Mike Blair will resume the Scotland captaincy when they bid for a first Test win against New Zealand after being restored to the side by coach Andy Robinson.
France coach Marc Lievremont has named Brive centre Fabrice Estebanez and Perpignan prop Jerome Schuster in his experimental team to face Fiji at Nantes on Saturday.
Now that I have the attention of every backline player, let’s talk scrumming!! Continue reading
The Springbok Team for the game against Wales has been announced.
Geordan Murphy will captain Leicester Tigers in their clash with Australia at Welford Road on Tuesday night at 7.30pm (21:30 SA Time).
Jean de Villiers continued to be nursed as the Springboks began the buildup to Saturday’s test against Wales in Cardiff on Monday, but the chances are good that the most experienced centre in the squad will take his place at the Millennium Stadium.
Relief was clearly etched into the face of Peter de Villiers on Saturday night after his team had hung on to beat Ireland 23-21.
Why is the Wallabies’ scrum at best very average compared to most top rugby nations, and at worst ineffective and a barrier to winning the 2011 World Cup?
“Pienaar gets my man of the match award. His kicking game was outstanding and he adapted well to the conditions,” analyst Skinstad told pay channel SuperSport after South Africa ended a run of losses in Dublin.
Another former Springbok, right wing Ashwin Willemse, backed Skinstad and added that the entire South Africa pack, led by stand-in skipper Victor Matfield, was a close second behind Pienaar. Continue reading
South Africa: 317/5 (50.0 ov) Pakistan: 260 all out
SA wins by 57 runs and wins the series! 3/2
Wales have called up London Wasps and British and Irish Lions back row forward Andy Powell to the squad preparing to face South Africa in the second of Wales Autumn Internationals.
All Black Hooker, Keven Mealamu, has been cited for a headbutt on an England player and could be ruled out of the rest of New Zealand’s end of year tour.
Thought you guys may find this interesting, this is the team selected by the Sydney Morning Herald for the six teams who competet this past weekend. Continue reading
The Wallabies have had a tendency in recent years to struggle against Wales. A success rate of only 50% against the 9th ranked team in the world is without a doubt a bit of an embarrassment for the Aussies. Continue reading
The Springboks won – just – with a convincing performance by the forwards pack but the dangers and limitations of our old school style was again ominous.
In fairness, the way the pack dominated we should have won this match by at least 17 points, but lack of structure when we play the ball wide /down the line culminated in a comedy of errors and some frustrating decisions by the referee which almost cost us the match.
Ireland (6) 21 / Springboks (13) 23 (Final Score)
Ireland hosted the Springboks at Aviva Stadium, Landsdowne Road, Dublin at 19:30 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 and M-Net on TV in SA.
The Springboks forwards were monsterous and they dominated the first half and most of the set pieces.
The Irish came back strongly in the last 20 minutes and a comedy off errors by Sppringbok players nearly made the Irish comeback complete.
Well done to the Springboks though, a win I did not foresee!
3 / 0 for the Southern Hemisphere on the day.
England (3) 16 / All Blacks (17) 26 (Final score)
England hosted the All Blacks at Twickenham, London at 16:30 SA Time on Saturday 6 November 2010. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The Match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
In a hard match, and not all going the All Black way, they toughed out a win with England giving it their all in the last 10 minutes and the All Blacks under immense pressure.
The All Blacks scored 2 tries against 1.
Final score All Blacks 26 / 16.
Wales (6) 16 / Wallabies (7) 25 (Final Score)
Wales hosted the Wallabies at the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff at 16:30 SA Time on Saturday 6 November 2010. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 6 and CSN on TV in SA.
The Wallabies scored 3 tries and won the match by 25 / 16.
Ireland hosts the Springboks at Aviva Stadium, Landsdowne Road, Dublin at 19:30 SA Time.
What is in stock for the embattled Springboks, from the lands up North?
England host the All Blacks at Twickenham, London at 16:30 SA Time on Saturday 6 November 2010.
We look at how this match will unfold.
Wales host the Wallabies at the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff at 16:30 SA Time on Saturday 6 November 2010.
We look at the match ups and how the game might unfold.
South Africa received a boost on Friday ahead of their Grand Slam tour opener against Ireland when Jean de Villiers was passed fit to take his place in the world champions’ midfield.
Springbok captain Victor Matfield, speaking to reporters at Lansdowne Road on Friday, said the 63-time capped former Munster centre had “pulled through” following a groin problem and would start on Saturday. Kick-off is at 19:30 SA time.
Springbok centre Jean de Villiers has been cleared to win his 64th cap for South Africa on Saturday after passing a late fitness test in Dublin on Friday morning.
He takes his place in the centre alongside Zane Kirchner for the first test of the Springboks’ four-Test tour of Britain and Ireland and will go up against the formidable Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’ Driscoll.
Saracens Boss Brendan Venter has been found guilty of misconduct and been slapped with with a fine for criticizing the body that runs the Heineken Cup, the tournament, the match officials and rugby.
OK, now that we all have been very negative and taken out the canes to castigate Peter de Villiers from every angle, let’s look at the realities.
In effect there is ONLY ONE real controvertial selection, playing Zane Kirchner at Outside Center (No 13).
What would you have done given the injury situation?
Early action Today. ITM Cup final from New Zealand at 08:20 – 10:45.
ITM Cup: Final – Canterbury v Waikato shown on Supersport 6 on DSTV in SA.
Dalene Steyn, wife of former Blue Bulls fullback and Pumas captain Casper Steyn, says her husband has regained consciousness.
Continue reading
Deon Stegmann will make his Test debut in a much-changed Springbok line-up against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. Uncapped Sharks utility back Patrick Lambie could also make his debut if Jean de Villiers fails a late fitness test. The bench will also include two uncapped players.
Australia kept faith with the side that beat New Zealand last weekend for Saturday’s test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Martyn Williams, Wales’s most-capped forward of all-time, has been left among the replacements for the team’s November series opener against Australia at the Millennium Stadium here on Saturday.
Deon Stegmann will make his Test debut in a much-changed Springbok line-up against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
South Africa’s Springboks will be sweating on the fitness of back Jean de Villiers and forward Willem Alberts when they arrive two days ahead of their clash with Ireland.
The Springboks have been hit hard with injuries to their centres for this tour and now De Villiers threatens to make matters worse.
The All Blacks have named rugby league convert Sonny Bill Williams to make his Test debut against England at Twickenham on Saturday.
Williams was one of four changes from the side beaten by Australia in Hong Kong last weekend, and will form a physically imposing partnership with Ma No’nu at centre.
The EOYT is about to kick off, I have taken the stats for the Autumn Internationals in Europe and though it would be interesting as a reference point to start off. If you look at this as the benchmark of what statistics tell you, and then add to that the relative form of each team taking injuries into consideration, this may be a basis to work from in predicting the outcome of the Autumn Internationals. Continue reading
The International Rugby Board is pleased with the outcome of their increased emphasis on certain aspects of law application – the tackle and offside at kicks in particular.