Internationals
Dan Carter
All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter will make his comeback to rugby after six months in a minor club match in rural Canterbury province on Saturday.
Carter will play for the Southbridge club, where he began his career, in a local championships match against Glenmark.
Joe Marler
The All Blacks’ aura of invincibility is gone for England prop Joe Marler, who said his team’s fighting loss in Auckland last week had raised their belief that they could match the world champions.
England, the only team to beat top-ranked New Zealand in the past two seasons, lost the series-opener 20-15 last weekend against a rusty All Blacks side many had thought would thrash the tourists at their home Eden Park fortress.
England will have their pick of many of the first-choice players that missed the Auckland match due to the nation’s club final earlier this month and should field a stronger side on paper for the second Test in Dunedin.
EP Kings (0) 12 / 34 (17) Wales (Final Score)
Eastern Province Kings and Wales did battle in a mid-week game during the June Internationals at
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 19:00 SA Time (18:00 BST, 17:00 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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Francois Steyn
Frans Steyn was released from the Springbok squad at his own request on Tuesday and will not appear in Saturday’s match against Wales at Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban.
The player advised SARU officials that that he did not wish to be considered for the Castle Lager Incoming series. “The environment in the Springbok squad is fantastic and I would like to state categorically that my relationship with Heyneke Meyer, the rest of the management and my team-mates is very good,” said Steyn.
Steyn – who is expected to take up a contract in Japan at the end of Vodacom Super Rugby Series – said that he wished for time to reflect on his Springbok future.
James Horwill, set for his 50th Cap
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has made three injury-enforced changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s second Test against ‘desperate’ France, when Michael Hooper will become one his country’s youngest ever captains.
Veteran hooker Stephen Moore (knee), lock Sam Carter (ankle) and back-row forward Wycliff Palu (ankle) have all been ruled out after Australia dominated the opening game in Brisbane 50 / 23.
Waratahs powerhouse Tatafu Polota-Nau replaces Moore, big lock James Horwill comes in for Carter for his 50th game for Australia and Western Force workhorse Ben McCalman will wear the No 8 jersey.
England hooker Dylan Hartley said they have had a taste and now want more.
A weakened England side came close to upsetting World Cup holders, the New Zealand All Blacks, in Auckland last Saturday, only to lose the first Test 15-20 through a 78th-minute piece of individual brilliance.
It did not help the England cause that they butchered a number of opportunities through handling errors and poor choices.
Romain Poite, Carding Bismarck du Plessis in 2013 against the All Blacks
The Springboks have no problems with the appointment of the man who may have cost them the chance of winning last year’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship for Saturday’s test against Wales in Durban.
French referee Romain Poite was almost as big a talking point at one stage of 2013 as New Zealand match official Bryce Lawrence was towards the end of 2011. Poite’s decision to first yellow card Bismarck du Plessis during the opening half for a dangerous tackle on All Black flyhalf Dan Carter was followed by a red when Du Plessis was found guilty of another offence at the start of the second.
Craig Joubert
Craig Joubert, is only 36 years old but on Saturday he became the seventh referee in the history of rugby union football to referee 50 Tests, the third one to do so this year.
It’s a long way from the days when the most capped referee had 11 Tests in a seven-year international career. Now with Tests from February to December there are many more chances.
Joubert is the second South African to reach 50, after Jonathan Kaplan who was the first in rugby history to do so. After Kaplan came Chris White of England, Alain Rolland of Ireland and Steve Walsh of New Zealand and then Australia. Then came the 2014 trio – Wayne Barnes of England, Nigel Owens of Wales and Craig Paul Joubert of South Africa.
The Springboks completed a successful first match of their season on Saturday against Nick Mallet’s World XV at Newlands but the first proper international action for them starts this weekend as the Castle Lager Incoming Series gets underway with a Test against Wales in Durban on Saturday.
There often is debate and criticism about the make up of squads that Northern Hemisphere countries send on these mid-year tours which take place after their taxing domestic seasons. This year though the two teams due to play against South Africa have got good reason to be fielding teams which are going to be under strength in certain areas. The Test against Scotland falls outside the international window and so their players who ply their trade outside Scotland will not be making the trip over. The tour for Wales has been made much harder due to numerous injuries, no least to inspirational captain Sam Warburton.
All Blacks U20 (21) 54 / 7 (0) Scotland U20 (Final Score)
New Zealand Under 20 and Scotland Under 20 did battle in the Junior World Championship at
ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 08:35 BST, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Juan de Jongh
Marnitz Boshoff
Juan de Jongh and Marnitz Boshoff will not be considered for selection for Saturday’s Castle Lager Incoming Series Test against Wales in Durban because of illness and injury.
De Jongh was admitted to a Durban hospital on Sunday evening with a severe chest infection. He will in all likelihood only be discharged by Wednesday and will not be ready to take on Wales this weekend.
Boshoff rolled his right ankle at training in Cape Town last week. He has a grade one ankle sprain and the Springbok medical team are hopeful that he would be able to start training again late this week.
Samoa U20 (8) 8 / 21 (7) Junior Springboks (Final Score)
Samoa Under 20 and South Africa Under 20 did battle in the Junior World Championship at
ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe at 07:35 SA Time (17:35 NZ Time, 05:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Michael Hooper
News out of the Australian camp ahead of the 2nd Test against France is that Ewen McKenzie hs named young Michael Hooper as Wallaby captain, after Stephen Moore was ruled out for the season with injury.
In addition, James Hanson, Reds backup hooker was drafted into the Wallaby camp to replace Stephen Moore.
Warren Gatland
The bookmakers have installed South Africa as overwhelming favourites, but Wales coach Warren Gatland has his eye on a 2-0 sweep for his team.
If Gatland was a betting man he would have jumped at the 18-1 on offer by some SA bookies for a Welsh series win.
It is not surprising for a coach to publicly back his side, but Gatland went further by suggesting that only 2-0 series victory will do when they meet the Springboks in Durban (this Saturday 14 June) and Nelspruit (next week, 21 June).
Luke Cowan-Dickie
Hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie was ruled out of the rest England’s tour of New Zealand, after injuring his knee in training last week.
The uncapped Exeter forward was part of the England squad that flew to New Zealand late last month, but played no part in the tourists’ 15-20 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday.
“Unfortunately he has not been able to take a full part in training,” England coach Stuart Lancaster said.
Tendai ‘Beast’Mtawarira
Bismarck du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
Willem Alberts
It seems the Sharks supporters in general are taking serious exception to recent critisism in the media and here on Rugby-Talk, against suggestions that Jake White has overplayed a lot of the Sharks’ Springbok players and candidates.
We are even experiencing a silent boycot by some of the regular Sharks contributors here on Rugby-Talk, for us daring to speak out in the comments against the lack of national interests by Jake White and the Sharks… not that it has negatively impacted on Rugby-Talk at all in any form or by any means.
Friends, this is not a “Hit Out” against the Sharks, this is a worrying trend, which is showing true results at present!
This morning, I had the fortune of meeting and speaking to one of our regular Sharks supporters’ Father-In-Laws, here in my office… so Sharkie_Forever, you have a grand old Father-In-Law, a singular gentleman, even though he also supports the Sharks.
The older gentleman is also in agreement that Jake White is overplaying some of the players, so there you have it, the wisdom of the older generation!
In SA Rugby media circles, there are probably not a more fervant Sharks media man than Rob Howing, the Sport24 reporter, so I thought that adding an article penned by Rob, is probably apt in the circumstances!
So, here goes:
Kieran Read
The New Zealand media are again speculating about the immediate future of their best player, No 8 Kieran Read.
According to Newstalk ZB Read is again a doubtful starter ahead of the second Test against England in Dunedin this coming Saturday.
Read, the reigning IRB Player of the Year, is still feeling the effects of two concussions which have sidelined him for much of this year’s Super Rugby competition and missed this past weekend’s 20-15 win over England in Auckland.
Heyneke Meyer
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer was pleased with his team’s 47-13 win over a star-studded World XV at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
The Springboks scored six tries and gained a lot of momentum in the second half of the match, going into the second 40 minutes leading 18-13. This bodes well for next week’s test match against Wales in the Castle Lager Incoming Series.
Meyer warned that the test match in Durban will be another big step-up for his team, as Wales are a settled team after playing together during the Six Nations.
Trevor Nyakane
Toyota Cheetahs prop Trevor Nyakane will link up with the Springboks in Durban on Sunday as an additional member in the squad for the Castle Lager Incoming Series.
Nyakane played all three of his Tests for South Africa last June but was not part of the squad for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
Arno van Wyk
Vodacom Blue Bulls Under 21 hooker Arno van Wyk has joined the Junior Springboks in Auckland after a knee injury forced Malcolm Marx (Golden Lions) out of the IRB Junior World Championship.
Marx might be out of action for up to six weeks after he sustained the injury during a training session earlier in the week.
The burly Johannesburg-based hooker became the second Junior Bok to be ruled out of Junior World Championship 2014 after centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg returned home with an ankle injury.
Jean Luc du Preez, who received a nasty blow to the head against New Zealand Under-20 on Friday night, was meanwhile released from hospital during the early hours of Saturday morning.
Dan Lydiate
Dan Lydiate will captain Wales in their opening game in South Africa against Eastern Province Kings in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.
The British and Irish Lions flanker has recovered from a hamstring injury to lead a match day squad that includes all four uncapped players who have made the journey to South Africa.
Three of those players are named in Warren Gatland’s starting XV with Matthew Morgan lining up at full-back, Steven Shingler at inside centre and Jordan Williams on the wing.
They are joined in the backline by Cardiff Blues duo Alex Cuthbert and Cory Allen as well as James Hook and Rhodri Williams at half back.
Wallabies captain, Stephen Moore, goes off injured against France
Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore has said Sunday he will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury that has left him needing surgery following Australia’s 50-23 thumping of France.
In a further blow to the Wallabies following their comprehensive first Test victory over France on Saturday, lock Sam Carter was also ruled out of the rest of the three-match French series with a high left ankle strain.
Scans revealed that hooker Moore ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and medial ligament in the opening minute of the first Test win over France in Brisbane.
“I’m going to need some surgery to repair my ACL/MCL.”
Philippe Saint-Andre
French coach Philippe Saint-Andre spoke of the ‘panic’ in his team, but it appears he may well be ready to hit the panic-button himself.
Saint-Andre made it clear he will wield the axe as France seek to keep their three-Test series alive against Australia in Melbourne next week.
Les Bleus were outclassed by a rampant Australia, who won 50-23 in the opening Test in Brisbane ate the weekend – with the Wallabies scoring seven tries.
Aaron Cruden
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen praised the bravery and class of flyhalf Aaron Cruden for producing the match-winning moment in a tight Test.
Cruden was hailed as the hero of the All Blacks’ last gasp 20-15 win over England at the weekend, not for the five penalties he kicked but for the one he turned down.
Cruden not only caught England napping but also his own teammates when he opted to tap and run when the All Blacks won a handy penalty with the score locked at 15-all.
Stuart Lancaster
England coach Stuart Lancaster faced a selection headache Sunday as he rued the missed opportunity of a rare Test win over the All Blacks in New Zealand.
Lancaster said he was mulling whether to give his combative second-stringers another crack after they were eclipsed 20-15 in the first Test, or to unleash many of England’s “quality players” who only arrived in New Zealand last week.
While Conrad Smith’s try in the dying minutes gave the All Blacks victory in Auckland on Saturday, the match statistics were heavily tilted in England’s favour.
USA (3) 6 / 24 (17) Scotland (Final Score)
The USA Eagles and Scotland did battle in the June Internationals at
BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston at 02:30 SA Time (01:30 BST, 00:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast by Universal Sports and streamed Live online on dailyrecord.co.uk.
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Argentina (10) 17 / 29 (11) Ireland (Final Score)
The Argentinian Pumas and Ireland did battle in the June Internationals at
Estadio Centenario, Resistencia at 20:40 SA Time (15:40 ARG Time, 19:40 BST, 18:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Springboks (18) 47 / 13 (13) World XV (Final Score)
The South African Springboks and a World XV team did battle in the June Internationals at
Newlands, Cape Town at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 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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Wallabies (29) 50 / 23 (9) France (Final Score)
The Australian Wallabies and France did battle in the June Internationals at
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 12:05 SA Time (20:05 AEST, 12:05 French Time, 10:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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All Blacks (9) 20 / 15 (9) England (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks and England did battle in the June Internationals at
Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 08:35 BST, 07:35 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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Saracens forward Hayden Smith has been restored to the USA side to face Scotland, while Seattle fly-half Shalom Siniula will be handed his first start.
Siniula is rewarded for a try in the second leg after earning his first two caps in the World Cup qualifying victory over Uruguay.
Seattle lock Louis Stanfill was preferred to Smith for the second leg.
But Smith returns alongside Stanfill in a XV that includes six players who ply their trade in England.
We’ve already seen the matches of Round 2 of the 2014 Junior World Championships on TV on Friday 6 June, but Saturdat 7 June sees the proper start of the June Internationals, with 4 of those international Tests broadcast live on TV in South Africa.
These Fixtures will of course also be handled as Live Game Articles right here on your favourite rugby website, Rugby-Talk.
The action is kicked off at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 08:40 BST, 07:35 GMT) between the All Blacks vs England, followed by the Wallabies vs France at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 09:40 France Time & GMT).
The Springboks vs the World XV side follows at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 GMT).
At 20:40 SA Time (15:40 ARG Time, 19:40 BST, 18:40 GMT) we see Argentina vs Ireland.
Junior All Blacks (17) 24 / 33 (14) Junior Springboks (Final Score)
New Zealand Under 20 and South Africa Under 20 did battle in the 2014 Junior World Championships at
QBE Stadium, Albany, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Head coach Vern Cotter has named three starting debutants in his first Scotland selection for this Saturday’s summer Test match against USA in Houston, Texas (7 June, kick-off 7.30pm local time, 1.30am BST, 2.30an SA Time). The match will be streamed live on dailyrecord.co.uk.
Glasgow Warriors pair Gordon Reid (prop) and Finn Russell (stand-off), and London Irish back-row, Blair Cowan, will start their first international outing at the BBVA Compass Stadium, while prop Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors) and scrum-half Grayson Hart (Edinburgh Rugby) could debut from the bench.
The Springboks are likely to be beneficiaries of a favourable programme, including playing the All Blacks on South African turf only, when a slashed Castle Rugby Championship is contested in 2015.
Given the global priority of the World Cup towards the end of the year, hosted by England, the Championship will be reduced by half to a single round of matches, making it more like the northern hemisphere’s Six Nations for once in character.
The Boks, currently second to World Cup holders New Zealand on the International Rugby Board rankings, play only four games next year ahead of RWC 2015, in stark contrast to this year’s much more cluttered programme of 14.
It gives coach Heyneke Meyer 18 games in total – starting with the World XV clash at Newlands this Saturday – to fine-tune his game-plan and resources for the global get-together: South Africa will kick off their World Cup campaign against Japan at Brighton’s Community Stadium on September 19 next year.