The Sharks and the Bulls are set for an re-enactment of their epic Super 14 final last year when the 2009 series kicks off in February next year.
In the proposed draft fixtures circulated to the franchises the two sides will meet in Durban on February 6 in the first round of the competition which will most probably see playoffs between the top six sides and not the top four as has been the case until now.
News 24 reports that the Cheetahs and the Stormers will be involved in another derby in the first round and the Lions will be at home against the Waratahs.
The Cheetahs are the first South African side to play overseas in 2009’s Super 14. They meet the Force on February 20 – the first of five matches on the road with the Reds, Hurricanes, Blues and the Highlanders to follow over the next four weekends.
They are followed by the Sharks who meet the Chiefs in Hamilton on February 27. They have another three matches in the Antipodes over the following three weekends.
The Bulls have five games overseas, the first on March 20 against the Hurricanes in Wellington followed by the Highlanders, Crusaders, Waratahs and Brumbies. This time it is the Stormers that get the short end of the stick. They play Crusaders in New Zealand before returning to Australia for matches against the Waratahs and Brumbies before another trans-Tasman trip to play the Hurricanes and Highlanders in New Zealand.
The Lions’ overseas matches are against the Chiefs, Blues, Reds and Force on four consecutive weekends starting on April 4.
As it stands most matches on the draft fixture list are scheduled for Friday, but this is bound to be reviewed and revised when the Sanzar committee meets in Sydney on October 15 to discuss the competition.
Other issues that will be on the table will include the set of ELVs to be used with South Africa strongly favouring the international ELVs in order to be prepared for the British and Irish Lions tour just after the Super 14.
The Waratahs are also upset that, due to the intricacies involved in fitting in the extended competition before the Lions tour, they will have to make two trips to South Africa – a first for any side from Australia or New Zealand since the inception of the competition in 1996.
The new proposed play-off structure, with the third to sixth teams on the log playing to determine which two will go in to the semi-finals against the top two log finishers, will also be discussed and refined.
*Six team playoff to follow after Round 14
**Matches not yet official and therefore subject to change
Mock Super 14 draft:
Round 1:
Blues v Crusaders, Auckland
Cheetahs v Stormers, Bloemfontein
Sharks v Bulls, Durban
Reds v Hurricanes, Brisbane
Chiefs v Brumbies, Hamilton
Lions v Waratahs, Johannesburg
Force v Highlanders, Perth
Round 2:
Bulls v Reds, Pretoria
Stormers v Sharks, Cape Town
Lions v Cheetahs, Johannesburg
Hurricanes v Waratahs, Wellington
Highlanders v Brumbies, Dunedin
Force v Blues, Perth
Crusaders v Chiefs, Christchurch
Round 3:
Stormers v Reds, Cape Town
Sharks v Lions, Durban
Brumbies v Crusaders, Canberra
Bulls v Blues, Pretoria
Force v Cheetahs, Perth
Waratahs v Chiefs, Sydney
Hurricanes v Highlanders, Wellington
Round 4:
Stormers v Blues, Cape Town
Lions v Bulls, Johannesburg
Waratahs v Highlanders, Sydney
Chiefs v Sharks, Hamilton
Reds v Cheetahs, Brisbane
Crusaders v Hurricanes, Christchurch
Brumbies v Force, Canberra
Round 5:
Bulls v Stormers, Pretoria
Waratahs v Reds, Sydney
Blues v Sharks, Auckland
Highlanders v Crusaders, Dunedin
Chiefs v Force, Hamilton
Hurricanes v Cheetahs, Wellington
Round 6:
Brumbies v Waratahs, Canberra
Stormers v Lions, Cape Town
Redsv Sharks, Brisbane
Highlanders v Chiefs, Dunedin
Blues v Cheetahs, Auckland
Crusaders v Force, Christchurch
Round 7:
Lions v Brumbies, Johannesburg
Waratahs v Crusaders, Sydney
Chiefs v Blues, Hamilton
Hurricanes v Bulls, Wellington
Highlanders v Cheetahs, Invercargill
Force v Sharks, Perth
Round 8:
Lions v Hurricanes, Johannesburg
Sharks v Brumbies, Durban
Reds v Chiefs, Brisbane
Crusaders v Stormers, Christchurch
Highlanders v Bulls, Dunedin
Blues v Waratahs, Auckland
Round 9:
Sharks v Hurricanes, Durban
Cheetahs v Brumbies, Bloemfontein
Waratahs v Stormers, Sydney
Crusaders v Bulls, Christchurch
Force v Reds, Perth
Chiefs v Lions, Hamilton
Round 10:
Cheetahs v Sharks, Bloemfontein
Waratahs v Bulls, Sydney
Blues v Lions, Auckland
Force v Hurricanes, Perth
Brumbies v Stormers, Canberra
Highlanders v Reds, Dunedin
Round 11:
Sharks v Crusaders, Durban
Reds v Lions, Brisbane
Brumbies v Bulls, Canberra
Hurricanes v Stormers, Palmerston North
Cheetahs v Chiefs, Bloemfontein
Blues v Highlanders, Auckland
Waratahs v Force, Sydney
Round 12:
Cheetahs v Crusaders, Bloemfontein
Bulls v Chiefs, Pretoria
Force v Lions, Perth
Blues v Reds, Auckland
Highlanders v Stormers, Dunedin
Hurricanes v Brumbies, Wellington
Round 13:
Sharks v Highlanders, Durban
Lions v Crusaders, Johannesburg
Cheetahs v Waratahs, Kimberley
Hurricanes v Blues, Wellington
Reds v Brumbies, Brisbane
Stormers v Chiefs, Cape Town
Bulls v Force, Pretoria
Round 14:
Bulls v Cheetahs, Pretoria
Brumbies v Blues, Canberra
Crusaders v Reds, Christchurch
Sharks v Waratahs, Durban
Stormers v Force, Cape Town
Chiefs v Hurricanes, Hamilton
Lions v Highlanders, Johannesburg
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The new proposed play-off structure, with the third to sixth teams on the log playing to determine which two will go in to the semi-finals against the top two log finishers, will also be discussed and refined.
OH GIMME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you end 5th you don’t make the play-offs, end of story!!!!!
Why create a situation where finishing mid table still gives you a shot at winning the competition?
So the Sharks have 3 SA games (H, A, H) before going Overseas to play 4 Games (NZ, NZ, Aus, Aus) then then return to SA. Where they play 4 matches (H, H, A, H) before having a bye in Round 12. They then finish off with two home games.
Sharks:
Sharks v Bulls, Durban
Stormers v Sharks, Cape Town
Sharks v Lions, Durban
Chiefs v Sharks, Hamilton
Blues v Sharks, Auckland
Reds v Sharks, Brisbane
Force v Sharks, Perth
Sharks v Brumbies, Durban
Sharks v Hurricanes, Durban
Cheetahs v Sharks, Bloemfontein
Sharks v Crusaders, Durban
Round 12: BYE
Sharks v Highlanders, Durban
Sharks v Waratahs, Durban
Bulls:
Sharks v Bulls, Durban
Bulls v Reds, Pretoria
Bulls v Blues, Pretoria
Lions v Bulls, Johannesburg
Bulls v Stormers, Pretoria
Round 6: BYE
Hurricanes v Bulls, Wellington
Highlanders v Bulls, Dunedin
Crusaders v Bulls, Christchurch
Waratahs v Bulls, Sydney
Brumbies v Bulls, Canberra
Bulls v Chiefs, Pretoria
Bulls v Force, Pretoria
Bulls v Cheetahs, Pretoria
They have a BYE the week bfore starting their o/s leg 😎
I carent wait.
This propased play-off structure is straight from rugby league.
Cheetahs:
Cheetahs v Stormers, Bloemfontein
Lions v Cheetahs, Johannesburg
Force v Cheetahs, Perth
Reds v Cheetahs, Brisbane
Hurricanes v Cheetahs, Wellington
Blues v Cheetahs, Auckland
Highlanders v Cheetahs, Invercargill
Round 8: BYE
Cheetahs v Brumbies, Bloemfontein
Cheetahs v Sharks, Bloemfontein
Cheetahs v Chiefs, Bloemfontein
Cheetahs v Crusaders, Bloemfontein
Cheetahs v Waratahs, Kimberley
Bulls v Cheetahs, Pretoria
Small respite after returning from a TOUGH away leg
@McLovin (Comment 6) :
Not sure which is worse. Their play-off structure or their game. 😉
Lions
Lions v Waratahs, Johannesburg
Lions v Cheetahs, Johannesburg
Sharks v Lions, Durban
Lions v Bulls, Johannesburg
Round 5: BYE
Stormers v Lions, Cape Town
Lions v Brumbies, Johannesburg
Lions v Hurricanes, Johannesburg
Chiefs v Lions, Hamilton
Waratahs v Bulls, Sydney
Reds v Lions, Brisbane
Force v Lions, Perth
Lions v Crusaders, Johannesburg
Lions v Highlanders, Johannesburg
pretty easy draw IMO
a fixture list like that is the best any sa side could hope for. we start our overseas leg in new zealand and slowly make our way back towards sa. finally a fixture list that is fair on the sa teams. we have no excuse next year, except for maybe flyhalf.
Stormers
Cheetahs v Stormers, Bloemfontein
Stormers v Sharks, Cape Town
Stormers v Reds, Cape Town
Stormers v Blues, Cape Town
Bulls v Stormers, Pretoria
Stormers v Lions, Cape Town
Round 7: BYE
Crusaders v Stormers, Christchurch
Waratahs v Stormers, Sydney
Brumbies v Stormers, Canberra
Hurricanes v Stormers, Palmerston North
Highlanders v Stormers, Dunedin
Stormers v Chiefs, Cape Town
Stormers v Force, Cape Town
Must be the toughest away tour of the SA teams. but with a BYE before they go it may bee good
@KSA Shark © (Comment 9) : hell you are harsh ksa. you are saying the lions are so bad they say bye to their chances after round 4. “Round 5: BYE” 😆
@try time (Comment 12) :
THAT thought came to my mind as well. 😆
So the Stormers have to cross the Tasman twice on a 5 week tour?
Nice home run though.
@MorneN (Comment 14) :
yeah that ain’t easy
good for your frequent flyer miles though 😉
SA to NZ
NZ to Aus
Aus to NZ
NZ to SA
i think that six team playoff has been put in to stop the sharks. a six team playoff structure disadvantages the sa teams even more. lets see just how big hoskins balls are when he takes them on in feb.
@MorneN (Comment 14) : yeah sharks had to do it this year.
sorry take that back. sharks are going to end top of the log it won’t effect them. it is there to stop the bulls and stormers. it could however help the sa teams as well. because i am sure the games will be played at the teams ground that had the away game. meaning bulls would probably play the chiefs brumbies hurricanes or waratahs at home as they play them away during the rounds. similar situation for stormers. could play against the antipodean teams.
@try time (Comment 17) :
If I am not mistaken so too the Stormers, played the Reds in Bris, then went to NZ only to return to Aus.
Might be mistaken though.
@MorneN (Comment 14) : Pity they struggle to win at home 🙂
@MorneN (Comment 20) :
Nope. You are right
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/super-14-2008-fixtures/
@robdylan (Comment 21) :
@robdylan (Comment 21) :
Hey did you not see Allister’s excuse post match this weekend.
WP/Stormers last lost at Newlands against the Crusaders…
@MorneN (Comment 24) :
Rob didn’t say you lose he said you struggle to win.
You didn’t win your last home game at Newlands in the S14. 😉
Anycase, I heard there was almost a punch up at the post match presser at Newlands.
hehehe, classic.
Reporters apparently took WP admin and Allister to task.
@MorneN (Comment 26) : I wonder if Claytie was involved 🙂
@MorneN (Comment 26) :
Hehehehehe
Would love to have seen that.
@robdylan (Comment 27) : Isn’t Claytie a lover and not a fighter?
@Kal-El (Comment 29) : I’m quite relieved to say I know nothing about that 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 30) : Clever answer
@Kal-El (Comment 31) : I really thought long and hard before answering 🙂
@MorneN (Comment 26) : After the last two performances what do you expect?
@robdylan (Comment 27) : I WISH ❗ Sadly i had work to do
@PJLD (Comment 34) : you missed the game? You poor bastard!
@robdylan (Comment 35) : I think i missed last week!Just about noticed the big freaging aircraft carrier parked off in Table Bay.
@PJLD (Comment 36) : 🙂
@PJLD (Comment 36) :
That must explain the non Sb picks then. 🙄 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 38) : yeeeeep
lions have a good fixture list as well. maybe even better than the sharks. they just need some depth and a better coach. oh and they need to find a better stadium.
maybe they should play at brakpan. the hard ground with hurt the kiwi ponces.
and more people turn up to watch the game.
digs aside, the lions have no excuse not to do well next year. their forwards are excellent. the backs need some work (hence my comment about a new coach loffie has no clue on backline organisation)but are capable. other than poor crowd support and an average bench they look good. oh and they need a good conditioning coach, because their injury rate is far too high.
@MorneN (Comment 14) : Morne, the Sharks did it this year and got into the semis, so it can’t be used as an excuse by the Stormers ….
@Baldrick (Comment 44) :
Why not? it was one of the excuses they used this year when they didn’t make it. 🙂
I missed this bit originally.
The Waratahs are also upset that, due to the intricacies involved in fitting in the extended competition before the Lions tour, they will have to make two trips to South Africa 😯 😯
I bet they are whinging like pigs about that.
No way that will be accepted I think. Expect this draft to change.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 46) : ha ha ha ha ha
@KSA Shark © (Comment 46) :
😀
They come to SA for ONE game in Round 1 (Lions) and then comeback in Rounds 13 (Cheetahs) and 14 (Sharks)
Not that i would want it to happen, but if they take Round one away from the begining of the season and move all the rounds a week earleir and then add Round 1 back at the end of the season then all is good and well.
😯 😯 It is ONLY flippen October. 😯 😯
I suppose you have that advantage when you don’t have a domestic season worth mentioning.
Mitchell lays a Forceful base
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:42
Western Force coach John Mitchell has started to lay the foundation for what he feels will be a “successful campaign”, when the West Australian franchise started their pre-season training at Rugby Park in Perth on Monday.
Squad members assembled at the team’s headquarters at Perry Lakes to begin preparations for the 2009 Super 14 season.
The training squad, minus the team’s seven Wallabies, began the day with medical, nutritional and strength and conditioning screening before taking to the field for running tests.
“First day back it’s always very tough and it was no different today,” said fourth-year prop AJ Whalley.
“The beep test really hurt actually, I must admit, but we’ve all just come back from our annual leave and everyone is really refreshed and excited about being back together and back into training,” he said.
Having completed a five-match development tour of England on September 1, the Perth-based team is the first of the Australian Super 14 outfits to report for 2009 pre-season training.
Coach John Mitchell said players would be rewarded if they come through Monday’s preliminary testing.
“We’ll have the results [of testing] tomorrow [Tuesday] and if they are positive then those players will be rewarded and trusted to carry on [with conditioning] on their own accord,” said Mitchell.
“Other’s will be required to shift physically over the next eight weeks.”
With the team’s seven Wallaby tourists not due to join their Super 14 teammates in Perth until mid-January, Mitchell said the first two months of training would offer players a chance to focus on individual goals.
“We’ve taken a totally different approach to pre-season this year, starting with today’s testing, which will give us an important basis from which to move forward,” he said.
“Essentially we’re not a team at all at the moment. We’re not worried about the numbers on [players’] backs. It’s more about how they front and getting them to focus on where they can improve physically as individuals over the next eight weeks.”
Among the activities in week one of pre-season training is a sand hills session at Scarborough on Friday, following a tough conditioning session at King’s Park Tuesday morning.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 48) : What the heck would we want to make life easier for them for?????
Stuff them, let them get a taste of tours from hell!
@Baldrick (Comment 50) : damn right, it is time for sa to tell them we are the money so listen to us.