SA Rugby
Another South African is making his way accross to Australia to play Super Rugby! The Twitterverse reports that MTN Lions utility backline player, Lionel Cronjé, has signed and is is off to Canberra to join the Brumbies for next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Deon Fourie may not get the opportunity to lift the Absa Currie Cup for a second consecutive time at Newlands on Saturday.
DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee confirmed at an early Monday morning press conference at the High Performance Centre in Bellville that his talismanic skipper, who led the team to victory as underdogs in last year’s decider in Durban, may be a doubtful starter for the final against the Sharks. There is also an element of doubt over lock De Kock Steenkamp.
Springbok Sevens assistant coach Vuyo Zangqa will not renew his contract and will be stepping down from his current position with the South African team.
Zangqa was offered an extension on his contract, but has decided to pursue other career opportunities once his contract expires at the end of the month.
Western Province hooker Scarra Ntubeni has avoided further punishment after he was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle in their Currie Cup semi-final win over the Golden Lions at the weekend.
Ntubeni was sent to the sin-bin in the 73rd minute of the match at Newlands after he tip-tackled the Lions’ Robert de Bruyn.
Only 5 days remain before the Currie Cup final where we will see DHL Western Province take on The Sharks.
There has been quite a debate going on since Saturday and everyone has their views and thoughts on who the victor will be.
Put your skills to the test here to predict who will eventually walk away with glory and the bragging rights in the competition for 2013. Voting is open to Guests and Members of Rugby-Talk.
[poll id=”5″]
Voting for the Poll will close at 17:15 on Saturday 26 October 2013.
As we approach the final of the Currie Cup this weekend, all is not well in the Sharks camp.
There is the possibility that Bismarck du Plessis will miss the final due to a citing for stamping and in addition there is a couple of injuries to key players, which does not make things any easier.
DHL Western Province and The Sharks on Saturday booked their places in the Absa Currie Cup final in Cape Town next week following well-deserved victories in their semifinals against the MTN Golden Lions and Toyota Free State Cheetahs respectively.
Defending champions, Western Province, automatically earned a home final with their 33-16 victory against the Lions at DHL Newlands after finishing the round-robin stages as the top team, while the Sharks defeated the Cheetahs 33-22 at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban.
Next week’s match-up will mark the second successive showdown between the teams in the Absa Currie Cup final, while it will also mark the Sharks’ fourth successive final appearance.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says that unless someone gives them a lot of money he will not be doing any recruiting ahead of Super Rugby.
After being knocked out of the Currie Cup in their semifinal defeat to the unbeaten Western Province at Newlands, focus for the Johannesburg franchise now shifts to their re-entry into Super Rugby.
Sharks (16) 33 / 22 (7) FS Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Sharks and the Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at
Growthpoint Kings Park at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
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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WP (18) 33 / 16 (9) Golden Lions (Final Score)
DHL Western Province and the MTN Golden Lions did battle in a Currie Cup Premier Division Semi-final at
Newlands, Cape Town at 14:30 SA Time (12:30 GMT).
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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It is just before the Semi-Finals of the Currie Cup Premier Division competition of 2013 in South Africa.
Only 4 teams are still in it to win the competition.
Put your skills to the test here to predict who will eventually walk away with glory and the bragging rights in the competition for 2013. Voting is open to Readers and Registered Subscribers of Rugby-Talk.
[poll id=”4″]
Voting for the Poll will close just prior to the advent of the 1st Semi-Final, on Saturday 19 October 2013.
Griquas (0) 21 / 19 (13) Pumas (Final Score)
GWK Griquas and the Steval Pumas did battle in the 1st of 2 Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation games at
GWK Park, Kimberley at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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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.
Not only were WP Rugby’s professional players awarded individual trophies based on their performances throughout the 2013 season, but the Western Province Rugby Football Union also recognised all club, junior, female and referees’ performances within the union this past year.
The event was well attended on the night with the DHL WP Absa Currie Cup team present – ahead of this weekend’s semifinal against the Golden Lions – along with other key sponsors, players (seniors, juniors and club players), administrators and the local rugby media.
Former Springbok centre Gcobani Bobo has been appointed as backline coach of the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
So, we find ourselves close to the end of yet another great Currie Cup season, but don’t get sad because there are still 5 big Currie Cup clashes left – 2 Promotion / Relegation matches, 2 semi-finals and the BIG Currie Cup final.
Our starter for the weekend will be a Promotion / Relegation match on Friday evening between GWK Griquas and Steval Pumas in Kimberley. This will be followed by two main courses on Saturday. The one course will be served Newlands style with a side of “big hits”, whilst the second course will be served Kings Park style with a side of “open and running rugby”. Desert will be a choice between pure bliss or extreme sadness, depending on main course selection.
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.
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.
Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse beefed up his scrum ahead of the first match in their Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation series against GWK Griquas.
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.
Rudolf Straeuli’s reported shift from Kings Park to Ellis Park is not a done deal yet, but there are plenty of good reasons why it will happen.
Golden Lions Rugby Union CEO Manie Booysen confirmed to this website that they are “in conversation” with Straeuli at this stage.
The GWK Griquas team will look at Springbok outside back Willie le Roux to provide the spark against Steval Pumas when the two teams meet in Kimberley on Friday night.
The unpredictable and dangerous counter-attacking that highlight Le Roux’s play will be needed as the home side try to prevent the Absa Currie Cup First Division champions a win in Kimberley in the first of their two Promotion / Relegation matches.
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.
Griquas will “definitely” draw on the experience of Springbok Willie le Roux for their crucial Promotion-Relegation match against the Pumas on Friday night.
Record-breaking South Africa wing Bryan Habana is predicting an epic battle when the Springboks take on Wales in Cardiff in November.
The 30-year-old former IRB Player of the Year is looking forward to returning to the Welsh capital next month and believes, following the success of the British and Irish Lions in mid-year, the Welsh side will be more dangerous than ever.
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.
The Steval Pumas hammered the Eastern Province Kings on Friday night in the Currie Cup First Division final.
The Pumas led 19-9 at halftime and looked to be in control throughout the game. The final score saw the Pumas win 53-30.
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 round-robin stages of the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division this weekend reached an exciting conclusion, as DHL Western Province maintained their unbeaten run to retain the No1 spot on the log, while the Toyota Free State Cheetahs and MTN Golden Lions secured their semifinal berths.
DHL Western Province will host the MTN Golden Lions in the first semifinal in Cape Town next Saturday, while The Sharks will meet the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Durban in the other pay-off match.
The Lions and Cheetahs finished the league stages level on 26 log points thanks to the four-try bonus point bagged by the Johannesburg team in their clash against GWK Griquas.