I try not to copy and paste articles, but this one cannot be reworked.
Vodacom Blue Bulls flank Wian Liebenberg will lead a powerful SA Under-20 team at the IRB Junior World Championship 2012 in Cape Town, the South African Rugby Union announced on Tuesday.
SARU named the 28-man squad during a midday media conference held at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.
SANZAR CEO Greg Peters has again ruled out the possibility of South Africa having their wish to field six Super Rugby teams in the near future.
There are a host of international teams like Scotland and Ireland not even to mention second tier test nations like Canada, USA, Italia and Argentina who have never beaten the All Blacks.
Wales have beaten the All Blacks only three times, the last time being in 1953. In general the only teams really able to foster some occasional wins against the All Blacks are England, France, Australia and South Africa with the latter being by far the most successful in this regard.
The fact that Rhodesia (now of course Zimbabwe) have once beaten the All Blacks are therefore something really unique and says a lot about the state of rugby in Southern Africa at the time this occurred namely in 1949. The fact that South Africa also white washed the 1949 All Blacks 4-0 in the test series leaves the impression that it was a weak All Black side which is something most rugby scribes strongly reject.
The Vodacom Bulls named their squad of 26 players to travel to Australia next week for Super Rugby tour matches against the Rebels, Waratahs, Highlanders and Chiefs.
The Waratahs have lost fullback Bernard Foley and flanker Chris Alcock for Sunday’s Super Rugby match against the Crusaders in Sydney.
SANZAR have released the match officials for the 10th Round in the 2012 Super Rugby tournament and Craig Joubert starts the action on Friday.
Schalk Burger - Crocked
Stormers captain and flank Schalk Burger could possibly be sidelined until July, which would see him miss the Springboks’ three-Test series against England.
We are
reaching the halfway mark of the 2012 Super Rugby season, these are some of my thoughts so far.
The Stormers have lost Gio Aplon and Duane Vermeulen for this weekend’s Round 10 Super Rugby match against the Force in Perth.
Waratahs midfielder Rob Horne has been suspended for two weeks but Reds’ backs Digby Ioane and Quade Cooper will not face action from SANZAR over their comments on how long Horne should be suspended.
The Wallabies have finalised their coaching team for the upcoming June Internationals and the inaugural Southern Hemisphere Rugby Championship featuring Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and South Africa with the appointments of Tony McGahan, Andrew Blades and Nick Scrivener.
Former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad has apologised for using a derogatory term while commentating on a Super Rugby game, according to a report on Monday.
Wallabies utility back James O’Connor has a lacerated liver and faces a six-week layoff that threatens his availability for mid-year Tests against Wales and Scotland.
The match is 80-minutes long but the ball is not in play all of those 80 minutes. There are stoppages, and in fact the ball is rarely in play for even half the time.
Every week readers of BOKzine (SA Rugby’s Electronic Magazine) are given the opportunity to ask questions of South African rugby personalities. This time was Heyneke Meyer’s turn.
Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has launched his fiercest attack yet on New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence, who officiated South Africa’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to Australia last year.
Former Springbok coach Jake White says it would make sense for current South African mentor Heyneke Meyer to select retired lock Victor Matfield as his captain.
Bulls (19) 36 / Brumbies (13) 34 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 19:10 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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Vodacom Bulls prop Dawie Steyn will earn a first Super Rugby start on Saturday when his new side face the Brumbies at Loftus Versfeld.
The loose head prop will replace Dean Greyling who did not recover from a bruised shoulder.
Sharks (3) 12 / Chiefs (10) 18 (Final Score)
The Sharks and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at Kings Park, Durban at 17:05 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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Waratahs (16) 30 / Rebels (7) 21 (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Sydney 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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Hurricanes (7) 14 / Crusaders (32) 42 (Final Score)
The Hurricanes and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 09:35 SA Time (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.
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The Western Force will finish the 2012 Super Rugby season without head coach Richard Graham after the board decided that he would be stood down as with immediate effect.
The Vodacom Bulls is pleased to announce that Bjorn Basson extended his contract with the franchise till October 2014.
Reds (3) 13 / Stormers (17) 23 (Final Score)
The Reds and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Brisbane Time).
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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Highlanders (16) 30 / Blues (14) 27 (Final Score)
The Highlander and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time (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.
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Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets for Week 9 of Super Rugby 2012.
Thats it, all the teams are up, thanks lads for the input. Remember first game tomorrow morning at 09:35.
Bulls scrumhalf Francois Hougaard has signed a new three year contract with the Bulls keeping him in Pretoria for another three years.
Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper has reportedly re-injured the knee that has kept him out of rugby since last year’s World Cup.
A total of 45 players from the Vodacom Bulls and The Sharks have been invited to the second Springbok Planning Camp, which will be held in Pretoria next week.
Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has approached the South African Rugby Union (SARU) about possible work.
Former Springbok lock Victor Matfield has confirmed that Bok coach Heyneke Meyer approached him about a possible return to rugby but nothing is decided yet.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) today welcomed Klipdrift into their sponsorship family at a launch event at the famous brandy distillery in Robertson.
The Sharks are holding out hope that bruising Springbok hooker and master poacher Bismarck du Plessis makes a speedy recovery from an assortment of injuries.