Super Rugby
Veteran Wallaby lock Nathan Sharpe announced on Friday he will quit all competitive rugby at the end of the season, bringing down the curtain on a career that has seen him play 101 times for Australia.
Golden Lions Rugby Union president Kevin De Klerk has made it clear that no South African Super Rugby franchises would be prepared to merge ahead of the Southern Kings’ involvement in the tournament in 2013.
Sharks coach, John Plumtree, has named his team to take on the Boland Kavaliers on Friday evening 10 February 2012 at 19:00.
Again JP Pietersen is used at outside centre whilst Frederic Michalak is used as scrumhalf.
Exciting midfielder Johann Sadie will make his debut for the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday after being named in the side that will play the Cheetahs in a friendly match in the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
Allister Coetzee has surprised somewhat by naming Bryan Habana to play at outside centre for the DHL Stormers against the Kings this weekend in the compulsory friendly games against the Kings as well as in preparation for Super Rugby 2012.
Jean de Villiers will captain the side in the absense of Schalk Burger, who attended the Laureus Awards in Europe.
All in all not the strongest Stormers side and there should still be a few tweaks before Super Rugby proper starts. Players who should make the final Super Rugby squad still missing includes the likes of Dewaldt Duvenage, Schalk Burger and Juan de Jongh.
Lions first-choice hooker Bandise Maku will be sidelined for some time after having surgery on a torn pectoral muscle, leaving Martin Bezuidenhout and Callie Visagie to wrestle over the No.2 jersey.
The referees for the first 6 weeks of Super Rugby in 2012 has been announced by SANZAR.
Some interesting appointments indeed.
Let the games begin!
Here’s a Schedule as well as the official Statement, as received via Media Release.
The Cheetahs will travel to Polokwane, to face an expected full strength Bulls team in the last warm-up.
The match take place on Saturday.
The Cheetahs will look to test a couple of players, who have played more of a role off the bench, as Naka and his merry men, fine tune their team.
This match will be televised on SuperSport, which is a step in the right direction after they got their priorities all wrong in broadcasting the Stormers vs Boland game, but failing to broadcast the much more meaningful warm-up matches between the Lions vs Stormers, and Cheetahs vs Stormers!
There is continuing speculation that he will be part of Heyneke Meyer’s new management team, but Rassie Erasmus would still be involved with Western Province were it not for the interference from elected officials that eventually prompted him to quit as director of rugby in an attempt to ease the pressure on the other coaches.
SuperSport
As per my comment in the live thread, not a great game, but according to both coaches a good day at the office, and preparations for the Start of the Super 15 well on track.
Stormers 14 / Cheetahs 22 (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in a warm-up game in preparation for the impending Super Rugby competition of 2012 at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article, our man in the Press Box for the match was Just For Kicks.
(The match was NOT BROADCAST on TV)
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On a dry and mild west coast evening in front of a near capacity crowd of 4000 at Rugby Park, Greymouth, the Crusaders’ 2012 campaign got off to a flying start in front of their faithful.
It’s late on Friday night, and it’s been a hard week… far too hard…
But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, tomorrow there’s good rugby on… and on Sunday too.. and as an added bonus Monday is Varsity Cup time!
The question is, are you prepared?
Is the biltong bought?
Is the beers, or in my case the Jerepico and sletsappies, cold?
Is your SuperBru picks done, and have you seen to it that you have been approved in your Pools?
In the case of the latter, make sure you are a registered Rugby-Talker, otherwise I cannot approve you in the Rugby-Talk SIX Nations SuperBru pool, or in the Rugby-Talk Varsity Cup 2012 pool.. or for that matter in the Rugby-Talk Super Rugby 2012 pool.
Come on, get cracking!
People in the Rugby-Talk SIX Nations pool who have not made their picks yet are: KingPaul, SuperBul, Bono, Blue Bird, Mayhem & Loosehead
People in the Rugby-Talk SIX Nations pool who have not yet been accepted in the pool due to non-registration at Rugby-Talk are: Stormy, Johnny Walker & Geniusboywonder
The Stormers and Cheetahs will enter the next, crucial phase of their Super Rugby pre-season build-up when they meet at Newlands on Saturday.
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 2012 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
The Bulls’ front row reserves have been boosted after former prop Rayno Gerber signed a deal for the Super Rugby tournament.
SANZAR CEO Greg Peters has ruled out the possibility of expanding Super Rugby from 15 to 16 teams from next year after South Africa said that the Southern Kings will play in the tournament from 2013.
Coach Naka Drotske has announced a strong team to take on the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.
The 7th Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for CENTRES in the Vodacom Bulls 2012 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
It’s being regarded as a trial and will be contested over four chukkas so no teams have been announced, but the Sharks’ pre-season clash with the Boland Cavaliers on Friday night will nonetheless provide some areas of intense focus for both coaches and spectators alike.
Allister Coetzee has named the Stormers team to face Toyota Cheetahs on Saturday at Newlands:
The Cheetahs played with fits and starts vs the Griffons. According to Jóhann Thormählen of Volksblad. Riaan Smit was one of the few players that impressed. Tries were scored by Phillip Snyman, Rayno Benjamin, and Jean Stemmet, scored in the first half, and Hercu Liebenberg, and Sias Ebersohn (2) in the second half.
The breakdowns were again a problem, as promising Cheetahs attacks were thwarted, when the ball was pilfered by the Griffons. The question of depth, particularly in the backline was answered, with all of the backline fringe players playing well.
Hopefully the next few weeks will bring clarity as to the composition of the SA Super 15 teams, as injuries to several frontline players already having a profound impact!
Go Cheeeetahs!!!!!!
The 6th Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for FLYHALVES in the Vodacom Bulls 2012 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
Lock Wilhelm Steenkamp will lead a young and dynamic Bulls team in their first outing of 2012 when they take on the Kings in their compulsory friendly in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The 5th Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for SCRUMHALVES in the Vodacom Bulls 2012 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
The 4th Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSEFORWARDS in the Vodacom Bulls 2012 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
I have had a look at the Article dealing with whether Heyneke Meyer’s proposed ‘Unified SA Style’ is realistic or not.
Meyer said on Monday that his ultimate aim would be for all the teams in South Africa to adopt a similar style of rugby.
“In future I would like to install a national style of play and defence and all the attributes that go with it, and everybody should buy in,” Meyer said.
“I am realistic and know you can’t force people to play the same, but there should at least be a common goal and places where you can touch base.”
This brought me to the question is this possible at all and what is the typical South African style? I think what most SA teams have in common is the idea of dominating the set piece (scrum and line-out). Soften them up in the forwards before you spread it to the backs type of philosophy. Continue reading
The 3rd Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS in the Vodacom Bulls 2012 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
The Sharks are in the market for a world class prop, following the injury setback suffered by Springbok Tendai Mtawarira.