Daily Archives: 11 March 2015

Arno Botha

Arno Botha

The Vodacom Bulls are enjoying a BYE during this weekend’s Vodacom Super Rugby action and this will help the squad to get rid of little niggles, aches and pains. Chomping at the bit will be flanker Arno Botha, who is now fit again, having played off the bench for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the Vodacom Cup this weekend and playing in a starting position in the Vodacom Cup side on the weekend.

The rest will also result in a break for Callie Visagie (ribs), Lappies Labuschagne (SC joint) and Jacques-Louis Potgieter (hamstring), who will all again train next Monday.

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Cheslin Kolbe

Cheslin Kolbe

There’s a lot of fuss being made in the Cape about where Cheslin Kolbe should be deployed in the DHL Stormers team following Nick Mallett’s comments from the Supersport studio that he should perhaps play scrumhalf because of his size.

There has also been some hysterical overreaction to the attention paid to Kolbe by Cell C Sharks centre Frans Steyn in the coastal derby last weekend.

However, when it comes to the player himself, and the management who decide where he plays, it is a case of all calm on the western front. Kolbe knows he is playing a physical sport where the gladiatorial attitude prevails, and that opposition targeting you just comes with the territory in rugby and can actually be seen as a compliment.

As for the coaches, they don’t agree with critics who, because they believe Kolbe is not featuring as much on the counter-attack as he did during last year’s Currie Cup, feel that he is not himself at present.

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Eben Etzebeth

Eben Etzebeth

The Stormers are sweating over the availability of Eben Etzebeth after the Springbok lock injured his shoulder in their 29 / 13 Super Rugby win over the Sharks at Newlands last weekend.

“Lock Eben Etzebeth took a bang on his shoulder against the Sharks which has affected his previous (chest) injury a bit, which is normal for 2 injuries in such close proximity. He is a bit uncomfortable and a call will be made on his participation later this week,” read a statement on the Stormers’ official website.

Etzebeth missed the entire 2014 Super Rugby season with an ankle injury, and was sidelined for the first 3 games on this year’s campaign following a chest injury sustained in pre-season.

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Jannie du PlessisJannie du Plessis may not have been involved in the weekend’s scrumming massacre at the hands of the Stormers, but he has examined the evidence and given his diagnosis on what went wrong.

The Sharks efforts against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday steadily disintegrated as the game went on.

Their set piece meltdown culminated in three tightheads over a period of 15 minutes.

Du Plessis might not have had a front-row seat on Saturday’s proceeding, but he did manage to get his hands on a video which he scrutinized at length.

“I was certainly not expecting it (conceding three tightheads in 15 minutes),” the Springbok tighthead said.

“We had prepared really well, but there are a few technical things that went wrong.

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WalesWales will field an unchanged starting lineup for the Six Nations showdown with Ireland in Cardiff on Saturday.

Coach Warren Gatland was pleased with his side’s 20 / 13 win over France in Paris which kept alive their hopes of winning the tournament and had no problem giving the same 15 men a vote of confidence.

Flanker Sam Warburton, who went off after taking a blow to his knee during the French clash, has regained his fitness and will be able to break Ryan Jones’ record when he captains Wales for the 34th time at the Millennium Stadium.

The only 2 changes to the Paris lineup are due to injuries and come on the bench.

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EnglandLock Courtney Lawes and fullback Mike Brown have been recalled for England’s Six Nations clash with Scotland on Saturday, after recovering from injury, head coach Stuart Lancaster announced on Wednesday.

Northampton forward Lawes has returned to fitness after an ankle problem and is in line to make his first international appearance since England’s 26 / 17 victory over Australia last November.

Harlequins No 15 Brown sat out England’s 9 / 19 defeat by Ireland last time out, after suffering concussion in the 47 / 17 win over Italy, with Alex Goode having taken his place.

Goode drops to the bench, where tighthead prop Kieran Brookes, second row forward Geoff Parling and flank Tom Wood have all been drafted into the matchday squad.

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BJ Botha

BJ Botha

Munster on Wednesday revealed that BJ Botha, Niall Scannell and Kevin O’Byrne have all signed contract extensions with the province.

The Springbok prop, Botha, signed a 6-month contract extension.

Scannell advanced to a 2-year full contract and O’Byrne signed a 1-year development contract.

The South African prop, Botha, has been with the province since the start of the 2011 / 2012 season, making 93 appearances.

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ScotlandScotland captain Greig Laidlaw has revealed that he and his team-mates have seen a different side of head coach Vern Cotter this week.

The New Zealander has generally been very supportive of his players since taking up the post last summer but, after 3 successive losses in the Six Nations Championship, his patience has worn thin. As the countdown to Saturday’s match against England at Twickenham reaches its final stages, Cotter has become more demanding of the squad, as well as changing his approach to analysing what has been going wrong.

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Michael Rhodes

Michael Rhodes

Saracens are delighted to announce the signing of Michael Rhodes from the Stormers.

Michael Rhodes, the Stormers and Western Province forward, will join Saracens at the start of next season, adding South African power to the wolf pack.

Mark McCall, Director of Rugby, said: “We have some time ago identified Michael as a player who could  make significant contribution to the squad, playing in the second row or the back row, carrying the ball and we are confident we can provide an environment where he will realise his full potential. We’re delighted he will be joining us next season.”

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