Daily Archives: 7 July 2015

Pat Lambie

Pat Lambie

Just a couple of days after being declared fully fit and available for the Springboks, Pat Lambie was back in hospital.

Fortunately for Lambie, the news this time around was nowhere near as serious as the neck injury that ruled him out of the remainder of Super Rugby in April.

Still, Lambie was taken straight to hospital from Cape Town Stadium after he picked up a knock to the head that left a cut.

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Jesse Kriel

Jesse Kriel

Talented young Vodacom Bulls utility back Jessie Kriel looks set to be the 1st player to be given an opportunity to wear the problematic Springbok No 13 jersey at the start of the international season building up to the Rugby World Cup.

Kriel played most of his Super Rugby season at fullback, but he has played a lot of his rugby at outside centre.

The former SA under 20 star switched with regular captain Jean de Villiers in joining Stormers star Damian de Allende in the Bok shadow team’s midfield during the open training session at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

De Villiers is unlikely to start the match as it will be his 1st appearance on the playing field since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery after being struck down by injury in the final Test of 2014 against Wales in Cardiff.

So Kriel, who did most of the training in that position on Monday, can be considered a near certainty to make his debut in the season pipe-opener.

Obviously Springbok assistant coach Johan van Graan was not in a position to divulge whether the team that trained was the team that will play when he was questioned by media following the training session, but he didn’t contain his excitement at what Kriel could bring to the position if he does play.

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Bakkies Botha

Bakkies Botha

Bakkies Botha says that he is not waiting for a phone call from Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer as preparations for the Rugby World Cup in September continue.

Botha, who has just ended a 4-year stint in France with Toulon, says that he was aware of the speculation linking him with a surprise call-up to the Springbok World Cup squad but firmly denied his participation in the tournament.

On Tuesday last week, Meyer was quoted as saying on SuperSport’s Boots & All that Botha had popped into the Springboks training session and was “in good shape”. Meyer confirmed he’d asked Botha to “stay in shape” in case he was required for duty in England in September and October.

“Definitely not,” Botha, who is in Cape Town with the World XV preparing for Saturday’s clash against the Springboks, said however.

“There was speculation that I need to keep the door open for the World Cup. There were a lot of people who said that I have another World Cup in me and I truly believe I do have.

“But I think I called it a day because I know that my last game was when I came from the bench against England at Twickenham (the Springboks won 31 / 28 in November 2014) and I think that peace of mind, that inner peace in me, was the main reason I set a date to retire.

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Pieter-Steph du Toit

Pieter-Steph du Toit

Marcell Coetzee

Marcell Coetzee

The Sharks have released 2 Media Releases today, with the 1st 1 bearing the news that Pieter-Steph du Toit is leaving the Union. The 2nd Media release focusses on Marcell Coetzee re-signing with the Sharks and also reveals the other candidates who have chosen to continue to ply their trade at the Sharks.

 

Pieter-Steph du Toit:

Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit, today confirmed his departure from the Cell C Sharks at the end of his contract, which expires in October 2015.

Having made his debut for The Sharks in 2012, du Toit with his strong physicality and presence has become an influential player for the franchise with strong performances that earned him Springbok colours in 2013.

Commenting on his departure, The Sharks CEO John Smit said: “We are terribly disappointed to lose a player of the calibre of Pieter-Steph du Toit. Despite our best efforts to keep him in the province, he has chosen to move on.

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FijiFiji head coach John McKee has named a strong side to take on the Maori All Blacks this weekend in Suva.

Uncapped flyhalf Ben Volavolva, who has signed for the Crusaders from the Waratahs, could make his debut after being named on a strong bench alongside Masi Matadigo, Niko Matawalu and Napolioni Nalaga.

Akapusi Qera captains the side from No 8 while an exciting backline features Crusaders superstar Nemani Nadolo.

9 Of the 23 players are based in France.

McKee said: “I expect an open and fast moving game with both teams prepared to play a running game.”

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Edward Griffiths

Edward Griffiths

Former SARU chief executive Edward Griffiths is being lined up as the new supremo at the Southern Kings as they prepare for their re-entry into Super Rugby next year.

Kings president, Cheeky Watson, confirmed that the union had discussions with Griffiths who earlier this year left his post as chief executive at Saracens after 7 years in charge.

“We have had discussions with Griffiths, but I cannot say more than that,” Watson said.

Kane Douglas

Kane Douglas

Leinster have confirmed that they have received a request from the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) to release Kane Douglas, under World Rugby Regulation 9.

Leinster team manager Guy Easterby told the club’s website that a formal request had been received last Friday.

“We are delighted for Kane and wish him well as he seeks the form and fitness required for selection for The Rugby Championship and, of course, the World Cup after that,” Easterby said.

Douglas isn’t the only foreign Leinster player affected by a Rugby World Cup call up.

“Zane Kirchner is also in the initial South African squad and likewise we wish him well,” Easterby said.

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England Rugby World Cup 2015 jersey

England Rugby World Cup 2015 jersey

 

Hosts England will have a 3D look at the World Cup, following the unveiling of their jersey on Monday.

England put the unveiling of the innovative England jersey in the hands of their most committed supporters, with more than 3 600 fans publishing the exclusive 1st image of the new shirt across their Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr feeds.

England captain Chris Robshaw was then joined by his teammates to officially reveal the team kit to the assembled media at Twickenham Stadium, before meeting with a number of core fans.

The new shirt features a range of innovations that have been developed through more than 220 hours of testing and over 250 000 miles of travel to improve both the look, feel and performance of the kit.

The rose symbolises the connection between the fans and the players and between former internationals who have worn the shirt and those who wear it now. In a striking innovative twist the rose has been 3D injection moulded, developed through rapid prototyping technology to standout in a way that merits the significance of the rose for players and fans alike. The shirt also features contoured ‘ball deadening’ grip placement to complement the players’ physique.

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WhistleLast weekend Jaco Peyper was the referee for the Super Rugby Final, a brilliant match, brilliantly refereed.

This week Jaco is going from Wellington to Apia for the 1st ever match between Samoa and New Zealand in Samoa. The 1st match between the 2 countries was in Auckland in 1993.

There is great excitement for the match in Samoa.

This month international matches start to pick up as The Rugby Championship starts in SANZAR territories and countries have the Rugby World Cup in mind.

In Windhoek this week there is a match between Namibia and Russia as both countries look to September’s start to the World Cup.

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Curtis Browning

Curtis Browning

Chris Feauai-Sautia

Chris Feauai-Sautia

Queensland Rugby Union has re-signed Reds young guns Curtis Browning and Chris Feauai-Sautia ahead of the 2016 Super Rugby season.

Feauai-Sautia has inked a 2-year deal with the club, while Browning has signed a contract extension for 1 year.

Both players are in the early stages of their careers, are just 21 years old and have been with the Reds since they graduated from Brisbane State High School.

Feauai-Sautia famously joined the club as a teenager, signing when he was just 17 years old – following impressive performances in schoolboy rugby. He made his Queensland debut in 2012 as an 18-year-old and made his Wallabies debut the following year, scoring 2 tries in as many Tests.

While his early career was troubled with constant hamstring injuries, the power winger had arguably his most consistent season in 2015. He featured in all but 1 of the Reds’ games this season and sits in the top 5 for the team in run metres (715m), broken tackles (31), line breaks (13) and offloads (9). He has played a total 38 times for Queensland and scored 8 tries.

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Pita Ahki

Pita Ahki

Elusive back Pita Ahki will be 1 player to fill the Hurricanes’ midfield following the departure of Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu and Rey Lee-Lo.

Nonu has signed for French giants Toulon while centre partner Smith has joined Pau, who have been promoted to the French Top 14 next season.

Capable to play at No 12 or No 13, Ahki has signed a 2-year deal with the club, having been with the Blues since 2013.

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Ben Tapuai

Ben Tapuai

The Western Force will inject additional experience into its young backline with the recruitment of Reds centre Ben Tapuai for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Tapuai will join the Force having played 66 Super Rugby matches across 7 seasons for the Reds, including starting at inside centre for the Queenslanders in their title-winning team in 2011.

The 26-year-old, who previously represented the Australian Schoolboys in 2006 and 2007, and Australian Under 20 (2008), has played Sevens Tests for the Wallabies, starting in 6 of them during the 2012 Rugby Championship and Spring Tour.

Head coach Michael Foley says Tapuai will bring further experience to his young midfield.

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Otere Black

Otere Black

The Hurricanes have put the Super Rugby Final behind them and started to build for 2016 by announcing the re-signing of talented New Zealand Under 20 and Maori All Black flyhalf, Otere Black.

The 20-year-old Manawatu Turbo was part of the club’s wider training group this year and ended up playing 4 matches in his 1st season, scoring 17 points.

Despite fielding significant interest from at least 3 other New Zealand Super Rugby teams, Black said it was at the Hurricanes where he wanted to continue developing his game.

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Dominic Bird

Dominic Bird

The Chiefs have responded to their lock exodus with the signing of 2nd row Dominic Bird from the Crusaders for 2 years.

The Chiefs have lost the services of Matt Symons and Michael Fitzgerald from the engine room – Symons is heading to London Irish while Fitzgerald will become a Leicester Tiger.

Bird will thus be a relieving signature for the Hamilton side and at 206cm tall, he is set to become the tallest member in the Chiefs squad.

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie believes the 120kg player will complement his forward pack well.

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Pat Leafa

Pat Leafa

Tim Metcher

Tim Metcher

The Melbourne Rebels’ retention program continues to reap dividends, with front rowers Pat Leafa (2017) and Tim Metcher (2016) re-committing to the club on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old hooker has made 34 appearances for the team in his 3 seasons in Melbourne, not missing a Super Rugby match in the last 2 seasons, while Metcher joined the Rebels in 2015 and made his Super Rugby debut against the Waratahs in Sydney. He also came off the bench as the Rebels earned a bonus point victory over the Blues in Round 13 at AAMI Park.

For Leafa, who was already contracted for the 2016 season, being offered an early extension showed the club’s faith in him, his continued development and his positive influence on the team as a member of the leadership group.

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