Crusaders
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 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.
The Crusaders kicked off their Super Rugby pre-season warm ups with a 28 / 15 victory over the Highlanders in Motueka.
The Crusaders played an internal match last week against a development team so this is their first match against another team.
The Highlanders, Crusaders and Blues have named their squads for this weekend’s warm-up games in preparation for Super Rugby 2014.
The Highlanders have added Clarke Dermody to boost their prop stocks.
The Crusaders coach, Todd Blackadder, has named a new-look 30-=man squad to face the Highlanders on the weekend, including some players who have never played Super Rugby.
Sir John Kirwan has named his squad to face the Waratahs, once again Benji Marshall gets the nod at flyhalf.
Crusaders’ coach Todd Blackadder gave his team a pass mark after their internal Super Rugby warm up against a development team at Rugby Park on Saturday.
The Crusaders played their Knights’ development team in game made up of three 20-minute intervals and won the match 67-5.
KFC today announced its sponsorship of the five New Zealand Super Rugby teams in this year’s Investec Super Rugby competition, which kicks off on 15 February.
All Black captain Richie McCaw may be moved around by the Crusaders this season, according to coach Todd Blackadder.
It appears Matt Todd is the preferred choice at No 7 for the Crusaders and when he returns from a chest injury next month, McCaw may well be wearing another number on his back.
Super Rugby teams will step up their preparations for the upcoming season and shake off some rust in pre-season friendlies in the coming weeks.
Preparing for the gruelling Super Rugby tournament, which gets underway on 15 February and culminates on 2 August, is not an exact science.
All Black and Crusaders wing Zac Guildford has reportedly signed a deal with French Top 14 club Clermont Auvergne.
All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter will have surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle, which is a separate issue from his Achilles injury.
Crusaders Chairman Murray Ellis has announced that the Canterbury franchise achieved a break-even result for the 2013 financial year.
The five New Zealand Super Rugby franchises have named their squads for the 2014 Super Rugby season including their Wider Training Groups.
South Africa will be kicking off the the 2014 Super Rugby season with 4 of their 5 teams playing in the first weekend.
The Toyota Cheetahs will be hosting MTN Lions on Saturday 15 February at 17:05 whilst The Sharks will host the Vodacom Bulls at 19:10. The Stormers find themselves with a bye in the first week.
Hurricanes midfielder Rey Lee-Lo will be moving south to join the Crusaders on a two-year deal next season.
All Blacks and Hurricanes winger Julian Savea has revealed that the Crusaders are trying to sign him for the 2014 Super Rugby season.
Following the results of the Super Rugby semi-finals of 2013 the Super Rugby Franchises are already starting to make their plans and get their structures in place for 2014.
Fresh news is that the Crusaders have extended coach Todd Blackadder’s contract till end of 2014, the Waratahs report that they have secured the services of Dave Dennis and Rob Horne and Kyle Godwin has cleanes up the awards for the year for the Western Force.
Chiefs (3) 20 / 19 (9) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Crusaders did battle in a Super Rugby semi-final at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 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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Here are the Super Rugby team sheets for the teams contesting the Semi-Final Round of Super Rugby 2013, as they were announded.
Both the Chiefs and Crusaders have announced their teams nd squads to contest the Semi-Final at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time) on Saturday 27 July 2013.
Here are the names of the gladiators who will go to war on Saturday:
It was impossible not to admire the clinical way Todd Blackadder’s Crusaders destroyed the Reds in their Super Rugby showdown over the weekend.
SANZAR has announced the names of the match officials for the 2 games in the Semi-Final Round of Super Rugby 2013. The 2 games are both played on Saturday 27 July 2013.
The Chiefs will host the Crusaders in Hamilton with Steve Walsh in charge of that match and the Bulls will host the Brumbies with Craig Joubert taking charge.
The Toyota Cheetahs’ fairytale season came to an agonising end as they lost their maiden Vodacom Super Rugby play-off match against the Brumbies in Canberra Stadium on Sunday morning (SA time).
Despite being outscored by two tries to nil, the Brumbies’ nail-biting 15-13 victory in the second Qualifier in Australia’s capital means they now have to travel to Pretoria to take on the Vodacom Bulls in one of the two semi-finals, on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.
Crusaders (21) 38 / 9 (6) Reds (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 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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Here are the Super Rugby team sheets for teams 3 to 6 on the Combined Super Rugby Log, who have to compete in the Play Off weekend of Super Rugby 2013, as they were announded.
Richie McCaw’s likely return to Super Rugby via the Crusaders bench adds spice to Saturday’s playoffs opener with the Reds, a match offering a sneak preview of Australia’s looming Rugby Championship date with New Zealand.
The World Cup-winning captain made a low-key return to rugby on Saturday after a long sabbatical, playing a full match for Christchurch in a regional club competition.
Following the completion of the regular season in Super Rugby the top 6 teams have been determined and the 4 teams that will play in the qualifiers next weekend.
By finishing the season as the competition’s two highest-ranked conference winners, the Chiefs (66 points, 12 wins) and the Bulls (63 points, 12 wins) have earned the week off and progress straight to the Super Rugby Semi Finals where they await the winners of the qualifying matches.
The match officials for the 2 games have also been decided.
Crusaders (13) 25 / 17 (5) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 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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Defending Super Rugby champions, the Chiefs, have signed Crusaders utility back Tom Marshall for two years.
Crusaders (19) 43 / 15 (8) Chiefs (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 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 and the Crusaders have both named their sides to face each other in the vital New zealand derby clash between the 2 sides on Friday.
The Vodacom Bulls secured first place in the South African Conference and booked their place in the Vodacom Super Rugby Finals Series with an emphatic win over the Southern Kings at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
At the same time, The Sharks and the DHL Stormers kept alive their slim mathematical chances of reaching the playoffs when they beat the Blues and the Toyota Cheetahs respectively.
Highlanders (7) 12 / 40 (13) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 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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Resting All Black captain Richie McCaw has returned to the side for the first Rugby Championship Test against Australia in August, but not necessarily as openside flank.
World Cup winning captain Richie McCaw will return to rugby in early-to-mid July by playing for his local club in Christchurch, though was unsure as to whether he would play Super Rugby for the Canterbury Crusaders.
Crusaders (10) 23 / 22 (15) Waratahs (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 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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