Contrasting fortunes...
Former Springbok centre Robbie Fleck looks back at UCT's superb Varsity Cup triumph during the week, whilst also touching on the Bulls' Super 14 woes and the farcical judicial systems that govern South African and SANZAR rugby.
It's not yet Friday and what a week it's been!
I was in Johannesburg on Monday for the UCT-UJ FNB Varsity Cup match and it's been quite a hard slog since returning to work via an early-morning flight to Cape Town - there were 30-odd bleary-eyed Ikeys folks winging their way back home, but, boy, were they a happy bunch...
The Ikeys managed a 34-31 win over our gracious hosts - a fine result, but a score that had not looked likely when we went into half-time at 3-24 down!
Head coach John Dobson had some choice words for his players at half-time, but we knew that we could come away with the win if we played to our strengths by keeping the ball in hand. It was quite a tense finish as we won the match with a penalty just on full-time, having also been 17-31 down at one stage in the second half.
The start aside, we were obviously very proud of our team - these youngsters are a special bunch and showed plenty of heart to fight back and claim first position on the Varsity Cup log in the process. Who would've guessed that the Ikey Tigers would be ahead of Maties and Pukke after three weeks of Varsity Cup action?
Next week we're off to Pretoria to play against the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) - a physical team by all accounts and a side that beat NWU-Pukke in Potchefstroom. We will not take them lightly!
The UCT-TUT match was meant to be televised, but the NMMU-Pukke match will instead be shown live on SuperSport, which is very disappointing for the UCT players. Most of these guys have never played live on TV before and it was one of the attractions of this tournament - these kids deserve the opportunity. Instead, the guys will now have to wait until the George Festival at the end of this month to be on TV...
Personally, I am not that impressed with this decision - why should certain universities get more air-time than others? Yes, we have surprised a few people by topping the log, but regardless of being an underrated team, we still seem to be treated the like red-headed stepchild throughout.
I am a very staunch UCT supporter and something like this really gets to me, but the players themselves have had a good laugh about it and they remain as determined as we - the coaching staff - are to make our presence felt even more so in the remainder of this fantastic tournament.
The TUT match is a big one for us and one we have to win. If we can remain top of the log ahead of George the players will have an extra spring in their steps come Easter. More importantly, however, with all the talk of a possible semi-final place, we could even sneak in and grab a home semi-final, which would be a major achievement for the Ikey Tigers and a very firm riposte to those that do not rate this young UCT outfit.
Looking at the past weekend's Super 14 action, for me the big talking point from Round Three is the lack of consistency in the judiciary system that governs this tournament. Forget SANZAR for a minute, not even world rugby (read the IRB) can get its house in order when it comes to handing out suspensions to players. (Does anybody remember the World Cup and a certain Schalk Burger getting banned?)
Reds wing Digby Ioane was suspended for three weeks for a spear tackle, yet Bulls centre JP Nel has copped a one-week ban for the same offence. Then, in the same game as Nel's indiscretion, his team-mate, prop Jaco Engels, was suspended for three weeks for a punch on Johann Muller - he was lucky not to get more...
The JP Nel incident is a shocker in my eyes. Nel had no regard for Francois Steyn's safety whatsoever, he did not try to put Steyn back on his feet after lifting him up and he has a long list of previous indiscretions - like the swinging arm from the previous week, which also went unpunished.
Again, people might think it's rich coming from me, but I can tell you, I was not in trouble half as much as Nel, who, frankly, lost the match for his team against the Sharks.
The Bulls were still in it before he got carded, but with one man down, they were up against it and they deserved to lose. This all from a player who has won over 100 first-class caps for the Bulls - although there is hardly a surfeit of outside centres in Pretoria, which explains just why he has so many caps to his credit...
The Bulls should haul him over the coals this week - as the Cheetahs should have done with Falie Oelschig after he lost them the game against the Lions - and senior guys like Bakkies Botha should give him a stern talking to. It's no good falling back on old, nasty habits when your team is not winning - you can only let your team down by doing something stupid like that.
Engels, too, should be dealt with in Pretoria by the powers that be. His punch was a cheap shot of the highest order - Muller had his back to him when he hit him. He should've - and could've - got a longer ban, yet, somebody in our judicial system seems to be protecting thuggish behaviour like that, which can only do the game harm.
The Bulls ended the 2007 tournament on such a high, playing some great rugby, but any finesse they had in their game last year has already been forgotten and they have reverted back to their dirty old tricks of old when they were still the whipping boys of Super Rugby.
Worryingly, things will only get tougher for them this season - they have yet to travel to Australasia and the Kiwis, in particular, will be waiting for them...
Herewith my Super 14 predictions for Round Four:
HIGHLANDERS v HURRICANES:
Friday, March 7 - 8.35am
Dunedin
The 'Canes are looking good, especially after their win over the Chiefs last week - a result that went against me!
Ma'a Nonu is looking like a world-beater again, but, more importantly, their pack is looking sharp and their loose forwards - Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe and Rodney So'oialo - are able to get into the game.
Fleckie's prediction: Yes, this match is in Dunedin, but the Highlanders aren't the same force of old after losing so many quality players. The Hurricanes to take this one.
WARATAHS v BRUMBIES:
Friday, March 7 - 10.40am
Sydney
The Brumbies will be full of confidence after their win over the Reds - another wrong call from me! - but I think Julian Huxley's injury and subsequent cancer scare could just affect them. Obviously, my thoughts are with Huxley and his family, he will be missed by the Brumbies.
That said, the 'Tahs are a quality side and their win in Dunedin - although by the narrowest of margins - showed they can scrap victories out. Rocky Elsom and Phil Waugh have been excellent this season, these Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) look to have been designed just for them, and they are once again key men.
Fleckie's prediction: 'Tahs to win.
BULLS v LIONS:
Friday, March 7 - 7pm
Pretoria
The Bulls are lucky that they are up against the worst side in the Super 14 this week.
To a degree, they were unfortunate to lose to the Sharks, but a lot of points are being scored in the last quarter of matches under the ELVs and you have to play to the final whistle - as the Bulls themselves showed in last year's Super 14 Final.
The Bulls have been average this year, but they will bully this younger and more free-spirited Lions team into submission - the old and less effective way.
Fleckie's prediction: Bulls to win.
CHIEFS v CHEETAHS:
Saturday, March 8 - 8.35am
Hamilton
The Cheetahs will play their first away match of 2008 with just three successive losses at home to show for their efforts thus far in 2008.
Waiting for them are the Chiefs, who are yet to click fully this season and can - and will! - put them to the sword.
Richard Kahui is still injured, but sanity has prevailed and they have moved Mils Muliaina back to fullback, with Sitiveni Sivivatu shifting to the wing - his best position.
Fleckie's prediction: The Chiefs to win, which is quite a pity as the Cheetahs are not playing too badly - it's just a case of Boys versus Men at this level.
REDS v STORMERS:
Saturday, March 8 - 11.05am
Brisbane
This is actually quite a tough one to call. After backing the Reds away to the Brumbies last week, they capitulated in grand style against their fellow Aussies.
The Stormers, amazingly, have not lost to the Reds since 2003, when they went down 20-41 to the Queenslanders in Cape Town and interestingly enough, the Stormers have not lost in Brisbane since 2002.
But history is always made to be broken and the Reds have a fine captain in John Roe, who plays his heart out every week, and the Stormers backs just are not up to it, which is quite odd as the Stormers have always been a fine attacking unit. They can, however, remedy things when Tony Brown arrives - he can slot in at flyhalf, with Peter Grant shifting to No.12 and Jean de VIlliers moving to outside centre.
Fleckie's prediction: The Reds will end their horrid run against the Stormers.
SHARKS v BLUES:
Saturday, March 8 - 7.10pm
Durban
This is a very tough one to call and it could just be the game of the tournament thus far.
Both teams are in form - and unbeaten - and even though the Sharks have not been convincing, they will take a lot out of their final few minutes against the Bulls.
The Blues, however, are the form side and they want to win and return to New Zealand with a 100 per cent record in South Africa.
Fleckie's prediction: I think the Blues will do it and return to NZ with an unbeaten record in tow.
FORCE v CRUSADERS:
Sunday, March 9 - 10am
Perth
The Force did not impress me too much against the Lions, but they did pretty well to leave SA with two wins from three.
Now, back at home (where they are always dangerous), they will look to continue their run against a star-studded Crusaders outfit.
The Crusaders are the best ever team to play in the Super 12 or Super 14 and the 2008 outfit is as dangerous as ever... They were not bad against the Stormers last week, but they were clearly just buzzing about in third gear. They will look for that fifth gear in Perth.
Fleckie's prediction: The Crusaders to hit fifth gear and keep the pressure on the Blues.
Until next week,
Robbie Fleck
* Email Fleckie at sport365@365digital.co.za with your Super 14 picks for this week!
* Fleckie's 'Last Word' will appear weekly on sport365.co.za - and also on rugby365.com and iafrica.com - so log on next week for more Super 14 views and predictions.