Highlanders
Reds prop James Slipper and Highlanders hooker Brayden Mitchell were both handed three-week bans for spear tackles at the weekend.
Stormers (19) 29 / 28 (14) Highlanders (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
Newlands, Cape Town at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT, 01:00 Sunday NZ 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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The Toyota Cheetahs delivered their best performance of the Vodacom Super Rugby season when they won comfortably against the DHL Stormers in an exciting local derby, but the Vodacom Bulls and Cell C Sharks were kept try-less as they ended up on the losing side in Round 11.
The team from Central South Africa and the Capetonians were involved in an thrilling derby where the most tries were scored this season. The Toyota Cheetahs won this encounter in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon by 35-22, outscoring the visitors by five tries to three.
It was the most tries scored against the DHL Stormers in a local derby since the Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls put five and seven respectively past them in 2007.
Earlier on Saturday, the Vodacom Bulls had to battle the elements and Sias Ebersohn’s boot in Perth. The Force beat the visitors from Pretoria by 15-9 in a kick-fest where no tries were scored.
The Highlanders will be without two key players in their Super Rugby clash against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.
Patrick Osborne and prop Craig Millar were injured in their 34-18 win over the Sharks in Durban last Friday and will return home to New Zealand.
The Sharks were outplayed and outsmarted by the Highlanders on their way to a shock Super Rugby defeat in Durban on Friday night, director of rugby Jake White said after the game.
“We weren’t at our best and they played really well against us – take nothing away from this performance by the Highlanders,” White said.
“Sometimes when we needed to kick we ran, and sometimes when we needed to run we kicked.”
Sharks (12) 18 / 34 (24) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, 05:10 Saturday NZ 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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Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has made three changes to his team to face the Sharks at Growthpoint KINGS PARK Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
Joseph has made just two personnel and one positional change to team which beat the Bulls a fortnight ago as they kick of their South African tour.
Highlanders flank TJ Ioane has been ruled out of his team’s two-match tour of South Africa due to a calf strain.
The explosive loose forward has been sidelined for the two home wins against the Rebels and Bulls, and has since been ruled out of their South African trip which features clashes against the Stormers and Sharks.
Legendary All Black Brad Thorn’s ageing body has broken down for a second time this season, a bicep injury ruling him out or the remainder of the Super Rugby competition.
It was revealed that the 39-year-old lock forward tore his bicep in the Highlanders’ 27-20 win over the Bulls in Dunedin at the weekend.
The men from Pretoria, the Vodacom Bulls, started strong and seemed in control of proceedings against the Highlanders. With lock Victor Matfield leading from the front, they were comfortably winning their lineouts and also won key scrum battles more often than not. (Photo of the man sorely missed on the left – Deon Stegmann)
Highlanders (13) 27 / 20 (13) Bulls (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time (07:35 GMT, 19:35 NZ 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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There will be a 39-year-old facing off against a 36-year-old in Dunedin on Friday.
No, it is not in an old-crocks club game, but a high-charged Super Rugby encounter – when two of the most respected locks, both World Cup winners, go head-to-head.
It was a disappointing weekend for South Africa’s Vodacom Super Rugby franchises, with the best result among the four teams that took to the field being a 43-43 draw by the Toyota Cheetahs.
The Vodacom Bulls faced the Hurricanes in Napier on Saturday in their first tour game with the hope of becoming the first domestic franchise to win in the Antipodes this season, but penalties conceded at crucial times allowed the hosts to come away with a 25-20 victory.
The Toyota Cheetahs, meanwhile, built up an encouraging 34-10 half-time lead against New Zealand conference leaders and defending champions, the Chiefs, in Bloemfontein, but they allowed the visitors to fight back strongly after the break and had to settle for a 43-43 draw.
At Ellis Park, the Lions produced a competitive first-half performance against the Crusaders to trail only 6-0 after 40 minutes, but the home side battled to shut out the seven time Vodacom Super Rugby champions in the second half, and went down 28-7.
In the last match of the weekend, the DHL Stormers’ woes continued in their first home game after their Australasian tour, as they suffered their fifth back-to-back defeat after going down 22-11 against the Waratahs in a physical encounter at DHL Newlands.
Highlanders wing Kurt Baker has been handed the biggest ban of the Super Rugby season – a six-week suspension for a spear tackle.
Baker was slapped with the suspension for his tackle on Rebels scrumhalf Nick Stirzaker during the Highlanders’ 33-30 win on Dunedin last Friday.
The Vodacom Bulls will limp into Queenstown on Monday to nurse their wounds and get themselves up and ready for Saturday’s second tour challenge against the Highlanders in Dunedin.
The Bulls have chosen the holiday resort for a few days before heading to Dunedin on Thursday, and it couldn’t come at a better time as they lost both Dewald Potgieter (torn bicep) and Deon Stegmann (torn groin muscle) on Saturday.
Kurt Baker of the Highlanders has been cited by SANZAR for alleged foul play during their Super Rugby match against the Melbourne Rebels on Friday.
Highlanders (20) 33 / 30 (13) Rebels (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT, 17:35 AEST).
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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Jamie Joseph has named his Highlanders side to take on the Rebels this Friday night at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
Shaun Treeby comes in at the expense of Phil Burleigh who sits out the match due to injury.
Highlanders loosehead prop Kane Hames has been cited for alleged foul play in the defeat to the Blues in Auckland on Saturday.
Hames is alleged to have contravened Law 10.4 (h) Dangerous charging when he made contact with Blues’ player Hayden Triggs in the 59th minute of their clash at Eden Park.
Blues (17) 30 / 12 (9) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Blues and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 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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Highlanders head coach Jamie Joseph has named his team to play the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday with minimal changes to the one that beat the Hurricanes.
The Lions and Vodacom Bulls flew the South African flag in Vodacom Super Rugby this weekend when they scored come-from-behind home victories on Saturday.
The side from Johannesburg scored two late tries to deny the Reds by 23-20 after they were still behind by 20-3 shortly before the break at Ellis Park.
In the process, Lions flyhalf and kicking ace Marnitz Boshoff became the first player this season to reach 100 points when he kicked his second penalty goal in the 40th minute of the match.
In the final match of the weekend, the Cell C Sharks lost their first encounter of 2014 when they went down 23-19 to a determined Vodacom Bulls side at Loftus Versfeld.
Highlanders (9) 35 / 31 (9) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 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 return of uncompromising All Black lock Brad Thorn has boosted the Highlanders ahead of their Super Rugby clash with the Hurricanes in Dunedin.
Thorn is back from a rib injury to start at lock in place of fellow All Black Jarrad Hoeata.
Highlanders (16) 29 / 31 (21) Force (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 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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Highlanders’ wing Buxton Popoali’i has announced his retirement from all rugby.
The popular Highlanders and Otago wing has recently undergone heart surgery to fix a heart valve.
The Blues and Highlanders of New Zealand have named their teams for this weekend’s Super Rugby clashes.
The Blues play against the Lions in Johannesburg.
The Highlanders play the Western Force in Dunedin.
The Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and Reds have announced their Super Rugby teams for this weekend’s clashes.
The Western Force play the Highlanders in Dunedin.
The Melbourne Rebels play the Crusaders in Melbourne.
The Reds play the Cell C Sharks in Durban.
Former All Black Brad Thorn has a chance of returning to Super Rugby this weekend and playing for the Highlanders against the Western Force.
The thirty-nine-year-old damaged some cartilage playing for the Highlanders in their season opening match against the Blues.
I find this rare. It is usually the Bulls supporters looking for suitable Jacaranda trees to hang the coaches. The Stormers have their way to show displeasure in their team. But for New Zealand coaches to be under early pressure is something rare.
Australian teams played 13 game and won 8 off them , New Zealand team played 13 won 5 and South African teams played 18 games thus far winning 9 off them. This number could have been worse for New Zealand if the Stormers were able to defend their small margin.
Chiefs (7) 21 / 19 (16) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 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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Highlanders head coach Jamie Joseph has named his team to play the Chiefs at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday night.
With Brad Thorn unavailable due to a rib injury, Jarrad Hoeata moves into tighthead lock and Joe Wheeler (returning from a compound fracture in his finger) starts at loosehead.
After a hard-fought triumph over the Crusaders in Round 2, the Chiefs have named a side to face the Highlanders in their first home game of the 2014 Super Rugby season.
The Chiefs coaches have been consistent in their process of giving players a start when depth prevails which will see Pauliasi Manu start at prop and Jamie Mackintosh move to the pine.
The Highlanders will be without their most experienced forward in Brad Thorn, who will miss three to four weeks with a rib injury.
Highlanders (24) 29 / 21(0) Blues (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 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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