Super Rugby
Pierre Spies
The Vodacom Bulls may be on top of the South African Super Rugby conference, but they know there’s a tough road ahead until the end of regular season play.
The Bulls thrashed the Reds 43 / 22 at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend, but out of their 8 remaining league matches, only 2 will be at home.
They tackle the Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers away over the next 2 weeks, before facing the Emirates Lions at home.
After that, 4 games in Australasia await against the Blues (15 May), Chiefs (22 May), Brumbies (29 May) and Melbourne Rebels (6 June).
Their last league game is at home against the Toyota Cheetahs on 13 June.
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.
Oregan Hoskins
South African Rugby Union President Oregan Hoskins has spoken out strongly against the inconsistency of recent rulings at disciplinary tribunals.
Hoskins is incensed by what he believes to be the unfair handling of cases involving South African players – compared with their New Zealand and Australian counterparts.
He referred to the recent harsh bans handed to Sharks players Bismarck du Plessis (4 weeks), Frans Steyn (5 weeks) and Jean Deysel (7 weeks) – while similar offences by Kiwi and Aussie players received more lenient treatment.
“I didn’t intend to go to the media on this,” Hoskins said.
“But frankly, I’ve just had enough.
The Vodacom Bulls held onto their leadership of a ferociously contested South African Conference on a weekend of success at the expense of Australian teams.
The Vodacom Bulls maintained their 2-point advantage over the DHL Stormers on the Log – as both recorded bonus point victories over the Reds (43 / 22) and Waratahs (32 / 18) respectively – while the Toyota Cheetahs showed enormous character to finish their tour on a high in Perth, with a win over the Western Force (24 / 15).
In the South African derby at Emirates Airlines Park, the Emirates Lions underlined the seriousness of their challenge for the Conference title with 2-point victory (23 / 21) over a significantly improved Cell C Sharks, who missed a long-range last-kick penalty, which could have snatched the victory.
The upshot of the weekend was that the Top 4 SA teams are separated by just 4 Log Points – in contrast to their fellow conferences where the Hurricanes top the standings as New Zealand’s Top 4 are spread by 11 points, while an even more clear-cut Australian race sees the Brumbies head a Log in which 17 points cover the Top 4 Australian contenders.
3 Of SA’s winners had to overcome halftime deficits to record victories, with the most notable being those of the DHL Stormers and Toyota Cheetahs who achieved it on Australian soil.
However, the margins were small – both trailed by 2 points – while the Emirates Lions turned round 3 points adrift of the Cell C Sharks, as all 3 teams showed fitness and character to ‘win’ the 2nd half.
In the other match, the Vodacom Bulls’ recent home success over the Reds continued, as they stomped to a 6-try victory, with Francois Hougaard scoring 2 tries from the wing to take his tally to 4 for the season and therefore joining Marcell Coetzee as the leading South African try scorers.
Michael Cheika – Wallabies coach
Waratahs and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says that it is obvious he is not liked or respected in New Zealand, as the saga of his halftime chat with referee Jaco Peyper rumbles on.
Cheika was given a warning by SANZAR earlier in the week for entering the referee’s room at halftime during his team’s match against the Blues 2 weeks ago.
The Waratahs coach was already on a warning after he verbally abused a camera man last year and many have said that SANZAR should have come down on him harder.
In particular Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said that he was dismayed at the leniency SANZAR showed when they decided that Cheika had broken a law of the game – but not breached the code of conduct.
Had SANZAR ruled that Cheika had broken a code of conduct he could have been suspended from rugby and been unable to coach the Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup.
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.
Allister Coetzee
An elated DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee heaped the praise on his coaching team and all the players in the aftermath of their excellent 32 / 18 Vodacom Super Rugby win over the defending champion Waratahs earlier today.
The DHL Stormers overturned a 13 / 15 half-time deficit to record their 1st tour win of 2015 against the reigning champs – also scoring 4 tries in the process in Sydney.
Bulls (24) 43 / 22 (5) Reds (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria 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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Lions (11) 23 / 21 (14) Sharks (Final Score)
The Emirates Lions and Cell C Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg 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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Force (10) 15 / 24 (8) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Western Force and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at
nib Stadium, Perth at 13:45 SA Time (19:45 AWST, 11:45 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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Waratahs (15) 18 / 32 (13) Stormers (Final Score)
The Waratahs and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at
Allianz Stadium, Sydney 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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It is Round 9 of Super Rugby 2015 this weekend.
There is only 1 game on Friday 10 April but we have 5 games on Saturday 11 April.
The Melbourne Rebels, Chiefs & Hurricanes have BYE weekends.
There is 1 South African derby on the weekend, between the Emirates Lions and Cell C Sharks, with 2 SA sides currently on tour and the Vodacom Bulls also playing inside South Africa on the weekend.
Only 1 undefeated team still remains prior to the start of the weekend, the Hurricanes, and they celebrate their 2nd BYE weekend this weekend.
On Friday, the lone game is the one between the Blues and Brumbies in Auckland, at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT).
On Saturday morning the Ccrusaders host the Highlanders in Christchurch at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT), whereafter the Waratahs will host the DHL Stormers in Sydney at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 09:40 GMT).
Slightly later and a couple of hours in time zones to the West – in Perth at 13:45 SA Time, the Western Force host the Toyota Cheetahs.
Next up, at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT), the Emirayes Lions host the Cell C Sharks in Johannesburg, before the last game of the Round where the Vodacom Bulls host the Reds in Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, Sunday 03:10 AEST).
The Brumbies should beat the Blues, even in the Blues backyard of Auckland on Friday.
On Saturday one would suspect that the high-flying Crusaders will beat the Highlanders in Christchurch (after they so thoroughly dismantled the Sharks last weekend in Durban).
Waratahs or DHL Stormers? Well, I suppose the advantage should go to the home team… the Waratahs.
In Perth another difficult game to pick a winner for… will it be the bottom-dwelling Western Force or the also-bottom-dwelling Toyota Cheetahs to appear victorious? Your guess is as good as mine.
The Emirates Lions vs Sharks game is probably shaping up to be the game of the weekend and once again the question is asked who will be victorious… the flying Lions or the back-paddling “Gold-fish” (Cell C Sharks)… surely the Sharks have always or almost always had the Lions’ measure… and why should 2015 be so different?
In Pretoria all logic would suggest that the Bulls should beat the Rubble Reds.. and convincingly so, but the Bulls are still resting key players and often flatter to deceive in recent years!
Crusaders (14) 20 / 25 (13) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Crusaders and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
AMI Stadium, Christchurch 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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Jannie du Plessis
Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira
Cell C Sharks boss Gary Gold said if he had the choice he would not be resting veteran Springboks Jannie du Plessis and Tendai Mtawarira against a formidable Lions scrum this weekend.
Gold has made a number of changes to the team that will travel up to Johannesburg to take on South Africa’s form team this weekend.
Some of these changes are enforced due to injury, some because of suspension and others the result of a selection rethink.
However, Gold seems least pleased about the fact that he needs to rest his key front row Springboks in accordance with SARU’s player management initiative.
“If I had an opportunity to play Jannie and Beast this weekend, I would,” Gold said ahead of the trip up to Ellis Park.
“These are decisions that were made at a higher level, and as bizarre as they are, they were made, and as much as I can stick to them, I am going to try and stick to them.”
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.
The Brumbies have launched a special edition jersey to commemorate 100 years since the Anzac landing.
The Brumbies will proudly wear the jersey against the Highlanders at GIO Stadium, Canberra on 24 April, as part of the Anzac weekend celebrations.
The jersey, which features poppies on the body panels, camo and the ‘Soldier On’ logo on its back, is now on sale via the club website or at Brumbies HQ at the University of Canberra.
Blues (13) 16 / 14 (0) Brumbies (Final Score)
The Blues and Brumbies did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 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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With only 2 points separating 4 of the South African franchises on the Vodacom Super Rugby log after 8 weeks of play, Round 9 of the competition will again be crucial for local teams, with the derby in Johannesburg between the Emirates Lions and Cell C Sharks set to attract huge interest from spectators.
The remaining 3 South African sides play Australian opponents on Saturday, with the DHL Stormers taking on the Waratahs in Sydney, the Toyota Cheetahs playing the Western Force in Perth and the Vodacom Bulls closing out a big weekend of rugby in their Pretoria clash against the Reds.
The DHL Stormers will be looking for a 1st tour win against the defending champion Waratahs, knowing that the home side has won 12 of their last 13 matches in Sydney, with a victory margin of 18 points per match.
The Toyota Cheetahs will still be chasing a 1st overseas win in 2015, when they close out their tour against the Western Force at the NIB Stadium in Perth. The Cheetahs have won at this venue in the past, but will have to defend like never before.
They average the most missed tackles in the competition, while the home side maintains the best tackling success rate (90%).
The Emirates Lions host the Cell C Sharks at Emirates Airline Park in the only South African derby of the weekend, which is expected to be a fiercely contested clash. The home team is well aware that a win could push them into 1st place in the South African conference, albeit that the Vodacom Bulls could again overhaul them later in the evening.
The Cell C Sharks will be desperate to put their recent misfortunes behind them and win away from home.
The Vodacom Bulls take on the Reds, who despite not having the greatest of seasons, have a good record against the Loftus Versfeld team, winning 10 of their 16 encounters. Continue reading
Marco Wentzel
Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold has made a number of changes to his team to take on the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg this Saturday, welcoming back 2 players from injury to bolster his side.
Etienne Oosthuizen and Willem Alberts have both returned from injury lay-offs and the pair will start their return to rugby making an impact off the bench.
Odwa Ndungane has been named at fullback, replacing SP Marias who gets a rest after starting all 8 matches to date. This sees the return of S’bura Sithole on the wing, with Fred Zeilinga replacing the injured Pat Lambie at flyhalf in the final change to the backline.
Upfront, there is an overhaul with Lourens Adriaanse, Franco Marais and Dale Chadwick packing down in the front row, after Jannie du Plessis and Beast Mtawarira were rested, while Renaldo Bothma replaces Jean Deysel at blindside flank in the final change.
Marco Wentzel has been named Captain.
Flip van der Merwe
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made 2 changes to his starting team that will take on the Reds in a Vodacom Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Springbok hooker Adriaan Strauss is given a rest in compliance the Springbok rest agreement with the 5e franchises and Callie Visagie will start in the No 2 jersey. This will be Visagie’s 1st start of the season. His place on the bench will be taken by Jaco Visagie, who on 2 previous occasions this season did bench duty.
The other change from the side that came up short in Johannesburg against the Emirates Lions is at flank, where a fit-again Arno Botha will replace Hanro Liebenberg. Botha recovered from a hamstring strain, with Liebenberg replacing Roelof Smit on the bench.
Another new face on the bench is that of Flip van der Merwe, who replaces Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg. Van der Merwe missed the 1st half of the season due to a pectoral muscle tear, but is keen to add to his 72 caps in the competition.
“It is great to have Flip back,” Ludeke said.
“He does not only provide a physical presence and some real grunt up front, he is also an important leader in the squad and with Victor Matfield out for a couple of weeks, Flip’s return could not come at a better time. “
The coach also opted to give Handré Pollard and Jan Serfontein another week off, with the latter also rested due to theSARU arrangement.
The Brumbies have named an unchanged starting side Friday’s Super Rugby clash against the Blues having come through last week’s win over the Toyota Cheetahs unscathed.
On the bench JP Smith reclaims his spot as back-up prop with Allan Alaalatoa dropping out of the match-day 23.
Given the Blues strength up front and unpredictability in the backs, the game promises to be a massive battle which will test the Brumbies across the park.
Brumbies and Wallabies prop Scott Sio said his side would need to be on top its game to make and impact on Friday night.
Ben Franks
Dan Carter has returned to the Crusaders team via the bench, after coach Todd Blackadder named an unchanged backline for their match against the Highlanders in Christchurch on Saturday.
There are 3 changes in the forwards, with Joe Moody and Owen Franks the starting props this week, and Alex Hodgman and Nepo Laulala providing cover from the bench.
Jimmy Tupou starts at lock alongside Sam Whitelock, and Scott Barrett is in the reserves.
This will be Franks’ 100th game for the Crusaders, which coach Todd Blackadder says is a remarkable achievement that will be celebrated by the whole team.
Highlanders Head Coach Jamie Joseph has kept faith with the team that beat the Stormers by naming an unchanged line up for Saturday’s Super Rugby derby against the Crusaders.
The Crusaders are fresh off a demolition job on the Sharks in Durban while the Highlanders return from a week off for the bye.
Traditionally a close encounter both sides will be keen to maintain their recent success heading into the halfway point of the competition.
Karmichael Hunt
Cocaine-tainted code-hopper Karmichael Hunt will make his 1st start for the Reds since his 6-week ban, when he dons the No 15 jersey against the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.
Hunt is one of 6 changes for the beleaguered Reds, with injuries and suspensions playing their part.
Lock Rob Simmons will play his 1st game of the 2015 season this weekend, returning from a shoulder injury to take his place in the starting side.
Simmons replaces James Horwill, who is serving a 1-week suspension for striking.
Saia Fainga’a returns to the starting side, with James Hanson moved to the bench.
Injury to Jake Schatz has forced a shuffle in the back row, with Curtis Browning starting at blindside flank and Adam Thomson shifting to No 8.
In the backs, injury to Quade Cooper means Nick Frisby resumes the role of starting flyhalf.
A recurrence of a calf injury has ruled out James O’Connor, meaning Lachie Turner shifts to the wing and Hunt returns to the starting lineup at fullback.
Fullback Dane Haylett-Petty will return to the Western Force starting line-up for the franchise’s 10th season anniversary match against the Toyota Cheetahs in Perth on Saturday.
The Force entered the Super Rugby competition with the Cheetahs in 2006, with the Western Australian franchise recording its 1st tournament victory against the Bloemfontein-based side in Kimberly that same year.
Haylett-Petty, who returned from a 6-week foot injury off the bench against the Sharks a fortnight ago, will start in the No 15 jersey, with Luke Morahan to start on the wing.
On the bench, Chris Alcock returns to the Force’s match day 23 while Marcel Brache will provide coverage for the outside backs.
Michael Cheika & Jaco Peyper in hot water
SANZAR confirmed that it received a formal complaint in regard to the alleged conduct of Waratahs head coach, Michael Cheika, following the Waratahs vs Blues match played at Allianz Stadium on Saturday 28 March.
After undertaking a thorough investigation, including receiving statements from all parties involved, it was determined that Mr Cheika had approached the match referee, Jaco Peyper, in front of the other match officials to seek clarification on a scrum interpretation during the halftime break of the Waratahs vs Blues match.
In a short and polite exchange that took place in the referee’s change room, Mr Peyper responded to Mr Cheika’s request for clarification. No other issues were discussed. Both Mr Cheika and Mr Peyper have subsequently acknowledged this exchange should not have taken place and apologised.
Juan de Jongh
Centre Juan de Jongh has recovered from an ankle injury and will lead the DHL Stormers in their 3rd Vodacom Super Rugby tour match of 2015 – against the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.
De Jongh was an 11th hour withdrawal from the team last weekend, but he is fit to take his place in the No 13 shirt this week and assume the leadership responsibilities in the absence of Duane Vermeulen, who is back in South Africa as part of the rest agreement with SA Rugby.
Emirates Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has announced his team to face the Cell C Sharks at Emirates Airline Park this Saturday.
In the forwards, Julian Redelinghuys will start at tighthead for this match. Jaco Kriel also returns to the starting line-up at flank.
Additionally, Ackermann has made 2 changes to his starting backline with Faf de Klerk starting at scrumhalf. Mark Richards is also set to make his Vodacom Super Rugby debut at left wing.
Lohan Jacobs will also celebrate his Vodacom Super Rugby debut should he come off the bench.
The main game will kick-off at 17:05 SA Time. Pirates Rugby Club and Union Rugby Club will play against each other in a curtain-raiser fixture at 13:30 SA Time.
Tickets are still available via Lionsrugby.computicket.com from just R 40.00
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.
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.
Waratahs Head Coach Michael Cheika has named an unchanged starting side for the match against the DHL Stormers, with Adam Ashley-Cooper and Tatafu Polota-Nau named to return from injury via the bench.
Ashley-Cooper has been sidelined for almost 2 months with a rare knee injury but has finally been deemed fit and will return to the substitutes bench.
Polota-Nau will be returning to the field after suffering a head knock at training weeks ago.
As we have become used to in 2015, coach Michael Cheika has named 2 Extra Players on the bench, for the bench to be finalized and reduced closer to game time.