Super Rugby

Super RugbyIt 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.

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Jaco PeyperLionsLions coach Johan Ackermann has formally asked for “clarity” on certainly questionable rulings made by referee Jaco Peyper in their encounter with the Sharks last week.

Ackermann – who made it clear he is not blaming the match officials for the 23-37 loss in Durban, he laid at the door of a “poor start” by his side and “a lack of discipline” – has written to SANZAR Games Manager Lyndon Bray and South African referees’ boss Andrew Watson.

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Super RugbyWhistleSANZAR 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.

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DHL StormersThe DHL Stormers side has suffered some injuries whilst on tour, with Scarra Ntubeni and Patrick Cilliers sent back to South Africa.

As a result, the Stormers are looking for suitable replacements to join them on tour.

In addition they have tried to obtain the services of Griquas hooker on loan, Martin Bezuidenhot, which have apparently been unuccessful.

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Jake WhiteJP PietersenCell C SharksJake White has indicated that any kind of honeymoon period is over for his Cell C Sharks team, with the next three weeks of Vodacom Super Rugby presenting a significant step up from what has gone before for his log-leading side.

The good news for Sharks fans is that their team will be going into the sequence of matches described by White as a massive challenge – against the Reds (home), Vodacom Bulls (away) and Waratahs (home) – with the significant presence of JP Pietersen back in the mix.

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Keven MealamuBluesBlues 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.

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Super RugbyI 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.

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Super RugbyThe 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.

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Super RugbyIt 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.

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Cell C SharksThe Cell C Sharks team remains unchanged for this Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Lions at Growthpoint KINGS PARK to mark the same line-up for three games in succession.

Being able to name the same team from one week to the next is a rare luxury for a coach, never mind this being the third match in a row where Director of Rugby Jake White has been able to stick with the same side that defeated the Bulls in week one and the Hurricanes the week after that.

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coenie_oosthuizenFrik KirstenTwo of South Africa’s recent members who toured with the Springboks to the Northern Hemisphere, Frik Kirsten (tighthead prop) of the Vodacom Bulls and Coenie Oosthuizen (tighthead & loosehead prop) of the Toyota Cheetahs both have serious neck injuries.

Frik Kirsten might have to undergo neck surgery but we await news of the second opinion sought to clarify the matter. It is most likely the case that he will be out of the remainder of the Super Rugby season.

Coenie Oosthuizen was sent back to South Africa from the Cheetahs tour down under and it is also likely that he will be out for a lenghty spell.

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Western ForceThe Western Force have named captain Matt Hodgson to become the first player to represent the franchis in 100 Super Rugby matches when they host the Rebels at the ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium) on Saturday.

Hodgson started at openside flanker in the Force’s inaugural match against the Brumbies in 2006, and has played in 99 of the club’s 115 matches over the past nine seasons.

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