Vodacom Cup Preview – Round 2

Mar 14 • National, Vodacom Cup, Vodacom Cup News • 1587 Views • Comments Off on Vodacom Cup Preview – Round 2

Western Province vs Boland, 10 March 2012. Photo by Mike la Grange

A mouth-watering top of the table clash in the Southern Section of the Vodacom Cup, between the Sharks XV and DHL Western Province, headlines the fixtures this week.

Both these sides kicked off the season with big victories – the KwaZulu-Natalians didn’t concede a single point in their 42-0 drubbing of the Border Bulldogs, while DHL WP crushed neighbours Regent Boland Kavaliers by 51-22.

Neither of these sides has ever won the Vodacom Cup. The closest either of them got, was in 2006, when the Sharks XV – then still known as the KZN Wildebeest – lost against the Valke in the final in Brakpan.

The East Randers travel down the road to Coca-Cola Park to face the MTN Golden Lions – both these sides lost last weekend.

In the Northern Section, where only seven teams compete following the withdrawal of the Namibian side, the Griffons will get their season underway in Kimberley against GWK Griquas. The home team opened 2012 with a comprehensive away-victory (36-17) over the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Pretoria and will be looking to build on this.

The Toyota Free State XV has an interesting trip to Bredasdorp, in the Overberg area of the Western Cape, at hand where they will face the Regent Boland Kavaliers. The Free Staters had to dig deep for their first round victory last weekend, while Boland would like to reverse the big defeat they suffered at the hands of DHL WP.

In Port Elizabeth, the EP Kings host neighbours Border Bulldogs. The last time they met in the Vodacom Cup, in 2010, the Kings won 34-32 in Queenstown.

Tjovitjo in Heidedal!

As part of the Vodacom Cup initiative to reach communities around the country, the first Vodacom Cup 2012 Community Match was held at Clive Solomon Sports Grounds in Heidedal, Bloemfontein last weekend (where the Toyota Free State XV beat the SWD Eagles).

Bokkie, the South African Rugby Union (SARU), the Tag Rugby Association and development officers from the Free State Rugby Union held coaching clinics with local schools, with 65 children and their teachers that participated.

The main objective was to give these children a foundation of rugby as well as a rugby skills base from which they can further develop. Each participating school received the Tag Rugby Kit, consisting of the brand new “The Gainline”, an exciting rugby skills comic book, 20 Tag belts, 20 cones, two balls and two whistles.

SARU and the Tag Rugby Association will be running similar coaching clinics in all the provincial unions. The Vodacom Cup activations for this week will take place at Mr Price Kings Park (Durban), Mbombela Stadium (Nelspruit), Coca-Cola Park (Johannesburg) and in Bredasdorp.

Vodacom Cup Fixtures – Round 2

Friday, March 16 2012

EP Kings vs Border Bulldogs

Kick-off: 19:00

Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, PE

Referee: Quinton Immelman

Saturday, March 17 2012

Sharks XV vs DHL Western Province

Kick-off: 14:45

Venue: Mr Price Kings Park, Durban

Referee: Lourens van der Merwe

GWK Griquas vs Griffons

Kick-off: 15:00

Venue: GWK Park, Kimberley

Referee: Pro Legoete

Ford Pumas vs Vodacom Blue Bulls

Kick-off: 16:00

Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

Pampas XV vs SWD Eagles

Kick-off: 16:00

Venue: AF Markotter Stadium, Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

Regent Boland Kavaliers vs Toyota Free State XV

Kick-off: 16:00

Venue: Bredasdorp

Referee: Marius Jonker

MTN Golden Lions vs Valke

Kick-off: 17:00

Venue: Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg

Referee: Ben Crouse

Vodacom Cup Top Points’ Scorers

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