Daily Archives: 2 July 2013
SANZAR has released the names of the match officials forRound 19 of Super Rugby 2013.
Jonathon White is in charge of Friday’s match between the Chiefs and Crusaders, and what an important clash that will be!
There are 5 matches this weekend, with the Australian sides still sitting out due to the British & Irish Lions series in Australia, but the good news is that at conclusion of this weekend, the Combined Log will no longer be skewed and will reflect the correct position between all 15 sides, finally!
Friday has 1 match and Saturday has 4 matches.
South Africa’s national football and rugby teams will play on the same day at the former World Cup showpiece stadium in Soweto to honour Nelson Mandela, bringing together the country’s two most popular sports that once portrayed its racial divisions.
Zac Guildford has re-signed with the Crusaders, for another year.
Jamie Mackintosh of the Highlanders will be walking over to the Chiefs, having signed a 2-year deal.
However the news is not so good for the Melbourne Rebels, with news that Cooper Vuna was granted an early release from his Super Rugby contract, to go after the lure of the Yen.
It seems not only South African players are heading to Japan and New Zealand certainly has their fair share of players swopping teams!
British and Irish Lions tour manager Andy Irvine says that he still has hope that three key injured players will be available for the deciding Test against the Wallabies.
While Irvine is positive about the Lions hopes he admits that the loss of captain Sam Warburton is a “serious blow” to the team.
The Sharks head into their clash with the Bulls in Pretoria with the rare positive that they have a clean bill of health after their last-ditch victory over the Blues.
Apart from the usual knocks that players receive during a match, the Sharks have every player available from the nail-bitting win at Kings Park on Saturday.
The Southern Kings have named an unchanged starting line-up for their derby clash with the Stormers in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Will Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke elevate young Handre Pollard to his match squad for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby showdown with the Sharks?
That’s the big question this week as the Bulls prepare to rumble on against a dangerous Sharks team who still believes it can make the playoffs.
Richard Cockerill, the Leicester Tigers director of rugby, was suspended for nine matches when he appeared before a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel in Coventry this (sic Monday) evening.
Sir Ian McGeechan believes the British and Irish Lions can’t afford to carry anybody during the third Test against Australia – and expects to see major changes for the series showdown in Sydney.
Australia captain James Horwill has been cleared to play in the final Test against the British and Irish Lions.
It is becoming more and more difficult for the Bulls faithful not to start comparing this year’s team to the Super Rugby winning sides of 2007, 2009 and 2010.
The International Rugby Board’s appeal of Australia captain James Horwill’s stamping case has been adjourned by judicial officer Graeme Mew of Canada, with Horwill’s place in the third and deciding test Saturday hanging in the balance.
Last week, the IRB appealed against the original decision that cleared Horwill of stamping on British and Irish Lions lock Alun-Wyn Jones in the first test on June 22 in Brisbane.
It’s been a dramatic weekend in Super Rugby with a number of players being cited, banned, injured and more.
Where does one start…
Ma’a Nonu of the Highlanders has been banned for 3 weeks for a Red Card tackle on Crusaders Tom Marshall, and is therefore out of the rest of Super Rugby in 2013. Jarrad Hoeata also of the Highlanders received a 1-week ban following 3 Yellow Cards.
Stormers and Springbok loose forward, Siya Koilisi is out injured for 6 weeks with torn ankle ligaments. Louis Fouché of the Bulls has injured knee ligaments requiring surgery and will be out for 6 months. The Blues have received a double hit with Chris Noakes and Piri Weepu out injured.
At the Cheetahs, Coenie Oosthuizen and Elgar Watts were casualties from the disasterous Cheetahs game against the Stormers and the Cheetahs will be sweating this week on their readyness to face the Blues on the coming weekend.
Meanwhile it is reported that the Stormers heavy guns who missed out on the past weekend’s game, Jean de Villiers, Rynhardt Elstadt and PatCilliers will be ready and available on the weekend for the Stormers.