European Rugby
After six months’ planning and three weeks’ training, coach Warren Gatland finally begins his British and Irish Lions adventure in earnest on Saturday with what should be a gentle opening match against the Barbarians to open the 125th anniversary tour.
French club Montpellier have snapped up the signatures of two top SA midfielders – Vodacom Bulls veteran Wynand Olivier and DHL Western Province centre JP Du Plessis among their acquisitions ahead of the new European season.
Heyneke Meyer feared he had ruined Tom Youngs’ career when he persuaded the Englishman to switch from centre to hooker. The Springbok coach can probably rest easy now.
The British and Irish Lions have arrived in Hong Kong ahead of a month-long tour of Australia where they will seek their first Test series victory in 16 years.
Stuart Lancaster may have unearthed a few sparkling young diamonds in the Twickenham turf as his new boys shone brightly during England’s 40-12 demolition of the Barbarians on Sunday.
Clermont scrumhalf Morgan Parra has been ruled out of France’s tour to New Zealand next month, the national side said on Sunday.
We are all well aware of the host of South African rugby players who are plying their trade outside of South Africa. For this article we venture into the land of make belief and choose a squad made up entirely of players with South African connections playing in the current season’s RaboDirect Pro12 competition. – The ‘Raboboks’
After 22 rounds and two play-off games, the 2012/13 Pro12 season wraps up on Saturday with the Final at the Royal Dublin Society. It is, appropriately, between first and second seeds, Ulster and Leinster.
The culmination of many English players’ dream is to play at Twickenham and both Leicester and Northampton will be hoping to put on a spectacle in the Premiership final at HQ on Saturday.
Brian O’Driscoll ended speculation about his future by signing a new one-year deal to play on for Ireland and Leinster, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) revealed on Thursday.
Saracens and former Springbok hooker Schalk Brits has been included in the Barbarians squad to face the British and Irish Lions.
Scotland international centre Joe Ansbro has announced his retirement from rugby today following the neck injury he sustained at the start of this season. The 11-times-capped London Irish back suffered a C1 fracture in his club’s pre-season friendly with Munster in Cork last August.
France coach Philippe Saint-Andre on Tuesday called up eight uncapped players for his 35-man squad to tour New Zealand tour next month.
Munster have announced that current squad captain Doug Howlett will retire from professional rugby at the end of this season.
England head coach Stuart Lancaster has named 11 uncapped players in his squad for this summer’s Barbarians game and three-match tour to Uruguay and Argentina.
Springbok and Bath loose forward Francois Louw is one of three South Africa players included in the Barbarians squad to take on England and the British and Irish Lions.
The other two South Africans included in the squad are Munster prop BJ Botha and London Wasps lock Marco Wentzel.
Edinburgh – Scotland have included nine uncapped players in a squad of 31 for next month’s quadrangular international tournament in South Africa.
Samoa have named a very strong squad – comprising just two locally based players – for their tour of South Africa next month.
South African hooker Gary Botha and Australian halfback Luke Burgess are to leave French Top 14 side Toulouse at the end of the season.
British and Irish Lions tour manager Andy Irvine has announced the squad of 37 players for the upcoming tour of Australia which starts at the beginning of June. The squad will be captained by Sam Warburton who was introduced to the media, gathered in London for the announcement, by head coach Warren Gatland.
The Irish Rugby Football Union have officially announced the appointment of Joe Schmidt as Ireland head coach.
A man who has steered his club to the most league titles in Celtic rugby has today been appointed to the position of Scotland forwards coach.
Jonathan Humphreys, the former Welsh hooker and captain, will join the Scotland management ahead of the quadrangular tournament with Samoa, South Africa and Italy in June. He will be on a two year contract.
Benetton Treviso are on course for their highest-ever RaboDirect PRO12 finish but head coach (former Springbok flyhalf) Franco Smith insists he is not concerned about the final table.
The RaboDirect PRO12 is in line to record its best ever attendances since the competition changed to a home and away format ten seasons ago.
World Cup-winning former Springbok coach has declined an offer to coach Ireland.
The International Rugby Board has named the match officials for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in June.
France (0) 23 / 16 (6) Scotland (Final Score)
France and Scotland did battle in Super Rugby at Stade de France, Paris at 22:00 SA Time (20:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & SHD 4 on TV in SA.
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Lions (28) 56 / 24 (14) Mont-de-Marsan (Final Score)
The MTN Lions and Mont-de-Marsan did battle in the Lions Challenge Series at Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 19:30 SA Time (17:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, & CSN on TV in SA.
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Three Six Nations games are played today but unfortunately the early Saturday games overlap with a Super Rugby game and a game in the Lions Challenge.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article for the early games and a seperate one for the late evening game… giving progress and scores from both Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
The Sharks Springbok brothers Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis are considering a move away from Super Rugby in France where they would play in the Top14.
England (12) 18 / 11 (3) Italy (Final Score)
England and Italy did battle in the Six Nations tournament at Twickenham, London at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Two Six Nations games are played today. Unfortunately the Saturday games overlap with two Super Rugby games.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article… giving progress and scores from both Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
Toulon second-row Bakkies Botha will face no further sanction after being cited for a shoulder charge last month.
Bulls and Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn has agreed to leave the Pretoria Super Rugby franchise and join Stade Francais.
Ireland have named a 32-man training squad for their Six Nations Championship match against France at the Aviva Stadium with Ronan O’Gara being left out of the group.