Monthly Archives: June 2010
The opposition may only be Fiji, but the Canberra Stadium on Saturday will provide a glimpse of the future of Australian rugby.
Following the impressive, and much-improved, form of the exciting Reds, the at times dour determination of the Waratahs, the glimpses of brilliance from the Brumbies and the individual flashes from the Western Force, there is no doubt the Wallabies have enough talent to make a real fist of it at next year’s World Cup.
Ireland will use the clash with the Barbarians as a warm up before their tough tour to New Zealand, with Irish coach Declan Kidney experimenting with some new combinations.
After a disappointing Six Nations campaign, Ireland will want to come away with some good results during the mid-year Test schedule, with a Barbarians match a good way to test the depth of the squad.
Three players with Super 14 experience and two who feature in the Springbok 7’s team were included in the South African U20 squad that will play Tonga in their opening Pool B clash of the IRB Junior World Championship in Parana on Saturday. In addition there are 4 players with Vodacom Cup experience.
Wales take on the Springboks at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Saturday at 15:30 SA Time.
This weekend sees the start of the Southern Hemisphere Test season and with the Super 14 having taken place just last weekend the Bokke are not at full strenght due to the fact that it is wise to rest a few weary players.
We look at the match and the Welsch squad who also does not appear to be at full strengh.
His business interests and pride in the Cheetahs jersey made it easy for Juan Smith to renew his contract with the Free State Rugby Union.
Article By Hendrik Cronjé and Jóhann Thormählen
Juan De Jongh has been named at inside centre in the Bok team to face Wales in a one-off Test in Cardiff on Saturday. He replaces Butch James, who has been withdrawn because of protracted club-versus-country dispute that raged this week.
The 21-year-old was named in the No.12 jersey when Springbok coach Peter de Villiers confirmed the team at a media conference in Cardiff on Thursday.
Rugby365 also reports as follows
Being the innovaters that they are, Bulls fans have found and mastered the true and correct way to use the instrument of noise…. during the last 2 weeks in Orlando!!
Never say they don’t learn fast!
Here’s how….
Fourie du Preez is lost to Springbok rugby for now.
The Bulls scrumhalf will undergo a shoulder operation on Tuesday, which could render him out of action for the rest of the season.
Cape Town – Joe Pietersen will not be part of Western Province’s Currie Cup campaign.
Stephen Nell , News24
It may be World Cup football time, but don’t try telling that to rugby lovers.
Between Friday, June 4 and June 26, there will be 15 full-blooded internationals broadcast on SuperSport, in addition to the IRB junior world championships, two New Zealand Maori fixtures, the Coca Cola Craven Week, the Safaricom Sevens and a series of FNB Classic Clashes.
Victor Matfield and Zane Kirchner will join the Springbok rugby squad in Cardiff on Thursday as replacements for Andries Bekker and Butch James.
Here is the historic and epic Super 14 Final, in Orlando on 29 May 2010 in Pictures…
Just CLICK on the 1st picture in every series and scroll through by using your Arrow-Keys!
It seems as if Andries Bekker is following in the footsteps of Joost Van Der Westhuizen. And may have been withdrawn from the Bok squad for reasons other than the “injury”. Continue reading
There has been a lot of debate on South Africa’s policy around the selection of foreign based players of late, but Peter de Villiers may just have it spot on. Continue reading
Only time will tell whether the Golden Lions have pulled off a major coup or made another giant mistake, but the appointment of John Mitchell to coach the side in the Currie Cup is nothing short of bizarre.
By Jacques van der Westhuyzen
Bath flyhalf Butch James. An apparent oversight by South African Rugby Union officials may well cost Butch James his chance of pressing for a place in next year’s Springbok World Cup squad. James has been named at inside centre in the South African team to play Wales in a one-off Test in Cardiff on Saturday. However, SARU and James’s club, Bath, are now in a stand-off over the World Cup-winning Bok’s availability – the sticking point being whether this match falls inside or outside the International Rugby Board’s window for June Test matches.
The Article thanks to Louis De Villiers and Rugby365
Johannesburg – In the immediate aftermath of Samoa’s dramatic first IRB Sevens World Series victory, the International Rugby Board has moved quickly to announce the dates for the eight events in the 2010/11 World Series, starting once again with the two events in Dubai and George, South Africa, in December 2010.
Rugby365 reports as follows:
James Hook will start for Wales against South Africa at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday after making a last minute plea to the coaches to let him play.
Hook will undergo surgery on a shoulder problem after Wales face the world champion Springboks and will not travel for the two-Test tour of New Zealand with the rest of the squad later in June.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was happy with his team’s first training session in Cardiff today ahead of the clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
One of the most anoying things in NZ is the tendency to doggedly bring people in high positions down if they made a mistake. They (the media) will just keep at it until the person (whether a coach, politician, ex-all black or any other type of executive) get’s sacked. Continue reading
Sydney – Quade Cooper has displaced Matt Giteau at flyhalf in the starting line-up for Australia’s opening Test of the season against Fiji. Continue reading
While SANZAR ponders whether any steps should be taken against Stormers captain Schalk Burger and coach Allister Coetzee, statistics have been released that reveal just how silly they were for criticising match referee Craig Joubert.
From SA Referees website