New Zealand Rugby
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.
Rebels (9) 19 / 25 (12) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at
AAMI Park, Melbourne at 10:40 SA Time (19:40 Melbourne Time, 21:40 NZ Time, 08:40 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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Chiefs (17) 36 / 20 (6) Stormers (Final Score)
The Chiefs and DHL Stormers 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 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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It is Round 5 of Super Rugby 2014 this weekend! We have 7 games in Round 5, with 2 games on Friday and 5 games on Saturday.
The Vodacom Bulls have a bye weekend.
In June / July 2014 the Antipion 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.
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.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has named his team to play the Rebels with several players being retained from last week but wearing different numbers on their backs.
Blackadder has kept 19 of the 23 players that beat the Stormers 14-13 last weekend but moved several of them to new positions.
New Zealand flyhalf Dan Carter is hoping to bring an end to his sabbatical and make his Super Rugby return for the Crusaders in July.
The 32-year-old, the highest points scorer in test rugby, is hoping the six-month rest will help extend his international career through New Zealand’s defence of the World Cup in 2015.
The Chiefs have announced their team to play the Stormers at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Friday night, in what will be their last home game before heading off shore for three weeks. The match will mark inspirational Chiefs player Tanerau Latimer’s 100th Super Rugby match.
SANZAR has released the names of the officials for Round 5 of Super Rugby 2014. Craig Joubert starts the action this weekend in Hamilton when the Chiefs host the DHL Stormers.
This weekend has 7 games, with 2 games on Friday and 5 on Saturday.
The Vodacom Bulls have a bye weekend.
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.
Blues hooker Keven Mealamu has been forced to return home early from South Africa with a calf injury that is likely to cause Steve Hansen some concern as the All Blacks coach finalises his planning for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The veteran forward has battled calf injuries for the last three seasons and sustained another strain to his left leg ahead of the Super Rugby match against the Bulls in Pretoria last week.
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.
The Vodacom Bulls delivered their best performance of the season as the Cell C Sharks kept their grip on the top of the Vodacom Super Rugby table.
The three-time champions from Pretoria scored four tries to one in their impressive victory over the Blues at Loftus Versfeld – their first try-scoring bonus-point of 2014 in a 38-22 win.
The Cell C Sharks’ score over the Lions was similar – 37-23 – and they also got a bonus-point for four tries which, as in the Vodacom Bulls’ case, was scored very late in the match.
The two South African teams currently touring Down Under both lost – the Toyota Cheetahs by 43-33 against the Reds in Brisbane, while the DHL Stormers put in a very spirited performance in Christchurch, but ultimately lost by 14-13 against the Crusaders – their 33rd successive home win over teams from the Republic.
Bulls (25) 38 / 22 (12) Blues (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, 04:05 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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Crusaders (3) 14 / 13 (3) Stormers (Final Score)
The Crusaders and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at
AMI Stadium, Christchurch 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 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Hurricanes (13) 21 / 29 (15) Brumbies (Final Score)
The Hurricanes and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at
Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT, 17:35 AEDT).
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 4 of Super Rugby 2014 this weekend! We have 6 games in Round 4, with 2 games on Friday and 4 games on Saturday.
The Chiefs, Highlanders and Waratahs have bye weekends..
In June / July 2014 the Antipion 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.
The Blues have named their team to play the Bulls on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld and have strengthened their front row with veterans Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock.
The All Black duo have been named in the starting team for the first time this season. After playing 30 minutes off the bench last week, the Blues and All Blacks centurions have been promoted to the starting XV and will form an all-All Black front row alongside Charlie Faumuina.
Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder has made 7 changes to the team that lost to the Blues in Auckland for this week’s Super Rugby match against the Stormers in Christchurch.
Wyatt Crockett will start at No 1 this week and Tim Perry moves to the bench. Luke Romano takes one of the starting lock positions alongside Sam Whitelock.
Singapore has emerged as the favourite Asian region to be included in an expanded 18 team Super Rugby tournament from 2016.
SANZAR are looking at proposals to expand Super Rugby after the current broadcast deal expires at the end of 2015.
A sixth South African team the Southern Kings has been promised and SANZAR are looking at ways to include Argentina.
The Hurricanes have made two changes to the team that lost to the Stormers for this week’s match against the Brumbies in Wellington.
Read this and see if you understand it. This was copied by me, nothing changed, no spelling corections made, from the Official SA Rugby Referee website.
The incident we have today must be the most bizarre in the whole of the time the TMO has been implemented to help referees get to the right decision.
SANZAR has released the names of the match officials for Round 4 of Super Rugby 2014. Craig Joubert starts the action this weekend in Wellington with the Hurricanes vs Brumbies match.
This weekend has 6 matches, with 2 on Friday and 4 on Saturday.
The Chiefs, Highlanders and Waratahs have bye weekends.
Simon Hickey is the latest star to emerge from New Zealand’s flyhalf factory and he will be unleashed on the Bulls and Lions in the next fortnight.
Hickey, who made his Super Rugby debut in the Blues’ 35-24 win over the Crusaders at the weekend, has been added to their 27-man squad for the two-match tour of South Africa.
The New Zealand Rugby Union will set up a dedicated integrity unit to combat corruption and doping in the sport, a senior official said on Sunday.
Neil Sorenson, NZRU general manager of professional rugby, said the governing body aimed to have the unit set up in six months, New Zealand Newswire reported.
The Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers returned to winning ways on a weekend of Vodacom Super Rugby where 6 from 7 home teams were victorious.
Ironically both the teams from Pretoria and Cape Town were outscored by 2 tries to 1 in their respective matches against the Lions and the Hurricanes, but won mainly because of pin-point goal-kicking accuracy.
On Friday evening the DHL Stormers snuck through by 19 / 18 against the Hurricanes at DHL Newlands, while the Vodacom Bulls beat the Lions by 25 / 17 in the first Gauteng-derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon.
It wasn’t a happy weekend for the Toyota Cheetahs though, as they lost their first tour match of the season by 35 / 14 to the Rebels in Melbourne.
The Cell C Sharks had a bye.
Richie McCaw faces up to eight weeks on the sidelines after breaking his thumb in the Crusaders’ defeat to the Blues at Eden Park on Friday.
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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Stormers (6) 19 / 18 (12) Hurricanes (Final Score)
DHL Stormers and the Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at
Newlands, Cape Town at Fiday 28 Feb 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, 06:10 Saturday 1 March 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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Blues (15) 35 / 24 (17) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Blues and Crusaders 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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Super Rugby is already in Round 3! We have 7 games in Round 3, with 3 games on Friday and 4 games on Saturday.
The Cell C Sharks have a bye weekend and of course Bye Points fall away in 2014.
In June / July 2014 the Antipion 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 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.
Looking back on Round 2 of Super Rugby 2014, the first full Round where all three participating nations took part in Super Rugby, it might be good to look at some key factors coming to light in the Round.
The official SANZAR website, www.sanzarrugby.com brings you the seven key statistics over the second round of the 2014 season.
Simon Hickey will make his Super Rugby debut when he starts at flyhalf for the Blues against the Crusaders at Eden Park on Friday.
The New Zealand Under-20 playmaker and Auckland player of the year is in the Blues Wider Training Group but has impressed head coach John Kirwan enough to believe he should be given an opportunity to guide the team ahead of Chris Noakes who struggled against the Highlanders last week and falls out of the match-day squad completely.