Daily Archives: 15 April 2014
The Eastern Province Kings are chasing the signature of Springbok prop Brian Mujati ahead of the start of the Currie Cup.
The Kings have already been bolstered by the recent signings of lock Izak van der Westhuizen (Edinburgh), hooker Michael van Vuuren (Stade Français), centre Tim Whitehead (Sharks), scrumhalf Kevin Luiters (Cheetahs) and wing Paul Perez (Samoa).
The Toyota Cheetah Head Coach, Naka Drotske, has named his starting 15 to take on the Sharks on Saturday 19 April at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban.
There are a number of changes to the team from last week.
Allister Coetzee believes the Stormer’s gameplan does not need adjusting and in fact, a return to the basics will give them some winning momentum.
The Cape Town-based team have lost five games in a row, including all four tour games as well as their opening match against upcoming opponents, the Lions.
The Stormers have never been miles away from a win in any of these games, making Coetzee believe that small tweaks in the basics of the game is what is needed to turn around their fortunes.
A visit to the HPC in Bellville on a cool and blustery April afternoon would have brought some much needed warmth to the hearts of DHL Stormers supporters on Monday.
If confirmation was needed that new Western Province director of rugby Gert Smal will add his coaching expertise to the Stormers management group it was provided as he helped out the forwards and added his considerable presence to the lineout drills.
Super Rugby strugglers, the Stormers, have confirmed the appointment of psychologist Henning Gericke.
Heinrich Brüssow will be back in the Cheetahs starting team for their Super Rugby clash against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
Lappies Labuschagné has groin injury which paves the way for Brüssow’s return.
Johan Ackermann is looking for his team to eliminate the ‘soft moments’ from their game that have cost them two games in a row, as he prepares for the match against the Stormers.
In the Lions’ past two games, coach Ackermann has been quick to point out ‘soft moments’ and poor decision making as the major contributors to his team’s demise.
A turnover try from the Sharks’ Lwazi Mvovo last weekend, and mistakes at the back against the Crusaders cost the Lions critical points and potentially halted their chances of winning those matches.
The Lions will be without the services of fullback Andries Coetzee and utility back Alwyn Hollenbach for their Super Rugby clash against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.
Coetzee, who recently returned to the playing field after injuring his left knee in pre-season, injured it again against the Sharks last weekend.
Sharks Director of Rugby Jake White is yet to decide whether Frans Steyn or Tim Swiel will start at flyhalf against the Cheetahs this weekend.
Fred Zeilinga injured his hamstring in the victory over the Lions at Ellis Park last Saturday and was replaced by Steyn who shifted from inside centre and performed well at pivot.
Zeilinga joins first-choice flyhalf Pat Lambie on the sidelines, with his injury expected to rule him out for a couple of weeks, which leaves White with an interesting decision.
Highlanders flank TJ Ioane has been ruled out of his team’s two-match tour of South Africa due to a calf strain.
The explosive loose forward has been sidelined for the two home wins against the Rebels and Bulls, and has since been ruled out of their South African trip which features clashes against the Stormers and Sharks.
The Chiefs have been given a boost for this weekend’s Super Rugby match against a resurgent Crusaders team in Hamilton on Saturday as Brodie Retallick has been passed fit.
Retallick was forced to leave the field in Saturday’s ninth round match against the Melbourne Rebels after suffering a head knock but looks OK to play this weekend.
Waratahs back-rower Wycliff Palu is in doubt for this weekend’s Super Rugby clash against the Bulls in Sydney this week following the death of his father last week.
Prop Sekope Kepu and his teammates say that as much as they need in form Palu in the team they will understand if he is unable to play.
Former All Black Piri Weepu could potentially make a miraculous return to playing Super Rugby this weekend when the Blues face the Hurricanes in Wellington.
Thirty-year-old halfback Weepu has made a full recovery from a minor stroke and heart surgery and has returned to training.
Weepu says that he went through an emotional time a couple of weeks ago when he revealed that he had had a stroke before his two Super Rugby matches in South Africa and also a hole in his heart.
As Super Rugby nears its 20th year, I wonder if it’s time to shake things up and maybe take a step back from South Africa.
I got up in the early hours of the morning at the weekend and watched my old Crusaders team battle the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein – but I’m sure I was in the minority.
I can’t help thinking we might have lost a little interest in playing South African teams, and that ultimately the future of this competition might be more localised round time zones.
Premiership battlers Worcester Warriors have signed 22-year-old tighthead prop Nick Schonert from the Cheetahs.
Schonert, who was part of South Africa’s IRB Junior World Championships side in 2011, is known for his physical presence and technique at the set-piece.
Springbok and Toulon lock Bakkies Botha has tweeted an X-ray showing nine steel pins inserted into a plate in his broken arm.
The Springbok and Toulon lock successfully underwent an operation to have a plate inserted in his arm after he broke it in Toulon’s 23-10 Top 14 defeat against Brive.
Botha is expected be out for two-and-a-half months, and he has indicated that his rehabilitation is on track.