New Zealand Rugby
Kurt Baker of the Highlanders has been cited by SANZAR for alleged foul play during their Super Rugby match against the Melbourne Rebels on Friday.
Brumbies (13) 26 / 9 (6) Blues (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at
Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 10:40 SA Time (19:40 Canberra Time, 08:40 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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Highlanders (20) 33 / 30 (13) Rebels (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT, 17:35 AEST).
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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It is Round 8 of Super Rugby 2014 this weekend! We have 7 games in Round 8, with 2 games on Friday and 5 games on Saturday.
The Cell C Sharks have their 2nd bye weekend.
In June / July 2014 the Antipodian 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.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie clearly doesn’t believe in continuity.
After coming away with a 34-all draw – the result of a 19-point haul in the final 10 minutes against the Bulls last week – the Chiefs have made 10 changes to their matchday squad for the Round Eight Super Rugby showdown with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Victor Vito and Brad Shields will pull on the Hurricanes jersey for the first time this season, as their team gears up to face the Bulls at Napier’s McLean Park on Saturday.
Both loose forwards have been out since the beginning of the season with knee injuries, and this weekend’s match will be their first of the 2014 Super Rugby season.
Crusaders Head Coach Todd Blackadder has made six changes to the starting line-up that will take on the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday night.
SANZAR has released the names of the Match Officials for Round 8 of Super Rugby 2014.
Chris Pollock starts the action this weekend in Dunedin when the Highlanders host the Melbourne Rebels.
This weekend sees 7 games, with 2 on Friday and 5 on Saturday.
The Cell C Sharks have a BYE weekend again, their 2nd one.
Jerome Kaino will captain a Blues side featuring two changes to the one that defeated the Highlanders last week for Friday night’s clash with the Brumbies in Canberra.
In the absence of Luke Braid who moves to the bench after shouldering a heavy workload this season, 30 year-old Kaino will take over the reigns and Blues head coach Sir John Kirwan said he was the best man for the job.
Jamie Joseph has named his Highlanders side to take on the Rebels this Friday night at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
Shaun Treeby comes in at the expense of Phil Burleigh who sits out the match due to injury.
No, this is no April Fools joke, it is true… the IRB has released the names of the Match Official Appointments for the June International Test window!
Romain Poite (FFR), hated by most South Africans, will referee the match between South Africa and Wales on 14 June 2014 at Growthpoint Kings Park and will be assisted by Steve Walsh (ARU), Francisco Pastrana (UAR) and Vinnie Munro (NZR).
One could be forgiven to believe, despite our assurances, that this MUST SURELY be an April Fools joke, because apart from the run-in with Romain Poite, South Africans have had run-in’s by Steve Walsh too and just recently Francisco Pastrana was taken off the Super Rugby officiating lists till further notice for his abhorrent and totally inept refereeing performance against yet another South African side.
Let’s cut to the chase and just place the Official Appointments list here for you…
Jerome Kaino is likely to take over the captaincy of the Blues when they travel to Canberra to face the Brumbies on Friday.
The 49-cap All Black is the most likely candidate to lead the team out in the absence of Luke Braid, who is struggling with a shoulder injury.
SANZAR has released and updated the official injury list of all the particpating Super Rugby franchises in 2014.
Updated 31 March:
Return dates are best estimates and subject to change.
The Cell C Sharks continued to stamp their authority in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition this weekend as they secured their fifth victory of the season, while the Vodacom Bulls allowed a fourth successive victory to slip through their fingers and the DHL Stormers stumbled in their final tour match.
A strong second-half showing by the Cell C Sharks combined with a flawless kicking performance by flyhalf Fred Zeilinga, who punished the Waratahs indiscipline, earned the team a 32-10 victory at Growthpoint Kings Park.
The victory allowed the team to remain in pole position on the combined log table.
The Vodacom Bulls, meanwhile, had their fourth consecutive victory in their sights until the last minute of their clash against defending champions, the Chiefs, at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, but a last-minute try by Chiefs captain Aaron Cruden and successful conversion by Gareth Anscombe forced them to settle for a disappointing 34-34 draw.
The team departs for their Australasian tour knowing that their defence, in particular, needs attention after allowing a 31-15 lead to slip against the Chiefs.
In Brisbane, the DHL Stormers were unsuccessful in their mission to complete their Australasian tour with a victory against the Reds as they went down 22-17 following defeats against the Crusaders, Chiefs and Brumbies.
New Zealand brushed aside England 26-7 to win the Hong Kong Sevens and reclaim top spot in the overall standings in the IRB Sevens World Series, Sunday.
The All Blacks Sevens, the defending World Series champions, won its third tournament this season in fine style, running four tries past a hapless England to claim their 11th Cup Championship in Hong Kong and first since 2011.
The Blues have suffered a hit in their second row stocks as veteran Tom Donnelly has been ruled out of Friday’s match against the Brumbies in Canberra with a calf strain.
Donnelly was on the bench for Saturday’s match against the Highlanders but did not get on after straining his calf during the warm up.
Injury has ruled All Black lock Luke Romano out of the Crusaders’ two-game Super Rugby trip to South Africa.
Romano hurt a calf muscle early in his team’s 26-29 loss to the Hurricanes in Christchurch last Friday.
Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett has received a boost with the news that three players will return from injury in time to face the Vodacom Bulls in their Vodacom Super Rugby match in Napier on Saturday.
With the Bulls flying out only on Tuesday, as has worked for them in the past, the Canes will be looking to exploit the short turnaround and with the boost to their squad, manage to build on their 29-26 win over the Crusaders this past weekend.
Highlanders loosehead prop Kane Hames has been cited for alleged foul play in the defeat to the Blues in Auckland on Saturday.
Hames is alleged to have contravened Law 10.4 (h) Dangerous charging when he made contact with Blues’ player Hayden Triggs in the 59th minute of their clash at Eden Park.
The Chiefs may be looking for two front row replacements to complete their South African Super Rugby tour.
Hooker Mahonri Schwalger is expected to return home with a continued issue with his eye and is expected to need another operation.
Bulls (14) 34 / 34 (15) Chiefs (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at
Loftus Versveld, Pretoria at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT, 02:00 Sunday NZ Time).
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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Blues (17) 30 / 12 (9) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Blues and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland 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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It is Round 7 of Super Rugby 2014 this weekend! We have 6 games in Round 7, with 2 games on Friday and 4 games on Saturday.
The Lions, Toyota Cheetahs & Western Force have bye weekends.
In June / July 2014 the Antipodian 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.
Crusaders (18) 26 / 29 (17) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at
AM Park, 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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The Chiefs have made eight changes to the team that lost to the Force in Perth for this weekend’s Super Rugby match against the Bulls Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
The Chiefs are attempting to win their third straight title – a threepeat – and suffered their first loss of the season last week.
Highlanders head coach Jamie Joseph has named his team to play the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday with minimal changes to the one that beat the Hurricanes.
Blues and former All Black halfback Piri Weepu has suffered a minor stroke and is being given some time away from the game to get his health right.
Weepu has been suffering from sustained and intense headaches ever since the Blues left for South Africa at the start of March, and finally undertook scans on Monday to determine what was causing the problem.
Initial thoughts had been the problem was migraine related, but the Blues today confirmed Weepu had suffered a minor stroke and that he would not play in Saturday’s Super Rugby clash against the Highlanders at Eden Park.
The Hurricanes have named midfielder Tim Bateman in their Super Rugby team to play the Crusaders in Christchurch at the AMI Stadium on Friday.
Bateman makes his return to the starting team to partner Conrad Smith after being side-lined with a knee injury for six weeks.
All Black superstar Kieran Read, one of the best players in the world, will feature in his 100 game for the Crusaders when he leads the team out against the Hurricanes on Friday.
The Round Seven Super Rugby fixture will be a momentous occasion for the man rated the best No 8 in the world.
Blues coach Sir John Kirwan believes he has the solution to rugby’s scrum problems and wants changes to be made immediately.
The 63-cap former All Blacks wing wants changes to occur to the scrum law in the middle of the season, in order to solve the issues and thinks that the IRB and SANZAR should work together to ensure the decisions are made.
New Zealand rugby’s financial position improved in 2013 with the national body’s war chest of cash reserves swelling to $63.7 million, while all 14 top-tier provinces returned to surplus after years of turmoil.
The NZRU posted a NZ$2.9 million ($2.48 million) profit in 2013, down slightly from NZ$3.2m a year earlier but on the back of increased disbursements to the country’s provinces and a boost in the contribution to the players’ collective agreement.
Profit had been forecast at only $790 000, the NZRU said.
The Lions and Vodacom Bulls flew the South African flag in Vodacom Super Rugby this weekend when they scored come-from-behind home victories on Saturday.
The side from Johannesburg scored two late tries to deny the Reds by 23-20 after they were still behind by 20-3 shortly before the break at Ellis Park.
In the process, Lions flyhalf and kicking ace Marnitz Boshoff became the first player this season to reach 100 points when he kicked his second penalty goal in the 40th minute of the match.
In the final match of the weekend, the Cell C Sharks lost their first encounter of 2014 when they went down 23-19 to a determined Vodacom Bulls side at Loftus Versfeld.
The South African-based three-time past champions against defending title holders from New Zealand who are on the hunt for a hat-trick in 2014.
That is the appealing clash awaiting the Loftus faithful next Saturday (15:00), when the thoroughly resurgent Bulls – three from three at their home ground this season – entertain the Chiefs.
SANZAR wishes to advise two referee appointment changes for the forthcoming round of Super Rugby.
Nick Briant will officiate Crusaders v Hurricanes on Friday night while Steve Walsh will oversee the Blues v Highlanders clash in Auckland on Saturday night.
The Cheetahs are demanding an explanation from referees boss Lyndon Bray after two controversial decisions in their 40-30 Super 15 loss to the Blues on Saturday.
The Cheetahs’ outrage comes after Bray, the SANZAR referees co-ordinator warned officials they had to be accountable and faced being dropped for making blunders.