European Rugby
France (5) 18 / 38 (31) All Blacks (Final Score)
France and the New Zealand All Blacks did battle in the End Of Year Tours 2017 Internationals at
Stade de France, Paris, France, at 21:45 SA Time (20:45 French Time, 19:45 GMT, Sunday 08:45 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Ireland (14) 38 / 3 (0) Springboks (Final Score)
Ireland and the South African Springboks did battle in the End Of Year Tours 2017 Internationals at
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, at 19:30 SA Time (17:30 UK Time & 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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England (14) 21 / 8 (3) Los Pumas (Final Score)
England and the Argentinian Los Pumas did battle in the End Of Year Tours 2017 Internationals at
Twickenham Stadium, London, England, at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 UK Time & GMT, 12:00 Arg Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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End Of Year Tours 2017 – Rugby-Talk EOYT 2017
Hi,
We have 1 NEW SuperBru Pool for all to join!
- The End Of Year Tours 2017 starts on 11 November 2017, so hurry up and join up for the competition where the Northern Hemisphere it thier strenghts against the Southern Hemisphere. I have left Pool creation late again… what’s new… hahaha
Immediately also make your picks for Round 1!
As of 2016 we have been doing it a bit differently and opened our Pools up to all readers of Rugby-Talk.com, but we encourage you to register as a subsciber on Rugby-Talk.com anyway, as our banter and commenting about our Pools will mostly take place here on the website and not on the SuperBru banter boards! It is so easy to register and such fun to discuss rugby here.
Edinburgh prop Darryl Marfo will make his Scotland debut in Saturday’s autumn Test against Samoa at Murrayfield.
Hooker Stuart McInally makes only his fourth Test start in the absence of the injured Fraser Brown and Ross Ford.
Ben Toolis joins Jonny Gray in the second row, with fit-again Alex Dunbar and Huw Jones resuming at centre.
With Brown and Ford on a lengthy injury list, McInally makes his first appearance since the summer tour of Japan in 2016, with WP Nel getting the nod at tight-head over Zander Fagerson.
Three loose-head props – Alasdair Dickinson, Allan Dell and Gordon Reid – are are all missing, while new head coach Gregor Townsend must also do without Greig Laidlaw, Richie Gray, Sean Maitland, Duncan Taylor, Matt Scott and Adam Ashe for his first Test on home soil.
Wing Anthony Volmink will be joining the Southern Kings on loan with immediate effect from the Golden Lions whilst centre Jarryd Sage will leave the Port Elizabeth side.
“We are extremely grateful for the contribution that he made to the Southern Kings during his time here and we wish him only the best going forward.
Sage, 22, who formed part of a quartet of players who joined the Kings from the Golden Lions earlier this season, found opportunities at the local franchise hard to come by as coach Deon Davids opted for a first-choice pairing of vice-captain Luzuko Vulindlu and Berton Klaasen in midfield with Jacques Nel as occasional back-up.
Sage joins the Dragons with effect from December 1.
Being in a Scotland international camp is always a pleasure and a privilege and, in the case of this autumn, a mighty relief.
I should go back a few months to explain what’s been going on with me this past while, to the 25th minute of a Scarlets game against Edinburgh on 23 September.
That’s when I went low in a tackle on Magnus Bradbury and caught his hip on my head. It was an innocuous collision. Looking at it, you wouldn’t have said there was any great force in it. You wouldn’t have called it a big hit.
I’ve been knocked unconscious before playing rugby, but this was different. When I was 20 and playing for the Scotland Under-21s against Wales I was out cold for about five minutes and then spent an hour in an ambulance not knowing where I was, before doing a night in hospital while my head cleared.
This time, I was out for about 10 or 15 seconds. I woke up to the sound of my own snoring. The minute I came around, I knew what had happened. The medics were tending to my neck, doing all the things they needed to do to make sure I was OK, but my neck was fine. I told them, ‘You can let go of my neck, boys, there’s nothing wrong with it’. But that’s procedure in these cases.
Connaught (13) 23 / 15 (3) Cheetahs (Final Score)
Connaught and the Toyota Cheetahs did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
the Sportsground, Galway, Ireland at 21:35 SA Time (19:35 UK Time & 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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Barbarians (17) 22 / 31 (10) All Blacks (Final Score)
The Barbarians and New Zealand All Blacks did battle in the End Of Year Tours 2017 Internationals at
Twickenham Stadium, London, England, at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 UK Time & GMT, Sunday 03:00 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Kings (22) 36 / 43 (10) Ulster (Final Score)
The Southern Kings and Ulster Rugby did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
the Wolfson Stadium, KwazaKhele, South Africa at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 UK Time & 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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Zebre (16) 23 / 24 (8) Cheetahs (Final Score)
Zebre and the Toyota Cheetahs did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Italy at 18:00 SA Time (18:00 Italy Time, 16:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 2 on TV in SA.
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Warriors (19) 43 / 13 (6) Kings (Final Score)
Glasgow Warriors and the Southern Kings did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland at 20:35 SA Time (19:35 UK Time, 18:35 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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PRO14 Rugby will introduce an exciting change to its Champions Cup qualification process that will see the 7th ranked team decided by a Play-Off match that will form part of the Guinness PRO14 Final Series.
This fresh addition to the Championship has been warmly welcomed by the Guinness PRO14 clubs and will see the two fourth-placed teams from each Conference face off in a winner-takes-all clash to qualify for the Champions Cup.
The fixture will take place on the first weekend of May and home advantage will be awarded to the team who has finished the regular season with the highest match-points total. This move is designed to ensure competitive balance between both Conferences in order to award the final Champions Cup qualification place.
Benetton (14) 31 / 3 (3) Kings (Final Score)
Benetton Treviso and the Southern Kings did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Stadio Monigo, Treviso, Italy at 20:00 SA Time (20:00n Italy Time, 18:00 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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Cheetahs (17) 26 / 29 (10) Glasgow Warriors (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Glasgow Warriors did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa at 20:35 SA Time (19:35 UK Time, 18:35 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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We look ahead to Glasgow’s historic PRO14 meeting with Cheetahs tonight in Bloemfontein. (Kick Off 7.35pm UK time, 8.35pm SA time at Toyota Stadium, Friday 6th October)
The Cheetahs are unbeaten at home this season. Glasgow Warriors have yet to taste defeat on their travels. Something has to give in Bloemfontein on Friday night.
For someone who is both a Blue Bulls and Glasgow Warriors Fan there will be fewer places in the world to rather be than in Bloemfontein on Friday night. Unfortunately though this will not be possible, but the action will still be followed with much interest from many miles away.
Glasgow Warriors face the Toyota Cheetahs in their first trip to South Africa in the Guinness PRO14 while the Blue Bulls travel to Bloemfontein to take on the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in a must win Currie Cup game. It feels quite odd though that the once mighty Blue Bulls who would normally take centre stage will be playing in the curtain raiser to the BIG GAME – the PRO14 one.
“When you put your hand in a fence where there is a lion, you will get bitten.”
For most people that’s good advice. Unfortunately for Wales and Ospreys hooker Scott Baldwin the advice came a little too late.
That’s because they are the wise words of Baldwin’s boss Steve Tandy, after the 29-year-old missed his team’s latest Pro14 fixture because he had been bitten by a lion. While trying to pet it.
“There was an incident with a lion, but in fairness it was nothing to do with the lion,” Tandy said, clearly keen to absolve the big cat of any blame.
The incident happened during a team trip to Weltevrede Game Lodge on the outskirts of Bloemfontein, before the Ospreys’ Pro14 match against their appropriately named hosts, the Cheetahs.
Everyone present on the visit was, according to Tandy, given plenty of warning not to stick their hand into the lion’s den.
Dragons (22) 29 / 13 (6) Kings (Final Score)
The Newport Gwent Dragons and Southern Kings did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Rodney Parade, Newport, Wales at 20:35 SA Time (19:35 UK Time, 18:35 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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Hotly-tipped Dave Wessels has taken up a position with Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby.
The Springboks’ assistant coach Johann van Graan will succeed Rassie Erasmus as the Munster Director of Rugby. The Irish Times has learned that van Graan, who formerly worked with the Bulls and is currently coaching the Springboks’ forwards, will link up with Munster after the conclusion of the Rugby Championships.
With Erasmus set to stay on until the end of the calendar year, this will enable van Graan to work alongside Erasmus for a while so as to ensure as smooth as possible. Van Graan was last year linked with Bath and more recently was supposedly on the Bulls’ short list, along with John Mitchell, to replace Nollis Marais as head coach.
Six Nations executives have been given until the end of the month to find new sponsors for the biggest annual tournament in world rugby after struggling to find a replacement for RBS, which ended its backing last season after 14 years. The Six Nations had been looking for a six-year, £100m deal, but having spent the past 12 months talking to a number of potential backers, there is only one firm offer on the table. That is understood to be less than the £11m a year paid by RBS at the end of its contract as the economic uncertainty blown up by Brexit deters sponsors.
The championship starts in February and the tournament committee, which met last week, told its executives that a deal had to be agreed within a fortnight.
While there has been interest from potential sponsors, no one has come anywhere near the asking price and there is concern that further delay could lead to the one offer being withdrawn. That would mean the championship lacking a backer in 2018 and that would blow a significant hole in the finances of the three Celtic unions, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Kings (3) 17 / 43 (22) Zebre (Final Score)
The Southern Kings and Zebre did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa at 19:35 SA Time (19:35 Italian Time, 17:35 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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Cheetahs (19) 38 / 19 (5) Leinster (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Leinster did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa at 20:00 SA Time (19:00 UK Time, 18:00 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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Cheetahs (19) 54 / 39 (18) Zebre (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Zebre did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa at 19:30 SA Time (19:30 Italy Time, 17:30 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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Kings (3) 10 / 31 (7) Leinster (Final Score)
The Southern Kings and Leinster did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa at 14:15 SA Time (13:15 UK Time, 12:15 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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Harlequins’ Demetri Catrakilis being stretchered off on Sunday
Harlequins fly-half Demetri Catrakilis will miss time after suffering a “small fracture” to a bone in his throat in the win over Gloucester on Sunday.
Catrakilis stopped breathing for several seconds and was taken to hospital after suffering the injury 12 minutes into the game.
Harlequins have not said how long the 28-year-old will be out for, but the injury will not require surgery.
Catrakilis was making his first start since joining Quins in the summer.
Connaught (24) 32 / 10 (5) Kings (Final Score)
Connaught and the Southern Kings did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Sportsground, Galway, Ireland at 20:35 SA Time (19:35 UK Time, 18:35 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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Munster (22) 51 / 18 (6) Cheetahs (Final Score)
Munster and the Toyota Cheetahs did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Thomond Park, Limerick, Ireland at 18:15 SA Time (17:15 UK Time, 16:15 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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Scarlets (15) 57 / 10 (10) Kings (Final Score)
The Scarlets and Southern Kings did battle in the Guinness PRO14 2017 at
Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli at 18:30 SA Time (17:30 UK Time, 16:30 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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Guinness PRO14 – Rugby-Talk PRO14 2017
Hi,
We have 1 NEW SuperBru Pool for all to join!
- The Guinness PRO14 2017 starts on 1 September 2017, so hurry up and join up for the competition where the Toyota Cheetahs and Southern Kings now form part of this vital Northern Hemisphere tournament. Immediately also make your picks for Round 1!
As of 2016 we have been doing it a bit differently and opened our Pools up to all readers of Rugby-Talk.com, but we encourage you to register as a subsciber on Rugby-Talk.com anyway, as our banter and commenting about our Pools will mostly take place here on the website and not on the SuperBru banter boards! It is so easy to register and such fun to discuss rugby here.
Southern Kings head coach, Deon Davids, named a strong side on Thursday that will take on the Scarlets in the opening match of the Guinness PRO14 Championship.
The Southern Kings will face the defending Guinness PRO14 champions at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday when they play in their first match of the 2017/18 season.
Davids will field an experienced team which includes players who have plied their trade in the Guinness PRO14 previously as well as the Vodacom Super Rugby competition. The side will be led by captain, Michael Willemse.
“We have some exciting players in the backline and we also have some talent in the forwards. I would like to see a good balance between the backs and forwards,” Davids said.
“I will encourage the guys to play the way we are used to playing – that is playing towards where our pace is, making good decisions and recognising and using areas of space.
“We also need to be wary of the fact that games are not only won with ball in hand, our biggest challenge will be our work rate, intensity and physicality without the ball. That will be a big ask for us.”
The Toyota Cheetahs will become the first southern hemisphere side ever to take part in the Guinness PRO14 championship.
The side from Bloemfontein will be making history when they take on Ulster Rugby on Friday evening at 20:35 (SA time) at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, Ireland.
“The Toyota Cheetah players are extremely excited to join this world class championship”, said Toyota Cheetah captain, Neill Jordaan after arriving in Belfast on Wednesday.
Guinness PRO14 will for the first time play under the new Conference format which sees each team play home and away against clubs in their own Conference and then home or away against the other Conference before two more rounds that ensure all derby games are played, which formed an important part the competition up till now.
South Africans who previously played for Ulster are Johann Muller, Ruan Pienaar and Franco van der Merwe.
A truly historic chapter will be written this weekend when the first-ever Guinness PRO14 season kicks off after the addition of the Toyota Cheetahs and the Southern Kings from South Africa.
As this world class Championship continues to raise the bar, the introduction of the Cheetahs and the Kings makes the Guinness PRO14 a global tournament. Round 1 also marks the first games played under the new Conference format which sees each team play home and away against clubs in their own Conference and then home OR away against the other Conference before two more rounds that ensure all derby games are played.
The Cheetahs will be the first team from South Africa to go up against ‘northern’ opposition when they travel to Kingspan Stadium on Friday night to face Ulster while the Kings face a daunting trip to Parc Y Scarlets where the men from Llanelli will play their first Championship game since winning the title at Aviva Stadium last May.
Premiership and Championship players will take part this season in the development of a new pitch-side test to diagnose concussion and brain injuries.
Saliva and urine samples will be collected during the new campaign, after studies showed they could provide swift indicators of head injuries.
It could lead to a handheld device to assess if a player is fit to play on.
During matches in 2017-18, players with confirmed or suspected concussion will provide saliva samples immediately following the injury and will give follow-up samples as they go through the return-to-play protocol.
These will be compared to players from the same game who did not suffer head injuries and those who had other injuries.
The study will run alongside the existing Head Injury Assessments, but if the results support those found in laboratory tests, it could eventually see tests being carried out pitch-side on a device.
Captains from the PRO14 teams posing in Dublin
The Guinness PRO14 official launch gave a sneak peek of this year’s final venue as media gathered at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
After the Scarlets claimed the 2016/17 title in style last year in the Irish capital, the first-ever Guinness PRO14 final will take place at the same ground.
For Guinness PRO14 Chief Executive Officer Martin Anayi, it offers the championship some stability at a time of expansion with the introduction of two South African teams, the Southern Kings and the Toyota Cheetahs, as well as a conference system.
And Anayi believes using the Aviva Stadium will pay dividends for the clubs in the long-term, while offering a top class stadium for the showpiece final.
He said: “It’s an amazing facility, it’s an iconic venue and we do great business here. That’s important when you understand our model. Our model is to give revenue back to the clubs to be competitive on the pitch.
“The final from last season and this final coming up in 2018 will allow us to deliver as much revenue as we can in this season of great change for the good. A little bit of stability goes a long way.”