New Zealand Rugby
Following last week’s announcement of the new Super Rugby format set to commence in 2016, SANZAR has started its global search for an 18th team.
Then expression of interest (EOI) pack was forwarded to known interested parties on Monday in what signifies the beginning of an exciting chapter that will find the new franchise to join the Kings and a team based in Argentina in the 2016 competition.
The new format is an evolution of the conference structure that was introduced in 2011, allowing for adaptation and expansion to deliver Super Rugby to new markets, fans and audiences as the world’s premier provincial competition.
Reds prop James Slipper and Highlanders hooker Brayden Mitchell were both handed three-week bans for spear tackles at the weekend.
Former All Black stalwart Mils Muliaina has signed for Connacht for next season, the Irish province announced on Monday.
The 33-year-old fullback, capped 100 times by New Zealand, has signed a one-year contract with the Irish club to become the first ever All Black to play with Connacht.
The Blues have suffered a double blow in their midfield as both Francis Saili and Jackson Willison have been sidelined for extended periods of time.
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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Waratahs (24) 39 / 30 (24) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at
Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 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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Chiefs (19) 38 / 8 (3) Lions (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Lions did battle in Super Rugby 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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Crusaders (22) 40 / 20 (6) Brumbies (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at
AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 06:35 SA Time (16:35 NZ Time, 14:35 AEST, 04:35 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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Blues (20) 44 / 14 (0) Reds (Final Score)
The Blues and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 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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With the announcement of the re-shaping of the Super Rugby, the competition looks likely to expand outside the Southern Hemisphere and could potentially lay the groundwork for a global competition.
The new format already includes a team from Argentina, but there is also talk of including a team from Asia, Europe or even North America in a bid to expand the competition globally.
The reaction from the South African camp is seemingly positive with South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux saying the evolution of the competition ‘ticks all the boxes.’
It is Round 12 of Super Rugby 2014 this weekend! We have 7 games in Round 12, with 2 games on Friday and 5 games on Saturday.
The Western Force have a bye weekend.
In June / July 2014 the Antipodian teams will catch up in played games with the South African counterparts, when the South African sides sit out for 1 Round.
The Combined Log will therefore be skewed for the majority of the competition and one has to question why individual countries are allowed to start such a long competition ahead of it’s rivals. In 2013 the Australian sides started a week early, but at least they had the excuse that they needed an extra week in the middle of the year to prepare for the British & Irish Lions series, which they lost.
Two players are set to clock up 50 matches for the Hurricanes when the team takes on the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.
James Broadhurst and Julian Savea will achieve the milestone when they both run on in the Hurricanes’ starting line-up in this Round 12 Super Rugby encounter.
All Black captain Richie McCaw will make his long-awaited return to the playing field against the Brumbies in Christchurch on Saturday.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder named a team that shows five changes to the starting fifteen that beat the Chiefs two weeks ago.
McCaw has recovered from his fractured thumb to return to the starting line-up.
The Chiefs made 14 changes (9 to the starting 15) to their team to play the Lions at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday.
Former All Blacks prop Greg Feek is to join Ireland’s backroom staff as scrum-coach on a two-year deal from the start of next season, the Irish Rugby Football Union announced on Thursday.
London Irish have signed flyhalf Chris Noakes from Super Rugby franchise, the Blues, on a two-year contract, the English Premiership side announced Thursday.
The 28-year-old, who has also appeared for the Highlanders, is eligible to play for England.
Super Rugby is poised to move forward with a four-conference model in 2016 – with two based in South Africa.
Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver has revealed the announcement of an expanded and restructured model to take to broadcasters is only a fortnight away.
SANZAR has released the names of the Match Officials for Round 12 of Super Rugby 2014.
Nick Briant starts the weekend action on Friday in Auckland when the Blues host the Reds.
This weekend sees 7 matches, with 2 on Friday and 5 on Saturday.
The Western Force have a BYE weekend, ahead of their tour of South Africa.
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.
Gareth Anscombe has become hot property recently with coaches from Wales and New Zealand hinting that they would like to secure the play-makers signature.
Anscombe, who is currently contracted to the Chiefs for Super Rugby – but only until the end of the season – is on the Blues, Cardiff Blues, New Zealand and Wales international team’s wish list.
The Brumbies will be crowned 2014 Vodacom Super Rugby champions – if bookmakers are to be believed…
The Brumbies, currently atop the Australian Conference and in second place in the Overall standings, have been installed as 33/10 favourites to add to their titles from 2001 and 2004, by SA bookies BetXchange.
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.
Blues captain Luke Braid suffered a shoulder injury during Friday’s match against the Waratahs and is likely to miss this Friday’s game against the Reds.
Brendon O’Connor will be first in line to replace Braid on the openside flank if the skipper doesn’t recover.
After a rocky start to the Super Rugby season, the stars are aligning for Todd Blackadder’s Crusaders with Richie McCaw set to return from a long injury layoff and help drive the side toward the playoffs.
The All Black skipper has been sidelined with a broken thumb for the past two months but may ease back into the action off the bench against the high-flying Brumbies in Christchurch on Saturday.
Hurricanes (10) 35 / 21 (14) Reds (Final Score)
The Hurricanes and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at
Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 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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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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Brumbies (13) 41 / 23 (6) Chiefs (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at
GIO Stadium, Canberra at 09:40 SA Time (17:40 AEST, 19:40 NZ Time, 07:40 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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Blues (8) 21 / 13 (3) Waratahs (Final Score)
The Blues and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 07:35 SA Time (17:35 NZ Time, 15:35 AEST, 05:35 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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It is Round 11 of Super Rugby 2014 this weekend! We have 6 games in Round 11, with 3 games on Friday and 3 games on Saturday.
The Crusaders, Lions & Melbourne Rebels have bye weekends.
In June / July 2014 the Antipodian teams will catch up in played games with the South African counterparts, when the South African sides sit out for 1 Round.
The Combined Log will therefore be skewed for the majority of the competition and one has to question why individual countries are allowed to start such a long competition ahead of it’s rivals. In 2013 the Australian sides started a week early, but at least they had the excuse that they needed an extra week in the middle of the year to prepare for the British & Irish Lions series, which they lost.
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.
The Hurricanes and the Reds will have the Anzac legacy at the forefront of their minds when they take the field this weekend.
Hurricanes captain Conrad Smith will lead his team out wearing a limited edition, poppy-embroidered jersey, which will be auctioned off to raise funds for the Returned Services Association.
Smith said playing the match on Anzac weekend was a huge honour and he was proud to represent the Hurricanes club on such an important day.
Blues flyhalf Simon Hickey will captain New Zealand at the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship to be held in New Zealand in June.
Hickey, who has played six Super Rugby games for the Blues, scoring 78 points, returns having played in last year’s JWC in France.
A number of promising, young Super Rugby players have opted to leave New Zealand for bigger money deals abroad.
According to the Radio New Zealand website, Hurricanes fullback Andre Taylor has signed a two-year deal with Japanese club, Kintetsu Liners.
He joins team-mates Jarrad Hoeata (lock) and flank Jack Lam, Blues prop Tom McCartney and Chiefs centre Bundee Aki in recently accepting big overseas offers, while former All Black flank Tanerau Latimer is reportedly also heading to Japan next year.
Heinrich Brüssow is not just hype, he is the ultimate openside flank.
The 27-year-old Cheetahs star, who played the last of his 20 Tests in the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal, returned to Super Rugby for the Cheetahs against the Sharks last week after missing the first half of the season with a fractured toe – suffered while playing for his Japanese club.
And while the Cheetahs lost 8-19, the influence and value of Brüssow was there for all to see.
New Zealand Rugby and the Blues have agreed and confirmed the terms of Benji Marshall’s release from his Super Rugby contract.
Following Friday night’s match against the Hurricanes, Blues head coach Sir John Kirwan and Benji Marshall had some frank and honest discussions and mutually agreed the best path forward was for Marshall to return to rugby league.