In Paarl, Boishaai and Grey Bloem meet in what should be an epic encounter.

This fixture was drawn 15-15 in 2011, after the boys from Bloemfontein came from behind to settle for the stalemate. So there will be unfinished business this year. Both schools feature in the top four in the latest Schoolboy Derby Top 15 rankings, making this clash one of the biggest on the calendar.

The match will be broadcast on SS5 at 2pm.

In Durban, there will be a big derby between Glenwood and DHS.

The Green Machine has been inconsistent this season, but DHS have failed to down any of the top schools on the KZN circuit. However, both teams come off wins last weekend, and will be raring to clinch victory.

The game will be broadcast on SS5 at 3:30pm.

The Highlanders’ method was predictable in so much as the statistics leading into the contest reflected them as kicking the least in the tournament and having the most players in the top 20 for ball carries.

The Bulls’ defence held firm and they conceded just one try. However, the Highlanders often stretched them and at times they looked decidedly vulnerable. Good scramble defence snuffed out potential scoring opportunities, but Spies warned of the Chiefs’ superior quality and greater clinical edge when compared to the Highlanders.

‘We were pleased with our defensive effort in Dunedin, but the Chiefs are a better attacking side than the Highlanders and better equipped to hurt us with their expansive approach,’ Spies told keo.co.za. ‘They pose so many threats and those are not only in the backline. [Prop] Sona Taumalolo is a very effective ball-carrier [he is among the leading players in the tournament for linebreaks] and while they don’t carry the ball nearly as much as the Highlanders, when they do they are so effective.’

Spies’ latter offering is supported by four of the Chiefs’ players being in the top 10 for linebreaks, while only one of those – Sonny Bill Williams – has carried for a notable number of times (92). Williams will again be central to the Chiefs’ ability to generate attacking momentum, his physicality at the gainline and ability to commit multiple defenders (and offload if not gang tackled) priceless in an environment where defences of elite teams are so good.

Head coach Frans Ludeke has bad memories of Williams, who was instrumental in the Crusaders’ 27-0 victory over his side in Timaru last year. Williams tormented the 10-12 axis of Morné Steyn and Wynand Olivier – his opponents this Friday once more – and caused havoc when mismatches were engineered for him. No Chiefs player has carried more or for more metres (839m), suggesting that the Bulls will see plenty of the midfielder in Hamilton.

‘He is a high quality player and we will have to do a better job on him than we did last year,’ Ludeke said. ‘But if we cut down his time and space we put ourselves in a stronger position defensively. That starts with dominating the gainline. But Sonny Bill isn’t occupying all our thoughts. They are blessed with a number of great attackers.’

Ludeke added that the Bulls would have to improve their composure and decision-making in their attacking play. They crafted a number of good scoring opportunities against the Highlanders but often lost patience and concentration at critical times in their build-up, which saw them make fundamental handling errors or become isolated and vulnerable to turnovers.

‘We couldn’t convert opportunities into points in the way we should have and that must change against the Chiefs. They give you so little on defence (they have conceded just 17 tries in 11 matches – second best record in the tournament) that if you are wasteful when you do have a sniff at the line it will be very costly.’

By Ryan Vrede

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Clever was the Stormers’ last hope of recruiting another overseas-based loose forward as they searched for quality and experienced depth during their injury crisis. With Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen, Nick Koster and Nizaam Carr all sidelined, the USA Eagles captain expressed his interest in joining the Cape franchise on a short loan move.

However, Clever confirmed that the Stormers couldn’t settle a deal with his new Japanese club NTT Shining Arcs when the two parties consulted on Monday.

‘I did everything I could from my side. I was ready to help out,’ Clever told keo.co.za. ‘However, my understanding is that the negotiations didn’t work out between the two teams. The Stormers said they needed me ASAP, but there were issues about injury insurance costs, and release and return dates.

‘I am disappointed that I won’t get a chance now, but should something come up again, I hope a deal can be worked out.’

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee revealed that he also failed in luring other experienced loose forwards from abroad. He now plans to use players from the victorious WP Vodacom Cup squad.

‘I have been in touch with a number of players since Nizaam broke down [against the Cheetahs], but we’ve got two more games before the break and I’m going to back my local depth,’ said Coetzee. ‘I’ve been in contact with Danie Rossouw [Suntory Sungoliath, Japan] and Ernst Joubert [Saracens, England] but at this point we’re coping with the situation.’

Burger and Koster are expected to recover from their injuries after the June Test break. The duo should be ready to feature in the clash against the Lions on 30 June, while Vermeulen is only due to return to action against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on 7 July.

By Gareth Duncan

Pietersen picked up a back strain in last week’s match against the Waratahs. Aplon moves to fullback from the wing, which opens up a space for Gerhard van den Heever to start.

Coach Allister Coetzee said that Aplon starting at fullback would give he Stormers counter-attacking options, but clarified that the Cape side would not be veering from their territorial approach.

Aplon does have unique attacking skills but will be expected to play the same sort of role Pietersen has played as a tactical kicker.

‘We back our players to make decisions on the field, and so if it is on Gio may have a go. But we won’t change the way we play. And having Gio at the back also gives us a good kicking option with the left boot.’

Coetzee has also opted for five forwards on the bench. Nick Fenton-Wells is brought into the squad and may earn his first cap for the Stormers.

‘They have three Boks in the front row and three Bok loose forwards. It’s going to be a big ask physically to go there and win, and that is why we have gone with five forwards on the bench.’

Stormers – 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Don Armand, 20 Nick Fenton-Wells, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Burton Francis.

According to The Times, Hoskins told the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport and recreation that the reason Saru decided to include the Kings was for the greater good of rugby in South Africa. Saru hopes that the new franchise will develop the latent black talent in the Eastern Cape region.

‘We mustn’t forget that as Saru we are aware of the dynamics of rugby and what is expected of our sport in terms of transformation. We can talk about transforming the administration and grassroots rugby and that’s all important, but we took the decision on the Kings because we know the country wants us to transform rugby,’ Hoskins said.

‘Black rugby players traditionally come from the Eastern Cape. It’s been a huge step because we believe a franchise in the Eastern Cape will be a massive boost to black players in the region, who can come through the ranks and play for the Springboks.

‘We can’t wave a magic wand to transform rugby, but we can boost transformation in rugby by having a franchise in the Eastern Cape. We ask all South Africans to bear with us, because it will be in the best interests of rugby.

‘It will be a painful process over the next year, but it’s been done with sincerity. All 14 provinces agreed to this decision without exception.’

While it’s already been confirmed that the Kings will participate in next year’s Super Rugby competition, Saru is yet to determine which of the existing five South African franchises will fall away.

This decision is expected to be finalised on 13 July.

After their most successful overseas tour in March, the Cheetahs have endured a major slump as they lost four of their last six fixtures. Two of those losses came against the Highlanders (36-33) and Chiefs (39-33) in Bloemfontein because of shocking defensive showings in the second half. More recently, they come off back-to-back defeats against the Stormers (16-14) and Sharks (34-20) over the last fortnight.

Against the Cape franchise, they improved defensively (they made 81% of their tackles and forced 17 turnovers), but they couldn’t finish their try-scoring opportunities and their tactical kicking game was poorly executed. Against the Sharks, they were dominated physically in the forwards exchanges and again, struggled to reach their chalk when they entered the Sharks’ red zone.

Strauss said his charges will need an overall improvement when they face the Waratahs on Saturday.

‘It’s definitely a must-win match for us,’ Strauss told keo.co.za. ‘We’ve been disappointed with our performances in recent weeks. There have been problems on attack and defence, but we are working hard to eliminate these issues, especially individual mistakes.

‘Against the Waratahs, we’ll use a balanced approach. When the chance is on, we will play expansively. But we also have a conservative side to our game, and will take that route if the match situation requires it.

‘Things have worked for us when we execute our plans effectively. So we just need to be consistent and look for a more accurate all-round performance.’

Strauss added that a strong defensive showing against the Waratahs will be vital.

‘The Waratahs are dangerous on attack if the opposition allows them to build momentum. We need to make sure that we restrict them and have the upper hand at the tackle points. They are also strong in the scrums, so we need to step up there too.’

Meanwhile, head coach Naka Drotske has made three changes to his starting line-up.

In the backline, wing Rocco Jansen takes the place of Cameron Jacobs. Up front, flank Ashley Johnson rotates with Justin Downey, while lock Andries Ferreira slots in the second row.

Cheetahs – 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Rocco Jansen, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Ashley Johnson, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Andries Ferreira, 4 Izak van der Westhuizen, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Substitutes: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Francois Uys, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman.

By Gareth Duncan

Meyer takes over the No 9 jersey from Ross Cronje, who has been criticised for his poor service to the backline.Van der Linde gets a start in place of JC Janse van Rensburg.

Both dropped players fall to the bench.

Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Joshua Strauss (c), 7 Grant Hattingh, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Franco van der Merwe, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 CJ van der Linde.
Subs: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Cobus Grobbelaar, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Ruan Combrinck, 22 James Kamana.

Kerr-Barlow replaces Leonard in a starting line-up that sees several changes. Jackson Willison slots into the midfield in place of the injured Richard Kahui while props Toby Smith and Ben Afeaki are handed starts.

Chiefs – 15 Andrew Horrell, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke (c), 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Toby Smith.
Subs: 16 Mahonri Schwalger, 17 Arizona Taumalolo, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Robbie Robinson, 22 Maritino Nemani.

CHIEFS vs BULLS, HAMILTON, FRI 09:35

Chiefs – 15 Andrew Horrell, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke (c), 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Toby Smith.
Subs: 16 Mahonri Schwalger, 17 Arizona Taumalolo, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Robbie Robinson, 22 Maritino Nemani.

Bulls – Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Subs: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Juandré Kruger, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.

HURRICANES vs REBELS, WELLINGTON, SAT 07:35

Hurricanes – TBC

Rebels – TBC

BLUES vs HIGHLANDERS, AUCKLAND, SAT 09:35

Blues – TBC

Highlanders – TBC

BRUMBIES vs REDS, CANBERRA, SAT 11:40

Brumbies – TBC

Reds – TBC

FORCE vs LIONS, PERTH, SAT 13:40

Force – TBC

Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Joshua Strauss (c), 7 Grant Hattingh, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Franco van der Merwe, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 CJ van der Linde.
Subs: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Cobus Grobbelaar, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Ruan Combrinck, 22 James Kamana.

CHEETAHS vs WARATAHS, BLOEMFONTEIN, SAT 17:05

Cheetahs – 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Rocco Jansen, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Ashley Johnson, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Andries Ferreira, 4 Izak van der Westhuizen, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Substitutes: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Francois Uys, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman.

Waratahs – TBC

SHARKS vs STORMERS, DURBAN, SAT 19:10

Sharks – TBC

Stormers – 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Don Armand, 20 Nick Fenton-Wells, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Burton Francis.

The Bulls face the New Zealand conference leaders in Hamilton on Friday and are acutely aware of the all-round threat they pose. The Chiefs’ rise from 10th-placed finishers in 2011 to being among the favourites to win the title this season has been notable. Gone is the cavalier outfit who capitulated against teams adept at pinning them in their territory and pressuring them into errors through dominant defence. Ludeke was lavish in his praise of their development.

‘They used to be vulnerable in a number of areas but now they’ve become one of the most complete sides in the tournament,’ Ludeke told keo.co.za.

‘Their forward play, particularly at set pieces, has improved immeasurably. But they haven’t lost the ability to punish you when their backline runs the ball from general play and especially from broken field.

‘Add to that a tactical kicking game that gives them another attacking dimension and a defensive system that has worked very well and is hard to break down, and you’ve got a very difficult team to play against.’

The Bulls’ defeat in Dunedin against the Highlanders and the Stormers’ victory at Newlands transformed the complexion of their campaign after a promising start to their tour. It meant they surrendered the top spot in the conference and the overall log to their great rivals and defeat in Hamilton would further undermine their drive for a home play-off. Ludeke said he stressed the importance of victory to his players, who needed no motivation.

‘This is by miles our most important game of the competition if you look at it in the context of what winning or losing could mean for our challenge,’ Ludeke said. ‘The Stormers have control of their own destiny and if they keep winning they’ll get that important home play-off.

‘We’ve been in similar positions in the past but then we could take confidence from the experience we had in our ranks. Now we’ve got a younger side who must show similar character. I was impressed by how we responded against the Waratahs two weeks ago. They dominated the game but we came through at the end.

We took a lot away from that match in terms of building a strength of character in some of the less experienced players. It nearly happened again for us against the Highlanders and but for some impatient and inaccurate play late in the game, we could have stolen that one as well.

‘That character was a hallmark of the Bulls sides of recent years and this group will have to show that against a team that will test them to the limits of their ability – tactically, physically and mentally.’

By Ryan Vrede

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Saru, though, has not revealed what those options are.

With Sanzar refusing to expand Super Rugby to include 16 teams, and six from South Africa, Saru either have to relegate a team for the Kings (most probably the Lions, who are currently last on the Super Rugby log) or merge two of the current franchises (most probably the Lions and Cheetahs, who played as the Cats from 1998 to 2005).

‘It was a very positive meeting and we now have a number of options for participation on which the franchises are agreed,’ said Saru CEO Jurie Roux in a press statement. ‘Those options will go to the Exco [Executive Council] for consideration and ultimately to the General Council for a decision.’

The next meeting of the Saru General Council is scheduled to take place on 13 July.

Meanwhile, Lions president Kevin de Klerk sounded confident about the Johannesburg franchise’s chances of remaining in Super Rugby next year following Monday’s proceedings.

‘We have listed a few possible solutions. From a Lions’ point of view, things are looking good and we remain positive,’ De Klerk told keo.co.za. ‘There will probably be another two to three meetings with all parties before the General Council meeting.’

De Klerk also dismissed recent reports that said the Lions would be automatically relegated if they do not settle outstanding payments owed to franchise partners, the Leopards and Pumas. According to the New Age last week, broadcast revenue payments are to be withheld from the Lions and payments of R750 000 each must be made to both unions. This was supposed to be settled last February.

‘Those reports are not true. The case will go to arbitration to be settled, but it will have no impact on the Lions’ Super Rugby participation,’ said De Klerk.

By Simon Borchardt and Gareth Duncan

The 26-year-old Cheetahs lock has signed a two-year deal with the Scottish club and will move north once his commitments in South Africa conclude at the end of October.

‘I want to test myself against the top players in Europe so when I found out Edinburgh were looking for a player with my skill-set, I was desperate to sign,’ he said.

‘I’m really looking forward to joining the club. They’ve some real talent joining the squad and some quality Scottish players re-signed too so I think it’s the ideal time to be part of a really exciting squad.’

The Cheetahs are set to lose a number of forwards at the end of the current season. Apart from Van der Westhuizen and Nel, loose forward Ashley Johnson has signed with Wasps and lock George Earle will be linking up with Welsh club Scarlets.

The Sharks haven’t beaten the Stormers since 2010, but will have more than a good chance of doing so this weekend. Apart from home ground advantage, they will come into this clash with all the momentum. While the Stormers have churned out good results, they have begun to tire in recent clashes and may well be due a loss.

The Sharks must seize on what is a great opportunity. A win against the log leaders will be a powerful statement regarding their resurgence. It will also close the gap between the Sharks and those two South African superpowers, the Stormers and Bulls, at the top of the local conference.

A look at the respective campaigns of the Sharks and Stormers makes for interesting reading. The Stormers have been consistent as far as winning is concerned with a record of 10 from 11, while the Sharks have a less flattering seven from 12 return. But what that record won’t indicate is how the Sharks have started to hit form in recent weeks and how the Stormers have eked their way to some narrow wins.

It requires a more thorough analysis to reveal that the Stormers have been less consistent than the Sharks in terms of point-scoring this season. Last week’s match against the Waratahs was a case in point, as the Stormers scored 16 points in the first half but only three in the second.

A look at their campaign as a whole will confirm that on average, the Stormers do the bulk of their scoring in the first 40 minutes and tend to tail off as the game draws to a close. The Stormers have scored 245 points over 11 games with 162 scored in the first half and 83 in the second.

On nine occasions they have led at half-time, and while they might point to their win record in an attempt to deflect criticism, the statistics confirm that they are indeed less prolific in the second stanza.

In fact, if you break down every match this season into two halves, you will find that the Stormers have been outscored in the second half a total of seven times.

It would suggest that if a team manages to lead the Stormers at half-time, they have a good chance of taking the final spoils. The only loss the Stormers have suffered this season is to the Crusaders, and they did trail the Cantabrians 19-13 at the break.

It becomes interesting if you hold up these statistics to those of the Sharks. The Sharks don’t have as good a win-record, but what they have managed to do consistently is win the second half. They have outscored their opponents in the second stanza on eight out of 12 matches.

The Stormers have the best defensive record in the competition, but again a comparison of their first- and second-half stats confirms their inconsistency. While they have conceded a total of just 69 points in the first half of games played this season, they’ve leaked substantially more (102 points) after half-time.

You don’t need pages of stats to tell you that the Stormers aren’t as effective in the second period as they are in the first. It’s been most evident in their last two games, as they scored zero against the Cheetahs and then just three against the Waratahs. The coach and captain have spoken at length about consistency, and how it continues to elude them.

The stats of the most recent game between the Sharks and Stormers goes against all of these trends. The Sharks led that match 9-6 at half-time, but were outscored and ultimately beaten by the Stormers in the second.

What should be taken into account, however, is that particular game was played in the second round of the competition, some three months ago. From that point until present, the trends have been consistent with the Sharks presenting more of a threat in the second period and the Stormers tailing off towards the end of a game.

It should also be remembered that the Sharks played that game without a number of key forwards. This coming Saturday, the situation is set to be reversed. John Plumtree has welcomed back a host of Springbok heavies in recent weeks while Allister Coetzee has had to scour the globe in search of like-for-like loose forward replacements. The Sharks pack will be at full strength.

The men who have toiled for the navy blue jersey are starting to look tired, and the Sharks will feel confident that they can outplay this Stormers side in the second half of Saturday’s game.

A strong start by the Sharks will make life more difficult for the Stormers. If the Sharks enjoy a good lead at the break and the Stormers are forced to play catch up, the form book and statistics suggest the hosts will emerge victorious.

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Elsewhere Dewald Potgieter and CJ Stander have recovered from injuries and retain their places in the loose trio. Coach Frans Ludeke said the switch in the second row was in line with their rotational policy.

‘We have a rotational policy and have a buy-in from all the players about it. Wilhelm has played very well of the bench this far in the competition, so I have no problem in starting him. Juandré will obviously play an important role as substitute, which will be crucial against a classy side like the Chiefs,’ Ludeke said.

‘They are a very difficult side to play against, especially now that their set piece has improved. This helps them to play an all round game and we will have to be on the money with our execution if we want to achieve a result. They are not pace setters for nothing.’

Bulls – Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Subs: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Juandré Kruger, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.

John Plumtree may have to replace the talented No 12 for this encounter, and it seems likely that Meyer Bosman will start in Whitehead’s stead. Plumtree will give Whitehead time to prove his fitness and a final call on his availability will be made later in the week.

Flyhalf Pat Lambie is expected to return this Saturday, meaning the Sharks will field a different 10-12 combination to the one that started, and excelled, against the Cheetahs. Louis Ludik is also available after missing last week’s game with an arm injury.

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With Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen ruled out with a shoulder injury, Bulls Vodacom Cup and U21 pivot Tony Jantjies will be the front runner to spearhead the Baby Boks at the upcoming Junior World Championship from 4-22 June. However, who will provide backup?

SA U20 head coach Dawie Theron has handed Pollard a national call-up this week. The 18-year-old has been a star feature for Paarl Gym, who are currently ranked as the No 1 rugby school in the country, and is set to play his second year of Craven Week for WP in July.

Theron plans on fielding the schoolboy in the Baby Boks’ trial match against Hamiltons U20s in Cape Town on Wednesday night.

‘He’s been very good this year. I’ve been very impressed with the way he has played for Paarl Gym and the WP Craven Week trial squad,’ Theron told Schoolboy Derby. ‘It’s not impossible for an 18-year-old to excel in an international U20 tournament. [Leicester Tigers pivot] Graham Ford made his debut for the England U20s at the age of 17 and Derrick Hougaard starred in a Currie Cup final nine months after finishing school. I believe Handre has the size and talent to do the same.

‘I have also called up Sharks XV flyhalf Fred Zeilinga as a possible option. Lions fullback Marais Schmidt is also a capable flyhalf, but he’s struggling with an ankle injury.’

Pollard admitted that he was surprised by Theron’s call last weekend, but plans on making the most of the opportunity.

‘Coach Dawie spoke to me over the weekend and told me about his plans. He wants to see how I fit into the squad and if I can make the step up,’ Pollard also told this site. ‘It’s a huge honour for me and will be a big challenge. I expect this level will be quicker and more physical compared to the kind of standards that I’m used to, but I’m positive I will be able to handle it.’

Pollard is also highly rated by Springbok head coach Heyneke Meyer. In the June issue of SA Rugby magazine, Meyer said: ‘He has a good rugby brain and has the physical attributes too [Pollard stands at 1.89m and weighs 95kg]. If he continues doing well, he’ll play for the Springboks one day.’

By Gareth Duncan

The incident occurred in last Friday’s match between the Hurricanes and Brumbies. Hooper was subsequently cited and a Sanzar Judicial Hearing was held on Monday.

The Judicial Officer was assisted by video coverage supplemented by evidence and submissions for the player and evidence from the referee. He concluded that Hooper made an orthodox tackle around the knees but was driven back by the ball carrier who drove forward with his right leg raised high.

The referee was emphatic that the penalty was sufficient and reflected a lifting and losing control rather than a tipping or driving. The Judicial Officer considered the crux of the decision lay in whether Hooper lifted or tipped the ball carrier. The evidence did not establish a lift in the ordinary way but that Hooper did contribute to the tipping which partly rose from the destabilised position of the ball carrier in driving the tackler back with his right leg high.

The decision of the referee is to stand in his assessment of the incident as to the facts and gravity unless considered to be wrong. His position was clearly expressed. He found a breach but for slightly different reasons than the Judicial Officer.

The contribution to the tipping puts Hooper in breach but it was contributory only and otherwise arose from an orthodox tackle. He has an excellent disciplinary and off field record, and so an off-field yellow card is issued.

The trio will join a squad that already contains South Africans John Smit, Anton van Zyl and Pedrie Wannenburg. Corniel van Zyl is another who has received a call up.

Other late additions include former Wallabies lock Mark Chisholm, New Zealander Casey Laulala and Wales pivot Stephen Jones.

The Barbarians will play the first of three matches against England at Twickenham on 27 May.

Barbarians:
Backs: Isa Nacewa (Fiji), Mils Muliaina (New Zealand), Ian Balshaw (England), Cedric Heymans (France), Shane Williams (Wales), Paul Sackey (England), Sailosi Tagicakibau (Samoa), Casey Laulala (New Zealand), Mike Tindall (England), Damien Traille (France), Felipe Contepomi (Argentine), Stephen Donald (New Zealand), Rory Lawson (Scotland), Jerome Fillol (France).

Forwards: Benoit August (France), John Smit (South Africa), Aled de Malmanche (New Zealand), John Afoa (New Zealand), Duncan Jones (Wales), Neemia Tialata (New Zealand), Heinke van der Merwe (South Africa), Mark Chisholm (Australia), Mick O’Driscoll (Ireland), Anton van Zyl (South Africa), Pelu Taele (Samoa), Cornelius van Zyl (Italy), Raphael Lakafia (France), Akupusi Qera (Fiji), John Beattie (Scotland), Pedrie Wannenburg (South Africa), Ernst Joubert (South Africa), Francois Louw (South Africa).

There aren’t many changes to this week’s standings. Paul Roos drop from seventh place to 10th following their third consecutive defeat, while KES rise up to eighth as they enjoy a good run of form.

SCHOOLBOY DERBY TOP 15:
1 Paarl Gym
2 Affies
3 Grey Bloem
4 Paarl Boys’
5 Dale
6 Noord–Kaap
7 Grey PE
8 KES
9 Centurion
10 Paul Roos
11 Wynberg
12 Michaelhouse
13 Glenwood
14 Maritzburg
15 Waterkloof
Close behind: Queen’s, Kearsney, Outeniqua, Daniel Pienaar, Boland Landbou.

Where is the accountability in the South African Rugby Union for the fiasco that is the 2013 Super Rugby situation? Where is the leadership?

There never has been accountability and there never will be, whether the subject matter is transformation, the retention of coaching intellectual capital or Super Rugby participation.

Saru CEO Jurie Roux told the media that no stone would be left unturned as the national organisation, along with the regional franchises, sought a solution in which no franchise would be prejudiced.

The statement was as embarrassing as the situation the clever blokes within South African rugby have fashioned. If no stone had been left unturned then the situation would not be as it is — with none of the five existing regions in agreement on the apparent agreement that one team would be relegated to accommodate the Southern Kings next year.

The Kings were guaranteed Super Rugby because of promises made to the government, which in turn would financially stand guarantee in the 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cup hosting tenders. The clever guys were bullish about telling the Kings they were in because they were convinced it wouldn’t be an issue to get a tournament expansion that accommodates six South African regions.

When the 14 provincial presidents so unanimously endorsed the Kings’ inclusion they did it believing five would become six and not that six would have to fit into five.

It sums up SA’s rugby administration.

Now the fight has been turned into the Kings versus the Lions because the latter are the worst performing of the South African sides — and have been for the past five years. Provincial bias has come to the fore, especially on social media networks. Racism and pure hatred have reared their head, and the Kings and Lions are the target when those who govern and administer the game in SA should be first in the queue.

In an ideal world this situation would never have been allowed to unfold. In an ideal world professionalism would come with accountability.

Those who put South African rugby in such an embarrassing situation should resign, but that will never happen. They will simply be at the next meeting making more unanimous decisions, like the one that reduced the Currie Cup to six teams before another decision a few months later changed it back to eight teams.

And so they stumble on, from one embarrassing moment to another; the very same guys who convinced themselves that SA’s 2011 World Cup campaign was a success.

It should disgust every supporter of South African rugby, but it won’t because the hapless supporter is powerless to influence change. If only Saru was listed and stakeholders actually could make a difference. If only.

Click here to read Keo’s latest SA Rugby magazine column

The chaos in the administration, fortunately, has not been translated to the general competition performance and SA will be guaranteed at least two teams (and possibly even three) in the top-six play-offs in July.

The more immediate focus is the pending three-Test series against England and the selection of Bok coach Heyneke Meyer’s first squad. The world-class players (read Bismarck du Plessis) know there is a Test series around the corner and the rise in standards has been substantial.

The selection area that looks most vulnerable is among the loose forwards — and that is the one area where no one would have figured that there would be any doubt. A month ago Meyer’s headache was who to leave out. Now it is where to find the right balance of experience, youth, power, strength and height.

Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Duane Vermeulen and Jacques Potgieter are injured. Danie Rossouw is unavailable. Willem Alberts can’t make the Sharks Super Rugby squad and there is more mediocrity than magic among the loose-forward options.

Young Sharks loosie Marcel Coetzee is the exception and he will play many Tests, but his initial role will be from the bench. Heinrich Brüssow should start as the fetcher although his penalty transgressions this season match his turnovers, and Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski provide options at No 7 and No 8.

I’d still not discount the claims of France-based pair Joe van Niekerk and Jacques Cronje because of the experience they bring in the enforced absence of Burger and Smith. If the aim is to pick the best team to beat England then look all over the world to fill this team.

SA has so many world-class players here, in Europe and in Japan that if there were no prejudice about where a player was based, there would also be plenty more victories.

I’m confident who ever Meyer picks will be good enough to beat England. We have the players and in Meyer we certainly have a coach with the necessary rugby acumen.

If only it was as easy to say that about the game’s administration. If only.