Just For Kicks
He wasn’t selected into the 30-man Springbok squad for the Argentina leg that starts the competition, but Ryan Kankowski might yet get to play in The Castle Rugby Championship.
Two new faces in the form of Siya Kolisi and Pat Cilliers make up a squad including 5 uncapped players – the others being JJ Engelbrecht, Elton Jantjies and Jano Vermaak. The full squad is:
First of all, a heartfelt congratulations to the Sharks. A better team, a better Game plan, and a better execution. They came, they saw, they conquered.
Stormers (6) 19 / 26 (13) Sharks (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers hosted The Sharks in a Semi-Final of Super Rugby at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:00 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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Bulls midfielder Johann Sadie may be the first high-profile player to opt for a dual-contract, allowing him to play both Sevens and provincial rugby in the near future.
Springbok Eben Etzebeth was running at full tilt at the Stormers’ training session in Bellville on Thursday, and is fit to lock the side’s vulnerable scrum in their Super Rugby semi-final at Newlands next week.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) have announced that the General Council meeting that will decide how and when the Southern Kings will join Super Rugby has been rescheduled to 16 August in Cape Town.
Lyndon Bray, SANZAR Game Manager, said the appointments were made after a full season analysis of each official, which in turn saw referees rewarded with strong performances.
First Zeelim Nel tells us in the weekend Argus that the Kings have accepted a R40 mil bribe to stay out of the S15 till 2016, then the Kings come out on their twitter page and pooh pooh the idea. Who’s telling the truth, who’s lying, who’s leaking this rubbish, and when will SARU just tell us once and for all what is happening?
Springbok pair Patrick Lambie and Frans Steyn were the two notable absentees from the Sharks squad named on Sunday that will travel to Australia for next week’s Super Rugby qualifier against the Reds in Brisbane.
The cup is in our hands.
Stormers (16) 26 / (0) 21 Rebels (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at Newlands, Cape Town 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 Golden Lions Rugby Union have suspended their head coach John Mitchell.
Port Elizabeth – Alex Goode and Thomas Waldrom will make their first starts for England in the third and final Test against South Africa after coach Stuart Lancaster named a side containing six changes on Thursday.
Heyneke Meyer has been in office a little more than 140 days, so to say he was relieved after his team banked a series victory over England would be fair, but does that mean he’s a relaxed man? Hardly!
After a brilliant end to the second semi-final last night, the play-off places and the finals look like this:
Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has accepted the post of director of rugby at the University of Western Cape.
Johannesburg – An improved performance at the breakdowns contributed to Francois Hougaard looking more comfortable at scrumhalf in the Springboks’ 36-27 victory over England at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday.
Cape Town – Paul Dobson was presented with the IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service 2012 by IRB Council Member and South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux at the IRB Junior World Championship semi-finals in Cape Town on Sunday.
Wellington – World champions New Zealand will play Tests against Scotland, Italy, Wales and England on their tour of Europe in November, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) said on Monday.
Sydney – Wallabies captain James Horwill is to undergo surgery on his hamstring on Tuesday and could be out of action until next year’s Super Rugby series, the Australian Rugby Union said.
There may be an upside in that the depth of his squad will now be tested in a dead-rubber test, but Heyneke Meyer’s plans to use the final match against England at Nelson Mandela Stadium as a build-up or dress-rehearsal for The Rugby Championship look set to be disrupted.
The apparent closing of the gap between the northern and southern hemisphere rugby teams evident at the weekend is in part the result of a change in scheduling, according to Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards.
England head coach Stuart Lancaster is confident his side can bounce back to winning ways in Saturday’s third and final Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.
The scores from the various matches will be updated here as a live thread. All the games are live on SS1 and SS5
Wallabies (13) 25 / (7) 23 Wales (Final Score)
Australia and Wales did battle in the second Test at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne at 12:00 SA Time (20:00 Melbourne 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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All Blacks (9) 22 / (10) 19 Ireland (Final Score)
New Zealand and and Ireland did battle in the second Test at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 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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England head coach Stuart Lancaster does not believe powerful centre Manu Tuilagi will be less of a threat in the No.12 jersey.
Johannesburg – South Africa will be better prepared and have an altitude advantage when they seek a series-clinching second Test win over England at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday.
Johannesburg – Coach Heyneke Meyer’s proactive use of his substitutes was one of the essential reasons that the Springboks lifted their second-half game to win the first Test against England in Durban.
Rugby fans are funny things. Passionate and strong willed, opinionated and with a love of the game that is seldom matched by other sports in this country.
Wales have named their team to face the Brumbies on Tuesday next week with lock Luke Charteris as the only who survives from the first Test defeat to Australia.
English coach Stuart Lancaster said there were plenty of positives to take from their 22-17 defeat to the Springboks in Durban, with the first half a tight affair that saw both teams head to the sheds levelled at 6-6 all.
South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer reserved special praise for his giant forward pack after their 22-17 first Test victory over England on Saturday.
Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer opened his account as South Africa’s newest test rugby coach with a hard fought win against England, but said his team needed to strive for higher standards if they were to defeat the Red Rose in the upcoming test in Johannesburg.