SA teams road to URC finals

Deon Fourie is playing out of his skin...much better than being credited for...despite his age.

And the Stormers defends like titans...watching the highlights  ATM.

Schickeling and Botha are taking big money in Japan. 

Just saw that Jantjies, lombardi team in the top league got relegated and are now back at the lions. Not that they would add any value. 

If I was the lions I would dust off the cheque book and get the Du Preez twins, recall Tyrone Green and Esterhuizen along with louw. They just need a decent spine to be a top 4 team 

Its worrying to see Kolisi,s form falling of the bus.....his performances for the sharks has not been good....Marcelle Coetzee is just so much better at the Moment.....not to say that Kolisi cant regain his form, but that must happen quickly....Roos, Pepsi and Elrigh Louw, is also in much better form then Du Preez twins, kwagga and Wiese.....not to mention the likes of Nortje' and Thsituka also in great form...I see Eddie Jones has chosen 5 new Talents for England. ..now that is the way to go.

I agree, they should show the necessary form before season start. Otherwise like you say, you don't really know how its going to pan out....doesn't really help the team because other players,  like Eben and Duane etc. must compensate for there bad form....the clash between Thor and Roos this WE, is going to be worth watching....if Roos performs well, that might just be decisive for his inclusion in the Bok Squad....interesting for me is the inclusion of Goosen in Pretoria bok camp, although he is injured? They must rate him very high.

So what is everyones predictions for this weekend? I'm 50/50 on the stormers v ulsters and 70/30 on Lein v Bulls. 

Just think Leinster game play and management is too good, great ball handling, great structure in broken play and super fast ruck ball. It is simple and very effective and all of their players can easily slot into their game plan. Most teams have struggled to cope with their style

Ulster can also cause a few problems. The stormers don't have recognised 12, there line-outs has been extremely poor. So bit worried about the 12 channel, especially now that they may call on Juan De Jongh who is well past his sell by date. Ulster also has revenge on their mind. 

With my heart, I hope Jake can come up with some clever tricks and the stormers can make use of the home advantage. Really nervous and excited at the same time

Ja King me to...I think if the bulls can pressure there pack, dominate break downs, then Kurt, Moody and Tambwe will cause havoc.....Also worried about Stormers lineout and 12 position....i read on Supersport that Hacjivah might play centre as he has played there for the lions....The pack it self with Roos there, Fourie and Pokamela....they should be competitive and caus e havoc....Zas and co will be doing there thing hopefully....lineouts must work better....Stormers 60/40 and Bulls 50/50...Go Boys make us proud!!

Bulls vs Leinster

Kick off: 8:35pm (SA time)

Substitutes

Dankie Blikman.

My oh my. Less than 20 min left and the Bulls are 24-14 ahead. GO BULLETJIES.

And oupa Morne does it again with a penalty Bulle 27-19 with 3 min left.

Draad, komaan, time for the Stormers to win tomorrow and then we can have an all South African final next week in Cape Town.

Wow close but bulls did it! Well done Bulls!...now for Stormers to win...then all SA Final..

Wow, great game and so glad we got to stick it to the Irish. This means the bulls are up to number 2. Fantastic performance and very smart rugby. The bulls have smashed the Leinster illusion. Just hope the Stormers can make us proud tomorrow. 

We are now 50/50 from having and SA team winning the URC 

Yes Willemse is playing! Willemse has been a revelation at 12 this season....Rassie will smile, because now he can play in 3 positions if need be....very versatile....the rest of the team looks good....I cant wait...go Stormers, yes boytjies!! 

In my mind the Stormers are still the underdogs for this match. but if the Bools can beat Leinster in Dublin...Go boys!!!!

LOL Draad...Stormers are really up against it. In the history of the URC no home team has ever won a semi final!!! 

Leinster can be beaten ...maybe Ulster can be beaten too.

What a change of fortunes if the Stormers can come through for SA teams if we have two teams in the final. Given how poor we started with no help from the refs. Some dodgy decisions crept in again last night, especially around the ruck area. But we overcame this and hope that we can have an all SA final. 

Can’t wait for the Heineken tournament to start and will be able to go support our boys when they play here in England 

o Stormers we can do it!! I wonder if the NH teams + Fans are not a bit upset that SA joined there Elite Competitions?....Bulls already in the finals and Stormers should do it....I foresee total domination by SA teams.....Go Boys....Verniel Hulle 

The Irish are most definitely on board. Its what they wanted, a more competitive league.  I don't hear any complaining from the Scots or Italians either.

The Welsh are upset but that's nothing new. They consistently moan about the league on various grounds and the inclusion of South African teams is just another thing to complain about.

There is a more mixed view in France and England about playing the SA teams in the Champions Cup, partly on the grounds of tradition, for example some players and fan consider the Champions Cup a European Cup and are saying why are South African teams in it. I've also heard comments along the lines that some teams don't really like the idea of travelling to SA interrupting their domestic season and don't think many fans will travel there and that the teams that play at altitude will have an advantage. But there is also been a good few positive comments and the excitement of something new and not knowing what to expect.

Well Stav I am happy to hear that at least some of the people are happy...I personally think that SA,s inclusion will do there Rugby good...stiffer Competition will bring the best out of them....and the more this Covid thing goes away, travelling here might be good for the Fans as they can combine it with a Holiday....it's quite a popular destination for them....John Kirwan said on a podcast that SA is now a NH team but Jeff Wilson says that NZ are missing SA,s participation in Super Rugby already....if I look at the standard our boys are playing ( better backline play but still keeping our strengths as Forward Monsters) it's doing us good to play in NH and adding new dimensions to our game....but still I am curious to know how good we would have played now if we were still part of Super Rugby? Would we also be in the Semi Finals & Finals?

Yes yes...fuck Yeah....we did it close one, but all SA Final!!! Well done Stormers! 

I only caught the last 20 min, but it was great to see how they kept their heads and managed to get the win. Mamie kicking off the t was poor but he came through when it counted the most. 

So glad to see that we have now teams in the final. But to be honest, I’ve gotten really bored of watching SA teams play each other during COVID that I don’t really care who wins the final even though The Stormers is my team. The semi final games were my final. 

But wonder if Jake has a few cards up his sleeve to counter the Stormers next weekend

Also super stoked to see the turn out today in Cape Town. Just a pity the Leinster games were not so full and a shitty small stadium given they have the Aviva and normally pack it out for the Heineken cup. 

I also think our teams could be so much stronger had we not lost so many players abroad. Imagine Roos and Vermeulen playing together or at least subbing, the likes of Kolbe , Polllard De Allende to name a few. 

Or if the Lions can get some of their players back how good they would be. We would walk this competition 

It is also hard to judge how we would have played in the super rugby, but just before COVID struck the sharks were on top. Still think we would have been in the top 8. But not having to cross time zones and playing away for 5 weeks makes a big difference. 

So playing in the same time zone has been really beneficial 

Who got the red card?

STORMERS!!!!!.., The reff tried his best... 

Some sub , no 19 for a stupid eye gouge. Was that bad but really stupid putting his hand in the players face

It was Adre Smith......hell the Bok Squad Announcement is full of Surprises- Coetzee, Roos, louw and Deon Fourie.....Thor is not there?? I have a idea he might retire....esterhuizen, gelant and Kurt Lee Arendse is there.....8 uncapped players.

"Some sub , no 19 for a stupid eye gouge. Was that bad but really stupid putting his hand in the players face"

Accident...stupid card.

Deon Fourie FTW!!!! Deserves the call-up. 

So who do people on here want to Win. Naturally my choice will be the Stormers as that is where I'm from and always been my team. I fell a bit out of love with them when Coetzee took over and then witnessing all the antics happening at the union, but looks like they are back on track and playing a great brand of rugby. 

On the other side we have the bools. 3 times Super Rugby Champions. Jake  has a lot of money compared to the cash strap stormers and probably overloaded on loose forwards. Goosen would have probably given them the edge but Smith has been doing the job. Their props are pobably not that great but they have better lock combos. 

The matchup will be really interesting and salivating for this game.

Dobbo has really impressed me as a coach. So I will be shouting stormers 

Stormers!!! all the way, but the Bools have a habit of raining on our parade...we beat them twice this year, but they are the better team at finals.

Stormers I hope...but if Bulls win also ok.

No man...Bools win will be k@k...but still better than some of the other posers...

Really hope it's our turn this time, but there's no shame in losing to this Bulls side...

Both sides can be proud of making the final...my biggest concern is that we already beat them twice this year...3 in a row agains a top Bools side, coached by Jake is a real tall ask...but if any team can do it, it's Dobbo's class of 2022 playing in Green Point ...GO STORMERS!!!@

Ja Draad I sincerely hope we do it...as Dobson and his Stormer chargers deserve it...especially with all the troubles that the union has had lately, Dobson kept them together and did a magnificent Job in getting them so far....he had a much harder path then White....but White is a Clever operator and always have some trick up his sleeve...Bulls players with Coetzee as there Captain, is a good team.....we have to Jack up our defenses, as Ulster scored to easily + Libbok must fire on all cylinders from the beginning....our pack must be up for the physical challenge...going to be a tight one...not complaining, but feels a bit like a anti hype without a NH team in the finals....any case go Stormers!!

Well I for one are happy we a coach like Jake in SA. The sharks through him away after a few players had bruised egos. Where ever he goes he tends to get teams to perform. 

The stormers could have been now in Dublin and facing a super charge Leinster side but the Jake showed Leo Cullen what proper rugby is about and therefor really greatful that we can host the final even though we ended up second. 

That said, had it not been for super sketchy refs up north at the start of the competition I don't think we would be talking about this now. But it is great to see that karma has a way of balancing out. 

Sometimes you just have to create your own luck. Thank you Jake. As you okes say, no shame in losing to them. Just stoked it will be an SA team lifting the trophy. 

Also as a side note, looks like trouble in paradise for Aus and NZ super comp. Ausies are bitching but have every right to given that it has been reported that NZ is taking the lions share of the broadcasting Money. $90 mil Nz vs $29mil australia. Australia is threatening to walk away and start their own comp and want SA back. Probably another thread

I read on supersport that Jake is confident that the bulls are going to win ton...with the rain here in Cape town we might have a mud bath, which will change the game and make it more tight...I think the team that wants it the most, and make the least mistakes will win...Stormers that doesn't have that much final wins, might just be the favourites...classic north south derby is awaiting us...go Stormers!! Stormers to win by 3 to 5 points.