Wales
Wales will take heart from the British and Irish Lions’ demolition of Australia earlier this year when they tackle the Springboks in Cardiff on Saturday.
There were 10 Welsh players in the Lions’ starting team for the decisive third Test against the Wallabies in June – a game the Lions convincingly won 41-16 to claim their first series win in 16 years.
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers said that his team is focused solely on their match against Wales this weekend.
A cold and rainy Cardiff greeted the Springboks on Sunday upon arrival in Wales, where they will kick off their tour at the Millennium Stadium.
Veteran lock Alun Wyn Jones said Wales’ upcoming clash with South Africa promises to be a fast, frenetic encounter.
South Africa have had a lot of changes to their squad in the last couple of years, but they’ve still got a number of guys who have been playing in the Green and Gold jersey for a while.
Welsh international scrumhalf Mike Phillips has been sacked by French club Bayonne after being accused of turning up drunk at a training session, a source at the club said.
In a media release,the RRW (Regional Rugby Wales), the 4 Welsh Regions have put their weight behind the break away by the Anglo-French Clubs from the current format of the ERC (European Rugby Cahampionship). The ERC currently run the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup tournaments.
This now adds added impetus to the newly proposed Rugby Champions Cup competition, initiated by English and French Clubs after unhappiness with the format for qualification of the ERC competitions and the distribution of income in the competitions. The Celtic League, Irish, Scotish and Welsh clubs qualify easier than the English and French Clubs at present.
Wales coach Warren Gatland has named controversial scrumhalf Mike Phillips in a 35-man squad for next month’s Tests against South Africa, Argentina, Tonga and Australia.
Phillips faced a meeting with Bayonne directors on Tuesday after he allegedly attended a players’ video analysis session at the French club earlier this month while under the influence of alcohol.
Record-breaking South Africa wing Bryan Habana is predicting an epic battle when the Springboks take on Wales in Cardiff in November.
The 30-year-old former IRB Player of the Year is looking forward to returning to the Welsh capital next month and believes, following the success of the British and Irish Lions in mid-year, the Welsh side will be more dangerous than ever.
The IRB has cast its net further in making its appointment to the November Tests, mostly in Europe.
There are several of the tried and tested – Craig Joubert, Jaco Peyper, Nigel Owens, Steve Walsh, Alain Rolland, George Clancy, Jérôme Graces, Romain Poite, Wayne Barnes, for example. There are those finding their feet like Lourens van der Merwe, Glen Jackson, JP Doyle, Pascal Gauzère, Leighton Hodges, Greg Garner, Ian Davies, John Lacey and Francisco Pastrana. Then there are those who are just standing up and taking their first steps – Stuart Berry, Chris Assmus, Mike Fraser, Dudley Phillips, Federico Anselmi, Luke Pearce, Marius Mitrea, Joaquin Montes, Juan Sylvestre and Claudio Antonio.
With the end of year tours just over six weeks away there is some bad news for two of the top centres who would have been looking forward for turning out for their countries against Southern Hemisphere opponents. England’s Manu Tuilagi joins team mate Brad Barritt on the sidelines while Lions and Wales centre Jamie Roberts also looks set to miss out on the action due to injury.
Former Wales and British and Irish Lions flyhalf Cliff Morgan has died at the age of 83, the Welsh Rugby Union announced on Thursday.
Wales and British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton will miss the next four month of rugby because of his left hamstring injury.
Bokkies (7) 17 / 18 (6) Wales (Final Score)
South Africa Under 20 and Wales Under 20 did battle in the IRB Rugby World Championship at Stade de la Rabine, Vannes at 18:15 SA Time (16:15 GMT, 17:15 BST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Cardiff Blues flanker Josh Navidi will make his Wales debut in a side showing four changes for Saturday’s second Test against Japan in Tokyo. Navidi starts at open-side in place of James King, who replaces Andrew Coombs at blind-side flanker, while Andries Pretorius comes in for Rob McCusker at number eight.
Wales (16) 25 / 20 (0) Argentina (Final Score)
Wales Under 20 and Argentina Under 20 did battle in the IRB Junior World Championship of 2013 at Stade Henri Desgrange at 16:45 SA Time (14:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Well there are a lot of surprises in the mid-year appointments this year, and I’m not sure how much can be read into them.
A man who has steered his club to the most league titles in Celtic rugby has today been appointed to the position of Scotland forwards coach.
Jonathan Humphreys, the former Welsh hooker and captain, will join the Scotland management ahead of the quadrangular tournament with Samoa, South Africa and Italy in June. He will be on a two year contract.
Three Six Nations games are played today but unfortunately the early Saturday games overlap with a Super Rugby game and a game in the Lions Challenge.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article for the early games and a seperate one for the late evening game… giving progress and scores from both Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
Two Six Nations games are played today. Unfortunately the Saturday games overlap with two Super Rugby games.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article… giving progress and scores from both Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
Wales have made three changes to the team that beat Italy with former captain Sam Warburton returning to the starting line up.
As well as Warburton returning to the starting line up Bath prop Paul James and Ospreys second rower Alun Wyn Jones are also named in the starting line up.
Duncan Weir, the 21-year-old Glasgow Warriors stand-off, will make his first start for Scotland in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship match against Wales at Murrayfield.
Three Six Nations games were played this weekend, two Saturday afternoon and evening and one on Sunday. Unfortunately the Saturday games overlaped with two Super Rugby games.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article… giving progress and scores from all three Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
Leicester prop Martin Castrogiovanni will lead Italy in the absence of banned number eight Sergio Parisse for Saturday’s Six Nations game with Wales. Stade Francais’ Parisse is out of the tournament after being suspended for 30 days for insulting a match referee.
Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn Jones are set to make their Wales returns off the bench when they take on Italy in the Six Nations in Rome on Saturday.
This weekend sees a return to action in the 2013 RBS 6 Nations Championship with the third round of games to be played, following a week’s break. Two matches will be played on Saturday, one in Rome and the other in London. The third and final match of the weekend takes place on Sunday in Edinburgh.
Rugby-Talk, like every season, joins SuperBru via it’s own Super Pools and 2013 is no different.
If you are registered here at Rugby-Talk as a subscriber then you are welcome to join our pools, if not then quickly register and join us all in the fun and excitement.
Our Pools are fiercly competative and fun…. and we want YOU to be part of it.
The first 4 Rugby-Talk SuperBru Pools were registered today, now we just need to fill the Pools up with members!
ALL our SuperBru Pools have been upgraded to Super Pools, giving us added functionality like the SuperBru WIDGETS on the righthand sidebar.
Enjoy the Pools and most importantly, enjoy rugby with us.
Wales interim head coach Rob Howley has taken a bold move by naming his team to face Italy in Rome next Saturday a week early but rewarding the players that beat France 6-16 last week.
France (3) 6 / 16 (3) Wales (Final Score)
France and Wales did battle in the Six Nations Competition at Stade de France, Paris at 19:00 SA Time (17:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Wales have made three changes to their starting line-up for their RBS 6 Nations clash against France with Ryan Jones returning to lead the side.
France on Thursday announced two changes as they prepare to take on Grand Slam champions Wales in Saturday’s Six Nations showdown in Paris.
The first weekend of Six Nations 2013 has come and gone with two of the results as expected by many as Ireland and England claimed victories over Wales and Scotland respectively. The final match of the weekend saw Italy score what was seen as a surprise victory over France in Rome.
The intensity of the games took their toll though with various injuries incurred by the teams. We bring some of the news from the various squads regarding the injuries and player availability.
Ireland held off a stirring second-half Wales comeback to launch their Six Nations campaign with a thrilling win and condemn the champions to an eighth successive Test defeat.
Wales (3) 22 / 30 (23) Ireland (Final Score)
Wales and Ireland did battle in the Six Nations tournament at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff at 15:30 SA Time (13:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & SHD4 on TV in SA.
*******************
Wales interim head coach Rob Howley has named Dragons second rower Andrew Coombs to make his debut in the Wales starting team to face Ireland on Saturday.
Coombs will partner Ospreys’ Ian Evans in the second row who returns from injury to start the fixture.
The RBS Six Nations Championship is due to kick off this weekend. The first game of this year’s tournament sees current holder Wales playing at home against Ireland this Saturday afternoon.
Wales lock Alun-Wyn Jones says he is on course to feature in Wales’ Six Nations campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery two months ago.