Yearly Archives: 2011
England’s Joe Worsley and New Zealander Thomas Waldrom will miss the World Cup after being named as two of the five players dropped from Martin Johnson’s training squad for the tournament in New Zealand.
Barely one third of New Zealanders are enthusiastic about the Rugby World Cup, a mere five weeks out from the sport’s global showpiece, said a survey released on Tuesday.
The Wallaby squad is without veteran lock and Force Captain Nathan Sharpe.
Ireland’s star centre Brian O’Driscoll will miss at least the first two matches of Ireland’s Rugby World Cup warm up matches with a neck/shoulder injury which is restricting his ability to train.
A group of 23 players involved in the Springboks’ preliminary World Cup squad have been released back to their clubs and provinces to be available for Currie Cup selection this weekend.
The list includes 15 of the 29 players who were part of the squad for the away leg of the Tri-Nations Series.
Wallabies half back Luke Burgess has been given the all clear to return to rugby to face the All Blacks this weekend in the Tri-Nations.
Peter de Villiers was in a buoyant mood despite back-to-back defeats for the Springboks over the past two weeks on the away leg of the Tri-Nations in Australasia.
Thirty seven tries were scored during a high action weekend of Currie Cup Premier Division action as Western Province, The Sharks, the Golden Lions and Griquas all recorded bonus point victories.
Adding the 33 tries scored in the three Currie Cup First Division matches on Friday, a total of 70 tries were scored across the country this weekend, amounting to an average of a staggering 10 tries per match.
The Rugby Football Union have unveiled the England Rugby team playing kits for the 2011-12 season which includes the Rugby World Cup.
England will play in an all white home kit and will be worn for the first time against Wales on Saturday then again on August 13 and Ireland on August 27.
WP (21) 35 / Blue Bulls (7) 7 (Final Score)
DHL Western Province hosted the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
DHL Western Province was full value for their fans, scoring the vital bonus point try and keeping their defence nearly impecable, making it almost impossible for the Blue Bulls to score.
Well done DHL Western Province, back to the drawing board, Vodacom Blue Bulls!
Sharks (31) 43 / Cheetahs (17) 34 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Free State Cheetahs at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban at 15:00 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Sharks raced to their 4 try bonus point, took just outside 20 minutes to achieve it, then scored some more and it looked like quite a rout…
… But the Cheetahs were not done yet and clawed their way back with some great tries of their own, eventually losing by only 9 points.
All Blacks (18) 40 / Springboks (7) 7 (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks hosted the South African Springboks at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
6 Tries to 1… what else can one say…
The world expects the Springboks to lose. More than they expect the All Blacks to win they expect the Springboks to lose.
Many hope that they will lose just to chastise them for this ‘weakened team’ on tour.
Pumas (7) 33 / Griquas (34) 37 (Final Score)
The Ford Pumas hosted the GWK Griquas at Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
The GWK Griquas started like a house on fire and by halftime had built up a 27-point lead, then the Ford Pumas came hard and fast at them, eventually ending only 7 points away from a draw.
Good entertaining and hard running rugby played by both sides.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has made one positional change to his starting line-up for their Tri-Nations clash against the All Blacks in Wellington.
The 21-year old Patrick Lambie will now slot into the flyhalf position, with Morné Steyn moving to fullback.
De Villiers earlier named Steyn at flyhalf and Lambie at fullback.
The latest Springbok soap opera has sparked a whole lot of conflict between the pundits of New Zealand and Australia against the South Africans.
At the centre of the storm is Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers.
The Springboks have made four changes to their starting team to face the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations in Wellington on Saturday.
Uncapped lock Gerhard Mostert(photo left) replaces Flip van der Merwe (rib), Sharks flanker Jean Deysel comes in for a benched Ashley Johnson, centre Adi Jacobs is promoted from the bench for Wynand Olivier who drops to the reserves, and fullback Patrick Lambie replaces the injured Gio Aplon (back/shoulder).
ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
29 July 2011
Ford Pumas v GWK Griquas , Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit 19:00 LIVE
30 July 2011
The Sharks v Toyota Free State Cheetahs , Mr Price Kings Park, Durban 15:00 LIVE
MTN Golden Lions v Platinum Leopards , Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg 17:00
DHL Western Province v Vodacom Blue Bulls , DHL Newlands, Cape Town 17:05 LIVE
ABSA Currie Cup First Division
29 July 2011
Regent Boland Cavaliers v Valke , Boland Stadium, Wellington 15:00 LIVE
Eastern Province Kings v Tasol Solar Griffons , Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, PE 19:00
SWD Eagles v Border Bulldogs , Outeniqua Park, George 19:00
Joost van der Westhuizen does indeed suffer from a deadly motor neuron disease (MNS) and has an 80% chance to live for two to five years.
This was confirmed earlier this week by Dr Jody Pearl, a neurologist at the Sunninghill hospital in Sandton.
“Joost was examined by Dr (Erik) Pioro, a leading expert on motor neuron disease at the neuromuscular unit of the Cleveland hospital,” said Pearl.
Joost van der Westhuizen ly aan ’n dodelike motor- neuronsiekte (MNS) en het ’n 80%-kans om twee tot vyf jaar te lewe.
Afrikaanse berig heel onder
No wonder Steve Hansen produced a feisty response when asked who would start at No8 on Saturday night.
A seemingly innocuous question yesterday about whether Liam Messam would get another run in the position was enough to earn a gruff rebuke from the All Blacks forwards coach who was in no mood to ruminate about who would start against the Springboks in Saturday night’s Tri-Nations match.
Would it be Richie McCaw, who has trained in the position this week, or would Messam get another shot at No 8?
As it happens, neither.
The Crusaders’ all-conquering scrum could result in some happy pills being lobbed into Steve Hansen’s rugby diet this year.
After last season’s Grand Slam tour a fuming Hansen threatened to implement “golden oldies” scrums into the All Blacks game plans during World Cup year after his men were repeatedly penalised by northern hemisphere referees. Eight months later, however, the All Blacks’ forward coach’s anger needle is out of the red zone and the Crusaders’ powerful set-piece during the Super competition may have been instrumental in his mellow mood.
The MTN Golden Lions have made only one change to the run on team to take on the Leopards at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday from the team that beat Griquas so comprehensively last week.
Captain Doppies la Grange is rested to ensure he recovers fully from his hamstring strain.
He is replaced by Alwyn Hollenbach, with Joshua Strauss taking over the Captains reigns as expected.
Michael Rhodes returns from suspension to start on the reserves bench.
Herewith all of the MTN Golden Lions teams to take on the Leopards:
The Vodacom Blue Bulls will play with the same run-on side against Western Province on Saturday as the one that that smashed the Free State Cheetahs in the second half on the weekend.
Van Rooyen to start for u.21’s against Western Province.
Van der Merwe to take on Western Province in u.19 game.
Fiery hooker, PW Van Vuuren and Ryno Benjamin return to the Free State Cheetahs team that takes on the Sharks in Durban this weekend.
The Tri Nations should never have happened in a World Cup year. Tests were compromised by money hungry SANZAR. Rugby World Cup has destroyed Rugby’s old traditions!
Here are some really insightful video clips of the first Tri-Nations Test. Continue reading
It has been impressive to watch the All Blacks coaches in action this week as they set to work on the detail of an area that is increasingly deciding the outcomes of test-match rugby.
Two weeks ago Samoa used the counter-ruck to destroy Australia’s search for quick attacking ball, something South Africa failed to achieve with disastrous results in Sydney last weekend.
While every club side in New Zealand spends hours on the breakdown, they do not do it with the impressive accuracy and thought of the country’s top side.
Controversial Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has found an unlikely ally in All Blacks assistant Steve Hansen.
South Africa were well beaten by Australia in the Tri-Nations opener after de Villiers decided to leave most of his top players at home and a woefully understrength Springboks side will also run out against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday.
News from the Bok camp in New Zealand is that fullback Gio Aplon is injured and will not play on the weekend.
Dwyer’s thoughts in blue with some commentary from my side in black.
The Boks were well under strength with about eleven first choice players missing and, as was clear with the second-string Wallabies against the Samoans, this is rarely good enough.
So clearly it is not just the Springboks who struggle with their second stringers. What worries me though is that we probably have more rugby players in the Western Cape than the entire Australia. One would think we have enough depth to be competitive with a second string team.
The Tri-Nations tournament will feature two Test matches every weekend from next season onwards.
This is due to Argentina joining the competition in 2012 – with the tournament then effectively becoming the Four-Nations.
The All Blacks will rest at least four key players for Saturday’s Tri-Nations rugby test against South Africa’s Springboks in a move that is likely upset a number of New Zealand Rugby fans.
JEROME KAINO: “Some people don’t rate the players they’ve picked to play over here, but in my mind I still see them as threats and I see that team as a good team
Jerome Kaino was doing his best to talk up the Baby Boks yesterday as a genuine threat to the All Blacks in Wellington this Saturday, but it’s a tough sell on the evidence of their 39-20 loss on Saturday night.
Talk about adding injury to insult. The Springboks are in disarray on Sunday as they turn their attention to the All Blacks with their stock of second row forwards wiped out in the 39-20 defeat to the Wallabies.
Saturday’s starting pair, Alistair Hargreaves (abdominal muscle tear) and Flip van der Merwe (ribs) are likely to join Johann Muller (hamstring) on a flight home while only former Sharks lock Gerhard Mostert has been confirmed as a replacement.
The most annoying aspect about this match was that Australia scored almost all their tries off mistakes made by South Africa. I’ll have to watch the match again but I can’t recall Australia actually scoring a try off set piece (lineout, scrum or even consecutive rucks).
Apart from our lineout which was only reasonable because we mauled the ball up twice –by the way that was the only time I saw Stegmann with ball in hand (truck and trailer behind the maul), was he even on the field- and our scrum which was at best average. We were just about ordinary in everything else we did.
Our four main problems: Firstly losing the ball within 3 recycles almost every time we tried to run with the ball, secondly not taking the ball up at speed and therefore unable to breach the defensive line, thirdly poor defence especially around the fringes and in the backline, lastly being too predictable and one dimensional on attack. Continue reading