Currie Cup
The Vodacom Blue Bulls had a late change to their team playing Griquas in an Absa Currie Cup match in Pretoria on Friday.
Prop Frik Kirsten has an ankle strain and will be rested for the clash at Loftus Versfeld. His place will be taken by Werner Kruger.
Willie du Plessis, the University of Pretoria flyhalf, could make his Currie Cup debut for the Free State Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday.
The inclusion the Varsity Cup star on the bench is the only change to the team that will face defending champions Western Province in a Round Two match on Saturday.
DHL Western Province have announced just one change for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup, Round Two encounter with the Free State Cheetahs at DHL Newlands (19:15).
Michael Rhodes starts in the No.4 jersey, with youngster Gerbrandt Grobler dropping down to the bench after making his Absa Currie Cup debut in WP’s 24-24 draw against the Blue Bulls last Saturday.
The Sharks have named their squad to host the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup, Premier Division clash on Friday 16 August 2013.
Tim Whitehead is injured and is replaced by Heimar Williams and recent acquisition from the Southern Kings, SP Marais, gets the nod at right wing which in itself seems strange because Odwa Ndungane is a winger preferred at fullback whereas SP Marais is a fullback now getting the start on wing.
The Golden Lions have announced the team to take on the Sharks in Durban on Friday 16 August 2013 at 17:05.
Pote Human has gone “Down Under” to find a replacement for injured lock, Ligtoring Landman. Landman who broke his thumb in the match versus the Sharks will be out until at least the second round of the Currie Cup.
With Martin Muller (Lions), Frikkie Spies (France) and Edwin Hewitt (Sharks) all gone to greener pastures, Landman, Nepgen and Lobberts were the only lock options. Pote has brought in the man mountain Rory Arnold from the Gold Coast Breakers Club in Queenslan Australia, to trial for the Currie Cup season.
Facing a looming wing crisis, coach Naka Drotske has called in some favours. In the past the Cheetahs have often released players for Bok Sevens duty. Now the shoe is on the other foot, with the Sevens team helping the Cheetahs out of a bind.
The Golden Lions were dealt a cruel blow with the news that talented midfielder Nicolaas “Stokkies” Hanekom will miss at least a month of Currie Cup action.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann confirmed on Tuesday that Hanekom will be sidelined for at least four weeks, maybe longer – with a shoulder injury and also a knee problem.
Griquas have lost the services of two key players ahead of their Currie Cup trip to Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
Coach Pote Human confirmed that stalwarts Rynhardt Landman and Marnus Schoeman both suffered serious injuries in the 32-30 win over the Sharks in Durban last week and will not travel to Pretoria.
Die Vodacom Blou Bulle-afrigter, Pine Pienaar, het slegs een verandering aan sy span gemaak wat Vrydag op Loftus Versfeld in ‘n Absa Curriebekerwedstryd teen Griekwas speel.
Callie Visagie begin as haker in die plek van Willie Wepener, met Bongi Mbonambi wat Van Wyk se plek op die plaasvervangerbank inneem in die Blou Bulle se eerste tuiswedstryd van die kompetisie. Dit sal ook Mbonambi se eerste verskyning in vanjaar se kompetisie wees.
The Free State Cheetahs could be without the services of their only specialist fullback for a while, with Hennie Daniller struggling with a suspected hand fracture.
SA Under-20 fullback Cheslin Kolbe has signed a long-term deal with Western Province Rugby, whilst flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis is back in the Cape for the 2013 Absa Currie Cup.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has moved swiftly to alleviate a pending backline crisis. Regular fullback Hennie Daniller has a suspected hand fracture that could rule him out for the Currie Cup season. The Volksblad reported that Naka has signed the Varsity Cup champions, Tukkies, pivot Willie du Plessis, who can play flyhalf, centre and fullback.
Allister Coetzee, the DHL Western Province head coach, has released an injury report ahead of this week’s Absa Currie Cup, Round Two preparations.
The Absa Currie Cup Premier Division lived up to its billing as SA’s premier domestic competition this weekend as the opening round delivered a series of nail-biting encounters, which set the scene for a gripping competition.
GWK Griquas and the Toyota Free State Cheetahs got their campaigns off to positive starts as they registered invaluable away victories, while DHL Western Province and the Vodacom Blue Bulls played to a draw in an epic clash in Cape Town.
WP (14) 24 / 24 (6) Blue Bulls (Final Score)
DHL Western Province and Vodacom Blue Bulls did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
Lions (16) 29 / 30 (13) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
It’s that time of the year again – RBS Rugby Force weekend is here. This is an initiative by the Scottish Rugby Union to get folk involved with their local rugby clubs.
Sharks (20) 30 / 32 (16) Griquas (Final Score)
The Sharks and GWK Griquas did battle in the Currie Cup Premier Division at Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
With the six-team strength-against-strength format making each Currie Cup a must win game, the Cheetahs and Golden Lions will be looking for a positive start in their season opener at Ellis Park, in Johannesburg, on Saturday.
The Cheetahs experienced the cruelty of the new format last season, after finishing bottom of the log and having to play in the promotion-relegation matches against the EP Kings.
The open secret which has already done all the rounds, has been confirmed.
Apart from Waylon Murray and Jacques “Vleis” Engelbrecht joining the Blue Bulls, Bandise Maku and David Bullbring (both Kings) and Callie Visagie (Golden Lions) have signed and will join the Blue Bulls with immediate effect, in deals stretching to the end of 2016.
The Absa Currie Cup has been given the ‘ultimate makeover’ for the 2013 season with the winners set to walk away with a R1,8m cheque and a trophy restored to its 1891 historic glory.
The tournament has been given a major revamp by the South African Rugby Union and sponsors Absa in arguably one of the most exciting developments in the competition’s 122-year history.
Boom Prinsloo has been named as captain of the Toyota Free State Cheetahs for their opening Currie Cup encounter against the MTN Golden Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar included four Absa Currie Cup novices in his team to play defending champions DHL Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday in his team’s opening match of the 2013 competition.
Travis Ismaiel, Tony Jantjies, Jacques du Plessis and Wiaan Liebenberg all return to the venue of massive significance to them.
The ABSA Currie Cup is once again upon us and MTN Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann has named his side for this Saturday’s opening match against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
DHL Western Province will kick-off their Absa Currie Cup title defence with three starting debutants in the team to face the Blue Bulls at DHL Newlands on Saturday (17:05).
Demetri Catrakilis wants to use the upcoming Currie Cup season to play open a spot in the Springbok squad for the end-of-year tour to Europe.
The Absa Currie Cup competition starts this Friday evening with The Sharks hosting Griquas at Growthpoint KINGS PARK in a Women’s Day spectacular for this opening clash.
The Blue Bulls have further bolstered their ranks with the signing of Kings loose forward Jacques “Vleis” Engelbrecht who joins them on a three-year deal.
The hard-working Engelbrecht impressed for the Kings in their debut Super Rugby season this year, and he joins teammate Waylon Murray in heading to Loftus Versveld following the Eastern Cape side’s relegation from Super Rugby.
Kings flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis has confirmed that he will be heading back to Cape Town to play for Western Province in the Currie Cup.
The newly promoted Golden Lions will formally sit down with prop Jacobus (Bees) Roux on Tuesday to see if they can sign him on a short-term Currie Cup contract.
Roux, better known as ‘Bees’, hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in August 2010 – when he was arrested in connection with the death of a South African police officer in Pretoria.
Roux was given a five-year suspended jail sentence in 2011 over the beating to death of Tshwane metro police officer Johannes Mogale the year before.
New Sharks director of rugby Brendan Venter is “very impressed” with the set-up at the rugby union, he said on Monday.
DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has released a 26-man squad ahead of this weekend’s Absa Currie Cup opener against the Blue Bulls at DHL Newlands.
One of the guys who sit with us in the Press Box at Loftus, calls Deon Stegmann, “STEGMONSTER”, well Koos excuse me for using the same expression.
The Blue Bulls have received another blow with the news that flank Deon Stegmann will miss the 2013 Absa Currie Cup season.
It is the time of the year I always dread the most. This is the time where every Player Agent licks his lips and rubs his grubby little hands at the prospect of selling his wares to the highest bidder, with no regard to the welfare of the rugby of any Player, Country, Club, Union or Franchise.
It is the time of the year that the greedy pigs grin!
It is reported that the Stormers are chasing the signature of the mercenary called Lionel Mapoe, who’s been about everywhere now, Cheetahs, Sharks, Lions, Bulls… and possibly now heading for his 5th SA Super Rugby Franchise.
The Western Force announced today that they have signed 2 more South Africans, WP’s Marcel Brache and Chris Heiberg.
The Bulls seem to be investing, or rather re-investing in another ton of Young Guns, to replace the loss of 8 Springboks in one heap but seemingly giving no heed to the warning sirens that seriously flawed players like Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger now seem to be their most experienced players! The Blue Bulls have re-signed players like Paul Willemse (lock) and Under 20 SA star, Jacques du Plessis (looseforward) as well as a host of others… and the name Lood de Jager jumped at me, with me initially thinking that it might be the Cheetahs Super Rugby lock but alas it is the junior Blue Bulls centre who has suffered quite an injury run. See the details below on the rest of the Blue Bulls signings. In the last 3 years the Bulls have lost the services of 18 Senior Springbok players, whilst purchasing only 4 senior players from elsewhere.