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Live blog: Super Rugby Pacific Round Four

By Finn Morton

17 Mar 2023

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Round Four of Super Rugby Pacific continues on Sunday afternoon when the Queensland Reds host the Fijian Drua Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Follow the action in the live blog below.

Super Rugby Pacific round four headlines

Jorgensen scores FREAKISH try vs Hurricanes

Possible ABs bolter emerges as Canes win big

Waratahs suffer third loss from four against Hurricanes

Stevenson stars in Chiefs’ big 44-25 win over Rebels

Saracens halfback to realise Super Rugby ‘dream’

Crusaders win final rematch 34-28 against Blues

Hat-trick hero played with rib injury

Almost 100 points scored in Canberra score-fest

Landers beat Force in thriller; win first game of season

Key team news

In the final game of the round, the Reds will host the Fijian Drua in Brisbane. Veteran James O’Connor has been named ahead of Tom Lynagh, and will start in the No. 10 jumper.

Wallaby hopeful Charlie Gamble was forced from the field for the Tahs clutching his wrist in the loss to the Hurricanes on Friday night.

Crusaders wing Sevu Reece left the field with an injury shortly into the second half in his side’s win over the Blues, while prop Alex Hodgman left the field in the 13th minute.

All Blacks flanker Shannon Frizell was ruled out at the 11th hour for the Highlanders after receiving treatment during the warmup in Invercargill.

Round Four MVP votes

Hurricanes vs Waratahs – Cam Roigard (Hurricanes), Kini Naholo (Hurricanes), Langi Gleeson (Waratahs)

Chiefs vs Rebels – Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs), Emoni Narawa (Chiefs), Alex Nankivell (Chiefs)

Blues vs Crusaders – Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders), Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders), Finlay Christie (Blues)

Brumbies vs Moana – Andy Muirhead (Brumbies), Luke Reimer (Flanker), Levi Aumua (Moana)

Highlanders vs Force – Thomas Umaga-Jensen (Highlanders), Sam Gilbert (Highlanders), Ollie Callan (Force)

Reds vs Drua – Josh Flook (Reds), Taj Annan (Reds), Liam Wright (Reds)

MVP candidates leader board

8 points – Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs)

6 points – Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes), Richard Hardwick (Rebels), Tevita Ikanivere (Drua), Lachlan Lonergan (Brumbies), Hamish Stewart (Force)

5 points – Jordan Petaia

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Comments on RugbyPass

NB 8 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

👍

161 Go to comments

NB 9 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Thanks G, read your illuminatin post above!

161 Go to comments

NB 13 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Excellent comment G.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

500k registered players in SA are scoolgoers and 90% of them don't go on to senior club rugby. SA is fed by having hundreds upon hundreds of schools that play rugby - school rugby is an institution of note in SA - but as I say for the vast majority when they leave school that's it.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

There is a continued murmur in local circles about reciprocal bi annual tours between SA and Argentine. Whether it's full blooded test tours or development tours or a mixture - ie touring with a "test" 20 and a development 20 the cream of which will be used in tests. We actually really enjoy playing the Argies and I believe they enjoy playing us. It goes back seventy years to the Junior Bok tours to Argentine involving Isaac van Heerden.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

161 Go to comments

GrahamVF 3 hours ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour