Photo Credit - Speedshots.co.za
It was a weekend for the travelling teams (and hookers JJ Kotze and Robey Leibrandt) as no fewer than five of the six matches in the opening round of the Carling Currie Cup were won by visiting sides, with only the New Nation Pumas managing a home victory.
The Lowvelders join DHL Western Province and the Cell C Sharks at the top of the Premier Division standings after all three sides grabbed a full house of log points. The Vodacom Bulls got a consolation four-try bonus point, but the Lions and Tafel Lager Griquas are yet to get off the mark.
The "type" of rugby the South African teams as wells as Rassie Erasmus is promoting was shown in Italy and Nelspruit to be not winning rugby. It is fine to promote exciting/"popcorn" rugby, however, rugby is and was always a physical game. The Pumas as well as Benetton has shown that "old school" rugby is winning rugby.
Listen to a "lively" discussion regarding winning rugby and other topics
Our standout players were:
Pumas: Simon Westraad and Willie Engelbrecht.
Sharks: Phepsi Buthelezi
Griquas: Eduan Keyter
Bulls: Johan Mulder
Western Province: Ernst van Rhyn and Evan Roos
Results:
DHL Western Province 48-24 Vodacom Bulls
Cell C Sharks 30-16 Tafel Lager Griquas
New Nation Pumas 39-10 Lions