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.
Former Wallaby flyhalf Michael Lynagh is reported to have suffered a stroke, according to Australian radio.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he regrets Jaque Fourie’s decision not to make himself available for the Springboks while he plays in Japan, but he respects it.
The Brumbies have taken huge steps towards retaining their promising young squad with the re-signing of five players on Wednesday.
Hendrik Cronje, of the Volksblad reported, that the hottest young flyhalf prospect in SA for years has extended his contract with the Toyota Cheetahs until the end of 2014. This is a major coup for the Cheetahs, and it could have a positive spin-off.
Some Super rugby stats to feast on.
Heyneke Meyer may only be in the first real testing week of his tenure but he is already setting up structures that are far more advanced than the national team has ever had before.
Along with Saru’s new General Manager: High Performance Rassie Erasmus, Meyer has already set the wheels in motion to see that players are up to speed with what he wants from them ahead of the England test series, including game plans, individual skills and a number of small intricacies that could make the world of difference when the international season rolls around.
Former World Cup winning Springbok and now Brumbies coach Jake White has fired a broadside at South African rugby as he prepares to embark on his South African tour.
England will play 2 mid week games and 3 Tests in a return to more conventional tours.
South Africa Under-20 coach Dawie Theron has picked a complete new selection to face the visiting Argentina Pumitas in their second of three international matches at the Markotter Stadium in Stellenbosch (4pm).
The team comprise mostly of Under-19 players and those who were not involved in the opening clash on Saturday at the same venue.
The Cheetahs have been hit with a second big injury as winger Rayno Benjamin will miss the rest of the season.
Highlanders half-back Jimmy Cowan has announced that he will leave the Dunedin franchise in order to join English club Gloucester.
The Stormers have received a massive blow with the news that centre and captain Jean de Villiers has injured ligaments in his hand.
Over the past weekend, one specific incident stood out in my mind about whether it was legal or illegal play. This incident involved Owen Franks, Crusaders prop and brother of Ben Franks.
The lower back injury that prevented Andries Bekker from playing beyond the first few minutes of the crunch Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Crusaders in Christchurch at the weekend will rule him out of the important match against the Reds in Brisbane on Friday.
Western Force coach Richard Graham has announced that he will leave his position as head coach of the Force and will join the Reds in Queensland for the 2013 season.
Former Springbok and Sharks lock Alistair Hargreaves has agreed to join Saracens from the start of the 2012/13 Aviva Premiership Rugby season.
The rather yo-yoing Sharks have a dual responsibility in their influential Super Rugby meeting with new overall log-leaders the Chiefs at Mr Price Kings Park on Saturday.
Not only will victory mean an awful lot in their quest to qualify for the playoffs again this year, but their halting the charge of the currently rampant Waikato franchise is also important for the respective aspirations of better-placed compatriots the Stormers and Bulls to secure top spot on the broader table and thus the likelihood of a home final.
The New Zealand Rugby Union’s offer to re-sign Chiefs and All Black centre Sonny Bill Williams is on the table.
All Blacks and Crusaders captain Richie McCaw is hoping to play his first Super Rugby match this season against the Reds.
Veteran Springbok flyhalf Butch James, a member of the Rugby World Cup winning team in 2007, has decided to retire from Test rugby with immediate effect.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) on Sunday announced the appointment of former Springbok loose forward Rassie Erasmus into a senior management position at the organisation.
At 16.00 today (Sunday 15 April), Heyneke Meyer is set to release the names of his support team, but there may be a surprise in store……
Lions (10) 18 / Bulls (20) 32 (Final Score)
The MTN Lions and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg 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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Cheetahs (9) 33 / Chiefs (10) 39 (Final Score)
The Toyota Cheetahs and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 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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Everything considered a really entertaining match with both teams leaving nothing on the park. The Crusaders was in the final analysis just that slight bit tactically more astute and probably a bit more desperate for a win.
All credit though to the Stormers for trying hard and one would hate to be critical after such a splendid effort. That said I was keen to see just how the Crusaders are going to counter the Stormers’ defensive system and there is much to be learned by dissecting just how they (the Crusaders) accomplished this victory.
Brumbies (30) 37 / Rebels (6) 6 (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Canberra 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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Crusaders (19) 31 / Stormers (13) 24 (Final Score)
The Crusaders and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at AMI Stadium, Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Generally speaking it was a much improved performance by the Sharks though it against an embattled Blues team. The main difference, this week, being the greater urgency on defence and on attack. The blues are not a happy bunch with coach Pat Lam this week burtsing into tears on national television when questioned about his opinion regarding remarks that the blues problems relate to the high number of Maori and Pacific Islanders in the team. There was also Kevin Muliamu who opinionated his unhappiness with Weepu’s physical condition. So this victory need to be considered against that back drop whether the Sharks like it or not.
Force (3) 18 / Waratahs (10) 23 (Final Score)
The Western Force and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at nib Stadium, Perth at 13:10 SA Time (19:10 Perth Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Blues (13) 23 / Sharks (15) 29 (Final Score)
The Blues and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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New Zealander Matt Sexton will coach the Southern Kings in their debut season in Super Rugby next year.
Here are the Super Rugby Team Sheets as they are announced for Week 8 of Super Rugby 2012.
All the Teams for this week have been announced and can be viewed here or under the Menu, Super Rugby, 2012, Weekend Teams.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has named a group of players that will be attending the first planning camp in Pretoria next week.
While the Bulls and Cheetahs were winners on Republic’s soil over the weekend, it was the Stormers who impressed with an iron-like display against the Highlanders where the battle of the Conference leaders went firmly the way of the South Africans.