The Pampas XV from Argentina, the 2011 defending champions, will get the 2012 Vodacom Cup season, the 15th since its inception in 1998, underway on Friday at 15:10 when they host the EP Kings in Stellenbosch. The match will be televised (We like to believe that this was decided after MyPE indicated that we would not be doing a live blogcast).
The Argentineans were unbeaten last year as they romped to the title in their first season of involvement and will be looking to build on that performance.
They have chosen to base themselves in Stellenbosch this year, as teams no longer play their pool games across sections, but within their own divisions, meaning they will face all the teams in the Southern Section.
EP Kings had a pretty dismal Vodacom Cup 2011 season after being docked points for fielding an ineligible player.
On 10 March 2011 the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) was found guilty of breaching Regulation 4.2 of the Player Status, Player Contracts and Player Movement Regulations by fielding two Mpumalanga Rugby Union (Pumas) players, Hannes Franklin and Jacques Coetzee, in four matches (two in the Vodacom Cup for EP Kings and two friendlies for the Southern Kings), without the necessary clearance certificate.
EPRU were fined R15 000 in respect of the two friendly games against the Bulls (R5 000) and the Cheetahs (R10 000), and will forfeit all log points accumulated from the Vodacom Cup games against the Welwitschias (25 February 2011) and the Leopards (4 March 2011).
The EP Kings played eight league games in the 2011 Vodacom Cup, logging a record of six wins and two losses, including six bonus point performances. Despite this record and as a result of the fielding of ineligible players, the Kings failed to advance to the quarter finals of the 2011 Vodacom Cup.
See more on this sad saga here: EP Rugby ‘Disgusted’ With Outcome of SARU Appeal
EP Kings coach Alan Solomons has elected to send a young team down to take on the 1st team of the Vodacom Cup:
- Starting Line-up: 15. Kieran Goss, 11. Marcello Sampson, 13. Scott van Breda, 12. Tiger Mangweni, 14. Norman Nelson, 10. Shane Gates, 9. Falie Oelschig, 1. Jaco Engels, 2. Hannes Franklin, 3. Andre Schlechter, 6. Boetie Brits, 4. Darron Nell (Captain), 5. David Bulbring, 7. Mpho Mbiyozo (Vice-Captain), 8. Jacques Engelbrecht
Replacements: 16. Bobby Dyer, 17. Elrich Kock, 18. Reynier Bernardo, 19. Devin Oosthuizen, 20. Danie Faasen, 21. Justin van Staden, 22. Steven Hansel
An interesting positional change is that of bringing Tiger Mangweni in at centre to partner the youngster, Scott van Breda. Coaching staff and amateur observers have remarked on the weakness of the EP centre pairings, let’s hope that this bold move will bear fruit and bolster that vital linkage.
South Africa’s 14 provincial unions and the Pampas XV from Argentina will play in two sections – North and South, with seven teams in the Northern Section (following the withdrawal of Namibia due to financial constraints) and eight in the Southern Section. All the teams will play in a single round within their own section after which the top sides will progress to the playoffs.
- Northern Section: Vodacom Blue Bulls, MTN Golden Lions, Griffons, GWK Griquas, Leopards, Ford Pumas, Valke.
Southern Section: Regent Boland Kavaliers, Border Bulldogs, EP Kings, Toyota Free State XV, The Sharks XV, SWD Eagles, DHL Western Province, Pampas XV.
Round 1 Fixtures:
Friday, 9 March 2012:
- Pampas XV vs EP Kings. Kick-off: 15:10. Venue: Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch. Referee: Stuart Berry
- Border Bulldogs vs The Sharks XV. Kick-off: 19:00. Venue: Buffalo City Municipality Stadium, East London. Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Saturday, 10 March 2012
- Leopards vs MTN Golden Lions. Kick-off: 14:45. Venue: Profert Olën Park, Potchefstroom. Referee: Sindile Mayende
- Valke vs Ford Pumas. Kick-off: 15:00. Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park. Referee: Ben Crouse
- Toyota Free State XV South Western Districts Eagles. Kick-off: 15:00. Venue: Clive Solomon Stadium, Heidedal, Bloemfontein. Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
- DHL Western Province vs Regent Boland Kavaliers. Kick-off: 16:00. Venue: DHL Newlands Stadium, Cape Town. Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
- Vodacom Blue Bulls vs GWK Griquas. Kick-off: 16:45. Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria. Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
All the Fixtures:
March 2012
09
15:10
Pampas XV
vs
Eastern Province Kings
AF Markotter Stadium, Paul Roos Gymnasium
09
19:00
Border Bulldogs
vs
Sharks XV
BCM Stadium, East London
10
14:45
Leopards
vs
MTN Golden Lions
Profert Olën Park, Potchefstroom
10
15:00
Valke
vs
Ford Pumas
Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
10
15:00
Toyota Free State XV
vs
SWD Eagles
Clive Solomon Stadium, Heidedal, Bloemfontein
10
16:00
DHL Western Province
vs
Boland Kavaliers
DHL Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
10
16:45
Vodacom Blue Bulls
vs
GWK Griquas
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
16
19:00
Eastern Province Kings
vs
Border Bulldogs
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, PE
17
00:00
Ford Pumas
vs
Vodacom Blue Bulls
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
17
00:00
Pampas XV
vs
SWD Eagles
AF Markotter Stadium, Paul Roos Gymnasium
17
14:45
Sharks XV
vs
DHL Western Province
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
17
15:00
GWK Griquas
vs
Griffons
GWK Park, Kimberley
17
16:00
Boland Kavaliers
vs
Toyota Free State XV
Bredasdorp
17
17:00
MTN Golden Lions
vs
Valke
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
23
15:30
Border Bulldogs
vs
Pampas XV
BCM Stadium, East London
23
19:00
Valke
vs
Leopards
Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
23
19:00
Griffons
vs
Ford Pumas
North West Stadium, Welkom
23
19:10
Toyota Free State XV
vs
Sharks XV
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
24
14:45
Vodacom Blue Bulls
vs
MTN Golden Lions
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
24
16:00
DHL Western Province
vs
Eastern Province Kings
City Park, Crawford, Cape Town
24
16:00
SWD Eagles
vs
Boland Kavaliers
D’ Almeida Stadium, Mossel Bay
30
15:30
Sharks XV
vs
SWD Eagles
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
30
19:10
Eastern Province Kings
vs
Toyota Free State XV
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, PE
31
00:00
Leopards
vs
Vodacom Blue Bulls
Profert Olën Park, Potchefstroom
31
00:00
Border Bulldogs
vs
DHL Western Province
BCM Stadium, East London
31
00:00
Pampas XV
vs
Boland Kavaliers
AF Markotter Stadium, Paul Roos Gymnasium
31
14:45
MTN Golden Lions
vs
Griffons
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
31
16:00
Ford Pumas
vs
GWK Griquas
Puma Stadium, Witbank
April 2012
13
16:00
Vodacom Blue Bulls
vs
Valke
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
13
19:00
Griffons
vs
Leopards
North West Stadium, Welkom
13
19:10
SWD Eagles
vs
Eastern Province Kings
Outeniqua Park, George
14
14:45
Toyota Free State XV
vs
Border Bulldogs
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
14
15:00
GWK Griquas
vs
MTN Golden Lions
GWK Park, Kimberley
14
16:00
Boland Kavaliers
vs
Sharks XV
Malmesbury
14
16:30
DHL Western Province
vs
Pampas XV
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
20
19:00
Valke
vs
Griffons
Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
20
19:00
Boland Kavaliers
vs
Border Bulldogs
Boland Stadium, Wellington
20
19:10
Toyota Free State XV
vs
Pampas XV
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
21
00:00
Leopards
vs
GWK Griquas
Profert Olën Park, Potchefstroom
21
00:00
MTN Golden Lions
vs
Ford Pumas
Community Venue
21
14:45
Sharks XV
vs
Eastern Province Kings
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
21
16:00
SWD Eagles
vs
DHL Western Province
Bridgton Sports Grounds, Outshoorn
26
15:30
GWK Griquas
vs
Valke
GWK Park, Kimberley
27
15:00
Griffons
vs
Vodacom Blue Bulls
North West Stadium, Welkom
27
15:00
Eastern Province Kings
vs
Boland Kavaliers
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, PE
28
00:00
Ford Pumas
vs
Leopards
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
28
14:45
Pampas XV
vs
Sharks XV
AF Markotter Stadium, Paul Roos Gymnasium
28
15:30
DHL Western Province
vs
Toyota Free State XV
Durbanville Rugby Club, Durbanville
28
19:00
Border Bulldogs
vs
SWD Eagles
Mlungisi Rugby Field, Queenstown
