SA Rugby
Jacques-Louis Potgieter will earn a first Vodacom Bulls start at flyhalf since 15 May 2010 when the home side host the Lions in their first home match of the Vodacom Super Rugby competition at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The 29-year old pivot is one of four changes made to the starting side that came up short in Bloemfontein last weekend, with Grant Hattingh (as no 8), Victor Matfield (at no 5) and Frik Kirsten (as starting tighthead) the others to earn a start on the weekend.
Experienced flyhalf Peter Grant will hook up with the Stormers again in either the first or second week of their Super Rugby overseas leg … straight from his completed commitments in Japan.
This was confirmed by coach Allister Coetzee, who will relish adding “Bash’s” street wisdom to the tour mix as he is low on truly hardened, assertive characters and decision-makers in both the key slots of No 10 and scrumhalf this season.
SANZAR has released the names of the officials for Round 3 of Super Rugby 2014. Mike Fraser starts the action this weekend in Auckland with the Blues vs Crusaders match.
This weekend sees 7 matches with 3 on Friday and 4 on Saturday.
The Sharks have the bye weekend.
The Vodacom Bulls are set to make radical changes to their team to face the Lions this weekend in order to get themselves onto the winning path in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby series.
While Flip van der Merwe is set to captain the side once again, the team named on Wednesday will in all likelihood see Victor Matfield and Jacques-Louis Potgieter in the starting line-up and a bold move for regular lock Grant Hattingh to No 8.
Fresh from their victory over the Vodacom Bulls, Toyota Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has named an unchanged starting line-up for his team’s first Vodacom Super Rugby tour match against the Melbourne Rebels on Friday.
Jaco Taute has been named at fullback for the DHL Stormers’ first home game of the 2014 Vodacom Super Rugby season.
The DHL Stormers will host the Hurricanes at DHL Newlands on Friday (kick-off 19:10), with Taute joining the starting line-up at fullback and Gio Aplon shifting across to the wing.
All Black and Hurricanes centre Conrad Smith admitted he was surprised by the Stormers’ showing against the Lions in Johannesburg last week.
Springbok Elton Jantjies will have to wait a while longer before he will make his comeback to Super Rugby.
Jantjies, with just two Tests but more than 80 first class games to his credit, made a successful return to the playing field with the with the Golden Lions Vodacom Cup team last week – following shoulder surgery in the off-season.
Following their horror start to the season at Ellis Park last week, Stormers captain Jean de Villiers is expecting a major response from his side at Newlands on Friday.
De Villiers was furious with the way his charges capitulated against the Lions last week, and he admitted that their were some harsh words said behind closed doors when they reflected on what went wrong against the Lions.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has called on fans to “keep the faith” after the team’s disappointing start to the Vodacom Super Rugby season.
The Bulls lost their opening two games against the Sharks and Cheetahs and on both occasions were struggling to get their own engine going, failing both on a tactical and a physical level against opposition they would normally look a lot more physical against.
Former All Black captain Taine Randell is against the idea of South Africa getting six Super Rugby teams.
A scheduled meeting of SANZAR’s Executive Committee took place in Sydney last Thursday where the future of Super Rugby was among the agenda items.
Former Springbok and Bulls forward Jacques Potgieter has been promoted to the Waratahs starting team for their Super Rugby clash against the Reds in Sydney on Saturday.
According to the Waratahs’ official website, it is the only change made by coach Michael Cheika from the team that earned a 43-21 bonus-point win over the Force last Sunday.
Potgieter will start in place of Will Skelton at lock, with the 21-year-old dropping back to the bench.
Former Springbok rugby player Christian Stewart has been charged with allegedly assaulting the boyfriend of his ex-wife.
Stewart, 47, briefly appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
It was a weekend of firsts in South African Vodacom Super Rugby history, with bragging rights in two derbies going to the Lions and the Toyota Cheetahs, while the Cell C Sharks cemented their position at the top of the standings.
On Friday evening, the Toyota Cheetahs turned around an 11-match losing streak against the Vodacom Bulls for their first-ever win over the team from Pretoria in this competition. It wasn’t pretty and the conditions were dire, but the side from Central South Africa would not have been too bothered by that as they won 15-9.
Saturday afternoon saw the Cell C Sharks dismantle a spirited Hurricanes side by 27-9 in Durban, after which the Lions were responsible for yet another upset when they trashed the DHL Stormers by 34-10 in Johannesburg – their first win over the Capetonians in 10 attempts.
NMMU (0) 16 / 52 (23) Pukke (Final Score)
FNB NMMU (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) and FNB NWU-Pukke (North-West University)
did battle in the Varsity Cup at the Madibaz Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 19:00 SA Time (17:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSNN on TV in SA.
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UCT (8) 16 / 26 (8) Tuks (Final Score)
FNB UCT (University of Cape Town) and FNB UP-Tuks (University of Pretoria)
did battle in the Varsity Cup at UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town at 16:45 SA Time (14:45 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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The Vodacom Bulls will be without regular captain Pierre Spies for a large part of the 2014 rugby season after he was ruled out of rugby due to an arm injury on Monday.
Spies again suffered a bicep muscle injury to his upper arm, the same injury that sidelined him in June last year, resulting in the no 8 missing the remainder of the 2013 season.
The first full round of the 2014 edition of Vodacom Super Rugby produced a weekend of absorbing rugby that once again proved the old adage that in this competition the unexpected should almost be expected.
And as invariably is the case, there have already been casualties among the favoured teams, with multiple winners the Crusaders, the Blues and Vodacom Bulls already on the back foot, as are last year’s beaten finalists the Brumbies and the 2012 log winners, the DHL Stormers.
The Crusaders and Brumbies both suffered defeats to good teams, but they were results that wouldn’t have been anticipated if you look at historical precedent. The Crusaders have only lost twice in home games to the Chiefs, and only once in Christchurch, and the Brumbies have tended to be better than the Reds in Canberra.
The Vodacom Bulls may be putting a brave face on their poor start to the Vodacom Super Rugby season, but is clear that there are glaring problems in the team at the moment that need to be sorted out.
The alarm bells may not be ringing in coach Frans Ludeke’s ears after two losses in as many games, but they certainly are loud as the team struggle to find their feet after losing a mass amount of players last season.
To expect the Bulls to face such a mass exodus – much of it their own doing – and not suffer much of a setback is too much. Add to that the loss of Arno Botha and captain Pierre Spies to injury and the problems seem bigger.
Cell C Sharks director of rugby Jake White reckons his team has hit the target that was set them for the first segment of the season.
The Sharks beat the Hurricanes 27-9 at Growthpoint Kings Park this past weekend to ensure they go into their first bye week with two wins under the belt. And after picking up a four try bonus point against the Vodacom Bulls in week one, his men have only one point less than a full house and are soaring on the early log standings.
After their humiliating loss to the Lions, the Stormers received more bad news with injuries to two key players.
According to reports, Argentine lock Manuel Carizza and flank Schalk Burger could miss Friday night’s match against the Hurricanes after picking up injuries in their 34-10 loss at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Sharks scrumhalf Charl McLeod has confirmed on Twitter that he’ll be joining Top 14 side Grenoble at the conclusion of the current Super Rugby season.
The backlash to Super Rugby being expanded again has begun with double Super Rugby winning coach Dave Rennie amongst others slamming the idea.
Super Rugby organisers SANZAR issued a limited statement on Thursday saying that they had agreed on a proposed format to include a sixth South African franchise and a team from Argentina.
The addition of two further Super Rugby teams will take the number to 17 teams when the next broadcast agreement comes into effect in 2016.
South African scrumhalf and kicker, Rory Kockott, has committed his future to Castres, with the French champions announcing that he had signed a new three-year deal.
Rugby-Talk is ‘n trotse mede-borg van die Delas Rugbyklub Rugbydag op 22 Februarie 2014.
Klubrugby in Suid-Afrika gaan gebuk onder druk van alle kante, waar die owerhede, Suid-Afrikaanse Rugby Unie (SARU) en vermoënde borge maar min geld beskikbaar stel vir hierdie uiters belangrike komponent van rugby in Suid-Afrika.
Delmas Rugbyklub hou jaarliks ‘n Rugbydag en hierdie keer is dit al hul fyfde suksesvolle Rugbydag in ‘n ry in 2014.
Daar is 38 spanne, 19 wedstryde en wonderlike pret en plesier by die wonderlike byeenkoms. Ons nooi ieder en elk uit om saam met ons te deel in die genot van rugby op die platteland.
Daar is ‘n vlooimark, tonne vermaak en kunstenaars wat gaan optree… en natuurlik is ons ook daar saam met Radio Oos Rand Stereo (93.9 FM), Big Bang Events & Marketing Solutions, Phoenixian SA en die borge van die dag en die spanne.
Ons skeep ook nie Super Rugby af nie, want die 2 wedstryde van die oggend en die 2 middag en aand Super Rugby wedstryde word lewendig op die “Big Screen” aangebied, van waar Rugby-Talk dan ook lewendig oor die tellings en verloop van Super Rugby sal rapporteer.
Lions (22) 34 / 10 (10) Stormers (Final Score)
The Lions and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at
Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 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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Just two log points separate the top four teams in the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International ahead of Round Four on Monday.
Defending champions FNB UP-Tuks are the only team yet to lose a game this season, and they lead the way but not by much with the chasing pack breathing down their necks.
They will be up against the fourth-placed FNB UCT – who are coming off two big away wins against FNB Maties and FNB NMMU – in the first televised game (live on Supersport One at 16:45) in Cape Town on Monday.
Cheetahs (12) 15 / 9 (3) Bulls (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 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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Super Rugby is already in Round 2, with the Antipodion teams also taking part this weekend. We have 7 games in Round 2, with 2 games on Friday, 4 games on Saturday and 1 game in the early hours (SA Time) on Sunday morning.
The Melbourne Rebels have a bye weekend, right at the outset, but of course Bye Points fall away in 2014.
In June / July 2014 the Antipion teams will catch up in played games with the South African counterparts, when the South African sides sit out for 1 Round.
The Combined Log will therefore be skewed for the majority of the competition and one has to question why individual countries are allowed to start such a long competition ahead of it’s rivals. In 2013 the Australian sides started a week early, but at least they had the excuse that they needed an extra week in the middle of the year to prepare for the British & Irish Lions series, which they lost.
(The Weekend Teams are also up under the Main Menu, Super Rugby, 2014, Weekend Teams.)
Former All Black Carlos Spencer has been tasked to guide the Eastern Province Kings in their return to the Currie Cup competition.
Spencer, who joined the Kings in December, has been appointed head coach for the Currie Cup season.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union is pleased to announce Xerox as the new Golden Lions title sponsor for the Currie Cup tournament.
The three-year deal sees Xerox come on board as the naming rights sponsor of the senior Golden Lions team for the 2014 to 2016 competitions.
Club rugby will step back into the television spotlight next month when two of the country’s biggest derbies will be broadcast live during the second edition of the Cell C Community Cup, which kicks off on 8 March.
Lions head caoch Johan Ackermann has named his team to face the Stormers in their Super Rugby game at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The team sees a number of injury enforced changes.
Super Rugby organizers SANZAR have announced that they have a “preferred model” including Argentina for the future Super Rugby format beyond 2015 that will be put forward for approval.
SANZAR’s Executive Committee met in Sydney on Thursday to discuss the future of Super Rugby including possible formats that could be presented to broadcasters.
In a show of support for the squad that defeated the Bulls last weekend, Director of Rugby Jake White has stuck with the same Cell C Sharks team for this Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby showdown with the Hurricanes.
Continuity is one of the key factors for success and being able to name an unchanged line-up is a rare luck for a coach. It is a reward for outstanding performances and testament to the team’s efforts as well as a thumbs’ up to the medical and conditioning staff who have the players in such good physical shape.