Daily Archives: 11 February 2015

FranceProp Eddy Ben Arous’s inclusion in place of injured Alexandre Menini is France’s only change from the win over Scotland for Saturday’s Six Nations game against Ireland in Dublin.

Menini was replaced by Racing Metro’s Ben Arous early in the second half in Saturday’s game in Paris after sustaining a foot injury.

Ben Arous, 24, will be making his 1st start after winning 2 previous caps.

Camille Lopez’s 5 penalties helped France edge out Scotland 15 / 8.

With Brice Dulin still hampered by an arm injury, Scott Spedding will again start at fullback.

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Kobus van Wyk

Kobus van Wyk

DHL Stormers are still waiting on the fitness of wing Kobus van Wyk ahead of Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby derby against the Bulls at Loftus and the result of his fitness test on Thursday could have a big impact on the Cape team’s chances of success.

Van Wyk, who has struggled with a calf strain for nearly 2 weeks and is according to backline coach Robbie Fleck only training under supervision, meanly separate from the rest of the team, is key to the Stormers’ back 3 balance.

The former South African Under 20 centre was a revelation when switched to the wing by the Stormers and WP last season, and he made a big difference to the Stormers’ ability to compete in the aerial battle in 2014. That has long been a Cape team weakness, with too many players short of beef lining up together in the back 3 since the departure of Sireli Naqelevuki a few seasons ago.

Van Wyk made some great takes off cross kicks last year and also knocked on a few in the Currie Cup that had great scoring potential written all over them, and this added a new weapon to the Stormers / WP attacking arsenal.

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George North down against England on the weekend

George North down against England on the weekend

Wales have made 1 change to their side to face Scotland on Sunday, with Liam Williams coming into the starting 15.

Scarlets back Williams will win his 20th cap at Murrayfield and replaces George North.

North is currently symptom free and whilst nearing the conclusion of the graduated return to play protocol the decision has been taken to allow him an elongated recovery period in light of his recent concussive episode in the autumn period.

The 1 change results in the same starting backline that beat South Africa, in the final autumn international, taking to the field this weekend.

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Handré Pollard

Handré Pollard

After a stellar 2014 season, Springbok and Bulls flyhalf Handre Pollard knows he will be a marked man this year.

Pollard, 20, was at the weekend named SA Rugby Young Player of the Year after moving from the Baby Boks into the senior national team with aplomb.

He expects opposition teams to analyse him a little more thoroughly in 2015.

“I believe that will be the case,” he said. “We all analyse our opponents to try and disrupt them. That is my main challenge this year – to follow last season up with another good year. It will take a lot of hard work.”

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Adriaan Strauss

Adriaan Strauss

Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named Adriaan Strauss at hooker when he announced his team to play the DHL Stormers in the opening round of the Vodacom Super Rugby competition at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Strauss, who made his Super Rugby debut for the Vodacom Bulls in 2006 (8 matches), is back in the Pretoria side after a long stint with the Toyota Cheetahs (for whom he played 97 times) and was put straight into the starting team by Ludeke.

The coach also included Vodacom Bulls debutants Lappies Labuschagne and Trevor Nyakane, but neither are strangers to the competition. Labuschagne played for Toyota Cheetahs in 27 matches (debut 2012) and Nyakane represented the same franchise 42 times (debut 2012).

The rest of the team consists of tried and tested players, with the most experienced captain in the history of Vodacom Super Rugby, Victor Matfield, leading the team onto the field for the 83rd time.
Regular captain Pierre Spies, who made his last appearance in Super Rugby in Round 1 last year against the Sharks in Durban, will play off the bench as he is eased back into action following his long lay-off.

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Juan de Jongh

Juan de Jongh

Stormers vice-captain Juan de Jongh insists they are fully focused on themselves and not the Bulls ahead of their opening Super Rugby game at Loftus on Saturday.

Both sides will be looking to get their 2015 Super Rugby campaign off to a good start with the Bulls being tipped as the favourites at fortress Loftus Versfeld where the partisan crowd, and altitude, is sure to swing the psychological advantage in the hosts’ favour.

“It is going to be a very important game this weekend to get our campaign on the road. We are focused on ourselves and making sure we get our things right.

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HurricanesAll fit and available All Blacks in the Hurricanes’ squad are set to suit up against the Lions in Round 1 of the 2015 Super Rugby season.

A calf injury has ended Jeremy Thrush’s hopes of getting his season underway this week however, with the lock returning to New Zealand on Wednesday. He is expected to be available for selection in 4 to 6 weeks, depending on his recovery.

Thrush’s injury has made way for Mark Abbott to grab a starting spot, while his Hawke’s Bay teammate, Geoff Cridge, has flown over to join the team in Johannesburg.

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CrusadersThe Crusaders will open the 2015 Super Rugby season this Friday night when they host the Melbourne Rebels in Christchurch.

Richie McCaw will start for the Crusaders for the first time in 2015, in one of 3 changes that head coach Todd Blackadder has made to the starting line-up that played a warm-up game against the Reds in Brisbane last week.

The other changes are Joe Moody starting at No 1 and Ben Funnell at hooker.

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BrumbiesCanberra Super Rugby franchise the Brumbies have secured their financial future by signing a six-year deal with integrated resorts company Aquis as the Principal Partner and Naming Rights Sponsor of the Brumbies.

The partnership, which extends until the end of the 2020 season, is effective immediately. Brumbies players will run out for their first game of the 2015 Super Rugby season against the Queensland Reds at GIO Stadium on Friday night with the Aquis logo on the front of their jerseys.

Aquis specialises in the development of entertainment based resorts that concentrate a wide range of tourism-oriented attractions into single, large-scale facilities. The company’s Australian portfolio includes the proposed Aquis Great Barrier Reef Resort and the recently acquired Casino Canberra.

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Richard Graham

Richard Graham

Reds coach Richard Graham believes their more ‘free spirited’ approach to the game will suit skilful players like Karmichael Hunt and James O’Connor.

While Graham looks set to start with Hunt at flyhalf in the season-opener against the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday, the Wallaby utility back, O’Connor, is likely to appear at first receiver very often.

Speaking at a media briefing ahead of their trip to the Australia capital, the Reds mentor made no secret of his admiration for two players, as well as the skill sets the code-hopper and disgraced Wallaby can bring to the team.

“I though Karmichael did really well,” Graham said, adding: “I was really pleased with his performance – he was very clear in his communication and decisive and that got us on the front foot.”

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