Super Rugby
The Western Force have signed former Rugby World Cup Wallabies lock/flanker Hugh McMeniman for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
All Black legend Brad Thorn will return to New Zealand next year. He has signed a one-year contract with the Highlanders for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
The Rebels have signed Auckland Blues prop forward Pauliasi Manu to a two-year Super Rugby deal as part of their Contracted Playing Squad.
Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll fancies a Super Rugby stint before he retires, with the Waratahs favourites to secure his signature.
All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu has revealed that he plans to leave the Blues and play for the Highlanders in the 2013 Super Rugby season.
Volksblad reports that GWK Griquas have finalised their contracts for the 2013 season. Though there aren’t any notable new signings, some loan players have been contracted.
Coenie Oosthuisen has been ruled out for between 8 – 12 weeks with a back injury, which basically rules him out for the rest of 2012.
With all the player movements being confirmed, rumoured etc, and me sitting at work a little bored I thought I should write something about where the Sharks are as a team and what their squad will look like come Januray 2013.
There has since been a few changes to the squad as Butch James is set to return for a six month stint, Also Piet lindeque the present Sharks U21 captain and academy member has decided to further his career in Pretoria as he has joined the university of pretoria. Continue reading
News yesterday was that the Southern Kings are eager to obtain the services of Blue Bulls and Springbok back JJ Engelbrecht.
Rising star Raymond Rhule was chosen by his peers as the Players Player of the Year for the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
The South African Rugby Union have effectively shut the door on the Southern Kings’ drive to field more than two overseas players in their Super Rugby squad.
Sevens specialist and Boland winger Cornal Hendricks swops places with Phillip Snyman. Snyman will join the Bok 7’s squad and Cornal Hendricks will add further depth to the Cheetahs squad. It is a win-win situation, as the Cheetahs have great depth at centre but need good quality wingers.
The Southern Kings have signed three more prominent players as they aim to bolster their squad ahead of next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Seasoned Boland flyhalf Elgar Watts will join the Cheetahs at the end of November for the 2013 season. Initially the Cheetahs hoped to have Sias Ebersohn released to the Cheetahs after the Super Rugby season, but new Force coach Foley wasn’t amenable to such an arrangement. Hence the Cheetahs will have Johan Goosen, Elgar Watts and Francois Brummer as the flyhalves to choose from, with Willie le Roux, and Riaan Smit able to slot in at flyhalf in an emergency.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union have issued a press release listing new player contract signings, and current player contract extensions.
Possibly the most significant signing is that of Warwick Tecklenberg, the promising young loose forward from the Blue Bulls.
Other exciting youngsters include a number of the victorious SA Under 20 World Championship winning side, all of whom should go a long way to building the Lions’ squad for their expected return to Super Rugby in 2014.
Also notable is that Lions stalwart of the last few years Derek Minnie, has re-commited until the end of 2014.
The full press release reads:
Amongst all the frenetic activity on the international scene, the silly season has gone into full swing. So lets see what the player accquisitions are for the Cheetahs, looking ahead to 2013. In addition lets look at some players that are making waves.
Speculation in the Free State Media would have us believe that Springbok and Free State Cheetahs flank, Juan Smith, looks likely to make his return to the rugby field in France in 2013.
All Blacks and Crusaders captain Richie McCaw will sit out the majority of the 2013 Super Rugby season, it has been confirmed.
SANZAR has made known the full game schedule for Super Rugby in 2013. Take critical note of the fact that the Australian sides will feature a week earlier than the New Zealand and South African sides, as they feature alone in Round 1 – 15 & 16 February and in the middle of the year, Round 17 – June 7 & 9, the Australian sides will feature alone as well, whilst in Round 18 & Round 19 the New Zealand and South African sides will feature without the Australian sides.
This accomodation is done to assist Australia who hosts the British and Irish Lions touring party in the middle of 2013.
Accordingly the Super Rugby Combined Log will be skewed from the start, then become even more skewed after Round 17 (The Australian sides having played 2 games more by then) and that the Combined Log will only appear realistic and normal after the conclusion of Round 19.
Alan Solomons, the Southern Kings Super Rugby coach, has indicated that controvertial looseforward Luke Watson will be the captain when the team makes their Super Rugby debut in 2013.
The Southern Kings are looking “far and wide” for players to make them competitive when they debut in Super Rugby next year.
The latest reported players to apparently have signed for 2013 includes centre Andries Strauss from the Cheetahs and lock Steven Sykes from the Sharks.
Western Province coach Allister Coetzee may have let Burton Francis go, but he will fight a little harder to keep the services of Demetri Catrakilis.
Cheetahs scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius has confirmed that he will play for the central franchise in next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Wondering about all the law changes? Heres a ‘Dummies Guide’ to the to the latest trials.
Rugby Union is without question at the forefront of the use of technology in sport, and a number of incidents in this weekend’s round of Currie Cup fixtures really bought this home.
All Black and Blues veteran prop Tony Woodcock has agreed to leave Auckland Rugby and play for the Highlanders in the 2013 Super Rugby season.
Four Great Springbok tries
SANZAR look set to release the 2013 Super Rugby fixture list with Australian teams starting a week earlier than New Zealand and South African teams in order to accomodate the British and Irish Lions tour.
The Reds have rounded off their coaching staff for next season with the re-signing of Super Rugby-winning High Performance coaches, Jim McKay and Damian Marsh.
The Western Force on Tuesday signed New Zealand scrumhalf Alby Mathewson as its marquee player for the 2013 season as they work to rebuild the team.
Wallaby lock Dan Vickerman on Tuesday announced his retirement from all forms of the game after being sidelined with injury for much of the year.
The next dramatic chapter in the protracted Super Rugby participation saga will be written in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Golden Lions Rugby Union President Kevin de Klerk said that he will meet up with the South African Rugby Union hierarchy on Thursday. This follows the SARU decision last week to axe the Lions and replace them with the Southern Kings in 2013.
Western Province captain Deon Fourie has been offered a contract by Toulon and expects to join the French Top14 club after the Currie Cup.
The Blues have confirmed their coaching line up for the 2013 Super Rugby season which includes former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry and current All Blacks skills coach Mick Byrne.
In breaking news, it has been reported that Clyde Rathbone is in training with his U21 mentor, Jake White, at the Brumbies.