Wings from all corners of the world dominate the four-man shortlist for the International Rugby Players’ Association (IRPA) Try of the Year award after stunning scores in 2012.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) has confirmed that it will appeal what it strongly believes to be an “unduly lenient sanction” handed down to New Zealand forward Adam Thomson for stamping or trampling on the head of an opponent.
The Springbok rugby run-on side to face England on Saturday at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT) is unchanged from last weekend, with Pat Cilliers on the bench in place of CJ van der Linde and Elton Jantjies replacing Morné Steyn.
England have dropped Thomas Waldrom, Tom Johnson and Charlie Sharples for Saturday’s Test against South Africa at Twickenham. Forward Joe Marler is also out after straining medial ligaments in his knee in the 20-14 defeat against Australia.
James Haskell and Ben Morgan have both been included in the squad for the first time this autumn. London Irish centre Jonathan Joseph has taken Sharples’ place in the squad after shaking off an ankle injury.
Springbok lock, Eben Etzebeth has been found Not Guilty of the alleged eye gouging he was cited for after the clash between the Springboks and Scotland. The Judicial Officer ruled that the contact was accidental and therefore did not constitute foul play.
Golden Lions prop JC Janse van Rensburg will fly to London on Tuesday evening to replace the injured CJ van der Linde in the Springbok squad.
Wales coach Warren Gatland has made five changes to the team that lost to Samoa for this week’s Test match against World Champions New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Super Rugby newcomers, the Southern Kings, are busy finalising their squad for next year’s tournament.
The Vodacom Bulls on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Victor Matfield as their new Forwards and Attack Coach for the 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby season, while also naming Derick Hougaard as a skills and kicking coach and Handrè Pollard as part of their extended playing squad for the new season.
Uncapped, Inverness-born stand-off Tom Heathcote has tonight joined the Scotland squad in Aberdeen in preparation for Saturday’s EMC Test against Tonga. Heathcote, 20, who has already featured in the Heineken Cup for Bath Rugby, has previously played age-grade for England but is “delighted” to accept the call-up from the land of his birth.
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson said: “Tom has worked his way into the Bath first team squad from the academy and we’ve been monitoring his progress for the last couple of years.”
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has been cited for allegedly making contact with a the eye of a Scotland player in the Test match played at Murrayfield on Saturday.
The Springboks may have to do without one of their few experienced in-form backline players in Saturday’s final test of the year against England at Twickenham.
When Warren Gatland relinquished fulltime coaching duties with Wales in the summer, his side had just won the Six Nations and was still feasting on its run to the World Cup semifinals.
Ian Kirkpatrick, great rugby man, died suddenly at his home in Helderberg Village on Sunday. He was 82. His influence on South African rugby over six decades cannot be overestimated.
On Friday he complained of a ‘stomach upset’ and cancelled a meeting with an overseas company about to make a documentary on the 1974 tour, when Kirkpatrick was a national selector.
His playing career was great. He left Kimberley Boys’ high and at the age of 19 and played for Griquas. The next year he went to the Springbok trials at Newlands when the great Springbok team was chosen for the 1951-52 tour. In 1953 he made his Springbok debut against the Wallabies at Newlands, playing flyhalf.
Kirkie played for South Africa in 13 Tests. Of the 13 two were lost, and on each occasion it was at Newlands (against Australia and France) and he was at flyhalf. In 10 Tests he was at centre in partnership with John Gainsford.
The Cheetahs are doing everything within their powers to try and stop loose forward Juan Smith from moving to France.
Patrick Lambie missed his opportunity to stake a claim for the Springbok No.10 jersey at Murrayfield at the weekend.
This was Lambie’s chance to shine. The wet European conditions had stayed away for the Springboks’ Edinburgh encounter against an ordinary Scottish outfit fresh off a 51-22 hiding from New Zealand.
Controversial Wallaby flyhalf Quade Cooper has reportedly dropped a major bomb by walking out on Australian rugby.
Nick Mallet during his tenure as Springbok coach made himself very unpopular by saying that he is not too concerned about criticism from South African rugby fans because in his opinion they don’t know much about the game anyway.
Good second half against Ireland, good first half against Scotland … warts and all, the Springboks continue unbeaten on their season-ending tour of the northern hemisphere.
France (24) 39 / 22 (13) Pumas (Final Score)
France and the Argentinian Pumas did battle in the End Of Year Tours at Grand Stade Lille Metropole, Lille at 22:00 SA Time (21:00 France Time, 20:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Ireland (29) 53 / 0 (0) Fiji (Final Score)
Ireland and Fiji did battle in the End Of Year Tours at Thomond Park, Limerick at 19:30 SA Time (17:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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News from Cape Town is that Tendai “Beast” Mtawarita is recovering from a successful minor medical procedure to correct an intermittent irregular heart rhythm he experienced last weekend.
Scotland (3) 10 / 21 (14) Springboks (Final Score)
Scotland and the South African Springboks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at Murrayfield, Edinburgh at 16:30 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Seems that the planners of the End Of Year Tours all colluded to make it as difficult as possible for us to see all the games. This afternoon no less than 3 important Tests takes place at the same time, being Italy vs All Blacks (16:00 SA Time), England vs Wallabies (16:30 SA Time) and Scotland vs Springboks (16:30 SA Time). The other matches following are the Ireland vs Fiji (19:30 SA Time) and France vs Pumas (22:00 SA Time) matches.
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Wales (13) 19 / 26 (10) Samoa (Final Score)
Wales and Samoa did battle in the End Of Year Tours at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff at 21:30 SA Time.
This is the live match discussion Article.
The match is broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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Wallabies playmaker Kurtley Beale will face court next year on an assault charge relating to an incident involving a bouncer at a Brisbane hotel in June.
ESPN Classic has produced two original one-hour documentaries focusing on the careers of ex-Springbok rugby captains, John Smit and Victor Matfield.
Former Springbok and Sharks lock Mark Andrews is worried about current Bok second rower Eben Etzebeth’s commitment at the breakdown area.
Ireland have named their team to play Fiji at Thomond Park on Saturday with three three uncapped players included in the starting XV alongside a number of new faces.
Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made eight changes to the side that beat Tonga 28-23 last week ahead of Saturday’s test against New Zealand’s All Blacks at Rome’s Olympic Stadium.
Australian lock Rob Simmons and New Zealand flanker Adam Thomson who both played for the their countries last weekend and were cited following acts of foul play will both be missing from their respective teams’ lineups this weekend. However, that is where the similarities end as Thomson received a one week ban for his stamp on Scotland’s Strokosch’s head, while Simmons received an eight week ban for a ‘tip/spear’ tackle on France’s Yannick Nyanga.
Centre Nick De Luca insists a victory over South Africa is not essential for Scotland’s World Cup hopes.
The Scots host the Springboks after losing to New Zealand last Sunday. They need to win, and beat Tonga a week later, to secure a second seed berth for England in three years’ time.
The All Blacks have named Kieran Read as captain of the team to face Italy at Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Saturday as coach Steve Hansen makes sweeping changes.
Australia have named their team to face England at Twickenham with Berrick Barnes at fullback as one of four changes to the team that lost to France in Paris.