Monthly Archives: May 2015
Nic White
Brumbies scrumhalf Nic White has arrived in Cape Town ahead of Saturday’s clash against the DHL Stormers at Newlands.
The Brumbies flew into South Africa on Monday ready for a big week in the Cape, the Stormers preparing to right the wrongs of last week after falling to the Toyota Cheetahs.
White returns for the Stormers match this weekend after 3 weeks out, his ankle injury now firmly beaten.
He said the Stormers presented the Brumbies with a significant challenge.
Quade Cooper
The Reds believe the Australian Rugby Union’s revised contracting system could convince star playmaker Quade Cooper to remain in Brisbane.
Cooper’s future remains a hot topic of conversation, following the announcement by Toulon than the 53-Test veteran had signed a 2-year contract with the French club.
Cooper, the Reds and the ARU vehemently denied his departure is a done deal – accusing the Top 14 club of jumping the gun.
It is now reported that Cooper has been offered a 4-year flexible contract by the ARU, which will allow him to play in Japan during the off-season and return for Super Rugby to remain eligible for the Wallabies.
Reds coach Richard Graham, addressing a media scrum in Brisbane on Monday, said they remain optimistic that Cooper will not take up the Toulon offer.
The Vodacom Bulls will take the attacking mindset they showed against the Emirates Lions with them overseas and play positive rugby on their tour.
The Pretoria side scored 4 tries in a thrilling 35 / 33 victory over their Gauteng rivals at Loftus Versfeld, which saw them move to the Top of the South African conference ahead of their tour which will see them take on the Blues, Chiefs, Brumbies and Melbourne Rebels before finishing their season with a clash against the Toyota Cheetahs at Loftus.
Coach Frans Ludeke took great encouragement from the way his side ran the ball in the 1st half and the determination they showed to close the game out against a resurgent Lions side.
The victory was vital to their hopes of making the play-offs this year, and Ludeke said that they will look to build on the performance on tour.
Based on their last 3 performances, it may seem foolhardy to some to suggest the DHL Stormers retain the inside lane for the SA Conference honours in Super Rugby this year.
Certainly if you were a non-partisan observer watching their unconvincing, tense and sparkle-lacking victories over the Western Force and Vodacom Bulls, and then Saturday’s extension of a ballooning Bloemfontein bogey as an under-strength Cheetahs outfit put a nasty spanner in their works, placing money on their domestic superiority come the end of ordinary season might seem a risky business indeed.
Yet the Capetonians, now bumped back into 2nd spot in the South African Conference, as the Bulls earned a full house of Log Points from a high-quality home derby triumph over the Lions in Saturday night’s main feature, probably remain the best-placed team in terms of remaining itinerary demands to end up on top.
They have an immediate chance next weekend anyway to recapture the lead in a yo-yo tussle as they entertain Australian pace-setters the Brumbies at Newlands, whereas the Bulls slowly muster their energy for their overseas tour via a BYE.
The Loftus-based side currently have a 4-Point lead over their great southern rivals after 11 matches each and 5 to go ahead of the finals series phase.
Johan Ackermann
Emirates Lions coach Johan Ackermann knows his side face a steep climb if they are to challenge for a play-off spot this season.
The Johannesburg side are currently in 8th position on the standings, and with 4 of their 5 remaining opponents above them on the log they will need to knock some top sides over in order to secure a place in the knock-out phase of the competition for the 1st time since the Cats did so in 2001.
Although his side have surprised many with their fighting spirit this season, Ackermann knows that they still face an uphill battle with home games against the Highlanders, Brumbies and Waratahs and away games against the Stormers and Cheetahs.
“Except for the Cheetahs the rest of our games are against teams in the Top 7, and that shows you the amount of rugby that lies ahead and the quality of the teams that we are going to play against,” he said.
The Lions coach expects the Highlanders to be riding high after their comfortable victory over the Sharks, and added that preparations will be made tougher by the fact that 5 of his players will be at a Springbok training camp until Thursday.
Nehe Milner-Skudder
Matt Proctor
The top-of-the-table Hurricanes have announced the re-signing of Nehe Milner-Skudder and Matt Proctor until at least the end of 2017.
Both Milner-Skudder, 24, and Proctor, 22, have proven themselves to be elusive members of the Hurricanes’ backline, and coach Chris Boyd said they would both be key figures in the team’s future.
“They’re both local products of the Hurricanes franchise, and it’s no secret that both of these guys are exciting talents.
Tatafu Polota-Nau
Waratahs and Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau could take a long leave of absence from rugby or even the quit the game entirely if he suffers another heavy head knock.
Polota-Nau, who has been working with Australian neurologists on the effects of concussion, was forced from the ground with a head injury early in the Waratahs’ Super Rugby win over the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday.
The 29-year-old was also forced to miss a couple of games in the southern hemisphere’s provincial championship earlier in the season after suffering another blow to the head at training.
4 Months out from the World Cup, Polota-Nau, who has amassed 50 caps for Australia despite battling a litany of injuries throughout his career, said he was taking a cautious approach to his playing future.
Mick Mathers
Former Wallaby and Waratahs captain Mick Mathers has been appointed President of New South Wales Rugby Union, taking over from Tim Gavin who has stood down after 3 years in the role.
As a player Mathers represented the Waratahs on 14 occasions, and played 2 Test matches for Australia in a distinguished career on the field. Mathers also had the honour of captaining the Wallabies in non-Test touring matches.
He has held the position of Vice-President of NSWRU for the last 3 years, prior to that he held positions on the Unions Judicial panel and was Team Manager of the Waratahs in the early days of Super Rugby.
Former World Cup winning fullback Marty Roebuck was elected to the vacant Vice Presidents position.
The Vodacom Bulls are back at the Top of the South African Conference, taking over from the DHL Stormers who came up short in Bloemfontein on an exhilarating Saturday of Vodacom Super Rugby.
The weekend started on a disappointing note for the Cell C Sharks in Dunedin though. After a solid start for the visitors, the Highlanders turned on the heat and eventually beat the Durbanites by 48 / 15 in their opening tour match Down Under.
Saturday saw 2 cracking local derbies, both won by the home teams.
1st Up, the Toyota Cheetahs caused a minor upset when they won their 3rd successive home game against the DHL Stormers in Bloemfontein, by 25 / 17.
The home team outscored the visitors by 3 tries to 2 and thoroughly deserved their 4th win of the season. It was also only the 3rd time in 14 matches that the DHL Stormers could not score any Log Points against the Toyota Cheetahs.
The final match of the weekend was a proper humdinger in Pretoria, where the Vodacom Bulls beat their neighbours, the Emirates Lions, by 35 / 33. A total of 7 tries were scored as both sides went hammer and tongs against each other for the full 80 minutes.
Toulon celebrate winning the 2015 European Rugby Champions Cup
Australian wing Drew Mitchell’s brilliant late try ensured Toulon became the 1st club to win 3 successive Premier European titles as they beat French rivals Clermont 24 / 18 in a thrilling European Rugby Champions Cup final at Twickenham.
Clermont were 11 / 3 up midway through the 1st half, yet turned round at the break with Toulon leading 16 / 11 – after Leigh Halfpenny’s remorseless boot and a converted try by Mathieu Bastareaud saw the champions into the lead.
But Nick Abendanon’s converted try for Clermont just after the hour cut Toulon’s lead to a point only, only for Drew Mitchell to have the last word.
Toulon and Wales fullback Halfpenny punished Clermont’s indiscipline with 4 penalties and also kicked a conversion in a 14-point haul.
James Lowe
Chiefs wing James Lowe has had no further sanction imposed by the SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer after receiving a 3rd Yellow Card.
Lowe was sent to the sin bin in the Chiefs’ 15 / 16 defeat to the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne for striking centre Tamati Ellison with his knee.
According to the SANZAR Judicial Rules a player who has received 3 Yellow Cards or 3 Citing Commissioner Warnings (or any combination thereof) arising from matches in the same season shall be required to appear before the Duty Judicial Officer appointed for the match during which he last offended.
The Duty Judicial Officer then considers the circumstances in which each Yellow Card and / or Citing Commissioner Warning was imposed and determine whether any further penalty should be imposed on him by reason of his persistent foul play.
SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer Nicholas Davidson heard the case and ruled that there should be no further punishment for Lowe.
Jerome Kaino
Charles Piutau
The battling Blues may have to do without All Blacks duo Jerome Kaino and Charles Piutau for the rest of the season.
The Auckland side picked up their 2nd win of the season against the Western Force on Saturday, but the victory came at a dear price with skipper Jerome Kaino and fullback Charles Piutau both going down injured.
Abrasive loose forward Kaino sustained a compound fracture of his finger which saw the bone pop out of his skin, potentially sidelining him for 2 months.
Ulster-bound Piutau suffered another injury to his left knee, with suspected medial ligament damage which would be a recurrence of an injury that kept him out of the game for 2 months last year.
Beauden Barrett
Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett will see a specialist to determine the extent of the knee injury he sustained against the Crusaders.
The All Black playmaker twisted his knee when he was squeezed between 2 Crusaders players in the Hurricanes’ thrilling 29 / 23 victory in Wellington on Saturday.
It was the Hurricanes’ 9th win out of 10 games this season, and leaves them 1 victory away from securing a play-off spot.
Coach Chris Boyd’s team face the struggling Cell C Sharks next, which may be a good opportunity to fulfill Barrett’s mandatory rest period even if he does recover in time to play.
7 Of the 8 Vodacom Cup quarter-finalists have cemented their positions in the playoffs, with 3 teams in the North Section still in the hunt for the final position amongst the pace-setters.
Victories to the SWD Eagles and GWK Griquas, coupled with a defeat to the Cell C Sharks XV, means the Top 4 teams in the South Section have been determined.
The unbeaten DHL Western Province will host 1 of the quarter-finals in Cape Town after they beat the Toyota Free State XV by 30 / 29 in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon.
GWK Griquas, 27 / 24 victors over the KwaZulu-Natalians in Pietermaritzburg, cemented their 2nd spot on the Log, while the Eagles’ 36 / 17 win over the Border Bulldogs in Albertinia on Saturday afternoon means they will contest their 2nd successive Vodacom Cup quarter-final.
In the final South Section match, the EP Kings returned to winning ways in Citrusdal when they beat the Boland Cavaliers by 44 / 10.
Meanwhile, the Vodacom Blue Bulls and Xerox Golden Lions – with 8 Vodacom Cup titles between them – have sewn up the Top 2 in the North Section and will host their quarter-final encounters.
The Steval Pumas, who had a bye this week, will finish 3rd while 5 Log Points separate the Leopards XV, Hino Valke and Down Touch Griffons, 1 of whom will clinch 4th in the North Section.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls recorded the biggest win of the season when they beat the Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls by 83 / 13 in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon.
The Leopards XV put themselves in a good position to reach the quarter-finals with a big 59 / 12 win over the Down Touch Griffons in Hartbeesfontein on Saturday afternoon, while the Hino Valke’s 45 / 7 win over the FNB Welwitschias in Windhoek on Friday evening means they still have a slim chance of reaching the playoffs.
Matt Giteau
Matt Giteau said he would love to return to Twickenham with the Wallabies at this year’s World Cup after guiding Toulon to a 3rd straight European title.
Giteau was at flyhalf in an all-star international backline featuring Wales’s Leigh Halfpenny and South Africa’s Bryan Habana as Toulon beat French rivals Clermont 24 / 18 in the European Rugby Chamions Cup Final at Twickenham on Saturday.
Having made his Test debut as a 20-year-old at Twickenham back in 2002, Giteau effectively called time on his 92-cap Australia career when he signed for Toulon after failing to be included in the Wallabies’ squad for the 2011 World Cup.
But he was given a route back into the international arena when the Australia Rugby Union announced last month it was relaxing its hardline stance barring overseas-based players from representing the Wallabies.
“I signed over here knowing I wouldn’t play Test rugby again,” said Giteau after Saturday’s match. “Now the rules have changed, it’s a possibility. I had no idea it was coming, but I’m happy it has.
“It’s very exciting for Australian rugby that they’ve changed that (the eligibility rules). For me in particular, it doesn’t change a great deal until I’m contacted.”
CJ Stander – Munster Player Of The Year 2015
CJ Stander became the 1st overseas player to be named the Munster Player of the Year.
He earned the accolade at the annual Munster awards, after a hugely impressive season.
The South African became the 1st overseas player to receive the accolade after scoring 8 tries in 22 appearances and picking up no less than 5 Man Of The Match awards.
Stander was nominated alongside Billy Holland and previous winner Tommy O’Donnell.
The award shortlist was decided by members of the senior squad with Munster supporters deciding the overall winner through a public vote.
Gordon D’Arcy
Irish centre Gordon D’Arcy has called time on his illustrious career, making himself available for the World Cup 1 last time.
In a statement released personally by D’Arcy he said he will leave rugby entirely from October this year.
D’Arcy was a promising fullback for schools side Clongowes Wood in the late 1990’s, and on the eve of his Leaving Certificate was called into the Irish squad for the tour of South Africa by coach Warren Gatland.
However, because of his studies he declined the opportunity.
On leaving school he joined the Lansdowne Football Club and made his Ireland debut on 15 October 1999 as a substitute against Romania during the World Cup.
Bulls (25) 35 / 33 (13) Lions (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Emirates Lions did battle in Super Rugby at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Cheetahs (18) 25 / 17 (10) Stormers (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Rebels (16) 16 / 15 (3) Chiefs (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at
AAMI Park, Melbourne at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Hurricanes (17) 29 / 23 (17) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Hurricanes and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at
Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Blues (17) 41 / 24 (0) Force (Final Score)
The Blues and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 07:30 SA Time (17:30 NZ Time, 13:30 AWST, 05:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Edinburgh welcome fullback Greig Tonks back into their side for tonight’s European Challenge Cup final against Gloucester.
He is 1 of 2 changes made by head coach Alan Solomons, who also brings Cornell Du Preez in at eighthman.
Greig Laidlaw, who was 1 of a number of players rested for Gloucester’s Premiership fixture against Newcastle, returns to face his former club.
Billy Twelvetrees captains the Cherry and Whites, while Richard Hibbard and James Hook also come back in.
It is Round 12 of Super Rugby 2015 this weekend.
There are 2 games on Friday 1 May and 5 games on Saturday 2 May.
The Reds have a BYE weekend.
There are 2 lip-licking South African derbies on the weekend, between the Toyota Cheetahs vs DHL Stormers in Bloemfontein as well as between the Emirates Lions vs Vodacom Bulls. The Cell C Sharks is on touir and will be in action against the Highlanders in the 1st match of the weekend.
On Friday, the Highlanders host the Cell C Sharks in Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT) before the Brumbies host the Waratahs, in Canberra, at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 09:55 GMT).
On Saturday morning early the Blues host the Western Force in Auckland at 07:30 SA Time (17:30 NZ Time, 13:30 AWST, 05:30 GMT) before the Hurricanes host the Crusaders in Wellington at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT), whereafter the Melbourne Rebels host the Chiefs in Melbourne at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT).
Over to South Africa and next up, at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT), the Toyota Cheetahs host the DHL Stormers in Bloemfontein, before the Vodacom Bulls host hte Emirates Lions in Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
The game between the Highlanders and Cell C Sharks is a difficult one to call, equally so the derby between the Brumbies and Waratahs, on Friday.
On Saturday one would be hard-pressed to pick between the Blues and Western Force, as both of them are bottom-dwellers in the overall competition.
Over to another mouthwatering derby where the high-flying Hurricanes should have the measure of the Crusaders, who have been very inconsistent in 2015.
In Australia the Chiefs should easily have the measure of the Melbourne Rebels.
The DHL Stormers, even though they are playing away from home in Bloemfontein, should start as overwhelming favourites over the Toyota Cheetahs. The Trans-Jukskei derby in Pretoria between the Vodacom Bulls and Emirates Lionsis going to be a cracker, where the team with the biggest cahoonas will win… who it will be will remain to be seen!
Brumbies (10) 10 / 13 (7) Waratahs (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at
GIO Stadium, Canberra at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 09:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Highlanders (24) 48 / 15 (10) Sharks (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Cell C Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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