The Extra-time Try of the Year
Despite all the excitement over this coming weekend’s Currie Cup Final – between the Sharks and WP – Extra-time has chosen to look at Monday’s SA Rugby Awards banquet in Johannesburg; there will be some more winners there.
Don’t fret, we will dedicate some time to the Currie Cup Final (see below) – heck, it’s still the competition most South Africans want to win… even if SA Rugby insist on having a two-week break between the semifinals and the final.
Again, can someone please tell us why?!
There was some explanation, but we seem to have forgotten it…
TRY TIME JAQUE FOURIE:
There are a host of awards up for grabs; the various Players of the Year, Coaches of the Year, etc, etc – all of whom have been shortlisted in their various categories, HERE.
However, one award that will be made – but has not produced a shortlist – is the Try of the Year.
Last year, Springbok star Jaque Fourie won the award for his effort against the British & Irish Lions – which also saw him win an IRB Award for that try – and we think he ought to come close again this year after his try for the Stormers against the Crusaders in the Super 14.
That try against the Lions:
His effort against the Crusaders this year:
What do you think? Should that be the Try of the Year? Or do you have any other video submissions for Try of the Year?
Also, don’t forget to let us know who you think will walk off with the Player of the Year Award… (We are tipping Gio Aplon – you heard it here first!)
A HISTORY LESSON:
Western Province last tasted Currie Cup success in 2001 – ironically, after beating the Sharks in the final – whilst the Sharks were recent Currie Cup victors (in 2008).
Thanks to Gallo Images, we were able to take a quick trip down memory lane in the 1990s… (On Friday, we will look at wins this century.)
It took Natal 100 years to win their first-ever Currie Cup trophy and just another two years to win their second!
Arm-wrestle victors: Gary Teichmann after Natal’s 1995 final triumph over WP
Dick Muir and Andrew Aitken celebrate with WP in 1997
LOOKALIKES:
This is proving to be the most popular part of Extra-time and thanks so much for all your submissions so far.
Check out this week’s lookalike… We like it!
Simpson’s mad man (left)… Bulls last man (right)
ANOTHER ‘BOK’ BITES THE DUST:
There was a lot of talk this past week about Brad Barritt’s call-up to the England Elite Squad – suggesting that he could play against his country of birth at Twickenham next month.
Barritt probably would have become a Springbok, at some point, but he made a move to England and has since attracted the attention of Martin Johnson and co.
It is unfortunate, but good luck to him… and so, too, good luck to former UCT prop Brett Wilkinson who is set to win his first cap for Ireland – also, possibly, against South Africa in early November.
Wilkinson starred in the front row for the University of Cape Town (UCT) before making the move to Connacht in 2006.
25 OUT OF 50:
The Currie Cup has been in existence since 1889, but this weekend’s final in Durban will be just the 50th Currie Cup Final – finals having been played on and off since 1939.
Craig Joubert will be the man in the middle on Saturday – just the 25th man to have the honour.
Interestingly, Joubert is just the second Natal/KwaZulu-Natal referee to referee a Currie Cup Final – the first since 1956.
Click HERE for a full list of Currie Cup Final refs over the years!
STRICTLY COME GAVIN…
Sigh… is he a rugby player? Or is he a dancer?
Well, with talk of Gavin Henson joining Saracens in a bid to revive his rugby career – how will he cope with all those Saffers in the team?! – we think it’s a good move… especially after the battering he took from the Strictly Come Dancing judges.
Check out this clip on BBC – it’s too good to miss!
* Let us know of anything good that we might have missed this week – heck even if we made a bad prediction or a mistake on our own site! Email rugby@sportsmedia365.com.
