Super Rugby
Crusaders (11) 28 / Cheetahs (3) 21 (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
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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Waratahs (13) 34 / Sharks (17) 30 (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at Alianz Stadium, Sydney at 06:35 SA Time (15:35 NZ Time).
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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Rebels (24) 30 / Force (12) 29 (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at AAMI Park, Melbourne at 10:40 SA Time (16:40 AWST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Blues (16) 25 / Hurricanes (19) 26 (Final Score)
The Blues and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at Eden Park, Aucland at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets as they are announced for Week 5 of Super Rugby 2012.
The Team are all up, and also up under the Main Menus, Super Rugby, 2012, Weekend Teams!
Stormers go into the match against the Lions at Coca Cola Park on Saturday at 19h10 with the same side as last weekend.
The Bulls have announced a nearly full strength team to take on the defending Champions this weekend.
Toyota Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has made three changes to his pack for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
The Vodacom Bulls openside flanker and prime fetcher, who had to withdraw from the Bulls lineup the day before the Blues clash 2 weeks ago, due to a hamstring injury, still won’t be risked this weekend against the Reds.
Dr Org Strauss and his medical team have deemed it wiser for Stegmann to rest one more week, to be ready for the Bulls clash at Newlands against the Stormers, rather than cause further damage this week against the Reds.
The Sharks received a timely boost with the news that lock Steven Sykes will join up with his teammates in Sydney later this week – ahead of their Super Rugby encounter with the Waratahs.
Blues flanker Luke Braid has been suspended for three weeks of Super Rugby after he pleaded guilty to striking a Stormers play in his team’s 27-17 loss.
The Blues could be dealt a double blow this week as they have already lost flanker Luke Braid and might lose captain Keven Mealamu to injury.
Queensland winger Digby Ioane has been suspended for five weeks (four matches) for a tip tackle on Sharks flanker Marcell Coetzee.
The Bulls and their supporters have certainly copped massive derision about the Pink jerseys the Vodacom Bulls will be wearing in away games where their normal Blue strip clashes with the colours of the Home side.
But here’s one back at you… so, Stormers supporters and those of the other franchises, I’d think TWICE about scoffing at those jerseys again!
…. and here’s the reason why….
The Reds were thrown into crisis at fly half after their fourth round loss to the Sharks as Ben Lucas and Mike Harris have been forced out of the tour leaving the current champions without a fly half.
I was pleasantly surprised and much impressed with the Stormers this weekend. The Blues showed just how dangerous they can be against the Bulls last week. They confirmed that for about 10 minutes in the second half when the Stormers got a bit complacent and took the foot of the pedal after establishing a 17 point lead.
That sense of complacency as result of feeling secure with their 17 point lead saw the Stormers deviating from their success formula and they paid for it by getting two tries scored against them in seven minutes. Credit to them for rectifying the neglect and going back to the formula.
The Stormers used a well-established formula to beat NZ but added some new dimensions to the pattern. These new strategies employed by the Stormers countered the typical offensive measures NZ sides have been using over the last couple of years to overcome the proven South African recipe to beat them.
Reds winger Digby Ioane could spend some time on the sidelines after he was cited for a dangerous lifting tackle during his teams 27-22 loss to the Sharks.
Rebels (10) 26 / Cheetahs (20) 33 (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at AAMI Stadium, Melbourne at 07:10 SA Time (16:10 NZ Time).
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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Three things struck me about yesterday’s game – The Stormers didn’t succumb to the Blues mind games, the tight five finally seemed to strike a chord, and the manners of the Newlands crowd are despicable.
Sharks (10) 27 / Reds (17) 22 (Final Score)
The Sharks and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban 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.
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Waratahs (14) 20 / Force (13) 21 (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 10:40 SA Time (19:40 Sydney Time).
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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Hurricanes (14) 17 / Highlanders (13) 19 (Final Score)
The Hurricanes and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
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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Stormers (17) 27 / Blues (3) 17 (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at Newlands, Cape Town at 19:10 SA Time.
This was a live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Growing up as a Durban boy my only sporting interest and great passion as a school boy was surfing.
What I didn’t fully realize was that I was born with the body of a prop, and so rugby entered my life as a prop forward at Under 13 level and soon thereafter rugby had relegated surfing to second place, and I played my first game at first division level against the then current Springbok tight head at the tender age of Nineteen!!
15 Years later I played my last game at first division level and happily bear the cauliflower ear and aches and pains of being lucky enough to scrum down in this great game with and against the most interesting men I could ever wish to meet.
Scrumming had become a practical education in the skill of a contest that only a few get to experience, and the enjoyment of watching and appreciating the contest between props based on their know how and technique has kept me close to the game that gave me so much enjoyment.
SO WHO HAS STOLEN THE SCRUM FROM RUGBY IN 2012?
Chiefs (9) 29 / Brumbies (9) 22 (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at Bay Park Stadium, Tauranga at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
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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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets as they are announced for Week 4 of Super Rugby 2012.
The Team sheets are all up and can also be found under the Main menu, under SUPER RUGBY, 2012, Weekend Teams.
The latest news on the INJURY front in Super Rugby (apart from those reported already) is as follows:
The South African Rugby Union has written to its Sanzar partners, Australia and New Zealand, requesting a re-scheduling of a planned presentation on an expansion of Super Rugby to 16 teams in 2013.
All Black and Crusaders super star Dan Carter has given his struggling Crusaders team mates a confidence lift for the season by returning to training for the Super Rugby season.
The Stormers team to play the Blues was announced and sees only one positional change – Peter Grant slots into the No. 10 jersey, at the expense of Gary van Aswegen who drops the bench for the game on Friday night at 19:10 at Newlands, Cape Town.
South African referees boss André Watson says Lions coach John Mitchell was wrong to criticise the assistant referees after his side lost to the Sharks in Durban over the weekend.
Lions coach John Mitchell has put on report at least one of the match officials, following his team’s heart-breaking 20-32 loss to the Sharks in a Super Rugby match at the weekend.
Blues winger Rene Ranger has been suspended for two weeks for his late tackle on Bjorn Basson during the Blues 23-29 victory over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
The Sharks won their first Vodacom Super Rugby match of 2012 while the Vodacom Bulls let slip a great opportunity to remain top of the log as they lost at home to the Blues.
Blues winger Rene Ranger will face a Sanzar tribunal for his dive on Bulls winger Bjorn Basson in the last minute of the game at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.