Every point will be precious for Northern
Transvaal and Natal in their scramble for a
place in the Super 12 semi-finals
RUGBY: Jon Swift
TO SAY that the run-in to the semi-final
stages of the Super 12 competition has reached
the critical stage for both Northern Transvaal
and Natal would be stating the obvious. And it
is of merit to examine the closing stages for
both sides with circumspection rather than the
expectation that either team’s chances of
making the last four is cut and dried.
There are, as has been said so often in this
three-nation provincial championship, no sure
things, no easy games and no room for
complacency.
It would be folly in the extreme to rely on
mathematical equations to determine the final
standings for Natal or Northerns, but, with
the four points on offer for a win and a bonus
point there for four or more tries in a match,
it is a consideration that must be weighed,
even if the most errant of betting men would
not use it as a staging point for wagering the
mortgage.
In essence, the Blue Bulls have three games
left and a theoretical maximum of 15 points,
Natal have four left to play and 20 points
available on paper.
Even the most foolhardy would hesitate to say
that all these points will indeed be earned by
South Africa’s leading contenders for Super 12
honours, and it is well to run the rule over
the run-ins which face the two provinces.
Northerns start the final lap at Loftus
Versfeld this weekend currently lying fourth
on the log table against a Wellington
Hurricanes line-up fresh from the wrong end of
a 35-25 come-from-behind by a resurgent
Western Province at Newlands in midweek. On
paper, this should add up to a win for the
Blue Bulls who have looked to be our best
combination despite a moderate 1-3 record on
tour Down Under. They will need the win, with
their toughest home match — against the
quaintly named Brumbies of Australian Capital
Territory — the following week.
The Brumbies have proved a refreshing surprise
throughout the series and the Canberra
combination represent the hardest task left
for Northerns, although it must be remembered
that Western Province — the last outing on
Northerns’ schedule at Newlands — are the
side who put the Blue Bulls out of the Currie
Cup final last season.
But Northerns have looked in awesome form of
late and Ruben Kruger’s forwards — Krynauw
Otto and Johan Ackermann have been a standout
combination at lock — have consistently
kept an eager and businesslike backline
supplied with good ball.
It is also interesting to see a stand-in of
the class of Botha Rossouw available to take
over when Kruger was forced to leave the
field. The depth at Northerns comes close in
some areas to the power of the starting sides
and substitute benches the draft system has
made available to the Australian teams.
Natal have by far a tougher haul to the semi-
finals and will be watching Friday’s top-of-
the-log encounter between the Auckland Blues
and Queensland Reds with some concern. The
outcome could dictate the final standings and
secure or give away home ground advantage in
the last four.
They are also the combinations Natal have to
face in their last two games at King’s Park.
Beating Queensland and Auckland is no easy
task at the best of times. Facing them on
successive Saturday’s and trying to run four
tries past them on successive weekends is not
a prospect for the faint-hearted.
But Transvaal’s 55-23 rout of Canterbury
Crusaders under lights at Ellis Park on
Tuesday evening must give Natal some
stimulation on two fronts for their meeting
with the New Zealanders this weekend. For,
like Natal, Transvaal’s final outings are
against the Blues and Reds. On the form they
showed against Canterbury, Transvaal are not
out of the running to win at least one of
these encounters and give Natal some breathing
space.
But, while Natal should beat Canterbury on
paper, they also have to face Transvaal in the
second of their final four matches.
Gary Teichmann and his side cannot rest easy
against Canterbury this weekend or Transvaal
the next if they have any real chance of being
there for the closing stages.