It is Sunday 4 September 2011… the time is now nearly 18:15 SA Time. The next live RUGBY we’ll see in South Africa will be from New Zealand, at the Rugby World Cup.
It is 5 nights, or sleeps as we were told as todlers, till the World Cup!
Can you wait… I can’t!
Blue Bulls (15) 27 / Sharks (23) 39 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls hosted The Sharks at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the match. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Blue Bulls denied the Sharks a bonus point win whilst earning a bonus point for tries right on the death. The Sharks were full value for their win though, with exemplary goal kicking compared to the shoddiest of goal kicking by the Blue Bulls.
Griquas (15) 35 / WP (21) 41 (Final Score)
GWK Griquas hosted DHL Western Province at GWK Park, Kimberley at 15:00 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
Western Province scored 7 tries to 4 by Griquas.
Paddy O'Brien
International referees boss Paddy O’Brien has said that the 10 men who will take charge of the Rugby World Cup matches will be told to toughen up.
Gatland fires 1st barb at Bokke
Their opening match may be just over a week away, but Wales coach Warren Gatland wasted no time in getting the first shot in, in what is sure to be an interesting verbal stoush in the coming days.
Pumas (6) 20 / Lions (27) 34 (Final Score)
The Ford Pumas hosted the MTN Golden Lions at Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
It was a game of 2 halves, with the Lions dominating the 1st half and the brave Pumas dominating the 2nd half.
Well after the final hooter, the Lions managed to get their bonus point for tries, via replacement Johan Snyman.
Was a very good game to watch!
“In one week’s time, the world will be watching us as the seventh Rugby World Cup gets underway,” said Martin Snedden, CEO for Tournament Organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011.
“We promise all fans, at Eden Park, and those watching from afar, a night to remember.
Supersport’s Television coverage starts at 09:00
Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has rewarded some on-form fringe players by naming them in the starting XV to face Griquas in their Currie Cup clash in Kimberley on Saturday.
A message to the Springboks as they get ready to head to New Zealand to defend the Rugby World Cup.
The Sharks
Sharks coach John Plumtree has named Jean Deysel at eighthman as one of three Currie Cup changes for the Blue Bulls at Loftus this Saturday.
I am publishing these as additional rules for the World Cup. This is very important to read, and or to pass on to your wife/fiance/girlfriend/partner/significant other:
**** Extremely important advice and recommendations to be passed on to wives, Girlfriends, fiancées, mothers, sisters, daughters, etc. (to all women in General) ****
Claims on the eve of the World Cup that the All Blacks are blatant cheats have gone down like a cup of cold soup with rugby icon Colin Meads.
World Cup 2007 Celebrations
The RWC is now imminent, it is there for important to prepare now rather than a day before the event. I thought it wise to set out a preparation guide and some rules to follow during this epic event. Continue reading
Demetri Catrakilis
Golden Lions coach, John Mitchell, and Western Province flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis were today named as the Currie Cup Coach and Player of the Month for August.
John Plumtree
Sharks coach John Plumtree has begun this week by drumming into his players that they need to “tidy up” their game if they want to beat the tougher teams in the Currie Cup and go on to mount a serious defence of their title.
Earl Rose
Griquas have named a 24-man Currie Cup squad, while they wait on the fitness of two key players, for their Currie Cup game against Western Province in Kimberley on Saturday.
Wales Rugby
Wales will arrive at the Rugby World Cup more confident than ever of finally making an impression at rugby’s greatest showpiece after the failure of 2007 when they failed to reach the knock out stages.
John Smit & Victor Matfield
Springbok captain John Smit and Vice Captain Victor Matfield say they want to end their international careers as double Rugby World Cup champions.
Dewald Potgieter
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar has recalled fit again Springbok loose forward Dewald Potgieter to his side to take on the Natal Sharks in a Currie Cup Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Baby Boks flyhalf Johan Goosen has been handed his first start for the Cheetahs, as the side prepare for their trip to face the Leopards in Potchefstroom.
And now, from Auckland New Zealand — head quarters of the Rugby World Cup due to start on September 9 and end on the October 23 — here are the 10 essentials the International Rugby Board says teams must aim to get right if they want to lift the Webb Ellis Cup at the Rugby World Cup 2011.
Read this outstanding artile by Mark Reason. I found it in the Dominion post copied and pasted it verbatim. It is so good.
If New Zealand go out of a consecutive World Cup because of another dodgy refereeing decision, they will have no one to blame but themselves. The All Blacks no longer even bother to bend the laws. They set out to deliberately cheat.
For only one piffling syllable, CHEAT is an awfully big word. “Who are you calling a cheat?” demands the card-playing gunslinger, just before the mandatory murder and the five aces sliding from the sleeve.
The All Blacks cheat in spades. Half of their tries in the Tri- Nations have been set up by blatant cheating. Continue reading
The Lions have named one injury forced change to the side that will face the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday.
It always intrigues me how partial and narrow-minded some of the New Zealand rugby commentators can be. The constant criticism of South Africa’s style of play and the ‘drooling’ over the New Zealand expansive game is something that irritates me immensely so as if there is only one way to play rugby and as if New Zealand has the perfect game.
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
The Cheetahs have received a double blow with the news that prop WP Nel and eightman Ashley Johnson will be out injured this weekend.
GWK Griquas
Griquas are holding their breath over the availability of three key players ahead of their Currie Cup clash against Western Province at GWK Park in Kimberley on Saturday.
Centre Barry Geel, fullback Rudi Vogt and hooker Ryno Barnes were injured in their 23-20 upset win over the Free State Cheetahs on Saturday.
Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers
Rugby World Cup hosts New Zealand will be defending champions South Africa’s biggest obstacle at the Rugby World cup according to Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.
Kieran Read and mates doing the Haka
All Blacks number eight Kieran Read will miss New Zealand’s Pool Games and fellow injured loose forward Adam Thomson looks set to miss the opening match against Tonga.
Duane Vermeulen’s return to the Western Province Currie Cup side will be delayed after the team’s medical staff established that his knee needs more healing time than initially anticipated.
June 23, 1956 – South Africa 8 / Wellington 6
The playing surface was not entirely dry as it did rain in the days prior to the match. The match itself was, however, played in magnificent sunny weather in front of 45 000 spectators.
We are finally back ONLINE after an arduous 5 days!
The Domain Registration Trasfer is complete, the Contents and the SQL Database is up and running and the 2 Admin Mail Accounts have been re-created.
We’re still working on a few tweaks… lightening the SQL Database, tweaking the speed… and adding a few bits and bobs!
I have a lot I want to say about the upcoming Rugby World Cup (RWC) in New Zealand, and specifically about the Tri-Nation teams, I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Northern Hemisphere teams as I do not know their best players, or those fighting to become the first choice.
Here is the Lions team for Saturday’s top of the table clash against the Sharks.
It is a very distinct possibility that the next time the Springboks meet the All Blacks, following the August 20 game at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be at the 60 000-seater Eden Park in Auckland on October 23 at 9pm.
The Rugby World Cup starts in two weeks and all the national sides announce their squads this week and then depart for their bases in New Zealand.
The Scotland Rugby World Cup squad with children from their Scottish clubs or schools. Head coach Andy Robinson has today named the 30-man Scotland squad for the IRB Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.