Super Rugby Unlocked

Super Rugby Unlocked was a professional rugby union competition played in South Africa from 10 October to 21 November 2020.[1] Sponsored by communications company Vodacom,[2] the tournament replaced the South African component of the incomplete 2020 Super Rugby season that was shut down in March of that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4]

Super Rugby Unlocked
Official Logo
CountriesSouth Africa
Tournament format(s)Round-robin tournament
ChampionsBulls
Matches played18
Tries scored108 (6 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Curwin Bosch, Sharks (63)
Top try scorer(s)Stedman Gans, Bulls (5)
Official websiteOfficial site

Organised by the South African Rugby Union as part of a combined Currie Cup and domestic Super Rugby tournament, the seven-team competition featured the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers from Super Rugby, with the addition of the Cheetahs, Griquas and Pumas.[5]

The competition was won by the Bulls, who topped the standings of the seven-week round-robin tournament.[6]

Format

The seven participating teams played each other once, home or away. The top-placed team at the end of that seven-week round-robin was awarded the Super Rugby Unlocked title.[3]

All tournament points were then carried forward to the 2020 Currie Cup, incorporating a return round-robin of matches followed by cup playoffs.[3]

Tournament points in the Super Rugby Unlocked standings were awarded to teams as follows:[7]

  • 4 points for a win.
  • 2 points for a draw.
  • 1 bonus point for a loss in a match by seven points or under.
  • 1 bonus point for scoring three tries more than the opponent.

Teams were ranked firstly by tournament points, then number of matches won, overall points difference (points scored less points conceded), number of tries scored, overall try difference (tries scored less tries conceded) and, if needed, coin toss.[7]

Standings
2020 Super Rugby Unlocked standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 Bulls 650117892+862192123
2 Stormers 6411140112+2817121019
3 Sharks 6411128122+613141019
4 Cheetahs 6312126106+201592117
5 Lions 6123119103+1615101312
6 Pumas 6114119179−601525017
7 Griquas 6006123219−961229033
Source: Super Rugby

Key: P = matches played, W = Won, D = Drawn, L = Lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Tries bonus, LB = Loss bonus, Pts = Tournament points

The top-placed team won the Super Rugby Unlocked title

Matches

All matches for Super Rugby Unlocked are listed below:[2]

Round 1
Bye/s: Stormers

Round 2
Bye/s: Sharks

Round 3
Bye/s: Griquas

On 24 October, the match between the Lions and Cheetahs was postponed due to two positive COVID-19 cases found following a second batch of Coronavirus testing within the Lions squad, following earlier positive cases earlier in the week, and so falling in line with COVID-19 protocols.[8] On 4 November, this game was declared as a 0–0 draw due to the inability to reschedule the match.[9]

Round 4
Bye/s: Cheetahs

Round 5
Bye/s: Pumas

Round 6
Bye/s: Bulls

On 13 November, the match between the Lions and the Pumas was postponed due to two positive COVID-19 cases found in the second batch of Coronavirus testing within the Pumas squad, following an earlier positive test during the week.[10]

Round 7
Bye/s: Lions

On 17 November, the match between the Sharks and the Stormers was postponed following positive COVID-19 tests within the Sharks squad. The match between the Bulls and the Pumas was also moved from 20 November to 21 November for player welfare reasons.[11]

  • Notes:
  1. The match between the Bulls and Stormers was abandoned after 63 minutes due to lightning strikes in the surrounding area. The match result is taken from those 63 minutes played with full points awarded.

Squads

See also

References
  1. "Super Rugby Unlocked fixtures announced". Rugby Rocks. 28 September 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020.
  2. Jacobs, Rudolph (29 September 2020). "Fixtures released as local teams gear up for Super Rugby Unlocked". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020.
  3. "SA rugby teams to play for 2 titles: Super Rugby Unlocked and Currie Cup". News 24. 19 September 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020.
  4. "Super Rugby season to shut down for the 'foreseeable future' at end of current round". foxsports.com.au. 15 March 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020.
  5. "SA Rugby announces new seven-team 'Super Rugby Unlocked' competition". The 42. 28 September 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020.
  6. "Bulls down Pumas to secure Super Rugby Unlocked crown". Super Rugby. 22 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 November 2020.
  7. "Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked Preview". SuperSport. 9 October 2020. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020.
  8. "Plug pulled on Lions vs Cheetahs match following outbreak". RugbyPass. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  9. "Cheetahs-Lions match declared a draw". SA Rugby Magazine. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  10. "Emirates Lions v Phakisa Pumas match falls to COVID-19". SA Rugby. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  11. "Players cautioned as COVID strikes again". SA Rugby. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  12. "Vodacom Bulls 2020 Squad". Bulls. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  13. "Players in Super Rugby Unlocked". Cheetahs. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  14. "'Trekvoël' Davids maak GW sy tuiste". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 31 October 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  15. "Lions Rugby Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked squad". Lions. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  16. "The Pumas Rugby Team". Pumas Rugby. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  17. "Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked Squad". Sharks. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  18. "DHL Stormers Squad for Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked" (Press release). Stormers. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
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