ANDY CAPOSTAGNO, Johannesburg | Monday 12.00pm
THE ninth round of the Super 12 revealed the gulf between winners and losers. In Christchurch the Bulls let in 11 tries against the Crusaders and appeared simply to throw in the towel. In Bloemfontein the Cats fought all the way and kept their line intact through the final breathless five minutes as the Reds pounded away in vain.
As a result the Cats carry the faint hopes of seeing a South African team in the semi-finals, while over the final two rounds the Bulls and Sharks will fight for the dubious honour of finishing last in the log section.
The Stormers will have to be content with a few notable scalps and the knowledge that in Breyton Paulse they have the best back in the country.
In Bloemfontein there was much to admire as the Cats beat the Reds 36-32. With so many test players on display in both sides it was no surprise that the match had some of the intensity of a full scale international. And as so often in recent tests it came down to a flyhalf kicking duel between Louis Koen and Shane Drahm.
The Reds had nudged ahead at an important juncture, but with time running out a superb move put Cats fullback Thinus Delport through for what proved to be the winning try. That the score came as a result of passing the ball rather than battering up field via the forwards showed how far the Cats have come in few short weeks.
They must now beat the Blues in Johannesburg on Friday, scoring four tries in the process, to retain their slender semi-final hopes. They could also do with a miracle, which is probably what it will take for the Bulls to beat the Highlanders in Witbank.
Less miraculous, but equally helpful would be a Stormers win against the Hurricanes in Cape Town on Sunday. Indeed, if the Stormers can recreate the passionate display that beat the Highlanders 27-13, victory is probable, not just possible, especially in the absence of Jonah Lomu, banned for two matches for a dangerous tackle.
The Stormers have belatedly found a way to involve their pacy Springbok backs and with an heroic commitment to defence they have discovered how to make the most out of turnover ball and less than parity in possession. Early in the season the plan seemed to go no further than bringing Paulse and Pieter Rossouw in from the wings to look for the ball.
Now that the pair are being given the ball in space on the outside they pose the kind of threat that makes opposition teams think twice about tactical decision making. After the desperately predictable rugby played by South African teams for the first six weeks of this tournament, for that alone we should be thankful.