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New Zealand No 8 Kieran Read will make his World Cup debut against Canada on Sunday after overcoming a serious ankle injury in the strongest loose forwards mix available to coach Graham Henry after the side was named on Friday.
DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has only 22 fit players for match selection, he said at Wednesday’s team announcement.
Australia have been forced to name loose-forward Radike Samo on the wing against Russia and the only back reserves are two scrum-halves after they have been ravaged by injury.
Delon Armitage will replace Mark Cueto who scored a hat-trick against Romania as one of three England changes for their Pool B decider against Scotland at Eden Park on Saturday.
Samoa coach Titimaea Tafua on Wednesday announced two changes to his starting line-up to face South Africa in their final Pool D game in Auckland on Friday.
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar has named the same side that bravely outlasted the Lions in Johannesburg last week, to take on the resurgent Pumas in Currie Cup action at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has made just two changes, both in the forwards pack, for their vital Currie Cup clash with the front-running Lions at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein this weekend.
New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Tew says that the All Blacks may be forced to withdraw from participating in future Rugby World Cups.
Tew says that the All Blacks participation at the World Cup has cost his union more than 13 million New Zealand dollars (£ 6.6 million).
Georgia (12) 25 / Romania (6) 9 (Final Score)
Georgia and Romania did battle in Palmerston North at 08:30 SA Time (19:30 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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In the sloppiest, most error-ridden game of the tournament, thus far, the Georgians managed to grind out the win.
Italy (20) 27 / USA (10) 10 (Final Score)
Italy and the USA did battle in Nelson at 08:30 SA Time (19:30 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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USA forced Italy to grind out a win, with their dominant scrum, and for the first time in a very long time, Nick Mallett’s side managed to get a bonus point for tries scored.
One could say mission accomplished by Italy, but they really made hard work of the task.
Vodacom Blue Bulls flanker Dewald Potgieter will not play in the remainder of the Absa Currie Cup competition after injuring his ankle.
Canada (7) 23 / Japan (17) 23 (Final Score)
Canada and Japan did battle in Napier at 06:00 SA Time (17:00 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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A draw, in this very good battle! In 2007 at the World Cup these two sides also drew (12 / 12).
Victories for the Blue Bulls and Free State Cheetahs at the home grounds of the front runners of the Currie Cup ensured the competition is still wide open with just three rounds to go before the semi-finals.
The Blue Bulls beat the log leading Golden Lions (21-18) in Johannesburg, while the Free State Cheetahs were too good for Western Province in Cape Town (34-20).
South African rugby journalist Vata Ngobeni was detained during the early hours of Monday morning when Taupo police removed him from a local pub suspecting he was a drug dealer.
Wales (22) 81 / Namibia (0) 7 (Final Score)
Wales and Namibia did battle in New Plymouth at 08:30 SA Time (19:30 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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Wales made it hard for themselves in the first half, only scoring 3 tries in that period, but the second half was a different story, with the tries eventually raining on Namibia towards the end.
Namibia now exits the World Cup, all their Pool games done and dusted.
Argentina (3) 13 / Scotland (6) 12 (Final Score)
Argentina and Scotland did battle in Wellington at 09:30 SA Time (20:30 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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This was not a pretty, airy-fairie match, but hard and unrelenting rugby.
The Argentinians came back from being 12 / 6 down to score a marvelous try and a cool conversion, and then hanging on with everything they had to keep brave Scotland away.
Ireland (36) 62 / Russia (0) 12 (Final Score)
Ireland and Russia did battle in Rotorua at 07:00 SA Time (18:00 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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Ireland scored 9 tries to 2 and comfortably took the match, as expected.
Fiji (0) 7 / Samoa (12) 27 (Final Score)
Fiji and Samoa did battle in Auckland at 04:30 SA Time (15:30 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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Samoa just suffocated Fiji out of the game from the word go.
Very late in the second half, the game sprung alive after the first try of the match, with 2 more tries scored, one from each side.
WP (6) 20 Cheetahs (24) 34 (Final Score)
DHL Western Province hosted the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time.
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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The Free State Cheetahs took the game by the scruff of the neck early on and by Halftime were leading by 18.
DHL Western Province refused to lie down and came back hard at the Free State Cheetahs, to only concede a late try by Coenie Oosthuizen, and resulting in a 14-point loss for the Home side.
DHL Western Province now face the Sharks and then the MTN Lions in successive weeks.
Lions (6) 18 / Blue Bulls (18) 21 (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions hosted the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 15:00 SA Time.
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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The Blue Bulls desperately held on, with superb defence to win this cliff-hanger by 3 points.
All Blacks (19) 37 / France (3) 17 (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks hosted France at Eden Park, Auckland at 10:30 SA Time (20:30 NZ Time).
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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After a strong France start, the All Blacks had a purple patch, where they scored 3 quick tries and from then on France was always just chasing the game.
5 Tries to 2 for the All Blacks.
England (34) 67 / Romania (3) 3 (Final score)
England and Romania did battle in Dunedin at 08:00 SA Time (18:00 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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There was ALWAYS only going to be one winner, and so it was, England winning by 10 tries to none.
Sharks (14) 29 / Griquas (10) 18 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted GWK Griquas as Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA 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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The Sharks scored their 4 tries for a bonus point win, but the Griquas gave them a torrid time and in the end lost by only 8 points.
I was sent these facts, figures and stats, by our friend and fellow-blogger, 4man. Thanks Ou-Ballie!
It is truly remarkable how many of the players in Rugby World Cup 2011, playing for their different countries, were born in another country, not the one they are playing for.
The Blue Bulls have a tough task if they want to keep alive their Currie Cup semi-final hopes when they travel to Johannesburg on Saturday to face the table-topping Golden Lions.
On Friday in Cape Town, Western Province host the resurgent Free State Cheetahs in a tricky encounter for the home team, after the side from Bloemfontein crushed The Sharks last weekend.
In the two other games of the weekend, Griquas travel to Durban to face The Sharks, still hurting from their defeat in Bloemfontein last week, while both the Pumas and the Platinum Leopards will be aiming for their second victory of the season in Nelspruit.
Wallabies (22) 67 / USA (5) 5 (Final Score)
The Australian Wallabies did battle with the USA Eagles in Wellington at 10:30 SA Time (20:30 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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The Wallabies scored 11 tries to a solitary try by the USA.
The injury toll on the Wallaby side will be worrysome for them, though.
DHL WP Coach Allister Coetzee named his team to take on the Toyota Freestate Cheetahs at DHL Newlands on Saturday 24 September at 17h05.
New Zealand rugby Coach Graham Henry has strengthened his All Blacks team with the return of skipper Richie McCaw and Dan Carter among four changes for Saturday’s big World Cup Pool A game with France at Eden Park.
Springboks (31) 87 / Namibia (0) 0 (Final Score)
The South African Springboks did battle with Namibia in Albany at 10:00 SA Time (20:00 NZ Time).
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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The First half was not convincing at all by the Springboks, too many lapses in concentration and too many forced and unforced errors riddled this period. Despite not being clinical enough the Springboks scored 4 converted tries and a penalty in the First Half.
The Springboks started the Second Half in much the same vein, but then suddenly all gears clicked into place, and the tries rained on the poor Namibians. The Springboks scored 56 points in the Second Half.
Altogether, the Springboks scored 12 tries, hell make that 12 converted tries, as the 2 Springbok kickers had a flawless night with the boot as well.
At this juncture in Rugby World Cup 2011, this is the biggest win of the Tournament, surpassing the 83 / 7 score by the All Blacks whilst at the same time keeping the score sheet squeeky clean for the Springboks on the day.
Scrum-half Will Genia will captain an Australian side showing six changes from the one that lost to Ireland in Friday’s Pool C World Cup match against the United States.
Scrumhalf Ross Cronje and hooker Kyle Cooper have been included in the Sharks team for Friday’s Currie Cup clash against Griquas in Durban.
Regular Vodacom Bulls Super Rugby wing Gerhard van den Heever has been included in the Vodacom Blue Bulls team to play the Lions at Coca Cola Park in a Currie Cup match on Saturday.
Van den Heever will replace the injured Akona Ndungane in the only change to the side that beat Western Province last weekend.
Tonga (18) 31 / Japan (13) 18 (Final Score)
Tonga and Japan did battle in Whangarei at 09:30 SA Time (19:30 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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What a good action-packed match!
The sides went hammer and tongs from the word go, no standing back!
It was thrust and parry, defend and run… brutal but honest rugby.
All Blacks were taken by surprise when told Springbok coach Peter de Villiers feels their famous pre-match haka, an indigenous Maori war dance, is over-used.
France coach Marc Lievremont has named his team to face New Zealand’s All Blacks in the crucial Pool A match at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.