Player Movements
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and winger Cory Jane have both been sidelined due to injury from the third and final Bledisloe Cup clash against the Wallabies in Dunedin (Otago Regional Stadium) on Saturday, both having picked up late injuries at training, the All Blacks said.
One more Super Rugby door closed on All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu on Friday when the Waikato Chiefs confirmed fullback Mils Muliaina and centre Robbie Fruean would be joining them for next year.
Nonu’s final chance of securing a Super Rugby contract in New Zealand now lies with the Auckland Blues after the Otago Highlanders, Canterbury Crusaders and Wellington Hurricanes all passed up the chance to sign him.
Local media reports this week said the Blues were talking to Nonu, although a decision is not expected until after the third Bledisloe Cup test against Australia in Dunedin on Saturday.
South African lock Etienne Oosthuizen has been released from the final year of his Super Rugby contract with the Brumbies to be closer to his family, the club said Friday.
Saturday will be a special occasion for Waratahs wing Peter Betham, as he makes his Test debut for Australia against New Zealand.
His inclusion in the No.11 jersey is one of the four changes made to the starting line-up for this dead rubber – the third in the three-Test Bledisloe Cup series, with the All Blacks holding an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Rugby World Cup winning All Black prop Tony Woodcock has agreed to re-join his former Super Rugby team the Blues for the 2014 season.
MTN Golden Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has announced his side to take on DHL Western Province in the 2013 Absa Currie Cup semi-final at Newlands on Saturday afternoon.
The All Blacks have tweaked their backline for the Bledisloe Cup clash against the Wallabies at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday.
The starting XV features the return of 43-Test All Black Cory Jane who is back in the national side after recovering from a serious knee injury.
Clermont scrum-half Morgan Parra will miss France’s opening November test against world champions New Zealand after he was handed a four-week ban by the French League on Wednesday.
Parra was punished for having punched Bordeaux-Begles’s Gautier Gibouin several times during a Top 14 league match on September 29.
Jean de Villiers will start at outside centre for defending champions DHL Western Province in Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup semifinal meeting with the MTN Golden Lions at DHL Newlands (kick-off 14:30).
National captain De Villiers replaces Michael van der Spuy in the only change to the WP line-up that defeated the Sharks by 17-13 in Durban last Saturday – a result which sealed a top-of-the-log finish for the reigning champions.
The Shark have named close on their strongest starting line-up for Saturday’s Absa semi-final clash with Free State as they look to emulate four of the past five campaigns.
The Sharks featured in the 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012 finals and will be hoping to make it a fifth appointment (seeking their third victorious campaign after titles in 2008 and 2010) this year if they can see off Free State’s challenge.
Die Toyota Vrystaat Cheetahs sê op Saterdag 19 Oktober die Sharks die stryd aan vir ‘n plek in die finaal van die 2013 Absa Curriebeker. Die wedstryd skop om 17:00 in Durban af.
Rayno Benjamin word vervang deur Riaan Smit, met Ryno Benjamin wat afskuiwe na die plaasvervangersbank.
The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd is pleased to announce that a number of players have extended their contracts with the BBC and will be available for the Vodacom Bulls and Vodacom Blue Bulls till 2015.
Top of the list is 33 test capped lock Flip van der Merwe, who signed an extension till 31 October 2015.
In a dramatic about turn Free State Cheetahs prop Schalk van der Merwe has been cleared to resume playing.
This follows a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen looks set to use the final Bledisloe Cup Test to have a look at some different backline options.
Prolific wing Ben Smith will move to outside centre in place of Conrad Smith who is on holiday, with the experienced Cory Jane expected to take his place on the wing, whilst Hansen may also hand a start to impressive young flyhalf Beauden Barrett.
Wallabies wings Joe Tomane and Chris Feauai-Sautia are the latest backline players to have been ruled out of Saturday’s Test against the All Blacks due to injury.
This comes just a day after inside centre and leading goal-kicker Christian Lealiifano was ruled out of the Bledisloe Cup clash with an ankle injury.
Juan de Jongh’s status as a doubtful starter for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup semifinal against the MTN Golden Lions at DHL Newlands has increased the likelihood of Springbok captain Jean de Villiers moving away from his usual inside centre position in the DHL Western Province team for the game.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls exit out of the Absa Currie Cup competition has come as a welcome bonus for the under-21 side, who face their own semifinal this weekend.
Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen will play 40 minutes of their Currie Cup semi-final against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
The Golden Lions rugby union has announced the signing of a two year contract with former Boland and WP scrumhalf Ricky Schroeder.
Free State Cheetahs prop Schalk van der Merwe would have appeared before a South African Rugby Union judicial committee on Tuesday, however the hearing was postponed till Wednesday.
Wallaby goal-kicker Christian Leali’ifano has been ruled out of Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand with an ankle injury.
Whilst it is already old news that Craig Burden was planning a move to French giants, Toulon, it has now been confirmed that he has been signed by European champions Toulon as cover for the injured Sebastien Bruno.
The 28-year-old uncapped Springbok, who has played at the Sharks since 2006, could make his debut in the European Cup next weekend.
The return of star utility back Cory Jane headlines the All Black squad for the third Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia in Dunedin next Saturday.
Scotland have revealed that fullback Stuart Hogg will miss this year’s Autumn Internationals (End Of Year Tours) due to an injury.
The first round of Heineken Cup 2013/14 matches kick off this weekend in what may be the very last tournament with the European premier club rugby competition going through a much publicised meltdown.
Tatafu Polota-Nau and Nick Cummins return from injury in the 32-man Wallabies’ squad named on Friday for the five-Test tour next month.
It comprises 26 of the 28 players who toured South Africa and Argentina in the Rugby Championship, with front row forward Albert Anae and wing Peter Betham omitted following the return of Waratahs hooker Polota-Nau (hamstring) and Western Force outside back Cummins (hand).
Centre Michael van der Spuy could feature in midfield for Western Province when they tackle the Sharks in a Currie Cup encounter in Durban on Saturday.
Juan de Jongh is struggling with a hamstring injury and according to backline coach Robbie Fleck his chances of being declared fit is “50-50”.
MTN Golden Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has announced his side to take on the GWK Griquas at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon.
Free State Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské, named a strong lineup and a virtual Super Rugby quality side to face the Vodacom Blue Bulls on Saturday in Bloemfontein for their Currie Cup clash.
Not only will they start with Coenie Oosthuizen at loosehead, but Coenie will have 2 Springboks next to him in the front row, with Adriaan Strauss at hooker and re-taking the captaincy and with Trevor Nyakane at tighthead.
But the biggest news is probably that the almost forgotton young brilliant flyhalf, Johan Goosen, might be back on the field from the bench, should he pass a fitness test on Friday. Goosen has been out of action since injuring his knee in training on the Cheetahs’ Australasian tour in Super Rugbyof 2013. He was set to return to action earlier, take part in the match against Griquas which was played this past weekend, but a few weeks ago he had to undergo an operation to remove a troubling appendix, which naturally delayed his return.
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar included Springboks JJ Engelbrecht and Jan Serfontein in his backline and promoted loose forward Jacques Engelbrecht to his starting pack for Saturday’s do-or-die Absa Currie Cup clash against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
The Bok midfield duo will play for the Vodacom Blue Bulls for the first time this season and will replace William Small-Smith and Francois Venter respectively. Small-Smith will move to the Under-21’s and Venter to the bench.
DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has named four Springboks in his starting XV for Saturday’s final-round Absa Currie Cup encounter against the Sharks in Durban (kick-off 19:10).
Outside centre Juan de Jongh, No.8 Duane Vermeulen, flanker Siya Kolisi and lock Eben Etzebeth will all start for the unbeaten defending champions, whilst national skipper Jean de Villiers will be on the bench.
The Sharks have announced their team to face DHL Western Province on Saturday 12 October 2013 at Kings Park. The match will start at 19:10 SA Time.
The referee for the match will be Jonathan Kaplan, assisted by Jason Jaftha and Reuben Rossow and with Shaun Veldsman in the TMO box.
Patrick Lambie is the only returning Springbok to play from the bench, considering that Willem Alberts is injured and not in the matchday 22.
Kockott has not signed with Toulon for next season and remains loyal to Castres for now.
The Rumour of a move to Toulon has been laid to rest on Tuesday after Springbok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar extended his stay at Ulster for another 3 years.
A number of songs immediately come to mind when one considers the position of the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their do or die match on the weekend in Bloemfontein against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
Here’s one of them…