The coach of the Platinum Leopards, Chaka Willemse, has made two changes to his starting line-up for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup rugby match against the Pumas in Witbank.
Speedster Lionel Mapoe will only know whether he will be able to join the Sharks and be released from his contract at the end of July.
The team doctor of the Blue Bulls junior teams, Ewoudt van der Linde, has been appointed as team doctor at the Sharks.
The Emerging Springbok, Wilhelm Steenkamp, is back for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their Absa Currie Cup match against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
Vodacom WP coach Allister Coetzee today announced his team to take on the Xerox Lions at Newlands on Saturday 17 July 2010. Kick-off is at 15h00.
Here are a few rugby news snippets:
With as many as fifteen 2010 Vodacom Super 14 players missing from The Sharks last week, they expect to be bolstered over the coming weeks, starting this week with one, perhaps two more faces to add to their depth. Continue reading
It is the most experienced Springbok team ever that will try and win a Test here for the first time since 1998 on Saturday. The starting team has 700 Tests behind them.
The Springboks have placed an SOS to big Bulls lock Flip van der Merwe to join them for the remainder of the Tri Nations away leg in Australasia.
There may be more than a touch of irony in the decision, but the Sharks have made another major signing when they snapped up the signature of Bulls fly-half Jacques-Louis Potgieter for the 2011 season.
The more I think about it, the more I believe that it is one of Springbok rugby’s greatest injustices that a man and player of this calibre had to wait so long to reach such an important milestone in his rugby career. Continue reading
The Bulls were given a scare when prop Jaco Engels injured his neck at training on Monday.
But X-rays done at a local hospital revealed the damage was minimal and that the burly prop will be ready to take his place again in the training squad later this week.
Springbok captain John Smit has reinforced the team’s need for discipline after stating there would be no room for “big egos” in the South African camp.
The All Blacks have been forced to delay naming their team to face the Springboks in the second Tri-Nations rugby Test due to injuries.
The Springboks have made three changes to their match 22 for the second Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday.
There are two enforced changes to the starting XV with lock Danie Rossouw promoted from the bench to replace the suspended Bakkies Botha and prop CJ van der Linde replacing injured tighthead Jannie du Plessis.
Euphoric newspaper headlines praising the Springboks as world champions were at the order in the Sunday and Monday newspapers after the series victory.
In the All Black side there was no singing and partying after the test. Only a few of the team showed up at the post match reception.
Most players just sat round the lounge, morose and reflective. Vodanovich is almost heart-broken. “We’ll have to start looking for backs,” he mutters. Continue reading
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers on Monday criticised the role of television producers in the citing and subsequent suspension of Bakkies Botha.
Here’s the dreaded video material:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-DQ29ycLkU[/youtube]
New Zealand suffered a setback ahead of the second Tri-Nations Test against South Africa, with centre Richard Kahui ruled out of the encounter in Wellington.
The 2010 Currie Cup kicked off to an exciting start after 26 tries were scored in the opening weekend of South Africa’s premier domestic rugby competition.
The All Blacks’ 32-12 thrashing of world champions South Africa in the opening Tri-Nations rugby Test has set the benchmark for the season, warned All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.
Springbok tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis will miss the second Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday.
Du Plessis suffered a Grade 2 strain to his calf muscle in the first encounter at Eden Park in Auckland last weekend and has been ruled out by the medical team.
The first part of this article deals with the All Blacks joy and satisfaction. The second part asks the question did we really take this serious.
So, this is what the best part of a year seething, brooding and plotting can do. Inspire the All Blacks to a performance that lights a fuse under not just their Tri-Nations, but World Cup ambitions.
Wellington – South Africa lock Bakkies Botha will miss the rest of the Tri-Nations after being suspended for nine weeks for headbutting All Black scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan.
Western Province shook off a slow start to run out convincing winners over the Free State Cheetahs in their opening Currie Cup match of the season played in Bloemfontein on Saturday. Continue reading
Cheetahs (8) 11 / WP (16) 25 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs were beaten by the Vodacom WP team in Bloemfontein in round one of the ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division. The match started at 17:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs will play GWK Griquas in Bloemfontein on Friday at 19:10 SA Time. Vodacom Western Province will be hosting the Xerox Lions in Cape Town next Saturday at 15:00 SA Time.
It is often quite funny how the different writers see the performance of players in a game… and often one wonders whether those people watched the same game. Well, here are my player ratings… see if we watched the same game.
Griquas (8) 40 / Sharks (22) 34 (Final Score)
The Griquas hosted the Sharks in Kimberley at 15:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
Griquas came back from well behind to complete a bonus point win over the Sharks, Final score 40 / 34.
This Currie Cup season is going to be very interesting… it already is!
All Blacks (20) 32 / Springboks (3) 12 (Final Score)
The All Blacks hosted the Springboks in Auckland, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The All Blacks comprehensively outplayed the Springboks and dominated all facets of play, even the lineouts and scored 4 tries to none.
The All Blacks won 32 / 12, a full 20-point margin seperating the sides.
Defensively the Springboks were found wanting on the outside channels and also allowing the All Blacks to speed up the game and run with their dangerous back three with great effect.
On the ground Read, McCaw and Kaino were masterful and Kevin Mealamu had a sterling game at hooker.
Back to the drawing board for the Springboks but some players still emerge with credibility, Zane Kirchner, Schalk Burger and Jaque Fourie.
South Africa’s momentum must be stopped at Eden Park tonight. If it is not, then the Springboks’ confidence will swell to frightening proportions in the months to come.
By TOBY ROBSON in Auckland – The Dominion Post
Blue Bulls 38 / 15 Pumas (Final Score)
Scores:
Blue Bulls:
- Tries : John Mametsa (2), Stefan Watermeyer, Dean Greyling, Stephan Dippenaar, Deon Stegman
- Conversions: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (3), Francois Brummer
Pumas:
- Penalty: Ricardo Croy
- Tries: Tian Meyer, Alistair Kettledas
- Conversion: Ricardo Croy
Leopards 13 / 43 Lions (Final Score)
Scores:
Platinum Leopards:
- Tries: Deon Scholtz, Wilhelm Koch
- Penalty: Cecil Dumond
Xerox Lions:
- Tries: Jano Vermaak (2), Marius Delport, Waylon Murray, Jaco Taute
- Conversions: Herkie Kruger (3)
- Penalties: Kruger (4)
At last the Sharks reel in a decent flyhalf , This signing will be huge if the Sharks are to do well in the super 15 next year.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter has according to reports made it clear he will join the Durban franchise after this seasons Currie cup .
Heeeeeeeeeeee haaaaaaaaa, the best rivalry in world rugby is alive and well… the 2 arch rivals going hammer and tongs tomorrow in the 1st Tri-Nations Test of 2010!
How long do we look forward to clashes between these 2 giants each year!
Tomorrow the All Blacks want revenge on 3 Springbok wins in a row in 2009 whereas the Springboks want to assert continued dominance over the All Blacks to prove that they are ready for RWC 2011 and to erase some of the backlog of wins the All Blacks have built up since SA re-admition in 1992.
Finally the Currie Cup is starting and all South African rugby fans have a team to support.
What an interesting season awaits, with the playing field levelled to a great extent with the exclusion of the chosen Springboks not taking part in the Currie Cup until at least the semi-finals.
Who will win this competition? Will the Bulls be able to defend their title successfully?
Here is a quick run-down of the 1st week’s games and how it will most likely pan out.
The All Blacks have had nearly a year to stew on the discontent of their personal Springbok hell of 2009.
LEST WE FORGET: All Blacks Dan Carter (left) and Mils Muliaina reflect on a loss to South Africa in Hamilton in 2009.
We shall see tomorrow night whether they’ve put that time to good use.