Springboks
Former Sharks centre, Francois Steyn, is reported to be headed back to South Africa after he chose not to extend his contract with Top 14 Rugby club Racing Metro 92.
Rassie Erasmus is set to be named as a high performance manager by the South African Rugby Union (SARU).
Former Springbok winger Ricardo Loubscher is the new favourite to become Springbok backline coach for the forthcoming season.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has extended its contract with Gilbert Rugby South Africa as the Official Ball and Equipment Supplier to the Springboks.
Springbok and Sharks prop Tendai “‘Beast” Mtawarira has been admitted to a private hospital in Cape Town suffering from heart palpitations.
Heyneke Meyer was appointed four weeks ago as Springbok coach and still there is no clarity as to who will be on his management team in 2012.
Stormers and Western Province head coach Allister Coetzee has signed a new contract to stay in Cape Town until 2015 and has turned down the opportunity to join Heyneke Meyer’s new Springbok coaching staff
As the maxim goes: ‘It never rains but it pours.’This certainly rings true for the South African Rugby Union.
In the midst of a predicament over their handling of the Southern Kings’ entry in Super Rugby, it has emerged that for the past 16 months SARU have been at loggerheads with one of their most prominent contractors.
The official draw has been held for the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, round six of the HSBC Sevens World Series to be played on 23-25 March 2012 at the Hong Kong Stadium.
With the event doubling up in 2012 as the HSBC Sevens World Series core team qualifier, the renowned Hong Kong event will play host to two 12-team competitions played side by side at the 40,000-capacity venue.
Folks, it can be that big time Rugby may no longer be played at Newlands
2 August 1956, Solway Ground, Masterton: South Arica 19 / Wairarapa-Bush 8
It was another disappointing Springbok performance and although they won by 11 points all the tries came from individual effort rather than from smooth team work as one would expect after 7 weeks and 15 matches on tour (excluding the 3 weeks and 6 matches in Australia).
New Zealand Herald recently published their list of 20 All Black greats.
The List referred to above are the players that made All Black rugby what it is or who changed the direction or perception on how the game should be played in New Zealand.
Who are the Springbok legends that formed SA rugby; who made Springbok rugby what it is? Continue reading
For better or worse, the Pieter de Villiers era has come to an end. Many felt at the time of his appointment that Heyneke Meyer was the best candidate, and now four years later he will get his opportunity to prove them wrong.
And as expected some of what he says make no sense whatsoever.
I have had a look at the Article dealing with whether Heyneke Meyer’s proposed ‘Unified SA Style’ is realistic or not.
Meyer said on Monday that his ultimate aim would be for all the teams in South Africa to adopt a similar style of rugby.
“In future I would like to install a national style of play and defence and all the attributes that go with it, and everybody should buy in,” Meyer said.
“I am realistic and know you can’t force people to play the same, but there should at least be a common goal and places where you can touch base.”
This brought me to the question is this possible at all and what is the typical South African style? I think what most SA teams have in common is the idea of dominating the set piece (scrum and line-out). Soften them up in the forwards before you spread it to the backs type of philosophy. Continue reading
Newly appointed Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says one of his greatest challenges will be to have the country’s Super Rugby franchises on the same page.
New South Africa coach Heyneke Meyerwill make finding common ground with Super Rugby franchises and northern hemisphere clubs over conditioning of their Springbok players his priority, he said on Monday.
28 July 1956 – Rugby Park, Invercargill
South Africa 23 / Southland 12
Southland hospitality was at play when the Springboks arrived in a cold Invercargill. Lavish entertainment including flights to the beauty spots in the South Island was laid out by the Southland Rugby Union.
With only 3 weeks to go till the start of Super Rugby 2012, the news has arrived that all referees in Super Rugby as well as the Southern Hemisphere test series now to be known as The Rugby Championship (Tri Nations expanded) have powers to put players ‘ON REPORT’ for suspected foul play, under a system whioch will be trialed in rugby union for the first time.
I suppose this issue is so important to ALL SOUTH AFRICANS, that it is only just that we handle the Matter LIVE!
Herewith the announcement as it appeared live on TV in SA.
Oregan Hoskins announced the Coach, before that Jurie Roux, SARU CEO made some remarks.
It’s official, Heyneke Meyer IS the new Springbok coach!
News from the City Of Roses is that, one of the leading contenders to Captain the Springboks in 2012, Juan Smith, has not recovered from his injury and is on crutches once again.
17 July 1971 – Sydney Oval, Sydney
South Africa 19 / Australia 11
Not much is available about this Test apart from some Gerhard Viviers commentary (see video below) and brief descriptions of the Springbok tries. There were two changes to the South African team who played against France earlier the season at home.
Morné du Plessis and Hannes Viljoen got their first caps in the places of the injured Tommy Bedford and Gert Muller. The South African team can be seen in the table below.
Former Springbok and Bulls captain Victor Matfield could come out of retirement, but only if Heyneke Meyer is unveiled as the new Springbok coach on Friday.
The Blue Bulls Company has just released an official Media Release regarding their stance on Heyneke Meyer’s possible appointment as Springbok rugby coach, by SARU.
The plot thickens…
South Africa 27 /West Coast-Buller 6
Dominating in the scrums and line-outs has so far proven to be not enough for the 1956 Springbok team. Not even halfway thought the tour yet and they’ve already lost two tour matches namely against Waikato and Canterbury as well as the first test in spite of winning the line-out and scrums contests in each of these matches.
The two main problems seem to have been; firstly, an inability to contest at the rucks/tackle ball; secondly, lack of polish in the backline. The lack of structure at the rucks and collision areas has been the main area targeted by the local team’s right from the Waikato match. The primary approach was simply to change the line-outs and scrums into rucks and then to charge through in numbers and/or to put the ball behind the Springboks with box kicks and then charge at the backs.
Saru said it would not discuss the issue of Bok coach and that its next comment on the matter would be the announcement of the man for the job at an extraordinary meeting of the general
council.
Not much that Peter de Villiers says in this Article can be disputed. He had a hard task to guide Jake White’s glory boys. With the massive amount of senior player power and his introduction to the coaching job, he was always on the receiving end. Yes, he was not the best technical coach but he kept the politicians off our backs and the team together.
Good luck to the next coach!
It is my impression that politcs will play a major role again and if the new coach is not from the previously disadvantaged group, his task will be most difficult.
Enough opinionating, here is the actual Article: Continue reading
The South African Rugby Union (Saru) could spring a massive surprise next week and retain incumbent Springbok coach Peter de Villiers as a caretaker coach for the upcoming three-test series against England.
Springbok rugby legend Naas Botha on Monday said he saw no reason why current coach Peter de Villiers could not remain part of the Bok set up.
As we reach the magical, mystical and unfathomable date of January 27th for the announcement of our new Springbok coach, and as the excitement builds, the media hacks go into overdrive. This comes second only to the general election results in terms of hype. Who’s in, who’s out, the circus continues, SARU aren’t helping, but here’s the latest.
Canterbury 9 / South Africa 6
This match was a turning point in terms of the media and public’s (in both countries) relationship with Craven and the 1956 Springbok team.
Terry McLean writes: This was the day that Canterbury, for the second time in three encounters, defeated South Africa, this was the night that Danie Craven, after telling me that he was not a happy man, said a critical piece about refereeing in New Zealand, this was the week-end in which he made an official complaint about the quality of New Zealand refereeing and this was the succeeding week in which angry passions were stirred in the backrooms of newspaper offices, both South African and New Zealand, that the Grey River Argus felt impelled to say, “Sour grapes, Dr Craven –very sour grapes indeed!”
The 1956 team was not a particularly happy touring group and struggled to find their feet right from the start of the New Zealand leg of the tour after losing the first match against Waikato. The Springboks had a hard time adjusting to the wet playing surfaces, the rainy/muddy conditions, the flat lying and rush-up defensive style of the New Zealand teams but in particularly with the kick and charge/marauding foot rush tactics of the New Zealand teams. The rucks were a nightmare for the Springboks and they were at loss how to counter the locals’ aggression, structure and ascendency at the tackle ball.
The leader of the Stormers, Schalk Burger, is the right man to take over the captaincy of the Springboks.
The afternoon of the same morning they arrived from South Africa the Springboks played in their first game against a combined team of Western Australia in PERTH.
Charles Blunt the President of Australian rugby formally welcomed every Springbok with a handshake before the first match (see Picture below).
This picture shows Charles Blunt president of Australia rugby being introduced to the players by Hannes Marais before the first match. Here he shakes hands with Dirk de Vos.
Our sport is more enjoyable to watch than it was in the olden times when I was young, but there are a few things about the modern game I would rather be without. (I read this and posted it, purely because of Lee Grants obvious hatred of our boys, which he mentions on several occasions. What are your thoughts?)