New Zealand Rugby
A succession of head injuries have cast a shadow over the playing future of the Blues’ French-bound utility back Benson Stanley.
Remarkable team the Highlanders. Just when you think you can count on counting them out, you can’t.
That was the case on Saturday night when they humbled a Bulls team which had started the weekend as Super Rugby’s competition front-runners but ended it with a 16-11 loss. They will be re-evaluating their form ahead of this weekend’s game against the Chiefs.
With the exception of the Highlanders gritty victory against the Bulls, every winner in Week 13 was higher on the competition log table than their vanquished rivals, meaning that the title hopefuls tightened their grip on potential Super Rugby Final’s Series qualification.
Crusaders (31) 59 / Blues (0) 12 (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Highlanders (3) 16 / Bulls (6) 11 (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 07:30 SA Time (17:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Former All Black Stephen Bachop has changed his pleas to guilty on four charges relating to an incident on Rugby World Cup final night last year.
In Wellington District Court on Friday a charge of assaulting a female was reduced in seriousness and became a charge of simple assault.
The Blues are running out of loose forwards rapidly, with Steven Luatua called-up to make his run-on debut against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.
Hurricanes (15) 25 / Brumbies (13) 37 (Final Score)
The Hurricanes and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets for Week 13 of Super Rugby 2012.
Herewith all the Teams, as announced for the weekend.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has welcomed a compromise agreement on the kick off date for the 2015 Rugby World Cup tournament as well on a new funding model to recognise impacts on unions in Rugby World Cup years.
The IRB Council on Tuesday reached agreement that the 2015 tournament will kick off on September 18, which represented a compromise between the organiser’s preferred date and that of the SANZAR nations, who will be engaged in the Castle Rugby Championship until shortly before Rugby World Cup kick off.
SANZAR have released the match officials for Week 13 of Super Rugby 2012, with Mark Lawrence starting the first game on Friday and Marius Jonker finishing the weekend off in Perth on Sunday.
This weekend has 7 matches, 1 on Friday, 5 on Saturday and the last 1 on Sunday, meaning only one team has a bye-weekend, namely the Chiefs.
The All Blacks selectors, Coach Steve Hansen, Assistant Coach Ian Foster and fellow selector Grant Fox, have selected 35 players to attend two training camps ahead of the three Steinlager Series Tests against Ireland.
The first wider training group camp will be held in Auckland from next Sunday 20 May – Tuesday 22 May with the second camp in Wellington from Sunday 27 May – Tuesday 29 May.
The Chiefs 42-27 loss to the Reds appears to have come at an extra cost as coach Dave Rennie fears that star centre Richard Kahui will be out for the rest of the Super Rugby season.
Taranaki 3 / 3 South Africa – 11 August 1956, Rugby Park New Plymouth
The Springbok team arrived in New Plymouth in high spirits after winning the second test and constructing an impressive win against Wanganui – scoring 7 splendid tries. There was a feeling in the camp that the tour was back on track and that the team was starting to hit form. The struggling performance against a spirited Taranaki team therefore came as a bit of a shock; a reality check.
Within context of the tour it was a match as important and influential as the Waikato game. The spirit, commitment and overall performance of the Taranaki team showed the way for the All Blacks according to Terry McLean and this had a highly significant influence on the outcome of not only the third test but also the series:
Reds (15) 42 / Chiefs (22) 27 (Final Score)
The Reds and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 08:10 SA Time (16:10 Brisbane Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Rebels (10) 28 / Crusaders (19) 19 (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at AAMI Park, Melbourne at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Melbourne Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Highlanders (14) 20 / Hurricanes (9) 26 (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Blues (10) 25 / Lions (3) 3 (Final Score)
The Blues and MTN Lions did battle in Super Rugby at Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets for Week 12 of Super Rugby 2012.
Herewith all the Teams, as announced for the weekend.
Vodacom Super Rugby has been attracting bumper TV audiences as it reached the halfway mark at the weekend. Average viewership has increased by 15% on 2011, while viewership of South African derbies averages 685,581, making it easily the most popular sporting event on DSTV’s premium bouquet – apart from Springbok Test matches.
I have no idea what SANZAR thought they were doing when they appointed Bryce Lawrence to the match between the Reds and the Crusaders at the weekend. Maybe they had taken a blow too many to the head. But the officiating of this game was an accident waiting to happen.
The Blues franchise heaped even more pressure on embattled coach Pat Lam by revealing that they are going to put his job up to tender.
In a statement on Wednesday the franchise said the position of Blues head coach for 2013 will be advertised.
We take a quick glance at the results, what-ifs, leading points and try scorers after the eleventh week of competition in 2012 Super Rugby.
A round-up of the latest news shorts from the weekend’s rugby.
Crusaders (6) 15 / Reds (5) 11 (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch at 06:00 SA Time (16:00 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Sharks (15) 28 / Highlanders (9) 16 (Final Score)
The Sharks and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at Mr Price Kings Park at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Chiefs (20) 34 / Lions (7) 21 (Final Score)
The Chiefs and MTN Lions did battle in Super Rugby at Bayer Growers Stadium, Pukekohe at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Hurricanes (16) 35 / Blues (12) 19 (Final Score)
The Hurricanes and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & SCN on TV in SA.
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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets for Week 11 of Super Rugby 2012.
Herewith all the Teams, as announced for the weekend.
The Big 5 priorities have once against been summarised after ten weeks of Super Rugby, and the indication is that the shape of the game looks sound according to SANZAR Game Manager Lyndon Bray.
Maintaining the momentum around agreed scrum outcomes and keeping the time and space around the field ensures that we maintain a focus on attack.
Herewith a general review of the judicial affairs of the 10th week of Super Rugby 2012, with three White Card incidents which led to two citings, while there were no off-field yellows or red cards shown.
Summary of the disciplinary cards shown:
A round-up of the latest news shorts from the weekend’s rugby.
Waratahs (13) 33 / Crusaders (14) 37 (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 08:10 SA Time (16:10 Sydney Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Cheetahs (23) 33 /Highlanders (9) 36 (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Chiefs (12) 33 / Hurricanes (8) 14 (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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