Monthly Archives: January 2016
DAVID BOWIE (David Robert Jones)
8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016
Music Icon of the last 40 years, David Bowie passed away unexpectedly on Sunday evening at his home in New York, after an 18 month battle with liver cancer.
Bowie will be remembered as an artist who shaped the musical thinking of a generation, and who unashamedly did things the way he wanted.
On this, the 1st “Pub Night” of 2016, please feel free to post your tributes to David in the form of his music, as well as that of those he collaborated with and influenced.
Ulster recovered from being 23 / 0 down at halftime to get a vital victory over Oyonnax in Pool 1 of the European Champions Cup.
Key men Ruan Pienaar, Paddy Jackson and Nick Williams all came off the bench for the 2nd half to help the Irish side scrape a remarkable 1-point win.
Ulster were in big trouble when Jeremie Maurouard and Uwa Tawalo scored tries. But backs Rory Scholes and Craig Gilroy, and young prop Kyle McCall, saved them from a damaging defeat.
Ulster, who revived their European prospects with back-to-back wins over Toulouse, are 2nd in Pool 1 with 13 points – 6 behind Saracens.
Those December victories over Toulouse would have meant little had they lost to the Pool outsiders at the Stade Charles-Mathon.
Josaia Raisuqe was sent off for this incident against CJ Stander
Stade Francais 27 / 7 Munster
Stade Francais winger Josaia Raisuqe was sent off but the French champions still easily beat Munster in their Champions Cup match in Paris.
Raisuqe was sent off on the stroke of halftime for gouging Munster’s CJ Stander as they wrestled for the ball.
Paul Williams, Sekou Macalou and Hugo Bonneval crossed for Stade who are 4 points behind pool leaders Leicester.
A late Conor Murray try prevented Munster suffering their first shut-out in 21 years of European rugby.
The Irish side are now out of the Champions Cup – barring a miracle series of results – after suffering 3 pool defeats in a row for the 1st time.
Cornell du Preez in action against Glasgow Warriors
Edinburgh head coach Alan Solomons insists the fact Cornell du Preez is prepared to play through the pain barrier shows how special a player he is.
The loose forward is in line for his 50th appearance for the Scottish side when he runs out against Benetton Treviso in the Guinness PRO12 tonight (Friday night).
The South African-born forward joined the club ahead of the 2013 / 2014 season and has racked up 37 league appearances since.
He missed most of last season, however, due to an ankle injury but has appeared in all of Edinburgh’s Guinness PRO12 games this campaign, helping the club to 4th in the table.
However, Solomons admitted his player is still overcoming the after effects of that injury.
“Cornell has made a massive contribution to Edinburgh,” he said.
“There are not many people who would have had the ankle injury he has had and come back to play like he has.
“He is going to play in pain for a while. He trains and plays and has a bit of pain there, obviously. It is the kind of injury that will take 18 months to clear up. He is a class rugby player.”
Schalk Burger
Saracens are delighted to announce the signing of South African international flanker Schalk Burger for the 2016 / 2017 season.
The world class Springbok loose forward will link-up with the reigning Aviva Premiership champions for the 2016 / 2017 season after signing a 2-year deal with the Allianz Park club.
Renowned as 1 of world rugby’s finest loose forwards, Burger has captained South Africa during his stellar 12-year international career and is a former IRB World Player of the year. He has won 86 caps for the Springboks and holds the record for the most tries (14) for a loose forward for his country.
Burger will link up with Saracens after a spell with Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath and Super Rugby’s Stormers.