Just For Kicks
While the weather in Centurion has not played its part this week, Proteas Test captain Graeme Smith remains hopeful that his bowling attack will be able to exploit local conditions against Sri Lanka.
Dear Santa,
Well, another year has nearly come and gone since you last heard from me, and as you know, I am not usually one to complain about what you send down my chimney, but, I was hoping that this year we could perhaps re-look at my list a little closer.
Came across this story from Rob Dylan, and following my Christmas offerings, thought I would post it, as I couldn’t have put it better myself.
Enjoy – By the way, I’ve put sunglasses on the young lad to protect his identity!
A really fascinating day at the Beyond Sport Summit – highlighted by an entertaining panel discussion including Michael Johnson and Oscar Pistorius, and chaired by Bob Skinstad – was interrupted slightly upon getting three bits of truly bizarre sporting news …
For some reason, around this time of year, as the grind slows down for the festive season, nostalgia sets in, and my mind starts filling with memories. The Windsor Castle is one of those great memories – and there’s an addendum to this one.
Chris Ashton was last night banned until next year for pulling the hair of a fellow rugby player.
As we wait, and as we wonder, with some trepidation I tell you, for the announcement of our next coach, thoughts will start turning to the next captain. I have posted an article by Totalflanker as to his thoughts on what makes a good Captain.
Almost by default, the national selectors may appease their fiercest of critics for the Proteas’ upcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which starts at Centurion’s SuperSport Park on December 15.
Springbok flyer Bryan Habana has paid tribute to Shane Williams ahead of his fellow wing’s final appearance for Wales and hopes his old rival can finish with a flourish against Australia.
The Rugby Football Union are ready to break the bank in their quest to assemble the “very best” England coaching team.
Some of the greatest rugby players from around the world will line up at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday 3 December 2011 for the ‘Heroes Rugby Challenge’. The match, which kicks off at 1630 and is supported by J.P. Morgan, aims to raise a substantial sum of money for Help for Heroes, the charity which provides practical support for wounded service men and women.
WIAN DU PREEZ is quiet-spoken. Thus, it made sense to meet the Munster and Springbok prop in the calm environs of the Castletroy Carlton Hotel in Limerick, rather than the chaotic surrounds of the Student Cafe in UL.
All Blacks loose forward Jerome Kaino has been named New Zealand player of the year at the Steinlager Rugby Awards.
Twenty-one-year-old James O’Connor will start his maiden Test as a fly-half after today being named in the number 10 jersey for the Wallabies for Saturday’s game against Wales in Cardiff.
The Freestate Cheetahs Rugby Union has elected a new president for the term 2012 to 2014.
Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu has made two changes to his squad for the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens tournament this weekend (2-3 December).
The Sharks have started their pre-season preparations ahead of next year’s Super Rugby tournament and assistant coach Grant Bashford has warned there will be no place to hide for unfit players.
Wales centre Jamie Roberts will target Australia’s new midfield combination of James O’Connor and Berrick Barnes in Saturday’s Cardiff Test match.
England will have an interim coach for the Six Nations with the aim of appointing a permanent boss for the summer tour of South Africa.
The United States are discussing a bid to stage the 2023 rugby World Cup which could involve Canada co-hosting, according to USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville.
Springbok giant Victor Matfield says that Andries Bekker has the ability to be an even better lock than him, and that the Stormers are very close to winning an elusive Super Rugby crown (clearly at this point he had just inhaled a bit of that ‘mountain baccy’).
THE FIRST glint of a fresh start for English rugby may have emerged at Twickenham yesterday as new acting chief executive Stephen Brown apologised for their team’s behaviour and performances at the World Cup and promised a new approach at every level.
The Bulls have turned down a request from former Springbok flyhalf Derick Hougaard to return to Pretoria to play for them.
Former Springbok centre Brendan Venter and Nazeem Adams, head coach of the Western Province Under-19 side, have been appointed as assistant coaches of the South African Under-20 side.
The British and Irish Lions have announced the schedule for their 2013 tour of Australia
The Brumbies have moved quickly to end speculation over the future of their coach Jake White after he was linked to the vacant England job.
Jake White, who coached South Africa to 2007 World Cup success, dropped a hint on Sunday that he would welcome an approach to succeed Martin Johnson as England coach.
Following on from the Baa-Baas match yesterday, and the inclusion of Tomkins from the rugby league code, I thought I would delve a little deeper into the two codes of rugby union and rugby league and find out why they exist, and perhaps why rugby union is still so jealous of it’s lower class brother.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee says centre Adrian Jacobs is welcome to join his squad in their pre-season preparations.
We thought we had problems in our rugby, but English rugby is in absolute tatters. I have attached the full article. Be warned, it does go on a bit, but it does show the extent of the problem that finally came to a head at the World Cup. Our problems pale into insignificance when you read this!
Springbok Sevens star Cecil Afrika injured his ribs during the 31-7 victory over Japan and is a doubt for the rest of the tournament.
As the Heineken Cup season gets under way, a series of controversial decisions by match officials in opening matches, has led to the International Rugby Board’s decision trial the wider use of television match officials to help get more accurate opinions on red card offences and crucial forward passes, among other things.
The turmoil of the CSA is well known, but I came across these two articles, and they just go to show that the the famous proverb of “When you pay peanuts, you get a monkeys”. In this case, I am sure, the CSA’s internal turmoil hasn’t helped them in their search for a high profile, long term sponsor. Should Investec not be sponsoring the Proteas? – you’d think so, but after a sponsor-less T20 and One Day series, a sponsor in the shape of a local vegetable oil company pops up.
As a follow up to yesterday’s post, here are some of the comments given by the players questioned in the report, and boy, did they have a lot to say.