Yearly Archives: 2011
Herewith ALL the Super Rugby team sheets as they were announced for week 11 of Super Rugby 2011.
John Plumtree sprang a few surprises when naming his side for the clash with the DHL Stormers this coming weekend.
It never seizes to amaze me how South African rugby teams and coaches remain oblivious to such obvious solutions to their problems.
Alister Coetzee has named his strongest possible side to take on the Sharks in Cape Town on Saturday.
South Africa’s World Cup-winning coach Jake White has been appointed as the coach of Australia’s ACT Brumbies Super Rugby team.
Interesting article in the New Zealand Herald this morning states that New Zealand Maori rugby side is in line to play a historic series in South Africa later this year.
According to the article Rugby News reports that the Maori will play two matches against a “shadow” Springbok side after the World Cup. The article then further states:
The hot topic this week seems to be the Bulls or more specifically the Bulls’ dramatic slump in form after their shock loss against the Western Force. Somehow this loss goes down a lot more dramatically than in 2008 (I think it was when they also lost in Perth against the Western Force). Continue reading
I live for rugby, I never miss a game, I never pass over an article that has something to do with rugby…but I think I have had enough, not of rugby…but this is the last article I will EVER publish, and I will obviously refrain from commenting in future. I expect this article to be removed shortly after being published, so I hope one or two people can have a glimpse of it.
It is interesting to note the difference in reaction to two South African Super Rugby franchises which seem to be having the exact same problem.
If you read all the Rugby pages and Newspapers you can clearly see the urge to pick a Springbok World Cup squad. It is more than 142 days before the Tournament begins, 144 days before the Springboks play Wales in our first match and 170+ days before the Quarter Finals. But let it out, I know you want to! I constantly read about the teams everyone would pick, all the time.
The Bulls won’t even make it through to the knockout stages in defence of their Super rugby title, says former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick. And Fitzpatrick launched a scathing critique of the Pretoria-based team’s failings in this year’s Super 15, as they crashed to defeat against the Western Force in Perth.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, is starting to push the panic buttons.
Lions (13) 30 / Chiefs (19) 34 (Final Score)
The MTN Lions hosted the Chiefs at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg 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 Chiefs scored 5 tries to the MTN Lions 3 tries, but the Lions boot was on song, making for a thrilling end with the MTN Lions desperately attacking to try and win with a 4-point deficit to extinguish, it was once again too little, too late.
Sharks (13) 40 / Hurricanes (13) 24 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Hurricanes at Kings Park, Durban 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 Sharks fired and misfired at times but managed to win and get their bonus point for tries to boot.
Force (12) 26 / Bulls (15) 21 (Final Score)
The Western Force hosted the Bulls 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.
The Force won against a lacklustre and at most mid-table Bulls side.
Not good enough Bulls… simply aweful!
Reds (16) 19 / Waratahs (9) 15 (Final Score)
The Reds hosted the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane 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.
The Reds, with superb defence held out the Waratahs under sustained attack for almost 20 minutes near their goal line.
Crusaders (13) 18 / Highlanders (15) 26 (Final Score)
The Crusaders hosted the Highlanders at Trafalgar Park, Nelson 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.
A gritty Highlanders side showed how to beat the Crusaders at home with formidable defence and forwards who spoil every possible fast ground ball of the opposition, both teams scoring 2 tries.
Blues (23) 40 / Rebels (17) 23 (Final Score)
The Blues hosted the Melbourne Rebels at North Harbour Stadium, Albany at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was bradcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV on SA.
The Blues started like a house on fire, then allowed the Melbourne Rebels to claw their way back with 2 tries and good goal kicking, with some poor Blues licking to posts by Stephen Brett. At the end of the 2nd Half the Blues pulled away again, with 2 well-worked tries.
The Blues scored 6 tries to 2 by the Melbourne Rebels.
The words of Irish international Fergus Slattery echoed perhaps best the general feeling about South African rugby at the end of the 1976 tour. Commenting to Phillip Jones of the Sunday Times before he left South Africa Slattery said: “The first thing I would tell a young player is not to play like the Springboks. They are five years behind the times.”
Herewith ALL the Super Rugby team sheets as they are announced for week 9 of Super Rugby 2011.
The Sharks have named Partick Lambie in their team to face the Hurricanes this weekend however Bismarck du Plessis will miss the match.
The Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby Unions have paid tribute to Brad Thorn after he announced that he will join Japanese club Fukuoka Sanix Blues following the Rugby World Cup.
The Crusaders have named their team to face the Highlanders this weekend with Richie McCaw and Dan Carter both missing the match due to injury.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie has made two changes to his starting team for Saturday’s clash against the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium with prop Guy Shepherdson earning his run-on debut for Queensland.
The Cheetahs can look forward to welcoming back no less than four players from injury for their clash against the Brumbies next week.
SANZAR have released the match officials for the tenth Round in the 2011 Super Rugby tournament and Jonathon White starts the action on Friday.
The Sharks have been boosted by the return of flyhalf Patrick Lambie at training ahead of this weekend’s Super Rugby clash against the Hurricanes.
The Waratahs welcome back 243 caps of Super Rugby experience for Saturday’s round ten clash with the Queensland Reds at Lang Park.
Captain Phil Waugh, No.8 Wycliff Palu and centre Tom Carter have all been recalled to the starting XV as the Waratahs look to continue their winning form against Australian teams this season.
French Top 14 Rugby club Toulouse have revealed that they have signed All Black centre Luke McAlister, Wallaby scrumhalf Luke Burgess and Springbok prop Gurthro Steenkamp for next season.
Bulls back-liner Jaco Pretorius will miss his team’s Super Rugby clash with the Force due to a neck injury.
Western Province senior professional coach Rassie Erasmus will be part of the Springboks management team at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year.
The South African Rugby Union on Wednesday named 51 players who have been called to a national team planning session at the start of next month. The players will attend two days of meetings and logistical discussions in the first of three national camps in preparation for the international season.
Former Lions and Springbok prop Brian Mujati is having an exceptional season in Europe with his English club Northampton Saints.
So much so that Peter Bills of the Independent newspaper feels he may be the type of Tighthead Prop that Bok coach de Villiers should be looking to take to New Zealand for Rugby World Cup 2011, but realises that in South Africa, talent alone decides very little at the end of the day.
Herewith the full article. Continue reading
All Blacks coach Graham Henry has taken a swipe at the number of New Zealand rugby players giving up on the dream to become an All Black and choosing money instead.
Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez is one of three players returning to the starting line-up of the Vodacom Bulls for their match against the Western Force in Perth on Saturday.