France scrumhalf Morgan Parra is set to miss the Six Nations opener against England after being ruled out for 10 to 12 weeks with a knee injury, his Top 14 club Clermont said.
Stade Francais saw their surging Top 14 form rewarded when a trio of uncapped players were on Monday called up for France’s Six Nations squad, notably fly-half Jules Plisson ahead of the experienced Francois Trinh-Duc and Frederic Michalak.
It was speculated here on rugby-talk on Saturday that South African centre Andries Strauss was going to sign up with Edinburgh Rugby. The news was confirmed on Sunday by the club. Strauss has signed up for two and a half seasons, subject to passing the customary medical tests.
Rumours are doing the rounds that former Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold could be the next head coach of the Eastern Province Kings.
Gold was released from his Director of Rugby position at English club Bath in December, and the Kings have shown interest in his services for a while now.
Japanese utility back Harumichi Tatekawa is set to become the third player from his country to compete in Super Rugby after signing for the Canberra-based Brumbies, according to media reports on Sunday.
Wallaby James O’Connor is hot property in Europe at the moment, but it has been confirmed he will return home to Australia next January.
O’Connor went into a self-imposed exile last year after being dumped from the Wallaby squad by coach Ewen McKenzie and had his contract torn up by the Australian Rugby Union over his ongoing alcohol-related transgressions.
The crisis in Wales deepened on Saturday as both the Welsh Rugby Union and the regional teams issued statements in the long-standing and nasty public spat.
Iconic French rugby forward Sebastien Chabal was handed a three-week suspension on Friday for a punch that knocked out Agen’s Marc Giroud, his club Lyon revealed.
The 36-year-old former France international will miss his club’s second division matches against Carcassonne, Narbonne and Albi before being available again on January 27.
The Cell C Festival of Cricket was played at Newlands, Cape Town and we had a look at the State Of Origin T20 match between South African sides from the NORTH and SOUTH.
The match started at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT). The match was broadcast on TV in SA, on SuperSport 2, SH2 & CSN.
The South won the toss and elected to bat.
The NORTH won the match by 1 run, with 1 ball spare at the end.
The scores and match progress was updated at regular intervals.
South: 153 / 9 (20 Overs)
North: 154 / 7 (19.5 Overs)
The Proteas and rugby Springboks played in a festival T20 game at Newlands, Cape Town as an opener to the Cell C Festival of Cricket.
The match is broadcast Live on SuperSport 2, SHD 2 & CSN on TV in SA.
TV broadcast of the match started at 17:35 SA Time and the match itself started at 18:00 SA Time.
The festive fixtures continue as return local derbies were scheduled to take place in Scotland, Wales and Italy during the Pro12’s Round 12.
Wales and Scotland were set to start the New Year with a game on New Year’s Day, as Cardiff Blues hosted Newport Gwent Dragons and after the Hogmanay celebrations in Scotland, Glasgow Warriors welcomed Edinburgh to Scotstoun. However, the game in Glasgow was called off less than an hour before kick off due to the field being waterlogged.
The Welsh Rugby Union has made a dramatic about-turn in their stand-off with the four regions.
Just a day after the WRU hinting it could set up new franchises to play in European competitions and the Pro12, the national body said it would return to the boardroom with a new agreement for the current regional teams.
The arrival of 2014 coincides with the second half of the English Premiership competition, which kicks off this weekend.
The Eastern Province Kings have stemmed the tide of departures with the news that they have secured the services of a Cheetah.
EP Rugby CEO Charl Crous confirmed that Michael Horak will be joining Eastern Province as their defensive coach later in the year.
Wales looks set to be without Jonathan Davies for most, if not all, of the Six Nations.
Rebel Cadeyrn Neville can’t help but feel encouraged by a squad that appears to be clicking ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby season.
The popular big lock, who has now almost completed his third pre-season at the franchise, believes that new coach Tony McGahan’s transition into life in Melbourne has been seamless, and that the players have enjoyed an arduous and challenging stint under McGahan thus far.
All Black and Crusaders wing Zac Guildford has reportedly signed a deal with French Top 14 club Clermont Auvergne.
This is the fourth article in the series of Bulls Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSE FORWARDS in the Vodacom Bulls 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
This is the forth in the series of Stormers Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSE FORWARDS in the DHL Stormers 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
This is the forth in the series of Cheetahs Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSE FORWARDS in the Toyota Cheetahs 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
This is the fourth article in the series of Cell C Sharks Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSE FORWARDS in the Cell C Sharks 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
This is the fourth in the series of the Lions Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSE FORWARDS in the Lions 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
This is Published Article 8 002 on Rugby-Talk as we silently went over the magical 8 000 mark with the Stormers Locks Article earlier today!
On top of it, it is 1 January 2014, the start of a brand new year, which promises so much.
Here’s to a HAPPY and PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR to all the readers, subscribers, contributors, authors and webmasters of Rugby-Talk!
This is the third article in the range of Bulls Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS in the Vodacom Bulls 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
This is the third in the series of Stormers Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS in the DHL Stormers 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
This is the third in the series of Cheetas Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS in the Toyota Cheetahs 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
Glasgow Warriors make several changes for the New Year’s Day meeting with Edinburgh with Chris Fusaro taking over the captaincy from Chris Cusiter.
This is the third in the series of Cell C Sharks Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS in the Cell C Sharks 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
This is the third in the series of the Lions Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS in the Lions 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
The George Sevens Premier League tournament has received a major boost ahead of its revised date in January.
The very popular and highly competitive Kenyan national team will now also play at Outeniqua Park early in 2014.
Back row forward Sean O’Brien is in danger of missing Ireland’s entire Six Nations campaign, as he requires surgery on the dislocated left shoulder he suffered against Ulster last Saturday.
As we bid farewell to 2013 and move into 2014, the European rugby circuit is still active, albeit less active than normal.
We take a brief look at the appointment of referees and match officials till 5 January 2014.
Former Southern Kings assistant coach Brad Mooar will take over the head coaching role for Southland in next year’s NPC.
Edinburgh Rugby have recruited 2013 Currie Cup (First Division) and Vodacom Cup winning stand-off Carl Bezuidenhout on an extended trial until the end of the season.
The 27 year-old began training with the squad at Murrayfield Stadium this morning (Monday 30 December) two months after the Pumas’ unbeaten Currie Cup First Division triumph, in which he ended the season as tournament top points’ scorer.
Jacques Kallis one of the game’s greatest allrounders, retires from Test cricket after the Boxing Day match against India. Kallis announced his decision on Wednesday, on the eve of the second Test against India, but stated that he would still like to play the 2015 World Cup for South Africa.
(Full Scorecard at the bottom)
In a statement, Kallis said: “It wasn’t an easy decision, with Australia around the corner and the success this team is enjoying, but I feel the time is right. I don’t see it as goodbye, I still have a lot of hunger to push South Africa to that World Cup in 2015 if I am fit and performing. The last two years specifically have been a memorable journey with an exceptional group of cricketers. I am fortunate enough to have ended my Test career amongst a group of talented cricketers but, more importantly, friends whom I will cherish for years to come.”
Kallis, who made his Test debut against England in December 1995, and has played 165 Tests, scoring 13174 runs at an average of 55.12, with 44 centuries and 58 half-centuries.