Super Rugby
Warren Gatland will have some familiar faces around him when he takes his 2013 British & Irish Lions tour party to Australia next year.
The 2013 head coach, Gatland, on Wednesday revealed that he will have 2009 coaches Graham Rowntree and Rob Howley rejoining him, both former Lions themselves.
EP Rugby CEO Anele Pamba has resigned from his position with immediate effect, leaving President Cheeky Watson in “shock”.
The Brumbies have announced that they have signed former Rugby League coach Brian Smith as their defence/collision coach for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
The Blues on Monday named veteran lock Ali Williams as captain for the 2013 season, with coach John Kirwan saying it will give the 77-Test veteran a chance to prove his doubters wrong.
The Brumbies will establish a talented-player squad to boost depth and give players a pathway to Super Rugby less than a year after the ARU abolished the province academies.
It was revealed that Jake White is moving to bridge the gap between amateur and professional rugby with the top 20 players from the capital’s premier division to be added to a Brumbies talent squad.
Controversial Wallaby playmaker Quade Cooper has settled his differences with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) by signing a new two-year deal on Friday.
Wallabies and Reds playmaker Quade Cooper is believed to have come to terms with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) with a new deal that will keep playing Super Rugby in Australia for the Reds.
Struggling French outfit Racing Métro is chasing the signature of the Bulls’ Springbok lock Juandré Kruger.
Veteran hooker Keven Mealamu has become the latest player to opt for a ‘sabbatical’ during next year’s Super Rugby competition.
The Kings have been working hard on their fitness ahead of what they know will be a gruelling debut Super Rugby season next year.
As I was perusing Facebook, I came across the comment below.
While I applaud the Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) for appointing a businessman as new pemanent CEO, one who has played club rugby, and is involved in school rugby, I do feel for the outgoing Acting CEO, Ruben Moggee. He took over from Manie Reynecke under very trying circumstances, and along with Kevin De Klerk, had to oversee many crises that came to head during his tenure. One only has think of the GUMA TAC debacle, the Pumas and Leopards suing the union for unpaid fees and the biggest humiliation of them all, being kicked out of Super Rugby.
With the 5 South African Super Rugby franchises, or should I rather say the 5 participating Super Rugby franchis in 2013, all busy with pre-season preparations already, I suppose it would be wise to list the Fixtures for 2013 (although they have been up under Super Rugby, 2013 under the top menu for some time already now).
In addition, I am going to delve lightly into the games in the month of February, giving my very, very early views on what might transpire.
This past weekend saw the end of the Southern Hemisphere 15-man rugby season… a long and arduous season.
Now only the HSBC Sevens World Series Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens tournament remains, after which we, as proud Southerners, have to rely on the scraps of rugby coming to us from the Northern Hemisphere, and then fill in the gaps with some cricket action to keep our sport addictions alive.
The South African Blitzbokke provide scant hopes for a good result in Port Elizabeth this coming weekend, but the party will continue… and we will party right along.
On the positive side, it was a good season again for Southern Hemisphere rugby, spoilt by the fantastic wins by France against the Wallabies about a month ago and of course the Coup de Grace by the England rugby side against the world number one side, the New Zealand All Blacks, this past weekend – lambasting them by a massive 38 / 21.
Hereafter a quick look at the respective seasons of the BIG BOYS of Southern Hemisphere Rugby:
The latest news regarding Player Movements, the appointment of coaches and player movement miths set straight.
Some players are definately moving, some are extending their stay, some refute rumours of possible movement, whilst on the coaching side of things the John Mitchell saga carries on. The Crusaders also appoint 2 vital Assistant coaches for 2013.
You will find the news, item by item below:
I suspect that more important offenses are missed in rugby than any other sport. But don’t blame the refs – or not too much, wouldn’t want to spoil all the fun. The problem is so many things are happening at the same time on and off the ball, it is almost impossible for one man to pick up.
The Lions have finally announced their proposed fixtures to be played in lieu of Super Rugby participation in 2013.
The fixtures include matches from the “Lions Challenge”, as well as some friendlies against Super Rugby opposition as well as a number of international, American and European club sides.
The full media release from the Lions follows:
The Southern Kings will have two New Zealand coaches at the helm during next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Wallaby flyhalf Quade Cooper on Monday said he was putting his Rugby Union career on hold, as he prepares to make his debut in the boxing ring early next year.
The Official Media Release of the Golden Lions Rugby Union, reads as follows regarding former head coach, John Mitchell, who has been redeployed as a technical advisor to the Union, and Johan Ackermann has been appointed as head coach. I hope this long and drawn out saga has finally been resloved and the Lions can concentrate on the Lions Challenge and Currie Cup in their quest to regain Super Rugby status.
Super Rugby newcomers, the Southern Kings, are busy finalising their squad for next year’s tournament.
The Vodacom Bulls on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Victor Matfield as their new Forwards and Attack Coach for the 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby season, while also naming Derick Hougaard as a skills and kicking coach and Handrè Pollard as part of their extended playing squad for the new season.
The Cheetahs are doing everything within their powers to try and stop loose forward Juan Smith from moving to France.
The Cheetahs started their preparations for the 2013 Super 15, with fitness assessments today. All the injured players, and new signings were present, except Cornal Hendricks, who the Cheetahs have contracted, but SARU maintain he is still contracted to them.
Private investors have been granted the licences to run two of New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams from 2013, the New Zealand Rugby Union said on Monday, in a move aimed at better exploiting the commercial potential of the franchises.
The Southern Kings appear to have given up on their pursuit of foreign imports, while also confirming that they are in talks with another Springbok.
The Sharks squad for the new season is taking shape and what is encouraging is that it seems that the only players leaving the Sharks are Steven Sykes who will Join the Kings in Port Elizabeth as well as Piet Lindeque who will be furthering his studies and rugby career at the university of Pretoria although the latter not yet confirmed.
The five New Zealand Super Rugby franchises have announced their squads for the 2013 Super Rugby season with 43 debutants being named in the 159 listed players.
The Southern Kings have been given a player boost by the news that both Western Province Currie Cup hero Demetri Catrakilis and Lions and Bok hooker Bandise Maku will be joining them for the 2013 edition of Vodacom Super Rugby.
Australian Super Rugby sides are allowed 35 players each, moved up from 30 in 2012, in their Extended Player Squads for Super Rugby 2013.
The worst kept secret in South African rugby has finally been confirmed. Elton Jantjies will be a Stormer in 2013.
Lions flyhalf Butch James is set to return to play for the Sharks, which would delay his retirement until July 2013.
Springbok utility back Jaco Taute says he would like to be considered at fullback when he plays for the Stormers in next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Two Vodacom Blue Bulls player will undergo medical procedures in the next week following a long and taxing 2012 rugby season.
Jaco Taute, Lions and Springbok centre and fullback has penned his deal with the Stormers on loan from the Golden Lions Rugby Union, for Super Rugby 2013.
Die Blou Bulle Maatskappy (Edms) Bpk is verheug om te bevestig dat Pierre Spies sy kontrak met die BBM tot November 2015 verleng het.