grootblousmile
OK, now that we all have been very negative and taken out the canes to castigate Peter de Villiers from every angle, let’s look at the realities.
In effect there is ONLY ONE real controvertial selection, playing Zane Kirchner at Outside Center (No 13).
What would you have done given the injury situation?
Deon Stegmann will make his Test debut in a much-changed Springbok line-up against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. Uncapped Sharks utility back Patrick Lambie could also make his debut if Jean de Villiers fails a late fitness test. The bench will also include two uncapped players.
Australia kept faith with the side that beat New Zealand last weekend for Saturday’s test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Martyn Williams, Wales’s most-capped forward of all-time, has been left among the replacements for the team’s November series opener against Australia at the Millennium Stadium here on Saturday.
South Africa’s Springboks will be sweating on the fitness of back Jean de Villiers and forward Willem Alberts when they arrive two days ahead of their clash with Ireland.
The Springboks have been hit hard with injuries to their centres for this tour and now De Villiers threatens to make matters worse.
The All Blacks have named rugby league convert Sonny Bill Williams to make his Test debut against England at Twickenham on Saturday.
Williams was one of four changes from the side beaten by Australia in Hong Kong last weekend, and will form a physically imposing partnership with Ma No’nu at centre.
The absence of the Springboks’ star players will not be an excuse when the national team kick-off their five week tour in Ireland, captain Victor Matfield said on Tuesday.
The Springboks will leave South Africa will leave South Africa in high spirits even though they will be missing 13 of their first choice players for the five week rugby tour of Britain and Ireland.
The Ireland team to play South Africa in the opening game of the 2010 Autumn Internationals shows the return of several players who missed the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.
Sharks (23) 30 / WP (10) 10 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted WP in the Currie Cup Final held at ABSA Park, Durban at 17:30 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on M-Net, SuperSport 1 and SuperSport HD on TV in SA.
The Sharks won with passion, commitment and super defence!
All Blacks (17) 24 / Wallabies (12) 26 (Final Score)
The All Blacks and Wallabies went toe to toe in Hong Kong in their last Bledisloe Cup game of the year at 10:40 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 6 and SSHD on DSTV in SA.
The Wallabies snatched a win after the hooter with a James O’Connor try and pressure conversion, what a game!
EP Kings (22) 28 / Pumas (15) 46 (Final Score)
The EP Kings hosted the Barloworld Toyota Pumas at 19:10 SA Time in their 2nd Promotion / Relegation game to see who advances / stays in the Currie Cup Premier Division. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Pumas won by 46 / 28 and retained their position in the Currie Cup Premier Division.
The EP Kings tried valiantly and led early on but the class of the Pumas came through in the end.
SWD (20) 32 / Leopards (13) 28 (Final Score)
The SWD Eagles hosted the Platinum Leopards at Outeniqua Park, George in the last of their 2 Promotion / Relegation games to see who will stay or advance to the Currie Cup Premier Division. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTv in SA.
The SWD Eagles won the match by 32 / 28 but loses the battle for promotion to the Premier Division….
The Chiefs announced today that All Blacks legend and Counties-Manukau representative Tana Umaga has signed with the Chiefs for the 2011 Investec Super Rugby season.
Platinum Leopards’ coach Leon Boshoff made only one change in the starting line-up of his side that travels to George to face the South Western Districts (SWD) Eagles on Friday in the second leg of their Absa Currie Cup promotion-relegation tie.
Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has made just one change to his match-day 22 for the second leg in the promotion/relegation battle with the EP Kings on Friday.
Fullback Johan Jackson has served his two week suspension for a spear tackle against the Lions and replaces Ashwin Scott on the bench for the match.
Former Natal Shark and now Saracens centre Brad Barritt has been called up to the England Elite Playing squad as cover for Riki Flutey.
Durban born Barritt was already in the England Saxons squad and has impressed playing for Saracens.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union have signed Sharks prop Patric Cilliers and flank Michael Rhodes have signed for the 2011 Super Rugby competition.
The Sharks have announced that Absa has terminated their 11-year association with them, having decided to drop the current sponsorship as stadium naming rights-holder which they have held since 2000.
Mannetjies Gericke, once a Springbok scrumhalf ,died on Friday in the Wilgeheuwel Hospital in Roodepoort. He was 77.
Gericke had trouble with his knee – old rugby injuries – and was unable to walk when he went into hospital for a knee replacement on September 2010. He suffered greatly after the operation and did little more than a month afterwards.
Leopards (23) 37 / SWD (5) 22 (Final Score)
The Platinum Leopards hosted the SWD Eagles at 16:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Platinum Leopards won the match by 37 / 22, scoring their 4 tries in the process for a bonus point win, whilst SWD Eagles earn a lone bonus point for 4 tries in the match.
Victor Matfield has been named as captain of the Springbok end-of-year tour on the first day of a preliminary training squad get together.
The SARU judicial hearing of the Vodacom Blue Bulls flanker Derick Kuün after he was cited for foul play during an Absa Currie Cup Premier Division game against The Sharks in Durban on Saturday, found the player not guilty.
Pumas (12) 36 / EP Kings (20) 36 (Final score)
The Pumas hosted the EP Kings in Witbank at 19:10 SA Time in a Currie Cup Premier Division PROMOTION / RELEGATION match. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
In a game full of running and with the might of the Pumas forwards pitted against the running backline of the EP Kings, the result was a surprising draw, 36 / 36, with the Pumas scoring 6 tries to the 4 from the EP Kings.
The Welsh Rugby Union have announced that Head Coach Warren Gatland has re-signed with the Union and will stay on until the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The British and Irish Lions have confirmed that former Scotland full-back and SRU past president Andy Irvine will mange the 2013 Lions tour to Australia and that the tour will kick off in Hong Kong against the Barbarians.
Blue Bulls flank Derick Kuün has been cited for striking Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis during Saturday’s Currie Cup semifinal clash in Durban.
WP (13) 31 / Cheetahs (0) 7 (Final Score)
Vodacom WP hosted Vodacom Free State Cheetahs at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 on Saturday 16 October 2010. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SSHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
A bit of a shaky start from the kickers on both sides eventually saw Willem de Waal regaining confidence and WP becoming stronger and stronger as the game progressed.
At halftime WP was already 13 / 0 in the lead which prompted them to run more freely and the tries came. Eventually with WP 31 / 0 ahead, a simple WP mistake saw Philip Snyman score a consolation try to avoid a nasty Cheetahs whitewash.
To rights the Cheetahs tried hard but there was always only one winner.
Final score WP 31 / 7.
Sharks (10) 16 / Blue Bulls (6) 12 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Vodacom Blue Bulls at ABSA Stadium, Durban at 14:30 SA Time on 16 October 2010. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match is broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SSHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
With a first half where the Sharks absolutely controlled territory and possession, the Sharks laid the foundation for their 4-point win.
In a hard fought match and terrential rain deep in the second half, the Blue Bulls attacked hard but the resolute defence of the Sharks held.
Congratulations Sharks, the final will be in Durban.
SWD Eagles (9) 12 / EP Kings (10) 16 (Final Score)
The SWD Eagles hosted the Eastern Province Kings at Outeniqua Park, George in the Final of the Currie Cup 1st Division Final at 19:10 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Eastern Province Kings won a scrappy affair by 16 / 12 after leading by 10 / 9 at Halftime.
Saturday sees the 2 Currie Cup Premier Division semi-finals, one between the Sharks vs Blue Bulls in Durban, the other between WP and the Free state Cheetahs at Newlands in Cape Town.
Here are the team sheets for the 2 clashes:
Here’s a look at the Rugby on TV in Sa this weekend.
Ex-Transvaal Fullback Liaan Kirkham sadly passed away after being involved in a motor accident on Saturday 10 October.
The Sharks coach, John Plumtree, has named his team to take on the might of the Blue Bulls in Durban for one of the 2 semi-finals of the Currie Cup.
Outspoken All Black centre Ma’a Nonu has let rip again, this time without the controversial F-word.
However, the veteran midfielder did not hold back when he criticised the Wellington Lions coaching staff for their inconsistent selection policy.