Wallabies
Sharks (16) 26 / Blues (9) 12 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Blues at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban at 17:00 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Sharks started fast but then the game became scrappy, all the way through… not a memorable game but won nonetheless by the Sharks, before their trek accross the big waters.
2 Wins from 2 for the Sharks, this is what matters, I suppose.
Two notably erratic performances on the trot, but the Bulls have shown the mark of champions to gratefully bank away victories each time … and now they embark on a handy little run of fixtures back at Fortress Loftus.
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The DHL Stormers host the MTN Lions this evening, in what for the home side will be their 2011 Super Rugby opener.
The weather for Cape Town today is expected to be hot and dry, peaking at 30°C, and we can expect the Rugby to be just as hot. Continue reading
Waratahs (16) 30 / Reds (6) 6 (Final Score)
The Waratahs hosted the Reds at ANZ Stadium, Sydney at 10:40 SA Time (19:40 AEDT). This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcat live on SuperSport 1 & M-Net.
The Waratahs eased past the Reds for a bonus point win and 10 Log Points from 2 games. The Reds were woeful, with a plethera of handling mistakes and wrong options marring their game.
It certainly looks like the Waratahs are the Australian team to watch this season.
Cheetahs (11) 23 / Bulls (8) 25 (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs hosted the Vodacom Bulls at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 and CSN on TV in SA.
Once again a game of two halves for the Bulls, this time extremely lacklustre in the first half and on fire after the break, when they decided to keep more possession.
It was hard, it was brutal, it was close… it was a derby!
The Crusaders will play their next two home Super rugby matches in Nelson after their stadium was damaged in the deadly Christchurch earthquake.
Rebels (9) 25 / Brumbies (16) 24 (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels hosted the Brumbies at AAMI Park, Melbourne at 10:40 SA Time (19:40 AEDT). This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
The Rebels bounced back from a horrible start in Week 1 to rack up their first ever win. They will still be concerned that they had very little possession though and the Brumbies will be kicking themselves for not converting so many chances in the Rebels 22m area into solid points.
Herewith the Super Rugby teams, all now announced, for week 2 of Super Rugby 2011. One game, the one between the Hurricanes and the Crusaders, has been called off due to the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, home of the Crusaders – the official result will be a draw with no bonus points, meaning that both teams get 2 Log points each.
Highlanders (6) 23 / Chiefs (13) 13 (Final Score)
The Highlanders hosted the Chiefs at Carisbrook, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
It was the battle between the gritty Highlanders forwards against the star-studded Chiefs backs… and the Chiefs backs just were not on song.
The following Rugby is on TV in SA from Friday morning 25 February till Sunday 27 February 2011. Remember to do your SuperBru picks on time!
Sharks coach John Plumtree has stuck largely with the team that beat the Cheetahs last week for this Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Blues at Mr Price KINGS PARK.
Keegan Daniel’s inclusion at flank is the only change to the starting lineup after Jacques Botes took a knock to the hip.
Hurricanes second five eighth Ma’a Nonu’s one week ban following a SANZAR judicial hearing this week, will be served out during his team’s next match against the Chiefs on 12 March.
The Melbourne Rebels are looking into an incident at a nightclub last weekend involving former England flyhalf Danny Cipriani, the Super rugby club said on Thursday.
SANZAR CEO Greg Peters has announced that the Crusaders will withdraw from their Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday, following the devastating earthquake that struck Christchurch yesterday.
Allister Coetzee, head coach of the DHL Stormers, today named his team to take on the Lions in the Stormers first game of their 2011 Super Rugby campaign. The match is on Saturday 26 February at the DHL Newlands Rugby Stadium.
The Cheetahs received a timely boost ahead of their Super Rugby crunch match with the defending champion Bulls on Friday.
Inspirational captain Juan Smith passed a fitness test and will lead the team out in Bloemfontein.
The Crusaders are still planning to travel to Wellington for Saturday’s match against the Hurricanes but players will be given the choice of opting out.
The Chiefs have named their team to face the Highlanders this weekend with Isaac Ross earning his first start of the season… and a few surprise dropped players.
The Bulls have named their team to face the Cheetahs this weekend with Jaco Pretorius coming in to the starting line up.
The Cheetahs have followed the “correct channels” in order to find an urgent solution for their scrumming problems and eradicate all misunderstandings ahead of Friday’s Super Rugby match against the Bulls.
Lions coach John Mitchell attributed his team’s 24-20 home defeat by the Bulls on Saturday to a lack of team work at crucial stages in the game.
An estimated Fourty five thousand spectators arrived at Coca-Cola Park on Friday evening to watch the first Super Rugby match to be played in Gauteng in 2011.
Fears that the inclement weather would keep the spectators away was unfounded, despite the fact that the game started in a slight drizzle.
Reds (6) 21 / Force (12) 20 (Final Score)
THE Reds broke out of jail in a scrappy Super Rugby opener against the Western Force, thanks to a late try by hooker James Hanson.
A game played at 100 miles an hour showed the difference in fitness levels. The Lions were much better prepared and in far greater match fit condition than the Bulls yesterday. Only the experience of the Bulls helped them to hang on and win their first game.
At a rainy Kings Park, the Sharks opened their Super Rugby season with a workmanlike 24-9 win over the Cheetahs on Saturday evening.
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Lions (5) 20 / Bulls (24) 24 (Final Score)
The Lions hosted the Bulls at Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
In the first half it was all Bulls and they built up a 19 point lead by halftime.
In the second half it was all Lions as they clawed their way back to lose only by 3 points.
The Lions look extremely fit…. and better under Mitchell.
Sharks (8) 24 / Cheetahs (3) 9 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Cheetahs at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban at 17:00 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
Brumbies (18) 28 / Chiefs (3) 20 (Final Score)
The Brumbies hosted the Chiefs at Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 19:40 (10:40 SA Time). This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
Bonus point-less win for the Brumbies and the Chiefs get no bonus point as the last kick of the match, an attemted conversion, hits the upright and bounces away.
Brumbies win by 28 / 20.
Blues (6) 24 / Crusaders (19) 22 (Final Score)
The Blues hosted the Crusaders at Eden Park, Auckland at 19:35 NZ Time (08:35 SA Time). This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
Enthrawling game, high intensity and high pace, attacking space well!
After trailing most of the match, the Blues put in a fantastic effort to come from behind and beat the Crusaders.
The only blemish on the match was some wayward goal kicking on both sides.
Rebels (0) 0 / Waratahs (10) 43 (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels, the debutant team of the Super Rugby Series, hosted the Waratahs at AAMI Park, Melbourne at 19:40 AEDT (10:40 SA Time). This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
After a slow start by the Waratahs they just got better and better… or is it that the Rebels fell away more and more…. resulting in a scoreless sheet for the Rebels against 7 tries by the Waratahs.
Not a good debut for the Rebels at all.
Hurricanes (6) 9 / Highlanders (11) 14 (Final Score)
The Hurricanes hosted the Highlanders at the Westpac Stadium, Wellington in the FIRST Super Rugby game of the year at 19:35 NZ Time (08:35 SA Time) on Friday 18 February 2011. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, CSN & SHD on TV in SA.
If this is the quality and game attendance we can expect from Super rugby, then I’m afraid that Super Rugby is doomed!
There was a plethera of penalties, too many missed kicks at goal to mention, a yellow and then a red card for Ma’a Nonu…. and some of the worst handling ever.
This was not good rugby, siss on you Hurricanes… it’s a home loss against a team who made many errors, but just less than the Hurricanes.
Basically the Highlanders ground out a gritty win in an ugly match.
The Crusaders have named their team for the 2011 Super rugby opener against the Blues in Auckland on Saturday which includes three Whitelock brothers.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee had reason to smile as his team returned to training at the High Performance Centre after the short break they were given to coincide with their first bye week in the 2011 Super Rugby competition.
Former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga will make an early comeback to Super Rugby after being named in the Waikato Chiefs’ starting line-up for Saturday’s Super 15 match against the ACT Brumbies.
Sanzar made an announcement today to say some forced changes had to be made to the Referee line-ups for some of the First Round games