Player Movements
Sonny Bill Williams
Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie has made 5 changes to his starting 15 for Friday’s clash with the Crusaders in Christchurch.
Brad Weber starts at scrumhalf and Sonny Bill Williams and Charlie Ngatai return from injury to take their place in the midfield.
Tim Nanai-Williams comes onto the right wing with Tom Marshall moving to fullback while Michael Fitzgerald, Augustine Pulu and Andrew Horrell all join the reserves.
The Chiefs won the corresponding fixture between these sides, 40 / 16 in Hamilton in Round 3. Despite that result, Rennie expects a tough battle against the 7-time champions.
“The Crusaders are a quality side,” he said.
“Our previous encounters with them have been of test match intensity and this is a must win game for both sides to remain in touch with the Hurricanes.”
Kieran Read
Kieran Read has changed his mind and declined the opportunity to play at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
All Black superstar Read initially had his mind set on joining the New Zealand Sevens team to play in the Brazil Olympic Games, but after lengthy talks with All Black coach Steve Hanson, he has opted to concentrate on the 15-man game.
Read’s decision not to chase an Olympic medal, would have also been a relief for Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder.
Super Rugby players who elect to play the shorter version of the game are expected to miss approximately 6 Rounds of the competition, meaning Blackadder would have been without his skillful skipper for a 3rd of the Super Rugby season if he had chosen to play Sevens.
“I was keen to go Rio but I won’t be,” Read said at the Crusaders training session on Wednesday.
“It would be a hell of an opportunity but I will probably focus on making the All Blacks team.”
Willie le Roux
Springbok fullback Willie le Roux will sit out the Toyota Cheetahs clash with the Reds this weekend due to the rest agreement with SA Rugby.
Le Roux will be replaced by Coenie van Wyk in the starting line-up as the only change to the team that beat the Western Force last Saturday in Perth.
This will mark the 9th Super Rugby encounter between the Cheetahs and the Reds, since their 1st match in March 2006.
The Reds are leading the way with 5 wins to 3.
It will also be the 5th time the teams meet at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, since the 1st encounter.
The Cheetahs has won 3 previous matches in Bloemfontein to the Reds 1.
Taqele Naiyaravoro
The Waratahs are likely to be without in-form winger Taqele Naiyaravoro for their Super Rugby crunch match against the Hurricanes in New Zealand, due to a visa issue.
Fijian Naiyaravoro was also omitted from the team for the match against the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin last month and is unable to leave Australia for the time being.
“Taqele’s visa application is an ongoing process and as such he is not able to travel overseas at this point in time,” a spokeswoman for the Waratahs said on Tuesday.
The Waratahs declined to comment on whether the explosive 23-year-old, who leads the team with 3 tries, would be available for subsequent games in South Africa later in the year which could prove season-defining.
Ryan Crotty
Ryan Crotty has been ruled out of the Crusaders’ clash with the Chiefs as a precautionary measure, after he suffered a head knock against the Highlanders last weekend.
It is not all bad news for the Crusaders though, as star flyhalf Dan Carter could well fill the vacant No 12 spot after appearing off the bench against the Highlanders.
Injuries have played their part in marring the All Black playmaker’s season thus far, but he should be fit enough to start on the weekend.
Crotty’s absence is also offset by the return of loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett and lock Luke Romano, who were rested for the Highlanders’ game.
Colin Slade
All Black and Crusaders back Colin Slade has signed with the Section Paloise Rugby Club (Pau), departing following the World Cup.
Slade said he had not found it easy to come to the decision to play overseas but he was now excited about the opportunity.
“This is certainly not a decision taken lightly. I have given it a lot of thought and considered all my options, but I am now satisfied that moving to Pau after this year is the right decision for me at this point in my life,” Slade said.
Matt Hodgson
The Western Force have been given a boost as captain Matt Hodgson has signed a contract to play Super Rugby for the Perth side again in 2016, with the option of a further season in 2017.
The evergreen back-rower, who is currently sidelined as he returns from a hamstring injury, remains the most-capped player in the club’s history (113 matches) having made his Super Rugby debut for the Force against the Brumbies in the club’s inaugural match in 2006.
Hodgson, who along with Pek Cowan remain the only current foundation players, claimed his 3rd Nathan Sharpe Medal for the Force’s player of the year in 2014, and returned to the Wallabies squad where he captained the national side in their 40 / 36 win over the Barbarians in London.
Pat Howard
Western Province back Pat Howard has reportedly signed a deal with English Premiership club Northampton Saints.
While the news is yet to be officially announced, it is reported that Howard will leave the Cape union later this year.
The 23-year-old Howard, who can play wing and centre, is contracted with WP until 31 October.
This means he will in all likelihood be asked to stay until the end of this year’s Currie Cup.
Michael Rhodes
Utility forward Michael Rhodes will return home from the DHL Stormers’ Vodacom Super Rugby tour of Australasia after suffering a hamstring tear in his team’s 32 / 18 bonus point win over the Waratahs at the weekend.
The tough-tackling forward was forced to leave the field in the 33rd minute on Saturday and he now faces a 6 to 8 week lay-off – Rhodes’s 2nd injury blow of the season after picking up a knee injury against the Lions in late February.
Rhodes will be replaced in the DHL Stormers tour party by DHL Western Province Vodacom Cup star Sikhumbuzo Notshe, who left for Perth late on Sunday evening.
DHL Stormers boss Allister Coetzee told the www.iamastormer.com website: “Michael has a Grade 2 or 3 hamstring tear and will be out of action for at least 6 weeks.
Matt Toomua
The Brumbies are facing a test of their squad depth after their Super Rugby defeat on Friday against the Blues.
ACT and Wallaby pivot Matt Toomua has been sidelined for 4 to 6 weeks with an ankle syndesmosis injury suffered in their 14 / 16 loss the Auckland outfit.
The in-form Brumbies prop Scott Sio, who was replaced just after halftime, suffered a knee medial ligament strain.
Sio is staring down the barrel of 6 to 8 weeks out with only 9 Rounds of the Super Rugby regular season remaining.
Inside centre Christian Lealiifano is the likely candidate to take the reins at flyhalf for their upcoming fixture against the Melbourne Rebels, while South African born JP Smith is set to replace Sio at prop.
Utility back James Dargaville, who is a convert from flank to wing, is to undergo scans to identify whether he has broken bones in his foot, which could potentially result in a similar recovery period to Sio.
Luke Burton
Western Force inside centre Luke Burton will remain with the Force for a further 2 seasons, extending his contract through to the end of the 2017 season.
The Perth-born 21-year-old made his debut for the Force last season, before adding 8 further caps – including 5 in the starting 15 – to his tally in 2015.
Burton, who has started at both fullback and inside centre this season, has forged a strong partnership with fellow local, Kyle Godwin, in the midfield over the past 3 matches.
The former Australian Under 20 representative says he’s excited about extending his stay at the club.
“I love being a part of the Force and I’m really stoked to be able to stay with the club for another 2 years,” he said.
Callum Gibbins
Manawatu flanker Callum Gibbins is set to stay in the New Zealand capital for another year, having recently extended his contract with Hurricanes until the end of 2016.
The 26-year-old has been with the ‘Canes since he joined as a Wider Training Group member in 2013. After 2 years in the extended squad, Gibbins signed a full contract for 2015 and has gone on to feature in all but 1 of the Hurricanes’ matches this year.
Assistant coach Richard Watt has worked with Gibbins since his arrival, and said he epitomised everything team management looked for in a player.
James Horwill
Reds coach Richard Graham has made a dramatic about turn in his stance on suspended Wallaby lock James Horwill.
Horwill was initially excluded from the Reds’ 27-man squad for their 2-week tour to South Africa, after copping a 1-game ban for striking an opponent in the 15 / 23 loss to the Melbourne Rebels.
Graham explained the decision to leave to the veteran lock at home by saying that he needed a full quota of players to prepare with.
However, subsequent to their 22 / 43 loss to the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria at the weekend, the Reds coach sent an S.O.S. to Horwill – who will join the team in the build-up to their encounter with the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein this coming Saturday.
Ben Afeaki
Ben Afeaki has decided to retire from all rugby due to medical reasons.
Afeaki suffered concussion in February 2014 during a Super Rugby match against the Crusaders. He was cleared to resume training as part of a graduated return to play plan.
He suffered a further knock during training the next month and has not played since.
The 27-year-old prop played 36 matches for the Chiefs, was an All Black in 2013 and played 8 matches for the Maori All Blacks.
Afeaki said retirement was the best decision for his long term health and he continued to make good progress in his recovery.
Brad Thorn
Former New Zealand lock Brad Thorn is retiring at the end of the season following a glittering 21-year career in which won the biggest prizes in rugby league and union.
The 40-year-old started out in league with the Brisbane Broncos, represented Queensland in the state of origin and won 3 caps for Australia.
Thorn moved back to New Zealand in 2001 and joined the Canterbury Crusaders, playing 12 tests for the All Blacks.
He went back to rugby league with the Broncos from 2005 – 2007 but returned to union and the last of his 59 All Blacks appearances was the 2011 World Cup final in which they beat France 8 / 7.
Thorn helped Ireland’s Leinster lift the 2012 Heineken Cup, becoming the 1st man to play in victorious World Cup, Super Rugby and European Cup teams.
He joined English Premiership club Leicester last year and has helped the Tigers climb to 4th in the standings.
Bryce Heem
Worcester Warriors have announced the signing of New Zealand wing Bryce Heem, who will join the Club in July from Super Rugby side, the Chiefs.
The 26-year-old has impressed during this season’s Super Rugby campaign and scored a try on his debut during his side’s victory over the Blues in the 1st game of the season.
Heem had previously been a stand-out performer for Tasman Makos during their impressive 2013 and 2014 NPC campaigns and helped the side to the final of the competition last October.
The wing, who stands at 1.93m, was an influential member of the New Zealand Sevens team between 2011 and 2014, touring the world on the Sevens World Series circuit and picking up a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games last year.
Tim Swiel
Former Stormers and Sharks flyhalf, Tim Swiel has signed a full-time contract with Premiership club Harlequins after a highly successful 4 month loan deal in October 2014.
The 21-year-old English-qualified pivot returned to the Sharks academy in February 2015 but will rejoin the English club for the 2015 / 2016 season.
During his short, but memorable time at The Stoop, Somerset-born Swiel made 10 senior appearances across the Cup, Premiership and European Rugby Champions Cup – which included impressive performances in the back-to-back fixtures against Leinster and Big Game 7 at Twickenham Stadium in December.
Willem Alberts
The Cell C Sharks have been boosted by the news that Springbok loose forward Willem Alberts has returned to training and will be available for selection this weekend.
Alberts missed the 1st few matches of the Super Rugby season with injury and returned to action in the game against the DHL Stormers on 7 March. He then suffered another injury setback in the game at Newlands which saw him spend more time on the sidelines.
However, according to the Sharks’ official website, Alberts has now recovered sufficiently and will be available to face the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg this weekend.
Steven Luatua
Outstanding loose forward Steven Luatua has pledged his allegiance to the Blues and New Zealand Rugby for a further 2 years.
The burly flank has re-signed through to the end of the 2017 season.
Luatua defies his 23 years, having already played 14 Tests for the All Blacks and 43 Super Rugby caps for the Blues.
He has a rich pedigree as a former New Zealand school representative and played in successive Junior World Championship-winning New Zealand Under 20 teams – in 2010 and 2011.
He made his provincial debut as a teenager in 2010, his debut for the Blues in 2012 and his All Blacks debut the following year in the 24 / 9 victory over France in New Zealand.
Victor Matfield
The Vodacom Bulls will get a number of Springboks back this week, but there is growing concern over the knee injury of veteran lock Victor Matfield.
Matfield will only know on Tuesday when he will play again.
He was originally listed as being ‘rested’ for the encounter with the Lions last week, but it has since emerged that the knee injury was the real problem.
Agustine Creevy
Pumas captain, Agustín Creevy, has become the 1st player based outside of Argentina to commit to the country’s Super Rugby franchise which will join the competition next year.
Creevy, 30, currently plays for Worcester in the United Kingdom but has signalled his intention to return home and play for the new franchise, bringing the number of contracted players to 22.
Making the announcement via videoconference on Monday evening, Creevy said, “It makes me very happy to confirm this agreement with the UAR. It’s a big step. I have played for Argentina from a young age and was always proud to defend the Argentina shirt. I never hesitated to go back home.
“This is a very important year. The World Cup is the main aim for this 2015, but then comes the moment to join Super Rugby which is a historic dream for everyone.”
Arno Botha
Flip van der Merwe
Springboks Flip van der Merwe and Arno Botha have returned to full training following a pectoral and hamstring injury respectively and will be considered for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Reds at Loftus Versfeld.
They will join the likes of Jan Serfontein and Handré Pollard, who missed last weekend’s clash against the Emirates Lions, but Victor Matfield will only know on Tuesday when he will play again. The lock, who has a meniscal knee strain, will see knee specialist Dr Daan du Plessis on Tuesday to determine how long he will be out of action.
Jesse Kriel (ribs), Burger Odendaal (arm), JJ Engelbrecht (pectoral), Trevor Nyakane (shoulder) and Jacques du Plessis (muscle spasm) all picked up light niggles on the weekend and sat out training on Monday, team doctor Org Strauss said.
All of them will be back in action on Tuesday, as well as Basil Short, who recovered from concussion.
Mils Muliaina
All Black Mils Muliaina is “distressed” and in shock over a sexual assault allegation levelled against him in Wales, his agent says.
The 34-year-old spent about 20 hours at Cardiff Bay Police station after being taken away by officers following a rugby game at Kingsholm Stadium. Police had 24 hours to charge him.
His agent, Simon Porter, says the arrest came as a “complete shock”.
Muliaina thought he was being taken in for random drug testing, Porter says.
“He had a night in the police cells, he’s pretty distressed, trying to deal with it, and it came as an absolute shock to him.”
Porter says Muliani will fight to clear his name.
Francis Saili
Munster confirmed today the signing of Blues centre Francis Saili on a 2-year contract.
The 24 year-old has made 33 Super Rugby appearances for the Blues, scoring 5 tries, and represented Auckland in the NPC on 31 occasions.
Saili made his debut for the All Blacks against Argentina in September 2013 at Hamilton, and was part of the New Zealand Under 20 team that won the Junior World Championship in Italy in 2011.
Last November the Auckland native also featured for the Barbarians, scoring a try against Australia in Twickenham.
James Horwill
The struggling Reds have left former Australian skipper James Horwill behind as they departed for South Africa on Sunday, following his 2nd Red Card of the Super Rugby season.
Horwill received a 1-match suspension after being sent off in the 21st minute of the Reds match against the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne on Friday, and he would have been ineligible for the 1st of the Reds’ 2 games in South Africa.
The Reds play the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday and the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein a week later.
Horwill’s Red Card for striking Melbourne Rebels prop Paul Alo-Emile with a swinging arm in a maul proved costly as the 14-man Reds gave up a 12 / 3 lead to lose 23 / 15.
The beleaguered Reds have now lost 6 of their opening 7 games, and their woes have been compounded by the loss of Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper for another 2 months after he fractured his right shoulder blade against the Rebels.
Duane Vermeulen
Influential DHL Stormers captain Duane Vermeulen will return to Cape Town for a further 2-week rest period.
The hard-working No 8 has been in outstanding form for the DHL Stormers in 2015, but he will head home from Sydney on Sunday as part of the agreed SA Rugby rest period, which affects the top Springboks in this, a Rugby World Cup season.
“It’s a big one for us… it was a big decision to make,” explained DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee.
“However, it is something we discussed and have been planning since the start of the season,” he added, “the intention was always for Duane to spend the 1st 2 weeks on tour and then to head home and be ready for the final part of our season.
“We will of course miss him against the Waratahs and the Force but when we get home his rest period will be over and we will have him back in tow for a crucial part of the season.”
Jake Schatz
Quade Cooper
Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper and No 8 Jake Schatz have been ruled out of the side’s 2-week tour of South Africa, after suffering injuries in Friday night’s loss to the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne.
Cooper fractured his scapula making a tackle, while Schatz ruptured a tendon in his elbow after his arm was caught in an awkward position in a ruck. Cooper will be sidelined for up to 8 weeks, while Schatz will be reviewed in 4 weeks.
The Reds head to Johannesburg this Sunday and head coach Richard Graham said he would take the next 24 hours to make a decision as to who would join the 27-man squad for the tour.
Mils Muliaina
Former All Black fullback and Rugby World Cup winner Mils Muliaina’s future hangs in the balance after he was arrested by the South Wales Police on suspicion of sexual assault.
Muliaina’s Irish club Connacht confirmed that the former All Black was assisting the Police with enquiries relating to an alleged incident in Cardiff in March of this year.
He was pictured on television being led away by police officers following his Irish club’s 14 / 7 loss at Gloucester in the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals on Friday.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made 2 changes to his starting pack for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg and also had to replace pivot Handré Pollard, who did not recover in time from a knee contusion.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter will start at No 10 and is the only change to the backline that ran on against the Crusaders last week. Potgieter is returning to action following a hamstring strain that kept him out for 3 weeks.
Grant Hattingh (for Victor Matfield) and Dean Greyling (for Morné Mellett) will start in the pack.
Both played off the bench last weekend.
Hattingh’s spot on the bench will be taken by Roelof Smit and Greyling swops places with Mellett, who will play of the bench. Matfield is rested (as is Jan Serfontein).
Callie Visagie makes his return to the squad following a back injury.
Springboks Marcell Coetzee, Cobus Reinach and Patrick Lambie will all start for the Sharks when they face the Crusaders in Durban on Saturday.
Lambie and Reinach are straight swaps for Frans Steyn and Conrad Hoffmann, with Lambie also taking over the captaincy.
Back-row forward Renaldo Bothma gets a deserved rest after starting all but one match so far this season.
He will take great comfort from his man of the match award against the Force last week and will provide ample firepower off the bench, with Coetzee taking his place after enjoying a week’s rest.
Kyle Cooper continues at hooker in the absence of the suspended Bismarck du Plessis.
Jano Vermaak
3-Times capped Springbok Jano Vermaak is returning home to South Africa with a World Cup dream.
The 30-year-old, who has been a shining star for the revitalised French giants Toulouse in the Top 14, spoke from the city in the southwest of France.
He was quite open about his goals, although there remains some uncertainty about which team he will use as – hopefully – as a springboard to a World Cup spot.
“I am coming back to South Africa with the goal of giving myself a chance of possibly getting into the World Cup squad,” the 30-year-old scrumhalf said.
“At this stage I do not yet know which team I will be playing for in South Africa,” Vermaak said, adding: “I have a few options, but we’ll make that call in the next month or so.”
He said he simply can’t wait to be back in SA and will arrive after the completion of the French Top 14 season in May, or June if Toulouse make the play-offs.
That will give him 3 or 4 weeks of Super Rugby to have a crack at a World Cup spot.
Dane Haylett-Petty
Sam Wykes
Western Force fullback Dane Haylett-Petty has extended his stay with the Western Australian franchise for a further 2 seasons – through to the end of 2017.
The 25-year-old Durban-born back returned to the Western Force for the 2014 season, after 3 seasons playing in France and Japan.
He has since re-established himself as a key member of the Western Australian backline.
Haylett-Petty, who started the season at fullback, returned to the Western Force line-up in last weekend’s match against the Cell C Sharks, after being sidelined for 5 matches with a foot injury.
Haylett-Petty’s re-signing coincides with the confirmation that lock Sam Wykes will depart the club at the end of the 2015 season to take up an opportunity in Japan.
Wykes, who made his debut for the Force in 2008, has amassed 81 matches for the Force over 8 seasons.
Will Genia
Australia and Reds scrumhalf Will Genia has signed a 3-year contract to join Top 14 club Stade Francais after this year’s Rugby World Cup.
“We can confirm that Will Genia will be part of our squad after the World Cup (which ends 31 October). It’s a great signing and one which will strengthen our squad in a vital position,” Stade Francais president Thomas Savare said on radio France Bleu 107.1.
The Papua New Guinea-born Wallaby had been linked with a move to Europe for months but Bath were firm favourites to sign the 27-year-old, who even signed a pre-contract with the English Premiership side.
Mils Muliaina
Italian Rugby club Zebre have signed New Zealand All Blacks Rugby World Cup winner Mils Muliaina for the 2015 / 2016 season from Irish province Connacht.
The 2015 / 2016 Rugby season will be the Italian Northwest franchise’s 4th season in the PRO12 League and the European Cups.
100-Cap All Black Muliaina joined Connacht from Super Rugby side the Chiefs in 2014 having retired from playing international rugby at the end of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Zebre have announced that they will be led by a new coaching team that will be announced later in the year.
The Emirates Lions were dealt a setback when it was revealed that lock Martin Muller has been ruled out of Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Vodacom Bulls at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg.
Muller sustained a calf tear during his team’s win over the Reds in Brisbane and will be out of the side for Saturday’s clash.
The news has been tempered with MB Lusaseni’s return to action, while Andries Ferreira is also available.
Also ruled out of the clash is winger Courtnall Skosan, with an ankle injury whilst flyhalf / fullback Jaco van der Walt has a fractured cheekbone.