Yearly Archives: 2011
All Blacks’ inspirational captain Richie McCaw has confirmed that he has re-signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise, committing through until 2015.
Some players announce themselves on the rugby scene the moment they take the field in front of our television cameras, some take longer, but it is no less worth the wait!
The MTN Lions will be playing the Highlanders this Saturday, 28 May 2011 in Dunedin. Kick off is at 19:35 (New
Zealand time). The team was announced this morning and is:
The Bulls have a scrumhalf crisis ahead of Saturday’s Super Rugby match against the Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld.
Having had their their first-choice No 9 Fourie du Preez ruled out for four weeks with a knee injury at the beginning of the week, the Bulls suffered a further blow when Francois Hougaard hurt his ankle in training on Tuesday.
I wrote a piece a few months ago entitled : “Most enjoyable Test against England”. It was an Article about two Test matches South Africa played against England in 1984.
Danie Gerber scored 4 tries in the two Tests; overall South Africa crossed the English goal line 9 times.
Whilst South Africans might admire the fact that New Zealand Rugby has successfully retained Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and soon to be confirmed, Sonny Bill Williams – post Rugby World Cup 2011, there are some who believe the All Blacks have ‘sold their soul’.
SANZAR have released the match officials for the fifteenth Round of the 2011 Super Rugby tournament and Steve Walsh has the big one on Sunday between the Reds and Crusaders.
This weekend has six matches, one on Friday and four on Saturday and one on Sunday.
The Blues, Chiefs and the Rebels have the bye this weekend.
The Stormers have lost Springbok prop CJ van der Linde but should have Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie and Peter Grant back for their match against the Brumbies this weekend.
Young prop Frans Malherbe has been called up to replace Van der Linde.
The Sharks Super Rugby loss to the Bulls in Round 14 came at a cost as at least two players will miss this weekend’s Waratahs clash.
Cheetahs wing Ryno Benjamin has been suspended for two weeks after a SANZAR Judicial Hearing found him guilty of headbutting an opponent during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.
It appears that the injury to Bulls scrumhalf Fourie du Preez is worse than initially thought, with scans revealing a grade 2 tear in the medial ligaments of the knee. This injury will not only keep him out of the weekend’s Super Rugby clash with the Cheetahs, but also for at least the rest of the league stages of the Super Rugby Competition.
Kurt Coleman has flown to Australia and Peter Grant is expected to be fit to play in the next game, but the Stormers have confirmed that they are looking at options from outside of the squad as they look to have flyhalf well covered as the business end of the Vodacom Super Rugby arrives. Continue reading
When looking at the SA conference and ignoring the matches against overseas teams, our conference make for interesting reading.
I thought it would be interesting to have a look at our conference as a unit on its own, comparing our local derbies only. Continue reading
A bit better for me this weekend in terms of the SuperBru picks. Got 4/6 right, with the Sharks and the Stormers (second week in a row!) letting my picks down, although I am extremely happy for getting the Stormers pick wrong! If this is going to be the trend, picking the Stormers game wrong time and again, I will pick them to lose every game from now on!
The prospects of three teams from either New Zealand or South Africa making Super Rugby’s six-team playoffs is firming, as is the embarrassment of Australia having just one.
Fiji (14) 14 / (10) 24 South Africa (Final Score)
South Africa’s Blitzbokke beat Fiji in the 2011 Emirates Airline London Sevens Cup final, a repeat of the USA Sevens final, after Fiji had beaten New Zealand 42-17 and Wales 21-19 respectively in the semi finals.
“I’m fighting this illness with my faith. And my faith is strong.”
Those were the words of former Springbok hero, Joost van der Westhuizen.
He talked exclusively for the first time about the “death sentence”, which doctors informed him about four weeks ago.
Continue reading
Sharks (6) 23 / Bulls (23) 32 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Vodacom Bulls at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 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 Bulls controlled the first half and to a large extent bullied the Sharks, only for the Sharks to show a huge amount of guts in the second half to try and claw the deficit back.
In the end, the Bulls won by 9 points, denying the Sharks any Log points, whilst earning 4 Log points.
Cheetahs (21) 41 / Rebels (7) 21 (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs hosted the Melbourne Rebels at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 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.
The Cheetahs were too strong for a game Melbourne Rebels side, but the game was eventually marred by an overzealous Refree, dishing out one Red Card and a few yellows, like they were Smarties.
Force (10) 13 / Brumbies (10) 13 (Final Score)
The Western Force hosted the Brumbies at NIB Stadium, Perth at 14:05 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.
They say a draw is like kissing your sister, well this game was bad enough that it was rather like kissing your UGLY sister.
Waratahs (29) 29 / Lions (5) 12 (Final Score)
The Waratahs hosted the MTN Lions at Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney at 11:40 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.
By halftime the Waratahs had done enough for a bonus point win, the only score in the second half coming via a lone converted Lions try.
Crusaders (6) 25 / Chiefs (6) 19 (Final Score)
The Crusaders hosted the Chiefs at McLean Park, Napier 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.
In a dour game, with lots of errors, the Crusaders marched on in their quest for the title.
As we are moving towards the business end of the Super Rugby Conference rounds, the supporters will start to work out what the possible permutations are for teams to reach the play-off rounds, where 15 teams will be reduced to only 6.
Blues (19) 26 / Stormers (3) 28 (Final Score)
The Blues hosted the DHL Stormers at Eden Park, Auckland 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.
The Stormers grabbed the game out of the fire, with a last minute penalty… and the conversion won them the game.
Herewith ALL the Super Rugby team sheets as they are announced for week 14 of Super Rugby 2011.
Sharks name a strong team as they go into battle with the ever improving Vodacom Bulls in Durban.
The Brumbies have named their team to face the Western Force this Saturday with Rocky Elsom making his first start of the season.
Reds flyhalf, Quade Cooper, has signed a further one-year deal with the Australian Rugby Union which keeps the influential playmaker in Queensland for at least 2012.
Jaque Fourie was always going to be doubtful for this game as coach Allister 
Coetzee was concerned about his condition immediately after the loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton last weekend. Fourie has predictably been ruled out of the match, but he has been joined on the sidelines by his regular midfield partner Jean de Villiers.
Brumbies punished with icy night drill
Tony Rea’s post-match verbal attack was nothing compared to what he put his players through last night.
Waratahs out to rediscover their ‘beautiful’ game
Coach Chris Hickey believes his team can rekindle their expansive style of play as the finals approach.
Ioane becomes new focus
Wallabies fear they will lose spectacular utility back Digby Ioane
Jake White says four-year term is key
Jake negotiated another 4 year deal
Daniel Carter to announce playing future
Dan Carter is expected to announce his playing future at a press conference in Christchurch today. LATEST: He’s staying
‘We are at war’ in NZ conference: Joseph
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph says the difference between the New Zealand and Australian Super Rugby conferences is like “war and school stuff”.
Blues work on Stormers maul busting
It’s not like the Blues don’t know it’s coming. It’s just how effective they are in dealing with the Stormers potent rolling maul that’s the tricky part.
I was browsing for rugby news, and nearly swallowed my coffee cup… as I read on Sport24… then I just laughed.
Luke Watson was presented to the media in Cape Town by Highbury Safika Media (HSM – publishers of SA Rugby magazine and www.keo.co.za amongst others).
Damn, double damn!
Bulls fly half Morne Steyn has been linked to a move to English Premiership Club Bath for next season as a replacement for Butch James.
With the Superugby season getting into the business end of the season, every weekend you will have major deciding clashes. Everyone might differ which one is the most important and this article is written from a South African perspective.
This weekend’s action starts with one of the biggies, the Blues and the Stormers, on Friday, and ends with the Sharks versus the Bulls in Durban on Saturday evening.
The MTN Lions have announced their team to front up to the Waratahs on Saturday. A surprise choice is Butch James at flyhalf in place of Elton Jantjies, who had a brilliant game against the Brumbies.