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South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux has been linked to a police investigation into major financial irregularities at Stellenbosch University.
At the centre of the investigation is former Stellenbosch Rugby Football Club chairperson and Deputy Director of student finances, Chris de Beer, a good friend of Roux’s and a SARU-accredited agent.
Melbourne Rebels prop Eddie Aholelei replaces the suspended Sona Taumalolo in the Tonga front row for Friday’s Test against Wales in Cardiff.
England’s Rugby Football Union has suspended Premiership referee David Rose who appeared in court on Monday to answer a benefit fraud charge.
Wallabies centre Matt Toomua will miss the remaining matches of Australia’s year-end tour due to a hamstring injury.
World Cup-winning Springbok Danie Rossouw may be forced to retire as a result of the onset of arthritis.
Former Springbok wing Chester Williams is back in the country after a coaching stint in Romania and eager to coach a South African team.
The core of the Springbok team that has played in 2013 has been selected to start in the final match of the season, marking 100 years of Test rugby against France in Paris on Saturday evening.
Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth and Morné Steyn all return to the starting line-up after last weekend’s 28-0 win over Scotland in Edinburgh, for the last match of the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour.
The Stormers’ Bok trio of Jean de Villiers, Eben Etzebeth and Duane Vermuelen will only be required to join pre-season training in January.
The Lions have finalised their warm-up matches ahead of next year’s Super Rugby tournament, however there are rumours of demands and coaching demands by the Pumas, who form part of the Lions Super Rugby franchise.
These rumours want us to believe that the Pumas are insisting that their coach, Jimmy Stonehouse, has to be involved in coaching at the MTN Lions. With Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann’s coaching contract already extended and with him the designated figure to take the head coach role for the MTN Lions, this spat could easily turn ugly if the parties do not reach some compromise and consensus.
Wing Fergus McFadden compounded Ireland’s injury woes after being ruled out of Saturday’s Test against the All Blacks.
McFadden fractured his hand in the 15-32 loss to the Wallabies and joins Keith Earls, Craig Gilroy and Simon Zebo on the sidelines. Coach Joe Schmidt has subsequently called up Felix Jones.
Tevita Kuridrani, Australian outside centre was banned for 5 weeks for his tip-tackle on Peter O’Mahony on the weekend in the match between Ireland and the Wallabies.
Sona Taumalolo of Tonga was banned for 4 weeks and Yoann Maestri’s Red Card was deemed sufficient punishment for their involvement in striking each other in the match between France and Tonga on the weekend, which effectively means Yoann Maestri is free to resume play and to face the Springboks on the weekend.
News out of the Stormers camp is that coach Allister Coetzee says Wallaby wing Cooper Vuna has not signed and will not join them for the 2014 Super Rugby season.
One more Test match remains for the South African Springboks of Heyneke Meyer on the End Of Year Tour, probably the biggest of the 3 Tests, against the unpredictable team of France. Nick Mallett was still Springboks coach when last the Springboks won IN France, against France.
On the injury front, Francois Louw looks likely to be good to go on the weekend, with the injury he suffered not so bad and recovery going well.
France is always difficult to curb when their backline gets going, so Jaque Fourie at outside centre is under pressure to play well, both on defence and attack, where he has not really impressed on tour so far since he has re-joined from his stint in Japan.
Heyneke Meyer’s biggest quandry is probably who to pick as his starting tighthead prop for the weekend. Will it be Coenie Oosthuizen who has been the bench tighthead option in the last 2 Test or will Lourens Adriaanse supercede Coenie because Lourens is a recognised tighthead?
England’s Wayne Barnes will referee the Boks’ final end of year Test against France in Paris on Saturday.
Barnes will be the Boks’ third northern hemisphere referee in as many matches on their tour after Ireland’s Alain Rolland took control of their 24-15 win over Wales in Cardiff, while France’s Jérôme Garcès was the man in the middle in their 28-0 victory over Scotland in Edinburgh last Sunday.
Former Springbok coach and current selector Ian McIntosh has been presented with the IRB’s Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service, recognising his achievement in changing the face of rugby in South Africa.
South Africa captain Jean de Villiers was one of nine Springboks included Tuesday in a 23-man Barbarians squad to play Fiji at Twickenham on November 30.
The squad contains eight members of the South Africa squad who have already beaten Wales and Scotland on their current tour of Europe, as well as legendary Springbok flanker Schalk Burger.
Wales have made 11 changes for the clash against Tonga on Friday evening with Newport Gwent Dragons’ Hallam Amos making his debut on the wing in a side captained by Ryan Jones.
Whilst the All Blacks will be without the injured Dan Carter in Dublin on Sunday, Ireland may miss the services of their own playmaker Jonny Sexton.
Wallaby wing Cooper Vuna has reportedly agreed to join the Stormers for next year’s Super Rugby competition.
No less than 11 Scotland players required treatment on Monday following the bruising 0-28 loss to the Springboks at Murrayfield on Sunday.
Argentina will not have a team participating in next year’s Vodacom Cup competition, it is reported.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer already feels they’ve had an outstanding season but would love to finish the year with a winning record above 80%.
The Boks have won 9 out of 11 Tests in 2013 – a winning record of 82%.
Following the game between Scotland and the South African Springboks, there has been some movements amongst the Springbok player corps.
Fourie du Preez is on his way back to Japan and won’t be available for the France game, in his place Jano Vermaak has been recalled to the Springbok side, from France itself, where he has been in great form.
Injured Frans Malherbe will be replaced by Frik Kirsten who has been called up by Heyneke Meyer.
Francois Louw, who left the field on a stretcher in the Scotland clash with an apparent neck injury looks to be OK for the coming weekend.
France have recalled prop Thomas Domingo and No 8 Louis Picamoles to their squad for this weekend’s Test against the Springboks.
Tongan prop Sona Taumalolo, French lock Yoann Maestri and Australian centre Tevita Kuridrani will all face hearings on Tuesday after receiving red cards on the weekend.
Junior Springbok Cheslin Kolbe has joined the Springbok Sevens training group in Stellenbosch, ahead of the World Series tournament in Dubai.
Eastern Province Kings players Lizo Gqoboka (prop) and George Whitehead (flyhalf) have both been called up to take part in the Sharks wider training camp ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby Season.
Scotland (0) 0 / 28 (21) Springboks (Final Score)
Scotland and the South African Springboks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at
Murrayfield, Edinburgh at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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England (16) 22 / 30 (20) All Blacks (Final Score)
England and the New Zealand All Blacks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at
Twickenham, London at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT, 03:30 Sunday NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Meanwhile, other Internationals were in progress at the same time, here are the scores:
Italy (20) 37 / 24 (5) Fiji (Final Score)
Wales (23) 40 / 6 (3) Argentina (Final Score)
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Ireland (12) 15 / 32 (15) Wallabies (Final Score)
Ireland and the Australian Wallabies did battle in the End Of Year Tours at
Aviva Stadium, Dublin at 19:45 SA Time (17:45 GMT, 04:45 Sunday AEDT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Meanwhile, another International will is in progress at the same time, here is the score:
France (21) 38 / 18 (6) Tonga (Final Score)
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Idly going through Facebook (and let’s face it I am no Facebook fan), waiting for Computers to finish some downloads, I came accros this video…
I am blown away by this positive story and the spirit of south Africans.
You have to understand Afrikaans to appreciate this to it’s fullest.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXKAc5n3lJ0[/youtube]
I love this beautiful country… hope you do too.
Kindly share this with EVERYBODY you know… Facebook it, Twiter it!
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has explained why he decided to not include lock Pieter-Steph du Toit in his squad to face Scotland on Sunday.
Ryan Grant and Sean Maitland are among four Scotland rugby players due to appear in court next month after an alleged assault outside a takeaway shop in Glasgow last month.
Cardiff Blues centre Cory Allen is in line to make his Test debut this weekend after being named on Thursday in the starting side to play Argentina.
At the other end of the spectrum, prop Gethin Jenkins will become only the fourth player to win 100 Wales caps after Stephen Jones, Gareth Thomas and Martyn Williams when he takes the field at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Vastly experienced lock Paul O’Connell will lead Ireland against Australia in Dublin this Saturday.