Internationals
SANZAR head of referees Lyndon Bray confirmed on Wednesday that New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence’s Test career is over, according to EWN Sport.
The Vodacom Bulls stalwart Wynand Olivier will join Japanese club Ricoh Black Rams at the completion of the Vodacom Super Rugby series, the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd announced today.
All Blacks and Chiefs star Sonny Bill Williams has confirmed that he will leave New Zealand Rugby and play in Japan after the Super Rugby season.
The International Rugby Board have announced a list of eight referees and match officials for the forthcoming Rugby Championship which replaces the TriNations.
Andy Farrell, who coached the England backline on an interim basis during this year’s Six Nations but missed out on England’s tour of South Africa, has been re-appointed to the England coaching team.
The Southern Hemisphere tours of the Home nations and Ireland are well and truly over by now with almost all of the players from these teams now able to put their feet up for a bit of rest and recuperation after what has been a very long season.
For what it’s worth I thought it would be interesting to see which team had the best tour.
This could be difficult as each team faced different opponents and some had midweek games while others didn’t. To try and take away any bias and subjectivity we have a look at the results as well as the comparative rankings of the teams according to the IRB.
As reported last week, the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) is currently taking place in Salt City,Utah, in the USA.
The third and final round of games in the pool stage of the tournament are scheduled for today, Tuesday 26th June. These games will take place during the night SA time.
Brian O’Driscoll said after the 3rd New Zealand/Ireland test match that speed at the ruck is what matters most and that the scoreboard reflect (60-0 for the All Blacks) in essence what happened at the breakdowns.
McCaw on questioned what did the AB’s rectify, after the second test, to produce the marked improvement in the All Blacks game said: “We kept our line better and were more successful (as compared to the second test) to create forward momentum at the rucks”.
Springboks (9) 14 / (8) 14 England (Final Score)
South Africa and England did battle in the 3rd Test of their series at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
All Blacks (29) 60 / (0) 0 Ireland (Final Score)
New Zealand and Ireland did battle in the 3rd Test of their series at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
Wallabies (12) 20 / (9) 19 Wales (Final Score)
Australia and Wales did battle in the 3rd Test of the series at Akianz Stadium, Sydney at 07:00 SA Time (15:00 Sydney Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
SA Bokkies (9) 22 / (10) 16 NZ Baby Blacks (Final Score)
South Africa and New Zealand did battle in the IRB Junior World Championships FINAL at Newlands, Cape Town at 18:45 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
The South African Under 20 Bokkies are the WORLD CHAMPIONS!
*******************
All the attention for Junior rugby has been focussed, quite rightly, on the Junior World Championship being held in Cape Town, which culminates in the final tonight. However, let’s not forget the smaller rugby playing nations.
The IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy is currently taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Argentina (0) 17 / (19) 25 Wales (Final Score)
Argentina and Wales did battle in the IRB Junior World Championships, 3rd Place Play-off, at Newlands, Cape Town at 16:30 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Ireland (6) 18 / (0) 7 France (Final Score)
Ireland and France did battle in the IRB Junior World Championships, 5th Place Play-off, at Newlands, Cape Town at 14:15 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Australia and Wales play each other in the 3rd test match of the current series in at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, 23rd June. Kick off is at 07.00 SA time.
There are few changes to the teams following the 2nd test last week that Wales agonizingly lost following a last minute Australian penalty. Wales outscored the Wallabies by two tries to one in that game.
The All Blacks play Ireland in the 3rd test of Ireland’s Summer Southern Hemisphere tour in Waikato on Saturday, 23rd June. Kick off is at 09.35 SA time.
Both sides have announced their teams with various changes in both the All Blacks and Ireland’s teams from the 2nd test match, that Ireland were very unlucky not to draw or perhaps even win.
Port Elizabeth – Alex Goode and Thomas Waldrom will make their first starts for England in the third and final Test against South Africa after coach Stuart Lancaster named a side containing six changes on Thursday.
Heyneke Meyer has been in office a little more than 140 days, so to say he was relieved after his team banked a series victory over England would be fair, but does that mean he’s a relaxed man? Hardly!
Bulls flank Jacques Potgieter will make his debut for South Africa when they take on England at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
After a brilliant end to the second semi-final last night, the play-off places and the finals look like this:
The Scotland team that will start the match against Samoa this Saturday, 23rd June, has been announced. The match is set to take place in Apia. Kick off time will be 04.30 SA Time.
Scotland’s opponents for this year’s Autmun International Test matches have been known for some time now. However, the venue of the final game, to be played against Tonga, was only confirmed yesterday. Scotland will also play against the All Blacks in the first of the tests and against the Springboks in the second test match.
SA Barbarians (10) 31 / (31) 58 England (Final Score)
The SA Northern Barbarians and England did battle in a midweek match at Profert Olën Park, Potchestroom at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
This is the third article in our series looking at players from the northern hemisphere who may be lesser known on the international stage. Previously we looked at two wingers, Harry Robinson and Tim Visser, who at that time had yet to start an official test for their country.
We now feature a forward, England flanker Tom Johnson. The other difference is that by now Johnson has actually played two tests for England, against South Africa.
England play the second of their midweek games on their tour of South Africa against the SA Northern Barbarians team today, Tuesday 19th June. The game will be played at Profet Olen Park Potchefstroom, home of the Leopards. Kick off is at 19.10 SA time.
England Captain Chris Robshaw has been ruled out of England’s final Test match against South Africa in Port Elizabeth with a broken thumb.
Western Province and Stormers fullback Joe Pietersen has been called up to the Springbok squad in Port Elizabeth as cover for Frans Steyn who will miss the third and final Test against England.
Wales have questioned the legitimacy of the Wallabies breakdown tactics and want a meeting with the referee before this weekend’s third Test in Sydney, assistant coach Shaun Edwards said on Monday.
Willem Alberts remains a doubtful starter for Saturday’s final test against England but the Springbok training session at Grey’s High on Monday brought some much needed tidings of joy for coach Heyneke Meyer.
Lock Juandre Kruger was assumed to be in doubt for the Nelson Mandela Stadium game here in Port Elizabeth after being carried off the field during the second test in Johannesburg with what was assumed to be a serious neck injury.
Johannesburg – An improved performance at the breakdowns contributed to Francois Hougaard looking more comfortable at scrumhalf in the Springboks’ 36-27 victory over England at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday.
Wellington – World champions New Zealand will play Tests against Scotland, Italy, Wales and England on their tour of Europe in November, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) said on Monday.
There may be an upside in that the depth of his squad will now be tested in a dead-rubber test, but Heyneke Meyer’s plans to use the final match against England at Nelson Mandela Stadium as a build-up or dress-rehearsal for The Rugby Championship look set to be disrupted.
The apparent closing of the gap between the northern and southern hemisphere rugby teams evident at the weekend is in part the result of a change in scheduling, according to Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards.
England head coach Stuart Lancaster is confident his side can bounce back to winning ways in Saturday’s third and final Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.