World Cup
The Vodacom Bulls received a scare as they returned to training when their Springbok and vice-captain Fourie du Preez hobbled off the field with a sprained ankle in Monday’s training session.
Kurtley Beale is adamant that he did not deliberately knock down a pass from Stefan Terblanche to Ryan Kankowski which prevented the Sharks from scoring what might have been a match-winning try against the Waratahs.
Well, I suppose if you can believe this you might just as well believe in fairies, Santa and the Tooth Mouse….
South Africa and Cheetahs flanker Heinrich Brussow will not play rugby for the rest of the year after tearing knee ligaments in the final minutes of the Cheetahs’ Super 14 win over the Hurricanes in Bloemfontein.
The 23-year-old loose forward, who has played 13 Tests for the Springboks, will be sidelined for eight months with cruciate ligament damage, the Cheetahs said Monday on their website.
The Waratahs have named an unchanged line-up for Friday’s round five Super 14 clash against the Lions at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The Stormers comfortably have the stingiest defence after four rounds in this year’s Super 14, but realise that it will be tested to the limit against the Hurricanes at Newlands on Saturday.
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The Stormers today answered the call from coach Coetzee to be more clinical in the set phases, and out muscled a lackluster Highlanders team by 33 unanswered points. Continue reading
The Cheetahs hosted the Hurricanes at Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein at 19:10 on Saturday, SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The brave Cheetahs won the match by 28 / 12, denying the Hurricanes any Super 14 Log points, by playing hard and honest rugby, in the faces of the Hurricanes.
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The Stormers hosted the Highlanders today at Newlands Stadium, Cape Town. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Stormers scored their 4-try Bonus Point at the death through Bryan Habana and leaving the Highlanders scoreless in the process. The Stormers won 33 / 0.
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The Waratahs hosted the Sharks in Sydney, Australia on Saturday morning at 10:40 SA Time on Saturday. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Waratahs were gifted an undeserved win of 25 / 21 due to inept reffereeing, by Australian Paul Marks and his Australian Assistants, by not awarding the Sharks arguably a penalty try after a deliberate knock by Kurtley Beale, with the tryline clearly open… and by an equally inept TMO, Australian Mathew Goddard, who awarded a try which should never have been awarded. The Sharks were robbed by an Australian officiating team and questions about the absolute need for neutral refereeing will now again run riot.
The Crusaders hosted the Blues at AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand on Saturday morning at 08:35 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Crusaders earned a win of 33 / 20, without scoring 4 tries for a bonus point in a game which saw far too much aimless kicking from both sides.
The Brumbies hosted the Lions at the Canberra Stadium, Canberra late this morning. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Brumbies won 24 / 13 in wet weather conditions, failing in the process to score the 4-try bonus point. The Lions defence on the day was better than we have seen from them all season, so far. One must however take into account that the weather is a great leveller.
The Chiefs hosted the Reds at the Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand this morning. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Reds came back from 3 tries down (15 / 0) to take a nailbiter at 23 / 18.
More astute decision-making, securing better field position – and most importantly, finishing what they’ve created – will be among the Stormers most important priorities this week. Continue reading
The Cheetahs host the Hurricanes at Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein at 19:10 on Saturday, SA Time. The match will be broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. Can the Cheetahs unsettle the still unbeaten Hurricanes enough to grab a win on their homeground?
The Stormers host the Highlanders on Saturday at 17:05 SA Time, at Newlands, Cape Town. The match is broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. Will the Stormers bounce back from the Brumbies loss and dismantle the Highlanders?
The Waratahs host the Sharks in Sydney, Australia on Saturday morning at 10:40 SA Time on Saturday. The match is broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. Will the Waratahs have it easy or will the Sharks give them a run for their money?
The hurricanes have finally named their team to face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. All the teams for the weekend can be found under Teams, Super14- Round 4, with the following url: http://www.rugby-talk.com/?page_id=7702
The Crusaders host the Blues at AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand on Saturday morning at 08:35 SA Time. The match will be broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
Was the Crusaders game against the Sharks a flash in the pan for the Crusaders, or are they really back with a bang?
The returning Brumbies host the Lions from SA at 10:40 SA Time on Friday at Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Australia. The match will be broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. Any guesses who are the favourites here… yip, you have it right, noddy badge for you, it should be the Brumbies.
The Chiefs host the Reds at the Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand at 08:35 on Friday morning, SA Time. The match will be broadcast on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. One cannot help but feel that the high-stepping Chiefs will be on their way to a 4th successive win this year.
If John Plumtree does not come back with at least 2, preferably 3 victories on the road and end in the top 8 of the Super 14 log, he must get the boot. Continue reading
Under fire coach John Plumtree released his team that will take on the Waratahs this weekend. Continue reading
The news – good, bad and odd – from around the Super 14 teams.
As reported yesterday, Dick Muir has made some expected changes to the Lions team to face the Brumbies, but he has gone much further than that…. there are 8 changes in the side in total. Only time will tell whether this is folly or a masterstroke of genius from Dick Muir.
Springbok aspirations often aren’t helped when a Vodacom Super 14 franchise loses its lustre – and is the subject of some disharmony rumours, too — in the manner the Sharks have in early season. Continue reading
The Lions will have to face the Brumbies without an injured “King” Carlos Spencer when they play the Brumbies in Canberra this weekend. In addition Deon Van Rensburg, centre for the Lions, is on his way home after tearing muscles in his thumb.
Naka Drotske has announced a side which shows 5 changes to play the Hurricanes on Saturday night. Continue reading
After 3 weeks of gruelling Super 14 rugby we start to see patterns of the various problems emerging in the South African Super 14 sides. Here is a sideways glance at how I see the respective shortcommings and possible areas to work on.
Recent reports from the UK suggested that former Bok and World Cup winning flyhalf, Butch James has concluded a deal with the Stormers for the 2011 Super 15. Continue reading
Die Vodacom Stormers het Vrydagaand op dramatiese wyse teen die besoekende Brumbies verloor. Continue reading
The Vodacom Bulls played against the Waratahs at Loftus in Pretoria. The Bulls showed tremendous guts and determination to come from 17 – 0 down and win the game 48-38.
The Cheetahs head into round three with newfound confidence and will fancy their chances against the Highlanders in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Western Force played Chiefs in ME Staduim , Perth. Chiefs win with a bonus point
Reds played Blues at Lang Park Brisbane. Blues won the game 27-18 and scored 4 tries and achieved the bonus point.
The Hurricanes played the Lions at Westpac Stadium, Wellington. Chiefs won 33-18. Another bonus point given.