It is Round 2 of the Heineken Cup and today 3 games are broadcast live on TV in SA.
They are:
- Benetton Treviso vs Ospreys (SS6 & CSN)
- Castres Olympique vs Munster (SS6 & CSN)
- Leicester Tigers vs Ulster Rugby (SS6 & CSN)
This is the general discussion thread for these 3 Games, only the first 2 will be updated live.
With SA Ruby (SARU) in the throngs of considering the appointment of a new Rugby coach for the Springboks, when Peter de Villiers’ contract concludes in December 2011, it might be prudent to look at results in the last 4 years.
The first thing which emerges is that there has been a steady decline in winning percentages over the last 4 years.
During the first 2 years of the reign of Peter de Villiers the winning percentage was an average of 68 % but during the last 2 years of his reign it has dropped to an average of 56.5 % for those 2 years.
It has to be noted that Peter de Villiers inherited a World Cup winning squad, which has now slipped to No 4 in the IRB rankings, below France.
The Varsity Cup Rugby competition will – once again – lend itself to experimentation, with the importance of tries being the major focus ahead of the 2012 tournaments.
Varsity Cup Rugby, which now consists of the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International, the Varsity Shield, the Varsity Young Guns and the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships (four ‘properties’ in all), will be trialing a new points-scoring system in 2012 – an experiment which could revolutionalise rugby union.
Thanks to a special dispensation from the International Rugby Board, the Varsity Cup Rugby organisers have changed around the value of points for the four 2012 Varsity Cup Rugby competitions – conversions will be worth three points and penalties and drop-goals will be worth just two points.
Saracens have been forced to cancel their plans to take a Heineken Cup match to Cape Town South Africa and moved the match back to London due to a spat in Cape Town itself over the stadium.
Saracens hooker Schalk Brits has been given a three week suspension for a dangerous tackle on a Treviso winger in the Heineken Cup.
The Springboks will return to Soweto for the final home Test of 2012 when they take on newly-crowned world champions New Zealand in the final encounter of the new Rugby Championship which replaced the Tri-Nations.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) will approach a shortlist of preferred candidates in the process to appoint a Springbok coach, the Executive Council of SARU announced on Thursday.
Nick Mallett, front-runner for the position, has withdrawn his availability to coach England, whereas Eddie Jones has stepped up and declared his interests in the position.
Sport quotas are exhausted and have generally been counter-productive, Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Wednesday.
Read this on News 24, think it is hysterical!!!!!
Wellington – New Zealand rugby referee Bryce Lawrence on Wednesday said he won’t officiate in South Africa if he fears for his safety after his performance at last month’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final between the Springboks and Australia.
Lawrence’s control of the October 9 quarter-final, won 11-9 by Australia to end South Africa’ reign as world champion, was strongly criticized by Springboks players, coaching staff and fans.
Breaking news on the BBC is that England coach, Martin Johnson, has resigned.
GBS just contacted me from the Media Day at the Bulls with the following news:
The Bulls started their preparations for next season’s Super Rugby competition at Loftus Versfeld’s B-field in Pretoria on Monday. It is scary when you read the list of players that are not Bulls anymore. The 4 most used captains are all in that list.
The RFU put money behind the bar for England players on their controversial Rugby World Cup night out in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Saracens have been forced to move their Heineken Cup match against Biarritz in Cape Town from the new Cape Town Stadium to Newlands which is home to Western Province Rugby.
Fresh allegations from a drunken binge by All Blacks World Cup winger Zac Guildford have emerged involving a triathlete in the Cook Islands.
South African prop Eugene Van Staden returned to French club rugby for a second spell on Tuesday when Top 14 tailenders Biarritz signed him as a replacement for the retired Eduard Coetzee.
South Africa 41 / Nelson Combined 3
The 1956 Springboks had two matches left to start playing as a team before the first test, it was not about notching up results anymore it was time for the forwards to start playing as a pack and for the backline to show some polish.
Sanzar will move to close the “Stormers loophole” in Vodacom Super Rugby’s regulations that allowed Schalk Britz to fly in from the United Kingdom and play in the Super Rugby semi for the Stormers earlier this year.
Secret plans to transform European domestic rugby union are being considered by French and English sides keen to put the professional club game on a firmer financial footing. One leading official from a Premiership club is warning of a possible “violent breakaway” by wealthier European clubs, with teams in South Africa understood to be monitoring the situation.
The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd is pleased to announce that after successful negotiations with the Sharks, utility forward Daniel Adongo will join the Vodacom Bulls with immediate effect and till October 2013. He was contracted at the Sharks till the end of 2011.
Springbok captain John Smit made the perfect debut for Saracens when he scored Saracens fifth try in their 42-17 hammering of Treviso in Pool 5 of the Heineken Cup at Vicarage Road.
Former cricketers paid tribute to renowned cricket writer Peter Roebuck who committed suicide in his hotel room in South Africa on Sunday. Read one of his last articles at the bottom “Can South Africa keep it going?”
Former Springbok loose forward Solly Tyibilika has been shot dead here, according to reports.
All Blacks Rugby World Cup winning winger Zac Guildford has been accused of staggering naked, drunk and bleeding into a bar where he allegedly assaulted two people.
Springbok and Sharks backrow forward Willem Alberts has undergone shoulder surgery while rugby takes a break in South Africa but he should be ready for the Super Rugby season.
It is Heineken Cup time and today 3 games were broadcast live on TV in SA.
They are:
- Montpellier vs Leinster
- Ulster Rugby vs Asm Clemont Auvergne
- Munster vs Northampton Saints
This was the general discussion thread for these 3 Games.
SANZAR have announced the ten-man Merit Panel of referees for the 2012 Super Rugby competition with South Africans making up half of the positions.
Saracens boss Edward Griffiths says the South African Rugby Union (SARU) should consider playing its international rugby in the Northern Hemisphere in future.
England Vice Captain Mike Tindall has been fined 25 000 Pounds and removed from the England elite player squad for his conduct during the Rugby World Cup.
The First of two 5-Day Test matches between the South African Proteas and Australia is underway in Cape Town.
The match is scheduled to run from 9 to 13 November 2011. South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first.
This is a general discussion Article on the Test, South Africa won by 8 wickets.
Stormers and Springbok fly half Peter Grant has agreed to return to Cape Town to play Super Rugby for the Stormers in the upcoming season.
Wallabies and Reds star winger Digby Ioane looks set to give the cold shoulder a lucrative Japanese contract offer in order to help the Reds with their Super Rugby title defence.
Former Sharks prop Deon Carstens will play Super Rugby for the Stormers in 2012 after his English Rugby Club Saracens agreed to release him to Western Province in Cape Town.
The Griqua’s Rugby Union and Earl Rose’s agent have not managed to negotiate a contract for the player for the 2012 season.