Bullscot

Bulls, Bokke and Scottish supporter, living in the UK.

EnglandGloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees will make his England debut in Saturday’s Six Nations match against Scotland at Twickenham. Twelvetrees, 24, replaces Manu Tuilagi and forms a midfield partnership with Brad Barritt of Saracens.

The only other change from the starting XV that beat New Zealand 38-21 in December is Joe Marler in for Alex Corbisiero at loose-head prop.

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jimtelferThe snow is deep and crisp and dangerously uneven by health and safety standards, and Jim Telfer is barking out instructions like a rugby regimental sergeant major.

‘Cookie’s a big b*****d,’ Telfer bellows. ‘He thinks he’s tough, OK. Drive him back into the bloody Tweed.’

His young charges do their best to obey against the accompaniment of the coach, who is now transported into a state of quasi-psychotic frenzy, shouting the mantra ‘low, low, low’.

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Graeme SmithIt’s shaping up to be a big week for Graeme Smith. On Monday, he announced his wife is expecting the couple’s second child later this year. On Friday, he will turn 32 and also become the first person to captain a team in 100 Tests, when he leads South Africa against Pakistan in Johannesburg.

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Scotland1Scottish Rugby announced on Thursday that it had secured the biggest sponsorship deal in its history.

New kit partner, Macron, will come on board in the summer to become official kit supplier for all Scotland representative teams and the professional clubs, Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors.

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SIX NationsEngland flanker Tom Johnson has been ruled out of the Six Nations with a knee injury.

Both Gloucester fly-half Freddie Burns and London Irish prop Alex Corbisiero are doubtful for the opening two matches against Scotland and Ireland because of knee problems.

Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi is also a doubt for the Calcutta Cup match with a leg injury.

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heinekencupHarlequins, Clermont Auvergne, Ulster and Toulon have all qualified for the quarterfinals of the European Cup, but who will join them in the last eight?

Unbeaten English champions Harlequins are the only ones so far guaranteed home advantage in the quarterfinals, so with plenty to play for in Round Six here is the state of the Pools going into the final weekend of group games.

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Scotland1Scottish Rugby has today (Wednesday) secured a new three year sponsorship package with The Famous Grouse, Scotland’s favourite whisky. The six figure deal marks 23 years of the brand’s support for rugby in Scotland, and will see the whisky’s latest product, the Ginger Grouse, become the Official Spirit of Scottish Rugby.

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blacklabpupA Welsh rugby star has had to pull out of an important match in France after his puppy chewed up his passport. Jason Tovey, 23, was all packed and ready to go to the airport to fly to Toulon to play for Cardiff Blues when he found his ruined passport. He said he was dreading telling his coach that he could not play in the Heineken Cup game on Saturday.

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heinekencupUndefeated Harlequins and Clermont can book European Cup quarterfinals this weekend with Toulon also close to securing their spot in the last eight. English champions Harlequins, bidding to make the knock-out stages for just the fifth time, already have 19 points from four Pool Three wins and on Saturday tackle Connacht where just a losing bonus point will be enough to see them through.

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Scotland1Two former international forwards will join interim head coach Scott Johnson’s Scotland management team for this year’s RBS 6 Nations Championship. Meanwhile, two ex-Scotland locks will join forces with a former Scotland stand-off to coach the Scotland A team.

Erstwhile England No 8 Dean Ryan and Scotland hooker Stevie Scott will work alongside Johnson, defence coach Matt Taylor and specialist coaches Duncan Hodge and Massimo Cuttitta with the national team.

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avivalogo2Freddie Burns will look to lead Gloucester to victory over London Irish in a key Premiership clash at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Freddie Burns insists he’s relishing the added responsibility placed on his shoulders this season and believes Gloucester have every chance of celebrating a Premiership top-four finish this campaign.

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RaboDirect PRO12 balls 5/8/2011Despite their loss to Munster at Thomond Park last Saturday, Ulster remain clear at the top of the Pro12 table as we start the New Year.

Ulster have a nine-point lead over second placed Scarlets, who they welcome to Ravenhill on Friday.

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edbgGlasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby did battle yesterday in the Rabo Direct Pro12 at Murrayfield. The match also doubled up as the second leg of the 1872 Cup. Glasgow won the first leg of the cup game last weekend at their home ground, Scotstoun Stadium, by nine points. Glasgow were comfortably in front in yesterday’s game, leading by 18 points on the 55 minute mark. However, a late rally by Edinburgh made for an exiting finish, FINAL SCORE : Edinburgh 17 21 Glasgow.

Rather than bring one match report I thought for a change would post two match reports, one from either camp. There is some repetition but it is interesting to see the reports as written from ‘both sides of the fence’.

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RaboDirect PRO12 balls 5/8/2011At the half-way point of the regular season Ulster sit atop of the Pro12 table with a perfect won 11 out of 11 record.

The leaders face Munster in one of four games on Saturday, safe in the knowledge that regardless of other results, they will enter 2013 as table toppers.

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edbgThis weekend sees further action in the RaboDirect Pro12 as this season’s competition enters the twelfth round of matches in the league stage.  Most of the games will be completed during the weekend but one of the matches, Scarlets versus Ospreys,  is scheduled for the afternoon of Monday  afternoon.

The attention in Scotland in particular will, for the second week in a row, be centred on the derby match between Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors. This match will take place at Murrayfield on Saturday, kick off due 18.05 South African Time.

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RaboDirect PRO12 balls 5/8/2011After their forays into Europe, this weekend sees the start of the festive derby fixtures for the Pro12 teams.

Ulster still lead the way with a perfect 10 out of 10 in this competition, a full nine points clear of their nearest rivals, Scarlets, and are one of three Irish Provinces currently in the play-off zone. They welcome Leinster to Ravenhill on Friday, a victory for the visitors would close the gap between themselves and the leaders to single figures, a loss could, put their own top four place into jeopardy.

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avivalogo2The battle between the four frontrunners for pole position on the Premiership standings will heat up in this weekend’s Round 11 action.

So close is the title hunt that any of the Harlequins (33), Saracens (32), Northampton Saints (31) or Leicester Tigers (30) could top the standings at the conclusion of the weekend’s play.   

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abdevilliersAB de Villiers has pulled out of South Africa’s Twenty20 internationals at home against New Zealand in December, citing the need for extra rest before the Tests in January. Justin Ontong, the Cape Cobras captain, has been called into the squad.

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heinekencupA bit late sorry but we take a look at an interesting weekend’s action in the Heineken Cup. This weekend saw some very close games as well as a few run away wins and perhaps most significantly saw Ulster lose their first competitive match of the season in one of the weekend’s close affairs. 

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heinekencupTwo-time defending European Cup champions Leinster host Clermont in the fourth round of the competition this weekend in the knowledge that they will have to dig deep for a “vital” bonus-point victory.

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The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has been awarded the IRB Development Award 2012 for its innovative and practical approach to player development regardless of ethnic origin, the IRB announced on Saturday.

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