superBul
Jonathan Kaplan, the world’s most capped Test referee, has been appointed to referee the 2009 Currie Cup Final. Marius Jonker and Mark Lawrence have been appointed to the Currie Cup seminal and Craig Joubert the First Division Final – all four amongst the very top referees in the world.
While we wait for serious rugby to begin.
This week the verbal jousting between supporters was taken up a notch as five teams fight for just four places …
Here are your pearls of wisdom, all the crackers and the shockers as we give our readers a voice in this week’s “You said it”.
SA Rugby Player of the year Awards Banquet 2009 will be held on Monday 02 November 2009 at the Vodadome (Midrand)
Players will be nominated soon. Put your mind to it , we will have a thread and a poll to nominate Rugby-Talks own favorites. More details will follow.
Players will be nominated in the following categories.
With one semi final vacancy to be filled this weekend and only the semi final match ups to be confirmed the heat is beginning to build up between supporters. Forgotten is the United front we had when the Springboks played.
It took The Cheetahs more than 30 minutes to pass the Leopards who took a early 10 point lead. After the initial 10 – 0 lead the Leopards conceded 8 tries and 60 unanswered points before they scored the last try of the match.
“The 15 Springboks to play France on November 13 will prepare in South Africa for the test against France” This group will only join the touring squad on 6 November.
The Sharks and Western Province is already in the play-offs
Just one point separate the Sharks (45) and Western Province (44), but they still have plenty to play for in the last two games.
Both Griquas and the Bulls can still secure a home semi, if either the Sharks or Province slip up in the final games.
Quins confirm Botha’s departure
Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:41
Harlequins have mutually agreed with Springbok Gary Botha an early release from his playing contract in order for him to return to South Africa with his family.
Continue reading
LAW DISCUSSION: THE COMMENTATOR’S FIVE
We have just five situations to discuss from the match last weekend when New Zealand played South Africa in Hamilton, five which the commentator queried.
Vakansiedae in Suid Afrika leen hom gewoonlik tot heerlike samekomste en siende dat vandag as Nasionale Braaidag uitgeroep is. Vertel ons wat op die kole is daar by jou.
South Africa (Proteas) won by 5 wickets against New Zealand (Black Caps) in their ICC cricket match today.
For Griquas to get this far must be the biggest surprise of the Absa Currie Cup in 2009. The most intriguing part is to follow. Playing Western Province and the Blue Bulls away next must be the most daunting task ahead.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls’ prop Werner Kruger as well as their centre Wynand Olivier have picked up injuries against the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington on Saturday.
‘n Voorskou van die laaste wedstryde in die jaar se Curiebeker. My voorspeling van hoe die voorste aanspraakmakers gaan eindig. Soveel kan nog gebeur maar ek voorspel dat die spanne soos volg sal eindig.
1. Sharks
2. WP
3. Blou Bulle
4. Griekwas Continue reading
Air your views on the weekends Sport and other intresting happenings.
Greg Growden in Cape Town | August 8, 2009
This is the Wallabies’ seven-point plan for victory.
By RICHARD KNOWLER – The Press
Last updated 05:00 01/08/2009
SHARK ATTACK: The All Blacks face a hungry Springbok side at Durban’s Absa Stadium, known as the Shark Tank, early tomorrow.
This is one result Graham Henry does not want blotting his coaching CV.
History is speckled with tales of All Blacks coaches who have travelled to South Africa buoyed at the prospect of beating the Springboks on their own soil, only to be sent scuttling back to Aotearoa disillusioned and disappointed.
Alex MacDonald’s lot got spanked 4-0 in 1949, Jack Sullivan’s crew went down 2-1 one test was drawn in Bloemfontein in 1960, the 1970 vintage under Ivan Vodanovich were done 3-1 and JJ Stewart’s 1976 side were left hurt and bewildered following their 3-1 series defeat.
Before those tours, All Blacks teams were largely self-coached by the manager and players.
He might be the most successful coach in All Blacks history but tomorrow morning Henry is in grave danger of joining that infamous list.
Many would argue this is not a real series because it comprises just two tests. But with the way the international programme is, the two Tri-Nations fixtures will have to suffice.
Before he left New Zealand, Henry said the coaches were viewing these matches as a series but last weekend’s defeat in Bloemfontein has torpedoed those hopes, sinking his opportunity to join 1996 coach John Hart as the only other All Blacks gaffer to return home triumphant from the Republic with a series win.
Now Henry is fighting to prevent being the first Kiwi coach to lose in South Africa since Stewart.
The arrival of professionalism has brought greed and cynicism hence tests that are now a dime a dozen but it cannot wipe away the mystique of battles between the All Blacks and the Springboks in South Africa.
When filled to the gills, their magnificent stadiums are a hotbed of parochialis
m, noise and banter. Lifted by their rabid fans, the Springboks explode into action as if they have had TNT shoved down their gullets.
Tomorrow’s stoush at Durban’s Absa Stadium, known as the “Shark Tank”, promises plenty although forecast rain could subdue the running game as these two sides go at it like a couple of angry bears in a pit.
Although the Springboks have tried to avoid the hype about beating the All Blacks twice within eight days on their own soil, they will take a massive dose of satisfaction from the achievement.
Morne Steyn’s selection at first five-eighth shows the Boks’ game plan will be uncomplicated; the Bulls pivot will kick the shine off his boots as he looks to set up his forwards inside the All Blacks half and if there is a chance for him and fullback Frans Steyn to kick long-range drop goals they will.
Steyn banged over a record four drop goals in the Super 14 semifinal in Pretoria against the Crusaders. Despite this, the All Blacks say they have no plan in place to counter this danger.
“No, we haven’t thought too much about that. I think a lot of our week has been about sorting out our own game,” centre Conrad Smith said. “We are aware that he can drop goal and if we give penalties away he can kick them.
“Hopefully we can spend a lot more time in their half than they do in ours. That was the problem last week and that’s more what we have concentrated on this week.”
A week a long time in rugby
Fullback Mils Muliaina believes one week is long enough for his side to turn around their disjointed effort against South Africa – and in the process write his name in the Tri-Nations rugby record book.
Doing so would also see him climb to 23 wins in Tri-Nations tests, level with former halfback Justin Marshall atop the list of 388 players who have contested the tournament since its inception in 1996.
Paranoid All Blacks beef up training security
Security continued to be ramped-up at the All Blacks’ final training session yesterday in a bid to shut-out any prying eyes ahead of Sunday morning’s test against the Springboks.
As usual, the team had several security personnel patrolling the perimeter of the school grounds where they trained and one of them screened the area with his binoculars.
Springboks lineout king Victor Matfield took the All Blacks’ precautions as a “nice compliment” but believed there was no need for the New Zealanders to be so secretive, believing he only needs to view their previous test matches on DVD to analyse game plans.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/news/paranoid-abs-beef-up-security/2009/07/31/1248977181503.html
Lineout worries buzz ABs 
Chatter about their flaky lineout has followed the All Blacks around Durban this week like a swarm of blowflies.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/2707795/Lineout-worries-buzz-around-All-Blacks
Overall Career of Graham Henry
Played 68
Wins 58 85.3%
Losses 10 14.7%
Under him NZ scored 283 tries in 58 matches at 4.87 per match
Conceded 95 tries in 58 matches at 1.64 per match
vs Tri Nation Partners
Played 26
Wins 18 69.2%
Losses 8 30.8%
SA won 5 of the 8 he lost in the 3Nations
Teams faring the best against Graham Henry’s All Blacks
SAF played 13 won 5 lost 8
AUS played 13 won 3 lost 10
The only other team to beat his All Blacks
FRA played 8 won 2 lost 6
” I am a ‘small-brain’ person. A small-brain person doesn’t need to go sit down and study over what he’s going to say to people; it (words) comes naturally. People who study and get A’s and B’s are clever people. But people who don’t go and study and have all that wisdom are wise” –De Villiers philosophy on clever people.
“If you look at those people who say all those things about me you will ask: How did God manage to create those people?” – De Villiers asks a fundamental question.