Africans were involved in this fixture, both for Toulouse; former Sharks No. 8 Shaun Sowerby and Daan Human who was yet again named on the bench. DTH van der Merwe, a regular in Glasgow’s starting XV, started on the wing but the South African born player now has 13 caps for his adopted Canada.
Saturday, December 11
Pool 4: Ulster (Ire) 22 – 18 Bath (Eng)
South Africans: 5
Ulster won the battle of the former Heineken Cup champions at Ravenhill and gave Bath a huge mountain to climb if they are going to reach the knock-out stages. Ulster have failed to qualify for the knock-out stages for the eleven seasons since winning the competition in 1999 and are hoping that money spent on quality South African imports will prove the difference this time out.
No fewer than four South Africans lined out for the Irish side. It was a great game for Padrie Wannenburg who scored Ulster’s only try of the day. But there were good performances also from former Sharks stalwarts BJ Botha, Ruan Pienaar and Johann Muller. Interestingly both captains on the pitch were South African; Johann Muller for Ulster and Michael Claassens for Bath.
The physical edge ultimately won the day for the Northern Irish as BJ Botha dominated matters at scrum-time while the back-row pair Stephen Ferris and Pedrie Wannenburg always got Ulster going forward. The forward duo were key in sealing a vital victory, particularly as Pool leaders Biarritz lost 28-27 away to Aironi in a shock result.
Pool 4: Aironi Rugby (Ita) 28 – 27 Biarritz (Fra)
South Africans: 1
Biarritz prop, Eduard Coetzee, was the sole South African involved in a day to remember for Italian rugby. Aironi pulled off a massive upset to defeat Biarritz, their first victory in Heineken Cup competition. On paper it looked a straightforward case of top against bottom but Aironi ripped up the script, keeping pace with their opponents throughout before winning the points two minutes from time in a brilliant clash at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella.
After an early penalty from Tito Tebaldi, the first of four successful kicks from him, Biarritz earned a penalty try and a second score from Takudzwa Ngwenya. The crowd continued to be entertained, with Iain Balshaw and Charles Gimenez crossing for Biarritz and James Marshall, Nick Williams and Matteo Pratichetti touching down for the hosts.
Dimitri Yachvili slotted two conversions and a penalty as the visitors looked to have secured a slender win, only for former French international Julien Laharrague to slot a drop goal two minutes from time.
Biarritz Olympique are perhaps one of the most unlucky teams in Heineken Cup history. Last year’s runners-up, the French side have made two finals and another two semi-finals, but are yet to win the biggest prize in European club rugby. No doubt they will look to make up for this shock loss in emphatic fashion when they host the Italian side next weekend. Either way this result dramatically opens up Pool Four.
Pool 1: Northampton (Eng) 23 – 15 Cardiff Blues (Wal)
South Africans: 1
South African prop Regardt Dreyer was named on the bench for Northampton who had won three of the four previous tournament meetings with the Blues. The 2000 Heineken Cup champions were fully aware they had to make the most of home advantage this weekend after opening with wins over Castres and Edinburgh.
Five yellow cards were shown in a tetchy affair but Saints wingers Paul Diggin and England star Chris Ashton showed their finishing power with the tries which enabled Northampton to maintain their one hundred per cent record in Pool One . All of Cardiff's points came via the boot of Dan Parks, who missed just one long-ranger.
Cardiff Blues, who won the 2010 Amlin Challenge Cup last season by beating Toulon in Marseille, now have a tough hill to climb when they host the Saints next weekend. The English outfit are enjoying a strong season and currently sit top of Pool One and the Aviva Premiership. Cardiff now must win the return fixture against Saints in Cardiff next week to keep their last-eight hopes alive.
Pool 1: Castres (Fra) 21 – 16 Edinburgh (Scot)
South Africans: 2
Edinburgh put in a brave display but returned from France with nothing more than a losing bonus point. The Scottish side’s hopes of progressing to the knock-out stage of the Heineken Cup now appear all but over.
Edinburgh have now claimed a losing bonus point from all three of their games in Pool One, following narrow losses to Cardiff and Northampton, but with only three games remaining, there now appears little chance of progressing further.
South African props Michaël Coetzee and Danie Saayman were named on the bench for the hosts.
Pool 2: Saracens (Eng) 24 -21 Racing Metro 92 (Fra)
South Africans: 11
Racing-Mètro effectively ended Saracens' hopes of making the Heineken Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. For Saracens, this was effectively a must-win game in their bid to qualify from the pool, having lost at Clermont Auvergne and again at Wembley, where they played Leinster.
Remarkably, Racing are the first French team ever to win at Vicarage Road as a late rally from the English hosts proved too little too late. The result leaves Saracens without a win in their three starts while Racing are right back in the running to get out of a tricky Pool Two which also contains Leinster and Clermont
Six South African’s started for the English side: Bradley Barritt (declared for England) scored a try as well as gifting one to Racing; former Stormers scrum-half Neil de Kock and hooker Schalk Brits; former Lions number eight Ernst Joubert; second row Mouritz Botha; and prop Petrus du Plessis while former Sharks prop Deon Carstens was named on the bench.
Racing Metro’s South African contingent consisted of Frans Steyn, who played at inside centre, and Jacques Cronje in the back row while Johannes Coetzee and Bernard Le Roux were named on the bench.
Pool 5: Perpignan (Fra) 24 – 19 Leicester (Eng)
South Africans: 1
Perpignan brushed aside their dismal domestic form to edge out English giants Leicester Tigers who were marking their 100th appearance in the Heineken Cup.. The English side had won here in 2001 and held a 3-1 head-to-head advantage, and could have improved on that against a Perpignan side struggling for confidence. The French team had not won since October in the Top 14 but tries from Adrien Plante and 19-point Jerome Porical set them on their way to a badly needed victory in the south of France.
Geordan Murphy's late score allowed Leicester them to collect a valuable losing bonus point which enabled them to hold a slender one-point advantage over the Catalans at the top of the pool.
Gerrie Britz was the sole South African representative for this encounter; the back row forward was named on the bench for the French side.
Pool 5: Scarlets (Wal) 35 – 27 Benetton Treviso (Ita)
South Africans = 1
A knee injury for veteran fly-half Stephen Jones took some of the gloss off Scarlets' Heineken Cup bonus-point win over Treviso. Jones, who turned 33 this week, came off after just 18 minutes on the clock after suffering a blow to his left knee. It was the Welsh international’s first start for the Scarlets since the side were hammered at Leicester in October. The hosts out-scored Treviso four tries to three but could never kill off the Italians, who had the better of the final quarter. South African Benjamin Vermaak featured at open side flanker for the Italian team.
The win puts Scarlets level on points with Pool Five leaders Leicester Tigers.
Sunday, December 12
Pool 2: Clermont Auvergne (Fra) 20 – 13 Leinster (Ire)
South Africans: 2
Leinster coach Joe Schmidt took his unbeaten side to Stade Marcel Michelin to face his former club Clermont. However, it wasn’t the best of returns for the Kiwi whose side went down by seven points.
All in all it was not the worst result for Leinster who can be relatively satisfied with a bonus point considering the side is currently without Irish internationals Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald and Brian O’Driscoll.
Leinster went into the match top of Pool Two with nine out of a possible ten points from two wins, while Clermont - who lost 29-28 to Leinster in Dublin in last season's quarter-finals – were four points behind. Pool Two is looking increasingly tight with Racing Metro, Clermont and Leinster all within two points of each other.
Leinster’s front row featured two South Africans: the impressive Richardt Strauss was joined by former Lions prop, Heinke van der Merwe, who enjoyed his first Heineken Cup start.
Leinster host the French champions in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium next week which promises to be a critical game for both sides. Having finally won the French Top 14, Clermont have made it very clear they now badly want to add the Heineken Cup to their trophy cabinet.
Pool 3: Munster (Ire) 22 – 16 Ospreys (Wal)
South Africans = 1
The much talked about return of Paul O'Connell, the former British and Irish Lions captain, lasted barely 10 minutes as he was sent off during Munster's absorbing Pool Three victory over the Ospreys at Thomond Park. The Ireland star, introduced on the hour mark as he continues his return from a long injury lay-off, was seen swinging his right arm into the face of Jonathan Thomas as he held him back.
Former Hurricanes star Jerry Collins has been in damaging form since moving to Wales from Toulon, and his partnership with fellow Kiwi Marty Holah ensures that the Welsh club field one of the most feared back rows in Europe. In fact, collectively the Ospreys have one of the best squads in Europe and it is surprising that they have yet to really challenge for the Heineken Cup.
Munster have never lost to the Ospreys in the competition, and thumped them 43-9 in the quarter-finals of the European championship last year. However on this occasion, despite losing, the Ospreys left Thomand Park with a valuable bonus point (for not losing by more than 7 points) which very much keeps the fixture alive when both sides meet next weekend in Wales.
Former Cheetah’s prop Wian du Preez had another solid game for the Irish giants and continues to demonstrate why he is a valuable signing for Munster.
Pool 3: London Irish (Eng) 13 – 19 Toulon (Fra)
South Africans: 2
A big win for Toulon which means the French big spenders have now put themselves into a strong position to challenge for a place in the quarter finals. Pool Three is arguably the most difficult qualifying pool as it also features Munster and a strong Osprey’s side, so a win away from home at this stage of the season, with a home encounter against the same opposition next weekend, means that Jonny Wilkinson and co. are very much back on track.
Toulon captain and number eight Joe Van Niekerk had another outstanding game for the French side. In particular the South African had a powerful 50 metre run which almost resulted in a try after he split the Irish defence before floating a beautiful pass to Paul Sackey. The only other South African involved in the game was former Springbok and London Irish prop, Faan Rautenbach.
Toulon returned to the top flight two seasons ago thanks, first and foremost, to their millionaire president Mourad Boudjellal, the so-called Roman Abramovich of French club rugby. Toulon are notionally credited with having the fourth highest budget in the Top 14, with €19 million. Not to qualify for the knock out stage with such and expensively assembled squad would certainly represent a poor return on investment.
Pool 6: Newport-Gwent D'gons (Wal) - Wasps (Eng)
South Africans: 0
Second-half tries from wing duo David Lemi and Tom Varndell saw Wasps turn over the Dragons at Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday. The game, switched from a frozen Rodney Parade, never took off as a spectacle.
Wasps are two points behind pool leaders Toulouse in the race for an automatic quarter-final place, with the French giants yet to visit Adams Park. The Dragons are now without a Heineken Cup win since they beat Glasgow more than 12 months ago.
Summary
The Heineken Cup is reaching its most critical juncture: Round Four will give a good indication of which teams will still be involved come the quarter finals next March. In particular Leinster v Clermont, Bath v Ulster, Leicester v Perpignan, Ospreys v Munster and Toulon v London Irish are stand out fixtures not to be missed next weekend.
Monday, October 18, 2010
28 South African's in action in Round Two of the Heineken Cup
HEINEKEN CUP ROUND TWO
Jamie Macken: South Africa’s most partial Irish rugby analyst.
While I’m sure most people had their eyes glued to action here in South Africa, it was also a mouth watering weekend of Heineken Cup action across the Northern Hemisphere; in particular across Paris, London and Limerick. It is incredible to think that while four top class South African teams battled it out for a place in a Currie Cup Final an incredible 28 South Africans featured in Round Two of the Northern Hemisphere’s show piece tournament. Surely no other nation can possess so much talent?
The Heineken Cup has always been fiercely contested but the evidence is there after a record breaking opening round to the campaign to suggest the tournament is getting tighter and tighter. Seven of the twelve Round One games ended within the seven point margin needed for a losing bonus point. The Second Round of games can make or break a group, and wins this weekend for Northampton, Leinster, Munster, Biarrtz, Leicester and Toulouse, puts them in pole position to make the Quarter Finals in April of next year.
Round Two of the competition provided another twelve bruising encounters. There were many strong individual performances from the South African’s now playing in Europe: it will be interesting to see how their fellow countrymen compare when the Springboks travel north for the Grand Slam tour in November.
Friday , October 15
POOL THREE: Ospreys (WAL) 27 - 16 London Irish (ENG)
South Africans = 1
Former Springbok Faan Rautenbach lined out for London Irish but no other South African was represented in Wales on Friday night. Wales star, Shane Williams, marked his 50th Heineken Cup appearance with a score that will be a candidate for try of the season. The wing-wonder's sixty metre second half blitz reasserted the control of the home side and made up for the sucker interception try his team had conceded at the start of the second period. The Ospreys came agonisingly close to victory against Toulon last weekend in France, so a win against England’s league leaders was an absolute must in order to stay alive in Pool Three (which also features Munster). The Welsh side has made it to the quarter-final stage of the competition in each of the past three seasons, so this win keeps alive their hopes of doing so again.
POOL ONE: Castres (FRA) 27 – 20 Cardiff Blues (WAL)
South Africans = 1
A last-minute try by Scott Andrews salvaged a losing bonus-point for Cardiff Blues after Castres had dominated the opening half at the Stade Pierre Antoine. The home side built up a 27-13 half-time but the Blues managed to fight back in the second half and grab an all-important bonus point on the road. South African prop Danie Saayman was named on the bench for Castres.
Cardiff Blues were without Wales international Martyn Williams who has been suspended for three weeks after being found guilty of dropping a knee into the face of Scotland full-back Chris Paterson during last week’s win against Edinburgh. The ban could have been much more severe and is a blessing for Wales coach Warren Gatland ahead of Novembers Test against the Boks.
Saturday , October 16
POOL ONE: Edinburgh (SCO) 27 – 31 Northampton (ENG)
South Africans = 1
In what is becoming a depressing trend in Scottish rugby, less than 5,000 turned up to watch Edinburgh take on former European Champions Northampton Saints in a crucial Round Two fixture for the Scottish side. It was probably just as well as Northampton returned to the summit of Pool One after recording a come-from-behind 31-27 win at Murrayfield on Saturday. Edinburgh, however, can count themselves unlucky as they continue to cause opponents plenty of problems without closing out to win crucial games. Johannesburg native Regardt Dreyer was the only South African involved in Saturday’s fixture, the prop started on the bench for Northampton Saints.
POOL FOUR: Aironi Rugby (ITA) 6 – 22 Bath (ENG)
South Africans = 2
Former Springbok Luke Watson led out Bath for the second week in a row and lined out beside former Cheetahs No. 9 Michael Claasens as the English side got their Heineken Cup campaign back on track with a bonus point victory at Aironi. Watson, whose rebirth in England is culminating in some great rugby, scored Bath’s fourth try in the 66th minute to secure a vital bonus point.
South African born but Italian international Jaco Erasmus lined out in the back row for the home side.
POOL TWO: Racing Metro 92 (FRA) 16 – 9 Clermont Auvergne (FRA)
South Africans = 3
Racing Metro won the bragging rights and their first Heineken Cup points, by coming out on top in the all French affair in Pool Two. Clermont Auvergne made eleven changes from the side which defeated Saracens in style last weekend and could only register three penalties throughout the afternoon. Racing struggled on their Heineken Cup debut a week ago in Dublin, but claimed their first win with a good victory over the French Champions.
Both teams made a number of changes to last week’s starting line-ups; as a result there was no sign of Frans Steyn, Greg Goosan, Jacques Cronje or Francois Van der Merwe for the home side. There was a starting place for South Africa’s Bernard Le Roux who lined out in a back row which included French favorite Sebastian Chabal while Scott Zimmerman was again included on Racing’s bench.
South Africa’s Brent Russell was included on the bench for a Clermont side which featured eleven changes from the side which beat England’s Saracens a week previously.
POOL THREE: Munster (IRE) 45 – 18 Toulon (FRA)
South Africans = 2
Two South Africans were involved in a ‘do or die’ encounter for Munster against French rich boys Toulon in Limerick. Toulon Captain and PE native Joe van Niekerk was in typically good form for the French outfit. Admittedly Toulon didn’t offer very much in the face of Munster’s complete dominance but the South African No. 8 scored an excellent try in the dying moments of the game after having gone close only a few moments earlier. On a day when his former side were battered in Newlands, former Cheetah’s prop Wian du Preez demonstrated why he is becoming a valuable signing for the Irish giants. Despite being substituted to make way for Irish international Marcus Horan in the second half, du Preez is impressing many in the Munster ranks.
All in all it was a great day for Munster as they scored six tries, taking all the points on offer, and climbed back to the summit of Pool Three. Irish hooker Jerry Flannery made a welcome return off the bench after playing just 40 minutes for local club side Shannon in the All-Ireland League. His first appearance for Munster in more than four months will please Irish coach Declan Kidney ahead of the Ireland’s Test against the Boks in November.
The French side decided to rest the inform Johnny Wilkinson ahead of three massive games in the Top 14 (including back to back away fixtures against Stade Francais and Toulouse). The news that Argentina’s Felipe Contepomi was to start at No. 10 instead of Wilkinson must have been music to Munster’s ears as the former Leinster man is loathed in Munster. No wonder the crowd were delighted to see him sin binned on 60 minutes after already being moved into centre in place of Wilkinson who came on after 52 minutes of the game.
Munster dished out a powerful lesson to a French side bursting with international stars. Toulon may possess one of the most expensively-assembled club squads in the game, full of stellar names, but this is their debut in Europe’s premier competition against a team with the richest of pedigrees, in a venue where Munster have now won 37 of their previous 38 ties.
Toulon returned to the top flight two seasons ago thanks, first and foremost, to their millionaire president Mourad Boudjellal, the so-called Roman Abramovich of French club rugby. Toulon are notionally credited with having the fourth highest budget in the Top 14, with €19 million.
POOL SIX: Newport-Gwent Dragons (WAL) 19 – 40 Toulouse (FRA)
South Africans = 2
A powerful second-half display by Toulouse saw the reigning Heineken Cup champions overcome the Newport Gwent Dragons in a hard-fought encounter at Rodney Parade. The win means they maintain their 100 per cent start to the competition and continue to set the pace in Pool Six.
South African prop Daan Human started for Europe’s most successful club while fellow country man Shaun Sowerby was named on the bench alongside All Black star Byron Kelleher and France’s Vincent Clerc. Over all it was an impressive day out for the current champions against the Dragons in Wales.
POOL TWO: Saracens (ENG) 23 vs 25 Leinster (IRE)
South Africans = 8
England’s home of football, the impressive new Wembley, became the 91st venue to host a Heineken Cup fixture when Leinster travelled to London to face Saracens in front of 46,000 on Saturday. A total of eight South Africans were involved in the game at some point over the 80 minutes.
With nine South African’s in their squad, it was perhaps not surprising that former Sharks prop Deon Carstens and centre Brad Barritt (declared for England), former Bulls fly half Derick Hougaard, former Stormers hooker Schalk Brits and former Lions No. 8 Ernst Joubert were named in Saracens starting XI. It was the former Lions captain Ernst Joubert, who stood out from the crowd. The No. 8’s physicality at the breakdown and with ball in hand asked serious questions of Leinster until he was surprisingly substituted early in the second half. Former Bulls fly half Derick Hougaard had a decent game but worryingly he was stretchered off after 46 minutes with an achilles injury. Former Stormer’s scrum half Neil de Kock also featured off the bench for the English side.
Saracens fans will be delighted with the news that Ernst Joubert, Schalk Brits and Brad Barritt agreed new contracts during the week. Brits, a dynamic ball-carrying hooker, was rewarded for his outstanding 2009-10 season by being named the Rugby Players' Association player of the year.
South African Richardt Strauss, had another solid game at No. 2 for Leinster but didn’t make quite the impression he did in his Heineken Cup debut against Racing Metro in Dublin last week. On that occasion the versatile hooker showed his former back row skills with some excellent running ultimately resulting in a superb try. New Leinster signing and former Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe, entered the fray on 60 minutes for the 2009 European Champions and by all accounts made a decent impression on a game which was played with Test Match intensity.
Ireland’s battle for the No. 10 jersey continues to heat up ahead of the Springbok game on 6th November. Johnny Sexton had an irresistible game for Leinster scoring all 25 of his side’s points and now putting serious pressure on Munster’s Ronan O’Gara for the No. 10 jersey. O’Gara had a typically solid performance in Munster’s crushing of Toulon but Sexton’s assured play with ball in hand and from the tee demonstrated why many are now calling for him to be Ireland’s first choice.
Leinster’s water boy, a certain Brian O’Driscoll, was as anxious as any Leinster fan when Saracens put together 28 phases of play in the dying minutes of the game; but Leinster kept their cool in defence to leave Wembley with a brilliant win and in the process have almost certainly put Saracens out of the competition.
Sunday , October 17
POOL SIX: Wasps (ENG) 36 – 26 Glasgow (SCO)
South Africans = 0
DTH van der Merwe started on the wing for Glasgow but the South African born player now has 13 caps for his adopted Canada. So technically there were no South African’s involved as Wasps continued their long unbeaten run at home in the Heineken Cup on Sunday with a 38-26 bonus-point win over Glasgow Warriors. Wasps outscored their visitors four tries-to-two to move second in Pool Six, two points behind Toulouse who beat the Dragons on Saturday. It’s a decent start to the competition for the English who managed to take a bonus point from a difficult Round One match at Toulouse.
POOL FIVE: Perpignan (FRA) 35 – 14 Benetton Treviso (ITA)
South Africans = 2
South African’s Gavin Hume and Gerrie Britz, who started on the bench, crossed the line as Perpignan left it rather late to finish off a typically stubborn Benetton Treviso. It was an important win for the French side who went down away to Welsh side Scarlets in Round One. It was three tries in the last fifteen minutes which ultimately proved the difference at Stade Aimé Giral. The teams were locked at 14-14 with 20 minutes remaining but the hosts broke free with a penalty try before Gerrie Britz and Damien Chouly crossed in the closing stages.
POOL FIVE: Leicester (ENG) 46 – 10 Scarlets (WAL)
South Africans = 0
No South African’s were involved as two time European Champions Leicester Tigers put down a Heineken Cup marker by demolishing a confident Scarlets side 46-10 on Sunday. It was a bitterly disappointing result for the Welsh side who overcame Perpignan in a nine try spectacular at Parc y Scarlets in Round One.
POOL FOUR: Biarritz (FRA) 35 – 15 Ulster (IRE)
South Africans = 6
Biarritz maintained their unbeaten start in Pool Four of the Heineken Cup with an emphatic bonus-point home victory over Ulster. Scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili was the architect for last season's finalists with a 15-point tally, including three penalties and three conversions.
Pretoria’s Eduard Coetzee, who has been plying his trade in France for several years now, started in at loose-head for winning side. A five strong South African contingent consisting of Ruan Pienaar, BJ Botha, Johann Muller, Pedrie Wannenburg and Robbie Diack was still not enough for Ulster as the 1999 Champions were beaten for the first time this season by an impressive display in France.
It’s all looking rather good for Biarrtz who won away to Bath in Round One. The French club has played in two Heineken Cup finals and another two semi-finals but are yet to win the illustrious competition.
Ulster have failed to qualify for the knock-out stages for the eleven seasons since winning the competition in 1999 and are hoping that money spent on quality South African imports would prove the difference this time out. While it is certainly by no means over for the Irish side, they still have to face Bath home and away before taking on Biarrtz again in Belfast.
Summary
In a weekend which saw South Africa’s best domestic talent battle it out for a place in the Currie Cup final, 28 South African’s demonstrated their skills in Europe. Round Three of Europe’s elite club competition takes place on 10-12 December after a November packed with internationals including the Springbok’s Grand Slam Tour of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales which kicks off in Dublin’s new Aviva Stadium on 6th November. With so many talented South African’s playing in Europe one would wonder if Peter de Villiers and the SARU are best served by touring with exhausted local talent?
Jamie Macken: South Africa’s most partial Irish rugby analyst.
While I’m sure most people had their eyes glued to action here in South Africa, it was also a mouth watering weekend of Heineken Cup action across the Northern Hemisphere; in particular across Paris, London and Limerick. It is incredible to think that while four top class South African teams battled it out for a place in a Currie Cup Final an incredible 28 South Africans featured in Round Two of the Northern Hemisphere’s show piece tournament. Surely no other nation can possess so much talent?
The Heineken Cup has always been fiercely contested but the evidence is there after a record breaking opening round to the campaign to suggest the tournament is getting tighter and tighter. Seven of the twelve Round One games ended within the seven point margin needed for a losing bonus point. The Second Round of games can make or break a group, and wins this weekend for Northampton, Leinster, Munster, Biarrtz, Leicester and Toulouse, puts them in pole position to make the Quarter Finals in April of next year.
Round Two of the competition provided another twelve bruising encounters. There were many strong individual performances from the South African’s now playing in Europe: it will be interesting to see how their fellow countrymen compare when the Springboks travel north for the Grand Slam tour in November.
Friday , October 15
POOL THREE: Ospreys (WAL) 27 - 16 London Irish (ENG)
South Africans = 1
Former Springbok Faan Rautenbach lined out for London Irish but no other South African was represented in Wales on Friday night. Wales star, Shane Williams, marked his 50th Heineken Cup appearance with a score that will be a candidate for try of the season. The wing-wonder's sixty metre second half blitz reasserted the control of the home side and made up for the sucker interception try his team had conceded at the start of the second period. The Ospreys came agonisingly close to victory against Toulon last weekend in France, so a win against England’s league leaders was an absolute must in order to stay alive in Pool Three (which also features Munster). The Welsh side has made it to the quarter-final stage of the competition in each of the past three seasons, so this win keeps alive their hopes of doing so again.
POOL ONE: Castres (FRA) 27 – 20 Cardiff Blues (WAL)
South Africans = 1
A last-minute try by Scott Andrews salvaged a losing bonus-point for Cardiff Blues after Castres had dominated the opening half at the Stade Pierre Antoine. The home side built up a 27-13 half-time but the Blues managed to fight back in the second half and grab an all-important bonus point on the road. South African prop Danie Saayman was named on the bench for Castres.
Cardiff Blues were without Wales international Martyn Williams who has been suspended for three weeks after being found guilty of dropping a knee into the face of Scotland full-back Chris Paterson during last week’s win against Edinburgh. The ban could have been much more severe and is a blessing for Wales coach Warren Gatland ahead of Novembers Test against the Boks.
Saturday , October 16
POOL ONE: Edinburgh (SCO) 27 – 31 Northampton (ENG)
South Africans = 1
In what is becoming a depressing trend in Scottish rugby, less than 5,000 turned up to watch Edinburgh take on former European Champions Northampton Saints in a crucial Round Two fixture for the Scottish side. It was probably just as well as Northampton returned to the summit of Pool One after recording a come-from-behind 31-27 win at Murrayfield on Saturday. Edinburgh, however, can count themselves unlucky as they continue to cause opponents plenty of problems without closing out to win crucial games. Johannesburg native Regardt Dreyer was the only South African involved in Saturday’s fixture, the prop started on the bench for Northampton Saints.
POOL FOUR: Aironi Rugby (ITA) 6 – 22 Bath (ENG)
South Africans = 2
Former Springbok Luke Watson led out Bath for the second week in a row and lined out beside former Cheetahs No. 9 Michael Claasens as the English side got their Heineken Cup campaign back on track with a bonus point victory at Aironi. Watson, whose rebirth in England is culminating in some great rugby, scored Bath’s fourth try in the 66th minute to secure a vital bonus point.
South African born but Italian international Jaco Erasmus lined out in the back row for the home side.
POOL TWO: Racing Metro 92 (FRA) 16 – 9 Clermont Auvergne (FRA)
South Africans = 3
Racing Metro won the bragging rights and their first Heineken Cup points, by coming out on top in the all French affair in Pool Two. Clermont Auvergne made eleven changes from the side which defeated Saracens in style last weekend and could only register three penalties throughout the afternoon. Racing struggled on their Heineken Cup debut a week ago in Dublin, but claimed their first win with a good victory over the French Champions.
Both teams made a number of changes to last week’s starting line-ups; as a result there was no sign of Frans Steyn, Greg Goosan, Jacques Cronje or Francois Van der Merwe for the home side. There was a starting place for South Africa’s Bernard Le Roux who lined out in a back row which included French favorite Sebastian Chabal while Scott Zimmerman was again included on Racing’s bench.
South Africa’s Brent Russell was included on the bench for a Clermont side which featured eleven changes from the side which beat England’s Saracens a week previously.
POOL THREE: Munster (IRE) 45 – 18 Toulon (FRA)
South Africans = 2
Two South Africans were involved in a ‘do or die’ encounter for Munster against French rich boys Toulon in Limerick. Toulon Captain and PE native Joe van Niekerk was in typically good form for the French outfit. Admittedly Toulon didn’t offer very much in the face of Munster’s complete dominance but the South African No. 8 scored an excellent try in the dying moments of the game after having gone close only a few moments earlier. On a day when his former side were battered in Newlands, former Cheetah’s prop Wian du Preez demonstrated why he is becoming a valuable signing for the Irish giants. Despite being substituted to make way for Irish international Marcus Horan in the second half, du Preez is impressing many in the Munster ranks.
All in all it was a great day for Munster as they scored six tries, taking all the points on offer, and climbed back to the summit of Pool Three. Irish hooker Jerry Flannery made a welcome return off the bench after playing just 40 minutes for local club side Shannon in the All-Ireland League. His first appearance for Munster in more than four months will please Irish coach Declan Kidney ahead of the Ireland’s Test against the Boks in November.
The French side decided to rest the inform Johnny Wilkinson ahead of three massive games in the Top 14 (including back to back away fixtures against Stade Francais and Toulouse). The news that Argentina’s Felipe Contepomi was to start at No. 10 instead of Wilkinson must have been music to Munster’s ears as the former Leinster man is loathed in Munster. No wonder the crowd were delighted to see him sin binned on 60 minutes after already being moved into centre in place of Wilkinson who came on after 52 minutes of the game.
Munster dished out a powerful lesson to a French side bursting with international stars. Toulon may possess one of the most expensively-assembled club squads in the game, full of stellar names, but this is their debut in Europe’s premier competition against a team with the richest of pedigrees, in a venue where Munster have now won 37 of their previous 38 ties.
Toulon returned to the top flight two seasons ago thanks, first and foremost, to their millionaire president Mourad Boudjellal, the so-called Roman Abramovich of French club rugby. Toulon are notionally credited with having the fourth highest budget in the Top 14, with €19 million.
POOL SIX: Newport-Gwent Dragons (WAL) 19 – 40 Toulouse (FRA)
South Africans = 2
A powerful second-half display by Toulouse saw the reigning Heineken Cup champions overcome the Newport Gwent Dragons in a hard-fought encounter at Rodney Parade. The win means they maintain their 100 per cent start to the competition and continue to set the pace in Pool Six.
South African prop Daan Human started for Europe’s most successful club while fellow country man Shaun Sowerby was named on the bench alongside All Black star Byron Kelleher and France’s Vincent Clerc. Over all it was an impressive day out for the current champions against the Dragons in Wales.
POOL TWO: Saracens (ENG) 23 vs 25 Leinster (IRE)
South Africans = 8
England’s home of football, the impressive new Wembley, became the 91st venue to host a Heineken Cup fixture when Leinster travelled to London to face Saracens in front of 46,000 on Saturday. A total of eight South Africans were involved in the game at some point over the 80 minutes.
With nine South African’s in their squad, it was perhaps not surprising that former Sharks prop Deon Carstens and centre Brad Barritt (declared for England), former Bulls fly half Derick Hougaard, former Stormers hooker Schalk Brits and former Lions No. 8 Ernst Joubert were named in Saracens starting XI. It was the former Lions captain Ernst Joubert, who stood out from the crowd. The No. 8’s physicality at the breakdown and with ball in hand asked serious questions of Leinster until he was surprisingly substituted early in the second half. Former Bulls fly half Derick Hougaard had a decent game but worryingly he was stretchered off after 46 minutes with an achilles injury. Former Stormer’s scrum half Neil de Kock also featured off the bench for the English side.
Saracens fans will be delighted with the news that Ernst Joubert, Schalk Brits and Brad Barritt agreed new contracts during the week. Brits, a dynamic ball-carrying hooker, was rewarded for his outstanding 2009-10 season by being named the Rugby Players' Association player of the year.
South African Richardt Strauss, had another solid game at No. 2 for Leinster but didn’t make quite the impression he did in his Heineken Cup debut against Racing Metro in Dublin last week. On that occasion the versatile hooker showed his former back row skills with some excellent running ultimately resulting in a superb try. New Leinster signing and former Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe, entered the fray on 60 minutes for the 2009 European Champions and by all accounts made a decent impression on a game which was played with Test Match intensity.
Ireland’s battle for the No. 10 jersey continues to heat up ahead of the Springbok game on 6th November. Johnny Sexton had an irresistible game for Leinster scoring all 25 of his side’s points and now putting serious pressure on Munster’s Ronan O’Gara for the No. 10 jersey. O’Gara had a typically solid performance in Munster’s crushing of Toulon but Sexton’s assured play with ball in hand and from the tee demonstrated why many are now calling for him to be Ireland’s first choice.
Leinster’s water boy, a certain Brian O’Driscoll, was as anxious as any Leinster fan when Saracens put together 28 phases of play in the dying minutes of the game; but Leinster kept their cool in defence to leave Wembley with a brilliant win and in the process have almost certainly put Saracens out of the competition.
Sunday , October 17
POOL SIX: Wasps (ENG) 36 – 26 Glasgow (SCO)
South Africans = 0
DTH van der Merwe started on the wing for Glasgow but the South African born player now has 13 caps for his adopted Canada. So technically there were no South African’s involved as Wasps continued their long unbeaten run at home in the Heineken Cup on Sunday with a 38-26 bonus-point win over Glasgow Warriors. Wasps outscored their visitors four tries-to-two to move second in Pool Six, two points behind Toulouse who beat the Dragons on Saturday. It’s a decent start to the competition for the English who managed to take a bonus point from a difficult Round One match at Toulouse.
POOL FIVE: Perpignan (FRA) 35 – 14 Benetton Treviso (ITA)
South Africans = 2
South African’s Gavin Hume and Gerrie Britz, who started on the bench, crossed the line as Perpignan left it rather late to finish off a typically stubborn Benetton Treviso. It was an important win for the French side who went down away to Welsh side Scarlets in Round One. It was three tries in the last fifteen minutes which ultimately proved the difference at Stade Aimé Giral. The teams were locked at 14-14 with 20 minutes remaining but the hosts broke free with a penalty try before Gerrie Britz and Damien Chouly crossed in the closing stages.
POOL FIVE: Leicester (ENG) 46 – 10 Scarlets (WAL)
South Africans = 0
No South African’s were involved as two time European Champions Leicester Tigers put down a Heineken Cup marker by demolishing a confident Scarlets side 46-10 on Sunday. It was a bitterly disappointing result for the Welsh side who overcame Perpignan in a nine try spectacular at Parc y Scarlets in Round One.
POOL FOUR: Biarritz (FRA) 35 – 15 Ulster (IRE)
South Africans = 6
Biarritz maintained their unbeaten start in Pool Four of the Heineken Cup with an emphatic bonus-point home victory over Ulster. Scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili was the architect for last season's finalists with a 15-point tally, including three penalties and three conversions.
Pretoria’s Eduard Coetzee, who has been plying his trade in France for several years now, started in at loose-head for winning side. A five strong South African contingent consisting of Ruan Pienaar, BJ Botha, Johann Muller, Pedrie Wannenburg and Robbie Diack was still not enough for Ulster as the 1999 Champions were beaten for the first time this season by an impressive display in France.
It’s all looking rather good for Biarrtz who won away to Bath in Round One. The French club has played in two Heineken Cup finals and another two semi-finals but are yet to win the illustrious competition.
Ulster have failed to qualify for the knock-out stages for the eleven seasons since winning the competition in 1999 and are hoping that money spent on quality South African imports would prove the difference this time out. While it is certainly by no means over for the Irish side, they still have to face Bath home and away before taking on Biarrtz again in Belfast.
Summary
In a weekend which saw South Africa’s best domestic talent battle it out for a place in the Currie Cup final, 28 South African’s demonstrated their skills in Europe. Round Three of Europe’s elite club competition takes place on 10-12 December after a November packed with internationals including the Springbok’s Grand Slam Tour of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales which kicks off in Dublin’s new Aviva Stadium on 6th November. With so many talented South African’s playing in Europe one would wonder if Peter de Villiers and the SARU are best served by touring with exhausted local talent?
Monday, October 11, 2010
Twenty South African's Start in Round One of the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup Round One
European rugby’s show piece tournament kicked off over the weekend. Now in its 15th year the Heineken Cup has gone from strength to strength. With twenty four teams competing in six pools across the traditional “home nations” (Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales) and France and Italy it surpasses Super Rugby if not in quality, then certainly in scale.
Last year’s final was an all French affair with Toulouse, Europe’s most successful club, defeating Biarrtiz in a final which was fittingly played in Paris. Strangely enough, the competition has been dominated by Irish clubs over recent years with Munster (twice) and Leinster proving too strong in three of the last five finals. The signs this year are that French teams have all the cards, but a question always remains over their performances away from home.
No Welsh, Scottish or Italian team has won the competition despite the Welsh outfit, The Ospreys, reaching the quarter-finals in the last three seasons. Yet again this season they look the most likely of the Welsh or Scottish teams to make an impression as their squad features players such as Kiwi Jerry Collins, British and Irish Lions stars Tommy Bowe, Lee Byrne, James Hook and Alun-Wyn Jones and former world player of the year Shane Williams.
The Heineken Cup is open to clubs in the Magners League (Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy), Aviva Premiership (England) and the Top 14 (France). Clubs that do not qualify for the Heineken Cup can enter the European Challenge Cup.
The Heineken Cup pool games are played over six rounds from October to January. There is a break for the November international series and again in February and March for the Six Nations campaign before resuming in April with the quarter finals. The final is played in a different stadium each May; this year’s final takes place in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
Each year the competition goes from strength to strength; the average attendance for last season’s pool games was 15,000 up from 6,500 in 1995. The 2009 semi-final between Irish rivals Leinster and Munster in Croke Park was attended by 82,208 people and set a world record for a club match in the sport's history. The competition, like the Six Nations, benefits from the close proximity of many of the stadiums.
The favorites to lift this year’s cup are the current champions Toulouse who have already won the competition a record four times. English side Leicester are second favorites. Interestingly both teams feature a limited amount of South African registered players when compared with teams such as Saracens who have an astonishing eight South African’s in their squad.
So after Round One, how has each team faired and which South African’s have proven their worth in Euros and Pounds??
Friday 8th October
Pool Six: Glasgow Warriors (Scot) 21 – 13 Newport Gwent Dragons (Wal)
No South African’s were involved in a game which saw Glasgow’s first victory in the opening weekend of the competition since 1997. The Scottish side will look to continue their good start when they travel to face double European champions London Wasps next weekend, while the Dragons must regroup for the visit of the Heineken Cup Champions Toulouse to Rodney Parade.
Pool Four: Ulster (Ire) 30 – 6 Aironi Rugby (Ita)
The 1999 European Champions ran out 30-6 victors in Pool 4, although the performance was less convincing than the scoreline suggests. Ulster led just 11-6 at the break but three second-half scores effectively secured maximum points with 12 minutes remaining.
Springbok star Ruan Piennar marked his first Heineken Cup experience by scoring two penalties and a try. Although he missed two conversions and hit the post with a penalty it was a typically lively and solid performance by arguably one of Ulster’s biggest ever signings. In particular the summer signing demonstrated his class to snipe over from close range and put the game beyond doubt.
The Ulster team featured three other South African’s in the form of second row Johann Muller, and back row forwards Pedrie Wannenburg and Robbie Diack.
Prop BJ Botha, who sustained a wrist injury against Irish rivals Connacht in Round Four of the Magners League, was named in the extended squad but suffered a setback earlier in the week and was consequently not included.
Pool One: Northampton Saints (Eng) 18 – 14 Castres Olympique (Fra)
A try within 27 seconds of the re-start after half-time swung the balance in favour of Northampton Saints in this tense Pool 1 battle. Danie Saayman was South Africa’s soul representative on the pitch; by all accounts another sound game for the no. 3.
Saturday 9th October
Pool Two: Leinster (Ire) 38 – 22 Racing Metro 92 (Fra)
Leinster signaled their Heineken Cup intentions with a fine bonus-point win over French Top 14 leaders Racing Metro 92 in front of 18,000 at the RDS on Saturday afternoon.
Quite a few Springboks were involved with Francois Steyn kicking two penalties for the visitors, one of which he slotted from deep inside his own half. Former Cheetah’s hooker Richardt Strauss scored his first Leinster try to help the 2009 champions take all the points. Leinster summer signing and former Golden Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe also had a solid start to his Heineken Cup campaign. South Africa’s Jacques Cronje featured at open-side flanker for the French side while prop Scott Zimmermann was named on the bench.
There will be serious concern among Ireland supporters after Brian O'Driscoll pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury in the second half, an injury which has the potential to rule him out of the Springbok clash in November. Next up for Leinster is a trip to Wembley to face Saracens, while Racing entertain Clermont Auvergne in a mouth-watering all-French affair.
Pool Five: Benetton Treviso (Ita) 29 – 34 Leicester Tigers (Eng)
Alessana Tuilagi's late score was the difference in Italy as double Heineken Cup Champions Leicester Tigers came from behind to beat Benetton Treviso.
Pool Three: Toulon (Fra) 19 – 14 Ospreys (Wal)
Toulon marked their Heineken Cup debut with a narrow victory over the Ospreys in Pool Three. Jonny Wilkinson inspired the French side to victory, setting up fellow England team-mate Paul Sackey to score the winning try with just four minutes remaining at the Stade Mayol.
Like Racing Metro 92, Toulon are the big cash spenders of European Rugby and both are setting out to prove the worth in Europe’s elite competition. Toulon’s starting XV featured a Scot, three English, two Aussies (including George Smith) and is captained by Argentinean no. 8 Juan Fernandez Lobbe. Their squad also consists of two South African’s in the name of Joe van Niekerk and Dewald Meyer Senekal but neither featured on Saturday.
England manager Martin Johnson looked on with interest as his former world cup winning team mate, Wilkinson, demonstrated how he still has the class to bring England to next year’s World Cup finals in New Zealand.
Pool Five: Scarlets (Wal) 43 – 34 Perpignan (Fra)
Arguably the game of the weekend; a thrilling encounter which saw The Scarlets beat French giants Perpignan in a nine try spectacular at Parc y Scarlets. Two South African’s were involved in the party, both for the French side as Gavin Hume took on fly half duties and Gerrie Britz featured in the back row.
British and Irish Lions fly-half Stephen Jones scored 28 points for the home side, including one of his side's four tries and 23 points with the boot. Perpignan clawed their way back from 40-15 down after 50 minutes to claim a try bonus point for themselves.
Pool Two: ASM Clermont Auvergne (Fra) 25 – 10 Saracens (Eng)
No less than five South African’s were in the fray when English side Saracens traveled to France for this Heineken Cup opener to Pool Two. As expected the experienced Marius Joubert started at no. 12 for the home side. No less than four South African’s featured for Saracens including former Sharks’s centre Bradley Barrit, and prop Deon Carstens former Blue Bulls out half Derick Hougaard and former Stormers hooker Schalk Brits. Premiership player of the month for October, Namibian Jacques Burger, who signed from the Bulls half-way through last season, was also on the pitch for the visitors.
Clermont outscored their English opponents by three tries to one, with Jamie Cudmore, Julien Malzieu and Napolioni Nalaga all touching down for the hosts. All in all and impressive win for the homeside.
Pool One: Cardiff Blues (Wal) 18 – 17 Edinburgh (Scot)
Former All Black Casey Laulala was the inspiration for Cardiff Blues as they beat Edinburgh by a single point at the Cardiff City Stadium. The Kiwi centre created one try and scored another to help his side to Heineken Cup success, however, the day will arguably be remembered for Scotland fly-half Dan Parks’s off day with the boot, missing six kicks at goal in a tense Pool One fixture.
Interestingly Edinburgh’s captain, Roddy Grant, grew up in South Africa. He played for the Natal Schools side before moving to Scotland.
Pool Three: London Irish (Eng) 23 – 17 Munster (Ire)
Sam Tuitupou's last minute try threw Munster a much needed lifeline to take into next weekend's home clash with Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon. In typical Munster fashion the visitors never gave up and left the Medjeski Stadium with a losers bonus point.
London Irish inflicted on 2009 champions Leinster at the beginning of last season’s campaign and have inflicted the same damage on two time champions Munster for the current season. London Irish looked set not only to take all four points but also deny Munster anything after England full back Delon Armitage had landed a 52 metre penalty to stretch his side's lead to 11 points with eight minutes left to play.
The top ranked team in England at the end of the first month of the season, London Irish were full value for their 15-6 interval lead and had dictated the course of events with their hard-core defence and clever game management from outside half Ryan Lamb.
The sole South African representative on the pitch for this encounter was prop Wian du Preez who after an initial three month contract with the Irish giants, has now committed to Munster for the next two years, therefore putting himself out of contention for next year’s world cup. The young prop had previously expressed his disillusioned by the lack of opportunities to play for the Springboks especially after C J van der Linde from his stint with Leinster.
Sunday 10th October
Pool Four: Bath Rugby 11 – 12 Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque
Former Cheetah’s scrum-half, Michael Claasons (Bath), long-term French based prop Eduard Coetzee (Biarritz) and somewhat controversial former Bok Luke Watson (Bath) were the only South African’s to take the pitch yesterday as Biarritz won four vital points in an away trip at the Reck. Claasons scored an important sixth minute try for Bath but it was not enough as Biarritz closed out the game in dramatic style. English fly-half, Olly Barkley, had a glorious opportunity to put Bath ahead inside 74 minutes but instead opted to run the ball, a decision which ultimately could have changed the result.
Biarritz Olympique are perhaps one of the most unlucky teams in the competition's history. Despite making two finals and another two semi-finals, they are yet to win the biggest prize in European club rugby. An opening win away from home is a job very well done for the French team.
Pool Six: Toulouse (Fra) 18 – 16 London Wasps (Eng)
Heineken Cup champions Toulouse kicked off their European campaign by defeating London Wasps in a tough home encounter. French fly-half David Skrela scored all the points for the home side, the only try of the game coming from Wasps replacement David Lemi.
Former Springbok Shaun Sowerby started at no. 8 for Toulouse. The South African has enjoyed a lot of success in France since leaving the Sharks in 2003, including winning the Heineken Cup for Toulouse in 2010. Front row forward Daan Human was picked on the bench for the French side.
Summary
21 South Africans were picked to play in the opening Round of the Heineken Cup this weekend. In reality there could have been a number more with the likes of BJ Botha set to return next week for Round Two and a handful of former Springboks on substitute benches. It will be interesting to observe the progress of players such as Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn but also of some of the younger South African’s as the Northern Hemisphere winter sets in and the competition unfolds.
Round Two takes place over the 15/16/17 October.
European rugby’s show piece tournament kicked off over the weekend. Now in its 15th year the Heineken Cup has gone from strength to strength. With twenty four teams competing in six pools across the traditional “home nations” (Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales) and France and Italy it surpasses Super Rugby if not in quality, then certainly in scale.
Last year’s final was an all French affair with Toulouse, Europe’s most successful club, defeating Biarrtiz in a final which was fittingly played in Paris. Strangely enough, the competition has been dominated by Irish clubs over recent years with Munster (twice) and Leinster proving too strong in three of the last five finals. The signs this year are that French teams have all the cards, but a question always remains over their performances away from home.
No Welsh, Scottish or Italian team has won the competition despite the Welsh outfit, The Ospreys, reaching the quarter-finals in the last three seasons. Yet again this season they look the most likely of the Welsh or Scottish teams to make an impression as their squad features players such as Kiwi Jerry Collins, British and Irish Lions stars Tommy Bowe, Lee Byrne, James Hook and Alun-Wyn Jones and former world player of the year Shane Williams.
The Heineken Cup is open to clubs in the Magners League (Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy), Aviva Premiership (England) and the Top 14 (France). Clubs that do not qualify for the Heineken Cup can enter the European Challenge Cup.
The Heineken Cup pool games are played over six rounds from October to January. There is a break for the November international series and again in February and March for the Six Nations campaign before resuming in April with the quarter finals. The final is played in a different stadium each May; this year’s final takes place in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
Each year the competition goes from strength to strength; the average attendance for last season’s pool games was 15,000 up from 6,500 in 1995. The 2009 semi-final between Irish rivals Leinster and Munster in Croke Park was attended by 82,208 people and set a world record for a club match in the sport's history. The competition, like the Six Nations, benefits from the close proximity of many of the stadiums.
The favorites to lift this year’s cup are the current champions Toulouse who have already won the competition a record four times. English side Leicester are second favorites. Interestingly both teams feature a limited amount of South African registered players when compared with teams such as Saracens who have an astonishing eight South African’s in their squad.
So after Round One, how has each team faired and which South African’s have proven their worth in Euros and Pounds??
Friday 8th October
Pool Six: Glasgow Warriors (Scot) 21 – 13 Newport Gwent Dragons (Wal)
No South African’s were involved in a game which saw Glasgow’s first victory in the opening weekend of the competition since 1997. The Scottish side will look to continue their good start when they travel to face double European champions London Wasps next weekend, while the Dragons must regroup for the visit of the Heineken Cup Champions Toulouse to Rodney Parade.
Pool Four: Ulster (Ire) 30 – 6 Aironi Rugby (Ita)
The 1999 European Champions ran out 30-6 victors in Pool 4, although the performance was less convincing than the scoreline suggests. Ulster led just 11-6 at the break but three second-half scores effectively secured maximum points with 12 minutes remaining.
Springbok star Ruan Piennar marked his first Heineken Cup experience by scoring two penalties and a try. Although he missed two conversions and hit the post with a penalty it was a typically lively and solid performance by arguably one of Ulster’s biggest ever signings. In particular the summer signing demonstrated his class to snipe over from close range and put the game beyond doubt.
The Ulster team featured three other South African’s in the form of second row Johann Muller, and back row forwards Pedrie Wannenburg and Robbie Diack.
Prop BJ Botha, who sustained a wrist injury against Irish rivals Connacht in Round Four of the Magners League, was named in the extended squad but suffered a setback earlier in the week and was consequently not included.
Pool One: Northampton Saints (Eng) 18 – 14 Castres Olympique (Fra)
A try within 27 seconds of the re-start after half-time swung the balance in favour of Northampton Saints in this tense Pool 1 battle. Danie Saayman was South Africa’s soul representative on the pitch; by all accounts another sound game for the no. 3.
Saturday 9th October
Pool Two: Leinster (Ire) 38 – 22 Racing Metro 92 (Fra)
Leinster signaled their Heineken Cup intentions with a fine bonus-point win over French Top 14 leaders Racing Metro 92 in front of 18,000 at the RDS on Saturday afternoon.
Quite a few Springboks were involved with Francois Steyn kicking two penalties for the visitors, one of which he slotted from deep inside his own half. Former Cheetah’s hooker Richardt Strauss scored his first Leinster try to help the 2009 champions take all the points. Leinster summer signing and former Golden Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe also had a solid start to his Heineken Cup campaign. South Africa’s Jacques Cronje featured at open-side flanker for the French side while prop Scott Zimmermann was named on the bench.
There will be serious concern among Ireland supporters after Brian O'Driscoll pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury in the second half, an injury which has the potential to rule him out of the Springbok clash in November. Next up for Leinster is a trip to Wembley to face Saracens, while Racing entertain Clermont Auvergne in a mouth-watering all-French affair.
Pool Five: Benetton Treviso (Ita) 29 – 34 Leicester Tigers (Eng)
Alessana Tuilagi's late score was the difference in Italy as double Heineken Cup Champions Leicester Tigers came from behind to beat Benetton Treviso.
Pool Three: Toulon (Fra) 19 – 14 Ospreys (Wal)
Toulon marked their Heineken Cup debut with a narrow victory over the Ospreys in Pool Three. Jonny Wilkinson inspired the French side to victory, setting up fellow England team-mate Paul Sackey to score the winning try with just four minutes remaining at the Stade Mayol.
Like Racing Metro 92, Toulon are the big cash spenders of European Rugby and both are setting out to prove the worth in Europe’s elite competition. Toulon’s starting XV featured a Scot, three English, two Aussies (including George Smith) and is captained by Argentinean no. 8 Juan Fernandez Lobbe. Their squad also consists of two South African’s in the name of Joe van Niekerk and Dewald Meyer Senekal but neither featured on Saturday.
England manager Martin Johnson looked on with interest as his former world cup winning team mate, Wilkinson, demonstrated how he still has the class to bring England to next year’s World Cup finals in New Zealand.
Pool Five: Scarlets (Wal) 43 – 34 Perpignan (Fra)
Arguably the game of the weekend; a thrilling encounter which saw The Scarlets beat French giants Perpignan in a nine try spectacular at Parc y Scarlets. Two South African’s were involved in the party, both for the French side as Gavin Hume took on fly half duties and Gerrie Britz featured in the back row.
British and Irish Lions fly-half Stephen Jones scored 28 points for the home side, including one of his side's four tries and 23 points with the boot. Perpignan clawed their way back from 40-15 down after 50 minutes to claim a try bonus point for themselves.
Pool Two: ASM Clermont Auvergne (Fra) 25 – 10 Saracens (Eng)
No less than five South African’s were in the fray when English side Saracens traveled to France for this Heineken Cup opener to Pool Two. As expected the experienced Marius Joubert started at no. 12 for the home side. No less than four South African’s featured for Saracens including former Sharks’s centre Bradley Barrit, and prop Deon Carstens former Blue Bulls out half Derick Hougaard and former Stormers hooker Schalk Brits. Premiership player of the month for October, Namibian Jacques Burger, who signed from the Bulls half-way through last season, was also on the pitch for the visitors.
Clermont outscored their English opponents by three tries to one, with Jamie Cudmore, Julien Malzieu and Napolioni Nalaga all touching down for the hosts. All in all and impressive win for the homeside.
Pool One: Cardiff Blues (Wal) 18 – 17 Edinburgh (Scot)
Former All Black Casey Laulala was the inspiration for Cardiff Blues as they beat Edinburgh by a single point at the Cardiff City Stadium. The Kiwi centre created one try and scored another to help his side to Heineken Cup success, however, the day will arguably be remembered for Scotland fly-half Dan Parks’s off day with the boot, missing six kicks at goal in a tense Pool One fixture.
Interestingly Edinburgh’s captain, Roddy Grant, grew up in South Africa. He played for the Natal Schools side before moving to Scotland.
Pool Three: London Irish (Eng) 23 – 17 Munster (Ire)
Sam Tuitupou's last minute try threw Munster a much needed lifeline to take into next weekend's home clash with Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon. In typical Munster fashion the visitors never gave up and left the Medjeski Stadium with a losers bonus point.
London Irish inflicted on 2009 champions Leinster at the beginning of last season’s campaign and have inflicted the same damage on two time champions Munster for the current season. London Irish looked set not only to take all four points but also deny Munster anything after England full back Delon Armitage had landed a 52 metre penalty to stretch his side's lead to 11 points with eight minutes left to play.
The top ranked team in England at the end of the first month of the season, London Irish were full value for their 15-6 interval lead and had dictated the course of events with their hard-core defence and clever game management from outside half Ryan Lamb.
The sole South African representative on the pitch for this encounter was prop Wian du Preez who after an initial three month contract with the Irish giants, has now committed to Munster for the next two years, therefore putting himself out of contention for next year’s world cup. The young prop had previously expressed his disillusioned by the lack of opportunities to play for the Springboks especially after C J van der Linde from his stint with Leinster.
Sunday 10th October
Pool Four: Bath Rugby 11 – 12 Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque
Former Cheetah’s scrum-half, Michael Claasons (Bath), long-term French based prop Eduard Coetzee (Biarritz) and somewhat controversial former Bok Luke Watson (Bath) were the only South African’s to take the pitch yesterday as Biarritz won four vital points in an away trip at the Reck. Claasons scored an important sixth minute try for Bath but it was not enough as Biarritz closed out the game in dramatic style. English fly-half, Olly Barkley, had a glorious opportunity to put Bath ahead inside 74 minutes but instead opted to run the ball, a decision which ultimately could have changed the result.
Biarritz Olympique are perhaps one of the most unlucky teams in the competition's history. Despite making two finals and another two semi-finals, they are yet to win the biggest prize in European club rugby. An opening win away from home is a job very well done for the French team.
Pool Six: Toulouse (Fra) 18 – 16 London Wasps (Eng)
Heineken Cup champions Toulouse kicked off their European campaign by defeating London Wasps in a tough home encounter. French fly-half David Skrela scored all the points for the home side, the only try of the game coming from Wasps replacement David Lemi.
Former Springbok Shaun Sowerby started at no. 8 for Toulouse. The South African has enjoyed a lot of success in France since leaving the Sharks in 2003, including winning the Heineken Cup for Toulouse in 2010. Front row forward Daan Human was picked on the bench for the French side.
Summary
21 South Africans were picked to play in the opening Round of the Heineken Cup this weekend. In reality there could have been a number more with the likes of BJ Botha set to return next week for Round Two and a handful of former Springboks on substitute benches. It will be interesting to observe the progress of players such as Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn but also of some of the younger South African’s as the Northern Hemisphere winter sets in and the competition unfolds.
Round Two takes place over the 15/16/17 October.
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