Team who win SA’S conference will pay heaviest toll

THE latest round of Super Rugby matches served to confirm that the conference honours in SA will come at the heaviest toll.

Victory for the Stormers and the Bulls has intensified that battle and has helped create a mid-table logjam that features six teams, including the Cape side, all bunched within three points of each other.

While 12 log points separate the top three teams in the Australian conference and six divide New Zealand’s three frontrunners, the Sharks, the South African leaders, are just six points clear of the fourthplaced Stormers on the local log.

The competitive nature of the local conference also means that the Sharks, although conveniently placed third on the combined log, are in reality seven points behind the overall leaders, the Brumbies, who are on 33 points.

“The Waratahs have had two byes. We are the only side yet to have a bye and if we were to get those points now we’d be leading our conference,” Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske noted after his team’s 26-20 defeat to the Bulls.

“The battle is on, big time, between our five teams,” he said.

Bulls coach Frans Ludeke did not want to be drawn into a debate on the log. “You must stick to your plan and the log will take care of itself.”

His team’s win was a drab affair which contained far too many handling and decision-making errors.

“I don’t know if the guys were a bit more relaxed because of the week off,” captain Pierre Spies said of the handling errors. “I don’t know to what we can attribute it. We did enough to put pressure on them to get the win.”

One of the main culprits was flyhalf Morné Steyn, but he delivered an assured enough performance with the boot.

“I thought Morné had a good game. Any player can make a mistake,” said Ludeke.

“He’s got BMT (big-match temperament). We back him. At the end of the day the result is there and he contributed massively.”

The Cheetahs, who are yet to beat the Bulls in Super Rugby, also executed poorly, while some decision-making left a lot to be desired.

“We had the opportunity to win but took some wrong decisions after half-time,” said Drotske.

We deviated from what we said we want to do against the Bulls. When we brought it back to 19-17 the call was a kicking play from the kick- in and for some reason we attacked and gave them seven points for free. That is unacceptable.

“I thought we lost this game more (than they won it). We got one bonus point back, which could still mean a lot,” said Drotske.

Meanwhile, the Southern Kings coaching staff have acknowledged that hundreds of messages of support and congratulations galvanised the gutsy Kings to pull off their 30-27 victory against the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday.

Head coach Matt Sexton said the players had been inspired by the messages they had received from fans from across the world.

“We received a huge amount of emails from fans, expressing their support and belief in the team. They were fantastic and … really helped rally the troops. The e-mails were collated, printed out and placed up on the walls of the team room at the hotel, for the team to read after breakfast, ahead of the match.”

Kings director of rugby Alan Solomons said the messages of support really resonated with the team. “We have said time and again that if the team gives of themselves, they will receive the support, and we are seeing this, in abundance,” he said.

Solomons said they had set out to build the team on courage, character and commitment, and that it was rewarding to see that being recognised by the fans.

“The messages rang so true for the side and they really appreciated the support,” he said.

Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis landed a drop goal after the full-time siren to claim a nail-biting win for the Kings. With George Byron