SA Rugby
Juan Smith has joined the Cheetahs and has taken part in the fitness sessions, but hasn’t taken any contact. Juan has been out since February 2011, so it is understandable that the coaches are taking a conservative approach. Apart from Smith, several of the Cheetahs frontline players will not feature in the warm-up match versus the Lions on Saturday.
A new high performance ‘think-tank’ of top rugby coaches has been established by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) to assist elite teams at all age levels of the game
Lions 51 (20) / (3) 13 Russia (Final Score)
The Lions and Russian Bears did battle in the first game of the MTN Lions Challenge at Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 19:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD4 & CSN on TV in SA.
The Lions proved to be too strong for a game Russia side who never stopped trying. The Lions ran in 5 tries, and were awarded a further 2 penalty tries on a cold and damp Highveld evening.. The Lions still have a way to go before any possible promotion / relegation games for Super Rugby 2014, but after a display like this to build on, coach Johan Ackermann will feel they have started on the right path.
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South African Under 20 coach, Dawie Theron, expressed his satisfaction on the performance of his national training squad in their friendly match against the University of the Western Cape in Stellenbosch on Friday.
The SA Under 20’s won the match 65-7 after a half-time lead of 31-0.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has named five debutants in the starting line-up to face the Russian Bears at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Lock Franco Mostert, flank Warwick Tecklenburg, flyhalf Lionel Cronje and centres Harold Vorster and Stokkies Hanekom will all make their first appearance for the Johannesburg side in the first match of the Lions Challenge series.
Springbok and Bulls flyhalf Morné Steyn says he has not received a formal offer from Top 14 club Stade Francais.
The Sharks have recruited former All Blacks flyhalf and Lions assistant coach Carlos Spencer as they prepare for the upcoming Super Rugby season.
Springbok utility back Gio Aplon believes the arrival of Elton Jantjies and Jaco Taute will give the star-studded Stormers backline a newfound attacking zest in this year’s Super Rugby tournament.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer’s priority will always be to pick local players first, but the South African Rugby Union may have conceded the fight to keep top Springboks in South Africa in the near future.
New Cheetahs prop Caylib Oosthuizen says the prospect of being coached by his childhood hero, Os du Randt, played a big role in his move to Bloemfontein.
As reported earlier, the gravely sick former WP and Stormers prop, has died of cancer.
SARU CEO Jurie Roux believes that club rugby is on the brink of a new era with the inaugural Community Cup set for kick-off next month.
Johan Goosen and Coenie Oosthuizen have given the Cheetahs a boost with news that the Springbok duo will be fit for the start of the Super Rugby season.
Schalk Burger has been confirmed by Stormers management as the Captain for 2013.
It seems as if the Bulls and Springbok flyhalf has made a deal to leave South Africa after Super Rugby to continue his career in France.
DISCUSSION: 
Doubts surrounding the availability of Tiaan Liebenberg and Scarra Ntubeni has forced the Stormers management to urgently search for a back-up to Deon Fourie for the start of the Super Rugby campaign.
Naka Drotske has reason to smile, as it is reported that Springboks Coenie Oosthuizen (back) and Johan Goosen (knee) are progressing well. Willie le Roux (groin), Phillip van der Walt (knee), Lappies Labuschagne (ankle) and Springbok Heinrich Brüssow (shoulder) are all on track for early participation in this years Super Rugby Competition.
Following on our series of articles about the player pedigrees, it was suggested we do the same for the coaching teams. To do the entire spectrum of a Super Rugby Coaching personnel would be too encompassing (the research was hard enough), so I am going to focus only on the people responsible for the main portfolios of Head, Backline, Forwards and Defence coaches.
We all have our predictions and gut feelings, this is what the International top betting sites have to say:
Bellville – Stormers Coach Alistair Coetzee has named a 36 man training squad for for next week’s pre-season camp in Hermanus.
Allister Coetzee
DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee wore a broad smile on his face after the second day of training at the squad’s High Performance Centre base in Bellville on Tuesday.
Schalk Burger looks to be the likely Stormers Captain this year despite Jean deVilliers being the current Springbok Captain.
First match: 15 May 1956 – Canberra
South Africa 41 / Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 6
Promoting rugby union was paramount in Australia when the Springboks arrived in 1956. Consequently -soon after arrival- at a civic reception at the Sydney Town Hall Danie Craven and Basie Viviers promised to play open attractive rugby to help rugby union in their battle for player volume against rugby league.
The team travelled to Canberra for the first match against an Australian Capital Territory team. This match was not part of the original tour itinerary and was arranged as a tribute to the resolute efforts of local administrators to gain footing for union rugby in an area with a population basis slightly bigger than Paarl in Cape Province, South Africa.
Super Rugby News is now starting to come thick and fast!
Below you can read about the Super Rugby HALFTIME BREAKS being extended to 12 minutes, about Ben Mowen who remains Brumbies Captain, about the Super Rugby Draw for 2013, about Bismarck du Plessis’ injury and Frans Steyn gearing up for the 2013 season and about Wynand Olivier who is still in Japan. Tamati Ellison will miss the majority of the Competition for the Highlanders, due to injury.
And then, if a sub-standard squad was not enough, the Southern Kings lose two key forwards due to injury.
The 8th Article in the set discussing the Southern Kings.
In this Article we look at the contenders for BACK THREE (Wings & Fullbacks) in the Southern Kings 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
The 8th and last Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for the BACK THREE (Wings & Fullbacks) in the Vodacom Bulls 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
It has officially been confirmed that Bryan Habana penned the deal with the French side in the last few days.
The Cheetahs have assembled some real speed merchants in their wider training squad, and the competition will be fierce for starting spots. With players like Piet van Zyl, Johan Goosen, Robert Ebersohn and Johann Sadie, one can expect the pace men to get plenty of opportunity to stretch the hamstrings.
In this Article we look at the contenders for WINGS AND FULLBACKS at the Sharks 2013 Super Rugby group.
The Sharks will have a very solid backline in 2013 with all positions having sufficient depth and with the Back Three the same can be said. In JP Pietersen, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndugane and Sibusiso Sithole they have four good wings with the likes of Paul Jordaan, Louis Ludik and Gouws Prinsloo who can all also cover the position if need be.
Finally, we come to the back three, the wings and fullback. The Cape has always produced a plethora of gifted wingbacks and this year it is no exception. Add to the mix the precocious talent of a young Mr Taute, and we have the making of a sublime back three.
The South African Rugby Union have revealed the Springboks’ list of international fixtures for the 2013 season which ends with a Test in France for the first time since 2009.
The Springboks start their internationals in June as usual followed by the Rugby Championship and end with a three match tour of Europe which features Tests in Scotland, Wales and France.
Ellis Park is back as the stadium name of the Golden Lions’ home ground, but that may again change in the near future.
The Sharks have returned to Mr Price KINGS PARK on Monday after their Christmas break and will continue building a fitness and conditioning platform from which to launch and sustain their 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby challenge.
While Sunday offers some fun in the form of the cricket match against the Sunfoil Dolphins at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, the Durban weather at this time of the year coupled with the watchful eyes of the conditioning and coaching staff means that this is always the hardest time of the year for Sharks players.
Fiery Cheetahs flanker, Frans Viljoen, has no contract with the Cheetahs but has asked coach Naka Drotské for a chance to prove his mettle. He is willing to play without a contract and just earn match fees. Viljoen showed in only a handful of matches in the Currie Cup, the value of his physical presence in the Cheetahs team. He will get a chance to prove his fitness in the warm up matches versus the Lions (26 January) or versus the Bulls (9 February).