Rassie Erasmus
Munster will take on Scarlets for the 2016-17 Pro12 title in next Saturday’s final after seeing off Ospreys at Thomond Park.
The win denied the lacklustre visitors an all-Welsh final against their closest rivals in Dublin.
But they could have no complaints on a day when only Munster touched down.
Scarlets had stunned Leinster 27-15 in Dublin a day earlier and will meet Munster at the city’s Aviva Stadium on Saturday 27 May (18:15 BST) in the final.
Johan ‘Rassie’ Erasmus was named Pro12′ Coach of the Season after guiding Munster to the semifinals of the Celtic League.
Erasmus, who is in his first season in charge of the Irish province, also had six of his Munster players named in the Pro12 Dream Team during the Pro12 Awards, which took place in Dublin on Sunday.
Erasmus recently confirmed that he will see out his contract with Munster after rumours circulated earlier this this year that he was going to return to South Africa to link up with the Springboks.
Meanwhile, Fellow South Africans Jaco Taute and Ruan Pienaar were included in the Dream Team.
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Munster maintained their winning start to the European Champions Cup as they handed Leicester Tigers a record defeat in the competition. Final score: Munster 38/0 Leicester Tigers
The Pool One game was over by half-time after fly-half Tyler Bleyendaal’s 14 points and a Simon Zebo try.
Jaco Taute added two second-half tries and also created the late penalty try as he was hauled down by George Worth.
Saturday’s result also brought back memories of the only other time the Tigers were held scoreless in a European Cup game, when they were beaten 33-0 by Ulster in January 2004.
Munster’s win keeps them on top of Pool One as they move to 10 points despite having played a game less than Glasgow and Leicester, with the Tigers now six points behind the leaders.
Rassie Erasmus
An internal restructuring to streamline the identification, development and monitoring of players will be headed up by Rassie Erasmus as SARU looks to take sole responsibility for an unbroken pathway for players and coaches.
The restructuring indicates that SARU is trying to take a bigger role in the development of players right from the junior level to potentially Springboks.
The new structure has evolved from the former Development and High Performance departments, whose functions have been rationalised.
“The old departments worked hand-in-hand,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SARU.
“Cheers vir eers!” Derick Minnie op pad vorentoe Saterdag teen die Bloubulle op Ellispark.
Niemand wil dit hard sê nie, maar almal weet dit: Suid-Afrikaanse rugby is in die #2%$.
Vir diegene wat onlangs uit ’n diep slaap uit ontwaak het, hier is die feite: Net een Suid-Afrikaanse span kon dit tot in ’n Super Rugby semi-finaal maak. En daar het hulle ook in die pomp geduik. Die ander klomp – die Bulle, Stormers, Leeus en Cheetahs het redelik swak gedoen.
Hoe kan ’n land soos Suid-Afrika, wat meer spelers as Nieu-Seeland en Australië saam het, so sleg uit die bus uit bliksem?
Om daardie vraag te beantwoord, moet ons teruggaan tot ons terugkeer tot internasionale rugby in 1992.
Dan sal ons sien dat ons intussen nooit pasaangeërs was nie. Nie met taktiek nie en nie met afrigting nie.
Rassie Erasmus at the 2014 Craven Week
Rassie Erasmus’ biggest role as high performance manager is to implement Heyneke Meyer’s plans across the board.
Erasmus, widely praised for his work in turning Western Province rugby around, was spotted at the Coca-Cola Craven Week in Middelburg. Having joined Saru as high performance manager in April 2012, Erasmus has been working tirelessly to implement a new structure in South African rugby, building a team of coaches, analysts and medical staff that can help develop the country’s best young talent into potential Springbok candidates. Craven Week plays an integral role in this development, something that Erasmus is well aware of.
Rassie Erasmus says Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is tweaking his game plan ahead of next weekend’s Rugby Championship clash with the Wallabies in Pretoria.
Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett says he is concerned that national coach Heyneke Meyer’s philosophy could impede player creativity.
Mallet had a lot to say this week here is some of it.
Heyneke Meyer may only be in the first real testing week of his tenure but he is already setting up structures that are far more advanced than the national team has ever had before.
Along with Saru’s new General Manager: High Performance Rassie Erasmus, Meyer has already set the wheels in motion to see that players are up to speed with what he wants from them ahead of the England test series, including game plans, individual skills and a number of small intricacies that could make the world of difference when the international season rolls around.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) on Sunday announced the appointment of former Springbok loose forward Rassie Erasmus into a senior management position at the organisation.
There is growing media speculation that former Stormers Director of Coaching Rassie Erasmus will be named as High Performance manager for the South African Rugby Union (SARU).
The executive council of SARU are meeting in Cape Town on Friday for the body’s Annual General Council Meeting (AGCM), which has brought about speculation regarding what changes might be implemented.
Heyneke Meyer was appointed four weeks ago as Springbok coach and still there is no clarity as to who will be on his management team in 2012.
There is continuing speculation that he will be part of Heyneke Meyer’s new management team, but Rassie Erasmus would still be involved with Western Province were it not for the interference from elected officials that eventually prompted him to quit as director of rugby in an attempt to ease the pressure on the other coaches.
SuperSport
South Africa’s top referees scrummed against each and were given master classes from top coaches as part of a recently completed four-day training camp prior to the start of the 2012 rugby season.
Let’s join in the fun, Heyneke Meyer’s touted as being a sure ting now for appointment as Springbok coach!
As we reach the magical, mystical and unfathomable date of January 27th for the announcement of our new Springbok coach, and as the excitement builds, the media hacks go into overdrive. This comes second only to the general election results in terms of hype. Who’s in, who’s out, the circus continues, SARU aren’t helping, but here’s the latest.
I have put up two articles on the Rassie affair together, as both are linked
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Cape Town – Rassie Erasmus has shocked the Western Province Rugby Union (WPRU) by resigning from his position as director of coaching.
The Western Province duo of Rassie Erasmus and Allister Coetzee have declared themselves unavailable for the Springbok coaching job and have no interest in the position at this time.
Sharks 53 / Lions 9 (Final score)
The Sharks hosted the MTN Golden Lions at Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The sharks totally outclassed a lethargic and error ridden Lions side to book a home semi final against the Free state Cheetahs next week, where they will certainly carry all of the momentum.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Sharks coach, John Plumtree, has named his side to play the MTN Lions at Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 on Saturday.
The Sharks have obviously chosen a very strong side, compared to the Lions who are resting about six players, because the Sharks are still aiming to get a home semi-final, whereas the lions are firmly in first spot, even if they lose this game.
The Sharks will field several of their returning Springboks in this week’s crucial Currie Cup rugby encounter against the Lions in Durban, coach John Plumtree confirmed on Tuesday.
Leopards (0) 14 / Sharks (15) 41 (Final Score)
The Platinum Leopards hosted The Sharks in Rustenburg at 19:10 SA Time.
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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What a dreary game!
The Sharks scrored twice right at the end, making it look as if the won handsomely, but that would be untrue.
The match was marred by a plethera of errors, from both sides but none more so than the Leopards, when the tryline was begging for them to score.
Job done for the Sharks though, 5 Log points in the bag.
Sharks coach John Plumtree announced four changes to the side that will play the Leopards in Saturday’s Currie Cup rugby match in Phokeng, near Rustenburg.
The Sharks have been dealt another blow in their quest to defend the Currie Cup title after scrumhalf Charl McLeod was ruled out of the competition with a fractured hip.
Sharks (7) 10 / WP (7) 15 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted DHL Western Province at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time.
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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In a bore-fest, DHL Western Province held a desperate Sharks side back to win. The most exciting part of the game was the last 5 minutes.
The Sharks have axed lock Alistair Hargreaves from the team for their Currie Cup clash against Western Province on Saturday.
Sharks (14) 29 / Griquas (10) 18 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted GWK Griquas as Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time.
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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The Sharks scored their 4 tries for a bonus point win, but the Griquas gave them a torrid time and in the end lost by only 8 points.
Scrumhalf Ross Cronje and hooker Kyle Cooper have been included in the Sharks team for Friday’s Currie Cup clash against Griquas in Durban.
Cheetahs (23) 53 / Sharks (18) 32 (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs hosted The Sharks at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 15:00 SA Time.
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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This was a 9-try festival of running rugby, won by the Toyota Free State Cheetahs with 5 tries to 4.
In the process the Toyota Free State Cheetahs bag 5 Log points and The Sharks only 1.
In a surprising move the Sharks have actually named their team to play the Cheetahs within the suggested time frame.
Sharks (14) 33 / Pumas (17) 20 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Ford Pumas at Kings Park, Durban at 15:00 SA Time.
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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Once again the Sharks made hard work of it to beat the Pumas and only took the lead late in the game, but still managed to bag all 5 available Log Points in the process.
Blue Bulls (15) 27 / Sharks (23) 39 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls hosted The Sharks at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the match. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Blue Bulls denied the Sharks a bonus point win whilst earning a bonus point for tries right on the death. The Sharks were full value for their win though, with exemplary goal kicking compared to the shoddiest of goal kicking by the Blue Bulls.
The Sharks
Sharks coach John Plumtree has named Jean Deysel at eighthman as one of three Currie Cup changes for the Blue Bulls at Loftus this Saturday.
John Plumtree
Sharks coach John Plumtree has begun this week by drumming into his players that they need to “tidy up” their game if they want to beat the tougher teams in the Currie Cup and go on to mount a serious defence of their title.