Monthly Archives: April 2010
Having watched the Crusaders lose to the Western Force in the early hours of Saturday, the anti-Crusade brigade have pulled up their favourite bean bags to prepare to watch the seven-times champions’ Super 14 title chances shrivel up on the tip of the African continent.
The miserly Stormers’ defence will be a challenge for the Crusaders this week.
Despite their 16-13 defeat to the Queensland Reds in Brisbane last weekend, the Stormers, leaked an average of just 12.7 points per match
On average a game of 80 minutes of Super 14 rugby, has just 34 minutes of playing time.
The rest of the 46 minutes is directly attributable to the referee and how he blows the game.
The commentators in the Waratahs vs Brumbies game had difficulty to understand Steve Walsh last Saturday. Something was seriously wrong there. With my limited knowledge of scrums i could see he is grasping in the air.
Having watched the Bulls vs Lions match again from a PVR Recording and after calming down from the elation during and following the battle at Loftus here are some thoughts on a most enthrawling game.
The Bulls won this local derby by a handsome 51 / 11, scoring 6 second half tries most other teams in the world would be envious of.
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Chennai Super Kings 168/5(20 ov)
Mumbai Indians 146/9 (20 ov)
Chennai Super Kings won by 22 runs
Final 
Standing
The Sharks season is turning into a season of “If Only” as they wrapped up their 5th consecutive victory over a Blues team that had only one plan and that was to spread the ball from anywhere and everywhere.
This was the weekend of shock results. On the Super 14 Log there are 10 teams still able to make the play-offs. Sharks, Chiefs and Blues have a small mathematical chance for the title, but is really clutching at straws, which might finally break next weekend.
Vodacom Cup Semi Finals venues not confirmed yet but it will be the Bulls vs Sharks XV and the Boland vs Cheetahs on the 1st of May.
Five South African teams to pick from. The Cheetahs played to a surprise 25 all draw against the Chiefs. The Stormers wheels came of against, guess who? The Reds. Bulls won as expected against the Lions and the Sharks gave the Blues a major setback. Pick your players who You feel was this weeks best performers.
TEAM Picked by Rugby-Talk Bloggers
Sharks 23 / Blues 10 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Blues at The ABSA Stadium, Durban at 17:05 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Sharks were just too good for the Blues, in fact the Blues had one of those Off-Days, they’re so renowned for. Sharks won by 23 / 10.
Bulls (12) 51 / Lions (8) 11 (Final Score)
The Bulls hosted the Lions at Loftus in Pretoria at 15:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The3 Bulls won 51 / 11.
For the Bulls it is mission accomplished with 6 tries and a full 5 Log Points, placing them back alone on the top of the Super 14 Log now with 39 Points.
The Lions initially, in the 1st 15 minutes, came on strong. After that it was the Bulls with a battle of attrition against the Lions till they totally gave way eventually.
Waratahs (9) 19 / Brumbies (9) 12(Final Score)
The Waratahs hosted the Brumbies in Sydney at 11:40 SA Time. This is the match Thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Waratahs won by 19 / 12, without earning a bonus point for tries scored.
Highlanders (24) 31 / Hurricanes (26) 33 (Final Score)
The Highlanders hosted the Hurricanes in Duneden at 09:35 SA Time. This is the match Thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. Both teams scored 5 tries and the Hurricanes won by 33 / 31.
An official Press release from the Blue Bulls Company has been released, here it is, word for word:
Coming back from work i nearly fell of my chair when i opened the Sport websites. What happened.
Force (0) 24 / Crusaders (13) 16 (Final Score)
The Reds hosted the Crusaders at the Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 11:40 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Force won a tight game by 24 / 16, denying the Crusaders any Log points.
Reds (6) 16 / Stormers (7) 13 (Final Score)
The Reds hosted the Stormers at the Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 11:40 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The Reds showed resolve and guts to tough out a win by 16 / 13. These Reds are on fire!
Chiefs (20) 25 / Cheetahs (10) 25 (Final Score)
The Chiefs hosted the Cheetahs in Hamilton at 09:35 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA. The match ended in a draw, 25 / 25 and one can say without a doubt that pityful goal kicking cost the Chiefs, not a single kick going over out of 9 or 10 attempts. Chiefs bag 3 Log points, Cheetahs get 2.
The New Zealand Rugby Union Thursday announced record losses due partly to the costs of hosting next year’s World Cup and the impact of the global recession.
The NZRU lost 15.9 million dollars (11.3 million US) in 2009, with a shortfall in income from All Blacks Tests contributing to an operating loss of 9.6 million dollars, chief executive Steve Tew said.
Ahhh, it’s good to see seven full Super 14 matches from this weekend onwards again, the “bye” weekends now a thing of the past for all teams. It certainly is getting congested on the Log now at the top and one thing is for sure, there are no easy games left for those with aspirations to take the title.
The games for the weekend are as follows, with 3 games this Friday and 4 games on Saturday:
| 23 | Chiefs | v | Vodacom Cheetahs | Hamilton | 09:35 |
| 23 | Reds | v | Vodacom Stormers | Brisbane | 11:40 |
| 23 | Western Force | v | Crusaders | Perth | 13:45 |
| 24 | Highlanders | v | Hurricanes | Dunedin | 09:35 |
| 24 | Waratahs | v | Brumbies | Sydney | 11:40 |
| 24 | Vodacom Bulls | v | Auto & General Lions | Loftus Versfeld | 15:00 |
| 24 | The Sharks | v | Blues | The Absa Stadium Durban | 17:05 |
By JOSH RAKIC and CAROLINE WILSON – Sydney Morning Herald
The Melbourne Rebels this morning will announce the immediate departure of Brian Waldron as chief executive as the AFL prepares to re-open investigations into alleged salary-cap evasion at St Kilda under Waldron’s stewardship from late 2001 to 2004.
The Rebels board – which is chaired by Australia’s largest media buyer, Harold Mitchell – met within hours of David Gallop’s press conference and acted swiftly in asking Waldron to stand aside.
There is a lot of talk about the match between the Bulls and Lions this coming Saturday. Speculations have done the round that this might be an upset in the brewing, especially after the close game between the Lions and Sharks last weekend, also keeping in mind that the Bulls are’nt coming off their best run of form.The travel factor also comes into the equation for the Bulls this weekend. Continue reading
The NRL has stripped Melbourne Storm of two premierships, as well as any competition points this season, in the toughest punishment for a salary cap breach in NRL history.
After speculative talks about a shuffle in the coaching staff, this is what SARU had to say on the matter. Continue reading
A last some light is being shed on the resting of players or what is being done to keep players from burnout…
Will this relatively new strategy work ? Time will tell… Continue reading
The Sharks show only 1 enforced change, with consitency in selection again shown this week. An ankle injury to Sharks centre Riaan Swanepoel has necessitated the one and only change to the team’s starting XV for Saturday’s Super 14 rugby match against the Blues at the Absa Stadium in Durban.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has concluded a record-breaking broadcast rights package for the next five years following the conclusion of the SANZAR rights negotiations, it was announced today (Thursday).
Reports are emerging this morning that there will be significant changes to the Bok coaching staff. Continue reading
The Stormers are not going to fall for the “funny things” that the Reds are capable of coming up with, and they are rather concentrating on their own game ahead of Friday’s big Super 14 clash in Brisbane.
Semi Final 2. Chennai Super Kings won by 38 runs
Chennai Super Kings 142/7 (20/20 ov)
Deccan Chargers 104 (19.2/20 ov
Heini Adams will make a rare start when the Vodacom Bulls take on the Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. It wil be his first start in the competition this year.
OK, so the Cheetahs and the Lions has both shown that they simply cannot cut it in the Super 14. Every year, at the end of the competition, there are one or two surprise results, then all of their fans jump back into the fray, proclaiming some sort of an upward curve, just so they are destroyed from the word go in the following year’s competition.
All the Teams for Round 11 of the Super 14 have been announced, here they are.
Allister Coetzee, head coach of the Vodacom Stormers, today announced his team to play the Reds in Brisbane on Friday 23 April. Kick-off is at 11h40 (SA time). This is the final game of the overseas tour before returning to Cape Town and facing the Crusaders at Newlands on Friday 30 April.