Player Movements
Scotland international fly half Dan Parks has announced that he will retire from playing international rugby with immediate effect leaving Scotland without a first choice pivot for the rest of the Six nations.
Wales record try scoring winger Shane Williams will hang up his rugby boots and retire from all rugby at the end of this season.
Canberra – Brumbies coach Jake White wants to use a new alliance with the University of Canberra as the extra bait to lure South Africa’s most talented juniors to the capital.
Ma’a Nonu is expected to make a delayed Super Rugby start for the Blues as he is currently in Japan playing Top League rugby with the Ricoh Black Rams.
Former Springbok and Bulls captain Victor Matfield could come out of retirement, but only if Heyneke Meyer is unveiled as the new Springbok coach on Friday.
In this final edition of the series of articles, dissecting the contenders for the Cheetahs squad, we are going to look at the players vying for the fullback berth. GBS has been putting the pressure on, for me to finish, in the vain hope that the Breezers, Guppies, Pink Nulle, and Kitties get their contenders on the table.
It is almost time, but still almost a month before the first salvos in this years Super Rugby competition gets fired.
Enough time methinks for these scribes to put fingers to keyboards!
Without further ado, here are the Cheetahs contenders for the Last Outpost:
Earl Rose seems to have found a new rugby home as he is currently training with the Eastern Province Kings.
The Sharks have confirmed the extension of several prominent players’ contracts ahead of the upcoming Super Rugby season.
The Cheetahs’ Springbok flank Juan Smith has not been included in their pre-season training camp to Jeffreys Bay after experiencing further discomfort in training.
The Leopards may have been relegated to the lower echelons of South African rugby, but they have still managed to attract the services of a World Cup-winning Springbok.
Leopards coach Leon Boshoff confirmed to this website that 33-year-old Bok flyhalf André Pretorius has returned from France and started training with the men from Potchefstroom.
Lock Steven Sykes has opted to return to the Sharks ahead of their Super Rugby campaign, following a short stint at Leinster.
As we continue to wait in anticipation of Super Rugby to start proper, here are the contenders for the glory boys out wide. Here I have a concern, with the players available. While all of them are speedsters, they aren’t in the same league as the likes of Guildford, and co. That said, they fit well into the Cheetahs pattern, where there is often space created out wide.
I see that most supporters believe that this is their teams year lol, normally this has been the sole preserve of the “Drizzlers” as GBS rfers to the Stormers.
Be it as it may, I am impatient for it all to start! Bring it on!!
Time running out for the opposition scribes to name their teams GBS? How about getting your slaves to work!
First my commiserations to all who suffered losses during the terrible floods in Limpopo, and Mpumalanga! The power of nature, though beautiful to behold, is humbling indeed. I hope that all affected, will soon have their lives returned to normal. Especially guys like Superbul in Hoedspruit.
In this, the penultimate article in the series that looks at contenders for the Cheetahs Super Rugby squad of 2012, I am going to look at the midfield. Things have been a tad quiet on Rugby-Talk. Come on people bring out the handbags!
Must say the Cheetahs seem to have more than useful cover in this position too.
Former Springbok centre De Wet Barry has retired from rugby to pursue a career in coaching with the Eastern Province Kings.
Welcome back to some of the regulars, like sharky_forever, Loosehead and Lion4ever… and to Webmonster GBS, recover quickly! The excitement and anticipation is building as we near the practice runs. It is thus fitting, that we look at the position, in which we are all of a sudden blessed with numerous contenders for the Bok 10 jumper. The Cheetahs are very lucky to have some exciting players in this position. A welcome change indeed!
The Cheetahs have produced a number of Springboks in this position, and some, it could be argued should have gotten more chances to play. Guys like Jannie de Beer, that only played a handful of test matches could have contributed more. Ironically, the Cheetahs are the SA franchise with arguably the most talent and depth in the flyhalf channel heading into the 2012 Super Rugby Competition.
The multi-talented flyhalf and center is set to leave Durban and further his career at Bayonne.
Morning Webmonster, minions, and my fellow Cheetah supporters. Now that we have the ground forces sorted, lets focus on the guys, that have to do something with the “pill” that has been fought for tooth and nail. Now last year, the Cheetahs cut loose, and ran many a team ragged. Can they continue in similiar vein, and simultaneously close the “revolving door” that they dished up as their defence at times. To lose 7 matches, in last years Super 15, by 7 points or less, makes one wonder what could have been, had the defence been 20% better?
Today we look at the scrumhalf contenders. A position where the Cheetahs have had some colourful characters. Like Werner “Smiley” Swanepoel, and Michael Claasens.
Time for the Cheetahs to look the part! Watch out boys, we can bite! Ha ha.
This edition looks at the selection of loose forwards. One area where the Boks, and in particular the Cheetahs have been strong.
This one is lengthy, as a few players have announced themselves during the injury crisis last year. No doubt there will be hot debate, but what is sure is that the Cheetahs have options aplenty, and may just have the most balanced and exciting backrow in SA, and will be one of the best in the tournament!
Let’s hope in the interests of Cheetahs and Bok rugby, that Juan, and Ratel will stay relatively injury free in 2012.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has hinted at using the services of their former Springbok scrumhalf Bolla Conradie in the Super Rugby tournament.
The Lions have given the Pumas duo of Doppies le Roux and Marius Coetzer a chance to book a place in the Lions Super Rugby squad after they were added to the Lions wider Super Rugby group.
Hallo all rugby addicts! It’s good to see the blogging intensifying, as prep for the 2012 Super 15 has started in earnest at all the franchises. Rassie’s antics has stolen my thunder momentarily, but I’M BACK!
Anyway, back to my series of articles on contenders for the Cheetahs 2012 Super squad. Tall Timber is next. An area where the Cheetahs have not had dominance since David de Villiers’ departure. We have had some good locks, guys like Braam Els, Flippie, Rory Duncan, and Barend Pieterse, but we need some staunch players to really get the powerful Cheetahs scrum to become destroyers!
The Western Force have dumped their New Zealand import Willie Ripia, despite a full year remaining on his contract, because of a ‘serious breach of team protocols’.
In my second edition, in the series of articles, looking at the contenders for the Toyota Cheetahs Super rugby Squad for 2012, I am going to look at the Happy Hookers. Enjoy people, and feel free to add value. Goooooo Cheeethas!
New Western Force recruit Toby Lynn says that he is stoked about his move from the Chiefs to Perth due to an unusual connection.
Former French international fly-half Frederic Michalak, who currently plays for the Natal Sharks in Durban South Africa has verbally agreed to join Toulon on a three-year contract.
Scotland’s most-capped player Chris Paterson has put an end to his 12-year international career, but won’t hang up his boots altogether and will continue playing for Edinburgh.
Springbok centre Jaque Fourie has continued his rich form for Japanese side Panasonic Wild Knights, scoring tries and showing his class as the headline foreigner in the Top League this season.
The Irish Rugby Football Union has announced a change in the way they will manage Non-Irish qualified players from the 2013/2014 season.
New Chiefs signing Sonny Bill Williams could play his last season of super Rugby in 2012 as he plans to return to playing Rugby League according to reports.
Springbok flank Francois Louw has been praised by rugby legend Sir Ian McGeechan for his contribution for Bath over the past two months, and hailed “a Test match animal.”
Rugby World Cup winning fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has retired from international rugby union after 91 matches for England.
In recent days there has been some speculation that Francois Steyn could be moving back to South Africa, and of course the speculation started who could vie for his services.
One of the candidates touted to have offered Steyn employment, of course, is the Golden Lions Rugby Union, but apparently that is not the case… yet.
News from Newlands is that the WP / Stormers have signed U21 centre JP du Plessis.
Former Springbok & Sharks centre Adrian Jacobs is unlikely to play Super Rugby for the Stormers in 2012 after he snubbed an offer to train with them.
A really fascinating day at the Beyond Sport Summit – highlighted by an entertaining panel discussion including Michael Johnson and Oscar Pistorius, and chaired by Bob Skinstad – was interrupted slightly upon getting three bits of truly bizarre sporting news …