Roodepoort defend title, Union have tough start in Assupol series |
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January 19 – Defending champions Roodepoort start the defence of their Assupol Super Series title at home against Blue Bulls club side Silver Valke on March 3.
Roodepoort, who beat Centurion in last year’s final when their wing Thys Smith scored 32 of their points in their 37-31 win with ten penalties and a conversion, is one of two sides from the GLRU Pirates League taking part in the Super Series. The other is Union, also one of the two Lions representatives in 2011.
The competition reverts to 16 participants in 2012 after last year’s 20 teams which created problems with a bye every weekend. Three Leopards teams, including Rustenburg Impala and Vaal Reefs who play in the GLRU’s Predator Competition, have entered for the Super Series. Klerksdorp is the other Leopards representative.
There are four teams from the Blue Bulls (Centurion, Harlequins, Police and Silver Valke); one from Blue Bulls Limpopo, i.e. champions Noordelikes; four from the Valke (Springs, Brakpan, Benoni and Boksburg); and two from the Pumas (Witbank Ferro’s and Middelburg).
Roodepoort have been drawn in a pool with Middelburg, Silver Valke and Benoni and will have two matches at home with the second encounter, against Middelburg, their only away game. Union have to overcome Springs, Vaal Reefs and last year’s losing finalists Centurion in a tough pool. Union start off against Centurion and they have a second home match the following week against Vaal Reefs before travelling to Springs for their last match.
Only the winner of each of the four pools will advance to the semi-finals on March 24 with the final on March 31.
** The Series includes competitions between the various clubs’ second, third and under-21 sides respectively.
Fixtures are:
March 3:
Pool A: Pta Police v Boksburg at Police; Witbank Ferro’s v klerksdorp at ferro’s;
Pool B: Springs v Vaal Reefs at Springs; Union v Centurion at Union.
Pool C: Rustenburg Impala v Noordelikes at Impala; Harlequins v Brakpan at Harlequins.
Pool D: Roodepoort v Silver Valke at roodepoort; Benoni v Middelburg at Benoni
March 10:
Pool A: Klerksdorp v Pta Police at Klerksdorp; Boksburg v Witbank Ferro’s at Boksburg
Pool B: Centurion v Springs at Centurion; Union v Vaal Reefs at Union
Pool C: Brakpan v Rustenburg Impala at Brakpan; Noordelikes v Harlequins at Harlequins
Pool D: Middelburg v Roodepoort at Middelburg; Silver Valke v Benoni at Silver Valke
March 17:
Pool A: Pta Police v Witbank Ferro’s at Police; Boksburg v Klerkdorp at Boksburg
Pool B: Springs v Union at Springs; Vaal Reefs v Centurion at Vaal Reefs
Pool C: Rustenburg Impala v Harlequins at Impala; Noordelikes v Brakpan at Noordelikes
Pool D: Roodepoort v Benoni at Roodepoort; Silver Valke v Middelburg at Silver Valke
March 24:
Semi-finals, venues to be announced
March 31:
Final, venue to be announced
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