Super Rugby
Two Vodacom Blue Bulls player will undergo medical procedures in the next week following a long and taxing 2012 rugby season.
Jaco Taute, Lions and Springbok centre and fullback has penned his deal with the Stormers on loan from the Golden Lions Rugby Union, for Super Rugby 2013.
The Western Force have signed former Rugby World Cup Wallabies lock/flanker Hugh McMeniman for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
Springbok No 8 and Bulls captain Pierre Spies may further his career up north after French club Bayonne reportedly have made a massive offer for his services over the next three years.
All Black legend Brad Thorn will return to New Zealand next year. He has signed a one-year contract with the Highlanders for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
The Rebels have signed Auckland Blues prop forward Pauliasi Manu to a two-year Super Rugby deal as part of their Contracted Playing Squad.
Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll fancies a Super Rugby stint before he retires, with the Waratahs favourites to secure his signature.
All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu has revealed that he plans to leave the Blues and play for the Highlanders in the 2013 Super Rugby season.
Coenie Oosthuisen has been ruled out for between 8 – 12 weeks with a back injury, which basically rules him out for the rest of 2012.
With all the player movements being confirmed, rumoured etc, and me sitting at work a little bored I thought I should write something about where the Sharks are as a team and what their squad will look like come Januray 2013.
There has since been a few changes to the squad as Butch James is set to return for a six month stint, Also Piet lindeque the present Sharks U21 captain and academy member has decided to further his career in Pretoria as he has joined the university of pretoria. Continue reading
News yesterday was that the Southern Kings are eager to obtain the services of Blue Bulls and Springbok back JJ Engelbrecht.
The South African Rugby Union have effectively shut the door on the Southern Kings’ drive to field more than two overseas players in their Super Rugby squad.
The Southern Kings have signed three more prominent players as they aim to bolster their squad ahead of next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Seasoned Boland flyhalf Elgar Watts will join the Cheetahs at the end of November for the 2013 season. Initially the Cheetahs hoped to have Sias Ebersohn released to the Cheetahs after the Super Rugby season, but new Force coach Foley wasn’t amenable to such an arrangement. Hence the Cheetahs will have Johan Goosen, Elgar Watts and Francois Brummer as the flyhalves to choose from, with Willie le Roux, and Riaan Smit able to slot in at flyhalf in an emergency.
All Blacks and Crusaders captain Richie McCaw will sit out the majority of the 2013 Super Rugby season, it has been confirmed.
SANZAR has made known the full game schedule for Super Rugby in 2013. Take critical note of the fact that the Australian sides will feature a week earlier than the New Zealand and South African sides, as they feature alone in Round 1 – 15 & 16 February and in the middle of the year, Round 17 – June 7 & 9, the Australian sides will feature alone as well, whilst in Round 18 & Round 19 the New Zealand and South African sides will feature without the Australian sides.
This accomodation is done to assist Australia who hosts the British and Irish Lions touring party in the middle of 2013.
Accordingly the Super Rugby Combined Log will be skewed from the start, then become even more skewed after Round 17 (The Australian sides having played 2 games more by then) and that the Combined Log will only appear realistic and normal after the conclusion of Round 19.
Alan Solomons, the Southern Kings Super Rugby coach, has indicated that controvertial looseforward Luke Watson will be the captain when the team makes their Super Rugby debut in 2013.
The Southern Kings are looking “far and wide” for players to make them competitive when they debut in Super Rugby next year.
The latest reported players to apparently have signed for 2013 includes centre Andries Strauss from the Cheetahs and lock Steven Sykes from the Sharks.
All Black and Blues veteran prop Tony Woodcock has agreed to leave Auckland Rugby and play for the Highlanders in the 2013 Super Rugby season.
SANZAR look set to release the 2013 Super Rugby fixture list with Australian teams starting a week earlier than New Zealand and South African teams in order to accomodate the British and Irish Lions tour.
The Reds have rounded off their coaching staff for next season with the re-signing of Super Rugby-winning High Performance coaches, Jim McKay and Damian Marsh.
The Western Force on Tuesday signed New Zealand scrumhalf Alby Mathewson as its marquee player for the 2013 season as they work to rebuild the team.
The next dramatic chapter in the protracted Super Rugby participation saga will be written in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Golden Lions Rugby Union President Kevin de Klerk said that he will meet up with the South African Rugby Union hierarchy on Thursday. This follows the SARU decision last week to axe the Lions and replace them with the Southern Kings in 2013.
Western Province captain Deon Fourie has been offered a contract by Toulon and expects to join the French Top14 club after the Currie Cup.
The Blues have confirmed their coaching line up for the 2013 Super Rugby season which includes former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry and current All Blacks skills coach Mick Byrne.
In breaking news, it has been reported that Clyde Rathbone is in training with his U21 mentor, Jake White, at the Brumbies.
The President of the Golden Lions Rugby Union Kevin de Klerk on Friday issued the following statement in the wake of the SARU General Council decision to exclude the MTN Lions from the Super Rugby competition in 2013.
South African Rugby officials have confirmed that the Southern Kings will play Super Rugby and that the Lions will sit it out for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union faces a tough, telling seven days that could well determine the future of the once-proud union in the coming few years.
SANZAR have given Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna a one week suspension for a dangerous tackle after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
Burglars ransacked the home of Chiefs coach Dave Rennie while his side were winning a maiden Super Rugby title in Hamilton, he has revealed.
Chiefs (13) 37 / (3) 6 Sharks (Final Score)
The Chiefs and The Sharks did battle in the Final of Super Rugby 2012 at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ 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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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets for the Final of Super Rugby 2012.
Both team sheets have now been updated and announced.
The Sharks have selected their team for the Super Rugby final again the Chiefs in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has decided to stick with the same side that won last weeks semi final match against the Crusaders.