Robbie Deans
Bernard Laporte
Two of the most experienced coaches in world rugby, Robbie Deans of New Zealand and France’s Bernard Laporte, will take charge of a star-studded World XV for their match against the Springboks at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday, July 11.
Deans was in charge of a Barbarians team that beat an Ireland XV, 22 / 21, in Limerick, Ireland on Thursday night and who were hammered by 73 / 12 by an England XV side on Sunday at Twickenham.
The DHL Newlands clash will be the Springboks’ season-opener and it promises to deliver festival rugby. Last year in the corresponding fixture, more than 30,000 spectators flocked to DHL Newlands to see the South Africans beat a strong World XV by 47 / 13, with Heyneke Meyer’s side scoring 6 tries in the process.
“Between them, Robbie and Bernard are 2 of the most experienced coaches in world rugby since the game turned professional 2 decades ago,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of the South African Rugby Union (SARU).
Guy Noves
Guy Noves, the mythical manager of Top 14 giants Toulouse will take over as head coach of France following this year’s World Cup.
The 61-year-old is set to take up the post in November after fighting off competition from Bordeaux-Begles manager Raphael Ibanez amongst others, according to respected sports daily L’Equipe and radio station RMC.
A vote to decide the successor to current coach Philippe Saint-Andre was carried out in a secret ballot at the French Rugby Federation headquarters on Friday.
The FFR have announced they will make the decision official on Sunday following the Top 14 playoff clash between Toulouse and Oyonnax who meet on Saturday.
Toulouse are still in the running for a 20th French championship but must 1st overcome the challenge of Oyonnax if they want to keep their bid alive.
Noves, who has coached Toulouse since 1993 and is the most titled coach in French rugby, is set to be joined by 2 of his former players – current forwards coach Yannick Bru and Stade Francais backs’ coach Jean-Frederic Dubois.
Finn Russell inspired Glasgow Warriors to their maiden Guinness PRO12 title with a solid kicking display and a 2nd-half try to sink Munster in Belfast.
But there was to be no repeat of last year’s defeat to Leinster, as Glasgow showed their superior cutting edge to clinch a 31 / 13 victory and give retiring captain Al Kellock the perfect send-off.
A blistering 1st half saw Rob Harley, DTH van der Merwe and Henry Pyrgos each cross over for the Warriors, but Andrew Smith’s score just before the break sent Munster in just 11 points off the pace.
That deficit was cut to 8 early in the 2nd half, but Russell flew over on the hour and the Warriors expertly saw out the contest to ensure Munster’s wait for a 4th PRO12 crown goes on for at least another year.
Glasgow were let off when Ian Keatley’s early long-range penalty fell short of the posts but they almost stole a march towards the Munster line soon after, only for a heroic tap-tackle from stand-in captain Denis Hurley to halt van der Merwe’s charge.
Barbarians (5) 12 / 73 (45) England (Final Score)
The Barbarians and an England XV did battle in a Barbarian Celebration
match at Twickenham, London at 16:00 SA Time (15:00 BST, 14:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 5 on TV in SA.
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Owen Farrell helped himself to a personal tally of 18 points, as Saracens got their hands back on the Premiership trophy, beating Bath 28 / 16 and becoming the 1st side to finish outside the Top 2 in the regular season and go on to be crowned champions.
Saracens got off to a flying start as flyhalf Farrell touched down after only 6 minutes and England teammate Jamie George followed him over the whitewash shortly after.
And Chris Wyles added a 3rd try as Saracens went into the break 25 / 3 ahead, Bath having just a solitary George Ford penalty on hte board.
But Bath, appearing in their 1st Premiership Final since 2004, came out stronger after the break and Jonathan Joseph’s try and the boot of Ford got them back into the contest as they trailed 16 / 25 with a quarter of the game to go.
However, man-of-the-match Ford stretched Saracens lead with a penalty and from then on Mark McCall’s men never looked like relinquishing their lead as they got their hands back on the trophy for the 1st time since 2011.
Joe Launchbury and Ed Slater will resume their international careers by lining up for an England XV against the Barbarians today (Sunday).
The lock pairing will feature in a side captained by scrum-half Lee Dickson, and with Mathew Tait at fullback.
The squad features 10 players from Stuart Lancaster’s initial World Cup squad, including Danny Cipriani at No 10.
New Zealand’s World Cup-winning forward Brad Thorn skippers an experienced BaaBaas side at Twickenham.
Lions (17) 27 / 22 (10) Waratahs (Final Score)
The Emirates Lions and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, Sunday 03:10 AEST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Stormers (23) 42 / 7 (7) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at
DHL Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Highlanders (11) 36 / 9 (3) Chiefs
The Highlanders and Chiefs did battle in Super Rugby at
Rugby Park, Invercargill at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Force (10) 10 / 32 (18) Reds
The Western Force and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at
nib Stadium, Perth at 11:40 SA Time (17:40 AWST, 19:40 AEST, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Jacques Burger
If Saturday’s Aviva Premiership final is being billed as “Beauty against the Beast” – the carefree attacking play of Bath’s young backs against the suffocating Saracens defence – then there is little doubt which individual player represents the latter in this analogy.
When Sarries are at their best – when their defence is at its most intense and brutal – flanker Jacques Burger invariably leads from the front.
Bath are looking to end their 19-year wait for a top-flight title as they face Saracens in the Premiership final.
The Blue, Black and Whites have selected the same team that thumped Leicester in the semi-finals last week.
Saracens, winners in 2011 and beaten finalists last season, have reached the final for the fourth time in six years.
Like Bath, Sarries have also named an unchanged side, meaning 18 of England’s World Cup training squad will be in action at Twickenham on Saturday.
Their only change from the squad that won at Northampton Saints – the team that beat them in last year’s final – comes among the replacements, with hooker Schalk Brits returning after illness.
Sharks (10) 25 / 21 (7) Rebels (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at
Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Brumbies (8) 22 / 16 (6) Bulls (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at
Gio Stadium, Canberra at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 09:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Crusaders (16) 35 / 18 (8) Hurricanes (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Hurricanes did battle in Super Rugby at
Travalgar Park, Nelson at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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It is Round 16 of Super Rugby 2015 this weekend.
There are 3 games on Friday 29 May and 4 games on Saturday 30 May.
The Blues have a BYE weekend.
The action is kicked off by the Crusaders and Hurricanes who do battle in Nelson at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT)
There are 2 South African teams in action on Friday – the Vodacom Bulls who play the Brumbies in Canberra at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT) and on Friday evening the Cell C Sharks host the Melbourne Rebels in Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, Saturday 03:10 AEST, Saturday 05:10 NZ Time). It is the Vodacom Bulls’ 3rd game on tour and it will be the Cell C Sharks 1st game back after their overseas tour.
On Saturday morning the Highlanders host the Chiefs in Invercargill at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT), whereafter the Western Force host the Reds in Perth at 11:40 SA Time (17:40 AWST, 19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT).
There is only 1 South African derby on the weekend, that between the DHL Stormers vs Toyota Cheetahs in Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, Sunday 01:05 AEST, Sunday 03:05 NZ Time). Thereafter the Emirates Lions host the Waratahs in Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, Sunday 03:10 AEST, Sunday 05:10 NZ Time).
The Crusaders vs Hurricanes match should be a cracker, but the destructive form the Hurricanes are commanding at present should see them victorious against the Crusaders in the Saders’ backyard. The Brumbies should have far too much firepower for a strangely selected and miss-firing Vodacom Bulls side in Canberra. The evening game on Friday should go in favour of the Cell C Sharks as the Melbourne Rebels have NEVER beaten a side in South Africa.
The game between the Highlanders and Chiefs is very difficult to call and could well deliver the game of the weekend.
The game in Perth between the bottom-dwelling Western Force and equally abhorrent Reds is a toss-up and I suppose one would have to fancy a win for the Home side.
The DHL Stormers should slaughter the Toyota Cheetahs at DHL Newlands, but then again, I said the same about the match between the 2 foes in Bloemfontein. I simply think the Stormers have far too much to lose, being Top of the SA Conference, to go down to the lowly Cheetahs, in the last match where Naka Drotske and Os du Randt will be in charge at the Cheetahs.
I would like to see the Emirates Lions turn the losing table on the Waratahs on the weekend, as they have never beaten the Tahs, but somehow I doubt they will, as the Waratahs would also want to cement their Aussie spot on the Log… but the guts and passion the Lions have shown this season keeps proving me wrong.
The DHL Stormers will be hoping to retain their Top spot in the South African Vodacom Super Rugby Conference when they host the Toyota Cheetahs on Saturday, while the 3 other local teams are in action against Australian opposition.
Round 16 kicks off from a South African perspective when the Brumbies host the Vodacom Bulls in Canberra, a venue where the men from Pretoria have not won since 2007.
The Cell C Sharks are back at home and will be looking to extend the Melbourne Rebels’ woes in South Africa when they host the team from Melbourne in Durban on Friday evening.
On Saturday evening, the Emirates Lions take on the 1 Australian team they’ve never beaten, the defending champion Waratahs, in Johannesburg.
In the 4th and penultimate match of the weekend, the DHL Stormers will celebrate 125 years of existence of their home ground, DHL Newlands, against the Toyota Cheetahs, the only local side they’ve lost against this year.
DHL Newlands is regarded as 1 of the most iconic rugby venues in the world, having hosted some memorable matches over the years and the DHL Stormers will be looking to increase their lead at the Top of the South African Conference in this match on Saturday afternoon.
The Steval Pumas and DHL Western Province have travelled as far afield as Windhoek, Secunda, Kimberley and Caledon, and will converge on Cape Town this weekend for the Vodacom Cup Final.
The match – the 1st time ever the Vodacom Cup Final will be hosted in Cape Town – will form part of Newlands celebrating its 125th year of existence this weekend. And to add a little spice, it’s a replay of last year’s quarter-final, won 13 / 8 by the Steval Pumas in Nelspruit.
One member of that Steval Pumas side, who will be watching from the sidelines in the colours of the DHL Stormers, is Vincent Koch. 10 Of his team-mates from last year’s quarter-final will return to Cape Town this weekend – Jacques Momberg, Frankie Herne, DJ Terblanche, Marius Coetzer, Uzair Cassiem, JC Roos, Wilmaure Louw, Jerome Pretorius, JW Bell and Reynier van Rooyen.
For the home team, only 6 members of their match-22 this weekend were part of the side that tasted defeat in the Mbombela Stadium last year. They are Jan de Klerk, Rayn Smid, Michael Willemse, Sti Sithole, Deacon Chowles and Robert du Preez.
DHL WP coach John Dobson has selected Wilhelm van der Sluys as the “sole survivor” of their 2012 title winning side. Louw and Simon Westraadt, now plying their trade in the Lowveld, were in the colours of GWK Griquas that night 3 years ago.
Louw was also member of the Steval Pumas side which lost in the final against the Xerox Golden Lions in 2013, and will return for the final along with 10 other members of that team – Momberg, Terblanche, Coetzer, Cassiem, Pretorius, Bell, Herne, Eduan van der Walt, Stefan Watermeyer and Blitzbok Rosko Specman.
The last time these 2 sides met in Cape Town, was in semi-final in 2012, with DHL WP winning comfortably by 33 / 20 en route to their maiden Vodacom Cup title.
At home, DHL Western Province hold a commanding 4 / 1 lead over the Steval Pumas, with the visitors from Mpumalanga recording their 1st and only win at DHL Newlands in 2002 (58 / 18). The Capetonians though emerged victorious at home in 2012 (33 / 20), 2011 (27 / 14), 2008 (59 / 19) and 2003 (33 / 28).
Overall, they’ve played against each other 9 times in the Vodacom Cup, with DHL WP winning 6 times and the Steval Pumas on 3 occasions.
“It’s a great occasion for Western Province rugby and we’d like to go out there on Saturday and make our supporters proud of this team,” said Dobson, who will be head coach of the Cape Town-based union in the ABSA Currie Cup.
“We’ve put in a lot of hard work this season and it’s wonderful that we can play a final in front of our supporters at DHL Newlands, but we know it will be a tough encounter against a well-coached and experienced Pumas side. You only have to look at the way in which they won their playoffs in the last fortnight to see that they are peaking at the right time of the season.”
Steval Pumas coach MJ Mentz said: “We’ve already eliminated the champions from 2014 and 2013, and now we have an opportunity to do the same against the champions from 2012.
“It sounds easier than it is though and playing at Newlands provides us with yet another massive challenge. The structures at Western Province are very well established, they are a well-coached side and always bring through some superb young players.
“But we’re focused on our own game and what we want to achieve. We saw against the Golden Lions last weekend what our experienced players can do and we’ll be counting on them again to pull this one through.
“We’re going to Cape Town with a belief that we can win, otherwise we may just as well stay at home. We’ve shown what we can do in the last two weeks by winning tough matches away from home and Newlands will be even tougher.”
The Junior Springbok rugby squad arrived in Italy on Thursday afternoon for the World Rugby Under 20 Championship and immediately settled in at their tournament base in Parma.
Conditioning coach, Dr Warren Adams, took the squad of 28 players for an active recovery session which consisted of a good stretch followed by a swim in the pool.
The squad left South Africa yesterday and arrived here via a domestic flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg and then the overnight haul from the City of Gold to Frankfurt in Germany.
That was followed by a 90 minute airplane journey to Milan, from where the South Africans travelled by bus to their tournament destination.
Hanro Liebenberg and his squad are in a good condition after attending an intensive training camp of almost 2 months at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.
South Africa play their opening fixture next Tuesday evening in Calvisano against the hosts, Italy in what is expected to be a fiercely contested clash.
DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has made 3 changes ahead of Saturday’s all-South African Super Rugby clash against the Toyota Cheetahs at DHL Newlands (kick-off 17:05 SA Time).
1 Of the changes sees Nizaam Carr replace Schalk Burger at No 6, the latter being rested as part of the SA Franchises’ agreement with SA Rugby and Carr winning his 50 DHL Stormers cap in the process.
SANZAR has named the Match Officials for Round 16 of the 2015 Super Rugby season.
This weekend sees 7 matches, with 3 matches on Friday 29 May and 4 matches on Saturday 30 May.
The Blues have a BYE Weekend.
The weekend’s action is kicked off by Ben O’Keeffe at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT) in the humdinger between the Crusaders and Hurricanes in Nelson. Also on Friday the Brumbies vs Vodacom Bulls match which takes place at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT) in Canberra, is officiated by Marius van der Westhuizen. On Friday evening in Durban the Cell C Sharks host the Melbourne Rebels at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, Saturday 03:10 AEST, Saturday 05:10 NZ Time) and the match will be handled by Jaco van Heerden.
On Saturday the Highlanders host the Chiefs in Invercargill at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT) and the match is officiated by Nick Briant.
In Western Australia the Western Force is up against the Reds in Perth at 11:40 SA Time (17:40 AWST, 19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT) and the whistle will belong to Matt O’Brien.
Over to South Africa and 1st up on Saturday at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, Sunday 01:05 AEST, Sunday 03:05 NZ Time) it will be the DHL Stormers vs Toyota Cheetahs in Cape Town, where Craig Joubert will preside over proceedings.
The last game of the Round will take place in Johannesburg where the Emirates Lions host the Waratahs at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, Sunday 03:10 AEST, Sunday 05:10 NZ Time). Jaco Peyper will be the referee.
Victor Matfield
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named Jurgen Visser at fullback in his team to play the Brumbies at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Friday. Visser will replace Jesse Kriel who has been named on the bench for this match, the 1st of 2 on Australian soil for the Vodacom Bulls in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition.
Visser joined the squad on Monday in place of injured Jan Serfontein and with Kriel recovering from a knee contusion, Ludeke opted for the 30 times capped fullback to start. This will be a 1st start at fullback for Visser since the opening week in February against the DHL Stormers.
Serfontein has been replaced by Burger Odendaal in the midfield.
In the pack, there is a return for Adriaan Strauss, who was rested last weekend, with Callie Visagie moving to the bench, as well as a 1st start on tour for Grant Hattingh, who replaces Victor Matfield at lock. Matfield is rested according to the SARU agreement.
Dean Greyling rotates with Trevor Nyakane at loosehead prop and Arno Botha swops places with Jacques du Plessis at the side of the scrum in the other change to the pack.
Eben Etzebeth
Big-spending French giants Toulon are finding the going tough in luring Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth to France after this year’s Rugby World Cup.
Reports late last year indicated that Etzebeth could join Toulon as a replacement for compatriot Bakkies Botha, who is set to leave the reigning European champions.
The problem though for Toulon is that Etzebeth is still contracted to Western Province until the end of the 2016 season – and the union is reluctant to let him go.
Toulon boss Mourad Boudjellal has confirmed their interest in Etzebeth, but admitted that they are finding the going tough to attain Etzebeth’s services, with Western Province believed to be upset over the matter.
Schalk Burger
Experienced DHL Stormers and Springbok flank Schalk Burger will be rested from this weekend’s Super Rugby match against the Toyota Cheetahs.
Burger has been a star performer for the Stormers since returning from Japan in early March.
However, he will have this week off as part of the franchises agreement with the South African Rugby Union – to keep key Springboks ‘fresh’ for the World Cup.
The Stormers will host the Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday, having lost by 17 / 25 in Bloemfontein the last time these 2 sides met on 2 May.
Burger’s intended replacement, Michael Rhodes, is not yet fit to be considered for selection.
Robbie Coetzee
Emirates Lions’ hooker Robbie Coetzee has been suspended for 3 matches after he was found guilty for performing a dangerous spear tackle on Cheetahs replacement wing Rayno Benjamin.
The ruling means the burly forward will play no further part in this year’s campaign if his side fails to make this year’s playoffs as they only have 2 games remaining.
Coetzee has been found guilty under Law 10.4 (j): Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player’s feet are still off the ground such that the player’s head and / or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play.
Elapsed time in match when incident occurred: 49th minute.
“I considered all the evidence before me including the video footage, Citing Commissioner’s report, medical information for the Cheetahs’ player, Rayno Benjamin, who was involved in the incident and the submissions made for the player by his legal representative, Frikkie Erasmus and Lions Defence Coach, JP Ferreira,” Judicial Officer Robert Stelzner said.
“After taking further facts into consideration, such as the player’s unsuccessful attempt to hold on to his opponent in the tackle, I found the incident to have a lower end entry point. A 4 week suspension is indicated for such offending.
“The need for a deterrent in the circumstances of this incident is in my view served by imposing a further week’s suspension.”
Will Skelton
Tolu Latu
The Waratahs have formally appealed against the bans slapped on 2 of their players and the new hearing will take place on Thursday.
The judicial hearing held on Monday 25 May found Will Skelton and Silatolu (Tolu) Latu guilty of contravening Law 10.4 (j): Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player’s feet are still off the ground such that the player’s head and / or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play.
Skelton was given 2 weeks and Latu handed 4, for spear tackling Crusaders’ lock Sam Whitelock.
Sefanaia Naivalu
has recovered from a concussion and is available for selection as the Melbourne Rebels head to Durban to tackle the Sharks in Round 16.
Toby Smith (back) has also recovered from his injury to be available for selection this week.
Tighthead prop Tim Metcher has injured his knee in the Connect Dewar Shield and is undergoing further tests, while Tamati Ellison is suffering from a groin niggle.
Metcher and Ellison will know after further assessment of their injuries if they are available to play.
Montpellier, coached by former Springbok and Sharks mentor Jake White, have announced that 19 players will leave the club at the end of the season, including former All Black Rene Ranger and ex-Springbok Wynand Olivier.
Rene Ranger is set to return to New Zealand with the Blues in next season’s Super Rugby.
There is already a large South African contingent at Montpellier.
Shaun Sowerby is White’s assistant coach, while Pat Cilliers (prop) and Robert Ebersohn (centre) already ply their trade there.
Other South Africans soon to join include Jacobie Adriaanse (Llanelli Scarlets, prop), Schalk van der Merwe (Lions, prop), Demetri Catrakilis (Stormers, flyhalf), Jacques du Plessis (Bulls, loose forward / lock), Cameron Wright (Sharks, scrumhalf / flyhalf) and Wiaan Liebenberg (Bulls, loose forward).
Shane Jennings
Leinster’s Shane Jennings will captain the Barbarians against Ireland at Thomond Park on Thursday.
The Leinster and Ireland flank retires from the professional game in June after a distinguished career in which he has won 13 caps for Ireland, Pro12 and European Cup titles for Leinster and a Premiership title with Leicester Tigers.
He captains a starting side containing 9 different nationalities with 466 international appearances between them for the game in Limerick on 28 May.
It includes his Leinster teammates Zane Kirchner and Jimmy Gopperth with Ulster scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar also starting for the famous invitation club celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.
Dewey Swartbooi
Dewey Swartbooi has been appointed head coach of the Boland Cavaliers for the Currie Cup season.
Swartbooi, a former Boland, Bulls, Lions and Cats centre, will replace Abe Davids, who accepted a severance package following a long court battle with the union.
It was reported last week that former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers would get the job as Boland coach, but the Boland top brass has obviously had a change of heart and appointed Swartbooi instead.
According to tabloid press, De Villiers was a shoo-in for the job, but uncertainty at the embattled union led to a change in plans.
Swartbooi, who has been involved in coaching at Boland since 2012, will be assisted by Randall Modiba (backline coach) and Andries Human (forwards consultant).
Lood de Jager
The Toyota Cheetahs could be boosted by the return of several key players for their Super Rugby clash against the DHL Stormers on Saturday.
Lock Lood de Jager (elbow), scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius (shoulder), flyhalf Joe Pietersen (shoulder) and flank Tienie Burger (concussion) could all return to action in the clash at Newlands (17:05 SA Time).
No 8 Willie Britz, who injured his elbow in last weekend’s 40 / 17 defeat to the Lions, could also be ready to face the Stormers.
However, confirmation about the players’ availability will only be known later in the week.
Quade Cooper
With Quade Cooper almost certain to honour his agreement with Toulon, Reds coach Richard Graham has revealed the Australian team may seek a new flyhalf from abroad.
Toulon, showing a picture of the Wallaby flyhalf wearing a Toulon jersey and shaking the hand of club president Mourad Boudjellal, only for the Australian and Queensland Rugby Unions to insist they were still in negotiations with the player and nothing was set in stone.
But according to weekend reports, Cooper will indeed be joining the French club after this year’s World Cup, with the deal to be formalised in public within the next fortnight.
On Monday, Graham was sticking to the official line that Cooper’s future in Brisbane was still uncertain but admitted that the club were exploring options for his replacement, including the possibility of bringing in a foreigner.
Sam Whitelock
Kieran Read
The Crusaders’ fast-fading hope of reaching the Super Rugby play-offs were dealt another cruel blow.
It was revealed that 5 of the team’s All Blacks have been ruled out of the encounter with the tournament’s runaway leaders, the Hurricanes, in Nelson on Friday.
Top of that list is lock Sam Whitelock, who has the recipient of a brutal double spear tackle by 2 Waratahs players – lock Will Skelton and hooker Silatolu Latu.
The duo were handed 2 and 4-week bans on Monday, following their combined actions.
Whitelock has been ruled out of the trip to Nelson due to concussion.
Captain Kieran Read has already been ruled out of the match with the same affliction.
The Crusaders will also be without fullback Israel Dagg (calf), flyhalf Colin Slade (quadricep) and prop Joe Moody (foot).
Mike Fitzgerald
The Chiefs will have at least 1 of their specialist locks back from injury to take on the Highlanders in Invercargill on Saturday but that might be all.
Lock Mike FitzGerald is good to go after missing the last match against the Bulls and most of the previous 1 against the Hurricanes with a particularly bad haematoma on his thigh, but there are still doubts over both star All Blacks 2nd rowers Brodie Retallick and concussed Englishman Matt Symons.
Retallick has now missed 3 matches with the shoulder injury he picked up in the Chiefs’ win over the Force in Hamilton, having missed 5 weeks of the competition earlier in the season when he hurt his other shoulder.
He took part in training yesterday morning, but head coach Dave Rennie said there was still a question mark over him this week as he works on regaining strength in his shoulder.
Stephan Lewies & Willem Alberts
The Cell C Sharks have paid a dear price for snapping a 6-match losing streak with a hard-fought a 21 / 14 over the Reds last Friday.
Stephan Lewies, Willem Alberts, Francois Steyn, Stefan Ungerer and Dale Chadwick were the latest additions to an injury list that already includes names like Cobus Reinach (fractured hand), Pieter-Steph du Toit (knee) and Pat Lambie (neck vertebrae).
The Sharks started training in Durban on Monday – after a tour that saw them lose to the Highlanders, Hurricanes and Waratahs, before beating the Reds.
With games against the Melbourne Rebels (this coming Friday 29 May) and the Stormers on 13 June to come, with a BYE sandwiched in between, the last thing they needed was more injuries.
Lewies, who missed the 1st half of the season through injury, looks set to miss the remaining matches after he dislocated his knee cap in Brisbane at the weekend.
There was a lot of movement in the South African Conference through Round 15 of Vodacom Super Rugby this weekend, with the DHL Stormers going top and the Emirates Lions surpassing the Vodacom Bulls into 2nd spot.
The Vodacom Bulls started well against the Chiefs in Rotorua on Friday morning and led 15 / 3 after 20 minutes, but were left behind when the Kiwis stepped up a gear. The home team eventually won by 34 / 20 and the team from Pretoria dropped from 3rd to 8th on the Combined Log.
After disappointing defeats in Wellington and Sydney in the last fortnight, the Cell C Sharks finally got a win on the road. Stefan Ungerer scored twice in their 21 / 14 win over the Reds in Brisbane, also on Friday.
Emirates Lions captain Warren Whiteley celebrated his 50th Vodacom Super Rugby cap in style as his team scored an impressive 40 / 17 win over the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday, the only local derby of the weekend.
It was the Emirates Lions’ 8th victory of the season, which means 2015 is now their best Vodacom Super Rugby season ever. The Bloem victory also moved Jozi’s Pride to the top of the SA Conference standings, but it only lasted for roughly 2 hours.
The DHL Stormers then took back top spot in the SA Conference courtesy of a 31 / 15 victory over the Melbourne Rebels in Cape Town, which was the Melburians’ 9th successive defeat in the Republic.