Sharks Director of Rugby Jake White says matches between South African provinces and English clubs could be the way forward.
Springbok lock Bakkies Botha faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after he suffered a fractured forearm in Toulon’s 10-23 Top 14 loss to Brive on Saturday.
After winning the Currie Cup final and acquiring the services of World Cup winner Jake White as their director of rugby, most of the attention in the build-up to the 2014 Vodacom Super Rugby season has been hogged by the Sharks, but the Stormers claim they prefer it that way.
This time last year, on the basis that they were the reigning domestic champions and had also won the South African Super Rugby conference in both years of the new format, the talk was all about the Stormers. There was an air of expectation in the Cape, and even outside of the region there were rugby people installing the Stormers not only as conference favourites, but also a good bet to win the competition for the first time.
Ireland Wolfhounds held off a late charge from England Saxons to win 8-14 at Kingsholm in Gloucester on Saturday evening.
Bath wing Anthony Watson scored England’s only try, while Gloucester’s Freddie Burns added a penalty, but Ireland struck twice – first through scrum half Isaac Boss and then fly half Ian Madigan.
Experienced flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc was on Saturday called into the France squad for next weekend’s Six Nations opener against England after Remi Tales was forced to withdraw with an arm injury.
Former Springbok captain Joost van der Westhuizen on Sunday announced that he is heading to the USA for clinical studies in connection with his diagnosis of a form of Motor Neuron Disease (MND).
Wales captain Sam Warburton has ended speculation about his future by signing a national contract with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
Warburton’s salary will be paid by the WRU but he will continue to play for Cardiff Blues and will be released for games outside his Wales duties at no cost to the region.
The Cheetahs had to come from behind to earn a 36-21 victory over a spirited Southern Kings side at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Trailing 21-12 at half-time, the Cheetahs controlled most of the possession in the second half to whittle away at the Kings’ lead and to finally emerge winners in a hard-fought battle.
Saracens (20) 23 / 15 (3) Sharks (Final Score)
Saracens and the South African Cell C Sharks did battle in a friendly match which doubles up as a warm-up
game in preparation of Super Rugby, at Allianz Stadium, London at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Sometimes it seems you have only to say things are going better for events to make you look a fool. Last Saturday I wrote that Edinburgh’s coaches had successfully tightened up their defence, and then their team concedes six tries to Munster.
Jonny Gray will turn out in the RBS Premiership this afternoon, which will delight Currie but has annoyed opponents Aberdeen GSFP after they were denied the use of their talented young lock due to Scotland under-20 selection.
Natal Sharks director of rugby Jake White thinks his team’s game against Saracens could lead to regular club matches between English and South African sides.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) confirmed on Friday that a group of 17 players had been contracted for the 2014 Springbok season – completing the process earlier than at any time for a number of seasons.
The signing of seven players to new Springbok contracts was completed in the past week to add to the ten players who agreed long-term contracts in 2013. Jurie Roux, CEO of SARU, confirmed that there was scope to contract additional players if the coach wished.
The seven newly-contracted players are Marcell Coetzee (loose forward), JJ Engelbrecht (centre / wing), Francois Hougaard (scrumhalf), Patrick Lambie (flyhalf / fullback), Willie le Roux (fullback / wing), Coenie Oosthuizen (prop) and Flip van der Merwe (lock).
The Springbok Sevens’ defence of their Las Vegas Sevens title started off on a powerful note as they ended day one without conceding a point.
Placed in a tricky pool alongside Wales, Canada and Kenya, the Blitzbokke placed their marker early on as they smashed Wales 43-0 in the opening game of the tournament and then followed it up with a comprehensive 29-0 win over Canada in the second game of their pool fixtures.
The Lions started their return to Super Rugby with a runaway 52-14 win over the NWU Pukke team at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park on Friday.
After watching from the sidelines in 2013, the Lions are determined to make more of an impact than their last appearance in Super Rugby – when they finished last in 2012.
The business of poaching / attracting schoolboy rugby players has reached enormous proportions in the Valke Rugby Union.
It has even reached the stage where a charge of kidnapping is reported to have been laid with the police against two members of the staff of Dr EG Jansen of Boksburg, the destination of two Under-14 schoolboys who are excellent rugby players.
London Wasps have moved to bring in experienced Australian scrumhalf Brett Sheehan until the end of the season.
Following Jack Moates’ injury earlier this year, Dai Young has added to his options at No.9 with the signing of Sheehan from the Western Force until the end of the 2013 / 2014 season.
In December 2013 and January 2014 we looked at Squad Contenders in the SA Super Rugby participating franchises. This tiime we will focus on the SA Conference Coaches for Super Rugby 2014.
We’ll have a look at all the head coaches and briefly their assistant staff, for the various South African Super Rugby franchises.
We look at their history and discuss their coaching styles and speculate about what can be expected.
Saracens have named their side to face the Cell C Sharks in Saturday’s Sanlam Private Investments Shield match at Allianz Park, London, with kick-off at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT).
Steve Borthwick will captain the side from lock, and is partnered by England second-rower Mouritz Botha.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter will make a welcome return to Loftus Versfeld next week after signing a two-year deal to return to the Vodacom Bulls ahead of this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby tournament.
The Blitzbokke will be aiming for a third title in four years at the Las Vegas Sevens this weekend.
The BlitzBokke head into the fourth round of the IRB Sevens World Series in Las Vegas off the back of an emotional Cup win on home soil in December.
Scotland and Glasgow Warriors lock, Jonny Gray, will captain Scotland A next Friday night when his side take on England Saxons at Scotstoun Stadium (kick-off 7.30pm GMT).
The Vodacom Bulls will be without three of their regulars when they take on the DHL Stormers in their only pre-season match in Polokwane on 1 February.
The Bulls will be missing the likes of Springbok Arno Botha, prop Morne Mellett and lock David Bulbring for the game, after the medical team decided to withdraw them from the clash ahead of a long and tough season that lies ahead.
Western Province and Stormers forward Michael Rhodes was cleared of further sanctions on Thursday, after being cited for a dangerous tackle in the Currie Cup Final against the Sharks in Cape Town last season.
British and Irish Lion fullback Leigh Halfpenny has signed for European champions Toulon with the deal expected to be made official later on Thursday, the Daily Telegraph reported.
The Cell C Sharks have named their team to take on Saracens in the friendly Sharks pre-season encounter at Allianz Park, London, England on Saturday 25 January at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT).
Quotes from Director of Rugby, Jake White
“What I enjoy about this game is that it mimics a little bit of what we can expect from the Bulls.
“Saracens play a little bit like the Bulls, they have a big pack of forwards, their set-piece is strong and they kick a lot. It gives me and the coaching staff an opportunity to see the things we want to do against the Bulls and to have an idea of whether or not we can play against the Bulls in a certain way.”
Springbok loose forward Marcell Coetzee has been withdrawn from the Sharks’ touring party for Saturday’s unique pre-season clash against Saracens in London due to injury.
The Bulls may have the highest player turnover of all the franchises, but coach Frans Ludeke believes he still has the core of a successful team.
The City of Cape Town is eager to have the Western Province Rugby Union as the anchor tenant of the Cape Town Stadium.
PUMA has launched the new home and away jersey the Toyota Cheetahs will sport during the 2014 Vodacom Super Rugby season – and the design is all about speed.
The Lions, promoted to Vodacom Super Rugby this season after a year’s absence, have revealed their new-look jersey.
Griekwas het die dienste van twee Leeus-staatmakers vir die Vodacombeker- en Curriebeker-reeks bekom.
Die haker Martin Bezuidenhout en die skrumskakel Tiaan Meyer, wat albei sterk aanspraakmakers op insluiting by die Cheetahs se Superrugby-span sal wees, sluit hulle later vandeesweek by die span in die Diamantstad aan.
Chiefs hooker Hika Elliot has been training with his team-mates but a decision on his short and long term playing future will have to be made.
The Super Rugby winning hooker has a serious neck injury which could force him into retiring from playing rugby altogether.
Blues coach Sir John Kirwan has revealed that his big name new signing Benji Marshall is likely to wear the No 10 jersey.
Brumbies winger Henry Speight says that he is ready to make the transition from Super Rugby winger to Wallabies international winger.
Speight wants to make a push for Wallabies selection as he became eligible last year having waited to become eligible.