General
The Daily Telegraph reports as follows:
COACH Robbie Deans has chosen five uncapped frontrowers in his 30-man Wallabies squad for next month’s inbound Tests against Fiji, England and Ireland.
The squad includes Queensland Reds props Laurie Weeks and Ben Daley and Brumbies prop Salesi Ma’afu, all yet to play a Test.
For years the Sharks have lead South African rugby, if not world rugby, in the way they market their brand and team oozing success at all levels, but it seems to me that lately they are doing their level best to destroy all this. Continue reading
Order in the rugby world has been restored, and thank goodness for that! Continue reading
What could be better than a double Super 14-semi weekend in South Africa? An all South Africa final in Soweto of course! Continue reading
Waratahs halfback Luke Burgess will use the Super 14 semi-final to convince the Test selectors he is worthy of regaining his starting spot at a time when Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has been swamped by injuries in almost every position.
Deans yesterday revealed he had lost 15 players for the opening international, against Fiji in Canberra on June 5, with one of the most pressing areas to fill being halfback, as Will Genia is expected to be sidelined until the end of next month because of a knee injury suffered in the Queensland Reds’ final-round match on Saturday night.
A Hurricanes medical report has revealed that Ma-a Nonu will miss the All Blacks Tests in June after picking up an injury in his final Super 14 clash against the Waratahs.
Nonu ruptured the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Sydney last weekend. The Hurricanes were hoping to beat the Waratahs and secure a place in the play offs but lost ending their Super14 campaign.
Wallaby coach Robbie Deans has some tough decisions to make when deciding on his test fly-half.
Matt Giteau is the incumbent, Quade Cooper the heir apparent and Berrick Barnes when fit, the team vice-captain.
Italy captain Sergio Parisse was welcomed back into the squad Monday as coach Nick Mallett unveiled his 26-man squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa.
A secret meeting has handed the All Blacks and their Southern Hemisphere neighbours a big on-field advantage before the Rugby World Cup is staged in New Zealand next year.
I am a fan of rugby-union. In my mind it is the most beautiful and complete sport ever to be devised by the inhabitants of the Muddy Isle. It has speed, power, finesse, brutality, intelligence and mind-numbing idiocy all rolled into one. It sometimes has enough drama to compete with a soap opera, only with more blood, it has action and suspense, and a better story-lines and shockers than World Wrestling Entertainment. It can crush you emotionally, only to absolutely revitalize you 10 minutes later. I blog because I love rugby, I write because I love rugby, I am a member of Rugby-Talk, because when I write or blog, I want it to only be about rugby. Continue reading
Rugby should allow for two on-field referees in games, believes Steve Walsh, who came under fire for his running of the Waratahs-Brumbies Super 14 game in Sydney two weekends ago.
Poll at end of article. Go Vote
OPINION: There are times when the All Blacks coach’s lot must be a happy one. Wins eight times out of 10. Nice seats on the plane. Best suites at the hotel. And the holidays aren’t half bad.
By MARC HINTON – Sunday Star Times
English and Afrikaans newspapers’ reactions to the 2nd Test were slightly varied. English media’s primary response was to give NZ credit for a well deserved win, while the Afrikaans media accused the AB of aggressive, malicious and angry behaviour with emphasis on what they called dirty tactics.
I find the current criticism against referees in rugby union to be extremely hypocritical. Continue reading
Western Province and the Stormers franchise might be dealt a cruel blow as one of their current superstars is said to have signed with French Club Bayonne. Continue reading
The Australian Rugby Union were great proponents of law changes in the interests of making the game more entertainment to help them in their battle for support against Australian Rules, Rugby League and Soccer. It is ironical that the two least entertaining teams in the Super 14 are Australian teams – the Brumbies and the Waratahs.
Article from SA Referees website
The Reds have been the surprise package of the 2010 Super 14 as it rushes to the knock-out stages. We give some statistics from the round with some totals. If you wonder if the match in Canberra between the Brumbies and the Waratahs really was boring, look at the scrum stats and you will know that it was unacceptable.
The commentators in the Waratahs vs Brumbies game had difficulty to understand Steve Walsh last Saturday. Something was seriously wrong there. With my limited knowledge of scrums i could see he is grasping in the air.
Playoff Games (Venues not confirmed) Home team first
Bulls vs WP
Lions vs Cheetahs
Boland vs Leopards
Sharks vs Griquas
With six of the seven league rounds completed, the Blue Bulls remain the only unbeaten team in the Vodacom Cup competition with ten teams still vying for the eight quarter-final spots.
Today
| 10 Apr | Welwitschias | v | Blue Bulls | 34-58 | ||
| 10 Apr | Pampas XV | v | Free State | 36-24 | ||
| 10 Apr | Border | v | Boland Kavaliers | 33-13 | ||
| 10 Apr | Western Province | v | SWD | 29-23 |
This is the stats released by the Referees. Read and analyze it. i am sure we could argue a few facts here.
Reaction on the first test; AB against Boland and EP
Referees boss Lyndon Bray has promised the howler that helped the Crusaders salvage a draw against the Hurricanes will not be swept under the rug.
Coach Pat Lam said he was happy with the process for dealing with the Blues’ concerns about the refereeing in their Super 14 rugby loss to the Waratahs last weekend.
So I took my laaitie out to Newlands on Saturday for what was his first experience of the ground all WP fans love and cherish. Continue reading
Thanks to McLook for this great series. McLook is a a blogger here and we hope to see him here soon to discuss the articles with all the oldies who played in those years.
Tension was unbearable, in both camps during the last few days leading up to the first test. Team selection and possible game plan/strategies of the respective teams, were the topics raised in the media and the reason why practice sessions were keenly attended and closely followed…………
Maties (12) 17 / UCT (6) 14 (Final Score)
Maties hosted UCT today in the final of the Varsity Cup of 2010. Maties won a hard-fought enconter by only 3 points, maties 17 / UCT 14.
| Finals, Monday, March 29 | ||||
| Maties v UCT | Danie Craven Stadium | 6.30pm (TV) | ||
Samoa clinched the spoils at the Hong Kong Sevens courtesy of a scintillating 24-21 comeback victory over New Zealand in the final of the showpiece of the abbreviated game.
Bloemfontein was the next stop where almost everyone ceased their daily activities and went to watch the arrival of the AB’s. Gabriel David sums it up in the following paragraph:
It continues to amaze me how we frown upon versatility and how we want to make every single rugby player a specialist. Continue reading
| Semi-finals, Monday, March 22 | ||||
| UCT v Shimlas | Groote Schuur Rugby Fields | 27 – 21 | ||
| Maties v Pukke | Danie Craven Stadium | 47 – 11 | ||
| 20 Mar | Wales | v | Italy | 33-10 | ||
| 20 Mar | Ireland | v | Scotland | 20-23 | ||
| 20 Mar | France | v | England | 12-10 |
IRB 7’s Tournament in Adelaide, Australia. Results:
| 44 | 21-03-2010 18:20 | SAMOA | 38 – 10 | UNITED STATES | Final Cup |
| 43 | 21-03-2010 17:50 | NEW ZEALAND | 21 – 14 | SOUTH AFRICA | Final Plate |
| 42 | 21-03-2010 17:20 | ENGLAND | 33 – 12 | KENYA | Final Bowl |
| 41 | 21-03-2010 16:50 | TONGA | 19 – 22 | JAPAN | Final Shield |