Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman expressed frustration and disappointment in his team’s fourth-place finish at the HSBC SVNS Singapore on Sunday.
The Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks showed true grit in a thrilling round of Vodacom United Rugby Championship derbies to walk away with crucial victories against the Lions and DHL Stormers, which not only proved that they could be finding their form at the right time, but it also gave them a handy nudge on the standings.
The return-leg Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby match between the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers takes place at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday with the Durban side looking to pull off a stunning double over the previously unbeaten Cape side.
For two men – Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen and his Vodacom Bulls counterpart Johan Ackermann – Saturday’s Jukskei Derby represents a deep bond shared between the two in the game of rugby, and then a far deeper connection in the realms of friendship and faith.
It is rugby and not chess, but Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman stressed the importance of making the right moves at the right time in the National Stadium this weekend, when the Blitzboks face Spain, Great Britain and Fiji in Pool A of the HSBC SVNS Singapore.
South Africa’s die-hard rugby fans will be glued to their seats on Saturday as the four domestic franchises go head-to-head in gripping local derbies in round 11 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, which could have a big impact on the teams’ log standings.
Johan Ackermann has experienced every side of the Jukskei Derby — as a player and coach for both the Vodacom Bulls and the Lions. Now returning to Ellis Park for the first time since leaving the Lions, he’s aiming to add a new chapter: a derby win with the Vodacom Bulls.
They had the absolute high of winning their home tournament in Cape Town last month, but that ship has sailed and for the Springbok Sevens team this weekend’s HSBC SVNS Singapore will represent a fresh challenge. And they will be ready for it.
The DHL Stormers’ unbeaten run and flawless home track record in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship came to a grinding halt, as the Hollywoodbets Sharks stunned them with a fine display of rugby in Cape Town.
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