Super Rugby
Demetri Catrakilis
DHL Stormers flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis will be ready for their Super Rugby qualifier against the Brumbies at Newlands on Saturday.
Catrakilis suffered concussion in his side’s 19 / 19 home draw against the Emirates Lions on 6 June when he attempted to tackle loose forward Jaco Kriel.
The Stormers pivot was rested for last weekend’s 34 / 12 loss to the Cell C Sharks in Durban, with Kurt Coleman taking his place.
But Catrakilis is raring to go for this Saturday’s clash, coach Allister Coetzee confirmed.
“Dim is fine – he passed his test with flying colours, he’s cleared,” Coetzee told the Stormers’ official website.
The departure shortly from the Stormers of superstar No 8 Duane Vermeulen on a three-year deal to Toulon arguably confirms for the first time a grim reality: an overseas-based group of players would now make up the bulk of a full-strength Springbok team.
Vermeulen is the cherry on top, in many ways, of a fresh wave of once staunchly SA-based players quitting the domestic landscape either following this season’s Super Rugby competition – only the Stormers retain an interest in it – or later in the year after the Currie Cup and RWC 2015 have run their courses.
He is one of the most precious elements of the current Bok mix, and if you consider him foreign-based henceforth – along with several other seasoned internationals on their bikes imminently – then it is quite feasible to argue that the cream of coach Heyneke Meyer’s intended first-choice Test XV will suddenly be drawn from foreign climes.
Before, it was just a sprinkling, with men like France-based Bryan Habana, English-stationed Francois Louw and JP Pietersen from Japan bolstering a Bok side still made up very strongly of “home” elements.
But that trend is set for a pretty violent change.
Bismarck du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
Jake White
World Cup winning coach Jake White has formally welcomed the Du Plessis brothers, Jannie and Bismarck, to his French club Montpellier.
The Top 14 outfit on Wednesday confirmed the signing of the Du Plessis brothers, Bismarck and Jannie, from the Cell C Sharks.
In a brief statement on the club website Montpellier said the 2 Du Plessis brother had signed for 3 years.
The 2, who won the World Cup with White as coach in 2007, will head to France after this year’s edition of the World Cup – in England in September and October.
White welcomed the signing of the Springbok duo.
Zack Holmes
Western Force flyhalf Zack Holmes has signed a 2-year deal with La Rochelle, the Top 14 club announced on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old Perth-born Holmes, an Australian Sevens international who previously played with Force’s Super Rugby rivals Brumbies, will replace South African playmaker Peter Grant who was released with a season to run on his contract for family reasons.
Sam Cane
The Chiefs have re-signed Sam Cane, keeping the All Blacks flanker in Hamilton for at least the next 2 years.
The 23-year-old has been 1 of the stand-out players for the Chiefs this season and this was recognised when he won 3 trophies at the recent 2015 Chiefs Awards.
Cane, who has become a pivotal part of the Chiefs team, collected the Player of the Year voted for by the fans, the Chiefs Player of the Year voted for by the coaches and the Players Player of the Year.
Head coach Dave Rennie is rapt that Cane has committed for another couple of years.
“He’s an outstanding player but more importantly a quality young man, held in high regard by all. His work ethic, leadership and community mindedness continues to have a positive influence on our club.”
Reporoa-born Cane is a highly motivated loose forward who has 1 of the highest and most efficient tackle rates in this year’s Super Rugby competition.
But he says he has plenty of room for improvement.
Jimmy Stonehouse
Former Steval Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse, 1 of the country’s most undervalued coaches, is rumoured to have thrown his name into the hat for vacant coaching positions at the Cell C Sharks, Vodacom Bulls and Southern Kings.
4 Of South Africa’s franchises will be looking to fill their vacant head coach positions before the start of the revamped and extended Super Rugby tournament in 2016.
Stonehouse took up a coaching job with Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus earlier this year after he declined 2 previous offers from abroad with the hope of landing a job with a South African franchise.
The Bulls head coach position opened up over the weekend when Frans Ludeke resigned after 8 years in charge of South Africa’s most successful Super Rugby franchise.
Duane Vermeulen
DHL Stormers captain Duane Vermeulen has not improved significantly enough to feature in the 1st Round of Super Rugby playoffs.
The Stormers host the Brumbies at DHL Newlands on Saturday and the burly Springbok will not be considered.
Should the Stormers beat the Brumbies at Newlands, they would travel to Sydney to face the Waratahs in the semifinals.
Vermeulen, who has missed the Stormers’ last 2 games with a bulging neck disc that at one stage threatened his World Cup prospects, is making “good progress” on the road to recovery.
However, coach Allister Coetzee said that the improvement is “not enough” for this week.
“Hopefully, going forward, there is still an opportunity for him,” Coetzee told a media scrum at the team’s training base.
Pieter “Slapchips” Rossouw
After the weekend’s upheaval at Loftus Versfeld, it is expected that Vodacom Blue Bulls backline coach Pieter Rossouw will be released from his contract earlier than expected.
Rossouw gave notice before the Vodacom Bulls fateful overseas tour a number of weeks ago, but all indications were that he would stay on until the end of the ABSA Currie Cup before returning to Cape Town with his family.
But since head coach Frans Ludeke stepped down from his roles as coach of the Super Rugby and Currie Cup sides on Saturday, the ground at Loftus has shifted significantly.
It is expected that new coach Nollis Marais will make a number of sweeping changes to his management team ahead of the domestic competition and as Rossouw is leaving already, he will not be part of the new management.
Sources close to the side say that David Manuel, who until recently was the backline and skills coach alongside Marais with the Vodacom Cup team, will be appointed as the backline coach of the Currie Cup team.
David Pocock
The Brumbies are following protocol regarding the concussion of flank David Pocock in the hopes that he will be available for their must-win game against the DHL Stormers on Saturday.
Pocock was taken out of the Crusaders game just before halftime on Saturday, after he copped a knock to the head from a Richie McCaw cleanout at the breakdown.
The Brumbies No 7 stayed down for several seconds, but played on for about 5 minutes before coming off.
Robert du Preez
André Esterhuizen
DHL Stormers’ fullback Robert du Preez and Sharks centre André Esterhuizen have both been handed lengthy suspensions after performing dangerous tackles in their game on Saturday.
The Sharks won the match 34 / 12 in Durban.
Du Preez has been suspended for 6 weeks – after being shown a Yellow Card for his dangerous tackle on Sharks’ wing Lwazi Mvovo in the 76th minute, while Esterhuizen got 4 weeks after his tackle on Stormers flank Michael Rhodes in the 10th minute.
Both players were found guilty of contravening Law 10.4 (j): Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player’s feet are still off the ground such that the player’s head and / or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play.
Judicial officer Nigel Hampton deemed that with Du Preez the offence was more serious and thus handing the player a longer suspension.
Brad Macleod-Henderson
The Sharks (Pty) Ltd announced that assistant coach, Brad Macleod-Henderson has resigned from the Sharks.
Brad had been involved with the Sharks since 2012 initially with the Under 21’s before joining the senior side in July 2013.
He was assistant coach in their last 2 Super Rugby campaigns, looking after the forwards and breakdown and headed-up the Currie Cup campaigns.
The Sharks offered Brad a role within their new structures, going forward but he felt that it was time to move on.
Malakai Fekitoa
All Black centre Malakai Fekitoa heads the list of key players set to return for the Highlanders’ Super Rugby preliminary play-off match against the Chiefs in Dunedin on Saturday.
Fekitoa missed last Friday’s victory over the Blues because of an injured groin, but coach Jamie Joseph is positive that 1 of his star backs will be fit for the encounter with the 2-time champion Chiefs.
The team received further boosts as they started training for their 1st home play-off match in 16 years.
3 Key forwards – No 8 Nasi Manu (shoulder), as well as locks Mark Reddish (broken hand) and Joe Wheeler (knee) – could be back for this week’s encounter.
Flank John Hardie looks to be the biggest injury concern for the Highlanders as they get into play-off mode.
Hardie, who damaged rib cartilage in the early stages of the match against the Blues at the weekend, could be in doubt.
Richard Graham
Reds head coach Richard Graham admits his future is out of his hands after watching his team end their season with a big loss in Sydney.
The Queensland outfit were hammered 31 / 5 by the Waratahs, letting in 4 2nd-half tries as they went down for a 4th time in a row against their rivals.
It caps a disastrous season for the Reds, who have won just 4 games all season and finished 12th in the table, with speculation over Graham’s future mounting.
Augustine Pulu
Chiefs scrumhalf Augustine Pulu has been ruled out of the Super Rugby’s Finals Series due to a broken arm.
Pulu, who represented the All Blacks in 2 Tests on their 2014 end-of-year tour, sustained the injury after coming on as a replacement in the Chiefs’ 21 / 13 defeat to the Hurricanes in New Plymouth on Saturday.
“Pulu underwent surgery earlier today to insert a plate,” the Chiefs revealed via a press release on Sunday.
“The expected return to play time is 8 to 10 weeks.”
Sonny Bill Williams
Sonny Bill Williams has been issued with a Citing Commissioner Warning for a dangerous tackle.
The Chiefs centre was warned for contravening Law 10.4 (e) Dangerous tackling during the clash with the Hurricanes in New Plymouth on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the 40th minute at Yarrow Stadium, but was not serious enough to warrant further sanction.
Now that the league phase of the Super Rugby tournament is finished, I have posted a SA team of the tournament article. The team is based on the form players during the tournament, with overseas based players obviously not considered.
The South African teams had a very disappointing tournament by any standards, with injuries, poor form and bad reffing decisions making life hard for the critical rugby public, but in an attempt to find a silver lining here is this author’s team of the tournament (other contenders mentioned where appropriate):
It was a weekend of high drama in the final Open Round of Super Rugby, with a number of upsets and quite a few emotional good-byes as the regular season came to an end.
On Saturday afternoon, the Toyota Cheetahs gave their new coach, Franco Smith, something to smile about at the end of a tough season when they won for the 1st time ever in Pretoria as they beat the Vodacom Bulls by 42 / 29.
Shortly after the match, the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd and the Blue Bulls Company Board of Directors confirmed that Frans Ludeke had stepped down from his position as Super Rugby and ABSA Currie Cup head coach with immediate effect.
The DHL Stormers were crowned champions of the South African Conference despite going down by 34 / 10 to the Cell C Sharks in Durban, as the KwaZulu-Natalians bid farewell to a number of Springbok stalwarts.
The Capetonians will host the Brumbies at DHL Newlands in the 2nd Qualifier next Saturday afternoon, at 17:05 SA Time. The 1st Qualifier is an all-New Zealand affair between the Highlanders and the Chiefs in Dunedin (09:35 SA Time), also on Saturday.
Tickets for the DHL Stormers’ match against the Brumbies match go on sale from Monday 15 June at 12:00 SA Time. Prices range from R 80.00 to R 350.00 and DHL Newlands season tickets are valid for this match. For more information or to book tickets, visit www.wprugby.computicket.com.
DHL Newlands Box Office ticket sales open on Tuesday 16 June. Tickets can also be bought at Computicket outlets and Shoprite / Checkers stores nationwide.
The Hurricanes and Waratahs finished in the Top 2 Combined Log positions and will enjoy a BYE next weekend before hosting semi-finals the week thereafter.
Johann Sadie
Newly-promoted French Top 14 team, Agen, have signed South African centre Johann Sadie as they continue to build ahead of next season.
The 26-year-old arrives from Super Rugby side the Toyota Cheetahs and has signed a 2-year deal, the club confirmed.
Sadie started his career with Western Province before spells with the DHL Stormers, Vodacom Bulls and then the Toyota Cheetahs. In 2014, he started playing for the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan but was allowed to return to Bloemfontein during the Super Rugby season.
Frans Ludeke
Nollis Marais
Barend van Graan
The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd and the Blue Bulls Company Board of Directors on Saturday 13 June 2015 confirmed the following:
- Frans Ludeke to step down from his position as Super Rugby and ABSA Currie Cup Head Coach with immediate effect.
- Appointment of Nollis Marais as new head coach of the Vodacom Blue Bulls for the 2015 ABSA Currie Cup season.
- Process to appoint a new Vodacom Bulls Head Coach for Super Rugby 2016 ongoing.
- Extension of CEO, Barend van Graan’s contract until January 2019 (from February 2015).
The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd and the Blue Bulls Company Board of Directors in a statement on Saturday 13 June 2015 confirmed a number of coaching changes to the Vodacom Bulls and Vodacom Blue Bulls structures with regards to the ABSA Currie Cup 2015 season and the Vodacom Super Rugby season in 2016.
The Board of Directors indicated that Frans Ludeke will step down from his position as Super Rugby and Currie Cup Head Coach with immediate effect. Discussions with Ludeke about his future is ongoing as well as the process to appoint a new Head Coach for Super Rugby 2016. An announcement will be made as soon as this has been finalized.
Sharks (13) 34 / 12 (9) Stormers (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at
Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Bulls (10) 29 / 42 (28) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Waratahs (3) 31 / 5 (0) Reds (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at
Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 09:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Chiefs (13) 13 / 21 (14) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at
Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth at 09:35 SA Time (07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Brumbies (10) 24 / 37 (21) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at
GIO Stadium, Canberra at 07:30 SA Time (15:30 AEST, 17:30 NZ Time, 05:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd on Friday expressed their sincere gratitude and thanks to a number of stalwarts who will part ways with the Vodacom Bulls at the completion of the 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby tournament.
Barend van Graan, CEO of the BBC, confirmed the departures of Pierre Spies, Jacques du Plessis, Flip van der Merwe, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Victor Matfield, Akona Ndungane and Francois Hougaard to French and Japanese clubs and retirement.
Spies (via Japan) and Du Plessis will join French club Montpellier, Van der Merwe moves to Clermont-Avergne and Potgieter to Lyon. Matfield will retire after the Rugby World Cup and Ndungane hangs up his boots this weekend as his contract was only extended for this year’s Super Rugby competition.
Hougaard leaves for Japan later this year and depending on a number of factors, will make a call on whether to return to Loftus Versfeld, at a later stage.
Rebels (3) 11 / 13 (6) Force (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at
AAMI Park, Melbourne at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 09:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Blues (0) 7 / 44 (20) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Blues and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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It is Round 18, the Final Open Round of Super Rugby 2015 this weekend.
There are 2 games on Friday 12 June and 5 games on Saturday 13 June.
The Emirates Lions have a BYE weekend.
The action is kicked off by the Blues and Highlanders who do battle in Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT). The next game is between the Melbourne Rebels and Western Force in Melbourne on Friday at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT).
On Saturday early, at 07:30 SA Time (15:30 AEST, 17:30 NZ Time, 05:30 GMT), the Brumbies host the Crsaders in Canberra, whereafter the Chiefs host the Hurricanes in New Plymouth at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT), whereafter the Waratahs host the Reds in Sydney at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT).
There are 2 South African derbies on the weekend, the one between the Vodacom Bulls vs Toyota Cheetahs in Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, Sunday 01:05 AEST, Sunday 03:05 NZ Time) and the last game of the Open Rounds between the Cell C Sharks vs DHL Stormers in Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, Sunday 03:10 AEST, Sunday 05:10 NZ Time).
There should logically be only 1 winner between the Blues vs Highlanders… and that is the Highlanders, but they have had many injuries lately, so it should be a close affair. In the next game, the Melbourne Rebels should have too much in the tank for the Western Force in Melbourne.
The match between the Brumbies and Crusaders should be a cracker, with the Crusaders playing for pride and the Brumbies playing for 2nd Spot on the Combined Log. The Chiefs will still be hurting after the right pumping they took against the Hurricanes in their previous encounter of the season, but this time they are at home and celebrate the return of some star players… guess the high-flyiing Hurricanes will still be too strong for the Chiefs though!
The Waratahs will also be playing for a possible 2nd Spot on the Combined Log when they face the Reds, and I make the Waratahs overwhelming favourites to take the game, quite well.
At Loftus, a decidedly ‘B’-looking-Team of the Bulls take on the struggling Toyota Cheetahs under their new coach, Franco Smith and if the Cheetahs 1st game under Smith last weekend is anything to go by, they will play spectacular rugby but also leak tries like there is no tomorrow. Whether the largely impotent Bulls would be able to exploit the Cheetahs total lack of defensive awareness is another story… Bulls by a whisker and a whimper.
The last game of the weekend and of the Open Rounds at Durban between the Cell C Sharks and the DHL Stormers ‘B’ Team will be interesting and with a few Sharks players playing their farewell game for the Sharks, I expect them to be all fired up and beat the Stormers… but not by a landslide, mind you!
After being crowned South African Conference winners last weekend, the DHL Stormers can still qualify in the Top 2 for the Super Rugby Finals Series, but they will need a couple of results to go their way.
The Capetonians will finish the regular season with a highly-anticipated derby against the Cell C Sharks in Durban on Saturday evening, by which time they will know if they still have a chance to make it to 2nd position.
The other match featuring South African teams this weekend is on Saturday afternoon, when the Vodacom Bulls host the Toyota Cheetahs in Pretoria. The Emirates Lions have a BYE this weekend.
After Saturday, 4 of the South African teams will have concluded their participation in Vodacom Super Rugby for the season, while the DHL Stormers will be getting ready to fly the Republic’s flag in the coming weeks.
The South African Conference winners are currently 3rd on the overall standings on 45 points, 2 adrift of the Waratahs and the Brumbies, 1 of which can still end up in 2nd spot.
For the DHL Stormers to take that coveted spot on the Log, behind the Hurricanes, the 2 Aussie teams have to lose their matches earlier on Saturday, and Allister Coetzee’s team will have to beat the Cell C Sharks.
If either the Waratahs or Brumbies beat the Reds or Crusaders respectively, the match in Durban effectively becomes a dead rubber in terms of final Log standings.
Nizaam Carr
Nizaam Carr will lead the DHL Stormers into action for the 1st time, as the 2015 SA Conference winners face up to the Cell C Sharks in both teams’ final Vodacom Super Rugby league match of the season in Durban on Saturday.
Carr will line up at No 8 in a much-changed DHL Stormers team from last weekend, the new skipper the only surviving starting player from his team’s 19 / 19 draw against the Lions at DHL Newlands.
There are 3 DHL Stormers debutants in the matchday 23, with Robert du Preez starting at No 15 in his 1st taste of Super Rugby action and flanker Sikhumbuzo Notshe and hooker Michael Willemse making their 1st starts at this level.
Lock Jan de Klerk and scrumhalf Godlen Masimla will be looking to earn their 1st caps from the bench, whilst vice-captain Jaco Taute (inside centre – in his 50th overall Super Rugby appearance), Michael Rhodes (No 7) and Kobus van Wyk (on the bench) are back in the mix following their injury lay-offs.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made 4 changes to his starting team that will face the Toyota Cheetahs in a Vodacom Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The coach’s hand was forced through injury and the SARU rest agreement, which ruled all of Jan Serfontein, Handré Pollard, Deon Stegmann, Dean Greyling, Victor Matfield and Lappies Labuschagne out of contention for the final match of the tournament.
Matfield will be replaced by Grant Hattingh and Labuschagne by Arno Botha at flank, while Greyling’s place will be taken by Morné Mellett. Adriaan Strauss, who was rested last weekend against the Rebels, is back at hooker, with Callie Visagie moving to the bench.
Ludeke also called Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg and Roelof Smit into the squad again to cover for Deon Stegmann and Hattingh.
The backline remain unchanged from last week.
Although it may not be the last time we see the likes of Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis at Growthpoint KINGS PARK, Saturday’s match against the Stormers may well be their last in the colours of the Cell C Sharks.
Whilst hinting that ‘you never know what might happen in the future’, Bismarck du Plessis has paid a tribute to the team where he has played all his professional rugby, and will, on Saturday, run out together with brother Jannie and their Sharks’ brother Beast Mtawarira in their final hurrah as one of world rugby’s most formidable front rows.
It will also be the last time to see ‘The Bone Collector’ – Willem Alberts – who will also feature in his last match for the Durban side.
Loathe to make this match about himself, Bismarck this week spoke of avoiding the limelight, explaining, “I don’t play for any accolades, I just play for my teammates and the respect I have for the guys who play with me.
“This is going to be a very sad day to be leaving The Sharks, I guess I never thought this day would arrive. I’m a Sharks boy through and through, I love the Sharks with all my heart.”
Sanzar are investigating a new concept – a so-called “referees bunker” – to be implemented in Vodacom Super Rugby in the near future to try and cut down on television match official decisions that are both controversial and cause an unnecessary delay in the game.
Sanzar refereeing boss Lyndon Bray confirmed that he was investigating the use of such a system – which has been implemented in Australia’s NRL Rugby League system, whereby the television match official was not at the game. He would rather be in a “bunker” where he would have access to at least nine different angles of play, and able to control which angles to look at if a decision was to be taken. The bunker would be situated off site, and connected via technology, taking away the emotion of fans in front of the TMO box.
After the shocking TMO decision that robbed the Vodacom Bulls of a try last weekend against the Rebels, and several other controversial decisions over the past few months, the sport’s guardians are looking for new and innovative ways to use technology better to aid the game and make a positive contribution.
“We all know that in today’s sport, technology is a critical aspect of the game & is going to remain so. None of us want to see errors when we use technology in sport & we all continue to work on the best technology to support the right decisions,” Bray said.
“Recently, I have been investigating options for how the TMO & / or referee receive the camera angles, in order to enhance the pictures they see & make decisions from. At the moment, we are fully under the control of the Broadcast feed & we are exploring options to help us “control the camera angles”. This can be done in a couple of different ways, but of course also comes at a potentially significant cost.
Victor Matfield
Springbok lock Victor Matfield may have 1 eye on the Rugby World Cup, but he has made it clear he wants to coach the Vodacom Bulls at some stage.
With coach Frans Ludeke’s job coming under the spotlight at a Board of Directors’ meeting on Friday, Matfield’s role in the Bulls setup will also be under the microscope after another disappointing season where the Bulls missed out on the playoffs of the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament.
There was a proposal put to the Board before the Bulls went on tour that Ludeke become Director of Rugby and that Matfield and 1 other take over the coaching role for 2016, but results on the tour have put a lot of pressure, with calls for change coming from fans and ex-Bulls legends like Naas Botha.
Matfield already runs the attack for the Bulls, and has a dual player-coaching role for the team at the moment, and has been signed to take over as coach after the Rugby World Cup later this year.
But Friday’s meeting could change all that, especially with the unhappiness that on the tour the Bulls dropped from 2nd overall and topping the South African conference to 9th and 3rd in the SA conference. Their losing streak overseas stretches to 11 games now and it is the 2nd consecutive season they missed out on the playoffs. On top of this the last time they won any trophy was in 2010.
Beauden Barrett
The Hurricanes will enter their derby against the Chiefs without the services of All Black flyhalf Beauden Barrett after the playmaker was ruled out with a calf strain.
Barrett’s absence sees James Marshall return to flyhalf after playing fullback in his team’s 56 / 20 victory over the Highlanders last week. Nehe Milner-Skudder moves from the wing to take Marshall’s place at the back.
Head coach Chris Boyd has also shuffled his forwards slightly, bringing Mark Abbott and Callum Gibbins into the starting line-up, along with Brad Shields who came off the bench last week.
Boyd has decided to let hardworking forwards James Broadhurst and Ardie Savea keep their jackets on a little while longer this week, with the pair having started 13 and 12 matches respectively, out of a possible 15.
Meanwhile, the clash will see another milestone for centre and captain Conrad Smith, who will join Ma’a Nonu as the most capped Hurricane when he leads his team onto Yarrow Stadium this weekend.