New Zealand Rugby
The first full round of the 2014 edition of Vodacom Super Rugby produced a weekend of absorbing rugby that once again proved the old adage that in this competition the unexpected should almost be expected.
And as invariably is the case, there have already been casualties among the favoured teams, with multiple winners the Crusaders, the Blues and Vodacom Bulls already on the back foot, as are last year’s beaten finalists the Brumbies and the 2012 log winners, the DHL Stormers.
The Crusaders and Brumbies both suffered defeats to good teams, but they were results that wouldn’t have been anticipated if you look at historical precedent. The Crusaders have only lost twice in home games to the Chiefs, and only once in Christchurch, and the Brumbies have tended to be better than the Reds in Canberra.
The defending champion Chiefs are counting the cost of their 18-10 win over the Crusaders in their Super Rugby showdown in Christchurch on Friday.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie admitted his team’s depth is being tested in the early stages of the season, but felt he will have sufficient cover as the men from Hamilton look for a hat-trick of titles.
Forwards Ben Afeaki, Brodie Retallick, Kane Thompson, Tevita Koloamatangi and All Black Mils Muliaina were all forced off the field in the brutal clash in Christchurch.
The backlash to Super Rugby being expanded again has begun with double Super Rugby winning coach Dave Rennie amongst others slamming the idea.
Super Rugby organisers SANZAR issued a limited statement on Thursday saying that they had agreed on a proposed format to include a sixth South African franchise and a team from Argentina.
The addition of two further Super Rugby teams will take the number to 17 teams when the next broadcast agreement comes into effect in 2016.
Sharks (10) 27 / 9 (6) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at
Kings Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time (04:05 Sunday NZ 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.
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Highlanders (24) 29 / 21(0) Blues (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin 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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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.
Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett has named the team of 23 players to face the Cell C Sharks at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT) for their Super Rugby season opener.
Four players are set to make their starting debut and a further 2 might make their debut from the bench.
Highlanders coach, Jamie Joseph, has named his side to face the Blues in Dunedin in their first Super Rugby game of 2014.
Six players in the starting 15 will make their debut for the Highlanders and they include Kane Hames, Gareth Evans, Shane Christie, Patrick Osborne, Malakai Fekitoa and Richard Buckman Shane Christie, Partick Osborne and Richard Buckman has Super Rugby experience at other New Zealand Franchises, whereas Kane Hames, Gareth Evans and Malakai Fekitoa will make their Super Rugby debuts.
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw says he is unlikely to continue his international rugby career after the 2015 World Cup.
Coach Todd Blackadder has named four Crusader debutants in the match-day squad to face the Chiefs in their Super Rugby opener in Christchurch on Friday.
Loosehead prop Tim Perry, who played his first Super Rugby game last year for the Blues, will make his first start for the Crusaders in the No 1 jersey. Midfielder Rey Lee-Lo is another player who made his Super Rugby debut last year (for the Hurricanes) but will run out for the Crusaders for the first time on Friday.
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.
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.
The Australian and New Zealand teams start Super Rugby a week later than their South African rivals and the New Zealand teams kick the season off with a match in Christchurch between a former champion, the Crusaders and the current Champions the Chiefs.
Here we take a brief look at the New Zealand teams and what could lie ahead for the New Zealand Super Rugby franchises.
All Blacks Cory Jane, Israel Dagg and Luke Romano have all signed contract extensions keeping them with the national team beyond the 2015 World Cup, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) said on Friday.
Right wing Johnny McNicholl ran in a hat-trick of tries as the Crusaders beat the Hurricanes 40 / 15 in a Super Rugby pre-season match in Levin on Friday.
The Wellington-based side enjoyed the better of the first 40 minutes and led 15 / 14 at the half-time interval thanks to tries from flyhalf Beauden Barrett, fullback Marty Banks and prop Ben Franks.
Two-time defending Super Rugby champions, the Chiefs, hammered the Blues 43 / 19 (half-time 24 / 12) in a pre-season friendly in Rotorua on Friday.
According to reports, tries went to the home side’s Rhys Marshall, Liam Messam, Sam Cane, Nick Crosswell, James Lowe and Robbie Fruean, while Aaron Cruden converted five tries and added a penalty.
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.
Victor Vito has become the latest Hurricanes player to be ruled out their tough South African tour after rupturing his posterior cruciate ligament in training on Wednesday.
The two-time defending Super Rugby champion Chiefs named their new board to take over the governance of the franchise under the new license agreement recently issued by New Zealand Rugby.
After a comprehensive recruitment process, the appointments panel selected a Board comprised of five independent directors and two investor appointees.
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.
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.
The Blues will be short on experience when they start their Super Rugby campaign later this month.
The Crusaders look set to start their 2014 campaign without two of the most influential players in the world – Richie McCaw and Kieran Read.
It has already been confirmed that Read will miss the Crusaders’ Super Rugby opener against the Chiefs on 21 February.
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.
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.
The New Zealand leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series, in Wellington, was played this weekend.
The South African Blitzbokke started their bid to win a 3rd Tournament in a row in fine fashion, by beating Wales 26 / 0 and beating Portugal 27 / 5.
The Blitzbokke’s next challenge was England, and the game was won by England, by 19 / 5. Both England and South Africa advance to the Cup Quarters, England played Samoa and the Blitzbokke played Australia.
New Zealand comfortably beat France, 47 / 0 in the last game of Day 1, after earlier losing to Fiji, but also advanced to the Cup Quarters, where they played against Canada.
At the 2nd Day of the tournament, New Zealand and South Africa advanced all the way to the final, with Fiji beating England in the 3rd place play-off.
New Zealand won the final by 21 / 0 against the South African Blitzbokke, capitalizing on mistakes and shutting the Blitzbokke out in the 2nd half.
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.