General
Warren Whiteley
Inspirational Emirates Lions captain Warren Whiteley has recovered from the calf strain that kept him out of the Super Rugby semifinal last week, and returns to lead the team in the final against the Hurricanes in Wellington New Zealand on Saturday.
Ruan Ackermann drops to the bench, and is joined by Lourens Erasmus and Ross Cronjé.
Herewith the Lions’ media statement.
A new eight-year deal worth more than £225m has been agreed between the Rugby Football Union and Premiership clubs – with England getting more flexibility and greater player access in return.
Clubs will earn more for releasing players for international duty, as well as meeting the English-qualified players target and academy standards.
England will get two more training camps a season and larger elite squad.
“This is a true partnership,” said RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie.
“[It is] focused on making English rugby the best in the world for club and country.”
The agreement is worth more than double the previous one, which was signed in 2007, and will give England greater flexibility in selection, with the Elite Player Squad (EPS) expanded from 33 to 45 players, while during core periods 36 players can be selected for camps rather than 33.
Hi,
We have 2 NEW SuperBru Pools for all to join!
- The World Rugby Under 20 Championship (Junior World Cup) 2016 starts on 7 June 2016 (today), so hurry up and do not delay to register for it!
- The June Internationals 2016 starts on 11 June 2016, register for it too, whilst the iron is hot!
This year we are doing it a bit differently and opened our Pools up to all readers of Rugby-Talk.com, but we encourage you to register as a subsciber on Rugby-Talk.com anyway, as our banter and commenting about our Pools will mostly take place here on the website and not on the SuperBru banter boards! It is so easy to register and such fun to discuss rugby here.
Rory Lamont: On-field treatment following Fibula fracture against France in 2012
The relationship between Rory Lamont and rugby has always been uneasy. When it was good, it was really good: 29 Scotland caps, two World Cups, and stints in Europe’s top leagues with Toulon, Sale and Glasgow.
When it was bad, it was really bad: whispering campaigns about his attitude, 16 operations, “double figure” concussions. By the time the game ran out of uses for him, the feeling was entirely mutual.
Three years ago this week, Lamont announced his retirement. The last of his many injuries, a lower leg fracture from the previous year, hadn’t properly healed and the end came as a relief.
“I was thinking, ‘finally it’s over’. I felt like an animal being put out of its misery. I’d had a miserable year, people questioning my integrity, and I couldn’t wait to crack on with my life and all the amazing things I was going to do.”
Never did he picture becoming a recluse, battling severe depression and suicidal thoughts. Nowhere in the retirement brochure did it say he’d lose 25kg in four months and be unable to stomach solids for a further five. The bit about being so low he hoped he’d be run over by a bus? Not what he’d signed up for either.
The conditions could not have been more different as PRO Rugby launched its maiden season with 2 games on Sunday. In Denver there was an epic snowstorm; in Sacramento the match was played in near ideal California conditions.
What was not different was the intensity on and off the pitch in Denver, where the hosts beat Ohio 16 / 13 in an overtime thriller, and Sacramento, who beat rivals San Francisco 37 / 25. Both games exhibited the potential of a bright future for American rugby.
“We strive for perfection,” said Sacramento head coach Luke Gross, once of the US Eagles and Newcastle Falcons second rows. “It wasn’t perfect today but a lot of good things happened and we have a lot to work on.”
Those words could easily be applied to PRO Rugby’s opening day. The league was able to accomplish something no one had ever achieved in America: have fans pay to watch 2 professional sides predominantly made up of American players. Nearly 6 000 fans showed up between Denver and Sacramento. In its 1st season, the league is targeting 3 000 – 4 000 fans per match.
More than 70 doctors and academics are calling for a ban on tackling in rugby matches played in UK and Irish schools.
In an open letter to ministers, they say injuries from this “high-impact collision sport” can have lifelong consequences for children.
They argue 2 3rds of injuries in youth rugby and most concussions are down to tackles and urge schools to move to touch and non-contact rugby.
Supporters say rugby builds character and other forms are less challenging.
The concerns have been raised as a 7-year programme headed by the Rugby Football Union is on target to introduce rugby to a million children in state schools across England.
The RFU’s programme, which began in 2012 and is running until 2019, has so far reached 400 schools, with 350 to follow.
Hi,
We have 3 NEW SuperBru Pools for all to join!
- The RBS 6 Nations 2016 starts on 6 February 2016, so hurry up and do not delay to register for it!
- The Varsity Cup 2016 starts on 8 February 2016, register for it too, whilst the iron is hot!
- The Super Rugby 2016 starts on 26 February, we are well within time, but do not delay and register for it!
This year we will do it a bit differently and open our Pools up to all readers of Rugby-Talk.com, but we encourage you to register as a subsciber on Rugby-Talk.com anyway, as our banter and commenting about our Pools will mostly take place here on the website and not on the SuperBru banter boards! It is so easy to register and such fun to discuss rugby here.
I found the article below on a website called rugbybetting.com (See the Link to the original Article by clicking HERE). The article is actually not about betting. It put the racial policy of SA rugby within context of the World Rugby rule book. Interesting perspectives. I thought the rugby-talk readers might enjoy this.
The World Rugby (formerly known as the IRB) rule book on racial discrimination reads as follows:
In terms of By-Law 3 of the IRB rules and regulations, the IRB is compelled to prevent any form of racial discrimination in rugby. IRB Regulation 20 also stipulates that any action which may be construed as racial discrimination will be regarded as misconduct. In terms of By-Law 7, not only is a country’s international team bound to this; the provincial rugby unions resorting under a country’s board must adhere to these principles as well. In terms of By-Law 9.4(r) the IRB may institute disciplinary steps against any rugby body that violates these rules.
DAVID BOWIE (David Robert Jones)
8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016
Music Icon of the last 40 years, David Bowie passed away unexpectedly on Sunday evening at his home in New York, after an 18 month battle with liver cancer.
Bowie will be remembered as an artist who shaped the musical thinking of a generation, and who unashamedly did things the way he wanted.
On this, the 1st “Pub Night” of 2016, please feel free to post your tributes to David in the form of his music, as well as that of those he collaborated with and influenced.
Kellands Park
Co-Leader of Aberdeenshire Council, Councillor Martin Kitts-Hayes and the Chair of the local branch of the Samaritans Peter Benton will plant a tree to remember those lost to suicide in the north east of Scotland.
The tree planting and dedication ceremony will take place in Kellands Park, Inverurie at 12:00pm on Saturday 12th December.
Officials and players from Garioch and Shetland Rugby Clubs are expected to attend the event ahead of their match.
Last year 60 people from the north east of Scotland died by suicide – leaving a lasting impact on families, friends and communities.
Cllr Kitts-Hayes said: “I am honoured to be asked to be a part of this ceremony. It is important, that we offer support to those who have been close to someone who has taken their own life and to raise awareness of suicide to encourage people to seek help.”
Lily Partridge
A 23-year-old rugby player with a history of concussions has died after suffering a head injury during a match.
Lily Partridge collapsed by the side of the pitch after being injured at North Tawton’s ground in Devon on Sunday.
Her life-support machine was switched off in hospital in Exeter on Monday night, her family confirmed.
Her club said she had suffered “a couple” of concussions previously, but had taken out the recommended time from playing and had consulted a doctor.
“She took a month off and was symptom free before she returned to playing,” said Katie Lunnon, captain of the Topsham-based Exonian Ladies team.
The RFU is investigating the circumstances of the injury, which happened during the women’s development tournament.
Ms Partridge, who was a part-time teacher and also worked at Shaldon Zoo, had played for Exonian Ladies for about 18 months. She was also the club’s social secretary of the club.
Carlisle United players have offered to help people in their community affected by flooding caused by Storm Desmond.
Tens of thousands of homes across northern England and parts of Scotland are without power after the floods and Cumbria is one of the worst-hit areas.
Carlisle’s players volunteered their services after winning 5 / 0 at Welling on Sunday in the FA Cup 2nd Round.
The club’s home ground, Brunton Park, close to both the rivers Petteril and Eden, has been engulfed by flood water.
In the aftermath of the recent attacks in Paris, the SA Rugby Legends Association have joined forces with the large Gauteng-based French community to honour those fallen and to help raise funds to assist the families who lost loved ones in the attacks.
On Saturday 28 November, the Legends will do just that by playing a special match against the French community, comprising Frenchmen who have played rugby at various levels.
The event will take place at the French International School – Lycee Francais Jules Verne – in Morningside from 12:00 SA Time, with the match starting at 14:00 SA Time.
Nicole Sapstead – UK Anti-doping’s Chief Executive
Steroid abuse is “off-the-scale” in Welsh grassroots and semi-professional rugby, it has been claimed.
UK Anti-Doping figures reveal players from Wales make up 33% of all sportsmen and women serving drugs bans.
An ex-player, who took drugs, said he is surprised more have not been banned.
But WRU chief Martyn Phillips is not “overly concerned” because the number tested is proportionately higher than in other rugby unions and sports.
The player, who would not be named, said: “It’s totally off-the-scale. I think people are probably blind to it and if the truth came out I think there would be probably a lot more players who are banned from playing.”
The numbers caught are a small percentage of the thousands that play rugby, however 17 Welsh rugby union and league players, from grassroots to semi-pro, are currently banned, with the majority found to have traces of anabolic steroids in their systems.
10 Of those banned are from rugby union and form the majority of the 16 players banned from the sport across the UK.
UK Anti-Doping said the other 7 are among 14 players banned from rugby league.
World Rugby Council has approved the application by the Rwanda Rugby Federation (RRF) as a full member union, bringing the total number to 103 full members and 17 associates.
The RRF became an associate member of World Rugby in April 2004 and is a full member of Rugby Africa, the regional association. The union actively partakes in regional activities and participates in a range of Rugby Africa tournaments. It is recognised by its National Olympic Committee and fulfils World Rugby’s full membership criteria.
The RRF runs a national 15-a-side team and, in total, has 10 teams participating in a domestic 15-a-side league with more than 300 registered adult male players, 60 adult female players and nearly 7 000 youth players. The union is a structured organisation, administered by a full-time CEO and a number of volunteers.
The application was supported by the World Rugby Executive Committee, Rugby Africa and World Rugby’s Rugby Services Manager (Africa).
A professional Rugby Union competition structure is to be launched in North America for the 1st time next year, as officials aim to capitalise on the increasing popularity of the sport.
A statement from the Professional Rugby Organization (PRO) said the 6-team league will kick off in April 2016 with the blessing of USA Rugby and World Rugby, the sport’s international governing body.
It will be the 1st time the sport has had a professional league in the region, where rugby is barely noticeable in a sporting landscape dominated by American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey.
The teams will be based in major metropolitan areas around the northeast United States, the Rocky Mountains and California, a statement said.
Teams from Canada would be added to an expanded competition in 2017.
“As the fastest growing team sport in the USA, it is the time to have a sanctioned professional competition,” USA Rugby chairman Bob Latham said.
Nelson Mandela & Francois Pienaarin 1995, winning the Rugby World Cup
The late former South African state President Nelson Mandela had been, posthumously, inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
The special ceremony took place at St James’ Park in Newcastle on Saturday, before the Springboks’ 34 / 16 victory over Scotland in a World Cup Pool B match.
World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset presented the coveted Hall of Fame cap to the Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation, Gert Oosthuizen and Francois Pienaar, captain of the South Africa team that won the Rugby World Cup of 1995 on home soil.
Lapasset said: “The World Rugby Hall of Fame recognises those who have made an indelible mark on our sport through feats on the field of play, displays of great character or through their tireless and inspirational work in driving forward our great game.
Jack Parow
One of South Africa’s most loved rugby teams, the Vodacom Blue Bulls, have partnered with Movember and their long-term ambassador Jack Parow this year to help raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues including prostate and testicular cancer, as well as male mental health.
In support of the annual Movember campaign which sees men grow moustaches to raise awareness and funds the team have set up a Blue Bulls network on Movember.com and are encouraging fans to support them and join their team on the website. To raise funds, the Vodacom Blue Bulls will also be selling raffle tickets in aid of Movember in conjunction with ticket sales for the upcoming ABSA Currie Cup home game at Loftus against Eastern Province Kings on Friday 2 October 2015.
Along with a variety of prizes including a weekend away for 2 at a Tsogo Sun resort, an SAB hamper, an AFGRI hamper and signed Vodacom Blue Bulls merchandise, rapper Jack Parow has donated a bespoke limited edition Parow Pythons Rugby jersey.
One of the world’s leading rugby training websites has been revamped as a mobile-friendly platform dedicated to free rugby drills and tutorials in which the world’s rugby community, including leading coaches and players provide expert content.
All of RugbyIQ’s video content is reviewed and vetted by the experienced Rugby IQ coaching staff as well as the online community who have the ability to rate every drill and tutorial they view or use. Through this community based rating system and expert reviews users can expect to only see relevant content that will support all the skills needed to play the demanding game of rugby.
RugbyIQ is the brainchild of Greg Commins a former representative player for Western Province and Border, who partnered with the Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby, Gary Gold, and former Springbok Strength Coach Steve McIntyre (Rugby World Cup winner 2007) to offer the online master classes and tutorials, suitable for everyone from beginners to professional players and coaches.
What has made RugbyIQ so appealing to international audiences, particularly in those countries where rugby’s popularity is growing exponentially, is the fact that absolutely no subscription fee is required – the content is completely free to view by any school, club or union anywhere in the world.
The RugbyIQ team prides itself on offering specialised guides that tackle every possible situation that may arise in a game, whether in the 15s or 7s format. Where paid sites detract from training and skills analysis by presenting random, often irrelevant content, RugbyIQ gets straight to the heart of the game by providing insights that assist in the conditioning of players and coaches both on and off the field.
Twenty-five greats of the game whose careers spanned 3 centuries have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Wembley on Sunday at 18:00 SA Time (17:00 BST, 16:00 GMT)
Players from 7 different countries and a wide array of backgrounds were honoured at a special presentation in the Spirit of Rugby lounge at Wembley Stadium before the eagerly awaited Rugby World Cup 2015 Pool C match between New Zealand and Argentina.
From the pioneering 19th century Welsh tactician Gwyn Nichols to Rugby World Cup winners in Australian centre Tim Horan and South African scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen, the latest induction list reads like a ‘who’s who’ of rugby.
18 Captains of their countries are included. Irishman Fergus Slattery and Mervyn Davies are 2 of the names that ‘The voice of rugby’ Bill McLaren, the only non-international to feature in the latest Round of inductions, once reeled off in his unforgettable BBC commentaries.
Twice-capped coaching guru Carwyn James is 1 of 7 Welshmen to be inducted, while South Africa have 5 representatives. England, Ireland and Scotland have 3 apiece and 2 each from France and Australia make up the 25.
Mourad Boudjellal
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has denied any wrongdoing on the part of the club or players with regard to allegations surrounding a criminal investigation.
Reports in French media have stated that pharmacists illegally distributed products to the French Top 14 club’s players.
Prosecutors in Marseille confirmed on Tuesday that they have launched an investigation into the practices of a number of pharmacies in Toulon following a notification from AFDL, France’s anti-doping authority.
However, Boudjellal has held a press conference to rubbish the reports.
Tshidiso Mokhoanatse
The man trying to stop the Springboks from leaving South Africa needs to find a lawyer, a judge cautioned him on Wednesday, as he is jumping into waters where there are “fish that bite”.
“You may find that you are traversing an area which is like a pond on the surface. It looks calm, but underneath the waters flow with tremendous force, if you are not familiar with that terrain,” Judge Ntendeya Mavundla cautioned Tshidiso Mokhoanatse.
He was referring to the debate about transformation in sport, and society in general.
The leader of the Agency for New Agenda party was about to jump into the deep end and tackle the case on his own, when Mavundla advised him it would be best to get a “scuba diver” to help him.
Mavundla stood the matter down until 14:00 SA Time for a lawyer from the Bar Council or Law Society to help him.
Hi,
We hav a new SuperBru Pool for the Rugby World Cup for all to join!
As is usual, Rugby-Talk.com’s SuperBru Pools are open for ALL REGISTERED SUBSCRIBERS of Rugby-Talk.com, so if you are not yet registered here on Rugby-Talk.com, do so without delay! It is so easy to register and such fun to discuss rugby here.
International rugby’s ruling body, World Rugby, are expected to sanction an experiment in Wales that will see 6 points being awarded for tries and 2 points for all kicks…
The sports governing body are constantly reviewing the rules in rugby and looking at ways to improve the game and this experiment is expected to promote scoring tries instead taking kicks for points.
The experiement is expected to go ahead in Wales’ 2nd-tier Premiership which is made up of semi-professional teams and includes some of the biggest clubs in the history of the Welsh game and includes Pontypridd, Llanelli, Cardiff and Newport.
Hi Rugby-Talkers,
We have just surpassed the 16 Million Page Impressions mark, since we started counting on 31 October 2009!
It feels like just the other day when we hit 12 Million Pages…
And so the marker fly by one at a time each next one faster than the one before.
What more can I say but to just bask in the glory of our Rugby Community right here on Rugby-Talk!
OK, that was just a quick heads up, back to writing more rugby news…
Friends and rugby supporters,
It would have flown by me totally, if I was not reminded by our friend, BrumbiesBoy, that Rugby-Talk.com celebrates it’s 6th Birthday today!
Dang, time has flown by fast!
6 Years old… ready for the BIG WORLD. I think this calls for celebrations and jubilation of epic proportions!
Let me put it bluntly, a heap of work and countless hours have gone into making Rugby-Talk.com what it is, there is simply no way around that. From time to time one wonders whether the effort is worthwhile, then there are the sudden real pleasurable occasions, like last night’s conversation where we went back in time about the start of TV in South Africa in 1976, or like a really busy Live Game discussion on match days, or when we see a fabulous rugby match and all take pleasure in the way our Sport is executed.
I have always followed through on things in life and Rugby-Talk.com is no different, may it continue forever…
We’ll continue enjoying Rugby Union as our Sport and here’s hoping that Rugby-Talk.com continues to grow from strenght to strenght and continues to make a valuable contribution to rugby!
Let me give you a little insight into where Rugby-Talk.com comes from and where it stands today…
Rugby-Talk.com started as a break-away from another rugby discussion web site, when myself and some friends were extremely unhappy about the degeneration of commenting on this other web site. We were not satisfied about the racial slurring, personal attacks and the total disinterest of that site’s management in curbing and arresting this trend. Needless to say, that site has since vanished from the interwebs.
Our initial goal of creating a more friendly rugby discussion environment meant that we set out with firm resolve to set a standard and good measure of control, according to the initial values we were striving for and those values have not changed. Even when it meant I had to shout at times and make myself unpopular, it was done AND it will continue to be done!
We will not be swayed to relax our stance, control and changing the successful formula of this web site, it is absolutely non-negotiable!
A pure hobby and friendly discussion amongst likeminded friends at Rugby-Talk.com exploded very rapidly into the beast we know today.
Andrew Hore
Retired All Black Andrew Hore is facing a firearms charge, for the 2nd time.
The 36-year-old Hore will appear in the Alexandra District Court on Tuesday – where he will be charged with supplying a firearm to a non-licensed holder following an accident on the 1st weekend of duck shooting season.
A police spokesman said the charge was laid following an incident on 2 May at Patearoa when a 23-year-old was shot in the elbow.
A number of people had been driving in an all-terrain vehicle when as the ATV went over a rise, the victim fell off, along with 2 firearms.
“As the firearms hit the ground, 1 discharged and shot the man in the elbow.”
Hi,
We have 2 NEW SuperBru Pools for all to join!
- An abbreviated version of The Rugby Championship 2015 starts on 17 July 2015, so hurry up and do not delay to register for it!
- The ABSA Currie Cup 2015 starts on 7 August 2015, register for it too, whilst the iron is hot!
- The Rugby World Cup 2015 starts on 18 September 2015, however, there is no provision for Pools for it yet on SuperBru… hang in there, soon we’ll have a Pool for that one too!
As is usual, Rugby-Talk.com’s SuperBru Pools are open for ALL REGISTERED SUBSCRIBERS of Rugby-Talk.com, so if you are not yet registered here on Rugby-Talk.com, do so without delay! It is so easy to register and such fun to discuss rugby here.
Following their official affiliation into the SARU fold last year, the SA Deaf National Rugby team are set to play a historic 1st ever Test series against the current deaf World Champions, Wales during August.
Bernard Lapasset
No Shit Sherlock, finally we have a replacement for Brainy Smurf!!
Apologies, I could not help that, it just blurted out and it was as if my fingers were typing in automatic mode….
Well, the opinion by World Rugby’s president, Bernard Lappasset when commenting on Rugby Sevens’ growing popularity and competitaveness ahead of its return to the Olympic programme next year, which has led to a rethinking of 15’s role in the game leads him to the conclusion that Rugby 15’s need some reform!
The 67-year-old Frenchman, speaking on Tuesday ahead of a lucrative sponsorship announcement of both the men’s and for the 1st time the women’s sevens series, said there was a need for a new system for the 15’s version of the sport.
“We need to open up a new system for the 15 discipline,” he said.
“To bring the northern and southern hemisphere programmes closer together.
Late Brett Williams
The lone remaining accused, Blayne Shepard, was found guilty of culpable homicide for the incident which took place after a Super Rugby match between the Sharks and the Melbourne Rebels, where Mr Brett Williams died after assault.
The Sharks Media Release Reads as follows:
The Sharks welcome the judgment delivered yesterday in the Brett Williams murder case, which tragically occurred on the outer-fields at Growthpoint Kings Park in 2013.
We thrive on creating a family environment at the stadium where all ages can enjoy a wonderful matchday experience in a safe and secure environment. We have a zero tolerance policy with regard to untoward behaviour at the stadium and we don’t condone this in the strictest terms.
In the last year, we have focussed extensively from moving away from a club culture within the stadium to a more family orientated focus with the implementation of an outer-field market, a supervised kids dugout area, the Mangwanani Spa offering on matchday as well as many other exciting initiatives, which is aimed at providing world-class entertainment for our patrons.
Georgia Page
A female rugby player showed the boys how it’s done when she made 2 bone-crunching tackles after breaking her nose on the pitch.
Georgia Page, an Australian who plays for US university team Lindenwood, broke her nose during a match against Notre Dame earlier this week.
Instead of calling time on her game, she soldiered on – making 2 further tackles with blood streaming down her face – and winning legions of supporters on social media.
USA Sevens Rugby tweeted out a picture and video of Ms Page during the match, referring to her as the “the Rugby War Goddess,” much to the amusement of the goddess herself who replied: “this is great”.
Hello fellas & flatties,
This Pool was opened POST HASTE, as I nearly forgot to do it.
Here are the details of our latest SuperBru Pool, but I’ve left it rather late, so please hurry joining up and doing your first picks, the TOURNAMENT starts TODAY!
Pool Name: Rugby-Talk JWC 2015
Pool Code: examrags
Remember, as per usual, the Pool is open to all REGISTERED Rugby-Talkers, so if you are not subscribed yet, do so and enjoy the Pool with us!
But grant me the opportunity to also explain why you need to do it quickly and at the same time excuse my oversight for only doing it now… let me tell you the story!
Hi rugby friends,
Quite a landmark was hit somewhere today… we went over 15 Million Page Impressions!!!
I never thought, 5 years, 9 months and 20 days ago that Rugby-Talk.com would develop into the beast it has become, not in my wildest dreams!
As of writing this newsletter, we stand on 15 001 740 Page Impressions (since measurement started on 31 October 2009), with 12 520 News Articles PLUS 242 other live Pages and 409 195 Comments. It is a fenominal feat, I am totally gobsmacked feel like jumping over the moon about it.
It takes hard work and dedication and a very real love for Rugby Union to keep the portal going and it takes a loyal en fervent readership, who also love the sport to make it the success it has been for a long time and will continue to be long into the future.
To every author, contributor, user and reader of Rugby-Talk.com, a sincere word of thanks and appreciation, it is deeply felt!
Keep reading, keep commenting and keep supporting not only this website, but the sport we enjoy so much.
It’s PUB NIGHT again…
The heading suggests we talk about the Final Conference Rounds of Super Rugby. The DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls are running neck in neck on the SA Conference, followed closely by the Emirates Lions… followed far up the rear by the Cell C Sharks and Toyota Cheetahs.
If you are a Stormers or Lions supporter, you should be happy with the past weekend’s results, if you are a Bulls supporter you will be on your knees every night praying for a Super, Super Rugby tour, starting with the Blues on Friday!
If you are a Sharks or Cheetahs supporter, the past weekend’s Mother’s Day celebreationswill have far more importance than the performance of their rugby sides… if one could call them that… hehehe.
The Stormers are back in the lead in the SA Conference, the Bulls on the same Log points but behind in games won… although they have a game in hand against the Stormers.
The Lions came back from way behind, to shut the Highlanders out on the weekend whereas the Stormers won by a measly 1 point against a niggly Brumbies side.. after Christian Lealiifano managed to duff a final conversion attempt from smack bang in front. The Bulls and Cheetahs rested some weary bodies, whereas the Sharks went done again on the weekend against the Hurricanes.
This next weekend, Super Rugby will continue, 2 games on Friday and 4 games on Saturday.
I guess this makes for a few good discussions!
It is time to straddle a bar stool and order a drink or 2.
Let’s focus on the PUB tonight…. the idea with PUB NIGHT is to lighten up our dull Tuesday evenings with music, comedy and fun.
Rugby takes a backseat tonight as the clan and fellow rugby nutters gather and wheel in their old friends…
Read the rules below carefully, or you WILL get burnt!
Just for clarity sake, when someone does not adhere to the Rules of the PUB, EVERYBODY jumps on them and pummels them, right… understood?
Here’s how it works: