The All Blacks are considering doing away with their iconic silver fern at the World Cup and replacing it with a red fern in a symbolic gesture to quake-hit Christchurch.
South African allrounder Faf du Plessis struck a confident note when he said the Proteas should have too much depth in every department for World Cup quarterfinal opponents New Zealand to counter, providing his team maintains its form.
Alarming signs for the Wallabies at provincial level, Kieran Read proves his no Thorne in New Zealand’s side and will the South African selectors make the big call to prevent the Bulls’ slide from affecting the Springboks? Paul Cully puts the weekend’s Super Rugby action into a World Cup context.
STUNG after being booed off the field, the Waratahs players yesterday held a lengthy ”truth session” at which they vowed not to let their supporters, or themselves, down again this season.
Sharks wunderkind Pat Lambie may play in the historic match against the Crusaders at Twickenham on Sunday with a protective support on his fractured finger.
As we sit here in March 2011, the Cricket World Cup has hit the end of the group stages, & barring the heroic victory by Ireland over the very oldest of enemies, England, the minnows have by and large been crushed by the established Cricket playing nations.
Later this year the greater sporting love of most Rugby-Talk bloggers, Rugby Union will hold it’s version of the World Cup in New Zealand. Can we expect the same sort of pattern with the smaller nations or can we expect an upset or two?
Once again 4 games are played today in the Varsity Cup, only 2 are televised live. We will therefore focus on the 2 televised games.
Tuks (7) 17 / UCT (6) 19 (Final Score)
Maties (7) 19 / UJ (15) 39 (Final Score)
Today’s total fixture list is as follows:
Wow, what a weekend, first the Cheetahs murder the Waratahs in their own back yard (only the 3rd SAFFA team EVER to accomplish this), then we witness the Proteas demolishing Bangladesh at the World Cup, and last but definitely not least, some sweet and sour depending on your perspective, the Stormers burying their Loftus bogey once and for all. I have been severely criticized for my stance on the Bulls over the past week or two, but let’s revisit…
JJ Harmse, I like your honest article, but do not for one moment think they will see you suddenly as a unbiased rugby writer. To the Bulls, I agree with JJ, go back to your quiet mode and do the talking on the field.
Here we go again!
14 Sept 1976 – Griqualand West 3 / All Blacks 26
Referee Professor Tinkie Heyns was the unlikely –and unwilling, one might add- hero of the fixture in Kimberley. Continue reading
Too boo or not to boo. When I read this article and thought of changing all these names with Bulls names, it might be a fitting report of how the Bulls fans feel after this weekend.
Botha was cited for a dangerous tackle on Stormers scrumhalf Dewald Duwenhage in the first half which left the scrumhalf dazed for a while and unable to continue.
On a cool, damp Saturday evening, the Lions hosted the Western Force in what was a “must win” game for both sides.
After what was an error ridden and somewhat depressing game of Super Rugby, the majority of the 13 535 paying spectators must have wished they’d stayed at home and watched in warmth and comfort.
Bulls (10) 13 / Stormers (12) 23 (Final Score)
The Bulls hosted the DHL Stormers at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD and M-Net on TV in SA.
The Stormers were deserved winners, not so much for their attack but for keeping better dicipline and dogged defence.
Lions (9) 15 / Western Force (14) 27 (Final Score)
Scorers:
Lions : 4 Penalties & 1 Drop Goal Elton Jantjes
Western Force : 5 Penalties James O’Connor, 1 Conversion Cameron Shepherd, 1 Try Nick Cummins, 1 Try Alfie Mafi
Waratahs (3) 3 / Cheetahs (6) 23 (Final Score)
A first win for the Cheetahs out of Africa. This was a game where the Waratahs was outplayed on the ground. Heinrich Brussow is back with a bang. He ruled the rucks.
Blues (20) 41 / Hurricanes (14) 17 (Final Score)
The Blues hosted the Hurricanes at Eden Park, Auckland at 08:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
Although the score seems to indicate an easy win by the Blues, it really only ballooned away from the Hurricanes in the last 20 minutes.
South Africa 284/8 (50 ov.)
Bangladesh 78 (28 ov.)
Bangladesh were not favourites to win their virtual pre-quarterfinal against the might of South Africa, especially after the visitors breezed away to 284, but it was the meek manner of their abject batting surrender that would have jarred even their most faithful fan.
Highlanders (6) 13 / Crusaders (13) 44 (Final Score)
THe Highlanders hosted the Crusaders at Carisbrook, Duneden at 06:30 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
The Crusaders ran rampant towards the end of the game, totally blowing the Highlanders out of the game. At halftime the scores were still close but woeful kicking to goal by Tony Brown gave the Crusaders the necessary buffer to open the taps properly in the second half.
Reds (25) 53 / Rebels (3) 3 (Final Score)
The Reds hosted the Melbourne Rebels at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 11:40 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 and CSN on TV in SA.
The Reds ran rampant, scoring 7 tries of which 6 were converted to a solitary penalty by the Melbourne Rebels.
Chiefs (3) 15 / Sharks (6) 9 (Final Score)
The Chiefs hosted the Sharks at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 08:35 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.
In wet conditions it was never going to be champagne rugby and the Chiefs toughed out a hard win by 15 / 9.
A month into the season and the usual complaints are being tossed around. The moans have once again begun about matches being determined by penalty goals rather than tries, that the scrums are a mess and there are too many dead spots in games.
Brumbies fullback Pat McCabe is the standout attacking player, the Melbourne Rebels are suffering from a missed-tackle epidemic, and Australian teams are not obsessed with the pick and drive as an attacking option.
It has been confirmed by the Sharks and in so doing put an end to it just being a rumour, Yes 31 year old Marius Joubert will be joining the Sharks as soon as his team Clermont Auvergne who are currently leading the standings in the French league complete their season.
Herewith all the Super Rugby team sheets as they are announced for week 5 of Super Rugby 2011.
Allister Coetzee conceded this week that Bryan Habana is “not firing”, but the Stormers coach still believes the Springbok wing will be an important player in the Super Rugby match against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night.
Lions fullback James Kamana has been suspended for three weeks after a SANZAR judicial hearing held in Johannesburg on Tuesday found him guilty of dangerous play.
The Sharks have named their team to face the Chiefs in Hamilton with Captain John Smith moving to loosehead in place of Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira who drops to the bench.
Former Lions hooker Ettienne Reynecke will make his debut for the DHL Stormers off the bench in Saturday’s big north/south derby against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus.
Reynecke joined the Stormers on loan from Saracens last week to help buffer the loss of Tiaan Liebenberg to a knee ligament injury. Liebenberg is expected to be out for another four weeks, which means he should be ready to tour with the Stormers when they leave for overseas in April.
Quake-ravaged Christchurch will lose its Rugby World Cup hosting rights on the back of a new report showing the city’s stadium is unfit for games, British media is reporting.
London’s Daily Telegraph newspaper says it has confirmation from a senior International Rugby Board (IRB) source that the engineers’ structural report will end the city’s hosting chances.
The Crusaders match against the Sharks match at Twickenham has been confirmed for March 27 at 4pm local time.
England’s Rugby Football Union have agreed to host the match on the Sunday as the previous date clashed with Harlequins playing Gloucester at the Twickenham Stoop in the Aviva Premiership.
11 Sept 1976 – Orange Free State 15 / All Blacks 10
Front page news of the Sunday Rapport was a remark by All Black coach JJ Stewart apparently made in aftermath of the Bloemfontein match: “I’ll be glad to get out of this stinking country.” Continue reading
Tight tight battle at the top for a Semi final spot.
The ACT Brumbies problems continued to mount on Sunday with the news that back-row forward Mitchell Chapman fractured his cheekbone and faces up to 10 weeks on the sidelines.