Despite their loss to Munster at Thomond Park last Saturday, Ulster remain clear at the top of the Pro12 table as we start the New Year.
Ulster have a nine-point lead over second placed Scarlets, who they welcome to Ravenhill on Friday.
In this Article we look at the contenders for FLYHALVES at the Sharks 2013 Super Rugby group.
FLYHALF – this is the position the Sharks now have the most depth they have had in a long time, even with the departure of the French general, Freddy Michalak.
The Sharks are in a position where they at least always have parity at scrum time and for the most part should win the breakdown clashes! This allows for their halfbacks to be more involved in games and they are also able to set up running lines and control games more effectively.
Coaches Naka Drotske and Hawies Fourie, seem to be pretty clear of who they envisage in their final Super Rugby squad for 2013. Griquas players Justin Downey, Leon Karemaker, Steph Roberts, Edwin Hewitt, Marnus Hugo and Jean Stemmet have been released to Griquas to prepare for the Vodacom Cup.
It is speculated, that the possible return of Juan Smith may have been the primary motivation as Phillip van der Walt, Heinrich Brüssow, Lappies Labuschagne, Juan Smith, and Boom Prinsloo all have still to prove their fitness. This could indicate that Juan’s progress is in line with the coaches’ expectations.
South African mountain biking champion Burry Stander has been killed while practicing, reports indicate. Stander was apparently killed after being hit by a taxi. News of Stander’s death broke on social networking site, Twitter, on Thursday. Cycle Lab Cape Town, a leading cycling retailer in South Africa, confirmed the news.
Last year, this is where I expected the bloggers have a good giggle. This year, we all know the coup pulled off by Allister Coetzee and Co which has, with the signing of one player, completely changed the face of the Stormers flyhalf dilemma of the past.
Struggling Sale Sharks have been boosted by the arrival of All Black Dan Braid, who have signed to play for the Premiership club until the end of the current season.
Former Australia coach Bob Dwyer was recovering in hospital Thursday after suffering a heart attack, the Australian Rugby Union said.
A final decision regarding the playing future of Springbok flank Juan Smith will now only be made at the end of January.
According to the Beeld website it has been confirmed that the Sharks will play two friendly warm-up games against two local sides as part of their preparations for Super Rugby.
Keegan Daniel’s men will play the Leopards on 8 February at the Woodburn stadium in Pietermaritzburg and a week later (15 February) they will face the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Morne van der Merwe, ex WP and Stormers prop, has only days to live.
He was diagnosed with a brain tumor two years ago and his wife, Cindy, is hurriedly putting together mementoes of his life to keep for the couple.s two young boys.
Former Scotland and Lions forward Nathan Hines believes that Scottish players could force themselves into contention for the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour even if Scotland fail to uncover significant improvement in the RBS Six Nations.
The 5th Article in the set discussing the Southern Kings.
In this Article we look at the contenders for SCRUMHALVES in the Southern Kings 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
The 5th Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for SCRUMHALVES in the Vodacom Bulls 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
The Cheetahs have some real continuity and experience in the vital scrumhalf position. Almost any of the players in the squad would be contenders for any squad in the Super 15, albeit as a back up. More importantly, they all fit in well with the Cheetahs favoured game plan.
Can a series of unequals prove to be a contest?
It might be too much to hope that the South Africa-New Zealand Test series is hard fought, but both teams have little and big goals to pursue.
The Blue Bulls Rugby Union is very pleased to honour Lourens (LM) Smit, who celebrated his 100th birthday on Monday.
Smit is the oldest living player that has represented the union and played in their very first match ever, in 1938.
Firstly we at Rugby-Talk would like to wish all our bloggers a wonderful and prosperous NEW YEAR!
Who doesn’t love humour and laughter around them?
That oddball in your life who makes you smile without any reason, with the quirkiest things to say, that funny bone tingling. So be that person with our Funny New Year Messages, who spreads the celebratory cheer and zeal around with their words.
In this Article we look at the contenders for SCRUMHALVES at the Sharks 2013 Super Rugby group.
SCRUMHALF – now here is where many a match is won or lost, not always because the scrumhalf was poor. Well sometimes this may be true, but because of various reasons beyond a Scrumhalf’s control, many times we say the flyhalf should control the game as he is normally the play maker, this although true to a degree, it is not always the case in the modern game where a more complete rugby is played.
And so we move on to the backs, but before we do, some housekeeping and a summary of what has happened through player movements at Stormers HQ from the 2012 to the 2013 season.
This time of year fresh rugby news for the Southern Hemisphere is almost as scarse as chicken’s teeth, so bang away and discuss music… and place your favourite MUSIC YOUTUBE VIDEOS right here, in your comments!
It’s simple… just go to Youtube, find your favourite song, copy the web site address, also known as it’s URL, come back to comments and write your comment, PASTING that URL on a new line, before submitting the comment like usual.
Here’s my favourite band of all ages…. Pink Floyd, with one of my favourite tunes…
Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby did battle yesterday in the Rabo Direct Pro12 at Murrayfield. The match also doubled up as the second leg of the 1872 Cup. Glasgow won the first leg of the cup game last weekend at their home ground, Scotstoun Stadium, by nine points. Glasgow were comfortably in front in yesterday’s game, leading by 18 points on the 55 minute mark. However, a late rally by Edinburgh made for an exiting finish, FINAL SCORE : Edinburgh 17 – 21 Glasgow.
Rather than bring one match report I thought for a change would post two match reports, one from either camp. There is some repetition but it is interesting to see the reports as written from ‘both sides of the fence’.
Former All Black coach John Mitchell quit as Sale Sharks head coach on Saturday after just a month in charge of the English Premiership club.
We were off-line for a number of hours, suspended by our Web Hosts because apparently our SQL Database has become unwieldy and freegin large.
Couple of fights later and we’re back online… still have to place some Plugin’s back in place. That will happen tomorrow as I want to monitor what and how the website performs overnight.
Former England captain Tony Greig, one of the architects of cricket’s World Series revolution in the 1970s, has died at the age of 66 after suffering a heart attack at his Sydney home on Saturday.
Greig, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in October, was taken to a Sydney hospital but died at about 1:45 pm (0245 GMT).
At the half-way point of the regular season Ulster sit atop of the Pro12 table with a perfect won 11 out of 11 record.
The leaders face Munster in one of four games on Saturday, safe in the knowledge that regardless of other results, they will enter 2013 as table toppers.
Leicester Tigers will play host to Gloucester at Welford Road on Saturday in the key clash of the last round of the Premiership in 2012.
This weekend sees further action in the RaboDirect Pro12 as this season’s competition enters the twelfth round of matches in the league stage. Most of the games will be completed during the weekend but one of the matches, Scarlets versus Ospreys, is scheduled for the afternoon of Monday afternoon.
The attention in Scotland in particular will, for the second week in a row, be centred on the derby match between Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors. This match will take place at Murrayfield on Saturday, kick off due 18.05 South African Time.
The 4th Article in the set discussing the Southern Kings.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSE FORWARDS in the Southern Kings 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
“This is where the debate starts to get interesting. So much conjecture around Schalk Burger, his role and where he should play. With Francois Louw gone, is the fetching role going to be an area of contention?” This was my view from the same article 12 months ago – has anything changed?
Schalk Burger still under a cloud, Nizaam Carr still hobbling, but a plethora of very good players in the squad means that if these two players do ever get into frontline rugby again, the Stormers will certainly be able to post a formidable loose trio on match days!
The 4th Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSE FORWARDS in the Vodacom Bulls 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
Wow, 5 CURRENT or very RECENT Springbok Loose Forwards in the Bulls Super Rugby group and only 3 can start a game… Plus 2 Junior World Champion Under 20 SA players in the broader squad. Which other Super Rugby side can muster or even sniff such quality?
In years past, this was a position the Cheetahs could make their team selections with their eyes closed. With legends like Juan Smith in particular, giving yeoman service.
Long term injuries and player movements has temporarily thrown the proverbial spanner in the works, resulting in Naka having to recall Hendro Scholtz out of retirement to have a fit flanker in the 2012 Currie Cup.
However the emergence of a few young stars has restored order. Marnus Schoeman has started delivering on the hype anticipated when he was still a junior with the Blue Bulls. Lappies Labuschagne and Justin Downey have grown in their positions, which leaves Naka Drotske spoilt for choice.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOOSE FORWARDS at the Sharks 2013 Super Rugby group.
Loose Forward is a set of 3 positions where the Sharks have abundance of, but much will depend on the coaching staff’s game plans and which combinations to use accordingly and as we have seen with John Plumtree, you could very well see someone like Willem Alberts playing a game or two at lock.
But before I continue, let me get this out of the way first! The biggest problem at the Sharks at Loose Forward is the lack of a FETCHER and as many great Loose Forwards that they have, not having a fetcher is that one huge weakness. All one has to do is look back at the Currie Cup Final of 2012 and see how it hurt them as a team, specially with Bismarck du Plessis being out injured, because it is common knowledge that Bismarck du Plessis fulfills that role for the Sharks.
With only four locks in the squad, and the well documented injury problems that Bekker seems to pick up on a regular basis, this looks like an area of concern for Alister Coetzee and his assistants.
The 3rd Article in the set discussing the Southern Kings.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS in the Southern Kings 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
The 3rd Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS in the Vodacom Bulls 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.