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The Vodacom Bulls firmed their grip on the top position of the South African conference on Saturday by beating closet rivals, the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday, while the DHL Stormers kept their outside change of a play-off spot alive with a bruising win over the Southern Kings on a drenched DHL Newlands pitch in Cape Town.
The other South African team, The Sharks, enjoyed a bye.
Kieran Read was named as the captain of a 32-man All Blacks squad including six new faces to face France in the upcoming series.
Injuries to key players have forced Wallabies coach Robbie Deans to make three changes to his preliminary squad to play the the British and Irish Lions.
Deans had to seek replacements following injuries to wing Digby Ioane, lock Sitaleki Timani and flank Scott Higginbotham.
Saracens and Barbarians hooker Schalk Brits has been slapped with a three week ban for punching his Saracens team mate Owen Farrell in the British & Irish Lions’ tour opener in Hong Kong.
Cheetahs (10) 25 / 30 (17) Bulls (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Stormers (6) 19 / 11 (3) Kings (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Southern Kings did battle in Super Rugby at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Lions (23) 59 / 8 (3) Barbarians (Final Score)
The British & Irish Lions and Barbarians did battle in the 1st game of the B & I Lions Tour 2013 at Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
at 13:30 SA Time (19:30 Hong Kong Time, 12:30 UK Time, 11:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 5 & SHD 3 on TV in SA.
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Reds (13) 33 / 20 (17) Rebels (Final Score)
The Reds and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Brisbane Time, 09:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport & SHD on TV in SA.
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Highlanders (29) 38 / 28 (7) Blues (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 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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All Black Hosea Gear has signed with French side Toulouse, New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chief Steve Tew said on Friday, playing down fears cashed-up overseas clubs are luring the country’s top talent.
Griquas pivot Burton Francis is set to leave Kimberley after signing a deal with French club Agen.
Brumbies (14) 30 / 23 (10) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Canberra Time, 09:40 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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Crusaders (10) 23 / 22 (15) Waratahs (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 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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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets as they are announded for Round 16 of Super Rugby 2013.
A well-prepared South Africa Under-20 team leave for France on Thursday where they will defend their Junior World Championship title.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) have once again changed or shifted the goal posts for the remaining schedule of The Lions Challenge.
The French Barbarians game, which was cancelled and substituted with a SA Barbarians game, now falls away too, and in stead the Lions now have a bye weekend on that weekend.
They can colour it anyway they like, but it stenches of more incompetence and poor execution of a season which was always going to be a difficult one for the embattled Union.
6 International games have now been canned already!
After six months’ planning and three weeks’ training, coach Warren Gatland finally begins his British and Irish Lions adventure in earnest on Saturday with what should be a gentle opening match against the Barbarians to open the 125th anniversary tour.
Samoan coach Stephen Betham has been left scrambling to field a fully fit team against the Lions in their challenge match at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Luke Watson’s much-anticipated return to Newlands is off. The Southern Kings captain has been ruled out of his team’s encounter with the Stormers.
Watson, who captained the Stormers during his stint in Cape Town, has been ruled out of Saturday’s Newlands encounter due to Flu.
French club Montpellier have snapped up the signatures of two top SA midfielders – Vodacom Bulls veteran Wynand Olivier and DHL Western Province centre JP Du Plessis among their acquisitions ahead of the new European season.
Sharks centre Piet Lindeque is heading back to the Cheetahs to continue his rugby career in Bloemfontein.
Die Toyota Cheetahs afrigter, Naka Drotske, het Raymond Rhule teruggebring as verandering in die beginspan vir die kardinale Super Rugby kragmeting met die Vodacom Bulls, hierdie Saterdag.
Die Vodacom Bulls-afrigter, Frans Ludeke, het vier skuiwe gemaak vir sy span se Vodacom Super Rugby-wedstryd teen die Toyota Cheetahs Saterdag in Bloemfontein, met Arno Botha, Jan Serfontein, Werner Kruger en Lionel Mapoe almal in die opdrafspan.
Italy captain Sergio Parisse said he wanted to give the British and Irish Lions an early taste of pressure after being named to lead the Barbarians side in Saturday’s encounter in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
Heyneke Meyer feared he had ruined Tom Youngs’ career when he persuaded the Englishman to switch from centre to hooker. The Springbok coach can probably rest easy now.
SANZAR has released the names of the match officials for Round 16 of Super Rugby 2013. Glen Jackson once again starts the action between the Crusaders and Waratahs on Friday.
This weekend sees 6 matches, with 2 on Friday and 4 on Saturday.
The South African Rugby Union has confirmed that Rohan Janse van Rensburg will replace his Blue Bulls team mate Jan Serfontein in the South Africa Under-20 squad for the Junior World Championship (JWC).
The British and Irish Lions have arrived in Hong Kong ahead of a month-long tour of Australia where they will seek their first Test series victory in 16 years.
All Blacks centre Conrad Smith has revealed that he will miss New Zealand’s European tour in November and take a sabbatical after the Rugby Championship.
The Vodacom Bulls and Toyota Cheetahs are now firmly in playoff contention with the June break looming after crucial away victories on an exciting weekend of Vodacom Super Rugby.
The All Blacks suffered a blow for their Test series next month against France as senior lock Sam Whitelock has been ruled out due to injury.
Bulls wing Bjorn Basson has been cited for a dangerous tackle during Saturday’s 18-16 win over the Sharks at Kings Park.
Former All Blacks coach Graham Henry escaped serious punishment for criticising Super Rugby officials after pleading guilty to a misconduct charge.
Stuart Lancaster may have unearthed a few sparkling young diamonds in the Twickenham turf as his new boys shone brightly during England’s 40-12 demolition of the Barbarians on Sunday.