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Herewith the Super Rugby team sheets for the 2 finalists of Super Rugby 2011.
I was reading the team of the week selection by Planet rugby the other day and it made me wonder what the depth was in each of the three Tri Nations countries, and also which positions they have sufficient depth.
Reds (15) 30 / Blues (7) 13 (Final Score)
The Reds hosted the Blues at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia. This action packed match was brilliantly won by the Reds, scoring 4 tries to one in return by the Blues. The Reds will host the final at the same venue against the winner of the second semi final between the Stormers and the Crusaders in Cape Town. Quade Cooper kicked poorly but his ball in hand game was brilliant.
SANZAR have unveiled the new Super Rugby Rugby trophy that will be presented to the inaugural Super Rugby champions on 9 July 2011.
Herewith the Super Rugby team sheets for the 4 teams competing in the semi finals of Super Rugby 2011.
The Queensland Reds, aiming for their first professional Super Rugby title, are not perturbed they lack players accustomed to finals football or waving impressive trophies above their heads. As they prepare for Saturday night’s semi-final against the Auckland Blues in Brisbane, Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said it was not a big disadvantage that his players were foreign to finals football.
The last time the Reds appeared in a Super final was in 2001, when they were beaten by the Brumbies in the semi-final.
We had an article about the brave Crusaders – I want to salute another team – The Reds.
From “cellar dwellars” to topping the Super Rugby Log in 2011. They won the most games of all competing sides this year, 13 out of 16.
The Queensland Reds’ amazing rise is set to see them surpass the Brisbane Broncos as South-East Queensland’s biggest football club drawcards.
Blues (13) 26 / Waratahs (8) 13 (Final Score)
The Blues hosted the Waratahs at Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
This was the first of the two play-off matches to decide who will be in the semi-finals. No 4 on the Combined Log (Blues) at home against No 5 on the Combined Log (Waratahs.
The Blues were just more clinical, more hungry and it showed on the final score. It was a good game of rugby, considering it is about knockout rugby and not silky bonus point rugby.
Well done Blues.
Herewith the Super Rugby team sheets for the 4 teams competing in the play-off round this weekend.
SANZAR has confirmed that Bryce Lawrence, Chris Pollock, Jonathan Kaplan and Craig Joubert have been appointed to control the two Super Rugby Finals Series Qualifiers, the two Semi-Finals and the Final in the coming weeks.
HALFBACK Luke Burgess has likely played his final game for the Waratahs after breaking his hand at training yesterday, further disrupting an already chaotic build-up with several other injuries already depleting the NSW side for Friday’s elimination final in Auckland.
To mark the final World Cup-ometer, let’s take a look at the building blocks already laid down by the Tri Nations contenders over the regular rounds of the competition.
There will be further twists and turns over the coming weeks of finals football – and the opportunity to see how the players cope with the unique pressure of the knockout stages – but there has been ample evidence already presented to make a judgment of how the Wallabies, All Blacks and Springboks are shaping up.
Waratahs Captain Phil Waugh has announced that he will retire from professional Rugby at the end of 2011.
The Waratahs have named a 24-man squad for their Super Rugby Qualifier with the Blues on Friday at Eden Park in Auckland.
Reds prop James Slipper has been ruled out of the Reds Super Rugby Semi-final on the 2nd of July but could make the final if the Reds progress.
Super Rugby matches in the three-week playoffs which start this weekend will be decided by penalty shootouts if the teams remain deadlocked after extra time.
Not much is available on the Australian leg of the 1956 tour. McLean in his book “Battle for the rugby crown” devout a chapter to this part of the tour but writes very little about the actual matches apart from the table below which is a summary or record of matches played in Aussie. Continue reading
Following the completion of Round 18 of the Super Rugby regular season, the confirmed fixtures for the 2011 Super Rugby Finals Series Qualifiers are:
Date: Friday 24 June 2011
Teams: Blues (4th) vs Waratahs (5th)
Date: Saturday 25 June 2011
Teams: Crusaders (3rd – NZ Conference winners) vs Sharks (6th)
Waratahs (10) 41 / Brumbies (0) 7 (Final Score)
The Waratahs hosted the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium, Sydney at 11:40 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Waratahs were full value for their money as they dominated and demolished the Brumbies, getting a full haul of 5 Log points, now ahhead of both the Sharks and the Bulls, into 5th spot overall.
Chiefs (6) 11 / Reds (10) 19 (Final Score)
The Chiefs hosted the Reds at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 07:30 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Reds held on to win, but apart from a very good first 20 minutes did not impres, apart from keeping their defences up well. The Chiefs tried well but finishing let them down.
Rebels (6) 24 / Force (9) 27 (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels hosted the Western Force at AAMI Stadium, Melbourne at 11:40 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
In a dour match which only really came alight deep in the second half, the Western Force held on to win by 3 points.
Herewith ALL the Super Rugby team sheets as they were announced for week 18 of Super Rugby 2011.
The Rebels have announced that Rod Macqueen has agreed to extend his role with the club until the end of 2013 but he will be replaced as Head coach, by Damien Hill.
SANZAR has resolved travel challenges that have threatened to disrupt fixtures in the final Round of the Super Rugby regular season this weekend .
Peter Bills wrote an article in the New Zealand Herald warning (or is he looking for excuses) that the New Zealand S15 Franchises are bashing each other to a pulp just in time for the World Cup.
He writes: “The pace and physicality of the Super 15 since it began in February has to be increasingly draining these guys. For the best, and that means most of the All Blacks, it will go on for the rest of this month. The Super 15 final isn’t until July 9. And then comes … the Tri-Nations. If a side like the Crusaders reach the final, it could be they’ll have to play it in South Africa.
The Western Force has withdrawn from talks with James O’Connor’s management after further intensive negotiations failed to find common ground on contract length and remuneration.
The Force will consider taking a train to Melbourne for Friday’s Super Rugby clash with the Rebels if their flight to the Victorian capital is cancelled.
SANZAR have released the match officials for the 18th Round of the 2011 Super Rugby tournament with Jonathan Kaplan getting the big Bulls vs Sharks clash in SA.
An ankle injury will bring to an end Nathan Sharpe’s run of 53 consecutive games for the Western Force after club medical staff ruled him out for two weeks.
Melbourne Rebels coach Rod Macqueen will stand down after the club’s final Super Rugby match against the Western Force at AAMI Park this weekend.
Western Force (16) 21 / Reds (14) 24 (Final Score)
Waratahs (19) 33 / Highlanders (7) 7 (Final Score)
Brumbies (18) 32 / Rebels (3) 17 (Final Score)
The Brumbies hosted the Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 11:40 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
The Brumbies never looked like losing the match, although the Melbourne Rebels hit back with two late tries, making the score look more respectable than it actually was for them.
Herewith ALL the Super Rugby team sheets as they were announced for week 17 of Super Rugby 2011.
Sanzar CEO Greg Peters has admitted that “disparities between penalties” remain a concern as the first season of conference style Super Rugby moves into the home stretch.