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Like every fine season of Super Rugby, all is not revealed until the final weekend of the regular season, and the 2014 campaign, and 19th tournament overall of the Southern Hemisphere’s premier provincial competition, will be no different.
However congratulations must be offered to the Waratahs, who offered one piece of clarity over the weekend with their 44-16 win over the Highlanders.
With that, the Waratahs has for the first time qualified as the top-ranked team after the regular season, and become the ninth franchise in history to finish as ‘minor premiers’.
For coach Michael Cheika and his troops, this will be a significant fact even though he was quick to remind all who would listen that the Super Rugby Finals Series would be another step up for a team that looks the goods.
However, as Cheika correctly pointed out, there will be teams with more experience at this stage of the season and this is a crucial factor for potential champions.
Franco van der Merwe
Elton Jantjies
The Lions have announced their side to take on the Toyota Cheetahs in their final Round 19 Super Rugby match.
Elton Jantjies is selected at flyhalf and Franco van der Merwe gets given a fitting farewell as he runs out for the last time for the Lions before heading overseas.
Frans Ludeke
As the well-worn idiom goes: ‘The tallest trees catch the most wind.’ In the case of Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, that has come in the form of harsh criticism.
While there was some critique over his ‘management’ of veteran Victor Matfield and numerous barbs over his backline choices, it was the selection of his loose forwards that attracted the most fiendish and frightful comments.
The Bulls were particularly vulnerable at the breakdowns, where the absence of a specialist openside flank – in the wake of injuries to Deon Stegmann and Dewald Potgieter – cost them dearly.
Ludeke persisted with Jono Ross, who by his own admission is more suitable on the blindside or at No 8.
Willie Britz
The Toyota Cheetahs continued to replenish their player cabinet as it has emerged that they are close to completing the signing of Lions ‘wildman’, Willie Britz for the coming season.
This comes after the Bloemfontein side confirmed the signings of three other Lions players – prop Bees Roux, flyhalf Willie du Plessis and utility back Coenie van Wyk for the coming season.
The Cheetahs have also signed Montpellier midfielder JP du Plessis and have an agreement for SA Under 20 winger Sergeal Peterson to represent them at Super Rugby level this year.
Alistair Hargreaves
Alistair Hargreaves has been appointed as the new Saracens captain. The Springbok lock forward, 28, succeeds Steve Borthwick, who retired at the end of last season.
The former Sharks man has been with the Saracens since 2012, born and schooled in Durban he played for the Sharks from under-19 level.
He has been capped four times for the Springboks, the last of those coming in the 2011 Tri-Nations tournament.
Sam Whitelock
Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder has made just one change to his team to face the Highlanders this Saturday night in a battle for the New Zealand Conference.
Sam Whitelock, who was a late withdrawal from last week’s team, has returned to the starting line-up, which means Jimmy Tupou is on the bench. The remainder of the line-up is the same as the one that defeated the Blues last weekend.
Eighteen weeks of competition culminates in this southern derby. It is the final round of pool play and will determine log placings and qualifiers for the Super Rugby Finals Series.
Matt Toomua
The Brumbies have called in the cavalry with six highly experienced players returning for Friday’s do or die match with the Force.
Pat McCabe, Matt Toomua, Tom McVerry, Josh Mann-Rea, Sam Carter and Joe Tomane have all been included in the match-day 23 providing the Brumbies with world class talent to chase a spot in the competition’s top six.
Nic White will line up for his 50th cap with the side while Ben Mowen equals George Gregan’s record 49 caps as captain.
Liam Gill
Reds flanker Liam Gill stands to earn his 50th cap from the bench this weekend, after being released from Australian Sevens camp to take on the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium.
If he takes the field, Gill will become the fifth player to reach his 50th Queensland cap this season, along with the 100-cap milestones achieved by captain James Horwill, vice-captain Will Genia and playmaker Quade Cooper.
Gill has been training with the Australian Sevens squad in preparation for the Commonwealth Games, but has been named in the Reds’ reserves after dialogue between head coach Richard Graham and Sevens coach Geraint John.
Graham welcomed Gill’s return to the Reds for their final match of the season, which promises to be an engaging clash between the two oldest rivals in Australian Rugby.
Bundee Aki
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has made only one change to his starting line-up for Friday’s Super Rugby crunch encounter with the Blues in Auckland.
The change is injury enforced – with Bundee Aki starting at inside centre in place of Charlie Ngatai, who left the field late in the 24-16 win over the Hurricanes last week.
He has failed to recover from the shoulder injury that forced him off the field.
There are two changes to the replacement bench.
JP du Plessis
The Toyota Cheetahs have made another signing, luring former Melbourne Rebels and Stormers midfielder JP du Plessis back to South Africa from Montpellier.
Du Plessis, one of the most promising midfielders to emerge from Paul Roos, had a stint in rugby league with the Sydney Roosters after school before returning to Rugby Union with the Melbourne Rebels.
He made his Vodacom Super Rugby debut against the Hurricanes in the same year but returned to South Africa in 2012 and signed with the DHL Stormers.
Luther Obi
The Vodacom Bulls have already lost their chance to bring Jacques Potgieter back, and now it seems they’re likely to lose another tussle with the Lions for the services of promising winger Luther Obi.
Obi has been seen as the long-term replacement at the Pretoria union for veteran winger Akona Ndungane, whose contract runs out at the end of the season.
But the Bulls were negotiating with Obi anyway, until they were told to stop by the Leopards Rugby Union as he still has a year to run on his contract.
The Leopards have made it clear that they will entertain a move for Obi for Vodacom Super Rugby if the Bulls want him, but that this will be subject to a transfer fee negotiation.
Tony Woodcock
Luke Braid
The Blues will be without veteran All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock and captain Luke Braid for their crunch Super Rugby match against the Chiefs at Eden Park on Friday.
Woodcock suffered a shoulder injury during last week’s loss to the Crusaders and with a six day turnaround coach John Kirwan felt he would not be fully fit and it was not worth risking him.
“Woody’s had a great season for us so it’s a big loss. He’s been quite outstanding really and one of our best players since he’s been back,” Kirwan said.
Kurtley Beale
Waratahs and Wallabies back Kurtley Beale says that a decision on where he will play next year is “just around the corner”.
Beale has offers from Europe, Japan and the NRL and comes out of contract with the Australian Rugby Union and New South Wales Rugby at the end of the season.
The Waratahs back is a core member of the team that will finish the Super Rugby in first place on the standings but was a replacement on the bench for the Wallabies in their three-Test series against France.
The ARU has a banding system which could make it difficult for a player on the Wallabies bench to negotiate a big top-up to his Super Rugby contract.
Eddie Jones
Japan coach Eddie Jones says it’s a joke that Singapore could be given a team in an expanded Super Rugby competition.
From 2018, the competition will feature 18 teams, with South Africa’s Southern Kings, an Argentine team, and a yet-to-be confirmed side added to the mix.
Recent reports indicated that Singapore has leapt to the front of the queue as the favourite to get the 18th franchise.
Jones, via a column on the Courier Mail website, said Japan should get the 18th franchise.
The FIFA Football World Cup 2014 is nearing the end in Brazil.
The Quarter-Finals are a thing of the past, only 4 Teams remain!
In the Semi-Finals we have 2 South American Teams against 2 European Teams, who will come out on top? If a Team wins here, they progress to the Final and the loser books a place on the 3rd Place Play-Off!
It is the 3rd Place Play-Off on 12 July and the all importeant Final on 13 July 2014.
In the 1st Semi-Final on 8 July it is Brazil vs Germany and the 2nd Semi-Final on 9 July is between Netherlands vs Argentina.
All of the games are live on TV in SA on SS3 HD, SS3 & Maximo.
SANZAR has released the names of the Match Officials for the last Open Round of Super Rugby 2014, Round 19.
Glen Jackson starts the weekend off when the Blues host the Chiefs at Eden Park, Auckland.
This weekend sees 7 games, 3 on Friday and 4 on Saturday.
The Hurricanes have a BYE weekend.
Heinrich Brüssow
Any hopes of a dramatic return for Heinrich Brüssow have been squashed, meaning the Cheetahs will retain their winning formula for the last match of the season.
The men from Bloemfontein head to Johannesburg on Saturday to take on the resurgent Lions – a team looking to end their season with a three-match winning streak.
However, the Cheetahs will be without star the Springbok flank, Brüssow, who also missed last weekend’s 27-20 win over the Sharks due a groin injury.
“Heins will undergo groin surgery and will not play,” Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské said, ahead of his team’s trip to Ellis Park.
Roelof Smit
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke handed flanker Roelof Smit a first time starting berth in announcing his team to play the Melbourne Rebels at Loftus Versfeld on Friday. Smit debuted for the Vodacom Bulls from the bench against the DHL Stormers last weekend and now start in the number six jersey in one of seven changes to the starting line-up.
Jurgen Visser is back at fullback, having recovered from an abductor strain that kept him out of the Newlands clash and replace Ulrich Beyers. Francois Hougaard will play on the wing, replacing the injured Akona Ndungane, with Piet van Zyl starting at scrumhalf. With Grant Hattingh injured, Jacques Engelbrecht will move back to No 8, Jono Ross moves to 7 and Smit slots in at 6.
Tendai ‘Beast’Mtawarira
Patrick Lambie
Paul Jordaan
Cell C Sharks director of rugby Jake White will know later on Tuesday whether he will have the services of the injured trio of Tendai Mtawarira, Patrick Lambie and Paul Jordaan for Saturday’s all important final Vodacom Super Rugby league match against the DHL Stormers at Newlands.
All three players are heading back from injury and are said to now be recovered and rehabilitated, White just has to find out whether they are ready yet to take the field in a big match like the clash with the Stormers is shaping up to be. The status of flyhalf Lambie in particular will be eagerly awaited by not only White but also fans of the Durban franchise, for pivot has been problematic for the Sharks since the Springbok was injured playing against the Bulls in Pretoria in March.
As it is, Lambie has made an excellent recovery, as the initial prognosis was that his torn bicep would keep him out of the rest of the Super Rugby season. However, regardless of whether he is ready for the Newlands clash, it appears he may be ready to play a part in the knock-out games that follow.
Jacques Potgieter
The Waratahs used the power of the Australian dollar to kill off any hopes that the Vodacom Bulls may have had of luring utility forward Jacques Potgieter back to South Africa.
Potgieter is currently having a superb season with the Vodacom Super Rugby log leaders and has been one of the reasons Michael Cheika’s side has been doing so well, using his skills to good effect to provide more than just a traditional forward role with the Sydney-based franchise.
The Bulls had opened negotiations with Potgieter to return for next year’s Super Rugby tournament after he left them a year ago, but these were snubbed out by the Waratahs, who made a significant counter offer to keep him in Sydney.
It is understood that Potgieter wanted to return to try and make the squad for the Rugby World Cup after being in the Springbok set-up in 2012.
Ben Smith
Highlanders and All Blacks fullback Ben Smith remains in a Sydney hospital while recovering from a leg infection.
A statement released by the team on Tuesdays said they believed the infection was caused by a “supercicial graze” sustained by the player in Sunday’s loss to the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium.
Highlanders doctor Greg Macleod has remained in Sydney with Smith and says he is responding well to treatment.
Tom Kingston
Bryce Hegarty
Scott Higginbotham
Melbourne Rebels outside back Tom Kingston has been ruled out of his team’s final regular Super Rugby season match against the Bulls in Pretoria afetr succumbing to an ongoing chronic knee injury.
Kingston, who has flown home from South Africa and has been battling Patella Tendinopathy throughout the duration of the season, started on the wing against the Lions on the weekend however will now head back to Melbourne to undergo further assessment before the Club are able to decide what course of action to take to repair his knee.
Young flyhalf Bryce Hegarty remains in South Africa undergoing further assessment to a shoulder injury sustained against the Lions, and remains in doubt for the season-ending clash against the Bulls.
Scott Higginbotham meanwhile was suspended for a week after receiving his 3rd Yellow Card of the season.
Nick Frisby
Reds scrumhalf Nick Frisby will miss his team’s final match of the 2014 Super Rugby season against the Waratahs after he suffered a broken jaw in his team’s loss to the Force.
Frisby will be out for six weeks after copping a knock to the jaw early in the second half during Saturday’s game in Perth.
Initial hopes were that he would be able to take the field this weekend, but scans late Monday revealed the fracture, which will require surgery.
Reds head coach Richard Graham said, “It is disappointing to lose Pickle (Nick Frisby).
“He has played some good rugby for us recently and it would have been beneficial to continue his partnership with Benny Lucas this weekend. Following surgery tonight he’ll be out for at approximately six weeks.”
Frisby’s injury adds to a long list of squad members currently unavailable for selection, along with Quade Cooper (shoulder/hip), Blake Enever (bicep), Anthony Fainga’a (calf), Chris Feauai-Sautia (shoulder), Will Genia (ankle), Liam Gill (Australian Sevens duties), Eddie Quirk (knee), Dom Shipperley (ankle) and Aidan Toua (pectoral).
Hugh McMeniman
The SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer Nicholas Davidson QC has accepted a guilty plea from Hugh McMeniman of the Force for contravening Law 10.4 (a) Punching or Striking, after he was cited during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.
McMeniman has been suspended from all forms of the game for one week up to and including 12 July 2014.
The incident occurred in the 29th minute of the match between the Force and Reds at nib Stadium in Perth on Saturday 5 July 2014.
SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer Nicholas Davidson QC assessed the case.
Luke Watson
With just four weeks left before the Currie Cup starts, Carlos Spencer has announced an expanded team of 26 players to tackle the SWD Eagles in George on Friday evening.
Spencer, who has yet to decide on the captaincy of the squad following Luke Watson’s absence due to a slight rib injury, has made eight changes to his starting line-up in comparison to the game against the Sharks XV last week.
Up front Edgar Marutlulle will start at hooker in place of Albé de Swardt, who moves to the bench. Lizo Gqoboka and Charl du Plessis stay on at loosehead and tighthead respectively.
David Bullbring and Steven Cummins swap places, but stay in the starting line-up. Paul Schoeman comes in at No 6 in place of Thembelani Bholi, and will be accompanied at flank by Stefan Willemse in place of Devin Oosthuizen.
Aidon Davis will start at No 8, in place of Watson, who left the field after 20 minutes against the Sharks XV at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium last week with a rib injury.
Ihaia West
Hawke’s Bay and Maori All Blacks flyhalf Ihaia West has signed with the Blues for the 2015 and 2016 Super Rugby seasons.
It has been a remarkable rise for the 22-year-old livewire who was without a Super Rugby contract at the start of the year and joined the Blues in April to provide cover for the injured Baden Kerr.
West has become a revelation for the franchise, claiming the number 10 jersey for the last three games and leading the team around the field with aplomb.
Blues head coach Sir John Kirwan lauded West’s temperament and was delighted to retain his services for the next two years.
Fotu Auelua
Brumbies cult hero Fotu Auelua has put pen to paper to stay with the club for another season, through to the end of 2015.
With 30 caps to his name, the 30-year-old loose-forward has developed into one of the club’s old heads and was a member of the Brumbies leadership group through pre-season 2014.
Arriving in Canberra from Japan in 2012, Auelua has become a fan favourite over the last three years thanks to his take-no-prisoners approach to getting his side over the advantage line.
Auelua said he was looking forward to another 12 months in the Australian capital.
Ben Tameifuna
The Chiefs have confirmed that Ben Tameifuna has put pen to paper on a one-year contract extension to keep him at the dual Super Rugby champions.
The strong scrummager and crowd favourite said his decision to stay was simple.
“I am a Chief by choice.”
Sergeal Petersen
The Eastern Province Kings say there is no loan agreement for wing Sergeal Petersen to represent the Cheetahs in Super Rugby next year.
It was reported on Monday that the Baby Bok flyer has signed a deal to play Super Rugby with the Cheetahs before returning to play Currie Cup for the Kings.
However, EP Rugby CEO Charl Crous denied this move via a media statement on Tuesday.
The Cell C Sharks will be the only South African team contesting the Vodacom Super Rugby playoffs this year after the Vodacom Bulls slipped up in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon, shortly before the KwaZulu-Natalians’ title hopes were dealt a blow in Bloemfontein.
The team from Durban dropped one position to third on the overall standings after their shock defeat by 27-20 to the Toyota Cheetahs at the Free State Stadium. It was arguably the team from Bloemfontein’s best performance of the season as they moved up from the last spot on the log to 14th.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, the DHL Stormers recorded the fourth-ever clean sheet in a local derby when they beat the Vodacom Bulls by 16-0 at DHL Newlands. Just before the June-break, the Capetonians did the same when they beat the Toyota Cheetahs by 33-0 in Cape Town.
It will be only the third time in the last 10 years that the Vodacom Bulls will not feature in the playoffs.
The other two times a South African side failed to score any points in local derbies, were in 1999 when the Cell C Sharks beat the Vodacom Bulls by 29-0, while the team from Pretoria beat the Southern Kings by 34-0 last year.
In total, it was the sixth time ever a South African team were kept point-less in Vodacom Super Rugby and the Vodacom Bulls’ third zero. The Pretorians lost 27-0 to the Crusaders in Timaru in 2011 and the DHL Stormers lost 22-0 to the Crusaders in Cape Town in 2008.
On Friday evening, the Lions recorded their sixth win of the season when they beat the Rebels by 34-17 at Ellis Park, meaning 2014 will go down as the most successful for the team based in Johannesburg since the Cats franchise was dissolved before the 2006-season. Their previous best was five wins in 2007.
Namibia qualified for a fifth successive Rugby World Cup by thumping hosts Madagascar 89-10 on Sunday to win the African preliminaries and book a place in Pool C at next year’s tournament alongside defending champions New Zealand.
Namibia finished level on two wins each with Kenya and Zimbabwe at the end of the four-team tournament but qualified by virtue of more bonus points.
Their task was made easier on Sunday when Zimbabwe beat Kenya 28-10, setting Namibia a target of beating Madagascar by 53 points to qualify.
The Waratahs secured top position in Super Rugby’s regular-season as they overpowered the Highlanders 44-16 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Sunday.
A second-half onslaught did the damage as fine tries for Israel Folau, Sekope Kepu, Nick Phipps, Jacques Potgieter and Taqele Naiyaravoro were added to Rob Horne’s score in the opening 40.
They will now go into next week’s trip to the Reds knowing that top spot is assured and Michael Cheika might subsequently choose to rotate a handful of his stars in order to keep them fresh.
Singapore Sports Hub – National Stadium
Singapore has emerged as the leading candidate to host the 18th Super Rugby team when the tournament expands in 2016.
SANZAR confirmed last week that the two leading locations for the 18th team that will play in the South African group are Singapore and Japan.
According to reports South Africa have flexed their muscle and pushed Singapore into the lead as the location is far more accesible than Japan.
South African teams will have to travel to Singapore or Japan to play some of their matches and currently there are no direct flights from South Africa to Japan.
Adriaan Strauss
Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss lauded his team’s efforts in their 27-20 victory over the Sharks in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
“Everyone, including the guys coming off the bench, had a good game,” said Strauss after the match.
“They really put up their hands and played for one another.
“A lot of the guys leave at the end of the season and we wanted to give them a good farewell at our home ground.
“I think we achieved that. Next we face the Lions away and we will be looking for another good performance to round things off.”
Nick Cummins
Wallabies and Western Force wing Nick Cummins has been granted an early release from his contract to play in Japan at the end of the Super Rugby season.
The tough outside back, who has developed a cult following as much for his off-field personality and unique look as for his performances on the pitch, made the decision based on unique family circumstances.
Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver said Cummins will be missed.
“We have been working with Nick and his management team to explore ways to retain him within Australian Rugby since we were notified of his circumstances.”