Swanie
Just yesterday I posted an article about the Reds where Will Genia said that the success of the team will greatly depends on the mindset of the players. Low and behold, today I came across a similar statement, this one from yet another perennial cellar dweller, the Cheetahs. Continue reading
Having lived around this part of the world for a while now and having spoken to a number of people close to the Reds, I think the best way to describe them is a mix of the Lions and Cheetahs. Continue reading
The South African Rugby Union has given its full support to Bulls and Springbok loose forward Pedrie Wannenburg as he attempts to ‘clean up his act’, following his admission that he used cocaine and ecstasy, as well as also abusing alcohol. Continue reading
A flyhalf crisis in the City of Roses may see the young Sias Ebersohn run out for the Cheetahs’ Super14 team, albeit only in the warm-up game against Eastern Province in a couple of weeks time. Continue reading
Our friends at the Lions made an interesting signing with news that former All Black flyhalf Carlos Spencer have joined the Lions. They are tight lipped about it all but it is understood it is also one of the biggest contracts ever in South African rugby. Continue reading
Care of http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/
WHEN the Waratahs first spoke to second-rower Hendrik Roodt about the possibility of playing for NSW, one of the first things they asked was how he would feel about facing former Bulls teammates Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield in Pretoria; his response: “I is happy to play in Australia”. Continue reading
Our old ‘friend’ Mike Stofile popped up again, this time to let us know he is throwing his hat into the ring for the presidency of SA Rugby when new officials are elected next year. What a surprise! Continue reading
The last two weeks which should have been a quiet time for rugby in Oz but was ruffled by some weird claims about two young guns in Australian rugby. Continue reading
The Barbarians XV (containing a host of Springboks) take on the All Blacks in a festival match at Twickenham, London. This is the match thread for discussion of the game.
Points:
Barbarians: 25 (Try – Bryan Habana, Conversion – Matt Giteau, Try 2 – Bryan Habana, Conversion 2 – Matt Giteau, Penalty – Matt Giteau, Try 3 – Bryan Habana, Penalty – Morné Steyn)
All Blacks: 18 (Penalty – Stephen Donald, Try – Ben Smith, Conversion – Stephen Donald, Try – Anthony Boric, Penalty – Mike Delany)
Only minor changes to the Wallaby team to take on Scotland on the weekend, whereas Graham Henry on the other hand made some major changes to his starting team against England. Continue reading
The All Blacks are using Italy to blood a few players with Bay of Plenty pivot Mike Delany being one of three new caps named in Graham Henry’s All Blacks side that will face Italy at the San Siro Stadium in Milan on Saturday. Continue reading
Not a lot of change for the Wallabies with the only change to the team that beat England last weekend being David Pocock replacing George Smith in the starting line-up to play Ireland at Croke Park on Sunday. George moves back to the bench. Continue reading
Care of SARugby.co.za Continue reading
Right, the day has finally arrived! Only minutes… and counting to the kick-off of the 2009 Currie Cup Final between the Blue Bulls and Free State Cheetahs. Continue reading
Yes, we do have some other, not so important rugby on today… Continue reading
Sheesh, it seems the Wallabies has found a counter for Andre Pretorius. All he had to do was injure the ankle on the flight over and that would have been that! Continue reading
Ireland and South Africa provided six of the nine rugby union greats inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame on Tuesday at a ceremony at Rugby School. Continue reading
No place for two Boks but Adriaan Strauss is back at hooker and will be wearing the captain’s armband on Saturday. Continue reading
Not so long ago people would have asked…Heinrich Who? But it took the little terrier a mere six months to establish himself as the premier fetcher (no Jake, he fetches more than beers!) in South Africa, if not the world. Even the one-eyed All Black commentators had to admit he outplayed their own blue eyed boy in their last encounter. Continue reading
Check this out, it does make for good reading… Continue reading
The SANZAR Executive Committee on Wednesday decided to go to ‘arbitration’ to decide between Melbourne and the Southern Kings to be the 15th Super Rugby team. Continue reading
You get the feeling Wallaby coach Robbie Deans is getting a little gatvol about his charges and had fair bit to say about them after another capitulation against the All Blacks. Speaking at the announcement of a 43 man squad to assemble in Sydney next week he did not hold back his punches. Continue reading
Another day, another captain! The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs which will run onto the field on Friday night will see three changes to the first 15 as well as a new captain. Nico Breedt will be at the front when they run onto the field after Adriaan Strauss injured his thumb against the Blue Bulls, an injury that is expected to keep him out of action for 6 weeks. Continue reading
I don’t really understand rugby in the Western Province but none the less… Continue reading
Juan Smith has been ruled out of rugby till next year with a knee injury. Juan, who seems to have taken over the sicknote disease from Andre Pretorius, missed the final Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand in Wellington with a lower back/hamstring injury, he also sat out the Cheetahs’ 13-24 Currie Cup loss to the Sharks at the weekend. Continue reading
Its official, Francois Steyn arrived in France on Monday where he met his new teammates at Parisian outfit Racing-Metro. Continue reading
The Sharks met the Vodacom Free State Cheetahs in Durban today in their second round Currie Cup match. The Sharks won 24 / 13 and go Top of the Currie Cup table again.
(Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein – 15.00, 13.00 GMT)
A bit of a see-saw ride for the two teams, after a horrible start for the Cheetahs they are suddenly one win away from the top four again.
The Board of European Rugby Cup has ratified the introduction of 23-man match day squads for the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup tournaments for 2009/10 season onwards. Now I know the original change did cross this blog when it happened but it is good to see two of the major competitions taking it on board.
Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:31
By Paul Dobson www.rugby365.com
There were only seven points between the two teams when the final whistle blew in Perth last week and Australia look to have a stronger team this time. That would suggest the strong possibility of an Australian victory.
02 September 2009
It is good to hear Springbok captain John Smit saying his team is not thinking about the two points they need to clinch the Tri-Nations title on Saturday in Brisbane, but are rather aiming for five.
Johann Thormahlen – Volksblad
’n Rits beserings het daartoe gelei dat die Vodacom Vrystaat-Cheetahs op Ashley Johnson se nommer moes druk om die gedugte lostrio van die Leeus te probeer tem.
Springbok captain John Smit seems happy with only one injury-enforced change to his charges to take on Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
Yesterday David Pocock received his call-up to start for the first time for the Wallabies, against the Springboks in Brisbane, he also met one of his boyhood heroes.
P Divvie stating the obvious said the Springboks have work to do on their scrum.