General
The FIFA Football World Cup 2014 ends this weekend in Brazil.
The only games remaining are the 3rd Place Play-off on Saturday 12 July 2014 and the Final on Sunday 13 July 2014!
In the 3rd Place Play-off game, Brazil face Netherlands
In the grand Final, it is Germany vs Argentina.
Who will be crowned Football World Champion in 2014?
All of the games are live on TV in SA on SS3 HD, SS3 & Maximo.
Gio Aplon in action for the DHL Stormers
“A good big player is better than a good small player” is something we have heard before on the rugby landscape in South Africa. Unfortunately, these type of utterances has been heard coming from the National coach, Heyneke Meyer, as well.
Is rugby not supposed to be the one game that people of every shape and size can partake and excell in? Remember when we were young kids, standing around with bare feet all excited about our very first rugby practice? Dividing the players into positions seemed like such a simple task…the fat kids were props, the tall kids were locks, the fast kids were wings. There seemed to be a position suited to every size and shape.
Professional rugby as we know it now has put paid to that philosophy, 15 supreme athletes seem to be the target for coaches. Centers weigh in at the 100kg mark or more, which is bigger and heavier than some of legendary Bok forwards of previous eras. Just this week the Under 18 Academy week was played in Worcester. One of the stand out players for the victorious Western Province Academy team was prop Carlu Sadie who weighs in at 122kg. The fact is, he is not judged on his size or weight, but on his playing ability and it would seem like this youngster has a bright rugby future ahead of him. Obviously when it comes to the position of front row, size is a huge asset, but what about the other positions?
The FIFA Football World Cup 2014 is nearing the end in Brazil.
The Quarter-Finals are a thing of the past, only 4 Teams remain!
In the Semi-Finals we have 2 South American Teams against 2 European Teams, who will come out on top? If a Team wins here, they progress to the Final and the loser books a place on the 3rd Place Play-Off!
It is the 3rd Place Play-Off on 12 July and the all importeant Final on 13 July 2014.
In the 1st Semi-Final on 8 July it is Brazil vs Germany and the 2nd Semi-Final on 9 July is between Netherlands vs Argentina.
All of the games are live on TV in SA on SS3 HD, SS3 & Maximo.
Namibia qualified for a fifth successive Rugby World Cup by thumping hosts Madagascar 89-10 on Sunday to win the African preliminaries and book a place in Pool C at next year’s tournament alongside defending champions New Zealand.
Namibia finished level on two wins each with Kenya and Zimbabwe at the end of the four-team tournament but qualified by virtue of more bonus points.
Their task was made easier on Sunday when Zimbabwe beat Kenya 28-10, setting Namibia a target of beating Madagascar by 53 points to qualify.
The FIFA Football World Cup 2014 is nearing the end in Brazil.
The Group Stages are already done and dusted, only 8 Teams remain!
In the knock-out stages, there are no 2nd chances, you lose and you go home. You win and you live to fight another day!
It is the Quarter-finals on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 July.
It is Germany vs France & Brazil vs Columbia on Friday and Argentina vs Belgium & Netherlands vs Costa Rica on Saturday.
The Semi-finals are on 8 & 9 July 2014.
All of the games are live on TV in SA on SS3 HD, SS3 & Maximo.
The FIFA Football World Cup 2014 is well underway in Brazil.
The Group Stages are already done and dusted, only 16 Teams remain…. well only 12 after this weekend!
In the knock-out stages, there are no 2nd chances, you lose and you go home. You win and you live to fight another day!
The Games start out on Monday with France vs Nigeria and thereafter Germany vs Algeria, both on Monday 30 June.
On Tuesday 1 July it is Argentina vs Switserland and Belgium vs USA.
The Quarter-finals start on 4 July 2014.
All of the games are live on TV in SA on SS3 HD, SS3 & Maximo.
The FIFA Football World Cup 2014 is well underway in Brazil.
The Group Stages are already done and dusted, only 16 Teams remain!
In the knock-out stages, there are no 2nd chances, you lose and you go home. You win and you live to fight another day!
The Games start out with Brazil against Chile and after them it is Culombia vs Uruguay, both on Saturday 28 June.
On Sunday 29 June it is Netherlands vs Mexico and Costa Rica vs Greece.
All of the games are live on TV in SA on SS3 HD, SS3 & Maximo.
Gerrie Sonnekus
Two men were arrested on Tuesday for the robbery and attack on three fishermen, including former Springbok Gerrie Sonnekus, in Port Alfred, Eastern Cape police said.
“After following leads, Port Alfred detectives in collaboration with crime intelligence officers, arrested two men aged 34 in Nemato Township in the early hours of Tuesday morning,” police spokesperson Luvuyo Mjekula said.
“Police are looking to make more arrests as two more suspects are still at large.”
Dumb and Dumber
I hope you guys have a taste for parody and a tongue-in-cheek look at events of the week!
Another episode or 3 in a new serial called Dumb and Dumberer – the SARU Story, is playing out right in front of our eyes this week again.
In Episode 1, one of the lead actors, let’s call him “Hoss”… short for Hoskins… opens his mouth, sticks both feet firmly in… and then continues to look stupid.
In Episode 2, “Kallie Karnallie”… short for Kallie Kriel… puts Hoss in his place, treats him like a school child, leaving Hoss in the fetal position and sucking his thumb in the corner.
In Episode 3, the knight on a white horse arrives… errrr sorry the script was changed to a “Brommer op ‘n Drol”… He tries to rip both of Hoss’ feet out of his mouth and declares that the feet did not belong there in the first place, yet acknowledging that foot in mouth disease, has flash-back effects much like Malaria does.
Like all soapies, this is a lot of tripe, to be followed by the brainless masses…
Well, if you can’t beat them, join them I say! If they can all talk the biggest load of bollocks, then surely I can paint them into a corner and twist the knife for good effect, can’t I?
(PS! Folks, take this with a pinch of salt, no a heap of salt, this is just an attempt to bring mirth to a subject which normally peeves off the average Joe in South Africa!)
It is already Day 10 of the month-long FIFA Football World Cup 2014 in Brazil on Saturday.
Lionel Messi and Argentina are back in business while Nigeria and Ghana have a chance to keep Africa’s hopes alive. All of the games are live on TV in SA on SS3 HD, SS3 & Maximo.
Argentina face Iran at Estadio Mineirão in the first match of day at 18:00 SA Time, then Germany face off with Ghana at 21:00 SA Time. The final match of the day is a Group F encounter between Nigeria and Bosnia Herzegovina.
Some stunning results aleady and a number of big name sides are already doomed to be on their way back home!
As in the recent past, we cater for the Football fanatics too, so go for it you bloody Soccer Moffies!
Just kidding fellas, enjoy the Football!
It is deep into the 1st week already of the month-long FIFA Football World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
We’ve seen some astonishing results already!
As in the past week, we have another Football article, so go for it you bloody Soccer Moffies!
Just kidding fellas & flatties, enjoy the Football!
It is already Day 2 of the month-long FIFA Football World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
We have already seen Mexico beat Cameroon 1 / 0 and one of the bigger games of the tournament is about to follow, Spain vs Netherlands!
I thought you might like to chat some Poofball on a Poofball article, so go for it you bloody Soccer Moffies!
Just kidding fellas & flatties, enjoy the Football!
Here goes!
Wow, strange feeling for me to write about the Round Ball Game called POOFBALL… errr sorry I mean FOOTBALL, or SOCCER as it is more properly known in South Africa.
The world’s biggest sport, today starts it’s biggest tournament, the FIFA WORLD CUP 2014 in Brazil.
Being a Sports lover, I suppose is what it’s all about, so here goes with a SPECIAL ARTICLE on the world spectacle!
Gooooooooooo Bafana Bafana…. errr sorry, they’re not there, right?
Hahaha
Excuse the ignorance, me maties… but at the same time enjoy yourselves!
Here’s more about the tournament of Oscar-Driven stars on Tik:
Brazil kicks off the World Cup on Thursday hoping to unite the football-mad country after a chaotic seven-year build-up plagued by violent protests.
The 32-team extravaganza gets under way in the teeming mega-city of Sao Paulo, where the host nation’s beloved ‘Selecao’ faces Croatia at 17:00 Brazil Time (22:00 SA Time) in front of 61 600 supporters and a worldwide television audience of several hundred million.
Thursday’s Group A match signals the start of a month-long football fiesta taking place against backdrops which showcase Brazil’s breathtaking diversity, from the picture postcard beauty of Rio de Janeiro to fading colonial grandeur of Manaus, deep in the Amazon.
After years of apathy and simmering resentment at the tournament’s record $11-billion price tag, Brazilians were grudgingly embracing World Cup fever in the final hours before the big kick-off.
Our latest 2 SuperBru Pools, the Rugby-Talk June Tests 2014 and Rugby-Talk JWC 2014 Pools, have now been UPGRADED to SUPER POOLS.
This gives us added functionality, like individual Pool URL’s, the ability for the Pool Captain to put News Articles up on the Pool(s), the ability to send News Letters to members and also Pool Widgets we we can put up on our website, here on Rugby-Talk.
Have a look at the RIGHTHAND SIDEBAR here on the Rugby-Talk website and you will see our 2 new added SuperBru Widgets, with an abbridged version of the Leaderboard on each, as well as Shortcuts directly to the Pools or to make your Picks.
It is not expensive to Upgrade to Super Pools, and as your Webmaster & Pool Captain, it was a pleasure paying the R 150.00 per Pool to make everything… well… just perfect!
To those who have not yet joined the SuperBru Pools, get going, I will keep the Pools open for new applications for a while, before closing them.
Remember, the only QUALIFICATION you need to have to join Rugby-Talk’s SuperBru Pools, is that you are a REGISTERED SUBSCRIBER to Rugby-Talk, which of course is FREE, GRATIS, VERNIET, MAHALA, FOKOLI TJELT!
To those who recently joined a Rugby-Talk SuperBru Pool, take note that we have a Rugby-Talk.com SuperBru CLUB as well, for which you will find a link on the Pool page where you are already a member…. membership there is of course also free.
As per usual, Rugby-Talk will have SuperBru Pools for the Junior World Championships (JWC) and June Internationals!
The Junior World Championships starts on Monday 2 June 2014 already, so forgive me for only getting the time NOW to set up this pool.
Rugby-Talk’s SuperBru Pools are open to all REGISTERED SUBSCRIBERS to Rugby-Talk.com, so if you have not yet played in these Pools with us, join up and join our Pools… and remember to immediately make your Junior World Championships picks!
To all our new subscribers, who have recently joined up, yes you lot hobnobbits from Voldy too, join in with us and take part in the fun!
Our 2 new Pools are as follows:
Pool Name: Rugby-Talk JWC 2014
Pool Code: allyfact
(Just click on the Pool name and it will take you to SuperBru and the Pool, to join!)
Pool Name: Rugby-Talk June Tests 2014
Pool Code: emitsums
(Just click on the Pool name and it will take you to SuperBru and the Pool, to join!)
I was sitting bored on my day off, at home, watching whatever DSTV dished up as re-runs were as usual the norm. Anyhow as it is, I sat tweeting to a few friends when I came across an article written by a young black Sharks supporter, who I have on many occasions had the pleasure of chatting to on Sharksworld.
This young man happens to be a black man, but most of all he is a “RUGBY” lover of note, there is hardly a day that will go bye that he will not be online and discuss the sport he loves, be it on Twitter or on a blog.
If there is one thing I have seen from this young man, is that he is very honest in his opinions, he is actually a very good example of being a true rugby supporter. There are so many blogs one can visit and see people from all sides making total fools of themselves as they try to justify their knowledge or love for the game, but very few come across this honest.
Steve Tew
The New Zealand Rugby Union expressed frustration that Northern Hemisphere nations have refused to back calls to shift the June international window back a month.
Moving the mid-year Tests to July would stop them interrupting the Southern Hemisphere’s Super Rugby season and also give players a slightly longer off-season after years of complaints about too many matches.
By the time you read this, Rugby-Talk had already glided seemlessly past 10 MILLION PAGE IMPRESSIONS (10 Million CLICKS to open or refresh the different Articles or Pages of Rugby-Talk).
For a website which started as a little discussion website between friends, about rugby and as a break-away movement from another rugby website which had resorted to racism, political immaturity, trolling, endless insults and general abuse, it’s not shabby at all, would’nt you say!!
Rugby-Talk is, according to my reconing now the prime Rugby discussion forum in the world, carrying impressive rugby news and information and has become the benchmark for rugby blogging in the known universe and has become the best rugby community on the Internet.
At around 21:38 SA Time on Sunday 18 May 2014, we went over the magic 10 Million mark.
Let me give you some facts and figures to ponder, about Rugby-Talk:
The reluctance of the Home Unions to come to the party is what is preventing a more acceptable global season to be implemented.
It has long been suggested that the selfish nature of Home Union officials – those from England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland – has been at the heart of the troubled and scattered international and domestic calendars.
A push to move June internationals back and create an integrated global rugby season by 2016 remains a ‘long shot’, New Zealand Rugby Union chief Steve Tew has warned.
The International Rugby Players’ Association (IRPA) has campaigned for the June Test window to be pushed back to the end of July to allow southern hemisphere-based players to finish the Super Rugby tournament and have Europe-based players start their domestic campaigns later.
Hi Folks,
I am happy to report that the recent changes to Rugby-Talk (and by that I mean the new design and look and feel as well as the coding in the background and new additions of the website) is performing exceptionally well, in fact much better than expected or anticipated, keeping our use nicely within bounds on the web host server.
From a performance perspective, this has indeed been a massive step up from what we had previously… and the person who did the design certainly knows what he’s doing…. cough, cough, couch… it’s me of course, and I have to beat my own chest sometimes!!
The University of Cape Town’s Varsity Cup win this week has been tainted by allegations of a post-match assault by an Ikey Tigers player.
Dear Minister,
Please allow me to introduce myself.
I am a middle-aged male of European descent living in the Ekhuruleni area, for most of my life.
In that time I’ve seen and experienced MANY changes in the daily lives of both my immediate family and my fellow South African citizens.
For me personally, one of the biggest changes in my life occurred when I discovered that my “local” Rugby Club was just a few kilometres from my house, and was situated in the “previously disadvantaged” area of Edenpark.
Hi friends & readers,
We have made a number of significant changes to the website, as you will no doubt notice at the outset, browsing and reading through the website!
We have a totally new “Look & Feel”, with a new design exclusive to Rugby-Talk, and designed by me, your friendly webmaster.
The development process is still ongoing, with a few elements not yet coded and added, the most notable of which is the COMMENT NUMBER. The “missing” comment number will be a priority to add and we ask for some patience on that score and a few other issues, as time constraints keeps me from just adding them nilly willy as I would like and as I am sure you would want.
Six players in this competition were eliminated this weekend. The Lions proved to be their downfall and the way the Lions team came back from their year in the cold will cost many a player here their life.
The four men accused of beating former Royal Marine, Brett Williams, to death outside Kings Park rugby stadium have all pleaded not guilty.
Twenty-nine-year-old UK rugby fan Williams died outside the stadium following a Super Rugby match between the Sharks and Melbourne Rebels last year.
Former Springbok rugby player Christian Stewart has been charged with allegedly assaulting the boyfriend of his ex-wife.
Stewart, 47, briefly appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Rugby-Talk is ‘n trotse mede-borg van die Delas Rugbyklub Rugbydag op 22 Februarie 2014.
Klubrugby in Suid-Afrika gaan gebuk onder druk van alle kante, waar die owerhede, Suid-Afrikaanse Rugby Unie (SARU) en vermoënde borge maar min geld beskikbaar stel vir hierdie uiters belangrike komponent van rugby in Suid-Afrika.
Delmas Rugbyklub hou jaarliks ‘n Rugbydag en hierdie keer is dit al hul fyfde suksesvolle Rugbydag in ‘n ry in 2014.
Daar is 38 spanne, 19 wedstryde en wonderlike pret en plesier by die wonderlike byeenkoms. Ons nooi ieder en elk uit om saam met ons te deel in die genot van rugby op die platteland.
Daar is ‘n vlooimark, tonne vermaak en kunstenaars wat gaan optree… en natuurlik is ons ook daar saam met Radio Oos Rand Stereo (93.9 FM), Big Bang Events & Marketing Solutions, Phoenixian SA en die borge van die dag en die spanne.
Ons skeep ook nie Super Rugby af nie, want die 2 wedstryde van die oggend en die 2 middag en aand Super Rugby wedstryde word lewendig op die “Big Screen” aangebied, van waar Rugby-Talk dan ook lewendig oor die tellings en verloop van Super Rugby sal rapporteer.
Delmas Rugbyklub, een van die Valke Platteland rugbyklubs, ‘n ou en gevestigde maar klein rugbyklub, hou weer hierdie jaar ‘n rugbydag, hierdie een die 5de in ‘n ry.
Rugby-Talk tree met trots op as borg en media vennoot van die wonderlinge geleentheid.
Oos Rand Stereo (93.9 FM) en Big Bang Events & Marketing Solutions sal ook by die dag betrokke wees en die nodige kleur aan die geleentheid verskaf.
Die gemeenskap van Delmas het ‘n sterk Afrikaanse inslag en daar is versoek dat Rugby-Talk die geleentheid in Afrikaans sal dek en hanteer, vandaar die feit dat hierdie berig in Afrikaans verskyn. Geen poging word hiermee gemaak om die Engelse en internasionale lesers kwaad te maak of te vervreem nie, tewens, ons nooi julle uit om jou krakerige Afrikaans af te stof vir die dag, en indien jy nie by magte is om dit te doen nie, om in jou beste Engels deel te neem aan die gesprek.
(The community of Delmas and surrounds has a strong Afrikaans component and it was requested that Rugby-Talk cover the event in Afrikaans, thus the fact that this article is largely in Afrikaans. No attempt is made to anger or alienate English and international readers, in fact you are invited to dust off your Shoddy Afrikaans for the day, and if you are not in a position to do so, to take part in the conversations in your best English).
Soos ons almal bewus is, kry rugbyklubs weinig bystand en finansiële steun van hul moeder-unies, van die Suid-Afrikaanse Rugbyraad en van die owerhede.
Spelers by van die klubs speel gereeld met tweedehandse tokse en klubs is van rugbydae soos hierdie afhanklik vir hul enigste inkomste van die jaar.
Vrywilligers en toegewyde rugbyondersteuners maak die bestuur van hierdie klubs op, teen hoegenaamd geen vergoeding nie, inteendeel betaal hierdie ware rugbygeesdriftiges gereeld gelde uit eie sak, sny gras en herstel wat nodig is om die rugbyklubs aan die lewe te hou.
Last year I took a bet with a fellow subscriber on Rugby-Talk and the whole idea of our own Prediction Game was born. We always brag or predict how many games other teams will win or lose. The idea was born to challenge you all to put your great rugby knowledge to test. This competition will eliminate the big mouths first and foremost.
Let me explain more…
This ARTICLE is the only place were you can participate and give your predictions. All Predictions must be in before 15:00 on Saturday 15 February 2014, that is roughly 2 hours before the first South African Super Rugby game of 2014.
This is a ONCE-OFF prediction game, you pick before the cut-off time, after that you just wait and see how far you go over the weeks. Once you have picked, the season will unfold and your wisdom will be tested. Rugby-Talk will compile a spreadsheet and monitor your progress or lack thereof.
Last man standing will be our winner. The prize for the winner, will be a gift voucher of R 1 000.00 from Garden Pavilion Garden Centre. This prize will be sponsored by Appelblaar Road Stall & Nursery in Hoedspruit, but will apply to any of the Garden Pavilion Garden Centres in South Africa.
Springbok wing JP Pietersen’s has lifted his first trophy of the season after Panasonic Wild Knights defeated Suntory Sungoliath 45 / 22 in the Top League final in Japan.
JP Pietersen came off the bench in the 49th minute to help his team to victory over former Springbok team-mate Fourie du Preez.
The cash-strapped Fiji Rugby Union on Friday hailed a new US$21.3 million sponsorship deal as a “game changer” for the sport in the Pacific nation.
FRU chairman Filimoni Waqabaca said the five-year agreement gave the organisation certainty after a troubled period when it had to sack the national team’s coach to save money and had financial aid from the International Rugby Board (IRB) suspended.
It is 2 weeks prior to the kick off of 2 brand new Rugby Tournaments and just less than a month away from kick off of the 3rd Tournament – Super Rugby.
We will have SuperBru Widgets up in the Righthand sidebar for these 3 Pools, for easy access to make your PICKS, go to the POOLS and see an abbreviated version of the LOG in each pool (Top 10).
Rugby-Talk SuperBru pools are open to all REGISTERED RUGBY-TALK SUBSCRIBERS, so if you are not yet registered, get clicking man!
As is the custom and the excitement, Rugby-Talk will be taking part in rugby competitions on SuperBru in 2014 again, but at the end of last year we took it a step further, we also formed our own SuperBru Club, the Rugby-Talk.com Club. The Club gives us an added and combined interface, where messages are posted in the “Social Room”, where the current Rugby-Talk Bru Pools are detailed in the “Games Room”, where members are tabled in the “Members Wall” and where medal standings and tables are displayed in the “Trophy Room”.
So, firstly, join up to the 3 NEW POOLS and also join up at the Rugby-Talk.com Club!
The details are as follows:
Is’nt this just special!
Took these photos yesterday (Sunday 26 January) of our visit to Jugomaro Predator Park a little distance out of Groblersdal, on the way to Marblehall.
Go into the article to view the pictures!
The International Rugby Board which approves what players wear or disapproves of something that players wear of want to wear, has approved has approved the use of a particular kind of goggles for those with seeing problems.