Vodacom Cup Preview – Round 3
The only two unbeaten sides left in the Vodacom Cup South Section face off in Cape Town on Saturday when DHL Western Province host the EP Kings.
Both these sides have been impressive in the opening fortnight of Vodacom Cup action, with DHL WP grinding out a 17-15 victory over the Sharks XV in Durban last weekend and the EP Kings proving too strong for the Pampas XV in Stellenbosch in the first round (34-26).
It’s been more than six years since the team from Port Elizabeth last managed to beat DHL WP in the Vodacom Cup – 10 February 2006 to be precise, when EP won 26-17 at home in the opening round of that year’s competition.
WP had the better of the Kings in 2007 (46-5), 2009 (49-13) and 2010 (28-23). They didn’t play each other in 2011 and 2008. Saturday’s game takes place at City Park in Crawford and kicks off at 16:00.
In the North Section, the Jukskei Derby at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon between the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the MTN Golden Lions, two of the most successful sides in the history of the Vodacom Cup, will attract a lot of attention.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls are still winless in 2012 and the MTN Golden Lions have put their round one defeat to the Leopards behind them with a solid performance last weekend.
On Friday, the Pampas XV and Ford Pumas are in action in East London and Welkom respectively, where they will probably be regarded as favourites against the Border Bulldogs and Griffons, but both sides would have learned the hard way that there are no easy games in the Vodacom Cup.
Also on Friday, the Sharks XV take on the Toyota Free State XV in Bloemfontein in a match that could determine the home playoff aspirations for both these teams.
Tjovitjo for 350 kids!
SARU and the Tag Rugby Association introduced rugby to more than 350 kids at four Vodacom Cup schools activations last weekend.
Ten schools brought more than 100 kids to the activation at Mr Price Kings Park (Durban), while 95 kids from four schools went to the coaching clinic at Mbombela Stadium (Nelspruit).
In Johannesburg, nine schools attended the event with more than 90 children taking part in the coaching clinics, and in Bredasdorp more than 60 children participated in the Tag coaching clinics.
This weekend, clinics will be held at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park (Friday at 15h00) and at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
Vodacom Cup Fixtures – Round 3
Friday, March 23 2012
Border Bulldogs vs Pampas XV
Venue: BCM Stadium, East London
Kick-off: 15:30
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Griffons vs Ford Pumas
Venue: North West Stadium, Welkom
Kick-off: 19:00
Referee: Archie Sehlako
Valke vs Leopards
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Kick-off: 19:00
Referee: Tiaan Jonker
Toyota Free State XV vs Sharks XV
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19:10
Referee: Ben Crouse
Saturday, March 24 2012
Vodacom Blue Bulls vs MTN Golden Lions
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 14:45
Referee: Quinton Immelman
DHL Western Province vs EP Kings
Venue: City Park, Crawford, Cape Town
Kick-off: 16:00
Referee: Pro Legoete
SWD Eagles vs Regent Boland Kavaliers
Venue: D’Almeida Stadium, Mossel Bay
Kick-off: 16:00
Referee: Joey Salmans
Vodacom Cup Top Points’ Scorers
| Player | Team | Tries | Conv | Pen | Drops | Tot |
| Demetri Catrakilis | DHL Western Province | 0 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 36 |
| Elric van Vuuren | SWD Eagles | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 35 |
| Juan Kotze | Valke | 1 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 34 |
| Gouws Prinsloo | Sharks XV | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 32 |
| JC Roos | Ford Pumas | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 29 |
| Noel Oelschig | Eastern Province Kings | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 24 |
| Marais Schmidt | MTN Golden Lions | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
| Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias | Pampas XV | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
| Rudi Vogt | GWK Griquas | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Marco Mason | Toyota Free State XV | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Ricardo Croy | Regent Boland Kavaliers | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 17 |
| Wesley Dunlop | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 16 |
| Jannie Boshoff | GWK Griquas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Andries Coetzee | MTN Golden Lions | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Ntabeni Dukisa | Border Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 15 |
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