Cheetahs stalwart and Springbok flanker Heinrich Brüssow is ready to start against the Highlanders.
Shimlas (12) 38 / 18 (0) Pukke (Final Score)
The University of the Free State (Shimlas) and University of North West Province (Pukke) did battle in the Varsity Cup at Xerox Shimla Park, Bloemfontein at 19:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
UCT (10) 15 / 37 (13) Maties (Final Score)
The University of Cape Town (FNB UCT) and the University of Stellenbosch (FNB Maties) did battle in the Varsity Cup at UCT Rugby Fields, Cape Town at 16:45 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Bulls and Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn has agreed to leave the Pretoria Super Rugby franchise and join Stade Francais.
(Update: See the Outcome of the Citing at the bottom of the page!)
When I first saw the headlines about this incident, I thought… “Hell, is’nt that what one is supposed to do, to hit the rucks hard and with the shoulders to get the driving force forward?” The next instinct was that Rugby is gradually going softer and softer and I suppose that would be the sentiment amongst most of us older folk who played the game when a few crucial punches in a match was not only needed, but required and when someone did not lie on the wrong side of a ruck, because he was certainly going to get some stud marks all over him.
Sharks coach John Plumtree says their improved play at set-pieces and ability to handle pressure better were key factors to overcoming the Stormers at Kings Park on Saturday.
Rebels and Wallabies fullback Kurtley Beale has been ruled out of Super Rugby for up to a month due to a hand injury.
Ireland have named a 32-man training squad for their Six Nations Championship match against France at the Aviva Stadium with Ronan O’Gara being left out of the group.
Second-half tries from Joel Tomkins, Will Fraser and David Strettle helped Saracens pick up a 35-14 bonus point win over London Welsh and leapfrog Harlequins into top spot in the Premiership.
Round 3 of Super Rugby of 2013 certainly delivered it’s share of surprises, frustration, disapointment, elation and joy.
Here’s having a disection of a number of the games:
Sharks (0) 12 / 6 (0) Stormers (Final Score)
The Sharks and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
Bulls (14) 36 / 26 (9) Force (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Western Force 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, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
Chiefs (10) 45 / 3 (3) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 08:35 SA Time (06:35 GMT, 19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Bath second row Dominic Day admits that it is win at all costs when they welcome West Country rivals Gloucester to the Rec on Friday. Day and co will be itching to return to winning ways after their run of six straight victories in all competitions came to an end with their narrow 23-25 defeat at Northampton Saints.
Round 17 of the Pro12 kicks off with five games on Friday, with both contenders for the top spot in action.
Leaders Ulster, who have been at the top since round five, welcome Benetton Treviso to Ravenhill whilst Glasgow Warriors host Cardiff Blues at Scotstoun.
Reds (11) 18 / 12 (9) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Queensland Reds and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 12:20 SA Time (10:20 GMT, 20:20 Brisbane Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Waratahs (6) 31 / 26 (16) Rebels (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 10:25 SA Time (08:25 GMT, 19:25 Sydney Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Blues (20) 34 / 15 (12) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Blues and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at Eden Park, Auckland at 08:30 SA Time (06:30 GMT, 19:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets as they are announded for Round 3 of Super Rugby 2013.
The Australian Rugby Union has announced that the Wallabies will have a dedicated three-week window to prepare for their once in a lifetime opportunity against the British & Irish Lions.
Coach John Plumtree has opted for continuity and kept the exact same squad of 22 players for their encounter with the Stormers in Durban on Saturday. In the only change within that squad, strongman Jean Deysel will be starting this week with Jacques Botes moving to the bench.
DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has made few changes to the squad that lost their opening match against the Bulls last weekend.
Here we are midweek already and looking forward to the coming weekend’s rugby. Most of the attention up north is due to be focussed on the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Aviva Premiership as there is yet another break in the RBS 6 Nations tournament. Last weekend’s rugby may now be a distant memory but felt it would be interesting to share the views of two former international players of the action between Scotland and Ireland.
Burton Francis, the much travelled 26-year old Griquas flyhalf, will fly in to join the Toyota Cheetahs on their Australasian Tour to replace the injured Elgar Watts.
Francis recently joined Griquas after initially forming part of the Southern Kings wider training group in the pre-season.
There was good news for clubs on both sides of the Central Belt as the services of two valuable loose forwards were announced. Glasgow Warriors have managed to secure the services of prodigal son Richie Vernon once more while Roddy Grant has extended his contract with Edinburgh Rugby.
There were several decisions this last weekend which are worth debating. One of them was the try scored by Chiliboy Ralepelle of the Bulls, a try which took the home team to 25-10 with 13 minutes to play.
Now that the euphoria amongst Sharks fans has settled down, many are beginning too ponder how the Sharks team went from a commanding lead of 21 points after 50 minutes of rugby, to scrambling desperately to prevent the Cheetahs snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. By contrast Cheetahs fans are grimly searching for some positives to take out of the match. The following thoughts was posted on the Cheetahs Blog.
The good performances by the Cheetah looseforwards against the Sharks the past weekend, has given coach Naka Drotskè enough reason to hold back the return of bok flanker Heinrich Brüssow. The Cheetahs loose trio of Frans Viljoen, Lappies Labuschagne and Phillip van der Walt gave a good account of themselves in a losing cause. Boom Prinsloo also made a positive contribution from the replacement bench. Phillip van der Walt played probably his best Super Rugby match to date and he combined well with Lappies in creating a well-crafted try.
Tuks (16) 16 / 18 (16) Maties (Final Score)
The University of Pretoria FNB UP-Tuks and University of Stellenbosch FNB Maties did battle in the Varsity Cup at Tuks Rugby Stadium at 19:005 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Wits (16) 24 / 63 (34) UJ (Final Score)
FNB Wits and FNB UJ did battle in the Varsity Cup at Wits Rugby Stadium, Johannesburg at 16:45 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
I am thrilled with the win against tough opponents in such testing conditions Sharks coach John Plumtree admitted after his team’s 29-22 victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. “We just had to get the win, even if it was ugly he said.
DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has some tough decisions to make this week after a poor showing in key areas last week.
Expecting the worst, I was reluctant to the point of rather snooze off in front of the TV when the Southern Kings vs Western Force match started at 06:00 this morning in New Zealand.
The first 10 minutes was not encouraging at all with the Kings hardly seeing the ball. On the brink of switching the TV off, the Kings scored the first try of the match. Intrigued I started to watch, with more interest and what a delight it turned out to be.
SuperBru points in the back of my mind, I was not concerned about them losing. So I kept on watching not because they were edging ahead and eventually winning but because of the delightful rugby they dished-up.
The defence was good, the set piece solid (mostly), the line-out better than the Stormers on the weekend and the ball handling in the backline refreshing and full of variation. There was some enchanting inter-passing between forwards and backs, good hands, nice light touches and good decision-making when they carried the ball. Some exciting new talent was on display as well on the wing with Sergeal Petersen. Demetri Catrakilis had an impressive game at flyhalf. Seems that we have a wing here that could be a Springbok in the making and Catrakilis impressed as a flyhalf that can dictate as well as play the running game.
Three Six Nations games were played this weekend, two Saturday afternoon and evening and one on Sunday. Unfortunately the Saturday games overlaped with two Super Rugby games.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article… giving progress and scores from all three Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
The 1st game up in a season of Super Rugby is never easy, but hell it was nice to sit in the Press Benches at Loftus Versfeld again watching Super Rugby!
Firstly, I have to complain bitterly about 2 things though…. the first being Pretoria Traffic Department’s abhorrent handling of the traffic around Loftus, before the match. Many people were still stuck in traffic after the match had started, not a first time occurence in Pretoria either.
Get yourselves sorted out Traffic Department, you are a blight on Pretoria!
Secondly I have to complain about 3G Internet coverage at Loftus! None of the Cell Networks allowed any workable Internet access for the scribes in the Press Boxes and with 45 000 supporters in the stands with their Cell Phones on, these Networks were all clearly overloaded. Note to myself, take this up with the Bulls… they in turn would have to take it up with their principle sponsors, Vodacom and the other Cell Networks, or else provide a working Wi-Fi Hotspot scenario for proper Internet Access.
For both the Vodacom Bulls and the DHL Stormers, this was not easy either! These 2 “Big Guns” went hammer and tongs with one another at Loftus Versveld on Friday evening 22 February 2013.
The Bulls won on the evening, by 25 / 17, bagging 4 Log Points and giving the Stormers no Log Points.