grootblousmile
Friends,
Birthday celebrations are in order for Rugby-Talk today, we’re a year old, TODAY!!
Happy, happy… and a big thank you!
The Western Force have insisted that Head Coach John Mitchell will be staying with them for the 2011 Super 15 season and will not be moving to the Lions in South Africa.
Another 4 head to head games are in the offing this weekend in the Currie Cup Premier Division.
They are:
Friday 13 Auust 2010:
- GWK Griquas vs Barloworld Toyota Pumas – GWK Park, Kimberley at 19:00 SA Time
- Platinum Leopards vs Sharks – Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg at 19:10 SA Time
Saturday 14 August 2010:
- Xerox Lions vs Vodacom Free State Cheetahs – Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 15:00 SA Time
- Vodacom Western Province vs Vodacom Blue Bulls – Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time
The Melbourne Rebels officially launched their brand-logo and jersey at the Weary Dunlop Luncheon on 29 July 2010.
They have now also made the Logo available to the Media.
Western Province will not release defence coach Jacques Nienaber to assist the Springboks during the Tri-Nations. Rob Wagner, managing director of WP Rugby (Pty) Ltd, told Sport24 on Wednesday that Nienaber had to focus on his job in the Cape.
An administrative blunder by the South African Rugby Union, rather than injury, might turn out to be the biggest stumbling block in the way of Frans Steyn’s return to the Springbok team.
Stormers wing Gio Aplon looks certain to start the Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks as fullback next Saturday after the release of Zane Kirchner to play Currie Cup rugby again.
Industrial strikes in South Africa have forced the Springboks to cancel a coaching clinic which was planned for Soweto on Thursday afternoon.
Next year’s Springbok Test against New Zealand will be held in Port Elizabeth, following a decision of the executive council of the South African Rugby Union.
Soccer City, the World Cup Soccer venue as well as the venue where the Springboks and the All Blacks will compete on 21 August, will henceforth be known as FNB Stadium or First National Bank Stadium.
This follows a ruling by the Gauteng South High Court today, Wednesday 11 August 2010 after First National Bank took the proposed name changers, who wanted to change the name to National Stadium, to Court.
Zane Kirchner is back at the Blue Bulls and will start his first Absa Currie Cup match of the season, when the defending champions take on Western Province at Newlands on Saturday.
The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs team to take on the Xerox Lions on Saturday, the 14th of August in Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg has been announced.
Springbok Sevens player Lionel Mapoe has lost his bid to be released from his contract at the Free State Cheetahs.
The Sharks’ hopes of winning back the Currie Cup from the Blue Bulls this year took a big knock on Tuesday with the news that Jean Deysel’s season is over.
With Peter de Villiers having announced and clearly favoured a conservative approach in naming his broader Springbok training group, it leaves most of us wondering just how close certain uncapped players and youngsters are for inclusion in future Bokke training groups.
The Springboks are currently busy with a 4-day training camp at Hyde Park High School, where the squad of 29 will be whittled down to 24 on Friday.
Friends, muppits, moepels & mopkoppe,
Rugby-Talk is officially in it’s 52nd week of it’s existence… Friday 13 August we are 1 year old!
The Lions have set their sights on retaining John Mitchell for the Super 15 which starts next year in 2011.
A number of the All Blacks squad have again been made available for ITM Cup provincial rugby games this week, if required by their provinces, ahead of the All Blacks departure to South Africa this weekend.
Just look what Bob Dwyer has now cooked up… why don’t you just shut your trap Bob, and silently sink away into oblivion!
South African Rugby Union President Oregan Hoskins is the next target of SANZAR bosses, as they continue their ‘attack’ on the Springbok camp.
The Afrikaans weekly, Rapport, reported that Hoskins on Thursday received a letter from the SANZAR secretariat to “explain” his ‘declaration of war’ statements made last week.
Sharks (18) 48 / Lions (16) 19 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Xerox Lions at ABSA Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast live on M-Net, SuperSport 1 and on SuperSport HD on DSTV in SA.
The Lions held the Sharks well till halftime but by then the Sharks had already enjoyed 70% Territorial Advantage and most of the possession.
After halftime the Sharks turned on the taps and ran the Lions ragged, eventually running out with a 29-point winning margin. They won 48 / 19.
Griquas (3) 3 / WP (12) 50 (Final Score)
GWK Griquas hosted WP at GWK Park, Kimberley at 15:00. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The Game was broadcast live on M-Net and SuperSport 1 in SA.
The 1st Half was a hard and uncompromising affair with Willem de Waal giving WP the edge with a few converted penalties, but the 2nd half was a different affair, WP running Griquas ragged and ending the game on fire.
WP scored 6 tries in the process…. they will be hard to beat next weekend at Newlands… beware Blue Bulls!
All Blacks (17) 20 / Wallabies (10) 10 (Final Score)
The All Blacks hosted the Wallabies at the AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time for their 2nd Tri-Nations encounter of this year. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The All Blacks won by 20 / 10 in a hard match where the only difference between the 2 teams were that the All Blacks were stronger in the scrums and counterrucking better than the Wallabies.
Blue Bulls (26) 43 / Leopards (10) 38 (Final Score)
The Blue Bulls hosted the Leopards at Loftus, Pretoria at 19:10 on Friday night 6 August 2010. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Bulls won by a measly 5 points and was hugely fragile on defence tonight…. they will have to change a few gears if they do not want WP to knock them for a big six next week!
The Bulls scored 6 tries to the Leopards 5 tries and managed to gather their bonus point win, but they wee patchy, to say the least.
Not good enough Bulls!
Judgment was reserved in the hearing of Springbok coach Peter de Villiers’s misconduct hearing on Friday over his suggestion that the team were victims to a conspiracy to assist the All Blacks ahead of next year’s World Cup.
We are already well into the Currie Cup Premier Competition of 2010, with WP, The Sharks and Griquas, setting the pace so far and The Leopards and Pumas hanging on at the bottom.
This weekend sees another 4 matches, as follows:
- Vodacom Blue Bulls vs Platinum Leopards – Loftus at 19:10 SA Time on Friday 6 August 2010
- Barloworld Toyota Pumas vs Vodacom Free State Cheetahs – Witbank at 15:00 on Saturday 7 August 2010
- GWK Griquas vs Vodacom Western Province – GWK Park, Kimberley at 15:00 on Saturday 7 August 2010
- Sharks vs Xerox Lions – ABSA Stadium, Durban at 17:05 on Saturday 7 August 2010
The All Blacks and the Wallabies cross swords at the AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand on Saturday at 09:35 SA Time for their 2nd Tri-Nations match between one another for 2010.
The Gauteng Lions Rugby Union is holding a Gala Dinner, have a look at the Invitation below and book if you are interested.
TWINS Anthony and Saia Faingaa have won call-ups to face the daunting All Blacks in Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup Test in Christchurch where chill rain, wind and five degree temperatures also await.
As someone suggested to me, this might be the smallest Wallabie backline EVER to run onto the filed.
Xerox Lions flank Trevor Hall was found not guilty and Vodacom Blue Bulls lock Flip van der Merwe received a severe warning after both players attended SARU judicial hearings held in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The Cheetahs were hit by a setback as they lost captain Juan Smith for this weekend’s Absa Currie Cup match against the Pumas in Witbank.
The International Rugby Board has confirmed a change to the match official panel for Saturday’s Tri-Nations match between New Zealand and Australia.
Former Boland player Hayden Groepes and returning Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, will earn first starts in this year’s Absa Currie Cup competition when the Vodacom Blue Bulls face the Leopards at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
World Cup winner Ruan Pienaar’s career in South Africa might have come to a premature end.
The 43-Test veteran utility back has suffered a shoulder injury and faces several weeks on the sidelines.