Injuries
New Zealand have called four players into their squad as cover for Saturday’s Rugby Championship return match against Australia after suffering a number of injuries in the Sydney opener at the weekend.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls will be without Jean Cook (broken thumb), Frik Kirsten (ankle) and most probably Callie Visagie for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup match against the MTN Golden Lions.
Blindside flank Liam Messam on Thursday withdrew from the All Black team to face Australia this weekend due to a hamstring strain, forcing coach Steve Hansen to draft in inexperienced Steven Luatua.
Messam pulled up sore at training, preventing him from featuring in the Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls had a late change to their team playing Griquas in an Absa Currie Cup match in Pretoria on Friday.
Prop Frik Kirsten has an ankle strain and will be rested for the clash at Loftus Versfeld. His place will be taken by Werner Kruger.
The Golden Lions were dealt a cruel blow with the news that talented midfielder Nicolaas “Stokkies” Hanekom will miss at least a month of Currie Cup action.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann confirmed on Tuesday that Hanekom will be sidelined for at least four weeks, maybe longer – with a shoulder injury and also a knee problem.
Flyhalf Dan Carter will miss New Zealand’s first two Rugby Championship Tests against Australia and could be sidelined for up to four weeks with a calf strain.
Crusaders centre Ryan Crotty was rushed into the All Blacks squad Sunday as injury cover less than a week from their opening Rugby Championship game against Australia in Sydney.
Former Scotland scrum-half and captain Rory Lawson is to retire from all rugby with immediate effect. Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), the 32-year-old son of former Scotland scrum-half and immediate SRU past president Alan Lawson, has been advised to retire on account of a chronic wrist injury.
Experienced hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau and lock Peter Kimlin are out of the Wallabies’ extended squad for the Rugby Championship because of injury and will miss the opener against New Zealand.
Glasgow Warriors scrum-half Niko Matawalu will miss the start of the season after the Fiji international broke a bone in his foot. The 24-year-old has damaged the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during training and has undergone surgery.
One of the guys who sit with us in the Press Box at Loftus, calls Deon Stegmann, “STEGMONSTER”, well Koos excuse me for using the same expression.
The Blue Bulls have received another blow with the news that flank Deon Stegmann will miss the 2013 Absa Currie Cup season.
New Zealand’s front row resources have been reduced ahead of the starts of the Rugby Championship.
Springbok scrumhalf Francois Hougaard will not play again this year and will undergo surgery next week.
Australia centre Anthony Faingaa has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2013 international rugby season due to left shoulder reconstruction surgery.
Kings Flyhalf and top points scorer, Demetri Catrakilis, will miss the second promotion relegation game against the Lions in Johannesburg after sustaining a shoulder injury.
Wallabies fullback Kurtley Beale has been ruled out for the year after being told by new coach Ewen McKenzie to have an operation on his shoulder and come back fit and healthy next year.
The Southern Kings suffered a crippling blow ahead of their Super Rugby promotion-relegation series against the Lions.
Wales and British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton will miss the next four month of rugby because of his left hamstring injury.
The Vodacom Bulls will be able to use Jan Serfontein, Francois Hougaard and Flip van der Merwe for their Vodacom Super Rugby semi-final in two weeks’ time.
All eyes may be on Vodacom Super Rugby at the moment, but the Blue Bulls’ Absa Currie Cup campaign was dealt a blow with the news that Junior Boks flyhalf Handre Pollard injured himself at practice on Tuesday.
With the Currie Cup set to start in five weeks’ time, Pollard hurt his AC joint and has been ruled out for between four to six weeks. The Bulls medical staff are hopeful that he will be ready in time for the start of the competition.
Pat Lambie is the Sharks’ only injury concern heading into their clash with the Kings in Durban this week after he picked up an injury in the clash with the Bulls.
The versitile back picked up a back injury in their one-point loss against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday and Sharks coach Grant Bashford is worried that he will not be available for the clash with the Kings.
Die Vodacom Bulls gaan die volgende twee weke van die Vodacom Super Rugby-toernooi sonder Jan Serfontein moet klaarkom. Die senter het ‘n kniebesering in die Bulls se 20-19 sege oor die Sharks opgedoen en volgens spandokter Org Strauss gaan hy minstens twee weke buite aksie wees.
Two of the Cheetahs’ key players face late fitness tests ahead of the team’s decisive Super Rugby encounter with the Blues in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The Cheetahs, who have a bye in the final round of league action next week, must beat the Blues to guarantee themselves a first-ever appearance in the Super Rugby play-offs.
British and Irish Lions tour manager Andy Irvine says that he still has hope that three key injured players will be available for the deciding Test against the Wallabies.
While Irvine is positive about the Lions hopes he admits that the loss of captain Sam Warburton is a “serious blow” to the team.
It’s been a dramatic weekend in Super Rugby with a number of players being cited, banned, injured and more.
Where does one start…
Ma’a Nonu of the Highlanders has been banned for 3 weeks for a Red Card tackle on Crusaders Tom Marshall, and is therefore out of the rest of Super Rugby in 2013. Jarrad Hoeata also of the Highlanders received a 1-week ban following 3 Yellow Cards.
Stormers and Springbok loose forward, Siya Koilisi is out injured for 6 weeks with torn ankle ligaments. Louis Fouché of the Bulls has injured knee ligaments requiring surgery and will be out for 6 months. The Blues have received a double hit with Chris Noakes and Piri Weepu out injured.
At the Cheetahs, Coenie Oosthuizen and Elgar Watts were casualties from the disasterous Cheetahs game against the Stormers and the Cheetahs will be sweating this week on their readyness to face the Blues on the coming weekend.
Meanwhile it is reported that the Stormers heavy guns who missed out on the past weekend’s game, Jean de Villiers, Rynhardt Elstadt and PatCilliers will be ready and available on the weekend for the Stormers.
The 24-year-old Wales flanker has what the Lions have described as “a significant tear” in his left hamstring
The Southern Kings will be without captain Luke Watson for the remainder of their Super Rugby campaign, following an injury to his ankle.
Vodacom Bulls captain Pierre Spies will be out for the rest of the 2013 rugby season after tearing a bicep muscle on Saturday while playing for the Springboks against Samoa in the Castle Lager Incoming Series.
Vodacom Bulls players Pierre Spies, Jano Vermaak and Francois Hougaard are all injured and in danger of not playing in Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Southern Kings at Loftus Versfeld.
The Wallabies suffered a triple blow ahead of the crucial second Test against the British and Irish Lions in Melbourne on Saturday.
Inside centre Pat McCabe and wing Digby Ioane have been ruled out of any further participation in the Test series.
Fullback Berrick Barnes is out of the second Test, but may still feature in the third and final international.
Veteran lock Paul O’Connell has been ruled out of the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia with a broken arm.
Reds and Wallabies winger Digby Ioane says that he is fit to play in the first Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday even though he had surgery four weeks ago.
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers is in doubt for Saturday’s final match of the Incoming Series against Samoa at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
De Villiers injured his right sterno-clavicular joint and second rib early in last weekend’s victory over Scotland in Nelspruit.
Ace All Black flyhalf Dan Carter has been cleared to play in next week’s third Test against France, while Les Bleus have lost two key players.
Springbok loose forward Arno Botha has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2013 season after rupturing ligaments in his knee during the Castle Lager Incoming Series victory over Scotland in Nelspruit on Saturday.