Super Rugby
The Brumbies have taken huge steps towards retaining their promising young squad with the re-signing of five players on Wednesday.
Hendrik Cronje, of the Volksblad reported, that the hottest young flyhalf prospect in SA for years has extended his contract with the Toyota Cheetahs until the end of 2014. This is a major coup for the Cheetahs, and it could have a positive spin-off.
Some Super rugby stats to feast on.
Former World Cup winning Springbok and now Brumbies coach Jake White has fired a broadside at South African rugby as he prepares to embark on his South African tour.
The Cheetahs have been hit with a second big injury as winger Rayno Benjamin will miss the rest of the season.
Highlanders half-back Jimmy Cowan has announced that he will leave the Dunedin franchise in order to join English club Gloucester.
The Stormers have received a massive blow with the news that centre and captain Jean de Villiers has injured ligaments in his hand.
Over the past weekend, one specific incident stood out in my mind about whether it was legal or illegal play. This incident involved Owen Franks, Crusaders prop and brother of Ben Franks.
The lower back injury that prevented Andries Bekker from playing beyond the first few minutes of the crunch Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Crusaders in Christchurch at the weekend will rule him out of the important match against the Reds in Brisbane on Friday.
Western Force coach Richard Graham has announced that he will leave his position as head coach of the Force and will join the Reds in Queensland for the 2013 season.
Former Springbok and Sharks lock Alistair Hargreaves has agreed to join Saracens from the start of the 2012/13 Aviva Premiership Rugby season.
The rather yo-yoing Sharks have a dual responsibility in their influential Super Rugby meeting with new overall log-leaders the Chiefs at Mr Price Kings Park on Saturday.
Not only will victory mean an awful lot in their quest to qualify for the playoffs again this year, but their halting the charge of the currently rampant Waikato franchise is also important for the respective aspirations of better-placed compatriots the Stormers and Bulls to secure top spot on the broader table and thus the likelihood of a home final.
The New Zealand Rugby Union’s offer to re-sign Chiefs and All Black centre Sonny Bill Williams is on the table.
All Blacks and Crusaders captain Richie McCaw is hoping to play his first Super Rugby match this season against the Reds.
Lions (10) 18 / Bulls (20) 32 (Final Score)
The MTN Lions and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time.
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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Cheetahs (9) 33 / Chiefs (10) 39 (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 17:05 SA Time.
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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Everything considered a really entertaining match with both teams leaving nothing on the park. The Crusaders was in the final analysis just that slight bit tactically more astute and probably a bit more desperate for a win.
All credit though to the Stormers for trying hard and one would hate to be critical after such a splendid effort. That said I was keen to see just how the Crusaders are going to counter the Stormers’ defensive system and there is much to be learned by dissecting just how they (the Crusaders) accomplished this victory.
Brumbies (30) 37 / Rebels (6) 6 (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Canberra Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Crusaders (19) 31 / Stormers (13) 24 (Final Score)
The Crusaders and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Generally speaking it was a much improved performance by the Sharks though it against an embattled Blues team. The main difference, this week, being the greater urgency on defence and on attack. The blues are not a happy bunch with coach Pat Lam this week burtsing into tears on national television when questioned about his opinion regarding remarks that the blues problems relate to the high number of Maori and Pacific Islanders in the team. There was also Kevin Muliamu who opinionated his unhappiness with Weepu’s physical condition. So this victory need to be considered against that back drop whether the Sharks like it or not.
Force (3) 18 / Waratahs (10) 23 (Final Score)
The Western Force and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at nib Stadium, Perth at 13:10 SA Time (19:10 Perth Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Blues (13) 23 / Sharks (15) 29 (Final Score)
The Blues and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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New Zealander Matt Sexton will coach the Southern Kings in their debut season in Super Rugby next year.
Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets as they are announced for Week 8 of Super Rugby 2012.
All the Teams for this week have been announced and can be viewed here or under the Menu, Super Rugby, 2012, Weekend Teams.
While the Bulls and Cheetahs were winners on Republic’s soil over the weekend, it was the Stormers who impressed with an iron-like display against the Highlanders where the battle of the Conference leaders went firmly the way of the South Africans.
The completed weekend of action saw the Highlanders dethroned at home, which meant the Chiefs headed to the top of the New Zealand Conference table courtesy of winning their first match on the road in Perth.
Most even of battlegrounds?
One aspect that has been touted since Super Rugby introduced the Conference system was that some countries may have easier routes to glory within their own borders.
Coenraad Victor Oosthuizen is so much more than just your average prop. Coenie, or Shrek, as he is affectionately known by his teammates, has the ability to excel in whatever sport he competes in.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has revealed that he will start Sias Ebersohn at flyhalf against the Chiefs this weekend regardless of whether Johan Goosen recovers from a shoulder injury or not.
The match officials for Week 8 of Super Rugby 2012 was released by SANZAR.
There are only 6 matched scheduled for this week, with the first two matches on Friday 13 April and 4 matches on Saturday 14 April 2012.
Steve Walsh kicks off with the match between the battling Blues and embattled Sharks at 09:35 SA Time Friday morning, whilst 3 teams have a bye weekend, namely the Highlanders, Hurricanes and the Reds.
Veteran Springbok World Cup winner Juan Smith, who has decided to take the entire year off, will decide in November if he will return to the playing field or retire permanently.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder backed his team against charges of eye-gouging against the Bulls during their 32-30 Super Rugby loss on Saturday, saying he was concerned the new white card system could be manipulated.
The Stormers have shown yet again exactly how to beat New Zealand sides.
The Highlanders play classic New Zealand rugby; a style of rugby that is almost entirely focussed on the breakdowns. Personally, I’ve been much impressed by the Highlanders structure, commitment and tidiness at the breakdowns since Jamie Joseph took over as coach in 2011.
Bulls (9) 32 / Crusaders (13) 30 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time.
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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Cheetahs (23) 26 / Lions (0) 5 (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and MTN Lions did battle in Super Rugby at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 15:00 SA Time.
The home side were too good for the upcountry visitors, and 23 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter of the game, coupled with excellent second half defence was enough to give the home side the 4 log points, taking them up to 3rd in the SA conference, and 8th in the combined log.
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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