Super Rugby
Jerome Kaino will captain a Blues side featuring two changes to the one that defeated the Highlanders last week for Friday night’s clash with the Brumbies in Canberra.
In the absence of Luke Braid who moves to the bench after shouldering a heavy workload this season, 30 year-old Kaino will take over the reigns and Blues head coach Sir John Kirwan said he was the best man for the job.
Jamie Joseph has named his Highlanders side to take on the Rebels this Friday night at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
Shaun Treeby comes in at the expense of Phil Burleigh who sits out the match due to injury.
SuperSport have lodged a complaint with SANZAR regarding an altercation between one of their camera operators and Waratahs coach, Michael Cheika.
According to reports that Cheika had been verbally aggressive with the camera operator during the ‘Tahs 32-10 loss to the Sharksat Kings Park on Saturday.
The rules caught up to ALL of us. We never intended the DRAWS to be so dominating. All 8 remaining players left after the last Round, never expected a Bulls draw, so they all fall out and we have nobody left standing!
A draw is not a win and that is exactly how it feels after the Bulls disasterous draw against the Chiefs! It feels like the Bulls lost.
If one changes the Rules and count losses and draws together as NO WINS we will have all 8 players living to fight another day.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has received a massive boost ahead of Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Crusaders at Ellis Park as a host of players are available again for selection.
The week off has really worked in the Lions’ favour as Ackermann now needs to decide who of the returning players to use before he chooses his team.
However, one injury is still causing headaches, and Coenie van Wyk’s knee problems will determine just how the Lions team will look for the weekend.
Jerome Kaino is likely to take over the captaincy of the Blues when they travel to Canberra to face the Brumbies on Friday.
The 49-cap All Black is the most likely candidate to lead the team out in the absence of Luke Braid, who is struggling with a shoulder injury.
Rebels lock Hugh Pyle will leave the club at the end of the season to continue his rugby career in Europe, following an announcement to his teammates at training on Tuesday.
Despite consistent strong Super Rugby performances, the foundation Rebel lock has executed a clause in his contract to pursue his playing career abroad.
SANZAR has released and updated the official injury list of all the particpating Super Rugby franchises in 2014.
Updated 31 March:
Return dates are best estimates and subject to change.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said his side’s 34-all draw with the defending Vodacom Super Rugby champions, the Chiefs, will set the standard in terms of what to expect for their four-week away leg of the competition.
Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane is likely to start his first game for the Cheetahs in this year’s Super Rugby competition.
The Eastern Province Kings again dipped into the Sharks Tank’s resources to bolster their Currie Cup squad.
The EP Kings revealed on Monday that they have signed Springbok and former Shark Shaun Sowerby as their new forwards coach.
The Cell C Sharks continued to stamp their authority in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition this weekend as they secured their fifth victory of the season, while the Vodacom Bulls allowed a fourth successive victory to slip through their fingers and the DHL Stormers stumbled in their final tour match.
A strong second-half showing by the Cell C Sharks combined with a flawless kicking performance by flyhalf Fred Zeilinga, who punished the Waratahs indiscipline, earned the team a 32-10 victory at Growthpoint Kings Park.
The victory allowed the team to remain in pole position on the combined log table.
The Vodacom Bulls, meanwhile, had their fourth consecutive victory in their sights until the last minute of their clash against defending champions, the Chiefs, at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, but a last-minute try by Chiefs captain Aaron Cruden and successful conversion by Gareth Anscombe forced them to settle for a disappointing 34-34 draw.
The team departs for their Australasian tour knowing that their defence, in particular, needs attention after allowing a 31-15 lead to slip against the Chiefs.
In Brisbane, the DHL Stormers were unsuccessful in their mission to complete their Australasian tour with a victory against the Reds as they went down 22-17 following defeats against the Crusaders, Chiefs and Brumbies.
Vodacom Bulls captain Flip van der Merwe has been declared fit following a hamstring injury and will travel with team on their Australasian tour.
The vastly-experienced Gert Smal will join Western Province Rugby as the new Director of Rugby, with effect from April 1, 2014.
A new era is set to dawn on Western Province with John Dobson likely to be named Currie Cup coach, according to reports.
The Western Province Rugby Union (WPRU) will hold a press conference on Monday, where Gert Smal is expected to be appointed as Director of Rugby.
SANZAR has handed out two one-week bans to players for foul play, while the Sharks’ Springbok centre Frans Steyn was given an off-field yellow card.
Jannie Lubbe, the SANZAR judicial officer, accepted a guilty plea from Waratahs midfielder Rob Horne for contravening Law 10.4 (e): Dangerous tackling.
The Blues have suffered a hit in their second row stocks as veteran Tom Donnelly has been ruled out of Friday’s match against the Brumbies in Canberra with a calf strain.
Donnelly was on the bench for Saturday’s match against the Highlanders but did not get on after straining his calf during the warm up.
Injury has ruled All Black lock Luke Romano out of the Crusaders’ two-game Super Rugby trip to South Africa.
Romano hurt a calf muscle early in his team’s 26-29 loss to the Hurricanes in Christchurch last Friday.
Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett has received a boost with the news that three players will return from injury in time to face the Vodacom Bulls in their Vodacom Super Rugby match in Napier on Saturday.
With the Bulls flying out only on Tuesday, as has worked for them in the past, the Canes will be looking to exploit the short turnaround and with the boost to their squad, manage to build on their 29-26 win over the Crusaders this past weekend.
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika may have spat the dummy about refereeing perceptions, but captain Dave Dennis admitted their own lack of discipline cost them.
The table-topping Sharks overcame a determined Waratahs side in a fiery and often spiteful encounter at Kings Park Stadium in Durban at the weekend.
Highlanders loosehead prop Kane Hames has been cited for alleged foul play in the defeat to the Blues in Auckland on Saturday.
Hames is alleged to have contravened Law 10.4 (h) Dangerous charging when he made contact with Blues’ player Hayden Triggs in the 59th minute of their clash at Eden Park.
The Chiefs may be looking for two front row replacements to complete their South African Super Rugby tour.
Hooker Mahonri Schwalger is expected to return home with a continued issue with his eye and is expected to need another operation.
The Bulls’ 34-34 draw with defending Super Rugby champions, the Chiefs was akin to defeat, stand-in captain Victor Matfield said after the match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
The hosts allowed the Chiefs to enforce the draw in the final 10 minutes of the match despite a 16-point advantage.
“Anything else than a victory at home feels like a loss, we’ll take the two points, it is against the champions but we should have had five,” Matfield said.
Sharks director of rugby Jake White felt his decision to select Lwazi Mvovo at fullback was justified after his performance in their comfortable 32-10 Super Rugby victory over the Waratahs on Saturday.
The coastal side consolidated their position at the top of the table at Kings Park after 19 points from stand-in flyhalf Fred Zeilinga, who turned in a faultless kicking display, while Ryan Kankowski and Keegan Daniel added second-half tries.
DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee was again left lamenting crucial mistakes after his team’s 17-22 loss to the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday, but he was proud of the effort that his players put into their final tour match.
Sharks (12) 32 / 10 (3) Waratahs (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at
Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, 02:05 Sunday Eastern Aus 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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Bulls (14) 34 / 34 (15) Chiefs (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at
Loftus Versveld, Pretoria at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT, 02:00 Sunday NZ 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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Reds (13) 22 / 17 (10) Stormers (Final Score)
The Reds and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 10:40 SA Time (19:40 Brisbane Time, 08:40 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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Sharks tighthead prop Wiehahn Herbst will join Ulster this summer on a three-year deal, it has been confirmed.
Blues (17) 30 / 12 (9) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Blues and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT).
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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Former captain Keegan Daniel will depart the Cell C Sharks at the conclusion of the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament to join Kubota in Japan.
Having joined The Sharks Academy in 2004, Keegan went on to make his Sharks debut in 2006 against the Reds. With 199 caps to date for the Cell C Sharks, 59 of those as captain, he led the team to ABSA Currie Cup glory in 2013.
Reds wing Chris Kuridrani will be out for 4 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to clean up loose cartilage in his ankle.
The Cheetahs are fighting tooth and nail to retain the services of Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen, but know they are in a tough tug-o’-war.
Cheetahs backline coach Hawies Fourie, speaking to this website during the team’s bye week, admitted they are aware of reports that Goosen has dashed off to France for talks about his future.
Rebels (3) 32 / 24 (10) Brumbies (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at
AAMI Park, Melbourne at 10:40 SA Time (19:40 Melbourne Time, 08:40 GMT).
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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It is Round 7 of Super Rugby 2014 this weekend! We have 6 games in Round 7, with 2 games on Friday and 4 games on Saturday.
The Lions, Toyota Cheetahs & Western Force have bye weekends.
In June / July 2014 the Antipodian teams will catch up in played games with the South African counterparts, when the South African sides sit out for 1 Round.
The Combined Log will therefore be skewed for the majority of the competition and one has to question why individual countries are allowed to start such a long competition ahead of it’s rivals. In 2013 the Australian sides started a week early, but at least they had the excuse that they needed an extra week in the middle of the year to prepare for the British & Irish Lions series, which they lost.