Referees
We have found a Lion on top of the LOG!!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HVqAGcUAfE[/youtube]
Enjoy this one… but remember if your Internet Connection is slow, let it buffer through once… then watch!
The Crusaders said before the match they had a specific game plan, they’ve spotted a weakness and have a game plan to exploit that weakness. As it is they won every facet of the game except the match. They scored more tries, had more possession, wasn’t beaten in the line-outs or the scrums, made more turnovers and spent more time in the Bulls half of the field.
So what was the weakness they saw and what was the game plan?
Bayonne Rugby Club has announced the signing of WP and Stormers player Joe Pietersen. Continue reading
The Crusaders have special plans for the Bulls in Pretoria this weekend, with coach Todd Blackadder hinting at a secret strategy they believe can get them up to a result that will keep their semifinal aspirations alive. Crusaders believe they’ve spotted a weakness they can exploit.
Bafana Bafana will return the favour on Friday night after receiving support from the Bulls before their own overseas tour down under a couple of weeks ago… They are hoping to draw some energy from the champion Bulls side before their Soccer World Cup kick-off in a couple of days. Continue reading
Check out the cartoon on Nonu, featured in today’s Dominion post here in Nu Zolland.
The shoe is at last on the other foot. On the New Zealand foot, to be specific.
The pressure is mounting on NZ rugby and the primary focus in the newspapers here in NS was on the outside change the Hurricanes might reach the semi’s after their win against the Chiefs.
The future of rugby players that are contracted by Unions at a young age can be dumped into uncertainty quite easily because of their lack of higher education.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has confirmed that players who feature in the Super 14 final will not play against Wales next month.
Currently the Bulls and the Stormers lead the Super 14 tournament and since 2007 the Springboks have largely been made up of players from the Bulls and Sharks.
BJ Botha, Frans Steyn, Jean de Villiers, Butch James, Joe van Niekerk, Shaun Sowerby, Marius Joubert, Luke Watson, Daan Human, Faan Rautenbach, Brent Russel, Neil de Kock, Michael Claasens, CJ van der Linde, Robbie Diack, Ross Skeate, Gcobani Bobo, Schalk Brits, Ernst Joubert, Marco Wentzel, Jacques Cronje and countless other lesser known players.
New Zealand is abuzz with speculation about the reason behind one of the most bizarre interviews in recent memory – when Hurricanes and All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu let rip with a series of expletives in a live post-match interview.
According to Yahoo!Xtra Sport, Nonu let rip in a bizarre interview – filled with seven swear words, following his side’s Super 14 win against the Chiefs on Saturday.
It was a strange but clear phenomenon; the Bulls getting their S14 campaign back on track for three consecutive years the moment they made Morné the first choice no. 10. This was of course in the years when Steyn was still liefling’s understudy. Continue reading
Crusaders add to New Zealand’s woe – Wynne Gray
The sloppy 16-24 loss to the Force at the start of this roadtrip will be looking doubly painful for the Crusaders after they were clubbed 42-14 by the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday. That will also be another disconcerting note for the All Black selectors.
The entire Crusaders’ pack has played for the All Blacks, but they were bludgeoned by their hosts and savaged by referee Stu Dickinson. Behind those troubles, international five-eighths Daniel Carter played with a continued lack of clout and control.
An article in the AUCKLAND SUNDAY STAR TIMES indicate that THE ALL BLACKS selection panel are in desperate search for a new and more dynamic scrumhalf. They –the selection panel- appear poised to spring a surprise with confirmation coming yesterday from assistant coach Wayne Smith that he and head coach Graham Henry believe rugby has a new kingpin: the halfback.
It may have been Richie McCaw’s 100th Super rugby game, but it was the Stormers doing the celebrating in Cape Town as they completed an historic “Kiwi sweep” with a clinical victory over the Crusaders.
The latest news on BJ Botha and his plans to go and play his rugby in the Cape… Continue reading
OK, the Naffs and Tik-adicts from the Cape, the Half-cocked Rooinek-poachers from Natal, the Gatgrawers and Damduikers from Sodom & Gemorrah, the Riemrukkers from the Flat Earth Society in the armsalige Freestate as well as those wonderful Dutchmen with the Artificial Balls and hefty wives up North…. here is the opportunity to let off some steam again, with impunity.
The rules are simple and meant for those who can bloody read… here they are:
You find that concept genuinely intriguing yet a bit of a conundrum don’t you ?
Continue reading
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in the consumer electronics industry, today announced the signing of a sponsorship agreement with the Vodacom Bulls. The agreement, signed in Johannesburg, will position Samsung as the Official Electronics Sponsor to the Vodacom Bulls for the next three years.
This was the weekend of shock results. On the Super 14 Log there are 10 teams still able to make the play-offs. Sharks, Chiefs and Blues have a small mathematical chance for the title, but is really clutching at straws, which might finally break next weekend.
Vodacom Cup Semi Finals venues not confirmed yet but it will be the Bulls vs Sharks XV and the Boland vs Cheetahs on the 1st of May.
Five South African teams to pick from. The Cheetahs played to a surprise 25 all draw against the Chiefs. The Stormers wheels came of against, guess who? The Reds. Bulls won as expected against the Lions and the Sharks gave the Blues a major setback. Pick your players who You feel was this weeks best performers.
TEAM Picked by Rugby-Talk Bloggers
An official Press release from the Blue Bulls Company has been released, here it is, word for word:
Coming back from work i nearly fell of my chair when i opened the Sport websites. What happened.
The New Zealand Rugby Union Thursday announced record losses due partly to the costs of hosting next year’s World Cup and the impact of the global recession.
The NZRU lost 15.9 million dollars (11.3 million US) in 2009, with a shortfall in income from All Blacks Tests contributing to an operating loss of 9.6 million dollars, chief executive Steve Tew said.
By JOSH RAKIC and CAROLINE WILSON – Sydney Morning Herald
The Melbourne Rebels this morning will announce the immediate departure of Brian Waldron as chief executive as the AFL prepares to re-open investigations into alleged salary-cap evasion at St Kilda under Waldron’s stewardship from late 2001 to 2004.
The Rebels board – which is chaired by Australia’s largest media buyer, Harold Mitchell – met within hours of David Gallop’s press conference and acted swiftly in asking Waldron to stand aside.
The NRL has stripped Melbourne Storm of two premierships, as well as any competition points this season, in the toughest punishment for a salary cap breach in NRL history.
After speculative talks about a shuffle in the coaching staff, this is what SARU had to say on the matter. Continue reading
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has concluded a record-breaking broadcast rights package for the next five years following the conclusion of the SANZAR rights negotiations, it was announced today (Thursday).
Reports are emerging this morning that there will be significant changes to the Bok coaching staff. Continue reading
OK, so the Cheetahs and the Lions has both shown that they simply cannot cut it in the Super 14. Every year, at the end of the competition, there are one or two surprise results, then all of their fans jump back into the fray, proclaiming some sort of an upward curve, just so they are destroyed from the word go in the following year’s competition.
I know it is a bit early to discuss but save this article as a guideline. Not all is revealed yet but this is what is known about the Super 15
I wonder if we are not running away with the success we have in this years Super 14. Remember how Peter de Villiers first matches as Springbok coach panned out. We must be careful, we might break the continuity we build up. Lessons was learned last time, are we going to make the same mistakes?
Read the article below
Vodacom Super 14 newcomers Patrick Lambie and Wandile Mjekevu as well as rising Springbok Sevens stars Branco du Preez and Sampie Mastriet (pictured) were included in a strong SA Under-20 squad that was named on Thursday to take part in the IRB Junior World Championships in Argentina in June.