General
Fiji (14) 14 / (10) 24 South Africa (Final Score)
South Africa’s Blitzbokke beat Fiji in the 2011 Emirates Airline London Sevens Cup final, a repeat of the USA Sevens final, after Fiji had beaten New Zealand 42-17 and Wales 21-19 respectively in the semi finals.
Who’s hot and who’s not… and who’s not injured?
Every Tuesday until the All Blacks’ World Cup squad unveiling in late August, Fairfax digital sport editor Dan Gilhooly will assess the status of players in the selection frame.
Who are the certainties to make the cut for coach Graham Henry’s squad of 30? Who are battling for contentious spots and what are their odds of selection?
On Friday the rugby romantic in me was awakened after a long slumber, only to be given a strong sedative a couple of hours later. Continue reading
Springbok Sevens newcomers Paul Jordaan and Tshotsho Mbovane were on Friday included in the South Africa Under-20 squad that was announced by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) to compete in next month’s IRB Junior World Championship in Italy.
The MTN Lions have announced a 26 man touring squad for the four match tour of Australia and New Zealand starting on Saturday 14th May 2011 against the Brumbies in Canberra.
Leadership groups in sport is important, but when does a leadership group turn into a clique? Continue reading
Exactly what enables a team of no-hopers or perennial losers to turn things around? Continue reading
I live for rugby, I never miss a game, I never pass over an article that has something to do with rugby…but I think I have had enough, not of rugby…but this is the last article I will EVER publish, and I will obviously refrain from commenting in future. I expect this article to be removed shortly after being published, so I hope one or two people can have a glimpse of it.
Kurtley Beale has signed for the Melbourne Rebels on a two year deal, for 2012 & 2013.
Port Elizabeth will host the South African leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series, after coming out as clear winners in a competitive tendering process. The announcement was made by the South African Rugby Union in Cape Town on Wednesday after the recommendation of a tender committee was accepted by the SARU Executive Council.
It’s the penultimate round of Vodacom Cup league matches and while a few teams will struggle to make the quarter-finals, it’s make or break for seven provinces.
The fixtures, news and scores from the 2011 International Rugby Sevens Adelaide, the sixth leg of the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens World Series.
NZ 28 – 20 SA
Saturday will be a long long day for die hard rugby fans. In the early morning we have the Australian leg of the IRB Sevens. Followed by two South African teams playing New Zealand teams in New Zealand. Before the Lions take on the Reds, the gap is filled by an Australian derby. Saturday’s Super Rugby ends with a South African derby between the Sharks and the Stormers in Durban. Wait… thats not all, the second day of the HSBC sevens tournament starts at midnight in Australia.
Recently I found myself at a cross-road. For years I have made a mockery of the ‘entitlement’ sports fans believed they had over teams and players, only for myself to start believing the same thing… Continue reading
Ikey Tigers blow Shimlas away
FNB UCT produced a sensational first-half performance to put FNB Shimlas away 57-20 in their semifinal meeting in Cape Town, as they booked a place in the 2011 Varsity Cup Final for the third time in four years.
Tuks spoil UJ’s semifinal party
Speaking ahead of the Varsity Cup semifinals, FNB Tuks described their Last Four meeting with FNB UJ as a David v Goliath-type contest. Well, David – once again – felled Goliath as the fourth-placed Tuks beat the top-of-the-log UJ side by 25-11.
Continue reading
Herewith the schedule and results for Day 2 of the Tournament in Hong Kong.
With the energy, frequency and sheer number of matches in a competition like the Super 15, you almost never get a moment to sit down and reflect on issues, but I had to make the time to do just that. Continue reading
Like the legendary song by Don McLean, I believe we all lost something last night and whether or not you want to openly admit it, deep down we all know it. Continue reading
As we sit here in March 2011, the Cricket World Cup has hit the end of the group stages, & barring the heroic victory by Ireland over the very oldest of enemies, England, the minnows have by and large been crushed by the established Cricket playing nations.
Later this year the greater sporting love of most Rugby-Talk bloggers, Rugby Union will hold it’s version of the World Cup in New Zealand. Can we expect the same sort of pattern with the smaller nations or can we expect an upset or two?
Tight tight battle at the top for a Semi final spot.
The Champion, Blue Bulls suffered their third consecutive defeat of the season. Four teams, The Sharks , Griquas, Pampas XV and EP Kings are still unbeaten. The EP Kings had to forfeit the Log points of their first two games because they used illegitimate players in both matches. Read on for the match reports from Supersport
Correct me if i am wrong but is Jonathan Kaplan more in the news for the wrong reasons lately? The South African referee awarded a controversial try to Wales that left Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll seething.
England (9) 22 / Scotland (9) 16 (Final score)
England edged closer to their first Six Nations title and grand slam for eight years when they beat Scotland 22-16 on Sunday but they were made to work hard for their fourth successive victory.
Italy’s historic 22-21 victory over France.
Italy’s rugby players woke up on Sunday to find themselves making a rare appearance on the front pages of sport newspapers.
And they were lauded as “heroes” for securing their place in history with a “dream” victory.
The Bulls impressive home record was dashed this weekend by the most unlikely team. Continue reading
FNB UCT and FNB UJ are still unbeaten after four rounds of 2011 Varsity Cup action, with just one change on the log this week – at the bottom of the standings – as FNB Pukke finally scored their first league point of the season.
Scotland (9) 18/ Ireland (14) 21 (Final Score)
Ireland ran in three tries to set up a 21-18 victory over Scotland in their Six Nations clash at Murrayfield on Sunday.
The result left the Scots still without a point from three games. Ireland joined Wales and France on four points, two behind leaders England.
Three matches, beside the two important Super Rugby matches takes place in SA on Saturday afternoon and evening. The Vodacom Cup game between the Sharks vs Blue Bulls (14:30), italy vs Wales (16:30 SA Time) and England vs France (19:00 SA Time). This is the combined Score Update Article for these 3 matches.
Vodacom Cup: Sharks 30 / Blue Bulls 19 (Final Score)
Italy (11) 16 / Wales (21) 24 (Final Score)
England (9) 17 / France (9) 9 (Final Score)
Tommy Bowe is one of eight players that have been drafted into the Ireland squad and added to the match 22 that were on duty in the last round of the Six Nations Championship.
France coach Marc Lievremont has dropped scrumhalf Morgan Parra to the bench and promoted Dimitri Yachvili in one of six changes to the team to face England at Twickenham.
Wales have made one change to their starting line-up from the team who beat Scotland 24-6 for the Six Nations Round 3 clash against Italy in Rome on Saturday.
More than a dozen players who competed in pre-season Vodacom Super Rugby and Vodacom Cup matches, as well as in the FNB Varsity Cup were selected in the South Africa Under-20 squad that will travel to Argentina to participate in a series of internationals against Argentina in March.
BIG-SPENDING French club Toulon has given up on getting Sonny Bill Williams back on their books after the Rugby World Cup.
ROBBIE DEANS is expected to be reappointed Wallabies coach before the World Cup in September for at least two more seasons.