Preparation Series

Preparation Series
Preparation Series
Countries	South Africa
Date	26 February 2021 – 28 March 2021
Matches played	16
Attendance	0 ; (average 0 per match)
Top point scorer	Kade Wolhuter ; (Stormers, 47)
Top try scorer	HJ Luus (Griquas) & ; Joe van Zyl (Bulls) ; (both 4)

The Preparation Series was a South African rugby union tournament organised by SA Rugby. The tournament was used to be a number of preparation fixtures were announced by SA Rugby.[1] It served as preparation for the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa and South African teams entering the Pro14 Rainbow Cup, who had missed out on significant rugby game time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 8 sides took part in the competition; the four joining the Pro14 Rainbow Cup (the Bulls, the Lions, the Sharks and the Stormers), along with the Cheetahs, Griquas and Pumas, who had taken part in Super Rugby Unlocked and the 2020–21 Currie Cup Premier Division, and the Eastern Province Elephants who had not played any competitive rugby since the 2019 Currie Cup First Division.[2]

Although there was no trophy for this tournament, the Bulls ended up in top spot in Pool A and the Sharks topped in pool B.[3]

Regular season

Format

The eight teams have been split into two groups and will play cross-pool matches. Each team played four matches. Two at home and two away. The tournament spanned from Friday, 26 February until Sunday, 28 March.[1]

Pool A

Preparation Series Pool A

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Points For

Points Against

Points Difference

Tries For

Tries Against

Bonus Points

Points

1

Bulls

4

3

0

1

181

115

+66

26

14

3

15

2

Cheetahs

4

3

0

1

159

105

+54

20

12

2

14

3

Lions

4

3

0

1

141

136

+5

18

1

13

4

Griquas

4

2

0

2

108

195

+13

13

2

10

Pool B

Preparation Series Pool B

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Points For

Points Against

Points Difference

Tries For

Tries Against

Bonus Points

Points

1

Sharks

4

2

0

2

158

104

+54

24

14

4

12

2

Stormers

4

2

0

2

144

112

+32

15

3

11

3

Pumas

4

1

0

3

103

118

−15

11

10

2

6

4

Eastern Province Elephants

4

0

4

46

255

−209

7

38

0

Matches

Round 1

	26 February 2021	Lions	32–28	Pumas	Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
	19:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Jaco Peyper

	27 February 2021	Stormers	33–34	Cheetahs	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
	17:15		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

	28 February 2021	Bulls	87–10	Eastern Province Elephants	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	15:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Stuart Berry

	28 February 2021	Sharks	35–10	Griquas	Jonsson Kings Park, Durban
	17:15		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: AJ Jacobs

Round 2

	9 March 2021	Griquas	32–38	Stormers	Tafel Lager Park, Kimberley
	16:45		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Griffin Colby

	9 March 2021	Pumas	31–48	Bulls	Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela
	19:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

	10 March 2021	Eastern Province Elephants	24–54	Lions	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	16:45		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: AJ Jacobs

	10 March 2021	Cheetahs	39–38	Sharks	Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
	19:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

Round 3

	17 March 2021	Eastern Province Elephants	0–43	Griquas	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	19:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni

	19 March 2021	Pumas	22–15	Cheetahs	Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela
	16:45		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Stuart Berry

	19 March 2021	Bulls	34–29	Stormers	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	19:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: AJ Jacobs

	20 March 2021	Lions	43–40	Sharks	Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
	16:15		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

Round 4

	26 March 2021	Sharks	45–12	Bulls	Jonsson Kings Park, Durban
	19:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

	27 March 2021	Griquas	23–22	Pumas	Tafel Lager Park, Kimberley
	15:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni

	27 March 2021	Stormers	44–12	Lions	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
	17:15		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: AJ Jacobs

	28 March 2021	Cheetahs	71–12	Eastern Province Elephants	Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
	15:00		Summary		Attendance: Behind closed doors Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

Player statistics

Top point scorers [4]
No	Player	Team	Points
1	Kade Wolhuter	Stormers	47
2	Eddie Fouché	Pumas	40
3	Chris Smith	Bulls	38
3	Tiaan Swanepoel	Lions	38
4	François Steyn	Cheetahs	31
5	Ruan Pienaar	Cheetahs	26

Top try scorers [4]
No	Player	Team	Tries
1	HJ Luus	Griquas	4
1	Joe van Zyl	Bulls	4
2	Wilmar Arnoldi	Cheetahs	3
	Rosko Specman	Cheetahs
	Gideon van der Merwe	Griquas
	Leolin Zas	Stormers

References

"Revised fixtures for preparation series". www.sarugbymag.co.za. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
"EP Elephants join the fray as SA Rugby announces 'preparation series' for 2021 season". News24. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
"Franchise Cup". www.ultimaterugby.com. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
"The 2021 Kick-off Pools". SA Rugby. Retrieved 9 October 2021.

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[sarugbymag.co.za-1] "Revised fixtures for preparation series". www.sarugbymag.co.za. Retrieved 8 October 2021.

[2] "EP Elephants join the fray as SA Rugby announces 'preparation series' for 2021 season". News24. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.

[3] "Franchise Cup". www.ultimaterugby.com. Retrieved 8 October 2021.

[The_2021_Kick-off_Pools-4] "The 2021 Kick-off Pools". SA Rugby. Retrieved 9 October 2021.