ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
29 July 2011
Ford Pumas v GWK Griquas , Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit 19:00 LIVE
30 July 2011
The Sharks v Toyota Free State Cheetahs , Mr Price Kings Park, Durban 15:00 LIVE
MTN Golden Lions v Platinum Leopards , Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg 17:00
DHL Western Province v Vodacom Blue Bulls , DHL Newlands, Cape Town 17:05 LIVE
ABSA Currie Cup First Division
29 July 2011
Regent Boland Cavaliers v Valke , Boland Stadium, Wellington 15:00 LIVE
Eastern Province Kings v Tasol Solar Griffons , Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, PE 19:00
SWD Eagles v Border Bulldogs , Outeniqua Park, George 19:00
Joost van der Westhuizen does indeed suffer from a deadly motor neuron disease (MNS) and has an 80% chance to live for two to five years.
This was confirmed earlier this week by Dr Jody Pearl, a neurologist at the Sunninghill hospital in Sandton.
“Joost was examined by Dr (Erik) Pioro, a leading expert on motor neuron disease at the neuromuscular unit of the Cleveland hospital,” said Pearl.
Joost van der Westhuizen ly aan ’n dodelike motor- neuronsiekte (MNS) en het ’n 80%-kans om twee tot vyf jaar te lewe.
Afrikaanse berig heel onder
No wonder Steve Hansen produced a feisty response when asked who would start at No8 on Saturday night.
A seemingly innocuous question yesterday about whether Liam Messam would get another run in the position was enough to earn a gruff rebuke from the All Blacks forwards coach who was in no mood to ruminate about who would start against the Springboks in Saturday night’s Tri-Nations match.
Would it be Richie McCaw, who has trained in the position this week, or would Messam get another shot at No 8?
As it happens, neither.
The Crusaders’ all-conquering scrum could result in some happy pills being lobbed into Steve Hansen’s rugby diet this year.
After last season’s Grand Slam tour a fuming Hansen threatened to implement “golden oldies” scrums into the All Blacks game plans during World Cup year after his men were repeatedly penalised by northern hemisphere referees. Eight months later, however, the All Blacks’ forward coach’s anger needle is out of the red zone and the Crusaders’ powerful set-piece during the Super competition may have been instrumental in his mellow mood.
The MTN Golden Lions have made only one change to the run on team to take on the Leopards at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday from the team that beat Griquas so comprehensively last week.
Captain Doppies la Grange is rested to ensure he recovers fully from his hamstring strain.
He is replaced by Alwyn Hollenbach, with Joshua Strauss taking over the Captains reigns as expected.
Michael Rhodes returns from suspension to start on the reserves bench.
Herewith all of the MTN Golden Lions teams to take on the Leopards:
The Vodacom Blue Bulls will play with the same run-on side against Western Province on Saturday as the one that that smashed the Free State Cheetahs in the second half on the weekend.
Van Rooyen to start for u.21’s against Western Province.
Van der Merwe to take on Western Province in u.19 game.
Fiery hooker, PW Van Vuuren and Ryno Benjamin return to the Free State Cheetahs team that takes on the Sharks in Durban this weekend.
The Tri Nations should never have happened in a World Cup year. Tests were compromised by money hungry SANZAR. Rugby World Cup has destroyed Rugby’s old traditions!
Here are some really insightful video clips of the first Tri-Nations Test. Continue reading
It has been impressive to watch the All Blacks coaches in action this week as they set to work on the detail of an area that is increasingly deciding the outcomes of test-match rugby.
Two weeks ago Samoa used the counter-ruck to destroy Australia’s search for quick attacking ball, something South Africa failed to achieve with disastrous results in Sydney last weekend.
While every club side in New Zealand spends hours on the breakdown, they do not do it with the impressive accuracy and thought of the country’s top side.
Controversial Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has found an unlikely ally in All Blacks assistant Steve Hansen.
South Africa were well beaten by Australia in the Tri-Nations opener after de Villiers decided to leave most of his top players at home and a woefully understrength Springboks side will also run out against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday.
News from the Bok camp in New Zealand is that fullback Gio Aplon is injured and will not play on the weekend.
Dwyer’s thoughts in blue with some commentary from my side in black.
The Boks were well under strength with about eleven first choice players missing and, as was clear with the second-string Wallabies against the Samoans, this is rarely good enough.
So clearly it is not just the Springboks who struggle with their second stringers. What worries me though is that we probably have more rugby players in the Western Cape than the entire Australia. One would think we have enough depth to be competitive with a second string team.
The Tri-Nations tournament will feature two Test matches every weekend from next season onwards.
This is due to Argentina joining the competition in 2012 – with the tournament then effectively becoming the Four-Nations.
The All Blacks will rest at least four key players for Saturday’s Tri-Nations rugby test against South Africa’s Springboks in a move that is likely upset a number of New Zealand Rugby fans.
JEROME KAINO: “Some people don’t rate the players they’ve picked to play over here, but in my mind I still see them as threats and I see that team as a good team
Jerome Kaino was doing his best to talk up the Baby Boks yesterday as a genuine threat to the All Blacks in Wellington this Saturday, but it’s a tough sell on the evidence of their 39-20 loss on Saturday night.
Talk about adding injury to insult. The Springboks are in disarray on Sunday as they turn their attention to the All Blacks with their stock of second row forwards wiped out in the 39-20 defeat to the Wallabies.
Saturday’s starting pair, Alistair Hargreaves (abdominal muscle tear) and Flip van der Merwe (ribs) are likely to join Johann Muller (hamstring) on a flight home while only former Sharks lock Gerhard Mostert has been confirmed as a replacement.
The most annoying aspect about this match was that Australia scored almost all their tries off mistakes made by South Africa. I’ll have to watch the match again but I can’t recall Australia actually scoring a try off set piece (lineout, scrum or even consecutive rucks).
Apart from our lineout which was only reasonable because we mauled the ball up twice –by the way that was the only time I saw Stegmann with ball in hand (truck and trailer behind the maul), was he even on the field- and our scrum which was at best average. We were just about ordinary in everything else we did.
Our four main problems: Firstly losing the ball within 3 recycles almost every time we tried to run with the ball, secondly not taking the ball up at speed and therefore unable to breach the defensive line, thirdly poor defence especially around the fringes and in the backline, lastly being too predictable and one dimensional on attack. Continue reading
Blue Bulls (6) 33 / Cheetahs (17) 30 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls hosted the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Blue Bulls won a very tough encounter… by only 3.
Griquas (6) 11 / Lions (36) 49 (Final Score)
The GWK Griquas hosted the MTN Golden Lions at GWK Griqua Park, Kimberley at 15:00 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
The MTN Lions showed a hunger and a lot of passion and scored 8 tries to demolish the Griquas.
Wallabies (15) 39 / Springboks (6) 20 (Final Score)
The Wallabies hosted the Springboks at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia at 12:00 SA Time (20:00 Sydney Time). This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
Sub-standard performance from the Springboks and a consumate Wallaby performance. 5 Tries to 2.
Springbok lock, Andries Bekker has been ruled out of the 2011 Rugby World Cup with an ankle injury. Team Doctor, Craig Roberts, said that Bekker will undergo surgery in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Leopards (9) 9 / WP (23) 47 (Final Score)
The Platinum Leopards hosted DHL WP at Profert Olën Park, Potchefstroom at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
Mission accomplished, 5 Log points for DHL WP.
The Wallabies are sweating on the fitness of star fly half Quade Cooper after he sat out of Friday’s captain’s run ahead of the TriNations opening against the Springboks.
The two most successful Absa Currie Cup sides from the last decade, the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, square off in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon.
These two sides have won or shared the Absa Currie Cup no less than seven times in the last ten years. The Vodacom Blue Bulls were champions in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2009, while the Toyota Free State Cheetahs won the trophy in 2005 and 2007. They shared the spoils in 2006.
All Blacks (32) 60 / Fiji (0) 14 (Final Score)
The All Blacks hosted Fiji at Carisbrook, Dunedin on Friday 22 July 2011 at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time). This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
As expected, the All Blacks were far too strong for a gutsy Fiji side, with their forwards doing most of the damage.
CJ van der Linde has signed a contract of just over 2 years to join the Lions from 1st August 2011 to 31st October 2013 the Johannesburg based Union announced in a media release this morning.
Herewith the full announcement as received from the Lions.
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs coach announced his side to take on the Blue Bulls at Loftus on Saturday
Sharks lock Alistair Hargreaves has been drafted into the Springboks’ starting XV for Saturday’s Tri-Nations Series Test against Australia in Sydney.
The All Blacks are set to unleash a new game plan as they start their Rugby World Cup preparations with a one-off TriNations warm up Test against Fiji on Friday.
Blue Bulls Rugby coach Pine Pienaar has selected the same Blue Bulls starting team that lost to the Sharks for their match against the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup on Saturday.
The Sharks have named an unchanged team for their Currie Cup Rugby clash against the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday at Mbombela Stadium.
Golden Lions coach John Mitchell has made three changes to his backline from the side that beat the Pumas last Friday night for the Currie Cup match against GWK Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday.
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar’s knowledge of several young players in the Free State rugby team is not a major concern for the Cheetahs ahead of Saturday’s Currie Cup match in Pretoria.