Super Rugby teams will step up their preparations for the upcoming season and shake off some rust in pre-season friendlies in the coming weeks.
Preparing for the gruelling Super Rugby tournament, which gets underway on 15 February and culminates on 2 August, is not an exact science.
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This is evident in the number of contrasting approaches teams have opted for when it comes to on-field preparation and the number of warm-up matches they have scheduled.
While several sides have lined up three trial games, the Pretoria-based Bulls have scheduled just one pre-season outing.
The Sharks, under new coach Jake White, will undertake the longest trip for a warm-up game when they head to London to play England Premiership side Saracens on January 25.
These games are scheduled independently and will often feature changed aspects such as unlimited substitutions and 20-minute quarters, pending an agreement between the teams.
Here’s the schedule of confirmed pre-season clashes (kick-off times are local):
Blues:
Saturday 1 February:
v Hurricanes, Memorial Park, Masterton – 15.00
Friday 7 February:
v Waratahs, Allianz Stadium, Sydney – 19.30
Friday 14 February:
v Chiefs, Rotorua – 18.00
Brumbies:
Friday 31 January:
v Highlanders, Queenstown Recreation Ground – 18.00
Bulls:
Saturday 1 February:
v Stormers, Peter Mokaba Stadium – 17.00
Cheetahs:
Friday 17 January:
v Shimlas and Griquas, Bloemfontein – TBC
Saturday 25 January:
v Southern Kings, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – 19.00
Saturday 1 February:
v Pumas, Parys – TBC
Chiefs:
Saturday 8 February:
v Reds, Toowoomba Sports Ground – 18.30
Friday 14 February:
v Blues, Rotorua – 18.00
Crusaders:
Friday 7 February:
v Highlanders, Motueka – 17.30
Friday 14 February:
v Hurricanes, Levin – 16.00
Hurricanes:
Saturday 1 February:
v Blues, Memorial Park, Masterton – 15.00
Saturday 8 February:
v Melbourne Rebels, Simonds Stadium, Geelong – 21.30
Friday 14 February:
v Crusaders, Levin – 16.00
Highlanders:
Friday 31 January:
v Brumbies, Queenstown Recreation Ground – 18.00
Friday 7 February:
v Crusaders, Motueka – 17.30
Friday 14 February:
v Waratahs, Hunter Stadium – 19.30
Lions:
Friday 24 January:
v Leopards, Ellis Park – TBC
Saturday 1 February:
v Southern Kings, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – TBC
Friday 7 February:
v the Sharks, Ellis Park – TBC
Melbourne Rebels:
Saturday 1 February:
v Waratahs, Albury Sports Ground – 17.00
Saturday 8 February:
v Hurricanes, Simonds Stadium, Geelong – 19.30
Friday 14 February:
v Reds, Ballymore – 19.40
Reds:
Saturday 8 February:
v Chiefs, Toowoomba Sports Ground – 18.30
Friday 14 February:
v Melbourne Rebels, Ballymore – 19.40
Sharks:
Saturday 25 January:
v Saracens, Allianz Stadium – 14.30; 16.30 SA time
Friday 7 February:
v the Lions, Ellis Park – TBC
Stormers:
Saturday 1 February:
v Bulls, Peter Mokaba Stadium – 17.00
Friday 7 February:
v Southern Kings, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – 19.00
Saturday 15 February:
v Boland, venue and kick-off time TBC
Waratahs:
Saturday 1 February:
v Melbourne Rebels, Albury Sports Ground – 17.00
Friday 7 February:
v Blues, Allianz Stadium – 19.30
Friday 14 February:
v Highlanders, Hunter Stadium – 19.30
Good to see the schedule. Wondering why the Bulls only have one warm up game when many of the others have 3. I know its a long season and us Bulls will probably rely on a relatively small group of players for our matches and you need to avoid player burnout but equally so you don’t want to be too rusty when you get to first Super match.
Pity its such short notice would have been great to jump on a plane for the quick flight to Paris to watch the Cheetahs warm up game.
Not related but well done to England women cricketers for winning their one-off Ashes test against Australia women by 61 runs. They have showed much more balls, sorry played with much more resilience and determination against Australia than their male counterparts did.
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geheim het dit nou bekend geword dat die akteur
Brad Pitt nog vier ander broers het. Hulle bly
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die Vrystaat en sy naam is Mielie Pitt. Die tweede
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Nou ja , wat die akteurs nie alles sal aanvang nie.
Onlangs het Brad Pitt en Angelina Jolie `n seuntjie
aangeneem uit Uganda uit. Hulle noem hom Koffie
Pitt
4 @ smallies:
Flip-Pitt…. hehehe
5 @ grootblousmile:
… en Flip-Pitt se nefie is Fokk-Itt!
… en Fokk-Itt se boetie is Damm-Itt!
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