Eighteen members of South Africa’s triumphant 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning squad were included in the 2011 party when the 30 players selected to attempt to retain the title were revealed in a live broadcast announcement on Tuesday.
Pine Pienaar has announced the Bulls team to play against the Leopards on the weekend. It is safe to say those playing will not go to the RWC.
Eagles Head Coach, Eddie O’Sullivan, has selected his squad of 30 players that will represent the United States at the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) in New Zealand next month.
England Team Manager Martin Johnson has announced the 30-man squad that will travel to New Zealand for next month’s Rugby World Cup.
Lewis Moody will captain the side at the showpiece tournament where they face Argentina (September 10), Georgia (September 18), Romania (September 24) and Scotland (October 1) in Pool B.
All Blacks Coach Graham Henry and his Assistant Coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have today announced the squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The All Blacks squad in position (with province and Test caps in brackets) is:
Eighteen members of South Africa’s triumphant 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning squad were included in the 2011 party when the 30 players selected to attempt to retain the title were revealed in a live broadcast announcement on Tuesday.
Pine Pienaar has announced the Bulls team to play against the Leopards on the weekend. It is safe to say those playing will not go to the RWC.
Eagles Head Coach, Eddie O’Sullivan, has selected his squad of 30 players that will represent the United States at the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) in New Zealand next month.
The Eagles will compete in Pool C at the RWC, taking on Australia, Ireland, Italy and Russia in pool play. NBC Universal has released their broadcast schedule of the tournament, which begins with the opening ceremony on September 9 and concludes with the RWC final on October 23.
England Team Manager Martin Johnson has announced the 30-man squad that will travel to New Zealand for next month’s Rugby World Cup.
Lewis Moody will captain the side at the showpiece tournament where they face Argentina (September 10), Georgia (September 18), Romania (September 24) and Scotland (October 1) in Pool B.
All Blacks Coach Graham Henry and his Assistant Coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have today announced the squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Folks, friends and fuddy-duddies,
When one starts a web site, the first thing you do is to register a Domain… and through time it becomes your signature, brand name, the web site’s personal name and surname, much like a person has a name and surname. That is your Identity, that is how people know how to find you, and know what you look and sound like.
For a person to move house, or from Province to Province, or perhaps from Country to Country, is rightly seen as a massive decision and reknowned to be one off the most traumatic occurences in life, only beaten by death in the family or divorce from your spouse.
The Australian Rugby Union has suspended James O’Connor until Sunday, August 28 after the Wallabies wing failed to appear at two official team functions on Thursday August 18.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was a mightily relieved man after his side’s 18-5 Tri-Nations victory over the All Blacks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
He had flyhalf Morné Steyn to thank, perhaps more than any one else.
Rookie Springbok utility back Patrick Lambie will face an anxious 24 hours as he awaits a medical report on his injured shoulder.
Changes made around five key areas of play – the tackle, scrum, offside, ruck, and maul – over the past three seasons have begun to have an impact in shaping the game that SANZAR wants to see played in Super Rugby.
In the world of the IRB and specifically Paddy O’Brien, protocols supersedes common sense.
The incident in question is the Jimmy Cowan try which was not awarded during Saturday’s Tri-Nations test match in Port Elisabeth based on the fact that the final pass on the try-line from Israel Dagg to Cowan was forward.
Sporting history is littered with tales of great teams and individuals who did not know when to quit and suffered humiliating exits.
Many South African supporters fear a similar fate awaits the ‘green and gold’ at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand as they try to become the first country to successfully defend the title.
When Manu Samoa swept aside Australia less than two months from the start of the World Cup they sent a clear message — to Wales in particular –they will be serious contenders come tournament time.
When their plans fail, they fail miserably, but when those plans work as it did in last Friday’s 44-20 victory over the Griquas, the Blue Bulls will remain one of the top contenders in the Currie Cup competition.
The win, however, came at a price – as lock Juandré Kruger picked up an ankle injury.
So, the New Zealand All Blacks had made a truckload of changes from the team that trounced the Wallabies in Auckland. So, they were eight or more players short of their first-choice run-on team. So, they had never – but never – won in Port Elizabeth. They still expected to win! And a lot of good judges expected them to win, also.
Toulouse flanker Thierry Dusautoir will skipper France’s 30-strong World Cup squad to travel to New Zealand for the September 9-October 23 tournament.
Prop Deacon Manu has been named as Fiji captain for next month’s Rugby World Cup.
Manu, who has played more than 100 matches for Llanelli since moving to Wales from New Zealand in 2006, will lead the 30-man squad named on Saturday, which includes 21 overseas-based players.
What a classic Springbok / All Black test match.
It is games like these that keep the rivalry alive. Two opposing styles played almost to perfection with uncompromising defence and a bit of referee controversy into the mix.
What a game!
What a timely victory for the Springboks and congrats to the Springboks for not getting drawn into the capacious game so promoted and drooled over by the All Black ‘groupies’.
We want a contest not a flap-flap razzle and dazzle mismatch dominated by one team with a bunch of natural athletes suited to play a league hybrid gobbledygook.
Springboks (15) 18 / All Blacks (5) 5 (Final Score)
The South African Springboks hosted the New Zealand All Blacks at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 17:05 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.
Although the Springboks did not score a try, Morné Steyn’s boot was the difference… and all the Springboks worked hard enough, to really deserve the win!
The passion was back in the faces, the focus narrowed, the set phases were good and the breakdown battle was won by the Springboks.
Cheethas (28) 80 / Pumas (6) 16 (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs hosted the Ford Pumas at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 15:00 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 6 on TV in SA.
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs totally demolished the Ford Pumas, a rout of note.
WP (9) 28 / Lions (17) 26 (Final Score)
DHL Western Province hosted the MTN Golden Lions at Newlands, Cape Town 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.
In a nailbiter, DHL Western Province were the victors.
Blue Bulls (32) 44 / Griquas (3) 20 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls hosted GWK Griquas at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 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.
The Blue Bulls simply blew the Griquas away in the first 30 minutes, but Griquas, as we’ve come to know them, are fighters, and fought back bravely, but fell short of their bonus point try.
The replacements made by the Blue Bulls ccaused a serious slump in form, with the Griquas managing to outscore the Blue Bulls in the second Half.
I often hear the old cliché “we want to play heads up rugby”. What the hell, a meerkat does that, he sticks his head out to survey the threats of nature. Then he runs, away, not forward into the danger zone.
Former Springbok wing Stefan Terblanche believes uncertainty in key selection areas is hampering the Springboks as they continue their stuttered build-up towards the defence of their World Cup title.
The Springboks are at risk of a white wash (losing all 4 Tri-nation tests matches) for the first time in tri-nations history. Desperate times indeed and that might explain some of the selections for this match.
Matt Giteau’s exit from the Wallabies squad has been like a slow, dripping tap that has taken more than two years to be turned off.
Ultimately, it came down to the Wallabies management – and not just coach Robbie Deans – having concerns that apart from opposing teams having ”worked Giteau out”, the Test midfielder had fallen short of the mark on several occasions when on-field pressure was applied.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry was happy to turn the pressure up on the beleaguered Springboks ahead of this weekend’s test, saying a victory would be “vital” to the South Africans.
With a World Cup campaign around the corner and both sides doing some serious tinkering with their lineups ahead of that tournament, it’s a moot point who has more to lose or gain out of this Tri-Nations test on Sunday (NZ time).
Most of us here also blogged somewhere during the 2007 World Cup. Just like this year, in fact every time a Springbok team is picked, we the real experts pick our team too. Yes and every “selector” has his own favourites. In 2007 we disagreed with some of Jake White’s selections. Now let us see how many players back then were in YOUR team. Dont lie, some of us can remember your favorites, no cheating.
Western Province will have to beat the Golden Lions in Cape Town on Friday to avoid a similar three-match Currie Cup losing streak as in 2010.
The All Blacks have named their team to face the Springboks in a Tri-Nations test with Keven Mealamu being named as captain.
The All Blacks have rested 9 of their first choice players for this match including Dan Carter, captain Richie McCaw, number eight Kieran Read, lock Brad Thorn, prop Owen Franks, fullback Mils Muliaina and centre Conrad Smith.
Hooker Keven Mealamu has been named as All Blacks captain for the second time in a Test after he captained the All Blacks against Scotland in November 2008.