Australian Rugby
Australia backrow forward George Smith has signed a two-year deal with rising French second division side Lyon, the ProD2 club announced on Friday.
Cheetahs (12) 15 / 9 (3) Bulls (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Crusaders (0) 10 / 18 (8) Chiefs (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at
AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Super Rugby is already in Round 2, with the Antipodion teams also taking part this weekend. We have 7 games in Round 2, with 2 games on Friday, 4 games on Saturday and 1 game in the early hours (SA Time) on Sunday morning.
The Melbourne Rebels have a bye weekend, right at the outset, but of course Bye Points fall away in 2014.
In June / July 2014 the Antipion teams will catch up in played games with the South African counterparts, when the South African sides sit out for 1 Round.
The Combined Log will therefore be skewed for the majority of the competition and one has to question why individual countries are allowed to start such a long competition ahead of it’s rivals. In 2013 the Australian sides started a week early, but at least they had the excuse that they needed an extra week in the middle of the year to prepare for the British & Irish Lions series, which they lost.
(The Weekend Teams are also up under the Main Menu, Super Rugby, 2014, Weekend Teams.)
Super Rugby organizers SANZAR have announced that they have a “preferred model” including Argentina for the future Super Rugby format beyond 2015 that will be put forward for approval.
SANZAR’s Executive Committee met in Sydney on Thursday to discuss the future of Super Rugby including possible formats that could be presented to broadcasters.
Reds head coach Richard Graham has named his team to play the Brumbies in their Super Rugby opener against the Brumbies with Quade Cooper at No 10 and Aidan Toua at No 15.
Cooper was in doubt for the match but was given the all clear earlier this week and will start in Canberra.
In his first Super Rugby match since the Reds vs Hurricanes in March last year, Aidan Toua will start in the Reds’ fullback jersey.
Bernard Foley has won the initial battle for the Waratahs flyhalf berth while Kurtley Beale will start at inside centre in their Super Rugby opener against the Force.
The two players were expected to contend for the playmaker role, but after some impressive pre-season outings coach Michael Cheika has decided to start both players.
Ulster have signed 26-year-old loosehead prop Ruaidhri Murphy from the Brumbies on a two-year contract.
The Lions celebrated their return to Vodacom Super Rugby with a good win over the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein before the Cell C Sharks showed they mean business in 2014 with a bonus-point victory over the Vodacom Bulls in Durban.
For the Cell C Sharks, under a new coach in former Springbok mentor Jake White, it was a perfect start to the season. They got their 4th try at the death of their 31 / 16 win after scoring 3 five-pointers in the first 40 minutes.
Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper is set to start in the Reds’ Super Rugby opener against the Brumbies this weekend despite pain in his neck.
The Brumbies are expected to name Wallabies centre Tevita Kuridrani in their starting line up for Saturday’s Super Rugby opener against the Reds.
The international centre was sent off lifting flanker Peter O’Mahony in the Wallabies Test victory over Ireland and was banned for five matches.
Sharks (23) 31 / 16 (9) Bulls (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at
Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sFMF09fgi8[/youtube]
Cheetahs (10) 20 / 21 (9) Lions (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Lions did battle in Super Rugby at
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84FxGreFTeM[/youtube]
Herewith a Full Media Guide, detailing ALL Super Rugby 2014 Teams, Players, Management, Staff and Statistics, for all the Super Rugby participating teams, from all 3 countries.
With talks of proposals to shift the current Super Rugby format well underway, news from Australia is that the Waratahs, Reds and Rebels are considering merging to form a unified coastal team.
The Reds were dealt a double blow ahead of the start of the Super Rugby season, with Wallaby vice-captain Quade Cooper the biggest concern.
Cooper was stretchered off Ballymore as the Rebels produced a shock 18 / 13 pre-season upset of the Reds on Friday.
The Australian and New Zealand teams start Super Rugby a week later than their South African rivals and the Australian teams kick the season off with a match in Canberra between two former Champions, the Brumbies and the Reds.
Here we take a brief look at the Australian teams and what could lie ahead for the Australian Super Rugby franchises.
Dumped Australia cricket coach Mickey Arthur on Friday ruled out applying for the vacant England job after being appointed head of the Super Rugby Western Force development programme.
The South African, who was ousted just before the start of the Ashes series in England last year with two years left on his contract, said he was settled in Perth.
Super Rugby is finally upon us, with Round 1 of the 2014 season starting this weekend. Only 2 games are played in Round 1, and only 4 South African sides are involved in Round 1.
The DHL Stormers have a bye weekend, right at the outset, but of course Bye Points fall away in 2014.
The New Zealand and Australian sides will only join up as from Round 2, as the South African sides will only be hauled in in June when the New Zealand and Australians play a Round where the South African sides sit out.
The Combined Log will therefore be skewed for the majority of the competition and one has to question why individual countries are allowed to start such a long competition ahead of it’s rivals. In 2013 the Australian sides started a week early, but at least they had the excuse that they needed an extra week in the middle of the year to prepare for the British & Irish Lions series, which they lost.
SANZAR has decided to do away with the hugely unpopular system whereby teams get awarded ‘bonus’ points when they have a bye in Super Rugby.
SANZAR CEO Greg Peters said on Thursday they listened to “feedback from the fans” and trust this makes it easier for all to track their team’s log progress throughout the season.
This weekend sees the start of Super Rugby, but only with 2 games in South Africa. For the rest of the Super Rugby Francises, including all New Zealand and Australian franchises, it’s another weekend of preparation matches for Super Rugby.
In New Zealand, the Hurricanes report that Tim Bateman has suffered a grade one medial knee ligament injury at training and will miss 2 to 6 weeks of rugby. Also in New Zealand the Crusaders have named Richie McCaw on the bench for their warm-up encounter with the Hurricanes.
In Australia, the Reds have made some changes amongst their props, with James Slipper in at loosehead and Greg Holmes in at tighthead and a few changes were made in the backline too, for their warm-up clash against the Melbourne Rebels. Also in Australia, Hugh McMeniman returns from injury and will run out for the Force A side to face the Pampas XV and Samoa A.
Big Brumbies loose forward Fotu Auelua has been ruled out for 10-12 weeks with a knee injury that will see him miss eight Super Rugby matches.
Australian Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver has revealed that Super Rugby in Australia will lose money in 2014, but they are putting together plans to address the problem.
The 2014 Super Rugby season starts later this week and Pulver has revealed that the tournament will run at a loss this year.
The match officials for the 1st and 2nd Rounds of the 2014 Super Rugby season have been released.
South African teams alone will contest the opening round and the Stormers have a bye in the first week.
Australian and New Zealand teams will start their Super Rugby seasons in Round 2.
SANZAR is proud to announce a two-year extension of its long-standing partnership with GILBERT to continue its role as the exclusive Vodacom Super Rugby ball supplier.
With the Super Rugby season less than 6 days away, here is a bit of history on the Competition.
Super Rugby is run by SANZAR and consists of franchise teams from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, 5 teams each, devided into 3 Conferences.
Super Rugby is the Southern Hemisphere’s prime Franchise tournament and part of the reason why the Southern Hemisphere currently dominate world rugby, with the New Zealand All Blacks 1st on the IRB World Rankings, the Springboks from South Africa comfortably in 2nd spot and the Wallabies from Australia in 3rd spot.
Super Rugby gets underway in South Africa first in 2014, on 15 February 2014 and a week later the Antipodion sides join in.
The Brumbies are hoping that their 67 / 0 Super Rugby warm up victory over an ACT XV at Viking Park has not come at a price after they picked up several injuries.
The scoreline of the brutal match shows how convincing the victory was but David Pocock had to have attention to his bleeding eye, flying winger Henry Speight bruised his ribs and No 8 Fotu Auelua picked up a knee injury.
The Brumbies had 11 internationals in their line up as they want to be as ready as they can be for their Super Rugby season opener against the Reds at Canberra Stadium on 22 February.
2011 Super Rugby champions the Reds kicked off their pre-season warm ups with a 31 / 20 win against reigning champions the Chiefs in Toowoomba on Saturday
The Reds notched four tries in front of a 7 438-strong crowd at Toowoomba Sports Ground in the first of two pre-season clashes in 2014.
The Melbourne Rebels edged the Hurricanes 24-22 in their pre-season clash at Simonds Stadium in Geelong on Saturday.
The Rebels made it two from two this pre-season thanks to the decisive penalty kick from Jason Woodward.
For the second week in succession high-profile Rugby League convert Benji Marshall failed to live up to the pre-match hype.
The spotlight shone brightly on Marshall in the build-up to the game, but it was the New Zealand-born Rugby League convert Alofa Alofa that lit up a Super Rugby trial between the Blues and Waratahs in Sydney on Friday.
Alofa even outshone illustrious teammate Israel Folau as the former Aucklander produced two evasive runs before deservedly nailing the game-sealing try as the Waratahs triumphed 33 / 12.
Australian Super Rugby franchises are all gearing up for Super Rugby 2014, with their plans and preparations taking shape.
The Reds have named a Wallaby-strewn side to face the Chiefs on Saturday.
The Waratahs have given Bernard Foley the nod at flyhalf and have moved Kurtley Beale to fullback for their warm-up encounter against the Blues on Friday.
Western Force head coach Michael Foley has named a 34-man squad to play Samoa A in their first Super Rugby warm up fixture at Lark Hill Sports Complex in Rockingham on Friday.
Matt Hodgson will lead the side that features both of the club’s Wallaby representatives from last year’s Spring Tour in winger Nick Cummins and No.8 Ben McCalman.
Australia international James O’Connor will leave London Irish after completing his six-month contract at the end of the season, the English Premiership club announced.
It could not have been a worse start to the year for the Brumbies – losing their opening trial match and seeing star back Pat McCabe go down again.
McCabe, who has already overcome a neck fracture twice, was returning to action when he suffered a head knock as the Brumbies were overrun 15-11 by the Highlanders in a trial match in Queenstown on Friday.
It is 2 weeks prior to the kick off of 2 brand new Rugby Tournaments and just less than a month away from kick off of the 3rd Tournament – Super Rugby.
We will have SuperBru Widgets up in the Righthand sidebar for these 3 Pools, for easy access to make your PICKS, go to the POOLS and see an abbreviated version of the LOG in each pool (Top 10).
Rugby-Talk SuperBru pools are open to all REGISTERED RUGBY-TALK SUBSCRIBERS, so if you are not yet registered, get clicking man!
As is the custom and the excitement, Rugby-Talk will be taking part in rugby competitions on SuperBru in 2014 again, but at the end of last year we took it a step further, we also formed our own SuperBru Club, the Rugby-Talk.com Club. The Club gives us an added and combined interface, where messages are posted in the “Social Room”, where the current Rugby-Talk Bru Pools are detailed in the “Games Room”, where members are tabled in the “Members Wall” and where medal standings and tables are displayed in the “Trophy Room”.
So, firstly, join up to the 3 NEW POOLS and also join up at the Rugby-Talk.com Club!