Player Movements
Damian de Allende with crutches
DHL Stormers midfielder Damian de Allende was forced to withdraw from the Springbok squad on Monday and will be replaced by Marnitz Boshoff, flyhalf of the Golden Lions.
De Allende, one of seven uncapped players in the Springbok squad, suffered a medial knee ligament injury in the DHL Stormers’ last Vodacom Super Rugby match, against the Cell C Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
The 22-year-old centre was taken for scans by the Springboks’ medical team on Monday morning and will be sidelined for between four and six weeks, ruling him out of the Castle Lager Incoming Series.
Jake White
Heyneke Meyer
On Rugby-Talk recently, debate in the comments sections between Sharks supporters and other South African supporters often turned and revolved around Jake White’s management or mismanagement of his core players and around the players who will have to do duty for the national side, the Springboks.
The argument often used by Sharks supporters were that the June Internationals are less important, against weakened sides and that Jake White needed to do exactly like he did, play his players week after week and arguably into the ground.
Players like Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Willem Albers and more pertinetly Francois Steyn have looked increasingly jaded and this past weekend’s Sharks loss against the Stormers was a stark reminder of the situation.
One of the regular journalists I share the Press Box at Loftus Versfeld with, Brenden Nel, of SuperSport, penned an interesting article on this same matter. I think he nails this one on the head, here is what he says:
Schalk Burger
Western Province & Stormers Rugby stalwart Schalk Burger has signed a two-year contract with Japanese club, Suntory Sungoliath, but he will continue to be available to play for the DHL Stormers.
“First of all, I think everybody would agree with me when I say that Schalk Burger has been one of WP Rugby’s most loyal sons of the modern professional rugby era,” said WPRFU President Thelo Wakefield.
Jason Woodward
Jason Woodward will leave the Rebels at season’s end after agreeing terms on a two-year deal to return home and represent the Hurricanes.
Woodward will return to New Zealand, where he will attempt to fulfil his childhood ambition and represent his country as an All Black.
Woodward said although he would be leaving Melbourne with a heavy heart, returning home to be part of the Hurricanes club was an offer he couldn’t turn down.
Stephen Moore
Veteran hooker Stephen Moore will captain the Wallabies in the opening Test against France this coming weekend, coach Ewen McKenzie said Monday.
Moore, 31, is Australia’s most capped hooker with 91 Tests and is in his 10th season with the Wallabies.
“It is a huge personal achievement in being chosen to lead your country,” McKenzie said.
England head coach Stuart Lancaster has added 16 players to their New Zealand tour squad after Northampton Saints and Saracens completed their domestic season.
The 16 players have been drawn from Aviva Premiership finalists Northampton Saints and Saracens, along with Bath Rugby’s Anthony Watson and Harlequins’ Kyle Sinckler, will fly to New Zealand on Monday night and arrive in Auckland on Wednesday morning.
England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said, “We are looking forward to the guys flying in and adding to the group. ”
Jake White
Cell C Sharks coach Jake White agreed that the last gasp defeat to the DHL Stormers in the final Vodacom Super Rugby match before the June break was a massive blow to his team, but he refused at the post-match press conference to let the disappointment cloud his perspective.
“Look, if you had asked me at the start of the competition if I would buy a situation where we would be going into the June break at the top of the log by two points with two matches for us to play, I would happily have brought that,” said White.
Seven uncapped players, Damian de Allende, Lood de Jager, Cornal Hendricks, Teboho Mohoje, S’bura Sithole, Marcel van der Merwe and Callie Visagie, have been called up to Springbok duty as part of a 36-man squad for the Castle Lager Incoming Series next month.
The squad also includes experienced World Cup winners Schalk Burger and Victor Matfield, while there is a return to the Springboks for Schalk Brits, Juan de Jongh, Francois Hougaard, Lwazi Mvovo and Frans Steyn, all of whom last played Test rugby in 2012.
The national selectors have also kept a great deal of continuity. In total, 12 players who started the final Test of 2013, where the Springboks beat France in Paris for the first time in 16 years, have been retained in the squad.
However, notable omissions include Springbok captain and SARU’s Player of the Year in 2013, Jean de Villiers, who is out with a knee injury, and the Young Player of the Year for the last two seasons and IRB Player of the Year nominee last year, Eben Etzebeth, who has been given more time to fully recover from the foot injury which has kept him sidelined this entire season.
The Springboks will also be without one of their vice-captains, Adriaan Strauss, who has been suspended for three matches as well as the experienced Jaque Fourie, who started all three Tests last November but has been ruled out with an ankle injury and Pat Lambie, a regular member of the squad for the last two years.
Deon Fourie
The Stormers will be without the services of hooker Deon Fourie for their Super Rugby match against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
While coach Allister Coetzee on Thursday named Fourie as his starting hooker for the game at Kings Park, it has been revealed that he had to pull out due to concussion.
This means the inexperienced Stephan Coetzee moves into the starting team to face Sharks captain Bismarck du Plessis, while Mike Willemse is likely to take Coetzee’s place on the bench.
Zac Guildford
Former All Blacks winger Zac Guildford has had his contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union terminated, freeing him for a move to France.
The 25-year-old Guildford had already said he would be joining Clermont Auvergne at the conclusion of his Super Rugby commitments with the Canterbury Crusaders.
Guildford, however, has not featured this season for the seven-time champions and had been reduced to playing club rugby in Christchurch and his home town of Napier.
Clyde Rathbone
Forgotten Wallaby wing Clyde Rathbone will retire at the end of the season after being called up by the Brumbies for his first Super Rugby game this year.
Rathbone, 32, who has not featured for the Brumbies since last year’s Final against the Chiefs – as a result of injury and illness – will play on the left wing against the Rebels in Canberra on Saturday.
South African-born Rathbone, who has had a chequered playing career punctuated by serious injuries, said he would be calling it quits.
Francois Steyn
Cell C Sharks backline star Frans Steyn is unlikely to feature for the Springboks in the June Internationals.
Steyn was one of 10 players who took no or little part in the field sessions at the Springbok training camp in Durban, which concluded on Wednesday.
Steyn has been suffering from a chronic knee dysfunction which has been managed by Sharks and upon a request from his franchise, the load on his knee was limited by keeping him out of training.
While the severity of the injury will only be confirmed later in the week, Steyn is expected to miss the June internationals. It is also possible that Steyn could miss the latter stages of Super Rugby, which would be a body blow to the Sharks.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made three changes to his starting pack of forwards for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Lions at Ellis Park.
Jacques Engelbrecht moves from the bench to start at No 8, with Grant Hattingh moving to lock in place of Victor Matfield who is rested. In another rotational swop, Marcel van der Merwe will start at tight head, with Werner Kruger playing off the bench.
Wimpie van der Walt replaces Engelbrecht on the bench, where there is also a return for Louis Fouché. The flyhalf will replace Handré Pollard, who is captaining the Junior Springboks in New Zealand. William Small-Smith is also back after illness and replaces Ulrich Beyers on the bench.
Kieran Read
The Crusaders made just one change to their team to play the Western Force in the opening match of Super Rugby’s Round 16.
The Crusaders captain Kieran has been named to return from a six-week lay-off, after taking a head knock against the Chiefs.
Read will captain the side and play at No 8.
Will Genia
Reds scrumhalf Will Genia will earn his 100th cap this Friday in their clash against the Highlanders at Suncorp Stadium.
Genia made his debut for Queensland in 2006 against Japan, before his first Super Rugby appearance the following year. He has since become an integral member of the Reds and was highly influential during their 2011 Super Rugby title-winning season.
Now in his eighth season of Super Rugby, Genia said running out for his 100th Queensland cap would be his most cherished milestone to date.
Owen Williams
Leicester flyhalf Owen Williams will miss Wales’ tour of South Africa in June after being given a six-week ban which sidelines him until 1 September.
Williams, 22, would have been hoping to earn his first senior cap in the Test series with the Springboks, but the Rugby Football Union has handed a lengthy suspension to Williams, who pleaded guilty for acts contrary to good sportsmanship.
Super Rugby is regarded in the Southern Hemisphere as the elite stepping stone towards Test rugby, and while the penultimate year before a Rugby World Cup is rarely considered as an experimentally season, future development and injuries will likely dictate some new faces will appear.
We run the rule over the players who could be heading for the highest honour their national union can bestow upon them.
The All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies will reveal their final June squads at the conclusion of Super Rugby Round 16.
I was sitting bored on my day off, at home, watching whatever DSTV dished up as re-runs were as usual the norm. Anyhow as it is, I sat tweeting to a few friends when I came across an article written by a young black Sharks supporter, who I have on many occasions had the pleasure of chatting to on Sharksworld.
This young man happens to be a black man, but most of all he is a “RUGBY” lover of note, there is hardly a day that will go bye that he will not be online and discuss the sport he loves, be it on Twitter or on a blog.
If there is one thing I have seen from this young man, is that he is very honest in his opinions, he is actually a very good example of being a true rugby supporter. There are so many blogs one can visit and see people from all sides making total fools of themselves as they try to justify their knowledge or love for the game, but very few come across this honest.
Heyneke Meyer emotional and animated in the game between Wallabies vs Springboks, The Rugby Championship, Brisbane, 7 September 2013
The June Internationals are close at hand and Heyneke Meyer has already showed his hand to a certain extent by selecting a Springbok Training Group, which currently excludes players plying their trade in the UK and Europe.
The recent injury to Springbok captain, Jean de Villiers, now determines that a “Stand-in” Springbok captain will have to be selected and coupled to this the Springbok midfield positions are bound to be re-constituted.
Injuries to key players, specially flyhalf, as well as the 3-match suspension of Adriaan Strauss at hooker will see some juggling around of the match-day 23 and some very clear thinking will be required by Heyneke Meyer to address these issues.
We take a look at the Springbok Captaincy candidates as well as midfield combination and look at hooker options to function as back-up to Bismarck du Plessis.
Manuel Carizza
Argentinian lock Manuel Carizza looks set to make a return to Super Rugby after an injury-enforced lay-off from the game.
The towering second-row forward tore wrist ligaments early in the season when playing in the Stormers’ second game of the 2014 season.
He looked in fine nick at Monday’s training session at City Park, and Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said he’ll be considered for the run-on XV for Saturday’s derby against the table-topping Sharks in Durban.
Wing Kobus van Wyk, one of the four try-scorers against the Cheetahs last weekend, has another wrist injury and he will possibly be sidelined for three weeks.
Aaron Cruden
Kieran Read
Steve Hansen has put a timer on flyhalf Aaron Cruden and No.8 Kieran Read to get match fit if they are to be slected for the first Test against England after lenghthy lay-offs.
Read is no longer feeling the symptoms of concussion and is fit and ready to play in the Crusaders last game before the international break.
The burly No 8 looked back to his old self as he ran with the national squad and All Blacks coach Steve Hansen indicated his star forward was likely to make his much awaited return for the Crusaders this weekend.
Charlie Ngatai
Chiefs centre Charlie Ngatai has re-signed with the back-to-back champions for the next two years.
The former national age grade sprint champion has played 19 matches for the Chiefs, proving to be quick and versatile, with the ability to play anywhere in the backline.
Riki Flutey
Former British and Irish Lions and England back Riki Flutey hopes to make a comeback in Super Rugby next year, after signing a one year contract with the Wellington Lions.
Thirty-four-year-old Flutey has signed the one year contract with the Wellington Lions with the goal of securing a Hurricanes Super Rugby contract in 2015.
Flutey has spent the last two years playing in Japan after returning from England where he played for London Wasps and he now wants to play local rugby in new Zealand again.
Cheetahs and South Africa hooker Adriaan Strauss has been banned for three weeks for a tip-tackle, ruling him out of the Wales series.
The Sanzar duty judicial officer Adam Casselden has accepted a guilty plea from Strauss for contravening Law 10.4 (j) Lifting Tackle, after he was cited during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.
Strauss has been suspended from all forms of the game for three weeks up to and including 21 June 2014.
Juandre Kruger has been added to the Barbarians squad to face England on June 1, a week before he is set to face his home-nation as part of the World XV.
The Barbarians game can be viewed as a warm-up match for a number of players who feature in both Dean Ryan’s Baa-Baas and Nick Mallett’s World XV
Juandre Kruger, Hosea Gear, James O’Connor, Francois Trinh-Duc, Rene Ranger, Schalk Ferreira, Mamuka Gorgodze, Sona Taumalolo, Jimmy Cowan, Andrew Hore, Alexandre Lapandry, Roger Wilson, Joe Tekori will all feature in both invitational teams.
Head coach Dean Ryan has at his disposal an experienced group totalling more than 700 international caps.
A dozen players have been added to the initial Barbarians group including Ireland lock Donncha O’Callaghan, France fly half Francois Trinh-Duc, South Africa second row Juandre Kruger and Argentina full back Juan Martin Hernandez.
Nine different nations are represented – six New Zealanders joined by players from Argentina, Australia, France, South Africa, Georgia, Ireland, Samoa and Tonga – and 19 players are set to wear the club’s famous black and white hooped shirt for the first time.
“It is a testimony to the special appeal the Barbarians has throughout the rugby world that we have been able to bring together such an experienced and talented squad of players,” head coach Ryan said.
“It’s a privilege to be able to work with a group who have achieved so much and we’re looking forward to taking on a young England side at Twickenham next Sunday.”
There is one change to the group of players previously announced with Castres-bound All Black Sitiveni Sivivatu now unavailable.
Barbarians squad:
Backs: Jimmy Cowan, Tomas Cubelli, Hosea Gear, Juan Martin Hernandez, Brock James, James O’Connor, Rene Ranger, Joe Rokocoko, Benson Stanley, Francois Trinh-Duc.
Forwards: Julien Brugnaut, Schalk Ferreira, Mamuka Gorgodze, Andrew Hore, Juandre Kruger, Alexandre Lapandry, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Nahuel Lobo, Donncha O’Callaghan, Ti‘i Paulo, Sona Taumalolo, Joe Tekori, Roger Wilson, Davit Zirakashvili.
The Vodacom Bulls will have William Small-Smith available again for selection ahead of their Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday. The 22-year old midfielder was ruled out of last week’s selection due to a stomach ailment.
Jono Ross was cleared of concussion and Jurgen Visser suffered a contusion in last Friday night’s win over the Brumbies, but is ready to play as well. They will sit out the field session on Monday and will train Tuesday, team doctor Org Strauss confirmed.
Schalk Burger
Experienced flank Schalk Burger is in doubt for the Stormers’ clash against the Sharks in Durban this weekend as he continues to battle with a neck injury.
Burger injured his neck in a tackle from Coenie Oosthuizen in the Stormers’ 33-0 victory over the Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday and will be assessed again later in the week but at this stage is considered a 50/50 chance to face the Sharks at Kings Park.
Wing Kobus van Wyk will not be considered for selection, having re-injured his wrist which has ruled him out for the next three weeks.
Victor Matfield & Bakkies Botha
“Blood brothers” Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha could be reunited as the Springbok lock pairing in Test matches this year, the Rapport newspaper indicates.
Botha, 34, recently returned to action for his French club Toulon after missing most of the year with a broken arm. He was a key figure for Toulon when they won the Heineken Cup final at the weekend, beating English club Saracens 23-6 at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
Victor Matfield
Just a few months ago it would have been unthinkable, but the stage is set now for Victor Matfield to lead the Springboks into battle this year not only as a player, but possibly also as captain.
According to reports, with Jean de Villiers out for eight weeks with injury, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer will have to find a new leader for the team as they head into four hard test weeks in June before embarking on a very important Castle Rugby Championship a year before the World Cup.
Much has been said about Matfield’s return to the playing field after he retired after the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but even now there can be few who don’t believe he is up to international rugby, even at the ripe old age of 37.
James Horwill
Following agreement between the parties, the Misconduct hearing against James Horwill was brought forward to Monday 26 May.
The Judicial Officer Nigel Hampton Hampton QC accepted a guilty plea from Mr Horwill of the Reds on one count of Misconduct brought against him by SANZAR.
The complaint related to comments, ” … once again we were robbed by a stupid refereeing decision,” made by Mr Horwill during an on-field post-match interview following the Reds v Rebels match played at Suncorp Stadium on 17 May 2014 that breached Section 8.3 (3) of the SANZAR Code of Conduct, which reads as follows:
James Haskell has been included in the England squad, set to tour New Zealand, for the first time since the World Cup in 2011.
Haskell has had a checkered career which has included several foul-play bans as well as being expelled from school for a pornographic incident.
The big loose forward, who knows New Zealand well, had a stint with the Highlanders and was also a member of the England group that were involved in a series of controversial off-field events at the World Cup.
Jerome Kaino
Jerome Kaino always knew that coming back to New Zealand from Japan in an attempt to make the All Blacks again would be tough, not just because of the quality of fellow loose forward contenders.
The rise in intensity from Japan’s top flight to the southern hemisphere’s Super Rugby competition has also been an eye-opener.
“I wouldn’t say it has been easy,” the Auckland Blues forward said at All Blacks’ training in Wellington on Monday.
Dan Bowden
Dan Bowden is coming home after signing with New Zealand Rugby and the Blues for the 2015 and 2016 Super Rugby seasons.
28-year-old Bowden, a former Highlander and Crusader, has been playing rugby in England since 2010 and is relishing the opportunity of returning to Auckland where he grew up.
“I’m really excited to be returning home along with my four-month-old baby and wife. I had opportunities to stay in the UK but coming back to be around my family and playing for the Blues is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Bowden said.
Steve Borthwick
Retiring Saracens captain Steve Borthwick will take up a coaching role with Eddie Jones’ Japan at the conclusion of the Premiership this weekend.
Jones, who has coached Australia and was a part of Jake White’s 2007 Rugby World Cup winning coaching team, is also a former Saracens director of rugby.
Jean de Villiers
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers will miss the Castle Lager Incoming Series next month after he was ruled out for approximately eight weeks with a knee injury.
After experiencing some discomfort in his left knee on Saturday morning, De Villiers was pulled out of the DHL Stormers’ Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Toyota Cheetahs.
De Villiers underwent a scope in Cape Town on Sunday morning and the prognosis is that he will be out of action for almost two months. He will hopefully be back by the start of Castle Lager Rugby Championship in August.