Force
Rebels head coach Tony McGahan has made six changes to the team that beat the Cheetahs in their Super Rugby opener for this week’s clash against the Western Force at nib Stadium in Perth on Saturday.
Third-year Rebels second rower Cadeyrn Neville replaces Luke Jones and Max Lahiff is named for his first Melbourne Rebels start alongside Pat Leafa and Paul Alo-Emile in a new-look front row.
Force (0) 14 / 27 (24) Brumbies (Final Score)
The Western Force and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at
NIB Stadium, Perth at 13:00 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Lock Hugh McMeniman and flanker Chris Alcock have returned to the starting XV for the Force’s clash against the Brumbies at nib Stadium on Saturday night.
McMeniman’s selection in the starting lineup completes his return from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the second half of 2013. McMeniman will pack down alongside Sam Wykes on Saturday.
Waratahs (22) 43 / 21 (11) Force (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at
Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 07:05 SA Time (16:05 Sydney Time, 05:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
The Australian and New Zealand teams start Super Rugby a week later than their South African rivals and the Australian teams kick the season off with a match in Canberra between two former Champions, the Brumbies and the Reds.
Here we take a brief look at the Australian teams and what could lie ahead for the Australian Super Rugby franchises.
Dumped Australia cricket coach Mickey Arthur on Friday ruled out applying for the vacant England job after being appointed head of the Super Rugby Western Force development programme.
The South African, who was ousted just before the start of the Ashes series in England last year with two years left on his contract, said he was settled in Perth.
This weekend sees the start of Super Rugby, but only with 2 games in South Africa. For the rest of the Super Rugby Francises, including all New Zealand and Australian franchises, it’s another weekend of preparation matches for Super Rugby.
In New Zealand, the Hurricanes report that Tim Bateman has suffered a grade one medial knee ligament injury at training and will miss 2 to 6 weeks of rugby. Also in New Zealand the Crusaders have named Richie McCaw on the bench for their warm-up encounter with the Hurricanes.
In Australia, the Reds have made some changes amongst their props, with James Slipper in at loosehead and Greg Holmes in at tighthead and a few changes were made in the backline too, for their warm-up clash against the Melbourne Rebels. Also in Australia, Hugh McMeniman returns from injury and will run out for the Force A side to face the Pampas XV and Samoa A.
Western Force head coach Michael Foley has named a 34-man squad to play Samoa A in their first Super Rugby warm up fixture at Lark Hill Sports Complex in Rockingham on Friday.
Matt Hodgson will lead the side that features both of the club’s Wallaby representatives from last year’s Spring Tour in winger Nick Cummins and No.8 Ben McCalman.
The Western Force will break new ground in Super Rugby sponsorship with the Western Australian club to feature individual partners on its playing jerseys for the 2014 season.
The Western Force will host two pre-season fixtures in Perth this year.
They face Samoa A in Rockingham (Friday 7 February) and Argentinian side, Pampas XV, in Joondalup (Friday 14 February).
Super Rugby teams will step up their preparations for the upcoming season and shake off some rust in pre-season friendlies in the coming weeks.
Preparing for the gruelling Super Rugby tournament, which gets underway on 15 February and culminates on 2 August, is not an exact science.
Australia’s Western Force on Thursday announced the signing of Sharks back-rower Brynard Stander, the eighth South African on their books, as they strengthened their squad ahead of this year’s Super Rugby season.
Towering lock Adam Coleman is determined to make a name for himself and play a dominant enforcer role for the Western Force in the 2014 Super Rugby season.
A tight forward with a first-class sporting pedigree hailing from one of Australian rugby’s relative backwaters, Hobart-born Coleman has aspired to play elite rugby since taking up the sport at the age of 13.
The Western Force say their negotiations with James O’Connor have ended after the troubled Wallaby decided to play in Europe.
South Africa will be kicking off the the 2014 Super Rugby season with 4 of their 5 teams playing in the first weekend.
The Toyota Cheetahs will be hosting MTN Lions on Saturday 15 February at 17:05 whilst The Sharks will host the Vodacom Bulls at 19:10. The Stormers find themselves with a bye in the first week.
The Western Force have re-signed powerful prop Salesi Manu for the 2014 Super Rugby season as part of their efforts to assemble an increasingly physical forward pack.
Manu will add to a Western Australian forward pack already featuring increased size and physicality in 2014, with the recruitment of Bulls lock Wilhelm Steenkamp and Western Province prop Chris Heiberg.
It is the time of the year I always dread the most. This is the time where every Player Agent licks his lips and rubs his grubby little hands at the prospect of selling his wares to the highest bidder, with no regard to the welfare of the rugby of any Player, Country, Club, Union or Franchise.
It is the time of the year that the greedy pigs grin!
It is reported that the Stormers are chasing the signature of the mercenary called Lionel Mapoe, who’s been about everywhere now, Cheetahs, Sharks, Lions, Bulls… and possibly now heading for his 5th SA Super Rugby Franchise.
The Western Force announced today that they have signed 2 more South Africans, WP’s Marcel Brache and Chris Heiberg.
The Bulls seem to be investing, or rather re-investing in another ton of Young Guns, to replace the loss of 8 Springboks in one heap but seemingly giving no heed to the warning sirens that seriously flawed players like Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger now seem to be their most experienced players! The Blue Bulls have re-signed players like Paul Willemse (lock) and Under 20 SA star, Jacques du Plessis (looseforward) as well as a host of others… and the name Lood de Jager jumped at me, with me initially thinking that it might be the Cheetahs Super Rugby lock but alas it is the junior Blue Bulls centre who has suffered quite an injury run. See the details below on the rest of the Blue Bulls signings. In the last 3 years the Bulls have lost the services of 18 Senior Springbok players, whilst purchasing only 4 senior players from elsewhere.
Following the results of the Super Rugby semi-finals of 2013 the Super Rugby Franchises are already starting to make their plans and get their structures in place for 2014.
Fresh news is that the Crusaders have extended coach Todd Blackadder’s contract till end of 2014, the Waratahs report that they have secured the services of Dave Dennis and Rob Horne and Kyle Godwin has cleanes up the awards for the year for the Western Force.
Force (14) 21 / 15 (3) Brumbies (Final Score)
The Western Force and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 13:45 SA Time (19:45 WAST, 11:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
The Western Force scored a major coup the the unveiling of Bulls lock Wilhelm Steenkamp as their latest signing.
Force (8) 13 / 28 (22) Waratahs (Final Score)
The Western Force and Waratahs did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 08:05 SA Time (14:05 Perth Time, 06:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Force (3) 17 / 69 (27) Lions (Final Score)
The Western Force and British & Irish Lions did battle as part of the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013 at Patersons Stadium, Perth
at 12:00 SA Time (18:00 Perth Time, 11:00 BST, 10:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
The British and Irish Lions will encounter a weaker than expected Western Force team in their first match in Australia, the Perth-based side naming an inexperienced line-up on Tuesday with an eye on the weekend’s Super Rugby clash.
Wingers Corey Brown and Dane Haylett-Petty, centres Chris Tuatara-Morrison and Ed Stubbs, hooker James Hilterbrand and fullback Sam Christie were all selected to start Wednesday’s clash at the Subiaco Oval, the six combining for just 20 Super Rugby appearances between them.
Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll will captain the British and Irish Lions in their first tour game in Australia, against Western Force in Perth on Wednesday.
The 23-man team contains eight new Lions.
Force (10) 19 / 18 (6) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Western Force and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Perth Time, 09:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Force (10) 13 / 23 (7) Sharks (Final Score)
The Western Force and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 13:45 SA Time (19:45 Perth Time, 11:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
Chiefs (19) 22 / 21 (11) Force (Final Score)
The Chiefs and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe at 09:35 SA Time (07:35 GMT, 19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Force (6) 11 / 11 (3) Reds (Final Score)
The Western Force and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 11:40 SA Time (17:40 Perth Time, 09:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Brumbies (29) 41 / 7 (0) Force (Final Score)
The Brumbies and the Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 11:40 SA Time (09:40 GMT, 19:40 Canberra Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Hurricanes (15) 22 / 16 (3) Force (Final Score)
The Hurricanes and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at Westpac Stadium, Wellington at 09:35 SA Time (07:35 GMT, 19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
*******************
Force (16) 16 / 14 (8) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Western Force and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 13:45 SA Time (11:45 GMT, 19:45 Perth Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Force (11) 23 / 30 (15) Rebels (Final Score)
The Western Force and Melbourne Rebels did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 10:40 SA Time (08:40 GMT, 16:40 Perth Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Waratahs (15) 23 / 19 (9) Force (Final Score)
The Waratahs and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at Allianz Stadium, Sydney at 07:05 SA Time (05:05 GMT, 16:05 Sydney Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Force (7) 10 / 19 (6) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Western Force and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 12:45 SA Time (10:45 GMT, 18:45 Perth Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
*******************
Reds (12) 12 / 19 (13) Force (Final Score)
The Reds and Western Force did battle in Super Rugby at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 10:40 SA Time (08:40 GMT, 18:40 Brisbane Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************