Rugby: Recent Episodes
SABC Sport
SABC 2 normally covers 'local' international matches on a delayed basis. Some SABC Radio stations cover matches live and or report updates on a regular basis.
The DHL Stormers have made seven changes to their team to play the Blue Bulls at Newlands this Saturday, with captain Siya Kolisi returning to the starting line-up for the first time in two weeks.
The Sharks have arrived in Australia eager to turnaround their fortunes after two consecutive defeats at home. After they were dismantled by the Jaguares two weeks ago, the Reds added to their woes on Easter Friday. They will now have to contend with another Australian outfit, when they meet the Waratahs in Sydney this Saturday.
SABC 2 normally covers 'local' international matches on a delayed basis. Some SABC Radio stations cover matches live and or report updates on a regular basis.
SABC 2 normally covers 'local' international matches on a delayed basis. Some SABC Radio stations cover matches live and or report updates on a regular basis.
SABC 2 normally covers 'local' international matches on a delayed basis. Some SABC Radio stations cover matches live and or report updates on a regular basis.
SABC 2 normally covers 'local' international matches on a delayed basis. Some SABC Radio stations cover matches live and or report updates on a regular basis.
Springbok duo Coenie Oosthuizen and Tendai Mtawarira have returned to the Sharks line-up to face the Reds in Durban on Friday. The pair bring much needed experience to the Durban team, who simply must bounce back after conceding 50 points to a rampant Jaguares side at home last weekend. Jacque Vermeulen is also back to beef up the pack, while in the backs Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi are rested, with Cobus Van Wyk, Lwazi Mvovo and Sbu Nkosi coming into the team. Coach Rob Du Preez says the clash against the Reds is chance for his players to rectify their mistakes. Du Preez admitted that his team was hurting after letting in seven tries on home soil. The technical team as well as players have met several times this week to analyse the result and prepare for the Reds. Du Preez says in order to move forward they must take accountability for their shortcomings. Despite the manner of their defeat to the Jaguares, Du Preez says there is no need to push any panic buttons. The Sharks are fifth on the overall Super Rugby table and second in the South African conference, two points behind the Bulls. Du Preez says they must stick to their processes. Meanwhile, Sharks flank, Phillip van der Walt offered no excuse for their performance against the South Americans. It was the Sharks third defeat at home this season. As one of the more experienced players in the team, he urged his team mates to stand up on Easter Friday and put on a winning performance for the fans before they head off on tour to Australasia.
SABC 2 normally covers 'local' international matches on a delayed basis. Some SABC Radio stations cover matches live and or report updates on a regular basis.
The Toyota Cheetahs are back from a not so successful European tour. Coach Franco Smith says that tours are difficult and that’s why they had many stop and starts in matches. The former Springboks coach is hoping for different results this weekend when they host Swansea side Ospreys tomorrow in the Guinness Pro 14 at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. Kick-off for that match is 17:30. The Cheetahs have lost their last four matches in the Pro 14 but all were played away from home on the European tour.
Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira will make history when he runs out against the Lions at Ellis Park this Friday. The Sharks prop is set to become the most capped South African player in Super Rugby with his 157th appearance for the Durban side. Last year, the Zimbabwe-born forward, joined an exclusive club of only six players to earn 100 caps for the Springboks. The 33-year-old says he never dreamt of achieving so much in the game. Mtawarira made his debut for the Sharks in 2007 under Dick Muir. He quickly established himself as one of the country’s leading props and a year later became a Springbok. He recalls his maiden Super Rugby season which announced his arrival but ended in heartbreak for the Sharks. Mtawarira is honoured to break the record but wants to put his personal achievements aside at Ellis Park. After losing to the Bulls at home last weekend, the player understands the importance of bouncing back. The Sharks remain winless against South African opposition this year and the match against Swys De Bruin’s side is a big chance to end that record.
Following their disappointing 24-9 defeat to the Blues on Saturday, the Stormers have been regrouping ahead of the Australian leg of their current Super Rugby campaign. The Stormers will face the Reds this Friday, and Assistant Coach Dawie Snyman says that while they are disappointed with the loss, there are positives from the game, as they created a lot of scoring opportunities against the Blues. Snyman says they have already started work on getting their execution right, and they hope to make it count against the Reds on Friday. Eben Etzebeth and Dan Du Plessis will be heading home with slight injuries, while Peter-Steph Du Toit has been given time off for the birth of his son, so Ernst Van Rhyn, Kobus van Wyk and Seabelo Senatla will join up with the squad.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell says it was easy naming Siviwe Soyizwapi as the captain of the Blitzbokke ahead of the Hong Kong and Singapore legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Powell also revealed that Soyizwapi has the respect of his teammates and that he had already led the team in the last two games in the Vancouver tournament when skipper Philip Snyman got injured.The 20-year-old wing Angelo Davids will make his debut for the team after being selected in place of the injured Muller du Plessis. Along with Davids, Ryan Oosthuizen replaces the injured Snyman while JC Pretorius will miss out due to injury with Werner Kok taking his place amongst the forwards and Kurt-Lee Arendse being part of the playing team. Chris Dry will travel with the team and serve as back-up. Powell says Davids has earned his call-up to the side.
Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi has adjusted quickly to Super Rugby since making his debut in the competition last month. It has only been a few months since the 20-year-old from King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape played his first Currie Cup game as the Sharks went on to win the competition last October. He returned from a three-week injury lay-off last week to help the Sharks beat the Rebels at Kings Park. With 50 minutes under his belt, Fassi will be hoping to play an influential role when the Sharks host the Bulls this Saturday.
Andre Esterhuizen returns to the Sharks line-up to face the Rebels at Kings Park this weekend. The Springbok centre watched on from the bench as the Bulls dominated the Sharks at Loftus two weeks ago, by the time Esterhuizen came on the damage was already done with the Pretoria side eventually winning by a 23-point margin. The 24-year-old says the Sharks enjoyed a good week of preparation and are ready to bounce back in front of their home fans.
The Bulls will be without Springbok fullback Warrick Gelant when they take on the Chiefs in their Super Rugby encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Gelant suffered a shoulder injury at training on Tuesday and has been replaced by Divan Rossouw while former captain Burger Odendaal returns at inside centre in place of Dylan Sage who drops to the bench. Bulls coach Pote Human has also made some changes to his loose forward trio with Ruan Steenkamp coming back from injury and Jannes Kirsten moving to blindside flank in place of Tim Agaba who drops to the bench. Human admits that he is wary of the Chiefs hitting their straps on Saturday as the two time Super Rugby champions have endured a horrid start to the season losing two matches and drawing their last one against the Hurricanes last weekend. Human believes the Chiefs are not far away from finding their best form.
Bulls utility forward and former Junior Springboks captain Hanro Liebenberg believes their win over the Sharks a fortnight ago was a timely confidence boost ahead of their home game against the Chiefs. While the Chiefs have struggled since the beginning of Super Rugby, Liebenberg is of the opinion that they will face a stern challenge against the New Zealand side and two time champions. Liebenberg says he is unsure on whether he will return to France at the end of the year when his contract with the Bulls expires but admits that he still harbours ambitions to stay in the capital. Liebenberg spent a few months on loan to French Top 14 side Stade de Francais during the Super Rugby off season playing under former Springbok and Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer. Liebenberg’s older brother and also a former Junior Springboks captain Wian has been plying his trade in France for a number of years after leaving the Bulls to join Montpellier. Having recently moved to lock from loose forward, Liebenberg admits that he will be facing his toughest test when playing against All Blacks and Chiefs lock Brodie Retallick and is hopeful that it will bring out the best in him. Liebenberg believes that his ability to play in multiple positions in the pack is a huge benefit to the team and he now doesn’t mind where he plays as long as he contributes to the team’s success. Liebenberg started playing lock during his brief stint in the Top 14.
The Stormers have made four changes to the team that beat the Sharks two weeks ago, as they prepare to take on the Jaguares at Newlands Rugby Stadium tomorrow night. In naming the team, Stormers coach Robbie Fleck has made three changes to the forward pack with Steven Kitschoff, Scara Ntubeni and Juarno Augustus included, while Dillyn Leyds returns in the full back position.
Flank Juan Schoeman says the Sharks are to ready to front up to the Bulls tomorrow afternoon. The Durban side got the better of Pote Human’s side in a pre-season friendly last month, but with the competition heading into its fourth round, this weekend’s clash will be a completely different challenge. Schoeman expects a huge difference in physicality and implored his side to step up their intensity. The Sharks were brought down to earth last weekend after they were beaten by the Stormers in their own backyard. Schoeman says it was a defeat that hurt the team and the forward pack in particular. He believes a big South African derby presents the perfect opportunity for them to bounce back. The two teams were involved in a thrilling contest at Loftus last year which the Bulls won by a 39-33 score-line. Sharks captain, Louis Schreuder who will earn his 100th cap this weekend expects another tight encounter and says there is no need for extra-motivation.
Lions coach Swys de Bruin says the plethora of changes he has made are largely rotational with many senior players out of form. De Bruin has placed his faith in a group of young players which include Junior Springbok sensation Wandisile Simelane starting at outside centre, Ruan Vermaak at lock and Vincent Tshituka at flank while Nathan McBeth, James Venter and Tyrone Green will start on the bench in Saturday’s Super Rugby clash against the Jaguares. De Bruin admits that he would have loved to see his team have more points than the five that they currently have and in a better place than their lowly fifth place in the South African conference. However, De Bruin believes that the Lions are entering a new phase in their development which includes blooding in youngsters and that will have an impact on results. The Lions have only won one of their three games so far and have suffered consecutive defeats in just as many weeks recently. De Bruin says there is no panic yet within the Lions ranks and rather there is a sense of excitement as the team tries to get through the difficult part of their season. De Bruin is hopeful that the lessons learnt during these difficult times will stand the team in good stead for the future.
At the tender age of 19, Vhugala Voice Ndou is enjoying her game as a professional rugby player. Ndou plays for the University of Johannesburg's Sevens rugby team and has proven her tremendous talents over the past year. Touted as one for the future, Ndou was part of the Women’s Blitzbokke camp for the HSBC Dubai Sevens tournament in December. She was also part of the side when they beat Tukkies Women’s Sevens team in the final of the Tuks Sevens tournament this past weekend. Ndou says there is no turning back for her now. Ndou is undoubtedly an inspiration to young South Africans who need a little motivation to live their dreams in the rigorous and often male-dominated sport of rugby. She says she is not allowing her background to hold her back. With her sights set on a lengthy fruitful rugby career, Ndou says that besides turning out for the national team she is targeting a place in the University Sport South Africa squad for the World Student Games in Italy in July this year. The BA student, who is in the final year of her studies looks back on her journey with pride. Unlike their male counterparts who enjoy immense covering and immeasurable spotlight, Ndou says playing rugby as a woman is challenging as people do not support their craft.
South African rugby announced last week that there would be a radical overhaul to the contracting system in place, as they look to build a succession plan going forward. With a number of players leaving the country every year to play in overseas leagues, amongst the changes SA Rugby has decided to scrap the rule that stipulates players overseas must have earned 30 or more caps, while the plan is also to contract a larger group of players, rather than just a small high profile group. Springbok rugby coach Rassie Erasmus says they needed to overhaul the current system. Erasmus explains that it is impossible to compete with the money available overseas, so they need to spread their budget. Erasmus says he and his fellow selectors will be identifying the players needed to be contracted, using a ranking system for each position. Meanwhile Erasmus also explains why SA Rugby are going to enforce Regulation 9, which deal with how often club players must be released for international duty. Erasmus says that international clubs will now know before they sign a South African player where they stand with SA Rugby.
Springbok rugby coach Rassie Erasmus spent the past few days in Cape Town, as he and his technical staff hosted an alignment camp with select players from the Stormers. With the Rugby World Cup later this year, Erasmus will be hosting these camps with all the Super Rugby franchises. Erasmus says it may still be early doors, but he has already made some interesting observations during the first three weeks of the Super Rugby season as they monitor the players who are expected to be part of his Springbok World Cup squad.
Springbok legend Tendai Mtawarira says a threat by Pacific Island rugby nations to pull out of the World Cup will be a major blow for the region. Samoa, Tonga and Fiji are protesting a proposal by World Rugby to establish a 12-team league to begin next year, which will allegedly exclude the trio. All three nations have qualified for the World Cup in Japan later this year and the Pacific Rugby Players Welfare wants its 600 members to discuss a motion to make themselves unavailable for the global showpiece. Veteran South Africa prop Mtawarira says the news is not good for the sport. If the league materialises, it will comprise of teams from the Rugby Championship, Six Nations as well as Japan and the United States of America, leaving the Pacific Islands bereft of test rugby for the foreseeable future. It will also present a demanding playing and travel schedule for teams and will impact on the Rugby Championship and Six Nations, which may be cut to a single round. The format will see the top teams compete in semi-finals and a final, resulting in five weeks of consecutive action for some players. Mtawarira believes it will affect players’ well-being. Mtawarira, who boasts over 107 test caps, says if the tournament goes ahead the Springboks will simply have to adapt. Over the years there has been a number of changes to the formats of Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship forcing teams to adjust
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell says it is a matter of importance that he hands the next generation of Sevens players more game time so as to build more experience in the side. Powell was speaking after his side’s poor showing at the Las Vegas leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Powell emphasized the need to give more opportunities to the youngsters instead of being overly reliant on senior players. Even though the Blitzbokke were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Cup competition and are now languishing in fifth spot on the series log, Powell says he is pleased with the progression the team has made since the beginning of the season even though the results tell a different story. Powell admits that there are many areas that his team will need to improve on ahead of the Vancouver tournament next weekend but that he will need to find a balance between keeping the players fresh and getting training done this week. Zain Davids and Kurt-Lee Arendse have been called up to the team as replacements for the injured Ryan Oosthuizen and Mfundo Ndhlovu.
The Stormers will be looking to build on last week’s win against the Lions when they travel to Durban to take on the Sharks on Saturday. Coach Robbie Fleck has made three changes to the team, with Springbok Eben Etzebeth set to start his first game of the season after impressing off the bench last week. There are also first starts for centre Dan Du Plessis and scrum half Herschel Jantjies, who comes in for the injured Jano Vermaak. Fleck is pleased to have Etzebeth starting and says his presence makes the pack a lot stronger. Fleck says he is very excited to see what Du Plessis can do at centre, and says he is a very exciting young backline player. With Vermaak’s injury, Fleck says this is a great opportunity for Jantjies, who scored the winning try last week. Fleck knows it will not be easy against the Sharks, who he says have improved a great deal over the past few months.
Springbok Sevens forward Impi Visser believes the team has enough experience to help them get out of the slump they are going through in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. The Blitzbokke are yet to win a tournament this season and are yet to make a final as well. However Visser says they need to stick to their processes and feed off the energy of the older players in the team ahead of the Las Vegas leg of the series. Visser says they are not results driven and instead are looking at implementing their plans from the training field into this weekend’s tournament in the American desert. Visser cited defence as one of the imperatives of individuals and the team this weekend.
The Sharks have confirmed the departure of two key players at the end of the 2019 Super rugby campaign. Flyhalf Robert Du Preez Junior and Springbok hooker, Akker Van Der Merwe are set to leave the franchise to join the Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. Sharks forward, Ruan Botha admits that it is a big blow to lose influential players in the squad but believes their exit will open the door for promising youngsters coming through the ranks.
The Sharks have named an unchanged starting XV to face the Blues this tomorrow in their first home game of the 2019 Super Rugby season. There are two changes to the match day squad as Thomas Du Toit comes in for Khutha Mchunu while Curwin Bosch replaces Rhyno Smith. The Durban side got their campaign off to a flyer with a comprehensive victory over the Sunwolves in Singapore. Coach Rob Du Preez says it is important for his side to build on their good start in front of their home fans.
Forgotten Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks will make a return to Super Rugby after a four year hiatus when he starts for the Bulls in their away clash against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires. Hendricks replaces the ill Johnny Kotze who is suffering from meningitis. Bulls coach Pote Human believes that Hendricks will make good of his opportunity after being out of top flight rugby for so long due to an undisclosed heart condition. Human is under no illusion of how tough it is going to be in Argentina but believes they have the right game plan to beat the Jaguares if they can build on their winning performance against the Stormers last weekend.
Lions defence coach Joey Mongalo says it was important that they start this year’s Super Rugby campaign with a history defying win against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires last weekend. However, Mongalo says they need to move on from that game and focus on the next task ahead which is the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday. Mongalo says it was rewarding to see the huge effort the Lions players put on defence in their win against the Jaguares and praised the players for the character they showed.
The Stormers will look to bounce back from their disappointing 40-3 loss to the Blue Bulls on Saturday, when they host the Lions at Newlands this coming weekend. The team re-grouped at training on Monday to reflect on what went wrong at Loftus on Saturday, where the Bulls dominated and ran out comprehensive winners. Stormers fullback Dylan Leyds says it was a tough morning as they looked back at what went wrong, but he feels it was a good honest session with the team. Despite the defeat, Leyds is hopeful that the Stormers fans will come out on Saturday and get behind the team. The 26-year-old is confident that Stormers can bounce back this weekend, and says they still believe they can have a successful season. But Leyds knows it will not be easy on Saturday, against a Lions team he rates as the best in South Africa over the past few seasons, who themselves started with a good 25-16 away in Argentina against the Jaguares.
Bulls coach Pote Human says as good as it is having 10 Springboks in his starting team to face the Stormers in their Super Rugby season opener, it will be meaningless if the players don’t back it up with a good performance. Including the plethora of Springboks in the Bulls team, Springbok Sevens star Rosko Specman will be making his Super Rugby debut for the Pretoria side on Saturday with another Springbok Sevens player Dylan Sage also set to make his Super Rugby debut from the bench. Human is hopeful that they will get a big crowd in at Loftus especially with a new coaching staff and a couple of high profile internationals having joined the team. At the same time, Human says his team needs a good start to the competition to set the tone for the remainder of the season.
Springbok and Bulls prop Trevor Nyakane says they are prepared for whatever the Stormers throw their way in their upcoming Super Rugby derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The Bulls Springbok front row which includes hooker Schalk Brits and Springbok tourist Lizo Gqoboka will have their work cut out for them as they face the Stormers all Springbok front row. Nyakane believes that consistency from the Bulls and in all departments will be key to them doing well in this year’s Super Rugby campaign.
Junior Springbok and Lions utility back Wandisile Simelane says he is feeling no pressure ahead of his debut Super Rugby season. Simelane is one of the most sort after junior players in world rugby but the former Jeppe Boys High School pupil says he is enjoying his time with the Lions Super Rugby squad. He has played outside centre for most of his fledgling career but is also versatile enough to play on the wing. However, Simelane is not being fussy about where he plays and instead wants to get as much game time as possible.
Lukhanyo Am is thrilled to be back playing again after making a return to the Sharks after a four month lay-off in a pre-season friendly against the Lions last weekend. A wrist injury saw the Springbok centre miss the second-half of the international season last year. It is a timely return for the 25-year-old as the Sharks get their Super Rugby campaign underway on the 16th of this month against the Sunwolves in Singapore. Am says he was delighted to get stuck in after months of intensive rehabilitation.
Springbok Sevens forward Zain Davids says the team still harbours ambitions of being the top team on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series but it is important for them to stick to their processes ahead of the Sydney leg of the series. The Blitzbokke, who are the defending world series champions, finished fourth in last weekend’s Hamilton leg of the series after losing to hosts New Zealand in the bronze medal match. The Blitzbokke are currently in fourth place on the world series standings on 44 points and 13 points adrift of series leaders Fiji who won in Hamilton. A former Junior Springbok, Davids, started all the matches in Hamilton at prop ahead of regular captain Philip Snyman and Davids says the three years serving his apprenticeship in the side has helped him with his confidence in knowing he can fill Snyman’s boots. Davids revealed that it was Snyman who suggested to coach Neil Powell that Davids starts ahead of him and the former Rondebosch Boys’ High star says he will do his best not to disappoint his captain and teammates.
Lions captain Warren Whiteley believes that this year’s Super Rugby competition will be highly competitive particularly amongst the South African franchises because it is a Rugby World Cup year. Whiteley says that a lot of players will want to put up their hands for selection into the Springbok team and go to Japan later this year.
Veteran Springbok and new Bulls hooker Schalk Brits believes the Bulls have a good mix of talented youngsters and enough experienced players to do well in this year’s Super Rugby competition. Brits who recently joined the Bulls for the upcoming Super Rugby season admits that they do not have a lot of time but has promised that the team will certainly show growth in the competition and that success is imminent in the not too distant future.
The DHL Stormers have been working hard in pre-season preparation for next year’s Super Rugby campaign. Robbie Fleck began to assemble his squad from mid-November as they prepare for another demanding season, and he has been pleased with the work put in so far. Fleck says he has been working closely with all the coaches in the Western Province structures. He says this year they have assembled a smaller squad than in the past, so they could focus more intensely on individual skills. The Stormers squad has not made too many changes for the season, but Fleck confirms that former Lions prop Corne Fourie has joined up with the team, after a stint with the Wild Knights in Japan. One of the Stormers stars to keep an eye on this season is Springbok Damian Willemse. Fleck says that the versatile 20-year-old is keen to play at full back, but the team will come first. The Stormers will begin their Super Rugby campaign on February 16 when they face the Bulls away at Loftus.
Toulon have announced that Springbok and Stormers lock Eben Etzebeth will be joining the French club after next year’s World Cup in Japan. Toulon’s website announced that Etzebeth will join on a two year multi-millon Rand deal, as they look to re-build their Top 14 side. However this news has come as a shock to Western Province rugby CEO Paul Zacks, who says the first they heard about Etzebeth’s impending move was in the media yesterday. Zacks says the news came as a complete surprise and he says they will be writing a letter to SA Rugby to discuss the protocol. Zacks does not want to put all the blame on the player, and says that he has problems with the lack of communication regarding this deal.
New Bulls coach Pote Human says he understands the big task that lies ahead for him after being announced as the successor to John Mitchell at Loftus Versfeld today. Human says his aim is to fill up Loftus through good results of the team in next year’s Super Rugby competition and says that the players are hungry for success on the field as well. Human says he has learnt a lot working under previous Bulls Super Rugby winning coach Heyneke Meyer and former All Blacks coach Mitchell but wants to put his own stamp on the team.
Springbok Sevens Star Rosko Specman played his last game for Blitz Boks on Sunday as he helped the team beat New Zealand to finish third at the Cape Town Sevens. The Grahamstown-born winger, who is set to join the Blue Bulls for their Super Rugby season, says it was fitting that his last game for the team was against arch-rivals New Zealand, and also wearing the special commemorative jersey that the team wore to honour Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday. South Africa had lost to eventual tournament winners Fiji in the semi-finals, but Specman says he was pleased with the character the team showed to bounce back against New Zealand. It was an emotional final game for Specman, who says the Blitz Boks are like a family, and he is incredibly grateful for his opportunity with the team. While he is sad to leave, Specman says he is leaving knowing that the next generation of Sevens players are ready to step up in the Blitz Boks set-up. Having spent the past few years in Stellenbosch with the Sevens team, Specman says it is a big move to Pretoria, but fortunately he has some former Sevens team-mates at the Bulls.
The Cape Town Sevens gets underway at the Cape Town Stadium tomorrow, and the Blitzboks have named an unchanged squad for the tournament. There had been concern about the fitness of Justin Geduld, but he made it through training this week to be included in Neil Powell’s team. Rosko Speckman says that all the Boks are looking forward to this tournament, and being their home leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series, it is one of their favourite tournaments to play inAfter finishing a disappointing sixth at the Dubai Sevens last week, a tournament they had won in 2016 and 2017, Speckman says there is not the same pressure going into this leg. The Blitzboks will be in action against Samoa, Zimbabwe and New Zealand on Saturday, with the game against New Zealand being the final match played on the first day of the competition.
After a good performance for the SA Academy team in Dubai, 21-year-old Mfundo Ndhlovu is training with the BlitzBoks this week and may be included in the final squad for this weekend’s Cape Town Sevens. Ndhlovu, who played in Hong Kong and Paris last season, says he is happy to be back playing again after injuries, and enjoyed the experience in Dubai. He is delighted to be in contention for the home leg of the World Rugby Seven Series, and having a chance to compete with the experienced players in the squad.
The Toyota Cheetahs host Ireland side Connacht Rugby on Saturday (1 December 2018). The sides meet in the Guinness Pro 14 this weekend at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. Kick-off for that game is 17:00pm. The Cheetahs go into this encounter a confident side after picking up their second win of the season last week against Benetton Treviso winning 31-25 at the Free State Stadium. Cheetahs coach former springboks mentor Franco Smith shares his expectations for this match. Also, captain, scrum-half Shaun Venter speaks on tactics and plans they will need to execute this weekend.
Former Springbok Sevens captain Kyle Brown believes the success of any team at the Dubai leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series is the ability of the team to bring the curtain down, on their pre-season and finally get on to the field of play. Brown says the team is relishing the prospect of playing and trying to defend their back-to-back series wins. Playing in his 10th season in Dubai, Brown revealed that he was meant to hang up his boots last season were it not for a knee injury that motivated him to come back and play another season. Brown speaks about his season ending knee injury in Singapore earlier this year and admits he thought it was the end of his career. Brown has praised the Blitzbokke medical staff and his support structure for helping reach his goal of playing in the season opening tournament in Dubai and for one more season.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says ill-discipline and a smarter Wales side cost them dearly in their 20-11 defeat at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff Saturday night. Kolisi gave credit to Wales for executing their plan on the day. The win for Wales was their fourth consecutive one over the Springboks and their ninth win on the trot and Kolisi admitted that they were outsmarted and they struggled to adapt.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says ill-discipline and a smarter Wales side cost them dearly in their 20 - 11 defeat at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff last night (24 November 2018). Kolisi gave credit to Wales for executing their plan on the day and emphasised that they are headed in the right direction with the Rugby World Cup in Japan less than a year away.
Blue Bulls high performance manager Xander Janse Van Rensburg has confirmed that the Bulls are finalizing the appointment of their Super Rugby coach. The Super Rugby job at the Bulls has been vacant since the departure of John Mitchell to become assistant coach for England. Super Rugby assistant coach Pote Human, former Springbok and Bulls captain Victor Matfield and Southern Kings coach Deon Davids are rumoured to be on the short-list for the job. Janse Van Rensburg also confirmed that former Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks has been cleared by two specialists regarding his heart condition and that was enough to convince the Bulls to sign Hendricks who has been in the rugby wilderness for three years now. Springbok hooker Schalk Brits is on the verge of signing for the Bulls to play in next year’s Super Rugby competition. The 37-year-old Brits is without a club after retiring earlier this year having played for a decade for English premiership side Saracens. Janse Van Rensburg says Brits had always been part of their plans and his wealth of experience will be valuable to the team next year
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus praised his team for the gutsy last gasp come-from-behind 29-26 victory over France in Paris last night. While far from being their best performance, Erasmus says they learnt crucial lessons from their one point defeat against England last weekend and it was them on the right side of the result this weekend. Erasmus was particularly complimentary of the manner in which his side chased down a 14 points deficit and having two disallowed tries to snatch victory in the 85th minute through a Bongi Mbonambi try. Erasmus says his side handled the pressure and big moments better.
Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick admits that playing France in Paris will be a difficult assignment for the South Africans, but it will also be an opportunity to make amends after their defeat against England on Saturday. Stick says their focus this week will be on rectifying the mistakes that led to the loss at Twickenham when they play against France on Saturday. Stick says it is important that they learn from the mistakes they made against England and make sure they capitalise on the opportunities they create in a game.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus admitted that it was not pleasant losing in the manner they did against England on Saturday but said there were a few positives to take out of the 12-11 loss at Twickenham. Erasmus says it was a worthwhile experience for scrumhalves Ivan van Zyl and Embrose Papier to get some game time and for fullback Damian Willemse. The Springboks arrived in Paris this afternoon and were joined by England based scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, fullback Willie Le Roux, flank Francois Louw and France based utility back Cheslin Kolbe.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed that Willie le Roux, Francois Louw, Faf de Klerk and France based wing Cheslin Kolbe won’t be available to play in Saturday’s Test against England at Twickenham. Speaking from London, Erasmus said the fact that the match falls outside of the Test window obviously meant that the players would not be released by their clubs. Erasmus further revealed that he intentionally didn’t select Gloucester lock Franco Mostert after a protracted tug-of-war between the English club and the Golden Lions for Mostert’s services. Mostert has since moved to Gloucester and Erasmus says he wants to give the lock time to settle at his new club and that he has enough cover in the second row. Erasmus believes that playing England without some of his star players will give an opportunity for other players to show what they can do at international level. With the Springboks having already played against England in the June Incoming series, Erasmus says he learnt how dangerous the English can be with the variations in their game and their physicality.
Springbok Women’s team coach Stanley Raubenheimer says it is important to have experienced leadership in his 28 player’s squad for their four match tour of Europe. Raubenheimer has appointed the experienced Nolusindiso Booi to lead the side that will play their first international in four years. Booi also led the SA Select side to United Kingdom last year. Raubenheimer says the tour will be a fact finding mission while also measuring the standard of women’s rugby in the country against some of the top teams in the world. The Springbok Women’s team will play against UK Armed Forces in London on Friday followed by the match against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday10 November then play against Spain in Villajoyosa on Saturday 17 November before ending the tour against Italy in Prato on Sunday 25 November.
The Sharks are the 2018 Currie Cup champions after beating Western Province 17-12 at Newlands Rugby Stadium on Saturday afternoon. SP Marais had put Province 6-0 up at halftime thanks to two penalties, but the visitors came back strongly in the second half and scored two tries, the first through hooker Akker van der Merwe, and the second from Tyler Paul. Rob Du Preez converted both tries, while he also scored a penalty. Province’s 6 points in the second half came via another Marais penalty, and one from Damian Willemse. Sharks coach Robert Du Preez says all the credit must go to his players. Despite being down half time Sharks co-captain Chilliboy Ralepelle says he always had the belief they could come back and win. Province coach John Dobson says the Sharks were deserved winners on the day, and this was easily his team’s worst performance of the season.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says there is still no clarity around the availability of lock Franco Mostert who is entangled in a tug-of-war for his services between English club Gloucester and the Lions in South Africa. Erasmus further went on to say that he can enforce World Rugby’s regulation of having overseas based players join the Springboks on their end of year tour but would rather foster a good working relationship between their clubs and country. The Springboks will be without scrumhalf Faf de Klerk throughout their month long tour as per agreement between the Sale Sharks and Springbok management.
Western Province captain Chris Van Zyl said they are not feeling any extra pressure with today’s Currie Cup final against the Sharks being played at Newlands. In fact Van Zyl says they are looking forward to playing in front of their home crowd, and have been targeting a home semi and final all season. He says with the shorter format this season, they actually have not had too many opportunities to play at home this season, and they are looking forward to play in front of a packed Newlands Stadium today.
Sharks captain Louis Schreuder believes they have reached their goal of playing in the Currie Cup final and winning the competition will help grow and strengthen the group of players that they have. The Sharks will be featuring in their second consecutive Currie Cup final against Western Province tomorrow at Newlands after losing to the Cape Town based side in last year’s final in Durban. Schreuder, who played for Western Province and lost in the 2013 Currie Cup final against the Sharks in Cape Town, hopes that history repeats itself and that the Sharks are able to upset an unbeaten Western Province side in their own backyard.
Western Province captain Chris Van Zyl says they are not feeling any extra pressure with Saturday’s Currie Cup final against the Sharks being played at Newlands. In fact Van Zyl says they are looking forward to playing in front of their home crowd, and had been targeting a home semi and final all season. He says with the shorter format this season, they actually have not had too many opportunities to play at home this season, and they are looking forward to play in front of a packed Newlands Stadium on Saturday. Van Zyl says seeing a few ex Province players in the Sharks line-up, like Rob Du Preez, may add some extra spice to the game, but their focus remains on playing their brand of attacking rugby, no matter the opposition. While the Sharks’ line-out has been excellent this season, Van Zyl says they have been working on this this week as he feels it could be a key part of the game. Last week in their 35-32 win in the semi-finals against the Blue Bulls, SP Marais scored 30 of the points, 25 from his boot, and Van Zyl says it is great having Marais to turn to. Van Zyl further added he is happy to have Jaco Peyper as refereee, and says Peyper does not take any nonsense.
The Sharks should take plenty of heart from the way the Blue Bulls pushed Western Province in their agonising Currie Cup semi-final defeat at Newlands last week, former star Stefan Terblanche says. The Durban side face the reigning champions in the deciding match of the 2018 competition in Cape Town on Saturday, where they will be the big underdogs. Province were overwhelming favourites in their showdown against the Bulls last weekend as well, but the Pretoria side took them to extra time and could have won it had they taken their chances. Either way, Terblanche is predicting a humdinger in the Mother City. Province were 35-32 winners over the weekend, while the other semi-final between the Sharks and Golden Lions was equally entertaining – the Durbanites edging the win by 33-24. The quality of rugby impressed Terblanche, who was a stalwart for the KwaZulu-Natal side in the late 1990s and early 2000s, where he won over 100 caps. He says it has given South Africans renewed hope about the domestic game. Province are on a seven-game winning streak going into the final after they won all their pool games to top the log. The Sharks won five out of their six opening round matches and will also be quietly confident about their prospects. Their sole loss this season was a 50-28 defeat to the same opponents at the venue of the final. Terblanche, who won 37 caps for the Springboks, says both sides should stick to what they have been doing, saying the Sharks will have to cut out all errors if they want to give themselves a chance of an upset. Province have been the Currie Cup kings of recent years and they are bidding for a fourth title in seven seasons this year. They also won the crown last year by beating the same opposition in the final, which was in Durban, by 33-21. The Sharks, meanwhile, are seeking their first Currie Cup title since 2013. Both also endured disappointing Super Rugby campaigns this year and Terblanche feels this was a chance to make up for that as well a
Sharks coach Robert du Preez believes that there will be a lot of pressure on Western Province as the home side in Saturday’s Currie Cup final at Newlands. At the same time Du Preez says they are grateful to be playing in another final and the winner will be determined by the team that performs best on the day. Du Preez has made two changes to his team with Springbok flank Jean-Luc du Preez starting ahead of Jacques Vermeulen while 19-year-old backline sensation Aphelele Fassi will start on the wing in place of the injured veteran Lwazi Mvovo. Du Preez commended his team’s leadership group and believes the camaraderie in the side will stand the team in good stead in the final.
Western Province will be looking to end the Currie Cup season unbeaten, when they host the Sharks in Saturday’s final at Newlands Rugby Stadium. Province sailed through the round-robin stage of the tournament, winning all six of their games, although they almost came unstuck against the Blue Bulls in the semi-final last week, needing extra time to qualify for the final. The Sharks, on the other hand, lost just once on the road to the final, and that was against Province when they lost 50-28 at Newlands at the end of last month. Province coach John Dobson has made three changes to the team, with Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Jano Vermaak and Josh Stander returning to the starting line-up. With Stander, Damian Wiliiamse and SP Marais in the team, Province are not short of kicking option, and Dobson says they certainly want to use their abilities against the Sharks. While Province beat the Sharks convincingly in the pool, Dobson says that game was probably the biggest challenge during the round-robin.
A new installation - ’The A to Z of Black Rugby’ was launched at the Springbok Experience Museum in Cape Town on Thursday as SA Rugby embarks on an ambitious project to collate the hidden history of black rugby in South Africa. With a number of former black rugby legends in attendance, SA Rugby President Mark Alexander officially opened the exhibit, and Alexander says this is an important project as the museum needs to reflect all of the history of South African rugby. Alexander admits that this installation is long overdue, but says it is very difficult to collect some of the data.
As Western Province prepares to host the Sharks in the Currie Cup Final on Saturday at Newlands Stadium, fullback Dillyn Leyds says that Province are grateful for the support they have received this season. Just over 18 000 supporters were at Newlands on the weekend when Province beat the Blue Bulls 35-32 after extra time, and Leyds says having the supporters cheering on them helped them across the finish line. Leyds is happy to see the fans coming back to Newlands, and hopes for an even bigger crowd on Saturday. He added that spirits are high in the Province camp, and with the sun shining brightly in Cape Town this week, he is hoping the weather will last until the weekend.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez says they have learnt valuable lessons from last year’s Currie Cup final which will place them in good stead for next weekend’s final against Western Province. Du Preez says they will need to use their opportunities, and that discipline will be important if they are to win the game in Cape Town next week. Du Preez was speaking after his team’s 33-24 win against the Golden Lions in yesterday’s (Saturday, 20 October 2018) semifinal in Durban
Golden Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen believes his team have made huge strides this season especially with the blooding in of youngsters to Currie Cup rugby. Van Rooyen though acknowledged that it hurt losing yesterday’s (Saturday, 20 October 2018) semifinal 33-24 to the Sharks.
Golden Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen is expecting his side and the Sharks to play an exciting brand of rugby in tomorrow’s Currie Cup semifinal in Durban. At the same time, Van Rooyen believes having some senior players and Springboks in his side will make a huge difference for his side.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez has admitted to being pressure ahead of their Currie Cup semi-final against the Golden Lions at King’s Park in Durban tomorrow. Du Preez says nothing both teams have done this season will matter and that his team has to win to make their second consecutive final.
Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies has made no secret of his ambitions to win the Currie Cup title again after last doing so in 2011 and says he feels the same vibe in the team of 2018 ahead of their semifinal against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday. Jantjies says playing Currie Cup rugby has given a boost in energy levels after making his first appearance in the domestic competition in five years when he played against the Pumas last weekend. He says the domestic competition is something that he treasures and should always remain an integral part of South African rugby.
Springbok and Blue Bulls prop Trevor Nyakane admits there is a lot of things they will have to rectify particularly in the scrums ahead of their Currie Cup semifinal clash against Western Province on Saturday. Nyakane says losing to Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday was a bitter pill to swallow but they remain hopeful that anything can happen in a play-off match. Nyakane says their biggest flaw in the scrums was nothing technical but more of a mindset. Nyakane has warned his teammates that if they don’t arrive at Newlands on Saturday with a winning mindset than they will suffer the same result as last weekend. Nyakane says if they stick to the plan given by coach Pote Human, there is no reason why they can’t cause a major upset at Newlands on Saturday.
Western Province coach John Dobson was pleased with his team’s performance in managing to secure a bonus point win against the Blue Bulls at a wet Loftus Versfeld Saturday tonight (13 October 2018). Western Province finished the game 34-7 winners after the game was called off at the half-time interval due to lightning. With Western Province hosting the Blue Bulls in the semifinals at Newlands next weekend, Dobson believes they have sent through a message to their opponent of how daunting a task it will be in Cape Town. At the same time Dobson says it won’t be a walkover for them in winning the semifinal.
Blue Bulls coach Pote Human admitted that his team made too many mistakes and were completely dominated in the scrums by Western Province in their rain interrupted Currie Cup derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night (13 October 2018). The Bulls lost 34-7 in a match that was called off at half-time due to lightning.
Golden Lions captain Nic Groom believes his team will have to win the physical battle and have a feeling of desperation in their Currie Cup encounter against the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit tonight (7pm kick-off). Groom says it is important for his team to generate their own momentum and trust in their abilities if they are to overcome a stubborn Pumas side. Groom says there is an excitement within the Lions camp as they look to secure their place in the semi-finals but they know they will have to play to their standards and win if they are to make the play-offs
Sharks coach Robert du Preez says moving Springbok Curwin Bosch from fullback to flyhalf is to give Bosch a proper run at pivot in their Currie Cup encounter against Griquas in Kimberley on tomorrow. Young sensation Aphelele Fassi will start at fullback with Springbok wing Sbu Nkosi returning to also make a start. Du Preez has moved son Robert du Preez junior to inside centre where he will partner up with Jeremy Ward. Du Preez senior says he wants to try out the new midfield combination and to also see how they operate alongside Bosch at flyhalf.
Springbok centre Damian de Allende says it is important that the Springboks learn from the things that went wrong in their last gasp loss to the All Blacks, and also take confidence and build on the things that went right ahead of their first Test of the end of year tour against England at Twickenham at the beginning of November. De Allende believes that their performance against the All Blacks is something to build on towards next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan. De Allende says that the Springboks need to stick to their processes as they have proved that they can match any side in the world when playing at their best.
Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx says the lessons learnt from their 32-30 defeat at the hands of the All Blacks on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld will stand them in good stead for the upcoming end-of-year tour to Europe. Marx feels that the Springboks can rectify the errors of the ways that saw the All Blacks close out a 12 points deficit in four minutes to win the Test at the death. Marx says losing in the manner in which they did is a bitter pill to swallow considering their dominance over the All Blacks for 70 minutes in the game. Marx cited a couple of mistakes at the end which cost them the game.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was left in awe at how New Zealand came back from a 17 point deficit to win 32-30 at the death against the Springboks in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at Loftus Versfeld last night (Saturday, 06 October). The All Blacks grabbed victory when replacement flank Ardie Savea scored the winning try on the cusp of full-time after lock Scott Barrett had scored in the 76th minute. Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says it was soft moments at the end of the game that cost them dearly and it is an issue they will need to address going forward.
All Blacks captain Kieran Read says their come-from-behind 32-30 win over the Springboks was largely due to the belief in the side and them making better use of the ball in the last 10 minutes of the game. The All Blacks managed to score 14 points in the last five minutes of the game including a match winning try by Ardie Savea at the death. Coach Steve Hansen commended his team for the character they showed and said that the Springboks were unlucky not to have won.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says his side and the management have taken responsibility for their loss against the Springboks in Wellington and are looking forward to Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at Loftus Versfeld. Hansen says they could have done things differently in that game but admits it is the things that are taken for granted when winning. Hansen concedes that the Springboks have been good with their rush defence and they will be expecting more of the same on Saturday. Hansen, though, wants his team to apply pressure on the Springboks rather than relying too much on their defensive system.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus made only three changes to his starting line-up to play against the All Blacks in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Francois Louw replaces Sikhumbuzo Notshe at eighthman with the latter dropping to the bench, Steven Kitshoff starts ahead of Tendai Mtawarira at loosehead prop and Damian de Allende has recovered from a shoulder injury to start at inside centre in place of Andre Esterhuizen. Vincent Koch will be the new face on the Springboks bench and replaces Wilco Louw. Erasmus says the decision to play Louw ahead of Notshe is because of the experience the Bath loose forward brings while Notshe has been retained in the match day 23 because of the impression he made in the win against Australia last weekend.
Springbok fly-half Handre Pollard feels that the team is in a good place after recording back-to-back wins in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship against the All Blacks and Australia. Pollard emphasized the need for the team to keep the momentum going ahead of Saturday’s Test against the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld and for the end-of-year tour to Europe. Pollard admits that their attack has stuttered and failed to convert all the opportunities they have created but commended the Springbok side for the exceptional defence they have been able to employ in the two Tests against the All Blacks and Wallabies. The Springboks will be expecting nothing short of a backlash from the All Blacks after defeating them in Wellington and Pollard says they will have to match them and go one step further if they are to record a double over them.
Springbok centre Damian de Allende stands a good chance of playing in the upcoming Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday according to Springbok assistant coach Matthew Proudfoot. De Allende suffered an injury in the win against the All Blacks in Wellington two weeks ago. A decision on injured eighthman Warren Whiteley will be made today after the Lions captain undergoes more assessments.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says he is pleased with his team’s 23-12 win against Australia in their Caste Lager Rugby Championship Test played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium but was frustrated with their inability to convert their chances. Erasmus admitted that his team left a couple of points on the field due to their lack of finishing but said it is something they will be working on ahead of their clash against the All Blacks next weekend. Erasmus was also pleased with the fact that the changes he made to his team didn’t prevent them from winning but lamented their inability to play a tactical game.
Western Province made it five wins in five games in the Currie Cup, as they beat the Sharks 50-28 at Newlands Rugby Stadium in a top-of-the-table clash. Province scored seven tries to the Sharks’ four, but it was not all clean sailing for Province, who after racing into a 31-7 lead, saw the Sharks come back to just three points behind. Sharks coach Robert Du Preez says it was disappointing to lose, but he credits Province for the execution and taking advantage of their mistakes.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says they have pressure from within to maintain the standard in performance they showed in beating the All Blacks in New Zealand when they face off against Australia in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth tomorrow. Kolisi says beating the All Blacks was special and that his team is striving to match that performance if not better it.
Springbok and Saracens tighthead prop Vincent Koch believes he has matured tremendously both physically and mentally since moving abroad three years ago. Koch who has excelled at the English club says the biggest lesson learnt has been to work hard. Koch believes that the presence of many world class tighthead props within the Springbok set-up is a good problem for coach Erasmus to have and that competition will certainly bring out the best in the players. Koch will have to fight for a place in the squad against the likes of Frans Malherbe, Wilco Louw, Trevor Nyakane, Thomas du Toit and Coenie Oosthuizen.
Sharks flyhalf Robert du Preez has urged his teammates to be patient and accurate in their Currie Cup derby against the Golden Lions in Durban yesterday (5pm kick-off). Du Preez acknowledges that they are a young and enthusiastic side but says they need to practice restraint at times and guide against conceding possession cheaply.
Western Province will be looking to make it four wins in four when they host Griquas at Newlands Rugby Stadium on Saturday night. After their impressive 65-36 win against the Golden Lions last weekend, Province coach John Dobson has made a number of changes to the team, with five returning Springboks, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Bongi Mbonambi, Damian Willemse, Wilco Louw and JJ Engelbrecht selected for Saturday’s game. Dobson is not too concerned about disrupting the momentum of the team with these changes. There is also a start for Hershel Jantjies at scrum half, and Dobson says he is happy to give the exciting prospect a chance in the team. Dobson says that the Mbonambi’s return he is able to give Scarra Ntubeni a break, as it is important to manage him correctly considering his injuries in the past.
Sharks’ 20-year-old utility back Aphelele Fassi admits it has been a great year for him and that it has all been about learning. Fassi was in school last year at Dale College in the Eastern Cape but has quickly become an overnight sensation in Durban after making his senior appearances for the Sharks in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge and Currie Cup competitions. Fassi says he continues to learn from role models like Springbok and Sharks wing Sbu Nkosi and that he still has more to learn in his fledgling career.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi believes they have set a standard that they will need to build on as a side after their historic 36-34 win against the All Blacks in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test played in Wellington on Saturday (15 September 2018). Speaking at OR Tambo International airport upon their arrival on Sunday evening, Kolisi said they will be working hard at building on the win ahead of their two remaining Tests against Australia in Port Elizabeth and the All Blacks in Pretoria.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says beating the All Blacks in New Zealand is special and even made more significant considering that the Springboks were coming off two consecutive losses. The Springboks beat the All Blacks 36-34 in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter in Wellington yesterday making it their first win at the Westpac Stadium and their first in nine years in New Zealand.
Springbok utility back Jesse Kriel says he is excited at the prospect of starting at wing in Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter against New Zealand in Wellington. Kriel has been moved from centre to wing in place of the injured Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanyo Am returns to start at number 13. Kriel is set to come up against All Blacks star wing Rieko Ioane and Kriel says he is aware of the danger his opposite number will pose. However Kriel says it will be important not to focus on individuals but rather on themselves and what they need to get right as a team.
Guinness PRO14 is back in South Africa this week when the Toyota Cheetahs take on Scottish side Glasgow Warriors on Saturday at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. Kick-off for that game is scheduled for 19:30. Cheetah’s coach former Springboks player Franco Smith says their expectations for this weekend is to control the pressure on them as his players have a heavy load on them to impress the supporters. Smith’s side have started this season on a slump losing in both their two opening matches, firstly going down 38-0 to Munster and then 46-14 to Ospreys. However weekend opponents Warriors are at the top of their game winning their first two opening games. Smith cautions his players to not pressure themselves this weekend
Blue Bulls coach Pote Human was pleased with his team’s 45-40 bonus point win against Griquas in Kimberley yesterday. The win ended the Bulls two match losing run and saw them climb to third spot on the Currie Cup log. Human, though, says his team ill-discipline remains a big concern. Human commended his side for the character and the fight they showed especially when they were trailing and were two players less because of two yellow cards to wing Duncan Matthews and hooker Jaco Visagie.
Kolisi says the adjustment in their training schedule this week has helped them adapt to the conditions and in simulating the match day conditions. Kick-off will be 8pm Australian time and 12pm SA time and Kolisi says they’ve had a good week in training.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says they have put the defeat against Argentina in Mendoza to rest and are looking at putting their best foot forward in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Brisbane tomorrow. Kolisi says it will be important to to get an away win against the Wallabies if they are to remain in contention to win the competition.
Springbok loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit says it will be vital for the team to get a good start in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Brisbane on tomorrow. Du Toit is one of six changes Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made to his team. Du Toit will start at blindside flank in place of Francois Louw with prop Steven Kitshoff replacing Tendai Mtawarira and hooker Bongi Mbonambi coming in place of Malcolm Marx. Other changes include Elton Jantjies starting at flyhalf ahead of Handre Pollard and new centres in Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel replacing Andre Esterhuizen and Lukhanyo Am. Du Toit is wary of the Wallabies backlash after losing two matches against New Zealand and says the Springboks will need to do a lot of work in the breakdowns where the Australians are strong.
Springbok assistant coach Matthew Proudfoot says it will be important for the Springboks to get consistency and physicality back into their game. This if they are to bounce back from their defeat against Argentina when they play against Australia in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test in Brisbane on Saturday. Proudfoot wants the Springboks to replicate how they performed in Durban against Los Pumas. Proudfoot believes that they will need to do much better on their execution in all departments as the Wallabies will look to play the same way as Argentina did in being up in their faces
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus admitted that his team and Australia will be desperate to turn things around when they play against each other in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test in Brisbane on Saturday. The Wallabies have already lost two Tests against the All Blacks while the Springboks lost their last Test against Argentina and Erasmus believes that they will both be looking to rectify their defeats by winning. The Springboks jetted out of South Africa to Australia last night. Erasmus also conceded that he is under pressure and so is his team to win and believes that his side will put up a much better performance against the Wallabies.
Blue Bulls coach Pote Human lamented his side’s poor discipline in their 38-35 defeat against the Golden Lions in their Currie Cup derby at Loftus Versfeld last night. Human said that there is nothing wrong with the structures put in place in the team but questioned the attitude of his players as they sunk to their second successive loss in as many weeks. Blue Bulls captain Hanro Liebenberg says his team should have never placed themselves in a position where the Lions were still in touching distance. Liebenberg believes had they closed out the game when they were dominant then the Lions last two tries would have had no bearing on the outcome of the game.
Sharks captain Chiliboy Ralepelle says playing against an under strength Free State Cheetahs side doesn’t mean that they will drop their standards. With all of the Cheetahs top players involved in the PRO14 side which play against Munster on Saturday, Ralepelle believes that the Cheetahs will be desperate after losing two matches in the Currie Cup competition. The Sharks will travel to Bloemfontein to face the Cheetahs on Saturday.
Blue Bulls coach Pote Human has beefed up his team to face Golden Lions in their Currie Cup derby with two Springboks, in prop Trevor Nyakane and scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl. Nyakane returns from a long injury lay-off and Van Zyl comes back from national duty. Human says the presence of the two Springboks will be a massive boost to his side.
The Toyota Cheetahs got their 2018 Currie Cup Premier Division season started on a sour note over the past weekend after losing 12-34 to the Vodacom Blue Bulls. The side was lead by Captain Teboho Oupa Mohoje. Mohoje served as the first official black captain of the Cheetahs and will lead the side during the Currie Cup season and Guinness Pro 14 season. The 28-year-old was appointed as Captain back in July by former Springbok player coach Franco Smith. The appointment of Mohoje as captain is a milestone for racial integration in rugby. Mohoje says he is humbled to lead the side.
Argentina coach Mario Ledesma lamented his side’s difficulty in dominating the setpieces and a lack of possession as the main reasons why they lost 34-21 to the Springboks in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter in Durban Saturday night. Ledesma says it was always going to be difficult to stop the momentum of a Springbok team once they got rolling. Ledesma conceded that their demise came in the second half through the physicality of the South Africans and they will need to keep a positive mindset going forward to the second Test in Mendoza on the weekend.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is pleased that the pressures and distraction of his elevation to captaincy is out of the way and the team can now focus on rugby related matters ahead of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship opener against Argentina in Durban tomorrow (Saturday). Kolisi says he has been a lot more relaxed and will now focus on the effort that he puts into his performances. The presence of former Springbok captains in Warren Whiteley, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit in the team to play Argentina will be of great assistance according to Kolisi.
Springbok and Sharks wing Sibusiso Nkosi believes that the Currie Cup still remains an important competition in South African rugby and is the perfect platform for young players to launch their careers and prove that they can make it in Super Rugby and international rugby. Nkosi was speaking at the competition’s launch in Johannesburg yesterday. With the Sharks losing last year’s final against Western Province in Durban, Nkosi says they will use that as a source of motivation going into the new season under new captain and Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says he never doubted that Siya Kolisi was going to remain Springbok captain into the Rugby Championship even with the return of captains Warren Whiteley and Eben Etzebeth to the national team. Erasmus says he was impressed with the manner in which Kolisi carried himself during the June Incoming series win against England and the way he also played. Erasmus has named three uncapped players in Junior Springbok flyhalf Damian Willemse, Bulls loose forward Marco van Staden and Lions loose forward Cyle Brink. Erasmus explains what it is about each player that convinced him to select them.
Lions captain Warren Whiteley has admitted that the Super Rugby conference system aided their road to the final and has made a call for the format of the competition to be changed. The Lions finished with the fourth most number of points but because of the conference system they finished second on the combined log as they won the South African conference and had more points than the Waratahs who won the Australian conference. Whiteley says a change in format where all teams in the competition play against each other would bring about parity and one the players would relish. The Lions were beaten 37-18 by the Crusaders in yesterday’s Super Rugby final in Christchurch.
Lions coach Swys de Bruin has made only two changes to his starting team to face the Crusaders in Saturday’s Super Rugby final in Christchurch. Flank Cyle Brink returns from injury to replace Lourens Erasmus at number seven while Springbok wing Courtnall Skosan will start ahead of another Springbok Aphiwe Dyantyi, who drops to the bench after limping off with a hamstring scare in last weekend’s semi-final against the Waratahs. The Crusaders have made one injury enforced change with Heiden Bedwell-Curtis coming in at number six in place of Jordan Taufua who suffered a broken arm in their semi-final against the Hurricanes. De Bruin says their preparation since arriving in Christchurch has had a lot to do with countering the effects of jet lag.
Blue Bulls and Springbok fly half Handre Pollard believes that the Lions can beat the Waratahs in the semi-finals and reach the super rugby final for the third time in a row. The two teams will play at Emirates stadium in Johannesburg tomorrow afternoon. The Lions beat the Australian team 29-0 in Sydney earlier this year.
The Lions have made one change to their team to play in the Super Rugby semifinal against the Waratahs at Emorates Airline Park on Saturday. Lock Lourens Erasmus will start at flank in place of the injured Cyle Brink and Lions coach Swys de Bruin said there will be some swapping between Erasmus and Franco Mostert who has previously played on the side of the scrum. De Bruin admitted that it was a huge blow to the team losing Brink but said he trusted the depth within his squad as it has been responsible for getting the team to the playoffs with many of their stars suffering injuries during the season.
Springbok Sevens captain Philip Snyman says he is proud of the character his team showed after crashing out of the semifinals of the Sevens World Cup to win a bronze medal after beating Fiji at AT&T Park in San Francisco in the early hours of Monday morning SA time. Snyman says they will return home with their heads held up high and with smiles on their faces.
Springbok Sevens Coach Neil Powell admits that his team will face a psychological challenge more than a physical one when they take on the winner of the Ireland versus Chile match at the Sevens Rugby World Cup in San Francisco. Powell feels that whoever they play will have an advantage over them having played their first match earlier in the day on Friday. With the World Cup taking on a new knockout format, Powell says they cannot afford any slip ups and must be ready and prepared for their first game.
Three times Super Rugby winning captain and former Springbok and Bulls lock Victor Matfield believes that the Lions can win the competition. The Lions will play against the Jaguares in their quarterfinal clash on Saturday. At the same time Matfield sees little chance of the Sharks winning their quarterfinal clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch. Matfield was speaking at a Laureus Sport for Good Foundation breakfast in Pretoria along with former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers.
Pumas coach Brent Janse Van Rensburg believes that their triumph in winning the Supersport Rugby Challenge will lay a good foundation ahead of the Currie Cup season next month. The Pumas came back from behind to beat Griquas 32-30 with a last gasp drop-goal from replacement fullback Justin van Staden at the Bridgton Sports Grounds in Oudtshoorn yesterday. Janse Van Rensburg says they will have continuity and will also have a lot of their injured players back by the time the domestic season kicks off. Janse Van Rensburg says the belief in the team that they were going to win the final came from the many times they had to come from behind in their games this season. The Pumas win in the final ensured that they finished with the perfect unbeaten season recording 11 wins in 11 games.
Bulls coach John Mitchell says that injuries to key players, suspensions and a lack of depth cost his side a place in the Super Rugby playoffs. The Bulls finished off their season with a 38-12 defeat at the hands of the Lions Saturday with a different team that started the season with a win against the Hurricanes at Loftus Versfeld.
Bulls coach John Mitchell says stand-in Bulls captain RG Snyman has the right experience and is well respected by the players around him to be the obvious choice to lead the team in the absence of Burger Odendaal and Handre Pollard ahead of their last Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Lions. Both Odendaal and Pollard are injured and Springbok lock Snyman will captain the team and be assisted by Springbok centre Jesse Kriel.
Springbok Sevens star Dylan Sage acknowledges that the Blitzbokke cannot afford any hiccups at the upcoming World Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco in two weeks’ time. On the way to defending their World Series title, the Blitzboks did not look convincing in the pool matches in the last tournament in Paris and Sage says they will have to eliminate that if they harbour ambitions of doing well at the World Cup.
Lions coach Swys de Bruin says he will continue to back underfire flyhalf Elton Jantjies. Jantjies has copped a lot of criticism for his poor performance in the third Test against England last weekend at Newlands but De Bruin believes that Jantjies will be back at his best in Super Rugby. The Lions have been rocked by a player exodus that involves a lot of senior players who are also Springboks but De Bruin says it is a time for a new crop of players to take their place in the team. The latest player to bid the Johannesburg based franchise farewell is Springbok centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg who will be joining English premiership side Sale Sharks and follows in the footsteps of Jaco Kriel and Ruan Dreyer who will be joining former Lions coach Johan Ackermann at Gloucester.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says that he is likely to make a few changes to the team for the third test against England at Newlands Stadium on Saturday. Having secured the series 2-0 after beating England 23-12 in Bloemfontein on Saturday, Erasmus says that he is looking to tweak a few things for the final test, but will not be making wholesale changes.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says his team will need to lift their intensity and work rate if they are to win the second Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against England in Bloemfontein tomorrow. Kolisi says they need to play for the 80 minutes including their bench making the impact that is required to maintain the intensity of the game. Kolisi commended his team on the character they showed last weekend in coming back from behind to win the game but says tomorrow’s game will be a completely new affair and the team will need to follow their processes if they want the same result.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made only two changes to his starting line-up to play against England in the second Test in Bloemfontein with tighthead prop Frans Malherbe replacing Wilco Louw and Pieter-Steph du Toit comes in at blindside flank in place of Jean-Luc du Preez who drops to the bench. Utility back Jesse Kriel comes on the bench on place of Elton Jatjies who drops out of the match day 23. Erasmus explains why he made the changes. Erasmus says versatile players like Du Toit should not be confined to one position and that he will be utilized both at flank and lock for the foreseeable future.
Springboks forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot is expecting to bring some changes in the Springboks team to face England in the second Castle Lager Incoming series Test in Bloemfontein on Saturday. Proudfoot says it is part of the evolution of the team and coaches for them to be better every week as is required by Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says the inclusion of former Saracens hooker Schalk Britz into the Springbok squad will benefit the younger players in the side with his experience. Britz last played for the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and recently retired from the game after winning the English premiership title with Saracens. The fact that Britz has played in England for the past few years and knows the England players well was also a consideration in Erasmus calling up the former Stormers and Lions number two. Erasmus says that flyhalf Handre Pollard will be fit to play in the second Test against England in Bloemfontein after suffering a shoulder injury in the first Test in Johannesburg.
England coach Eddie Jones conceded that it was not pleasant being on the losing side but praised his team for the kind of rugby they played in their 42-39 loss to the Springboks in the first Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series at Emirates Airline Park. Jones also lauded the appointment of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi as the first black captain of the national side as good for the game in South Africa and around the world.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says tomorrow's (Saturday) first Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against England at Emirates Airline Park will be the beginning of a new chapter for Springbok rugby. Kolisi will lead the national team for the first time under new coach Rassie Erasmus and the Stormers captain believes that they have worked hard enough as a team ahead of the game.
England rugby coach Eddie Jones admits that he was reading nothing into South Africa’s defeat to Wales in Washington over the weekend ahead of their three-Test series beginning on Saturday. The Springboks were beaten 22-20 in what was their first match of the international season, a game that also marked the debut of new coach Rassie Erasmus. However, the new Bok boss played a heavily experimental side, that included no fewer than seven debutants. Jones, whose England side touched down in the country over the weekend for their Castle Lager Incoming Series, is not reading anything into the Boks’ historic loss in America.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell is hopeful that his team could emerge victorious from the last two tournaments of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. The Blitzbokke go into the London and Paris tournaments starting this weekend just four points adrift of Fiji on the overall series standings and still in contention to successfully defend their world title which the Blitzbokke won in the penultimate tournament last season in Paris.
Newly appointed Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says he was overcome with emotion when announced as captain and that it was a proud and humbling moment. Kolisi says the magnitude of his appointment he will probably feel when he leads the team against England in the first Test on June 9 in Johannesburg, and this week has just been focussed on helping the squad get into shape ahead of their Test against Wales in Washington on Saturday. Kolisi says he is a man of few words and Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus wants him to just play well. Kolisi says he was appointed as captain by Erasmus purely on reasons of his leadership and his relationship with Erasmus and not because of the colour of his skin. Kolisi says he is a captain for all South Africans and not just black people.
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says his return to the Springbok team after a one year hiatus has helped refresh his mind and hunger. Stick has acknowledged Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus for bringing him back into the fold and says that Erasmus trusts him as they have worked previously. He admits that his confidence took a knock after being demoted as assistant coach in 2016 during the tenure of former coach Allister Coetzee. Stick says self-doubt did set in at the time but says that is par for the course as a coach and says he believes in his ability as a coach.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck confirmed that Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit failed his fitness test and will not be available for the derby against the Lions on Saturday. Du Toit is suffering from heat exhaustion and a bout of flu after the team’s shock defeat against the Sunwolves in Hong Kong. Fleck admits that he has been tempted in playing Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth, who has been out injured since the end of last year but has resisted because he hasn’t yet been given the green light by the Stormers medical staff.
Lions lock Marvin Orie believes that the Lions are on the upward curve after their win over the Brumbies last weekend. The Lions needed the win against the Brumbies after a dismal tour Down Under where they won one of their four games. The Lions have also made seven changes to their team to play against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.
Bulls lock RG Snyman says they remain wary of the danger that the Brumbies will pose in their upcoming Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Snyman doesn’t think that the absence of Wallaby lock Rory Arnold will make a difference to the side after Arnold was red carded in their game against the Lions. Snyman is also looking forward to putting up another eye catching performance in light of the Springbok squad being announced on Saturday.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) will host its first ever Medical Symposium on Saturday at the SAFA House where they are expecting the who is who of the football medical staff on the African continent. This is the brainchild of SAFA Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Thulani Ngwenya, he sees a very important need for the African continent to improve on sports science if the local game is to match the standards of European football.
Springbok and Sharks hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle believes that a weaker Chiefs team will be a threat with their lesser known players eager to prove themselves worthy of playing in Super Rugby. The Chiefs travel to Durban without many of their stars particularly their All Blacks who are on a mandatory rest.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez conceded that ill-discipline and a poor start cost them the game in their 39-33 loss at the hands of the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night. Springbok Curwin Bosch was yellow carded early in the game for tripping Warrick Gelant and that cost the Sharks two tries. Springbok Lukhanyo Am also got a yellow card in the second half for a reckless tackle in the air which allowed the Bulls to score a further three points from the penalty.
The South African Rugby Union have no plans to walk away from Sanzaar according to Saru president Mark Alexander. Speculation has been rife that Saru are looking at opportunities in the northern hemisphere raising rumours that they could divorce themselves from the southern hemisphere alliance with New Zealand, Australia and Argentina. Alexander says leaving Sanzaar would be short sighted. Alexander confirmed that the new contracting model for players that Saru will be implementing will allow for a draft system to be in place and stem the tide of the player drain to Europe and Japan.
Saru president Mark Alexander confirmed that Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has free reign to select as many overseas based players as he wishes collapsing the 30 Test rule that had been imposed on selecting players plying their trade abroad. Alexander also said that Erasmus has already spoken to all overseas based players that he will be considering and their clubs ahead of the June incoming tour against England. Alexander was speaking in Johannesburg at the launch of the MTN Call up campaign where one Springbok supporter will be afforded the privilege of travelling and being part of the national team up until and including next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Bulls’ coach John Mitchell says the three changes to his team to face the Sharks in their Super Rugby derby at Loftus Versfeld on tomorrow have been made with consideration to player management. Mitchell has selected Travis Ismaiel on the wing ahead of Divan Rossouw while Thembelani Bholi will start from the bench with Roelof Smit being chosen to start at flank and Marco van Staden moving to number eight in place of Bholi. Another change sees Trevor Nyakane return to start at tighthead prop after missing out on last weekend’s game because of injury. Mitchell says it is important to manage the load his players carry through the campaign.
Springbok and Bulls flyhalf Handre Polllard believes the next two weeks will be crucial to the team’s ambition of making the Super Rugby play-offs. The Bulls play against the Sharks on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld followed by a fixture against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires, and they will need to win both games to move off the bottom of the South African conference.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger conceded that his team were beaten physically and mentally by the Sharks in their 38-12 loss at King’s Park in Durban last night. Mauger says his team had prepared well for the encounter but they were not mentally switched on.
Maritzburg United striker Luyanda Ntshangase has sadly passed away after spending two months in a coma. The 21-year-old was struck by lightning in a freak incident that occurred during a friendly match played in Pietermaritzburg during early March. He had been in hospital ever since, but his condition failed to improve. Here is general manager at the Team of Choice, Quintin Jettoo, confirming the news.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck has recalled Springbok wing Raymond Rhule and fullback SP Marais to the team to play against the Bulls on Saturday. Fleck says the return of the duo makes for the right mix at the back which the Stormers will be looking to exploit.Stormers captain Siya Kolisi will make his 100th appearance for the Cape Town based outfit and Fleck says that Kolisi deserves all the accolades that come his way.
Bulls coach John Mitchell says that Springbok Sevens loose forward Tim Agaba is going to have to make a decision on which format of the game his future lies between Sevens and the 15 men game. Agaba underwent an operation on Monday for a ruptured bicep which will rule him out for up to six months. Mitchell has made no secret of how much he rates Agaba and was reluctant to release him for the Commonwealth Games .
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell has emphasized his reluctance to focus on the world series table instead of the upcoming tournament in Paris and London after the Blitzbokke failed to finish in the top three sides in the Singapore leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. The Blitzbokke lost the bronze medal match to England and subsequently lost their lead of the world series to Fiji who ended up eventual winners in Singapore. Fiji are sitting on top of the standings on 145 points with the Blitzbokke four points adrift on 141 points.
Springbok Sevens Coach Neil Powell says they will not be underestimating any of the teams in their pool at the Singapore leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series which starts tomorrow. The Blitzbokke play against Samoa (6.06am SA time), Argentina (9.34am SA time) and Canada (1pm SA time) Argentina.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell says he has selected a team to go to the Singapore leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series that will bring about the right energy to get them back on track. The Blitzbokke managed to finish in third place in Hong Kong before failing to defend their gold medal at the Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast recently. Powell revealed that his team are determined to rectify what went wrong at the Commonwealth Games in Singapore and that there is not much of a difference from his teams that played in Las Vegas and Vancouver with Heino Bezuidenhout and James Murphy being the only new faces in the side.
Springbok Women's Sevens captain Zintle Mpupha says they have put their disappointing showing at the recent Gold Coast Commonwealth Games behind, and now shift their focus to defending their title in next month’s Women's Africa Cup Sevens, in Botswana. The Women Boks finished their Gold Coast campaign without a single victory, finishing eighth in the tournament. This was a historic outing for the Women Boks as they featured in the first ever Rugby Sevens Women's tournament at the Commonwealth Games.
The Bulls have made one injury enforce change to their side to play against the Melbourne Rebels at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Flank Roelof Smit comes in for the injured Hanro Liebenberg and Shaun Adendorff coming on the bench for Smit. Bulls coach John Mitchell says it is important to have the same team for the sake of continuity and building confidence. Mitchell admits that his team will be faced with a different challenge as the Rebels have proved to be a capable attacking side as the second leading try-scoring team in Super Rugby this year.
Veteran Springbok Tendai Mtawarira has welcomed the decision by SA Rugby to soften its stance over the selection of foreign-based players. The national body announced earlier this month that they will no longer be hard and fast on the 30-Test ruling, which meant that overseas players with only that number of caps will be considered for selection. It means national coach Rassie Erasmus will be allowed to pick overseas players more freely and Sharks prop Mtawarira says the decision was a good move that will add value to the Springbok jersey.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck conceded that they lost to a better Lions side in their 52-311 defeat at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday. Fleck lauded his team for not giving up in a lost cause but admitted that the Lions were far superior than them on the day. Fleck refused to blame fatigue and a lack of a break after eight weeks of matches citing that the Lions had experienced the same heavy schedule. With the Stormers having a bye this week, Fleck says they will have to reset their goals and produce better results with a bulk of their matches being at home at Newlands.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck admitted that he was disappointed with his side conceding two maul tries in their 33-23 defeat by the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. Fleck says his pack of forwards weren’t up to it on the night and gave away too many opportunities to the opposition.
Former Springbok centre and now Stormers coach Robbie Fleck believes that Junior Springbok and Stormers fly-half Damian Willemse is ready to play Test rugby for the Springboks. However, Fleck says the 19-year-old Willemse needs to be managed correctly and his elevation to the senior men’s national team must be done with the proper support around him.
Stormers captain Siya Kolisi believes that his side is in a good mental space to make the best out of their Super Rugby encounter against the Queensland Reds at Newlands tomorrow. Kolisi acknowledges that the Reds will ask them different questions to what other Australian sides do and that is largely due to the influence of their coach and former All Black lock Brad Thorne.
Netball South Africa president Cecilia Molokwane has congratulated Spar Proteas goalkeeper Zanele Vimbela on joining UK netball side Team Bath Netball this week, and describes her move as a great achievement not only for Vimbela but also for netball in the country. Vimbela is set to play for the UK team for the remainder of the 2018 Vitality Netball Superleague season, which ends in July this year. Molokwane says Vimbela’s move proves that the quality of our players and the standard of netball in the country is improving. The 28 years old former Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) - Madibaz Netball player joins Spar Proteas team mates Karla Mostert and Lenize Potgieter at Bath. With a record five titles out of 12 campaigns, Bath is the most successful team in the Superleague’s 12 – year history.
Lions coach Swys de Bruin has named an unchanged side to play against the Blues in their Super Rugby encounter at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday. Lions backline coach Neil de Bruin says there is no reason to change a team that is not broken and keeping the same team will be good for the side’s continuity and keeping their winning momentum.l
Springbok forward Tendai Mtawarira has backed new Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus to bring back the glory days to South African rugby after his appointment last week. The national team has been on the wane in recent years and parted company with Allister Coetzee last month following a troubled two seasons in charge. His replacement Erasmus has signed a five-year deal and will combine his new role with current one of Director of Rugby at SA Rugby. Mtawarira, a veteran of 98 caps in the Green and Gold, is pleased with the appointment.
SASCOC board members have continued to contradict themselves at the Ministerial Committee of Inquiry into SASCOC governance at Ellis Park stadium today. Four senior board members in Deputy President Hajeera Karjee, Vice-President Barry Hendricks, Kobus Marais and Khaya Majeke all testified in front of retired Judge Ralph Zulman, Dr Ali Bacher and labour law expert Shamima Gaibie. Karjee agrees with Gaibie that only less than 10 % of the SASCOC board meetings discuss core sports matters.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell says he is happy with the effort his team put in to finish fourth at the Las Vegas leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. The Blitzbokke suffered a shock 12-10 defeat at the hands of Argentina in the semi-finals before going down to Fiji 26-22 in the bronze medal match. we review ourselves never about results about the effort happy with 4 out of 6 games, Argentina not clinical enough and attention to detail can’t fault effort against Fiji who we want to measure youngsters they really did well in that game against Fiji. Powell was complimentary of his team’s fight during the tournament especially in how the youngsters performed. At the same time The Blitzbokke extended their lead in the overall series standings to 10 points ahead of second placed New Zealand who are on 82 points and third placed Fiji on 79 points.
Newly appointed Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus believes that his team are strong contenders to lift the Rugby World Cup next year in Japan. Erasmus says he has the players that are good enough to compete at the top as long as all the plans in the country are aligned.
Bulls coach John Mitchell admits that the Hurricanes have selected a strong side ahead of their Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow. Mitchell believes that it will be to his team’s advantage to play against a New Zealand side so early in the competition.
Stormers captain Siya Kolisi believes their tour Down Under could not have come at a better time for his side. Kolisi says his side is positive ahead of their Super Rugby match against the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday and that being on tour will give them time to bond as a team. Kolisi all but pre-empted that his side could very well be title contenders but says it will require his entire squad to put their best foot forward starting with this tour and becoming even better when they get back home.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck confirmed that Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit failed a late fitness test which resulted in him not being included in the team to play against the Jaguares at Newlands on Saturday. Fleck is hopeful that Du Toit will be declared fit enough to travel with the team on their tour of New Zealand and Australia on Sunday.
Bulls centre Jesse Kriel believes that the players around him have taken responsibility for the upcoming Super Rugby season. Kriel says he enjoys the responsibility that comes with leadership because it makes him feel that he is contributing to the team. The Bulls kick off their Super Rugby season against the Hurricanes in Pretoria next weekend. Kriel says that the Bulls will need to start the season on a clean slate after failing to make the Super Rugby play-offs for the last two seasons.
Bulls executive for rugby John Mitchell believes the talks he has had with Saru director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell in the past two weeks is what is needed to assist return South African rugby back to the top. Mitchelll revealed that they had discussed various issues from the type of rugby Erasmus would like the Springboks to play to the availability of players especially for Sevens tournaments.
Lions coach Swys de Bruin admits that his team could come into the Super Rugby competition undercooked after only playing one warm-up friendly against the Bulls. De Bruin says he is not too bothered about that considering that the season ahead is long and the exercise was only done to give fringe players an opportunity to stake their claim in the team. He says the departure of head coach Johan Ackermann for England and defence coach JP Ferreira for Ireland was a huge blow to the side but believes that they have competent assistant coaches in Joey Mongalo and Philip Lemmer.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez was pleased with the fitness his side showed in their 31-14 win against the Bulls in their Super Rugby warm-up match played in Polokwane on Saturday night. Du Preez feels his team could have scored more tries but were let down by poor handling. The Sharks also suffered an injury setback with Springbok scrumhalf Louis Schreuder having sustained a hamstring injury. Along with Schreuder, there is some injury doubts over hooker Akker van der Merwe who sustained a shoulder injury. Du Preez said he needs a scrumhalf of the calibre of Schreuder even though Cameron Wright has returned to the Sharks from France.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell is satisfied with the manner in which his team kept control of the game in their 50-0 win against Papua New Guinea in their opening match of the Sydney leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series today(Friday). Powell was particularly impressed with how his team maintained structure and more importantly kept a clean sheet. The Blitzbokke are the defending champions in Sydney and will look to repeat their heroics in the 3 day tournament being played at the Allianz Stadium.
Sharks hooker Franco Marais believes the focus on rugby skills and shorter training sessions during their preseason has been beneficial for the players. Marais says there is a renewed spirit in the camp and they gain both in fitness and skills ahead of the Super Rugby season. As they are looking forward to their preseason friendlies starting with a match against the Bulls at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane next weekend, he believes that the ideal preparation prior to starting the season will be the two warm-up matches they will be involved in.
Free State Toyota Cheetahs will host their Port Elizabeth counterparts Southern Kings in the Guinness Pro 14 at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday evening. This will be the second ever Guinness Pro 14 rugby fixture to feature two South African teams. The first was last weekend when the Cheetahs defeated Kings 45-21 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth. Cheetahs and Springbok player Oupa Mohoje says they are ready for the big day.
SA Academy coach Marius Schoeman has lauded his players after they secured back-to-back wins in the Sudamericarugby Sevens tournament after beating French Academy 34-7 in Vina del Mar in Chile yesterday. The South Africans had also claimed top honours a week before in Punta del Este in Uruguay and Schoeman says that he is extremely satisfied with the wins. The Sudamericarugby tournaments are qualifying tournaments for South American countries for the Sevens Rugby World Cup which will be held in San Francisco in July. Chile and Uruguay finished as qualifiers to the World Cup.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell is more than happy with going into the Cape Town leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series with the same squad with Siviwe Soyizwapi the only change as a reserve over Marcus Labuschagne. Powell believes that Soyizwapi playing for the SA Academy side in Dubai last week will be beneficial to the side as he got some game time. The Blitzbokke kick off their home tournament against Russia on Saturday at midday at the Cape Town Stadium.
Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth says that players should take responsibility and not just management for the failings of the Springbok team this year. Etzebeth was speaking upon the team’s return from Europe where they won two of their four Tests. Etzebeth believes that the players need to step up and do better next year. Etzebeth conceded that his team have had an average season after only managing to win seven out of 13 Tests which included two draws against Australia.
Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth has thrown his support behind Coetzee being retained as Springbok coach regardless of the average season the team have had. With two wins against France and Italy and a record defeat against Ireland and a narrow loss to Wales to finish off their tour of Europe, Coetzee says that the tour was satisfactory considering that a more experienced Springbok team in 2014 achieved the same results and lost to the same teams.
Beleaguered Springbok coach Allister Coetzee admits that he can’t predict whether he will still have his job after his review with the South African Rugby Union (Saru). Coetzee says he will have to follow procedure but firmly believes that the Springboks are on the right path after finishing the season with seven wins from the 13 Tests played which included two draws and three loses.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says he is not worried about being fired from his job after his team lost 24-22 to Wales in their final Test of the Castle Lager Outbound tour on Saturday. Coetzee confirmed that he would be going through a review with his employers and believes that his team have done well this year in winning seven, drawing two and losing three of the 13 Tests played this year. Coetzee says the loss to Wales came from trailing by 14 points in the first 14 minutes and a lack of making the best of the opportunities they had created. Coetzee was proud of the manner in which his team fought back in the second half to take a one point lead and believes that the loss will be a major learning curve for the side.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell has lauded his team’s resolve and motivation after they successfully defended their Emirates Airline Dubai leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series with a 24-12 win over New Zealand in the final last night. The Blitzbokke who are also the defending world champions began the tournament slowly with an unconvincing win over Uganda but got stronger by the game which lived up to the pre-tournament hype around the team according to Powell.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has called on his side to show improvement in their last Test of the Castle Lager Outbound tour when they play against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday. Coetzee says it will be important that they keep their discipline intact while also focusing on the little improvements in certain areas of their game. Team doctor Konrad von Hagen confirmed that hooker Malcolm Marx has recovered from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Italy Test but that prop Tendai Mtawarira was struggling with a groin strain and his availability for the Test against Wales would be determined later in the week.
Springbok Sevens star Kwagga Smith says he is still hungry for success in the shorter version of the game ahead of the season opening tournament in Dubai of the HSBC World Sevens Series. At the same time Smith revealed that he will be returning to the Lions for Super Rugby at the conclusion of the Sydney leg of the series and focus on his ambition of becoming a Springbok.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee remains defiant on sticking to the same team that beat France ahead of their Castle Lager Outbound Tour Test against Italy in Padova on Saturday. Coetzee says it is important for his team to maintain momentum and has ignored calls for the likes of Lukhanyo Am and Warrick Gelant to get an opportunity to play. Springboks team doctor Konrad van Hagen says that captain Eben Etzebeth is likely to be fit enough for selection after suffering a soft tissue injury to his lower leg, while hooker Malcolm Marx remains doubtful after suffering a shoulder injury.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says he is satisfied and pleased with his players effort in their narrow 18-17 win over France at the Stade de France in Paris last night. Coetzee believes that his side learnt valuable lessons from their 38-3 drubbing at the hands of Ireland last weekend.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says he takes responsibility for Saturday’s record 38-3 defeat at the hands of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Coetzee gave credit to Ireland for their kicking game but said his side will have no choice but to fight back for their following Test against France in Paris next weekend. Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth lamented his side’s inability to keep possession at crucial times as the main reason why they lost while Ireland were clinical with the opportunities they had. Etzebeth says they will have to rectify the loss next weekend against France and that there can be no excuses for suffering such an embarrassing loss.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says they are in for a blockbuster opening fixture in the 2019 Rugby World Cup after it was announced that the Springboks will play against New Zealand on 21st September in 2019 at the International Stadium in Yokohama. The Springboks next match at the World Cup will be against the top qualifying African team on 28 September at the City of Toyota Stadium before taking on Italy on 4 October at the Shizouka Stadium Ecopa. The Springboks will finish pool matches with a clash against the repechage winner at Kobe Misaki Stadium where Coetzee used to coach the local side Kobe Steelers. Coetzee though believes they will take a lot of confidence from their recent one point loss against the All Blacks. Coetzee says they have a lot of respect for all the teams they will play against in their pool and that they will need to be well prepared and focused on winning all seven games if they are to lift the trophy at the end.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez has admitted that he had to make some tough selection decisions ahead of his team’s Currie Cup semifinal encounter against the Blue Bulls. Du Preez has dropped Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle out of the match day 23 while veteran wing Odwa Ndungane drops to the bench along with former Springbok scrumhalf Michael Claassen. Du Preez says his team won’t alter anything from the way they have played the whole season but that they also have back up plans in case things don’t go their way in the game.
Springboks assistant coach Matthew Proudfoot says the Springboks need to adapt quicker to the situation at scrum time ahead of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship against New Zealand at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday. Proudfoot believes that the Springboks will face a physically brutal challenge against the All Blacks than they did in their 27 all draw against the Wallabies in Bloemfontein last weekend. Proudfoot says that scrummaging will be all about physical dominance and that they will talk to referee Jerome Garcais ahead of the game of any grey areas they have about the scrum.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says that with the uncertain weather threatening in Bloemfontein over the weekend, they are set to change their strategy ahead of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship against Australia at the Toyota Stadium on Saturday night. The weather service forecast rain the City of Roses this weekend and Coetzee says their test in Perth earlier this month has prepared them for uncertainty.
Springbok assistant coach Franco Smith says they can only come back strong from a 57-0 loss at the hands of New Zealand a fortnight ago. On Saturday, 30 September, Springbok will play Australia at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. Smith says they know the mistakes they made against New Zealand and all they need to do is get the ball back in their hands.
Springbok assistant coach Franco Smith believes their turnaround strategy for the team after their 57-0 drubbing at the hands of the All Blacks last weekend will entail a ball in hand approach and an emphasis on attack ahead of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Bloemfontein on Saturday. Smith says it is easier to get back from the loss against the All Blacks as the team can only improve from that point.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez was a pleased man after watching his team cement their place at the top of the Currie Cup standings with an 18-5 win against the Blue Bulls at King’s Park Stadium Saturday night. Du Preez says his team executed the game plan well considering the slippery underfoot conditions with the rain that hit Durban on the day. Blue Bulls coach John Mitchell admitted that the wet weather conditions were never going to be conducive for their running game and it was always going to be important to capitalise on the pressure built but said it was the Sharks who did that well.
Former All Blacks coach John Mitchell says the Springboks need to start playing more rugby in order to build pressure if they are to win any silverware during Allister Coetzee’s reign as Springbok head coach. Mitchell believes that the Springboks kicked away too much possession which was to the benefit of the All Blacks in their 57-0 defeat in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter at the QBE Stadium in Albany on Saturday, September 16.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee conceded that they were beaten by a far better side than them when they suffered a record 57-0 defeat at the hands of the All Blacks at the QBE Stadium in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test in Albany on Saturday, 16 September. Coetzee said his players were hurting but he praised their fighting spirit even though they couldn’t score any points on the day. Captain Eben Etzebeth concurred with Coetzee saying that the team will bounce back in their upcoming Test against Australia in Bloemfontein in two weeks’ time.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has sent out a timely warning to his team about the danger the All Blacks pose if they are not accurate enough in their upcoming Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test in Albany on Saturday, 16 September. Although Coetzee is pleased with the hard work and intensity with which his team plays with, he wants his players to leave nothing to chance and make sure that they are accurate in everything they do on Saturday.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says his side will embark on their tour of Australia and New Zealand with a lot of confidence after beginning the Castle Lager Rugby Championship with two wins against Argentina. Coetzee, though, said it is important for his side to remain humble and grounded and continue to work hard. The Springboks face Australia in Perth on Saturday, 9 September. Coetzee said that all the players in his squad are medically fit including Coenie Oosthuizen who had suffered a rib injury against Argentina and that they have confidence within themselves to do well on tour.
Almost exactly a year after being told there is a chance he may never play rugby again, Scarra Ntubeni made a remarkable return to the game this past weekend (5 - 6 Aug 2017). The Western Province hooker snapped his Achilles while playing against the Sharks in last season's Currie Cup competition, but now Ntubeni is back to full fitness and said the injury was a blessing in disguise. Meanwhile, WP assistant coach Dawie Snyman said it was important that the team started putting together complete eighty minute performances.
Springbok flank and vice-captain Siya Kolisi says the team is embracing the challenge that awaits them ahead of the start of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship. Kolisi believes the three nil series whitewash against France was a good way to start the international season for them but says Argentina, Australia and New Zealand will pose a different challenge to them. The Springboks kick off the tournament with a Test against Argentina at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, 19 August. Springbok forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot is wary of the threats that the Argentina forwards will pose. Proudfoot believes that the Pumas have found a balance between dominating the set-pieces and using it as a platform to get their backs into the game.
Hurricanes captain Dan Coles has no doubt in his mind that both his team and the Lions will live up to expectation in their Super Rugby semifinal clash at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday. The Lions haven’t beaten the Hurricanes in 10 years and the last time the sides played against each other in Johannesburg last year, the Hurricanes annihilated the home side. Coles though doesn’t think that history will matter and they have been focusing on their recovery after flying from Sydney earlier this week. Coles says they have learnt valuable lessons from their quarterfinal win against the Brumbies in Canberra last weekend. The All Blacks hooker, says it will be important for his side to get a good start and try be as accurate in their execution as possible.
Stormers captain Siya Kolisi has urged players not to leave South Africa for lucrative contracts overseas and should stay in the country to help build South African Super Rugby franchises and the Springboks into formidable teams. The Stormers will be losing Springbok centre Juan de Jongh who is going to England, Cheslin Kolbe who is heading to France and Ole Kebble who is going to Scotland after the conclusion of their Super Rugby campaign. Kolisi believes that the Stormers have an environment where young and old players can thrive and hopefully become world beaters in the not too distant future and believes that it is the same players that can make the Springboks strong again.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says his team will need to show drastic improvement in the way they play for the entire duration of the game ahead of their Super Rugby semifinal against the Hurricanes this weekend. Ackermann conceded that things got a bit desperate for them towards the end of their quarterfinal win against the Sharks as they tried to milk a penalty within kickable range for Springbok Ruan Combrinck who eventually slotted over a 55metres winning penalty in the 78th minute of the game.
Lions Coach Johan Ackermann says his team can take a lot of confidence and joy from their 27-10 win against the Sharks in their Vodacom Super Rugby encounter in Durban last night. The Lions managed to finish on top of the combined Super Rugby log meaning that they will play all their knockout games at home including the final if they get that far. Ackermann acknowledges that their fate is in their hands but says they will need to get better ahead of their quarterfinal encounter against the Sharks in Johannesburg on Saturday. Ackermann has bemoaned the lack of intensity in yesterday’s match saying that both teams will need to work that much harder if they are to progress further in the competition. Ackermann says beating the Sharks in Durban would have done the world of good for their confidence ahead of what they expect to be a tough quarterfinal clash at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has credited his players for the commitment they showed in blowing away the Sunwolves 94-7 in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash at Emirates Airline Park last night. Ackermann was pleased with the intensity with which his players played with regardless of the quality of the opposition.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says his team has taken another step in the right direction after their convincing 35-12 win against France in the third and final Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series played at Emirates Airline Park yesterday. Coetzee conceded that it may not have been a pretty win as they struggled with execution problems but they did well to win and secure a series whitewash. Coetzee also hailed the attitude and pride of his team especially the players in not only rectifying the wrongs of last season but also in buying into a shared plan on the way forward.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has made four changes to his team to play against France in the third and final Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series at Emirates Airline Park tomorrow. Lions prop Ruan Dreyer will make his Bok debut in place of Frans Malherbe and Coetzee says it is the ideal time to blood in Dreyer. Another change to Coetzee’s team is at scrumhalf where Francois Hougaard takes over from the injured Ross Cronje. Coetzee says Hougaard will bring a lot of experience to the backline and he will be the perfect player to give the Boks another attacking option from the fringes. Sharks flank Jean-Luc du Preez will also be making his starting debut for the Boks and Coetzee feels that Du Preez has more than justified his selection with good performances off the bench. Centre Jesse Kriel returns from injury to start ahead of Lionel Mapoe and Coetzee believes that Kriel’s communication skills and his partnership with Jan Serfontein at franchise level at the Bulls makes them a formidable combination in the midfield.
Springbok forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot admits that France has given them a tough challenge particularly when it comes to scrums but that the Springbok pack are getting better at meeting their objectives. Meanwhile news from the Springbok camp is that scrumhalf Ross Cronje will miss the third and final Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series at Emirates Airline Park after Cronje showed signs of concussion. Lionel Mapoe and Francois Venter have been released to join the SA ‘A’ team who will play against the French Barbarians at Orlando Stadium on Friday evening. Proudfoot also came to the defence of Mtawarira emphasizing that his experience and respect he commands from the other props is valuable to the team.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says he is pleased with the performance of his team after beating France 37-14 in the first Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series at Loftus Versfeld yesterday. Coetzee says they have closed the door on a disastrous 2016 season where they only managed to win four of their 12 Tests. Coetzee believes that yesterday’s win is a step in the right direction for his team as they look to the second Test which will be played in Durban next weekend. The Springboks win came on the back of them being able to dominate the scrums and lineouts and playing with a lot of passion which Coetzee says falls in line with the processes they have put in place for the team. Coetzee, however, lamented the many missed scoring opportunities especially in the first half but says he was pleased with the fact that his team showed intent and were able to create the opportunities.
Stadium Management South Africa communications manager Sisa Majola has re-affirmed that it is all systems go as rugby returns to Soweto’s Orlando Stadium for the Premier Social Cohesion Cup on June 23. The field is set for a mouth-watering double header which sees the Golden Lions face the Blue Bulls in the curtain raiser for the South Africa ‘A’ vs French Barbarians on the Friday night. Majola says they have ensured their readiness with regular meetings with the Gauteng Province’s Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation and the South Africa Rugby Union (Saru)
Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan says they have been able to put together some plans going to the 2019 Rugby World Cup from their camp in Plettenburg Bay last week but, the most important thing is the continuity that the Springboks will have going into the opening Test of the Castle Lager Incoming series against France at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, 10 June 2017. The Springboks have been rocked with the injury to Duane Vermeulen who has now been ruled out of the series but Van Graan says they have been impressed with individual player contributions in Super Rugby that will bode well for the team in the series against France.
France forwards coach Yannick Bru says they haven’t spoken much about their chances of winning the Incoming Series against the Springboks and instead are looking at improving as a team. Bru believes they have adequate experience within their squad and will find a balance with the youngsters in the team ahead of the first Test against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld next weekend. France arrived in South Africa last week without seven of their top players who will be involved in the Top 14 final between Clermont and Toulon. Bru says the availability of the seven players will be determined after their arrival on Tuesday and medical assessments have been done.
Outgoing Bulls Super Rugby coach Nollis Marais says his team will need to work on their reaction speed and train harder to compete at the speed of Super Rugby after their 34-20 loss against the Hurricanes at Loftus Versfeld Saturday. Marais said they had outplayed the Hurricanes at certain stages of the game but their inability to keep up with the pace of the game cost them. He commended his team for their fighting spirit and character shown against the defending Super Rugby champions especially in light of their three match losing run and the off-the-field turmoil that has engulfed the Bulls in recent weeks leading to the appointment of former All Blacks coach John Mitchell as the Executive for Rugby at the Bulls.
The Junior Springboks will depart for Tbilisi in Georgia today to take part in the World Rugby U20 Championships where all the focus is on winning the competition and laying the right foundations for players to become quality Springboks. South Africa and 11 other nations will compete for the prestigious title over the next month. Springbok Junior coach Chean Roux says they will only consider the next few weeks a success if they return with the trophy.
New Springbok captain Warren Whiteley says he was surprised when Springbok coach Allister Coetzee told him that he would be leading the national team on Monday night. Whiteley is the 58th Springbok captain and takes over from Adriaan Strauss who retired from international rugby last year. Whiteley says he is excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the team, and Coetzee said that he has rewarded form in his squad selection with the best performing South African Super Rugby franchise the Lions having nine of the 31 players in the squad.
Seabelo Senatla will make a welcome return to the Stormers starting line-up as he was named at left wing for their Super Rugby clash against the Blues at Newlands on Friday evening. Senatla featured in two games for the Stormers this season before picking up an injury, but will look to provide a much needed spark for Robbie Fleck's men. The Stormers suffered four defeats on the trot and a fifth this weekend will be damaging to the morale of the team. Fleck has also been forced to pick Dillyn Leyds, usually an outside back, at flyhalf for the match, but the coach is confident that the 24-year old flyer will be able to lead the backline.
South Africa has produced some of the best rugby referees in the world. Three of the last five Rugby World Cup finals have been refereed by South Africans as Andre Watson took charge of the 1999 and 2003 finals while Craig Joubert blew the whistle in the 2011 show piece match. It is therefore no wonder that South Africa has a talented group of young referees making great strides in the game world-wide and one of them is the 30-year old Cwengile Jadezweni, or JD as he is more affectionately known. Jadezweni became the third South African to make his test debut in 2016 as he officiated a match between Kenya and Hong Kong. Jadezweni says he has had some incredible experiences on the rugby field.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais doesn’t believe that the absence of All Blacks Kieran Read and Sam Whitelock will make a difference to the strength of the Crusaders team they will face on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld. Read suffered a broken thumb in Saturday’s win against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and Whitelock received a two match suspension for striking a player with his elbow. Marais says the Crusaders have enough depth and talent to beat any side without Read and Whitelock.
Newly appointed Minister of Sport and Recreation Thulas Nxesi paid a visit to SARU House, the headquarters of SA Rugby in Cape Town yesterday to talk all things rugby in the country. It was the Minister’s first visit to SARU since taking office a month ago. SA Rugby President Mark Alexander and CEO Jurie Roux welcomed Nxesi and brought him up to date with developments in the country, transformation as well as the potential hosting of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. A big discussion point was the potential hosting of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. South Africa successfully hosted the tournament in 1995 and along with Ireland and France are planning to bid to host the competition. All three countries need to submit their detailed bid document to World Rugby by the first of next month, but South Africa will first need to receive government's backing to stage the event…
Southern Kings coach Deon Davids was over the moon with joy after watching his team play to a record 44-3 win over the Melbourne Rebels at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth last night. It was the Kings second consecutive victory after they beat the Waratahs in Sydney last weekend and Davids says they took a lot of confidence out of that win ahead of yesterday’s clash. Davids, though, is concerned about the high number of penalties his team gave away yesterday and said that they would need to work on their discipline in their next match against the Sharks in two weeks’ time
Sharks coach Robert du Preez says his team has moved on from the yawn fest of a draw against the Melbourne Rebels last weekend at King’s Park in Durban and will now focused their attention on playing against the Jaguares in Argentina this weekend. Du Preez re-iterated his disappointment with his team’s performance, adding they will have to be at their best against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.
The Stormers had little time to enjoy their sensational victory over the Chiefs this past weekend as they started preparations for another physical clash against the Lions. The men from Cape Town put in one of the best performances of the season to beat the Kiwi-side 34-26 and extend their winning streak to six matches. This week however, all the focus is on the Lions as the two Africa conference leaders meet in the Mother City and forwards coach Russel Winter says when they turned up at training this week they realised they are in for another big game on Saturday.
Springbok Sevens star Werner Kok has warned against thinking about winning the world series instead of focusing on the upcoming Singapore leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. The Blitzbokke still maintain a healthy 23 point lead in the overall standings ahead of second placed Fiji with only three tournaments remaining in the series. Kok believes that the team would have learnt a lot from the Hong Kong tournament last weekend where they lost in the final against Fiji. He was awarded the Player of the Tournament prize in Hong Kong and became the first South African to win the award twice. The former World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, Kok, dedicated the award to his teammates for the way they played in getting the entire team to their seventh consecutive final this season.
The Springbok Women's Sevens team were in good spirits when they left for Hong Kong to play in the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series Qualifier from 6-8 April. The winner of the tournament will cement their place in next season's World Series. South Africa lost their core team status in 2015 and have been fighting to get back ever since. Coach Renfred Dazel was happy to welcome back three key players in Captain Veroeshka Grain, Zenay Jordaan and Nadine Roos for the tournament. South Africa find themselves in an interesting Pool alongside Italy, Papua New Guinea and Colombia in Hong Kong. The Pool stage of the competition will take place on Thursday and Friday before the Cup semi's and final on Saturday. Dazel says even though they are coming up against what could be seen as weaker opposition in the pool, they can't take any side lightly.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says he is fully committed to the Lions until the end of the Super Rugby season after confirming that he will be taking up the post as English premiership club Gloucester head coaching job later this year. Ackermann says he owes it to himself, his players and the Lions to be committed right until his last day and expects the same commitment from his players as well. Ackermann revealed the news of his departure to his players in the morning yesterday and wants them to use their week off to digest and get over the news. He says that their focus must remain on doing well in Super Rugby and that is what they will do next week when they meet after their bye. An emotional Ackermann read out a message to his players, union and fans thanking them for the support they have given him during his tenure as Lions head coach.
The Springbok Sevens team have won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and an Olympic bronze medal, they've won a World Series as well as tournaments all over the world, but one prize that has eluded them thus far is the Hong Kong Sevens title. They finished runners up in 2008 and 2009, but weren't able to progress to the Cup Semi-finals in their last two outings to the Pearl of the Orient. Neil Powell's men however have had a dream season, winning four out of six tournaments and finishing second in the other two and the coach says they will treat Hong Kong like any other tournament. The Blitzboks have been struggling with a number of injuries this season, but the coaching staff breathed a sigh of relief with the news that Branco du Preez, Cecil Afrika, Chris Dry and Ruhan Nel all overcame their injuries to be ready for the tournament which gets underway on Friday. The team departed for Hong Kong from Cape Town International Airport via Johannesburg on Sunday. Powell was also able to welcome Tim Agaba back from injury, while Selvyn Davids will make his debut in Hong Kong. The Blitzboks find themselves in a tough Pool B alongside Canada, France and Kenya. First up on Friday night they will take on France, before their final two pool matches on the Saturday and then the knockout games on Sunday. The Blitzboks also have Ryan Oosthuizen in the squad as their reserve player and captain Philip Snyman says the new players always brings some energy to the team.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says they will change nothing in their preparation ahead of their Super Rugby derby against the Sharks on Saturday. Ackermann though wants his players to brush up on the areas of the game that were disappointing in their win against the Southern Kings last weekend. He says, his players are aware of the magnitude of Saturday’s game at Emirates Airline Park. Ackermann has been impressed with how the Sharks have played this season and says the Durban side have a good mixture of youth and experience. He says, they showed how good they are in their come from behind win against the Cheetahs last weekend. The Lions did not lose a game at home against South African opposition in Super Rugby but Ackermann said they care little about statistics as a source of motivation for the team. Ackermann wants his players to make their home stadium an intimidating place for visiting teams but their main ambition is to always ensure that they play good rugby.
The Stormers suffered more injury setbacks following their come from behind win over the Sunwolves in Singapore this past weekend. Rynhardt Elstad, Wilco Louw and Seabelo Senatla have all been added to the ever growing injury list. The Stormers are only one of three teams in the competition who haven’t suffered a defeat and they currently top Africa Conference One by eight points and with a game in hand. Fleck said despite all the injuries there is some good news. The Stormers will come up against the Cheetahs at home on Saturday, 1st of April, and a fifth straight could see them open up a 12-point gap over their closest competitors in the group. The Stormers still however have to take on all five New Zealand teams and Fleck said it is important that they bank as many points as possible before that.
Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss is under no illusion at how tough their Super Rugby tour of New Zealand is going to be but believes there is enough confidence within the squad to do well. The Bulls will play against the Blues in Auckland on Saturday before facing the Chiefs in Hamilton a week later and complete their trip abroad with a return fixture against the Sunwolves in Tokyo. Strauss says they are looking forward to the challenge and trying to play to their potential which they haven’t so far this season. Strauss says his team will need to eliminate the errors that have been a weakness in their game since the start of the season if they are to play with the same intensity that the New Zealand sides have played with this year. Strauss believes they are capable of lifting the intensity of their play as was evident in their preseason friendly win against the Chiefs in Brisbane. The Bulls last won in New Zealand four years ago and they will be the first South African side to play against New Zealand teams this season but Strauss says there will be no pressure on them as they are chasing their own standards and want to reach the goals they have set for themselves this season. Friday night’s win for the Bulls against the Sunwolves was Strauss’ first game of the year after recovering from a back operation and relinquishing the Springbok captaincy at the end of last year. Strauss says it feels good to be back on the field and playing with less pain than before.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez says he was happy with his side’s 19-17 win over the Southern Kings in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash in Durban on Saturday night but was disappointed with the performance. Du Preez says his team did everything that he warned them not to do in the lead up to the game. He admitted that the players could have underestimated the Kings. Du Preez is hoping that the performance is a big wake-up call for the side as they prepare for a tough two weeks where they will play against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and Lions in Johannesburg before having a bye.
Blitzbokke star forward Chris Dry admits that England are a difficult side to beat and even though they committed plenty of errors in their final pool match against the English. The team did well to hold them out and finish the game with a 12-all draw, which ensured that the South Africans finish on top of the pool. England have been the only team to beat the Blitzbokke this season doing so on two occasions in Cape Town and Sydney. The Blitzbokke will now play Canada in the cup quarterfinals of the Vancouver leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Dry says it was important for the team to finish on top of their pool and it will help them take a lot of momentum into the quarterfinals. Blitzbokke back Branco du Preez acknowledged that the team had to work very hard to win their games in the pool matches. He says they will have to continue doing so in the quarterfinals but will also have to give the ball some air and focus on their defence as well.
Springbok Sevens star Rosko Specman says that it is important for the team to remain humble and start all over again after their victory in Las Vegas, and as they prepare for the Vancouver leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Specman says the team must continue to work hard for each other if they are to continue winning tournaments and head towards achieving their goal of winning the series. The Blitzbokke have now won four of the five tournaments so far this season and go into the Vancouver tournament as overwhelming favourites after their heroics in Las Vegas last weekend. Specman believes that the team can still improve even if it is by small margins, there is something that they must get right from their last tournament. Specman admits that the Blitzbokke weren’t at their best in Las Vegas and had to come from behind in all of their knockout matches from the quarterfinals to the final. He believes there is plenty of room for improvement but also commended the team for the character they showed in being able to fight back in all those games. Specman was named man-f-the-match in the Las Vegas final against Fiji.
New Springbok backline coach Franco Smith says burning the candle on both ends with his job as Cheetahs head coach will pose as a challenge but it can only help improve him as a coach and benefit the national team as well. Smith has taken over from discarded Mzwandile Stick after joining the national team during their end of year tour to Europe last year on a consultancy basis. Smith was speaking at the Springboks training camp currently underway in Johannesburg. Smith emphasized the need for all South African Super Rugby franchises to work together with the common goal of making sure the Springboks come first. Smith says that all franchise coaches have embraced a ball-in-hand approach which has been evident in the first two rounds of Super Rugby. The involvement of all coaches and players especially with the training camps will be to the benefit of the Springboks and the players Smith said. Smith says the benefit of having the training camps is to inculcate the Boks style of play to the players and to also help improve the players’ skills. He goes on to say, it’s also to get them well prepared long before the Springboks first Test against France in June.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says the main reason for holding a training camp in Johannesburg this week is to ensure that the players are kept up to speed with the plans and strategy of the national team for this year and the years leading up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. Coetzee says he wants to build continuity in terms of conditioning, skills and mental strength ahead of the Springboks first assignment of the year when they face France in the Incoming Series in June. Coetzee believes that the difference between last year’s disastrous season and this year is that he has enough time to plan and that is what he has been doing since the beginning of the year. Coetzee says the training camps are part of the long term planning and so too the constant conversations with Super Rugby franchise coaches on how they are going to achieve uniformity in certain areas of the game. Coetzee says he would like to still remain a mentor for the fired Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and believes that the former Springbok Sevens captain will add a lot of value in his new role as assistant coach to the Junior Springboks.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell says the less time spent travelling to Las Vegas will be to the benefit of his team’s preparations ahead of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series leg in the desert city. Even though it took the side 36 hours to get to Las Vegas from Cape Town, Powell says that they will make alterations to their training schedule ahead of the weekend. South Africa, who lead the world series standings, will play against Canada, France and Wales in Pool A on Saturday morning. With a short turnaround time between tournaments Powell has stressed the need to find a balance between getting players to recover and getting them ready for the next tournament. Powell is pleased with where his team is at in terms of their preparation for the Las Vegas tournament. The Blitzbokke have won three of the four tournaments in the series so far.
Richard Murray made a dream start to the 2017 season as he won both his opening races of the year. The 28-year old started his season with a win at the ITU World Cup in Cape Town two weeks ago and followed it up with a gold medal at the South African Xterra Championships in Grabouw this past weekend. Murray edged out defending champion Bradley Weiss on the 1500 meter swim, 26 kilometer mountain bike and 12.5 kilometer trail run route, while Stuart Marais claimed third spot. Murray admits he was a little bit lucky to get the win after Weiss experienced technical problems on the bike. Murray doesn't often take part in races which require him to tackle mountain bike routes, as he specialises in the standard triathlon races. He broke his collar bone in April last year which hampered his preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, but that hasn't prevented him from getting on his mountain bike and run the risk of picking up another serious injury. He however, admitted that he was a little bit cautious on the bike-leg. The 2017 ITU World Triathlon Series gets underway this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Murray will leave for the United Arab Emirates tomorrow for the race where he will look to win a third straight gold medal. With there being no Commonwealth or Olympic Games in 2017, Murray has changed his schedule a little bit this season and will take part in a wide variety of events. He explains.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck opted to reward pre-season form when he named his first squad of the season for their Super Rugby opener against the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday. EW Viljoen was handed the number 13 jersey, while SP Marais was named at fullback with Cheslin Kolbe starting at right wing. Upfront, Wilco Louw and JC Janse van Rensburg will flank Bongi Mbonambi to form the front row, while Ramone Samuels and Dan Kriel are in line to make their Stormers debuts after being named on the bench. At the team announcement Fleck explained his decision to play Marais at full back, and why Springbok prop Frans Malherbe is on the bench. Jean-Luc du Plessis has been handed the number ten jumper for the north/south clash and will come up against Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard on Saturday. The 22-year old son of Carel du Plessis played 12 matches for the Stormers last year, but missed most of the Currie Cup season due to injury. Fleck says although Rob du Preez also deserves a place in the starting team, Du Plessis is the right choice for this weekend's match. Four players are in line to make their first appearance in a Stormers jersey this weekend. SP Marais has plenty of Super Rugby experience having played for the Sharks, Kings and Bulls, while the 21-year old EW Viljoen has represented Western Province in the Currie Cup. Hooker Samuels was named on the bench after joining the Stormers from the Lions last year, while Dan Kriel moved from the Bulls to the Stormers during the off-season and will cover the outside back positions off the bench. Fleck says he is excited about all four new players in the squad.
Former Springbok and Lions wing Ashwin Willemse says the Lions should not be burdened with expectation of them having to win Super Rugby this year after they reached the final last season. Willemse believes that the Lions should be admired for having been able to get to the final which they lost to the Hurricanes in Wellington and that the biggest challenge for the Johannesburg based side will be whether they are able to improve their game while integrating new players to their squad. Willemse fancies the Cheetahs to be the surprise package of the competition judging by how well they did in the Currie Cup and that many teams will still be underestimating them in Super Rugby. Willemse, though, said the Cheetahs will need to show intent early in the competition if they are to last until the end. The Bulls and Sharks are teams that Willemse believes are in transition but are always in contention of making the playoffs. Regarding the Bulls, Willemse thinks they could put in a strong showing while the Sharks could also impress under the mentorship of head coach Robert du Preez.
Cheetahs captain and Springbok centre Francois Venter says his team will need to work extremely hard and remain humble if they are to enjoy some success in the upcoming Super Rugby season. After being crowned Currie Cup champions at the end of last year and doing so unbeaten, Venter believes that one of their strengths as a side is that they have managed to keep the same squad. Venter said that not much must be read from their preseason friendly loss against the Sharks and they are a team that is still learning and testing combinations before the start of the season. Venter says every team member contributed in ensuring that the team do well last season and is hopeful that they will continue doing the same this year with the team always being put ahead of the individual. Last week, Venter was honoured with the Cheetahs Player of the Year Award after leading the side to domestic glory. He also made his Springbok debut during the end-of-year tour last year after having featured for the SA “A” side in their two match series against the England Saxons. Venter dedicated his award to his teammates.
Former Springbok wing Akona Ndungane believes that Blitzbokke star and World Sevens Player of the Year Seabelo Senatla will make a seamless transition to the 15 men game. Ndungane says that Senatla’s speed makes him a special player in the same way that Springbok wing Bryan Habana was lethal with ball in hand in his formative years. Senatla has put a pause on his Sevens career to pursue higher honours in the longer version of the game and will feature for the Stormers in this year’s Super Rugby competition. Ndungane, who also played for the national Sevens team says that Senatla needs to be given all the opportunities to play at the Stormers and at the Springboks. This year, Senatla broke the longstanding try-scoring record held by Fabian Juries of 179 tries and now holds the record with 189 tries. While Ndungane thinks that Senatla can also break Habana’s try-scoring record for the Springboks, the former Bulls wing says that Senatla will have to work extremely hard to achieve Habana’s feat. Some rugby critics have cited Senatla’s size as a possible weakness but Ndungane said that Senatla had proven himself in Sevens especially on defence and says that we should learn from how the All Blacks utilize a player like Nehe Milner-Skudder who doesn’t have a physical presence.
The Stormers suffered two massive injury blows in their final pre-season friendly against the Lions at the Newlands rugby stadium in Cape Town yesterday. Liolin Zas had to be stretchered off the field after he broke his leg, while Juan de Jongh was also seen walking around on crutches after the match. The Stormers put on an impressive display of running rugby against last year's runners up and beat the Lions at their own game as they won the encounter 57-40. Fleck says Zas could be out long term if scans confirm that he did break his leg, while De Jongh could be out for six weeks. In the first half of the friendly the Stormers scored three impressive tries thanks to good off loads and skilful ball handling. The Stormers management have been working hard on the skill level of the players during the off-season and it came across in their performance yesterday. Fleck says he is happy with the type of rugby his team played. The Stormers will face the Bulls in their first game of the Super Rugby season in two weeks time. Fleck didn't want to give away too many secrets and wasn't willing to confirm whether they would play a similar type of game against the ol' foes, but says the plan is for the team to continue playing exciting rugby. The Stormers also revealed that Joe Petersen has been training with them and that he will be available to play for them if the need arises. Petersen will return to Japan later this year, but for now has joined the Stormers where he will look to guide some of the younger players in the squad.
Late Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen spoke of his passion for the game of rugby from the early age of 5 and even though he tried to play with a few age groups above him, he says he was often chased away but he kept on going back. The late 46 year old was speaking to television magazine show Total Rugby over a decade ago. Van der Westhuizen speaks of the broken rib he suffered in the 1995 World Cup semifinal against France in Durban and the fact that he hid it away from team management in order to play in the World Cup final against New Zealand which South Africa won. He became famous for the tackle he made on the late All Blacks wing Jonah Lomu in the final which will go down as the most important tackle in South African rugby history as Lomu had been unstoppable on the way to the final for New Zealand. In 1999 Van der Westhuizen surprisingly replaced Gary Teichmann as Springbok captain in a controversial made by then Springbok coach Nick Mallett. Van der Westhuizen said he accepted the job on recommendation of his father who told him it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to lead his country.
Former Springbok captain Naas Botha has paid tribute to the late Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen lauding him as one of the best the world has ever seen. Van der Westhuizen passed away earlier today in his home from Motor Neuron Disease, an illness he had been diagnosed with in 2011. Botha says Van der Westhuizen was one of the phenomenal players of the professional era. Botha said that Van der Westhuizen was the kind of player that comes “once in a lifetime” and lauded the scrumhalf for South African rugby’s finest moment when they won the 1995 Rugby World Cup on home soil with the tackle Van der Westhuizen made on the late All Black wing Jonah Lomu. Van der Westhuizen has been hailed the world over as one of the greatest scrumhalves to play the game and Botha says there is no greater accolade than being acknowledged by the rugby fraternity around the world. Botha praised Van der Westhuizen for the qualities he brought as a player and as a leader and says Van der Westhuizen will be remembered for years to come.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell showered his team with praise after they beat England 29-14 to win the final of the Sydney leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series today. Powell praised his team for overturning a pool match defeat to England to dominate and beat them convincingly in the final.What Powell believes his team did right in the final as compared to their pool match against England yesterday was that they focused purely on themselves and what they needed to do to win. Powell admitted that in yesterday’s game they focused too much on England and neglected their own game. England are the only team to have beaten the Blitzbokke this season inflicting the two defeats first in the Cape Town final and yesterday in Sydney. With Seabelo Senatla and Kwagga Smith having played their last tournament for the Blitzbokke as they look to Super Rugby careers with the Stormers and Lions, respectively, Powell says they have the talent to replace the duo but it will take time before the likes of Zain Davids and Siviwe Soyizwapi build up the experience Senatla and Smith brought to the side. At the same time Powell says that the win in Sydney was a squad effort with every player making a contribution to the side. Powell now believes that the biggest challenge facing his side will be striking the balance of how they continue to get the best out of players while also affording them some rest in between tournaments and also keeping them mentally motivated throughout the season.
Blitzbokke playmaker Justin Geduld believes that the time has come for him to show what he is made of as he gets the rare opportunity to orchestrate matters in the absence of the injured Cecil Afrika. Geduld did well in Wellington last weekend and will look to continue playing his natural game this coming weekend at the Sydney leg of the HSBC World Rugby Series.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell has urged his team to remain consistent for the remainder of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series after their win in Wellington yesterday. It was the Blitzbokke’s first win in the New Zealand capital since 2002 when Powell was a player in the team and it saw them open up a 12 point gap between themselves and second placed Fiji on the series log. The Blitzbokke beat Fiji 26-5 in the final after having beaten the Islanders in their pool matches as well. Powell says the team will need to be consistent in winning as they now head to the Sydney leg of the series this week. Powell also lauded his players for taking responsibility and accountability for their roles in the defence system and the Blitzbokke only conceded four tries throughout the two days and six matches they played.Powell says his team will need to start well in Sydney again if they are to make it to the knockout stages and at least feature in the semifinals in Australia this weekend. The Blitzbokke play against Japan, Kenya and England in their pool and they will be hoping for a similar perfect start that they enjoyed in Wellington.
Varsity Cup rugby will this year be celebrating their 10th year in existence and CEO of Varsity Sports Duitser Bosman believes that they have contributed positively to rugby and South African sport in general. The competition kicks off next Monday with the Varsity Shield beginning at the start of next month. Bosman says this tournament has positively contributed to SA rugby. Bosman believes that Varsity Cup rugby can grow even bigger than what it is today. With more money flowing into the competition, he says they can be able to bridge the divide between schools and professional sport and even move to bigger stadiums where they can sell out their product. Bosman admitted that they are concerned with the protests that engulfed the country’s tertiary institutions last year as part of the #Feesmustfall movement but said they were working with the universities to ensure that they enhance the student life of many people around the country. Last year protesters got involved in a mass fight with rugby spectators at a Varsity Cup match at the Free State University.
The Stormers have made it clear that they mean business in the 2017 Super Rugby season after working extra during the pre-season, on particularly their speed, skills and mindset. The men from the Cape had an up-and-down 2016 season, but when they were humiliated by the Chiefs in the knockout stages of the competition, coach Robbie Fleck decided that it was time to make some big changes. One aspect of the game that the players needed to work on was their speed, and strength and conditioning coach Steph du Toit says the players have been working hard at it. The coaching staff also said it wasn’t just important to teach the players new skills and drills, but it was crucial to explain to them why they are doing it. Du Toit and Fenney both expressed their thoughts on how they have changed the mindsets of the players over the last couple of months. After this weekend the Stormers will play two more warmup games against SWD in George and the Lions at Newlands. It will be a tough 2017 season for the Stormers as they will face all five New Zealand teams in the knockout stages after avoiding the Kiwi sides in 2016. Therefore conditioning was crucial during the pre-season and Du Toit says they tried a few different things this time around. Following that defeat to the Chiefs, the Western Province Rugby management team also decided to recruit New Zealander Paul Fenney to share some of his wisdom with the team. The men from the Cape play their first warm-up game against the Cheetahs this weekend and Fenney says he hopes the players will be able to take what they learnt and bring it into their performance on the field.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell has made it clear that his team will be going for the ultimate prize at this week’s Wellington leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in New Zealand. Powell says it is their mission with every tournament they participate in to win it and there will also be another objective of bringing up to speed some of the new guys in the team. Powell says they have closed the door on the narrow loss in the final in Cape Town against England and also on losing the final in the dying moments against New Zealand in Wellington last year. Powell is hopeful that they have learnt valuable lessons from those losses and will now look to use that to their benefit when they play against Japan, Australia and Fiji. Powell has emphasized that the team has now entered into a new four year cycle with the aim to build up towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games but they will also look to build their mental capacity with the Commonwealth Games and World Cup in their sights. With Seabelo Senatla and Kwagga Smith leaving the shorter format of the game at the end of the Sydney leg to join the Super Rugby squads of the Stormers and Lions, respectively, Powell says it is time for the likes of Siviwe Soyizwapi and Zain Davids to step into their shoes and prove worthy replacements to Senatla and Smith.
Blitzboks legend Frankie Horne says he is excited about the current Springbok Sevens team and believes they can go all the way and win the HSBC World Sevens Series this season. South Africa top the standings after two rounds, but suffered a few major injury blows with Kyle Brown ruled out for the rest of the season and Cecil Afrika ruled out for four weeks. The injuries however give an opportunity for a few youngsters to make their mark. Junior Springbok star Zain Davids and Siviwe Soyizwapi will make their debuts in Wellington this weekend and Horne has high hopes for the new players. Seabelo Senatla and Kwagga Smith have also been included in the squad for the next two legs of the World Sevens Series, but thereafter will return to their Super Rugby franchises and will not be available for Sevens duty. Before and during last year's Olympic Games a few Fifteens players also tried their hand at Sevens Rugby and Horne believes that if you are young enough you can still spilt your attention between the two formats. Horne was part of the squads that finished runners up for four years in a row. The last two years, Fiji dominated the series and were crowned champions and the two years before that New Zealand won the title. Horne says the reason those two countries have had the upper hand is because rugby is one of the first sports children learn to play in the country. Horne devoted the last ten years of his life to serving Springbok Sevens rugby and he says he can't imagine a life without rugby. The 33-year old says he is in the process of starting an academy to help teach young kids the basics of rugby, but added that he is also keeping himself busy with a few non-rugby activities.
Springbok Sevens player Siviwe “Shakes” Soyizwapi is set to play a prominent role for the national men’s Sevens team in the Wellington and Sydney legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series starting this week. The long term aspirations of Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell is to have Soyizwapi take over from try-scoring sensation Seabelo Senatla who will be leaving the Sevens scene at the end of the Sydney leg to join the Stormers for their upcoming Super Rugby campaign. Soyizwaphi has had limited game time for the Blitzbokke after relinquishing his budding Super Rugby career with the Southern Kings in 2015 but his talent is unquestionable and will need to make his mark and make an impression in helping the Blitzbokke extend their lead at the top of the series log in Wellington and Sydney. Soyizwapi sat down and spoke to SABC Sport rugby journalist Vata Ngobeni and Khanyiso Tshwaku in Johannesburg this week prior to the team’s departure for New Zealand Saturday afternoon the 21st of January.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais says it will be critical to manage the load of conditioning on his squad especially the players coming back from injury ahead of this year’s Super Rugby season. Marais is pleased with the fitness levels of his squad during the preseason training and believes that it will improve the closer they get to the kick-off of the new season. Marais believes that their preseason camp in the Western Cape town of George in December did the team a world of good especially in making sure that the younger players in the squad are exposed to the senior team’s coaching. Whether their trip to George will be a good omen for the team in the competition, he says they will only be able to judge that through the results. The Bulls will play against the Stormers in their opening game followed by another away game against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. Marais says it will be a moment to exert revenge after having lost the first game of last season to the Stormers at Newlands while their trip to Bloemfontein will also be a grudge match after the Bulls lost in the Currie Cup final against the Cheetahs.
Springbok and Sharks wing Lwazi Mvovo says it will be important for the Durban based Super Rugby franchise to focus on their basics during the preseason and in the build up to their first Super Rugby game. The Sharks got back to training in Durban last week under the mentorship of new coach Robert du Preez. As a senior member of the Sharks squad now, Mvovo is eager to lend advice to the new faces in the team and also believes he can learn from the energy and enthusiasm of the youngsters. Mvovo fell down the pecking order of wings in the Springbok team after last year’s series against Ireland where he was dropped after the second Test match in Johannesburg but the Mthatha born wing says his focus is on doing well for the Sharks this season and not too bothered about regaining his place in the Springbok team. Mvovo says that there remains a winning culture at the Sharks in the same way it existed in the past with previous teams and that there are a lot of similarities with the hunger to succeed.
Springbok and Bulls lock RG Snyman admits that things happened for him quickly this year from making his Super Rugby debut at the beginning of the year, to also making his first appearance for the Springboks in the match against the Barbarians at Wembley Stadium during the end-of-year tour. Many have made comparisons between Snyman and former Bok and Bulls captain Victor Matfield and Snyman is humbled by that. However, Snyman’s domestic season ended badly as he suffered a head injury in the Currie Cup semifinal against Western Province and was not able to play in the final against the Free State Cheetahs which the young lock counts as his biggest disappointment of the season. The 21-year-old Snyman didn’t mince his words when declaring his goals for next season saying that he wants to be part of a Bulls team that wins Super Rugby and is eager to cement his place in the national team. Snyman will be in a fight for a place in the Bulls and Springbok team with Lood de Jager who has signed with the Bulls from the Cheetahs on a one year deal with an option to extend beyond 2017. Snyman says De Jager’s presence will be a perfect fit for the Bulls. One of the lessons that Snyman says he picked up in his short time with the Springboks especially from players like Tendai Mtawarira is how difficult it is to stay in the Springbok team. Snyman says he picked up a lot of valuable lessons while in the Springbok side but the most important is working at becoming a permanent member of the team going to the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Springboks and Bulls utility back Jesse Kriel has sacrificed a lucrative stint playing in Japan to focus on being in top condition for the Bulls ahead of next year’s Super Rugby season. Kriel had played for the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes immediately after last year’s Rugby World Cup and returned back to the Bulls just in time for the start of Super Rugby this year. However, Kriel has opted to remain in South Africa after citing fatigue and a need to sort out various niggling injuries in order to be at his best next year. The 22-year-old Kriel says he is not surprised that certain franchises in South Africa are now preventing their players from going to Japan in the off-season emphasizing the fact that players are a franchises assets and there is a need for the franchises to look after their assets in the interest of their own success. The 22 year old says the Bulls have been working hard during their pre-season training and that their camp in George is vital in bringing the players together as it was the case in the past when they won three Super Rugby titles in 2007, 2009 and 2010. The Bulls are trying to emulate their previous success in Super Rugby by trying to do some of the things that made them successful then. Even though still young in age, he has amassed enough experience in the past two years to be considered one of the senior players in the Bulls side and the former Maritzburg College pupil is adamant that he has no choice but to lend his experience to some of the younger players.
Former Blitzbokke captain Kyle Brown believes the team is in a good place and there is a lot to be positive about as they top the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series standings after the first two tournaments. The Blitzbokke finished second in their home tournament in Cape Town over the weekend after winning in Dubai a week earlier. After relinquishing the captaincy of the team before the start of the season, Brown says he still has a voice in the team along with new captain Philip Snyman who Brown describes as a laid back individual. He says there is still a long way to go in the series and that they are wary that the other teams on the circuit will keep on improving and they will need to make gains to keep ahead.
Blitzbokke speedster and World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Seabelo Senatla says it is with a heavy heart that he will be leaving the team after the Sydney tournament to pursue his dream of becoming a Springbok when he joins the Stormers for their Super Rugby campaign next year. Senatla will only play in the Wellington and Sydney legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series after playing in the Dubai and Cape Town legs as his agreement prior to the beginning of the season. Senatla says his decision was made a bit easy by Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell giving him his blessing.
South African Rugby Union chief executive officer Jurie Roux says the steps taken yesterday at changing the structure of rugby in the country will hopefully be for the good of the game. In a meeting held in Cape Town yesterday it was decided by SARU that many of the powers that the General Council held to be relinquished to the Executive Council in order to streamline the business into a more professional operation. While the process seems easy Roux doesn’t anticipate it being concluded and at work within the four months leading to the AGM next year. Roux explained that the General Council which is made up of all 14 union member presidents will now assume the role of a shareholder in a company and they will be responsible for approving the financials, budgets, any changes in the constitution and appointing the World Rugby representative. Roux also highlighted the establishment of a committee within the General Council that would be made up of nine members which will include all 14 unions and that is to conform to the requirements of SASCOC’s member federations. Roux could not explain off hand exactly how the geopolitical formation would work especially in terms of voting but said it would be part of the significant change that is happening at SARU. Roux went into detail about all the changes that would be implemented keeping in line with the requirements of King 4 rules on governance, the powers handed to the executive council, the larger proportion of Super Rugby franchises available for equity partners and the geopolitical alignment of the organization according to the satisfaction of SASCOC.
Stadium Management South Africa chief executive Jacq Grobbelaar believes that the South Africa Rugby Union(Saru) and its domestic Unions are delaying transformation by holding onto tradition and thus delaying progress. Grobbelaar, who works closely with Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, adds that he believes that the football clubs professional arms are more efficiently run compared to SA rugby domestic teams. He says that SA soccer teams are bigger international brands that our rugby sides. This comes after Western Province Rugby Union also refused to leave the DHL Newlands for the Cape Town Stadium following the world showpiece. Grobbelaar reiterates that this has been the reason behind unsuccessful attempts to get some rugby unions to use the 2010 Fifa World Cup built stadiums in the country. According to Grobbelaar, another Union which turned downs an offer to move to one of the stadiums in the FNB Stadium, with plans in place, was the Golden Lions Rugby Unions. Grobbelaar believes that the slow rate of transformation in rugby unions and at Saru administrations or lack thereof is mostly contributed by the rich history that they have recorded over the years. He adds that they have a lot of sentimental attachments to their old stadiums and the same thing administratively from Saru downs to the Unions. Grobbelaar, who thanked Pirates chairman and former 2010 Fifa World Cup LOC chairperson Dr Irvin Khoza for embracing Stadium Management South Africa following the 2010 world cup, says unions and clubs need to first start embracing transformation administratively before getting into the field
Blitzbokke captain Philip Snyman believes that the experience in their team will be of great value in this season’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens series and that taking over the captaincy won’t be as difficult for him with the help of former captain Kyle Brown who is still in the team. Snyman says it will be important for his team to continue following their processes if they are to be successful in this weekend’s series opening tournament in Dubai where the Blitzbokke will play against Uganda, Scotland and USA. The 29 year old winger says they have put in a lot of work during the off-season and even though they will make some minor tweaks to their game-plan, they will still stick to the basics of the game as the foundation of their success. Snyman is clear on the team’s ambitions to win the world series and says they need to play good rugby while taking nothing for granted while sticking to the structures that brought them to within touching distance of being crowned world champions last season.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has described the 2016 season as disastrous after his side finished the year with eight defeats from their 12 matches. Coetzee though, is hopeful that the Springboks woes will turn for the good and that the current situation gives an opportunity for South African rugby to clean out all that is bad and start on a new slate. Coetzee is defiant that he will not be stepping down from his job as Springbok coach and that his contract is until 2019. He says he wants to leave with having been part of the solution to put in place a blueprint for the success of the national team. The 53 year old state that people should take away the emotions from what has transpired with the Springboks and that he won’t put blame on his players for what has happened. At the same time, Coetzee says that change is needed but the solutions mustn’t be short term.
Springboks retiring captain Adriaan Strauss says that he would like to contribute to the improvement of the Springboks and rugby in the country and believes change needs to happen from the top down and in both the boardroom and rugby field. Strauss says he accepted the Springbok captaincy expecting there to be challenges and admits that he has made many mistakes but that his decisions were always with the best for the team as a priority. Talking about the captain Coetzee has paid tribute to Adriaan saying that there could not have been a better player in South Africa to have the led the side through a turbulent and uncertain time.
Sound quality - poor but listenable.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has re-iterated his disappointment at how the Springboks season has gone this year and says it has been a difficult time for his management team and the players. At the same time he says it is the right time to face the problems that have engulfed South African rugby head on instead of short term solutions that only fix the cracks. Coetzee said the difference between his team and Wales in last night’s Test at the Principlaity Stadium in Cardiff was the experience that the hosts had and the same old mistakes that have dogged the Springboks all season long. The Springboks eventually lost the game 27-13 to finish their end-of-year tour winless for the first time in 15 years. It was the third time that South Africa lost to Wales and the worst season the Springboks have had losing eight Tests this year. Coetzee has avoided blaming his players for the lackluster performances they put on the field this year and says the biggest challenge remains the poor skills set amongst South African players and he believes that it can’t be that the Springboks must fix player skills and that these things should be happening at franchise level. The 53 year old Boks mentor says that a firm decision needs to be taken on overseas based players as well in order for progress to be made. Coetzee said that the Springboks will need to get the standards of the Springboks back to the best in the world and that everyone involved in rugby needs to establish an environment conducive for the players to produce their best when playing for the national team.
Springbok assistant coach Matthew Proudfoot says the Springboks will need to be physical but smart in their last tour Test against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. Proudfoot cited the experienced pack under the leadership of Sam Warburton while also warning against the Welsh backline who have a smart kicking game but can also play the ball out wide. With Eben Etzebeth already sent back home on Monday after not recovering sufficiently from a concussion sustained during the Test against England two weeks ago, the Springboks were struck with another injury scare to big loose forward Willem Alberts after the defeat against Italy. Proudfoot says Alberts will be given until tomorrow to prove his fitness before a decision is made whether he will play against Wales or not. Proudfoot says the Springboks need to focus on their execution especially at the breakdown and ensuring that they are able to generate quick ball in the game. Proudfoot said that the players are looking at redeeming themselves as they trained with a lot of intensity at Cardiff Arms Park yesterday.
Embattled Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says he might be making some changes to his team ahead of their final end-of-year tour Test against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday. Coetzee has come under attack for some of his team selections, which have further compounded an already bad situation after the team lost to England and then Italy this past weekend. The 53 year old says that he has tried to make as little changes as possible to the side because he was looking at building some continuity in the side. He says losing to Japan at last year’s Rugby World Cup and suffering a maiden loss to Italy on Saturday was not good enough for the Springboks and that there are plenty of issues back home in South Africa that are plaguing the game and will need to be sorted out. Aside from the obvious strong defence that the Azzuri put up against the Springboks, Coetzee lamented the many missed try scoring opportunities that his tea had that could have easily handed his side victory. Coetzee has attributed the poor decision making down to his players lack of confidence and self-belief. At the same time Coetzee also conceded that the Italians were just better than them at the breakdown and in general execution on the day.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has conceded that his team’s 20-18 loss to Italy in Florence Saturday. It was the darkest and toughest moment of his coaching career. The loss was the Springboks first to Italy which follows hot on the heels of the Springboks first loss against England in a decade last week. Coetzee’s reign as coach has been riddled with low points including a record loss to the All Blacks in Durban and a first ever loss against Ireland on home soil and against Argentina in South America. Coetzee congratulated the Italians for their performance and said that his team along with his management will need to climb out of the hole they have dug for themselves with only one more Test remaining on the tour against Wales in Cardiff next weekend. Coetzee says that players and management need to take full responsibility for the loss especially what happens on the field and also admitted that the off the field shenanigans within Saru also have an impact on what is happening in Springbok rugby.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has expressed the need for continuity in his team selections so that the team can make progress in the way they play and in their results. Coetzee has only made two changes to the team to play against Italy in Florence tomorrow with Pieter-Steph du Toit moving from flank back to lock in place of the injured Eben Etzebeth and that has opened up a place for Nizaam Carr to make his first start under Coetzee. Veteran wing Bryan Habana also makes a return to the team in place of JP Pietersen. Coetzee has made a number of changes to his bench with a strong emphasis on the impact he seeks from the likes of Trevor Nyakane, Oupa Mohoje and from Elton Jantjies. Coetzee says he needs players that will be able to break down the Italians in the last quarter of the game. Coetzee believes that keeping the same team can only help with the confidence and belief of players but it is also an opportunity for the players to redeem themselves after an unsatisfactory performance against England last week.The 53 year old coach says the high rate of individual errors accumulated to a plethora of mistakes which in the end worked in favour of England. Even though the All Blacks blew away Italy last week, Coetzee has warned against people expecting his team to do the same and he knows that Italy will be targeting the Springboks and says his team will be expecting that while there needs to be a drastic improvement in their game.
After five rounds of matches in the 2016/17 Sunfoil Series Four-Day Challenge, the Titans lead the six-team table at the top with only nine points separating them and the Lions in fifth place at halfway stage. The tournament defending champions turned around a poor start to the season with two wins by an innings in between two opening losses and a draw. Titans captain Henry Davids commends his charges for pulling things back and buying into the way they ought to play cricket going forward. The Titans opening partnership between Kuhn and former SA U19 captain Aiden Markram has been a revelation to the side especially with Dean Elgar now away with the Proteas on their tour of Australia. Davids commended Kuhn, Markram and Elgar for their monumental batting efforts that set the platform in their last two wins and a draw.The experienced Davids also sang high praises for new recruit and Titans leading Sunfoil Series wicket taker Malusi Siboto for his great bowling in the competition.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee was disappointed with his side’s 31-all draw against the Barbarians at Wembley Stadium in London yesterday. The Springboks staged a late comeback to wipe out an 11 point deficit in the last 10 minutes of the game to escape with a draw. Coetzee, though, was pleased with certain aspects of their play especially the way in which the Springboks were able to score tries but lamented the high error rate and turnover possession conceded to the Barbarians. The 53 year old coach commended the Barbarians for the manner in which they tested the Springboks especially on defence but also on attack and said that the experience that the likes of former All Black scrumhalf Andy Ellis brought to the encounter, will be of great help to the team ahead of their clash against England on Saturday. He says the demands of the match against the Barbarians is a taste of things to come on the tour where the Springboks will next face an unbeaten England team under Eddie Jones this year with Italy and Wales following thereafter. Coetzee confirmed that Jesse Kriel is struggling with a knee and ankle injury and a decision on his availability for the tour will be determined today or tomorrow while wing JP Pietersen and fullback Willie Le Roux will also be assessed this week when they join up with the rest of the squad as they are struggling from various niggling injuries.
Springbok Sevens star Seabelo Senatla has confirmed that he will now be focusing on making a name for himself in the longer version of the game after an illustrious Sevens career. Senatla says he is looking at transferring his try-scoring feats in Sevens to the 15 men game and has set his sights on making the Springbok team in the next year and beyond with the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan being his objective. Having finished last season as the top try-scorer in the series with 65 tries and being part of South Africa’s bronze medal winning side at the Rio Olympic Games, Senatla says the past season has been different and memorable because of the Olympics. Even though the Blitzbokke finished second in the series to Fiji and came agonizingly close to playing in the gold medal match at the Olympics, Senatla believes it was still a season to remember which has ended with a nomination for World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year earlier this week.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez believes that the signing of French international fullback Clement Poitrenaud will be beneficial to many of the young fullbacks within the Sharks squad and that the 34-year-old former Toulouse fullback’s experience will be of value to the Sharks Super Rugby campaign next year. The Sharks, this week, also confirmed the signings of Kobus van Wyk and Jacques Vermeulen from Western Province, Eastern Province and Junior Springbok captain Jeremy Ward, EP Kings Enoch Mnyaka and former Namibian international Johan Deysel. Du Preez says they will be focusing a lot on skills and conditioning during the pre-season training before the Christmas and New Year break and that they were bitterly disappointed by not making the semifinals of the Currie Cup. Du Preez emphasized the importance of making improvements in all areas of their game if they are to challenge for winning trophies and playing in finals rugby and he is confident that his team will make the step up come next year’s Super Rugby competition. Du Preez says the biggest challenge in the aftermath of the Saru Coaching Indaba held three weeks ago is the implementation of the ambitious plans of having a common conditioning and skills plan. Du Preez believes the devil will be in the detail of having all Super Rugby franchise coaches singing from the same hymn book but applauded the steps taken by Springbok coach Allister Coetzee and Lions defence coach JP Ferriera into his management team for the Springboks end-of-year tour currently underway.
Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit walked away with the biggest prize of his playing career when he was crowned SA Rugby Player of the Year at a gala dinner at Gallagher Estate in Midrand last night. The 24-year-old lock says the award was unexpected and is grateful to have had no injuries this year after two years of struggling with injuries. Du Toit concedes that it has been a tough year for the Springboks and commended the coaching staff for shielding the players against the growing criticism. He is confident that they can turn things around on the end-of-year tour where the Boks will play against the Barbarians and three Tests against England, Italy and Wales. Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has selected a large contingent of young players for their tour to Europe and Du Toit is hopeful that they will come together as a team and produce better results than they did in the Rugby Championship.
Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais says his team is confident and excited ahead of the Currie Cup final against the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday. Marais admits that last week he had been very nervous ahead of their semifinal against Western Province but with only Bandise Maku the only player in his team to have played in a Currie Cup final before, there is an air of expectancy amongst his players as they will play an unbeaten Cheetahs side in front of a capacity crowd in Bloemfontein. Marais says losing SA “A” lock RG Snyman to injury is a big blow to the side but that they have been fortunate to have fully utilized the squad system this season and will rely on the talents of Jason Jenkins who will start at number four. Marais believes he made the right decision not to wait on Snyman to recover and instead back the other players in the squad. The other change to the Bulls team comes on the bench where Piet van Zyl takes over as scrumhalf cover from last week’s winning try hero Ivan van Zyl. Free State Cheetahs captain Francois Venter believes they have done all that is to be done in their preparation for Saturday’s Currie Cup final and that the hype around the City of Roses, Bloemfontein, has increased their anticipation to get on the field on Saturday. The Cheetahs have been the best attacking and defensive side in the competition but Cheetahs coach Franco Smith says that defence will win them the final. Smith says they will be facing their toughest threat this season with the Bulls heavy ball carriers and he wants his team to ensure that they stand firm in their defence.
Free State Cheetahs captain Francois Venter says his team still has more work to do and beyond their ambition of just winning the Currie Cup, they are striving at doing bigger things as a team. Venter says his team strive off broken play and that they have become accustomed to playing expansive rugby but they remain wary of conceding possession to opposing teams.
Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais admits that his team is under pressure to do well when they face Western Province in the semi-finals of the Currie Cup at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Marais says that it's been seven years since the Bulls were last crowned domestic champions and that there is a belief in the current team who ironically lost to Western Province at Loftus in the semifinal last year. The former Naka Bulls assistance coach says the three week break the Bulls have had was a bit too long but they have adapted their training schedule accordingly and have prepared well for Saturday’s game. Springbok scrumhalf Rudy Paige has been passed fit to play and will start at number nine in place of the injured Piet van Zyl who also got concussed while on national duty and the Pretoria based-side coach is confident that Paige will do well and that replacement scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl will also handle himself well if given the opportunity to play. With SARU allowing for an extra player on the bench Marais is now able to utilize the talents of both loosehead props Lizo Gqoboka and Pierre Schoeman with Gqoboka getting the nod to start and Schoeman coming off the bench. Marais commended both players for the way they have played this season and says they will follow the same ploy they did in Super Rugby of using Schoeman as an impact player. Marais says he is still undecided on the split of forwards and backs on the bench and will decide tomorrow between flank Nic de Jager and wing Bjorn Basson on who will be in the match day team.
The All Blacks are one game away from equaling the 17 match unbeaten record jointly shared by New Zealand and South Africa and All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster says Saturday’s encounter against the Springboks at Growthpoint King’s Park in Durban will be a rare opportunity for them to make history. Foster says that they have been constantly reminded of the record and they are fully aware that they are two wins away from setting a new world record of 18 unbeaten matches. The All blacks assistance coach says that the Springboks “win at all cost” strategy, which saw them overcome Australia last week is the same mindset that the All Blacks have adopted. Many regarded the Springboks win as uninspiring but Foster said that the South Africans made the best out of a situation they were faced with. Foster is expecting a fast paced game against the Springboks in Durban on Saturday and believes that previous encounters on South African soil between the two teams have always been epic. Foster also refuted the notion that the Springboks are a kicking team and says their kicking stats against the Wallabies were normal for what happens in Test rugby. He believes that their win against Argentina last weekend helped them sharpen their strengthens also showed up some of their weaknesses and the All Blacks will be hoping at eliminating their moments of weakness against the Springboks and he is expecting another big set-piece battle from the Springboks in the same way that Argentina pushed them especially in the scrums.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee was a relieved man yesterday as his team broke their three game unbeaten run to emerge 18-10 winners against Australia in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter at Loftus Versfeld Saturday night. Coetzee says the win will go a long way in getting the belief back into the team and will also aid in the growth and development of the team. Even though the win was not pretty, Coetzee says any win in Test rugby is good and lauded the players for the character they showed. Coetzee would be the first to admit that his team’s performance was not up to standard and the former Stormers head coach conceded that there is still a lot of work to be done ahead of this week’s clash against the All Blacks in Durban. At the same time Coetzee was pleased with the set-piece dominance the team showed and a better performance on defence. Coetzee also debunked the myth of running rugby in Test rugby as fairytale stuff by saying that his team have shown the ability to be able to play with ball in hand and score good tries but what needs to improve is the decision making and making the most of opportunities with ball in hand. Coetzee also weighed in on Strauss’ contribution in the game not only as a leader but with the way he played in the scrums, lineouts and in general play. Coetzee praised flyhalf Morne Steyn who slotted over all of the Springboks points and said he had justified his selection along with scrumhalf Rudy Paige.
Springbok assistant coach Matthew Proudfoot refused to respond to the criticism the team and management have received since losing to Argentina, Australia and New Zealand during the Castle Lager Rugby Championship. Proudfoot says that the measure of whether he is doing his job or not is through the players and whether they are improving. He added that he will not comment on the criticism that has been targeted at the management staff mainly back-line coach Mzwandile Stick and defence coach Chean Roux with former Springbok captain Corne Krige particularly singling out Stick for the Springboks losses thus far. The 44 year old coach revealed that as a management team they hold each other accountable and take responsibility for things that do go wrong and are all looking at the ways that can best improve their respective departments within the team and the team as a whole. However, Proudfoot believes that the focus for the week should be on how they can get better as a Springbok team and impose their scrum on the Wallabies and not the other way around. Proudfoot says the team knows what is expected of them now that they have returned home and they feel the responsibility of delivering a big performance at Loftus on Saturday the 1st of of October. Proudfoot says Bok coach Allister Coetzee has set the team goals to achieve this week and the response has been good at training so far.
Former Springbok and now tournament director for the Carfind.co.za Iqhawe Week Pieter Muller has emphasized the importance of having the tournament in bridging the gap between children who come from non-traditional rugby schools and also in spreading the gospel of rugby to lesser exposed areas of the country. Muller was speaking at the launch of the Iqhawe Week which this year will take place in Johannesburg from the 2nd to the 6th of October at the Bill Jardine Stadium. Muller believes that Iqhawe Week can be the perfect development vehicle in getting more children to play rugby and progress into the mainstream provincial teams as was the case with 26 products of the programme playing in this year’s Coca Cola Grant Khomo Week. Muller says that their partnerships with their headline sponsor and the Gauteng provincial government and the City of Joburg will assist in the growth of the tournament and hopefully in getting more partnerships with other corporates and government entities. Muller says many former players are reluctant to get involved in rugby because of the many boardroom politics that stifle the growth of the game but that there are pockets of ex-players who are involved with development programmes like former Springbok and Bulls scrumhalf Norman Jordan. At the same time Muller says there is an effort from the South African Rugby Legends and Saru to get ex-players involved in various capacities through their Vuka programme.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais believes the Sanzar meeting held in Australia this past week was positive and placed a lot of consideration for the game going forward. One of the burning issues that were discussed was the Super Rugby format and allegedly talks about culling a team or two from the current format. Marais would not divulge exactly what was discussed at the meeting but said that Super Rugby coaches also had an opportunity to talk to Sanzar’s general manager for game development Lyndon Bray on their concerns from this year’s Super Rugby competition. Marais said it is important for South African coaches along with Springbok coach Allister Coetzee to have a conversation about where the game is going but he cited concerns over the individual interests of the franchises and what it is they expect from their respective coaches.
Western Province coach John Dobson was equally as frustrated with the poor performance of his team and conceded that the Kings pack of forwards was better than his. Dobson cited poor ball retention as a recurring problem for his side but did have encouraging words for the endevour they showed on attack. Dobson believes their inexperience at flyhalf is hampering them being able to control games. In the aftermath of the Eastern Province Kings 36-6 loss at the hands of Western Province in their Currie Cup encounter at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium yesterday, coach Barend Pieterse says the failure of individuals within their defensive system cost them dearly. Pieterse praised the bravery and passion shown by his team but says it is not enough to win them games.
The Springbok Sevens team returned home from Rio Olympics in Brazil with a Bronze medal after defeating Japan 54 – 14 in the Bronze-medal final in the Sevens’ tournament. SA-7s were among the favourites to win gold at the tournament. However, Blitzbokke were defeated 7-5 in a tension semi-final clash against Great Britain. SA-7s’ head coach Neil Powell, who had only three years to prepare the team for the Olympics after taking over from Paul Treu in 2013 says that his team would have loved to get a better medal.
Blitzboks captain Kyle Brown is happy with a Bronze medal his troops achieved at the Olympics. The 29 year old flanker differed with his coach and said that his team had a successful tournament.The Blitzboks will now set their sight on defending their gold medal - won at the Glasgow Commonwealth in 2014 - at the 2018 Commonwealth Games to be held in Australia. However, ahead of that the Blitzboks still have a world series to prepare for this coming December. Brown says the team need some break in order to reflect on their performances at the Olympics.
Julian Redelinghuys will earn his first starting cap for the Springboks while Teboho Mohoje, Johan Goosen and Bryan Habana make a return to the national team to face Argentina in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday. Coetzee has made a change at lock with Lood de Jager starting alongside Eben Etzebeth with Pieter-Steph du Toit dropping to the bench and Sevens star Juan de Jongh also returns to the team and will start on the bench. Coetzee says the inclusion of the France based Goosen will bring about balance in his backline especially with Goosen being right footed while the former Free State Cheetahs flyhalf can also play in a number of positions in the backline. De Jager’s elevation back into the starting line-up is because Coetzee wants the Springboks to establish physical and set-piece dominance over Argentina and that Du Toit is the perfect impact player especially when the game opens up. Coetzee says he wants to see big improvements in everything his team does. Coetzee warned of defeat if they don’t show major improvements against Argentina who Coetzee described as a powerhouse in world rugby.
Springbok centre Juan de Jongh says it is good to be back in the national team after missing out on the past four years because former coach Heyneke Meyer did not believe he was good enough. De Jongh says his focus is on getting up to speed with the national team and fighting for a place in the side. De Jongh says he has a good relationship with current Springbok coach Allister Coetzee from their days at the Stormers but that won’t mean that he will be guaranteed a place in the team and he will have to work hard for it. De Jongh has been impressed with the new faces in the team but says it is important that there are some experienced players like Bryan Habana in the team to make sure that the squad stays focused. De Jongh says he is not expecting any favours from Coetzee and regardless of how he feels about being ignored by the previous regime, De Jongh just wants to work hard for a place in the team ahead of the Springboks Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at the Mbombela Stadium this coming Saturday on the 20th of August 2016. De Jongh recently returned from the Rio Olympic Games where he was part of the national men’s Sevens team that won bronze and says that there are habits from Sevens that he will need to shake off but believes he is smart enough to be able to adjust in the short space of time.
Springbok utility back Johan Goosen says that he is willing to play in any position in the backline just as long as he gets to put on the Springbok jersey again. Goosen, who now plays for French Top 14 club Racing 92, is likely to be named at fullback ahead of Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at Mbombela Stadium, he last represented South Africa two years ago before leaving the Cheetahs for Racing in France. The 24 year old does not believe that the number on your back matters and says that he finds a lot of similarities in the duty of a flyhalf and fullback. Having started off as a flyhalf, he has played the better part of last season at outside centre and fullback for Racing 92 after the arrival of former All Black star Dan Carter. The South African born says that he is learning a lot from playing with Carter and all the other international players at Racing because of all the experience they bring.Goosen is enjoying the relaxed environment under Springbok coach Allister Coetzee and says even though there are a lot of new faces, they work very hard but also enjoy each other’s company
Free State Cheetahs coach Franco Smith says he is satisfied more with the way in which his team played and not the 43-20 win over the Blue Bulls at Toyota Stadium on Saturday. Smith says the result is just reward for the work his team have put in. Smith also praised the manner in which his team were able to keep the Bulls lethal attack from scoring tries and says they had prepared for an onslaught from the men in blue.
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann was pleased with his team’s start to their Currie Cup title defence when they hammered the Pumas 68-26 on Saturday in Johannesburg. Ackermann was reluctant to say that his team had signaled their intent but was happy that his side was able to produce good rugby as well in their first game of the season. Ackermann says it has been a challenge bringing in new faces into the team that had played in Super Rugby but believes that the hunger of the players has made the transition easy.Ackermann admits that he was concerned about the fluency in their play going into the match against the Pumas but his fears were allayed by a strong performance from his team.
Springbok eighthman Warren Whiteley says there is a difference between the Lions and Springboks and that no comparison should be made about the national team playing the same brand of rugby as the Lions did in Super Rugby. Whiteley, though, said there were similarities in how the Springboks want to play but that playing at international level was a big step up from playing provincial rugby. Whiteley has warned against taking Argentina lightly ahead of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on the 20th of August (17:05) and says that the South Americans will be tough to beat. Whiteley doesn’t think that the Jaguares Super Rugby campaign is a reflection of Argentinean rugby and says that their maiden foray into Super Rugby was typical of a team that was entering the unknown. However, Whiteley believes that Argentina will be a different beast to the Jaguares.
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says they have learnt valuable lessons from the series against Ireland in June and they will have to approach the Rugby Championship with a greater belief in their strengths and fronting up physically. At the same time Stick says Argentina will be tough to beat but they will take a lot of positives from beating them in their last two encounters.Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says they have learnt valuable lessons from the series against Ireland in June and they will have to approach the Rugby Championship with a greater belief in their strengths and fronting up physically. At the same time Stick says Argentina will be tough to beat but they will take a lot of positives from beating them in their last two encounters.
In the first two matches, the South African national U23’s team in the Rio Olympics against Brazil and Denmark and even though they lost 1-0 to the Europeans, there was still a big hope that they would turn things around against Iraq. Sadly it wasn’t to be and if anything, they were even luckier to get away with a point at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo last night. A 1-all draw is all they could get and one of the defenders on the day was Orlando Pirates new signee Abbubaker Mobara who is left counting what could’ve been. But in this short interview with SABC Sport journalist, Mobara says they missed an opportunity to make history and qualify for the Olympics knockout stage for the first time.
Springbok lock Lood de Jager says they are still hurting from last year’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship loss at the hands of Argentina in Durban. It was Argentina’s maiden win against the Springboks and their first win on South African soil. De Jager says they are focused on the 20th August 2016 opening Test at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit and then will look at the next game away in Salta. De Jager says they have used the time together wisely during their camp in Johannesburg and with the nine Lions players joining them on Thursday, it should bring about excitement within the group. De Jager has warned that Argentina will be a different team compared to the Jaguares who played in Super Rugby and that next week’s Test in Nelspruit will be a hard fought affair between the two sides. De Jager says the Springboks main aim is to win the Rugby Championship playing their own brand of rugby. Even though the Lions made the Super Rugby final, De Jager says that Test match rugby cannot be compared to Super Rugby and the Springboks won’t just produce the same brand of rugby as the Lions did.
have to concentrate on scoring goals- da gama The embarrassment of two South African football teams exiting the Rio Olympics without having scored a single goal remains a possibility if the national U23 team finish Group A’s games against Iraq at Arena Corinthians stadium in Sao Paulo on Thursday (3am SA time)] without having found the back of the net. But the SA men’s football team coach Owen Da Gama is adamant that his side can spring a surprise and the only way to do that is to attack from the word go. Following the forced withdrawal of Eric Mathoho and Lebo Mothiba due to injury and sickness respectively, the technical team has raised it’s hand by roping in two attackers who were on stand-by, Thabiso Kutumela and Andile Fikizolo. In this interview with SABC Sport journalist Velile Mbuli, Da Gama shares the importance of qualifying for the Olympics quarterfinals
Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan says they won’t be taking Argentina lightly ahead of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at Mbombela Stadium next week. Van Graan says the Argentineans are different from the team that played for the Jaguares in Super Rugby and will come into the game with a good knowledge of Springbok rugby.Van Graan says the Springboks will need to be well prepared and use all the opportunities available to them as they don’t have the same luxury of time and having the team together as the Argentineans have had this year. Van Graan said it will be important for the team to get their Rugby Championship campaign off to a good start.Van Graan believes that Argentina will test them in every facet of the game and that they have used the last week and few days as a squad to put together a plan to counter the threats Argentina will pose.Van Graan believes there are a lot of positives the national team can take from the way in which the Lions played in Super Rugby and the rest of the South African franchises as well. Furthermore, Van Graan says they have a vision of the way they want to play the game and they would have learnt lessons from their Test series against Ireland in June.With less than half of the Springbok team in training in Johannesburg at the moment,Van Graan admits that it has been disruptive not having everyone in camp but they have worked hard and with the few players that they have had.
Fiji, South Africa and New Zealand are the favourites for the gold medal in the men’s Sevens, but the SA team must first get through their group games before they can start thinking about the knockout matches. Australia round out South Africa’s Pool B and the two sides will meet at Deodora Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on the 10th of August (16:30 SA time). Blitzboks playmaker Cecil Afrika believes the players are ready for their matches.
The wait for the Blitzboks is almost over as they get their 2016 Rio Olympics campaign underway at the Deodoro Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on 9th of August. South Africa takes on Spain at 16:30 South African time before facing France later on at 21:30 (SA time). After taking part in the opening ceremony on Friday, the players have been working hard over the last few days to get ready for their pool matches, but Coach Neil Powell says for now all their attention is on their opening game.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says he is looking for marked improvements and his players pushing the boundaries during the week long training the squad are having in Johannesburg this week. Coetzee believes that they went through a lot of work last week in Stellenbosch and were able to assess players even though he didn’t have all of his squad members available to him. The 53 year old coach also revealed that the nine Lions players in the squad will join the side on Thursday the 11th of August and the overseas based players and those with the Sevens side at the Rio Olympics will assemble on Sunday. Coetzee says travelling will pose a big challenge for his side in the upcoming Castle Lager Rugby Championship especially with their return match in Argentina and then having to fly to Australia and he cited the need for combinations to be settled in the side for there to be any meaningful improvements in the way in which the Springboks play and that they have to start matches better than they did against Ireland. Building scoreboard pressure will also be another area of the game that Coetzee is hoping will improve during the Rugby Championship as the Springboks struggled to score points in the first half of their three Tests against Ireland in June.
The Rugby Sevens must leave a lasting legacy at the Rio 2016 Olympics to not only enhance the sport but also justify its inclusion. This is the wish of the World Rugby chairman, Bill Beaumont. Rugby is making a long awaited return to the Olympics since last played in Paris, France in 1924. Though South Africa sent a team of 30 athletes who participated in 25 events in seven sporting codes, rugby was not one of them. In an interview with SABC Sport journalist Alphie Koonyaditse, Bill Beaumont says he is hoping the sevens will help grow rugby all over the world.
The Blitzboks were hard at work on the training field next to the Deodoro Stadium on Thursday morning as they continue to fine tune their preparations for their opening match of the Olympic Games. The temporary stadium, which will host all the men’s and women’s rugby as well as the equestrian and sections of the modern pentathlon, is a stunning venue and the field is in tip top shape. 2015 World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Werner Kok says the team has been working hard in Rio and that they will be ready for their first game on Tuesday the 9th of August. As a sevens player Kok has travelled all over the world and played in a number of major tournaments. But he says being part of Team SA at the Olympic Games is on a different level. The Sevens team as well as the rest of Team SA will take part in the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on Friday night in the Maracana Stadium. Around 78 000 spectators are expected to witness live what is expected to be the sexiest opening ceremony in the Games history. Kok, who experienced the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in London says he expects it to be an unforgettable night.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez says nothing short of making the Currie Cup final will be good enough for his team and that they owe it to their fans and union to do well in this year’s competition. The Sharks begin their domestic competition campaign with a tough fixture against the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Friday evening. Du Preez says he wants the team to play an inspiring brand of attacking rugby but they must also have a sound defence if they are to rectify the frailties from their Super Rugby campaign. Du Preez believes that there is a lot of confidence within his squad going into the Currie Cup with most of the pack of forwards being the same as those that played in Super Rugby and that he is excited at the talent that is coming through from the backs. Keegan Daniel has again been named captain for the Sharks and Du Preez says that Daniel’s leadership and experience will be valuable to the team.Du Preez believes that the Currie Cup will be a good opportunity to expose a lot of their youngsters to top level rugby especially at fly half with competition being rife between Curwin Bosch, Innocent Radebe and Barnard Janse van Rensburg. Du Preez has warned his team against taking the Pumas lightly ahead of their season opener on Friday but says that they will also need to make a statement of intent for the remainder of the season.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has heaped praise on the Lions for reaching for the Super Rugby final against the Hurricanes this coming Saturdaythe 6th of August. Speaking from the Rehab Clinic in Stellenbosch, where Coetzee has invited 18 players, the Springbok mentor says it’s an important achievement for South African rugby and he is hoping they can now go all the way, and says it will be a massive boost for the Springbok campaign. Coetzee says that the key element for the Lions this season has been their confidence and decision-making. He says while it may be different at test level, he hopes to encourage that smart decision-making in the Springbok squad, and hopes that their confidence will rub off on the rest of the squad
Ackermann said that his team's route to the final was rewarding after beating New Zealand teams the Crusaders and Highlanders in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, after both teams had beaten them during the round robin stages of the competition. Lions coach Johan Ackermann commended his team on a good defensive effort throughout the game especially when they try-line was under siege but gave credit to the Highlanders for the tries they managed to score. The Lions defeated reigning champions Highlanders 42-30 in the Super Rugby semi-final at Emirates Airline Park on the 30th of July.Ackermann also acknowledged the magnitude of travelling to New Zealand to play in a Super Rugby final but said they took a lot of heart from the Highlanders reminding them that they won last year’s final against the Hurricanes in Wellington.
Highlanders captain Ben Smith says the rigorous traveling schedule his team have embarked on in the past four weeks will have no impact on their performance in Saturday’s Super Rugby semi-final against the Lions. Smith says that there is an air of excitement within the Highlanders players and they are looking forward to playing against the Lions. Highlanders assistant coach Tony Brown says the loss of Lions captain Warren Whiteley through injury will be a big blow for the Johannesburg based franchise but doubts that it will weaken the side as there are enough quality loose forwards at the Lions. Brown says they have opted for a bench with more forwards than backs because they could not do without the exploits of replacement loose forwards Liam Squire and Dan Pryor and it is a ploy that worked well for them during last year’s play-offs.
Lions wing Courtnall Skosan says the success of the Lions so far has been their unity and lessons they have learnt over the past three years rectifying their weaknesses and building on their strengths. After being relegated out of Super Rugby three years ago, the Lions now find themselves hosting a Super Rugby semi-final against defending champions the Highlanders at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday on the 30th of July 2016. Skosan who has been one of the Lions form players this season says they have a lot of confidence in themselves as individuals and as a team because of the road they have walked together and a firm understanding of their roles in the team. The Lions have been South Africa’s best team in this year’s Super Rugby competition but Skosan says they haven’t felt the pressure and instead of looking too far ahead, they have been focused on taking each week as it comes along with the good fortune of results. Skosan is one of the leading try scorers in the Lions team, along with teammates Lionel Mapoe and Rohan Janse van Rensburg, with nine tries so far this season and his attributes his rich vein of form to his enjoyment of the game. Skosan says every week will be important for them in their quest for glory and that he continues to seek improvements in his game ahead of the game against the Highlanders on Saturday the 30th of July 2016. Skosan emphasized the need for every player within the Lions team to stick to their roles on Saturday as they face a Highlanders team that is littered with stars and says the eventual winners will come from the team that wants victory the most. Skosan has praised the influence the Lions Springboks have had on the team since the June international break and says that they have been an inspiration to the other players around them and given them hope that a call up to higher honours may not be too far off. Skosan says they will need to be well prepared for whatever eventuality when they face the Highlanders who are an unpredictable outfit and that they learnt valuable lessons from their loss to the defending champions earlier in the season.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck conceded that the Chiefs blew them away and had all but killed the contest by the half-time interval as the Cape Town based side were handed a 60-21 thrashing by the New Zealanders in their Super Rugby quarterfinal encounter at Newlands on Saturday night the 23rd of July 2016. Fleck says that it will give them a taste of what to expect next year when they play against the New Zealand teams as opposed to this year when they only played against the Australian conference. Stormers captain Schalk Burger concurred with Fleck that they could not keep up with the tempo and intensity the Chiefs brought on the day but that the gap between South African and New Zealand teams can be closed as long as South African franchises continue to play against their New Zealand counterparts on a regular basis and he believes that the Stormers can play the kind of rugby that the Chiefs and other New Zealand teams play and says it was evident but only in glimpses during Saturday’s game. Fleck wished the Lions luck in their upcoming semi-final against the Highlanders in Johannesburg next weekend and believes that the Johannesburg based franchise proves that South African teams can play and even beat New Zealand teams with the running game.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck says that the addition of Robert du Preez to the starting line-up at flyhalf is a big call. But it is the experience that Du Preez brings that sees him getting the nod to face the Chiefs in the Super Rugby quarterfinal clash at Newlands stadium in Cape Town on Saturday the 23rd of July 2016. Keeping with continuity, Fleck has also decided to start with Vincent Koch ahead of the fit again Frans Malherbe. Stormers captain Schalk Burger believes that Chiefs will bring about more intensity and aggression to their play as opposed to the Australian teams that the Stormers have faced this season. Burger says there is a belief in his team that they can beat the Chiefs but they also realize that a tough challenge awaits them against a team they have struggled to beat in the past three years.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck has confirmed the return to fitness of Springboks Frans Malherbe, Nizaam Carr and also Dan du Plessis and Ollie Kebble and that they will all be available for selection ahead of the Stormers Super Rugby quarterfinal against the Chiefs at Newlands on Saturday. However, flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis has been ruled out for the weekend and Fleck said that they were still waiting for the results from the scan to determine for how long Du Plessis would be out of action for. The return of many players has left Fleck with a pleasant selection headache as he is now spoilt for choice in many positions. Fleck says that they will not deviate from their adventurous style of play going into the quarterfinals and instead they are going to continue with their fearless and pragmatic approach, which he believes has served them well this year.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais says there are a lot of positives to take from his first season in charge of the former Super Rugby champions and that they will need to be better next year when they play against the stronger New Zealand conference. Marais says he is disappointed with the missed bonus points during the course of the season as they came two points short of making the play-offs. Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss says they are happy with their 43-17 win against the Cheetahs at Free State stadium in Bloemfontein yesterday, in their final Super Rugby outing of the season but bitterly disappointed that they missed out on a place in the play-offs. Strauss says that there was plenty to build on for next season though.
Sharks director Gary Gold was disappointed by his team’s performance on their way to recording a 40-29 win over the Sunwolves at the Kings Park stadium on Friday the 15th of July to secure them a place in next week’s Super Rugby quarterfinals. Gold lamented the numerous errors and penalties that has dogged their game for a couple of weeks now and disagreed that his team’s performance on Friday night mirrored how they have played the entire season and said that it was a tricky outing against a Sunwolves team that wouldn’t go away. Gold disagreed that his team’s performance on Friday night mirrored how they have played the entire season and said that it was a tricky outing against a Sunwolves team that wouldn’t go away.
Cheetahs coach Franco Smith says that the loss of captain Francois Venter to concussion is a big loss to the side but believes that it will give Venter some time to rest his body ahead of the Currie Cup season. Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje will take over the captaincy of the team and Smith believes that both them and the Bulls will be using Saturday’s Super Rugby clash in Bloemfontein as preparation for their upcoming Currie Cup campaigns.Smith has made a few changes to his team that lost to the Sharks last week with Charles Marais replacing Ox Nche at prop and Armandt Koster comes in for Carl Wegner at lock and in the backs Venter is replaced by William Small-Smith. Smith says it is important for him to afford all of his players an opportunity to play ahead of the Currie Cup season and he wants them to maintain the same standard of play as well.
Alexander says that the Currie Cup remains the flagship competition of SARU and that the healthiness of it will be revealed when the tournament kicks off at the beginning of next month.
Alexander also weighed in on the controversial debate about SARU not being able to host major international events until they satisfy the minister of sport Fikile Mbalula’s Eminent People’s Group that they have met all of their transformation targets. Alexander says that SARU are getting their house in order and that the sport enjoys the support of the minister even though the announcement did a lot of damage to them both locally and internationally.
South African Rugby Union deputy president Mark Alexander revealed that his organization will be following in the footsteps of Fifa in the way in which they procure sponsorship for all of their entities. Alexander says the time has come for Saru to focus on getting a group of sponsors instead of targeting one major sponsor for their competitions and much of that has been forced by the difficult economic climate with many companies not able to afford the exorbitant sponsorship price tags for competitions. Alexander was speaking at the launch of business solutions company Nashua being named as one of the sponsors for the Currie Cup competition at their offices in Woodmead, Johannesburg this yesterday on the 13 of July 201. Alexander said that there are two more sponsors that will come onboard with the Currie Cup competition but that there will be no headline sponsor for the tournament.
Cheetahs Super Rugby coach Franco Smith believes that the South African franchises that make it into the competition’s play-offs will do well and progress far as they seem to play with a lot more passion than the New Zealand and Australian teams in knockout rugby. Smith also believes that the Lions brand of rugby is the way all South African teams should be playing and it will likely bring as much success as the New Zealand teams have enjoyed in Super Rugby. Smith says that it is crucial for the Cheetahs to remain part of Super Rugby as they are the nursery of South African rugby and have been the provider of many Super Rugby and Springbok players over the years. Even though the furthest the Cheetahs have gone in Super Rugby is making the play-offs in 2013, Smith says they are the one franchise that gives young players the opportunity and exposure to Super Rugby and they are an important cog in the competition.
A bitterly disappointed Cheetahs coach Franco Smith says his team didn’t capitalize enough on the opportunities created especially in the first half of their match against the Sharks last night. Smith admitted that his team struggled to adapt to the rainy and humid conditions on the day which is something that haunted them in Singapore and on their tour of Australia. Smith also said that the Sharks were probably hungrier than them especially with their place in the play-offs on the line but that it was the Cheetahs that lost the game rather than the Sharks winning it.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has admitted that he faces some difficult decisions in the next few days ahead of his team’s trip to Argentina to face the Jaguares. Having already been crowned South African conference champions after their 57-21 win against the Southern Kings, Ackermann now has to decide the make-up of his personnel going to Buenos Aires and whether to rest key players and run the risk of losing top spot on the log. Ackermann says he has spoken to the Bulls who recently travelled to Argentina and says he is still undecided on what exactly to expect from the trip as the Sharks struggled to adapt upon their return from Buenos Aires. Ackermann’s fears are born out of his team having to play in a quarterfinal at home the week after their return from South America and the concern is whether it is worth risking one game to the detriment of their play-off match a week later.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais was pleased that his side finally got back to winning ways when they beat the Sunwolves 50-3 after suffering two successive loses. The win means that the Bulls still stay in contention for a play-off spot but it depends on how the Sharks will fare against the Sunwolves next weekend in Durban. If the Sharks beat the Sunwolves then the Bulls will miss out on the play-offs regardless of what happens in their game against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. Even though the race to the play-offs is out of their hands, Marais says his team will still target beating the Cheetahs next week. Marais commended his team for the manner in which they lifted themselves and played good rugby in thrashing the Sunwolves at Loftus Versfeld Suturday the 9th of July 2016.
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold says he is disappointed with his team’s performance in their 26-10 win against the Cheetahs in Durban last night and that their errors and ill-discipline kept the Cheetahs in the game. At the same time Gold he was happy for the players and the character they showed in overcoming the injury disruptions and loss against the Lions a week earlier. Gold said that victory against the Cheetahs was significant for his team’s play-off ambitions as it ensured that their fate is firmly in their hands. The Sharks now only have to beat the Sunwolves next weekend in Durban to secure their place in the quarterfinals.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais has been forced to make a handful of changes to his team to play against the Sunwolves in their Vodacom Super Rugby encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday the 9th of July 2016. Prop Pierre Schoeman will start in place of the injured Lizo Gqoboka and former Springbok prop Werner Kruger gets a rare start at tight head prop ahead of Marcel van der Merwe who drops to the bench. Captain Adriaan Strauss makes a return to the team after being rested for last weekend’s match against the Jaguares with Bandise Maku being given time off for family responsibility leave. The injured Roelof Smit will be replaced by Jannes Kirsten at flank and Namibia captain Renaldo Bothma will make his first start for the Bulls at number eight. Marais says there will be extra motivation within his team to ensure that they win in order to keep their chances of making the play-offs alive and also for a winning send-off to Werner Kruger, Lappies Labuschagne, Marcel van der Merwe and Grant Hattingh who will all be leaving the Bulls at the end of the Super Rugby season. The Bulls confirmed the signing of Springbok lock and reigning SA Player of the Year Lood de Jager from the Cheetahs on Tuesday the 5th of July 2016. De Jager will be joining the Bulls at the end of the year on a one year deal and Marais says having De Jager will add a lot of value and experience to his youthful team.
Lions stand-in captain Jaco Kriel admits that his side took the foot off the pedal after the hour mark and says they will need to work hard on finishing off teams when they have them against the ropes. The Lions won 37-10 to cement their lead at the top of the South African Group and the head coach Johan Ackermann indicated that he wants his team to keep their feet on the ground and not lose focus of the task that lies ahead.
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold lamented his team’s poor performance especially in the first half and also gave credit to the Lions for feeding off their mistakes.Gold says their error rate was too high and that they conceded silly mistakes and that is what eventually cost them the game at the end.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says that it was important for his team to beat the Sharks in their Vodacom Super Rugby encounter played at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday the 2nd of July 2016 in order to secure them a place in the play-offs. The Lions won 37-10 to cement their lead at the top of the South African Group. Ackermann, though, wants his team to keep their feet on the ground and not lose focus of the task that lies ahead. The Lions now have more points than any other team in the competition and if they continue on their winning ways they could secure themselves a home semi-final. The 46 year old coach says that he will need to apply his mind on how his team will approach their remaining fixtures with consideration to managing players while also wanting to finish on top.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says that the elevation of Ruan Combrinck to the starting line-up ahead of Lwazi Mvovo is a tactical change with the team needing a right footed kicker. Combrinck got man-of-the-match in his debut Test last week against Ireland and scored a try and is one of two changes to the team with Warren Whiteley replacing the injured Duane Vermeulen at number eight. Coetzee utters that he is happy with the manner in which the team responded at training and their attitude and not changing the team is a vote of confidence in them and he has acknowledged that Vermeulen and Whiteley are different players and bring different attributes to the team but believes that Whiteley will make a contribution in the running game as was the case last week when he scored off the bench. At the same time Coetzee is loking to Whiteley to assist with the leadership role within the team and says that Saturday will be an opportunity for Whiteley to stake his place in the team.
Springbok prop Tendai Mtawarira says that the team is still a work in progress and will get better in time. The most capped Springbok amongst the current group believes that valuable lessons have been learnt by the team in the past two Tests of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Ireland and that they are ready to deliver their best performance at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday in the series deciding Test. Mtawarira also said that there has been plenty of focus on eliminating the many errors that have hampered their progress in the last Two Tests that Mtawarira believes has stunted their momentum in the game and again assured Springbok followers that it is a thing of the past. Mtawarira also said that there has been plenty of focus on eliminating the many errors that have hampered their progress in the last Two Tests. It is the many errors that Mtawarira believes has stunted their momentum in the game and again assured Springbok followers that it is a thing of the past. With one win already under their belt, Beast is expecting the Irish to again come up with a few more tricks in their ambition to win their first series on South African soil.
Ireland lock Devin Toner revealed that his team is still hurting from their 32-26 loss at the hands of the Springboks in their second Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series in Johannesburg last weekend. Toner said that they were still going through the post mortem of the game but understand that they should not have lost the game from such a commanding position.The availability of South African-born flank Christiaan Johan Stander to play in the final Test in Port Elizabeth on the 25th of June 2016 (Saturday) is a huge plus for Ireland Toner said today. Stander has completed his one week suspension after receiving a red card in the first Test at Newlands for a collision which left Springbok flyhalf concussed and ruled out for the remainder of the series. Stander is likely to start for the Irish and Toner says the former Bulls player has proven his worth for the Irish. Toner says the Irish will be using a piece of history as motivation ahead of the final Test of the series but warned against it clouding the enormity of the task at hand and it being a deterrent in them winning their first series on South African soil.
Gauteng Cricket president Thabang Moroe has confidently backed newly appointed Gauteng Strikers Provincial team coach Sandile Masengemi ahead of the start of the 2016/17 seasons. After a successful last five years in charge of the Gauteng U19’s and Academy team, Masengemi has take over from Enoch Nkwe. Moroe, who played cricket with the incumbent coach growing up, commends Masengemi’s appointment saying that they could not ignore his coaching track record...
Lions head coach Geoffrey Toyana echoed Moroe’s words on Masangemi’s appointment. Toyana emphasizes that he has no doubts that the 32-year-old will succeed with the solid support staff he has around him. Toyana says he believes that Gauteng cricket have followed the necessary measures and hit two birds with one stone in the process....
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee praised his team’s resilience and character as they came back from a 19-3 half-time deficiet to finish 32-26 winners in their second Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Ireland at the Emirates Airline Park on Saturday 18 June 2016. Coetzee says his team were tactically better and carried the ball well in the second half after another shocking first half display of rugby. Even though certain players did not play well again,the 53 year old coach says that he will not disregard them going forward and that the win belonged to all 23 players that were in the match day team.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has sent out a warning to his players to make amends from last weekend’s poor performance or suffer the consequences. At the same time Coetzee said it would not be fair to judge his players by their performance in one game and is hopeful that they will be able to redeem themselves in Saturday’s second Castle Lager Incoming Series Test against Ireland at Emirates Airline Park. Coetzee has made two changes to his starting line-up with lock Pieter-Steph du Toit coming in the injured Lood de Jager and Elton Jantjies in place of the injured Pat Lambie. On the bench Franco Mostert comes in for a potential debut and so does his Lions teammate Ruan Combrink and veteran flyhalf Morne Steyn. Coetzee says he has largely kept to the same team because he believes in their ability to perform to their potential and that they have worked hard during the week and will have to focus on their basics. Coetzee says he has largely kept to the same team because he believes in their ability to perform to their potential and that they have worked hard during the week and will have to focus on their basics and he is not bothered about Ireland and the fact that they would be chasing the series win in Johannesburg and said the only focus for him will be how the Springboks play.
Springbok centre Damian de Allende says the team is desperate to make amends after losing their first Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Ireland. De Allende says they will be using the loss at Newlands as motivation ahead of the second Test to be played at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
Springbok backline coach Mzwandile Stick says it puts a smile on his face to see the Springboks score a try like the one scored by Lwazi Mvovo in the 20-26 loss to Ireland at Newlands last weekend. Stick believes that he is creating an environment among the Springboks backs for them to play with freedom that will see them execute their training ground plans in the game.
Springbok team doctor Konrad von Hagen has confirmed that flyhalf Patrick Lambie suffered a concussion and has been ruled out of the second Test against Ireland at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday the 18th of June 2016. Lambie was stretched off in the yesterday’s 20-26 loss to Ireland at Newlands after colliding with South African born flank CJ Stander who received a red card for the incident. Von Hagen said that Lambie should be available for the third Test which will be played on the 25th of June 2016, in Port Elizabeth, if all goes well with his recovery.
Springbok loose forward Warren Whiteley says that the disappointment of the loss still weighs heavily in the team the day afterwards but has urged his teammates to make a huge step up at training this coming week in Johannesburg. The 28 year old Durban born admits that the Springboks created enough try-scoring opportunities but failed to convert them into points and that they will also need to work hard on running straight instead of laterally. Whitely adds that the players have accepted full responsibility for the loss and letting down coach Allister Coetzee and it will be up to them to rectify what went wrong at Newlands. South African National Rugby team will play against Ireland on their second test Saturday, June 18 2016 ,17:00 at Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says he is disappointed with his team’s performance and result in their 20-26 loss in their opening Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Ireland at Newlands Saturday the 11th of June 2016. It was Coetzee’s first Test in charge of the Springboks and at the same time Ireland’s first win on South African soil. Coetzee admits that it was not an ideal start to his tenure and that they would need to fix things ahead of the second Test in Johannesburg. Coetzee lamented his side’s lack of discipline especially in the first half and says their ill-fated performance was further compounded by the mistakes they made and his team will quickly need to heed the lessons from the loss against Ireland and at the same time commended the northern hemisphere teams for having caught up with their southern hemisphere counterparts.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said that it was tough selecting his team to play against the Springboks in their opening Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series because of the many injuries to their frontline players. Schmidt also admitted that there are a lot of fatigued bodies in his squad after a long season and most of the players having participated in their domestic Pro12 final just two weekends ago. The 50 year old New Zealand bor coach does not believe that the Springboks will be vulnerable even though they are starting a new era under Allister Coetzee and instead believes that Coetzee’s vast international coaching experience will be an advantage for the home side.
Vermeulen says that the new players in the national team have an opportunity at becoming leaders within the squad and is hopeful that they will bring the same energy and form they have shown during Super Rugby. Vermeulen is in a battle for the number eight jersey with Lions captain Warren Whiteley but says he will support whoever gets selected to start for the Springboks on Saturday's Test the 11th of June 2016 against Ireland at Newlands. Vermeulen says it is important that the Springboks focus on getting their structure right and not worry themselves about strength of the Irish team.
Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan says everything they are doing this week in the Springbok camp is towards making sure they win the first Test of the Castle Lager Incoming series against Ireland at Newlands on Saturday. Van Graan says there has been a lift in intensity since the team gathered in Cape Town this week and believes that they will need to work more on their set-piece play this week. Van Graan was speaking at yesterday’s media briefing at the Cape Town Stadium after the team’s training session.
Springbok team doctor Konrad von Hagen says that flyhalf Elton Jantjies and lock Pieter-Steph du Toit are looking good at being available for selection later this week in the lead up to the Springboks first Test against Ireland in the Castle Lager Incoming series. Du Toit was suffering from a torn hamstring while Jantjies dislocated his middle finger during Super Rugby two weeks ago. Springbok captain Adriaan Strauss is grateful for the helping hand that overseas based players Duane Vermeulen and Francois Louw have given him ahead of the Test against Ireland. Strauss says the duo have gotten their hands dirty since arriving in the Springbok camp on Sunday.
Springbok captain Adriaan Strauss is grateful for the helping hand that overseas based players Duane Vermeulen and Francois Louw have given him ahead of the Test against Ireland. Strauss says the duo have gotten their hands dirty since arriving in the Springbok camp on Sunday the 5th of June 2016 and the team would up the ante this week and tighten up on the detail of their game ahead of the encounter against Ireland. Even though pleased with last week’s effort, Strauss says that the time has come for the team to focus on the finer detail that will earn them their first win under the mentorship of Allister Coetzee.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says that he is satisfied and pleased with the efforts of his squad after a week of training in Stellenbosch and believes that the national squad achieved their objectives ahead of getting back together next week in preparation for the first Test against Ireland in Cape Town. Coetzee has warned that Ireland will by no means be a weakened side because of the withdrawal due to injury of players like Jonathan Sexton and says that they still have a lot of experience within their squad and also said that he has not yet decided on his starting team and will consider which players will make up his first Test side over the weekend and also give a chance to the overseas based players who join the squad tomorrow in Cape Town. The 53 year old coach revealed that four players would be released from the Springbok squad on Tuesday to join the SA A squad who will be playing against the England Saxons on Friday in Bloemfontein.
Stormers hooker Scarra Ntubeni is hoping that he’s one step closer to finally making his Springbok debut in the upcoming home series against Ireland that stars in just over a week’s time. The 25 year old was first included in a Springbok squad in October 2013, but has yet to get on the field in the Green, says he hopes to get his chance this time around. The Stormers hooker says he is very happy for new coach Allister Coetzee, who he previously worked with at the Stormers. He says he sets very high standards and now it’s up to the team to play their role and live up to them. Ntubeni says it’s been a difficult few years, as he struggled with momentum, picking up injuries regularly. But he has learnt to manage his body and that has really helped this year where he’s remained relatively injury-free.
Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula says that the sponsorship by Telkom of the South African Olympic team will hopefully encourage the country’s top athletes to do well at the upcoming Rio Olympic Games as they have already proven during the course of this year with their strong performances in various sporting codes. Telkom announced a sponsorship of R8million towards Team South Africa with half of the amount said to be going towards incentives for those athletes who medal and break world records in Rio. The multimillion rand sponsorship was announced at Telkom’s offices in Centurion Wednesday the 1st of June 2016. Mbalula said that Team South Africa must aim to do better than they did in London and is hopeful that the 10 medals set by Sascoc is realistic
Springbok and Sharks prop Tendai ’The Beast’ Mtawarira says that he is very excited about this new era of the Boks. He says that with all the new players coming in there is a lot of enthusiasm at the camp in Stellenbosch, as the team prepare for the three match series against Ireland starting on the 11th of June.
Springbok lock Pieter-Steph Du Toit will miss at least the first test against Ireland with a hamstring tear and has been replaced by Francois Mostert. Springbok assistant coach Johann Van Graan says it’s very unfortunate for Du Toit and a great setback for the team. However he says he is pleased for Mostert, who he previously worked with at the Bulls, and he believes Mostert will do a great job if selected.
Hooker Adriaan Strauss was announced yesterday by Springbok coach Allister Coetzee as the 57th man to captain South Africa in the upcoming test series against Ireland. Coetzee says that Strauss was the right man for the job, and he is confident in his choice. Coetzee says the decision to appoint Strauss was not a difficult one to make and he will be working with a strong leadership group that includes four Super rugby captains. Coetzee says it was important to announce the leader yesterday before the first session, as it is key for the Springboks to have a leader when training. The former Stormers coach says he had wanted to wake up and tell Strauss at 6am but managed to wait until he was up an hour later
Adriaan Strauss says that this is a massive moment in his career and he’s excited for the challenge. The new captain says his teammates have made him feel welcome in the new role and he hopes to do the country proud. As a leader the 30 year old says that he leads from the heart and knows that he will make mistakes but will remain true to himself and put the team first. Strauss says on hearing the news the first thing he did was to call his wife and daughter and then his mother to share the news and they were very excited and happy for him.
Alliester Coetzee’s Springbok squad and the A side have a large proportion of black African players, the new South African national rugby team coach included 12 black players in a 31-man squad that includes nine uncapped players for a three-Test home series against Ireland in June 2006. The 53 year old coach has come out in defence of the players saying that they are not there because of the colour of their skin but instead have shown the talent and ability to play at a higher level through their performances in Super Rugby. Coetzee says the opportunities handed to Southern Kings scrumhalf Ntando Kebe and utility back Lukhanyo Am are just reward for how they have played.
The inclusion of Sharks flyhalf Garth April would have raised a few eyebrows but Allister Coetzee says that he was impressed with the composure, maturity and ability April showed after being thrown into the deep end in Super Rugby. The South African national rugby team coach says that, there is a need to give young talented players opportunity to gain experience at international level and he has been humbled by the passion the players have shown towards representing their country. Coetzee also expressed his gratitude towards the Super Rugby franchise coaches for their support. He believes that many, if not all, players involved in Super Rugby aspire to play for the Springboks .
Springbok head coach Allister Coetzee says that he will only announce his captain for the series next week, in the build-up to the first Test against Ireland in Cape Town and the Port Elizabeth born emphasized that the leader of the team needs to understand his philosophy and must be preferably based in South Africa. South Africa will play against Ireland in Cape Town on the 11th of June 2016, Johannesburg on the 18th June and in Port Elizabeth June 25 of the very same year.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says that it was not easy to select his first Springbok squad to play in the three Test Inbound Castle Lager series against Ireland but it was done with a huge focus on rewarding players for the good form they have shown in Super Rugby. Coetzee selected a few experienced players with only three overseas based players in Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw and Steven Kitshoff and he made it clear that preference will be given to players that are playing in South Africa and it will only be in exceptional cases that he will look abroad when selecting future Springbok squads. The 53 year old said that there are players who were not considered for selection to the Springbok squad because of the focus on the Blitzbokke team ahead of the Rio Olympic Games. Players like Juan de Jongh, Bryan Habana and Cheslin Kolbe are amongst the players that Coetzee would have considered
Bulls coach Nollis Marais has made only one change to his starting line-up and another on the bench ahead of his team’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday,the 28th of may 2016. Marais says he wants to stick to the team that played well against the Stormers last week Saturday on the 21st of may 2016 and it is just reward for the players as well. Strauss says his team will need to get more ball in hand in order to play in the right areas of the field. Marais said that there will be no need to motivate his players ahead of another derby but wants them to again deliver another good performance and this time they must compliment their defence with an attacking game.
Blitzbokke speedster Seabelo Senatla says that his team would love to bring the curtain down on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series with a win in the final tournament in London this weekend. Senatla, who has played in every tournament this season says it is important for the team to finish on a high and keep the momentum going ahead of the Rio Olympic Games in August. The Blitzbokke will play against Canada, USA and Samoa in Pool A at Twickenham tomorrow 21 May 2016. Senatla believes his team deserves more reward for the effort they have put in this season but concedes that it is errors in crucial games that have let them down and denied them winning more than one tournament.
Blitzbokke flier Rosko Specman admits to having been a bit nervous about his place in the team after sitting out the last two tournaments in Singapore and Hong Kong but says he remained positive that he would get another opportunity to play before the final squad for the Rio Olympics is announced. Specman is hopeful that he can get back in the same form that made him one of the players to watch on the circuit but says that his personal goals don’t supersede the aspirations of the team to do well in Paris and London.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says the bye weekend for his team in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition gave his management team and players alike time to reflect on their defeat against the Hurricanes two weeks ago and an opportunity to come back and want to make amends when they play against the Blues tomorrow, 15 May 2016, 19:15 at Emirates Airline Park. Ackermann lamented on the fact that his team also let go off the points difference they enjoyed over the Sharks in the Africa Conference and says that they have spent this week working on the weaknesses that cost them the game against the Hurricanes and he has called for his team to up the intensity and be more accurate going forward.
Blitzbokke star Kwagga Smith says that the team must take it step by step in their build up towards the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and that it all starts in their first game against England in the Paris leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.Smith says the road to Rio has already begun for the Blitzbokke and that they will be using the last two tournaments of the series in Paris and London to work on getting their processes right before focusing on Rio.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell says that the team he chose for this weekend’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series leg in Paris best suits the system his team want to play, Francois Hougaard, Rosko Specman, Philip Snyman and Dylan Sage have replaced Branco du Preez, Siviwe Soyizwaphi, Chris Dry and Stephan Dippenaar. South Africa are in the same pool as England, Australia and Brazil and will kick-off the tournament with the match against England on Friday the 13th of May 2016. The Blitzbokke are lying in second spot on the log behind Fiji and are two points ahead of third placed New Zealand.
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold admitted that he was impressed with the good performance put in by his team in their 32-15 win over the Hurricanes in their Vodacom Super Rugby match played at Growthpoint King’s Park on Saturday, 07 May 2016. Gold was particularly pleased with the rugby his team played with ball in hand and how they managed the game as well. Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd believes the Sharks were hungry for victory after a string of bad results and also thinks their curse of not having won in Durban since 2004 made it difficult for them tin believing they could win.
The Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold says the plan was always to rest Beast in last week’s game against the Chiefs and that the return of Lambie and a start for Keegan Daniel will help beef up the leadership of the team. Gold says he disappointed that his team managed to win one out of two games on tour but is pleased with the character the team showed especially in their win against the defending champions the Highlanders in Dunedin. Gold believes that they are moving in the right direction as a team. Gold says his team is under no pressure to do well in the South African group and that the only pressure they are under is to do well at home.
Lions coach Johann Ackermann conceded that he was forced to make changes to his team because of injuries more notable that to Andries Coetzee who rolled his ankle at training this week. Jaco van der Walt will start at fullback while JW Bell is set to make his Super Rugby debut if called off the bench in the Lions Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday the 23rd of April 2016. Ackermann revealed that Coetzee is likely to return to action at the beginning of July while hooker Malcolm Marx and prop Julian Redelinghuys are also going to be on the sidelines for another week or two.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell says his team’s third place finish and knocking out New Zealand in the quarterfinals at the Singapore leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series helped elevate his team back to second place on the overall series standings. Powell has urged his team to keep on believing in their system and the results will eventually come. The last time the Blitzbokke won a tournament was in December in their home tournament in Cape Town. However, Powell says he is pleased with the manner in which his team have been playing.
Blitzbokke captain Kyle Brown says that the humid and hot conditions in Singapore will present a different challenge for all teams ahead of this weekend’s HSBC World Rugby Seven Series, which starts tomorrow the 16th of April 2016 at the Singapore National Stadium. Brown is hoping his team will draw on the experience of previous South African teams that have played at Sevens tournaments in Singapore. The Cape Town born stressed that he is frustrated with his team’s inability to get into finals lately but says he was extremely proud of the effort and attitude of his teammates in their loss to New Zealand in Hong Kong
South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins says all South African Super Rugby franchises should learn from the Stormers and how they have embraced transformation without dropping their standards. Hoskins has attributed the transformation in the Stormers team to the hard work done by Springboks coach Allister Coetzee when he coached the Cape Town team and says that they will not be going back on their goal of transforming rugby.
Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula says the appointment of Allister Coetzee and Mzwandile Stick is a historic moment for the Eastern Cape and Port Elizabeth with both men coming from there, and that it should give hope to the growth of black rugby. Mbalula also said that Stick was not done a favour by his appointment and has proven his abilities as a player and a coach.
Allister Coetzee was unveiled today as Heyneke Meyer’s successor and will be at the helm of the Springboks until the 2019 Rugby World Cup.The coach says he is ready to serve the national men’s rugby team and that he is an ordinary man that wants the best for the sport in the country. Coetzee says the most important goal of his tenure as Springbok coach will be to win Test matches starting from the Castle Lager inbound tour against Ireland starting in June 2016.Former Springbok Sevens captain and now Southern Kings back-line coach Mzwandile Stick has been appointed back-line coach for the Springboks and Coetzee has justified the selection of Stick as his assistant saying that Stick will grow into the job like any other coach has over the years.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell commends his team for the fighting spirit they showed after losing their opening pool match against England to finish in third place at the Hong Kong leg of the HSBC World Rugby Seven Series over the weekend. The Blitzbokke lost in the second half of extra time in the semi-final match against New Zealand and managed to beat Australia 14-12 in the third\fourth place play-off yesterday the 10th of April 2016. Powell believes that his team will be stronger and is expecting them to do better in Singapore this weekend.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann felt that his team’s tactical superiority and defence were the main contributors to their 24-9 win against the Sharks at Growthpoint King’s Park last night, Saturday, 09 April 2016. Ackermann though was not entirely happy with the manner in which his team, at times, released the foot off the pedal but all in all, he was pleased with the win. Meanwhile, Sharks director of rugby says his team intended to play good rugby but conceded that they lost to a better side that shut them out. Gold was still disappointed with the result which was the Sharks second consecutive loss in the competition and at home. The Sharks leave for New Zealand today on a two match tour that will see them play against the Highlanders and Chiefs
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell says he is very disappointed with his team after they lost their opening match of the Hong Kong leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series this afternoon. The Blitzbokke were beaten 21-14 by England who scored two tries in succession in the first half before Seabelo Senatla scored his 45th try of the season just before half-time. Powell has acknowledged that it will be a massive test of character for his team to make the cup quarterfinals as they will need to beat both Russia and Scotland to secure their place in the knockout stages of the cup competition. The Blitzbokke play Russia tomorrow at 7.54am (SA time) and Scotland at 11.54am (SA time) at the Hong Kong Stadium.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell says that his team must not make the Hong Kong leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series bigger than it is, and should only focus on getting the results. Powell believes that his team have grown immensely from the past six tournaments and says they will be using the remaining four to build on their structure and game-plan heading to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Blitzbokke star Philip Snyman will become the ninth South African to play in 35 tournaments on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series when he participates at the Hong Kong leg of the series this weekend, 9-10 April. Snyman joins Fabian Juries, Marius Schoeman, Kyle Brown, Frankie Horn, Mzwandile Stick, Chris Dry, Cecil Afrika and Branco du Preez. Snyman says he is looking forward to the moment and wants to share it with his team-mates.
Former Southern Kings and Sharks fullback SP Marais will make his starting debut for the Bulls in their Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Kings at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, 9th of April. Marais joined the Bulls last month on a short term deal after falling out with the Kings for lack of payments of his salaries. Bulls coach Nollis Marais says that the fullback who has played Super Rugby for the Sharks will be valuable with his experience and knowledge of the opposition. Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss says his team need to put together an 80 minute performance and eliminate giving away unnecessary penalties that swing the momentum of the game.
Southern Kings coach Deon Davids is a happy and relieved man after his team recorded a historic 33-28 win over the Sunwolves in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth Saturday the 2nd of April 2016. Davids commended his team on a good first half performance but lamented their loss of concentration just before half-time. The 48 year old coach says that the result will be important to build on and that the team must not rest on their laurels and must continue to improve every week if they are to keep on winning.
The former Springbok hooker Gary Botha says that South African Rugby Union (SARU) must make the best decision for the sport, when they decide on who will become the next Springbok coach. Botha who was part of the Springboks World Cup winning squad in 2007, believes that former Stormers coach and World Cup winning Springbok assistant coach Allister Coetzee could be a good fit for the job and has urged all Super Rugby franchises to support the next man to replace Heyneke Meyer as coach of the national team. SARU released a statement yesterday the 31st of March 2016 re-iterating that the General Council will sit this morning in Cape Town to ratify the name of the chosen candidate to become Springbok coach and the announcement will only take place on the 12th of April 2016.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais says that all the South African Super Rugby franchise coaches must work together with whoever is going to be the new Springbok coach in order to make the national team strong. Marais would not be drawn on who he would like to see take over the reins of the Springboks from Heyneke Meyer who was relieved of his duties in December last year. The new Springbok coach will be announced on Friday, 1st April, in Cape Town after Saru’s General Council ratifies the name of their preferred candidate. Marais has made three changes to his backline to play against the Cheetahs in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, 2nd of April. Jesse Kriel moves to fullback from centre in place of the injured Warrick Gelant, Jan Serfontein returns to the starting line-up at centre and so too Travis Ismaiel on the wing in place of the injured Bjorn Basson.
Gary Gold says that he is not blaming the flyhalf Joe Pietersen for missing the penalty at the end of the game, which would have handed the Sharks victory and says the reason for them walking away with two points instead of four, was because of their failure to take advantage of two try-scoring opportunities with Paul Jordaan knocking on the ball over the try-line..
The Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold is also not pleased with his team's draw yesterday the 18th of March 2016 against Bulls and highlighted his team’s bad first half performance as the difference between themselves winning or losing..
Bulls coach Nollis Marais says he is not happy with the 16-all draw against the Sharks in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld last night the 18th of March 2016. However, Marais is satisfied with the manner in which his team was able to put up an 80 minute performance.
After being on tour for the past three weeks to Tokyo and New Zealand, Johnan Ackermann says his team has had little time to train this week but believes that the time off the training field will give them enough time to recover from the travel and all they need to do is to be mentally ready for Saturday’s game. Ackermann believes that his side has matured enough not to use travelling as an excuse for their performance on Saturday.
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold, says that the five changes made to his team to face the Bulls in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld tonight are purely rotational and they are to manage the players’ workload. Gold is a strong believer that proper utilization of his squad will make a stronger case for his team advancing further in the competition and says he wants there to be healthy competition for places in his squad.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell is satisfied with his team’s progression to the quarterfinals of the cup competition at the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Vancouver Sunday morning, the 13th of March 2016. The South Africans comfortably beat Scotland 43-0 in their opening game, recorded a tough 26-7 win over Brazil before topping their pool with a 27-0 win over Argentina. Powell was incredibly pleased with his team’s defence emphasizing that stopping the opposition from scoring often determines the outcome of the game.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell will be trying to strike a balance between getting the best out of his players but also insuring that they are fresh enough going into the Vancouver leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Powell is demanding a last push from his players in north America after their defeat in the cup semi-final against Australia but at the same time wants his players to also focus on their recovery between the two tournaments with the potential slip against some of the minnow teams a possibility. The Blitzbokke are currently in second place on the overall series standings, five points behind of Fiji. Drawn with Scotland, Brazil and Argentina in their pool, Powell believes that all the teams pose different threats to his side. The inaugural Vancouver leg of the series kicks off this evening with the Blitzbokke playing against Scotland at 7.30pm (SA time).
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell says that his team have nobody but themselves to blame for losing against Australia in the Cup semi-final of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series Las Vegas leg this morning, the 7th of March 2016. The Blitzbokke finished third after beating hosts USA in the third and fourth place play-offs and remain in second place on the overall log behind Fiji who were crowned champions. Powell says that he will have sterner words with his team about their lack of discipline which cost them a win, and there would be consequences for ill-discipline players. Despite that says he is happy with the manner in which the Springbok veteran wing Bryan Habana and Southern Kings eighthman Tim Agaba performed in this tournament.
Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss said his team will show improvement this Saturday, 05 March and admitted that they were beaten by experience in their loss to the Stormers on last Saturday, 27 February.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais confirmed that Springbok centre Jesse Kriel will not play in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday, 05 March, after Kriel suffered an injury at training this morning, 02 March 2016. Jan Serfontein will move to outside centre in place of Kriel and Burger Odendaal will start at inside centre. Bulls lock Grant Hattingh also suffered a neck injury during training yesterday and while scans show no damage, Marais said he will make a decision on whether to play Hattingh tomorrow after consulting with his medical team.
Cheetahs coach Franco Smith, believes that the main reason to his side’s 33-34 loss against the Jaguares in their Super Rugby match in Bloemfontein last week Friday night the 26th of February was largely due to inexperience. Smith says that his team will make mistakes as it is part of their development in Super Rugby, but what is important is that they take valuable lessons out of the games. The 43 year old Lichtenburg born was pleased with the manner in which his team scrummed against one of the best scrummaging teams in the world and he is optimistic that there were more positives to work on, than negatives even though his team lost.
The Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold, believes that his team is ready to turn things around after a dismal showing in last year’s Super Rugby season. Gold has handed young lock Hyron Andrews a starting berth for his Super Rugby debut and the former Springbok assistant coach believes that Andrews is getting the just reward for good performances in the preseason.
Springbok prop Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, says that it is a privilege being handed the captaincy of the Sharks for Super Rugby after the lengthy injury of Patrick Lambie, he believes that he will thrive in the position with the assistance of the senior players around him. Mtawarira says that the new front row has settled well with Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen having joined the Sharks and hooker Franco Marais also being elevated to the starting line-up.
The experienced Springbok wing Bryan Habana will join Springbok Sevens squad in Stellenbosch today the 23rd of February 2016, following an agreement with his French club side Toulon, SA Rugby confirmed on yesterday the 22nd of February 2016. Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell says that the inclusion of Springbok wing to his squad to play in the Las Vegas and Vancouver legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series will add a lot of experience to his side. Powell also reveal that he is already in communication with Habana getting him up to speed with the Blitzbokke’s programme.
Springbok and The Sharks prop Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira, says that the Sharks will be looking to make amends in the upcoming Super Rugby season after a dismal showing last year. Mtawarira believes that the new players and the youngsters that have joined the Sharks will also add value to the franchise ahead of their season opener against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth next weekend the 27th of February 2016.
Kings captain Steven Sykes believes that his team has prepared adequately to be competitive in Super Rugby. Sykes says they are steadily growing depth within their squad with more players still being added under the guidance of Rassie Erasmus and Saru’s Mobi Unit which has been helping the Kings since December
Vodacom Super Rugby side Southern Kings’ assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says his love in coaching is strongly driven by his ambitions of giving back to the game and his community, by developing youngsters for the future. Stick took up coaching at home Union Eastern Province Rugby junior structures immediately after hanging his boots in 2012. He says he is looking forward to the challenge of coaching in Super Rugby. The Port Elizabeth born also shares his views with SABC Sport Journalist Thando Gqamane on the state of rugby in the country, including the Springboks facing the new era and the Blitzbokke working towards the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil later this year. Stick and the Southern Kings will kick start their Super Rugby campaign playing against Cell C Sharks on the 27th of February 2016 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Anti-doping education plays a pivotal role in promoting the value of ethics and fair play in sport, thereby protecting the true “spirit of the sport”. It is also about informing athletes, coaches and managers about the World Anti-Doping Code, how to compete clean and drug-free, the doping control process, their rights and responsibilities. SABC Sport's Jefferson Lupuwana chatted to the CEO of South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) about the work being done in the country and on the continent.
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell says it will be important for his team to keep the same momentum from Wellington when they kick-off the Sydney leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series against Scotland on Saturday. Powell says his team needs to close the door on the Wellington events which saw them being denied a second consecutive title and rather focus on doing well in Sydney.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell has warned his team against focusing too much on their final pool match against host New Zealand and the presence of World Cup winning All Black superstar Sonny Bill Williams. He says that his charges need to get used to playing against big teams like New Zealand, Fiji and even the USA as they are teams they will face at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell said that he was bitterly disappointed with his team’s last gasp 24-21 loss to New Zealand in the final of the Wellington leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series played on Sunday morning. New Zealand scored the winning try after the siren for the end of the game had sounded after referee Matt O’Brian had wrongly judged Seabelo Senatla to have thrown a forward pass to what would have been a match securing try for the Blitzbokke. Powell said that his team did not deserve to finish the tournament in second place.
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said that becoming world champions after beating Australia 34-17 in the Rugby World Cup final was hugely satisfying as compared to when they won it at home four years ago. The All Blacks have become the first team in rugby history to win back-to-back world titles and to also win three World Cups.
Springbok captain Victor Matfield says he hasn’t had time this week to think about his impending retirement after the Springboks Rugby World Cup bronze medal game against Argentina tomorrow at London’s Olympic Stadium. Matfield is the most capped Springbok of all time with 126 appearances in a 14-year career.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he would love to stay on in his job and be part of the solution to the problems that South African rugby faces. Meyer admits that this year has been a tough year for him and his team after they finished bottom of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
Springbok captain Fourie du Preez says there is a need for continuity when it comes to Springbok coaches and the South African Rugby union can no longer be chopping and changing coaches after a World Cup. Du Preez said he won’t be weighing in on whether incumbent coach Heyneke Meyer Meyer should stay or go but said there needs to be a different way in which coaches are contracted in the country and that their contracts should not run up until the World Cup but the World Cup should fall in between the time of their contracts. Du Preez said the uncertainty amongst the coaching staff prior to the tournament added more pressure and anxiety to management and the coach……
Springbok lock Victor Matfield says there will be a lot to play for in the Rugby World Cup third/fourth play-off match on Friday at the Olympic Stadium in London. The Springboks stalwarts Matfield himself along with captain Fourie du Preez and probably Schalk Burger will be playing in their final Test and would want to make it something special…..
Springbok wing Bryan Habana sent out a message of condolence on behalf of the Bok team to the family and friends of Zukisa Kela who was a teacher and rugby coach at Westbury Secondary School. Kela (25) along with his friend was tied up and thrown into the Rhodes Park lake to drown on Saturday evening. Habana also talks about the All Blacks clash.
Springbok wing Bryan Habana sent out a message of condolence on behalf of the Springbok team to the family and friends of Zukisa Kela who was a teacher and rugby coach at Westbury Secondary School. The 25-year-old Kela was tied up and thrown into the Rhodes Park lake in Johannesburg on Saturday evening along with his friend and they both drowned. On the clash against the All Blacks, Habana said they relish playing against the best side in the world.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said he was a very relieved man after his team secured a place in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals after beating Wales 23-19 in a tightly contested quarter-final clash at Twickenham yesterday. Meyer also added that he's happy with his team being written off going into the All Blacks clash because it seems to spur them on.
Springbok assistant coach John McFarland believes that discipline will be key for the Springboks if they are to win their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal clash against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday.
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts says the Springboks have two injury doubts ahead of their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal fixture against Wales.
Springbok wing Bryan Habana says the real hard work for the team starts now after the Springboks secured their place in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals with a 64-0 win over the USA at the Olympic Stadium in London Wednesday night. Habana says the Boks’ second half performance was probably the most polished he had been involved in.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he is confident that debutant scrumhalf Rudy Paige will do well in Wednesday’s match against the USA in London. Paige is on the bench for the match…..
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says stand-in captain Fourie du Preez did an excellent job keeping to the game-plan in the Boks’ 34-16 win over Scotland at St James Park in Newcastle yesterday.
Springbok eighthman Duane Vermeulen says that the Springboks will need to return to basics and play to their strengths if they are to beat Scotland in their Rugby World Cup Pool B clash at St James Park today.
Springbok flank Schalk Burger says Jean de Villiers' retirement from international rugby because of a fractured jaw that ended his World Cup dream is a sad way of ending his international career. However, Burger said despite the sad ending, his best friend De Villiers, has had a phenomenal career with the Springboks and is hopeful that he will rejoin the squad towards the end of the tournament to support the team.
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers announced his retirement from international rugby on Sunday evening after a broken jaw ruled him out of the Rugby World Cup. De Villiers sustained the injury in the Springboks win against Samoa on Saturday at Villa Park in Birmingham. De Villiers retires as Springboks' second most capped captain behind John Smit in a career spanning 13 years and 109 Tests.
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts gives an injury update detailing the nature of the injury that ruled out Springbok captain Jean de Villiers for the rest of the tournament and forced him into retirement. Roberts also says that prop Jannie du Plessis with a knee, Damian de Allande also a knee and Jesse Kriel are the injury concerns for the week.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says there is still a long way to go for his team after they recorded their first win of the Rugby World Cup in a convincing 46-6 victory over Samoa at Villa Park on Saturday. Meyer says his team stuck to the game-plan and were richly rewarded for that
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers says there is no truth in reports that he defied orders from coach Heyneke Meyer during the lost Rugby World Cup match against Japan.
Springbok mentor Heyneke Meyer has defended his selection of captain Jean De Villiers by saying the skipper's commitment and big heart will help their cause. De Villiers has been selected at outside centre while powerful and hard-hitting Damian De Allende will start at No.12 on Saturday for the must-win clash against Samoa.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says flyhalf Handre Pollard will be the man to win or lose the game for the Springboks against Samoa. Meyer added that he must dictate play to complement the Springboks style of play. Meyer also says he is anticipating a very physical battle against Samoa and added the islanders have vastly improved at the set-piece and that it will make them even more dangerous.
Springbok forwards coach Johann van Graan revealed that the team had an honest review after their shock loss to Japan and even though a lot went right for them on the day, discipline let them down. Van Graan said that the team now has another opportunity to do well when they come up against Samoa in the second Pool B match at Villa Park on Saturday. He also touched on the quality of the Samoans.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has apologised to South Africa for his team’s shock 36-34 loss at the hands of minnows Japan in their Rugby World Cup opener at Brighton Community Stadium yesterday. Meyer conceded that the loss was a major setback for their World Cup ambitions and that they will need to put in a lot of hard work if they are to make it through to the quarterfinals of the tournament. It was the first time that the Springboks played against the 13th ranked Japan and the result was the biggest upset in Rugby World Cup history. It is also the Springboks second shock defeat of the year after they lost for the first time to Argentina in the Rugby Championship in August……
Japan captain Michael Leitch says their 34-32 win over the Springboks is not only special as it is their first win in the Rugby World Cup in 24 years but it is also the culmination of three years of planning by the team. Leitch said they would celebrate the win against the Springboks at Brighton Community Stadium yesterday but that they were now focussing on their next match against Scotland on Wednesday……
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has confirmed that loose forward Derick Minnie will miss the rest of the Super Rugby and Currie Cup competition after suffering a freak knee injury at training on Tuesday. Minnie underwent an operation on Tuesday and Ackermann says that it is a big loss to the team as Minnie was an experienced player and a leader…
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says that they are waiting for the right time before moving Springbok utility back Francois Hougaard from wing back to scrumhalf in order to enhance his chances of making the Springbok World Cup squad as a scrumhalf. Hougaard has been playing on the wing for the Bulls since the beginning of this year’s Super Rugby season and will again feature in the position when the Bulls play against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday. Ludeke, though, says that Hougaard is playing well at wing and spends a lot of time in training on his skills at halfback……
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold says that his team was extremely disappointed after their 17-10 loss to the Bulls but said that there is still hope for his team in the competition. Gold has urged his team to continue to fight on and not lose faith as they prepare to go on tour…
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said that he is pleased with the result after his team beat the Sharks 17-10 in Durban. Ludeke said it was always going to be tough getting a result away especially against the Sharks and commended his team for having played well……
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke believes that his side’s ability to win the battle of the gain line gave them a big advantage in their 43-22 win against the Queensland Reds at Loftus Versfeld. Ludeke said they were wary of the desperation the Reds were under having only won one of their last seven games……
Lions captain Warren Whitely says he is extremely proud of how his team have performed in managing to win their last five Super Rugby matches with the 23-21 win over the Sharks at Emirates Airline Park bring a halt to a nine week cycle that the Lions have had to endure since the beginning of the competition…
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke wasted no time in selecting returning Springboks Arno Botha and Flip van der Merwe into his team to play against the Queensland Reds in their Super Rugby match on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld. Botha will start ahead of Hanro Liebenberg at flank while Springbok hooker Adriaan Strauss has been rested and his place in the starting team will be taken by Callie Visagie……
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold said he has had to leave out Springboks Jannie du Plessis and Tendai Mtawarira as according to their agreement with Saru to rest their Springboks ahead of their game against the Lions. Springbok flank Willem Alberts returns from injury to take the place of the suspended Jean Deysel while Fred Zeilinger comes in for the injured SP Marais and Sbura Sithole makes his long awaited return…
Bulls captain Pierre Spies feels that his team had done enough to beat the Lions but says they learnt a valuable lesson in playing the game until the final whistle after their 22-18 loss at the hands of the Lions…
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says he is extremely proud of his team after their last gasp 22-18 win over the Bulls in their Super Rugby derby at Emirates Airline Park. Ackermann commended his players for showing composure to clinch victory through a try by replacement hooker Armand van der Merwe…
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold has apologized to the team’s supporters after their embarrassing 52-10 loss at the hands of the Crusaders in Durban. Gold said it was the manner in which the team lost that was unacceptable and was the first person to take responsibility for the loss but has vowed to fix the problems that plagued the team……
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said that his team’s 31-19 win over the Crusaders was undoubtedly their best performance of the season thus far and that it was an 80 minute performance capped by good kicking from flyhalf Handre Pollard….
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder lamented his side’s lack of execution as the reason why they lost 31-19 to the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld last night. Blackadder said that his team did not execute well enough and that the Bulls played disciplined rugby in the second half to close out the game…..
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell says it was an easy choice in bringing back Justin Geduld and Stephan Dippenaar into the squad ahead of the Hong Kong and Tokyo tournaments in the HSBC Sevens World Series. Geduld returns back to the team after missing out on the last tournament in Las Vegas because of a hamstring injury suffered in Wellington while Dippenaar returns since the first tournament at the Gold Coast last year in October having also suffered a hamstring injury. The duo replace Warrick Gelant and Rayno Benjamin who have returned to their respective unions the Blue Bulls and Cheetahs for Vodacom Cup and Super Rugby duties. Powell says he is happy with his squad and that it keeps the stability in selection with players that have been in the system for a while……..
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke conceded that his team recorded an ugly 25-24 win against the Western Force at Loftus Versfeld tonight. The Bulls managed to win the game through a last gasp penalty from flyhalf Handre Pollard to secure them their third consecutive win. Ludeke his players for reacting well under pressure…..
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold says he is very proud of the way his team played with 13 men to grind out a 12-11 win against the Chiefs in their ill-tempered Super Rugby clash in Durban. Gold commended his team for reverting back to basics and making up for their shortage in numbers on the field…….
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie says the failure of his team to deal with the slippery ball and their lack of control at the lineouts contributed heavily in their narrow 12-11 loss against a 13 men Sharks team. Rennie conceded that his team were feeling hollow after not being able to put the Sharks away……
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said beating the Stormers was indeed a good result for the team but that they had to work hard to earn the victory. Rennie says his team’s ability to play a tighter game in the second half ensured them the win…
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has given credit to the Chiefs for their all-round performance in ending the Stormers four match unbeaten run in Super Rugby. The Chiefs outplayed the Stormers to emerge 28-19 victors at Newlands in Cape Town...
Springbok and Sharks centre Francois Steyn says he would love to return to the national team ahead of this year’s Rugby World Cup. Steyn left the Springbok team in the middle of the week ahead of the Test against Wales in Durban in June of last year over a disagreement with the South African Rugby Union. After making himself unavailable for the Springbok team and leaving for Japan, Steyn seems to have a change of heart and would like to return to the national team as the dispute was not with the team but with the mother body. However Steyn says his primary focus at the moment is doing well for the Sharks and helping them out of the rut they find themselves in Super Rugby after only managing to win one out of four games so far this season…
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold doesn’t believe that anything is wrong with the Sharks’ game-plan even though the Durban-based franchise has only won one of their four matches in Super Rugby so far. Gold says it is about a lack of execution more than there being a problem with their game-plan with Gold calling for calm in the face of heavy criticism as the Sharks have now lost two games in a row. The Sharks play against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday, the very same team that inflicted the Sharks their first loss of the season in round one. Gold says his team want to play an exciting brand of rugby and believes that they have the players to do so……
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold doesn’t believe that anything is wrong with the Sharks’ game-plan even though the Durban-based franchise has only won one of their four matches in Super Rugby so far. Gold says it is about a lack of execution more than there being a problem with their game-plan with Gold calling for calm in the face of heavy criticism as the Sharks have now lost two games in a row. The Sharks play against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday, the very same team that inflicted the Sharks their first loss of the season in round one. Gold says his team want to play an exciting brand of rugby and believes that they have the players to do so. The Sharks will welcome back Springbok prop Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira to the team after three weeks out of action because of injury and Gold believes that the value of having an all Springbok frontrow will be immense for the Sharks on Saturday.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said that he was satisfied and happy with his team’s 29-13 win over the Sharks at Newlands to cement their place at the top of the South African conference and to remain unbeaten in four matches. Coetzee though did say he was concerned about his team’s line out play but that their physical dominance over the Sharks won them the game……
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has given credit to the Bulls for the way in which they dominated the game in his side’s 39-20 loss in Bloemfontein. Drotske says his side was forced into chasing the game in the second half after trailing 23-6 at half-time but it was not enough against a Bulls team and a man-of-the-match performance by Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard for the Bulls……
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says the reasons for naming an unchanged team to play against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday is to reward the team which got them their first victory of the season last weekend. Ludeke says he wants to see more of the same type of rugby and result that his team managed to get against the Sharks when they play the Cheetahs. The only change made by the Bulls is on the bench where scrumhalf Piet van Zyl is brought back into the match day 23 in place of Travis Ismaiel…..
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has confirmed that hooker Bongi Mbonambi will not be making his first start for the Stormers after the former Bulls hooker suffered a grade two tear on his AC ligament in his shoulder. Scarra Ntubeni will start again at hooker with Neil Rautenbach as cover on the bench. Springbok Siya Kolisi will also make his first start for the Stormers this year and too Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth. Coetzee says that he is not too concerned with the injuries this year as they have enough cover and the team is still unbeaten in the competition which is different from their woeful start last year and the slew of injuries that befell their top players……
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold says his team is under no illusion of the task that awaits them at Newlands on Saturday when they face an unbeaten Stormers team. Gold said that his team is still reeling from their 43-35 loss at the hands of the Bulls last weekend but that they were encouraged by the way in which they played. Gold has called for his team to repeat the good work they did and eliminate their mistakes when they play against the Stormers on Saturday evening….
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold says that his team were unlucky not to have walked away with victory in their 43-35 loss at the hands of the Bulls in their Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld last night. Gold acknowledges that his team made errors but applauded them for the character they showed in coming back and almost winning the game as they lost in the in the dying moments of the game to a Tian Schoeman penalty and last gasp try by Jan Serfontein…..
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke applauded his team for an outstanding team performance and said that he had always known that they had it in them to play as well as they did in their 43-35 win over the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has made only one change to his starting line-up to face the Sharks in their Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Scrumhalf Rudy Paige will start ahead of Piet van Zyl who drops out of the match 23 while Springbok prop Marcel van der Merwe makes a return to the bench after being out with injury. Wing Travis Ismaiel is set to make his Super Rugby debut if called off the bench…….
Lions coach Johan Ackermann today mae several changes to his starting team to play against the Stormers in their Super Rugby clash at Emirates Airlines Park on Saturday. Ackermann has selected a new frontrow with Schalk van der Merwe, Robbie Coetzee and Julian Redelinghuys starting while flank Jaco Kriel returns from injury. The Lions will also have a new halfback pairing with Faf de Klerk at scrumhalf and Elton Jantjies at flyhalf while Harold Verster will start at centre and Sampie Mastriet will make his Lions debut on the wing. Ackermann says most of the changes are rotational and he would like to give all the players in his squad an opportunity to stake their claim in the team ahead of their tour of New Zealand and Australia next week……
Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold says his team did well to manage the game and played sensible rugby in trying conditions when they beat the Lions 29-12 in Durban. Gold says he was not expecting a four try fest but commended his team for keeping a high tempo throughout the game……
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has admitted that his team was taught a rugby lesson by the Sharks in their Super Rugby encounter at a rain drenched King’s Park Stadium. The Sharks emerged 29-12 winners having dominated all facets of play to record their first win of the season while the Lions remain win less after two games…
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says his team urgently need to sort out their dysfunctional set-pieces which again let them down as the Bulls sunk to their second consecutive loss when they lost 17-13 to the Hurricanes at Loftus Versfeld. After two matches in this year’s Super Rugby competition the Bulls remain win less…
Springbok Sevens captain Kyle Brown commended his team for finishing in third place at the Las Vegas leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series in the early hours of today. The Blitzbokke beat hosts the USA 31-0 in the third/fourth place play-off while Fiji were crowned champions after beating New Zealand 35-19 in the final. Brown, though, lamented his side’s poor showing against Fiji in the semi-final saying that his team were their own worst enemy as they went down 24-19. The Blitzbokke still lead the World Series standings with 93 points with New Zealand in second place with 88 points and Fiji in third place on 86 points…..
It didn’t rain but poured for the University of Johannesburg when they went down to Shimlas in their opening home game of the season. The Orange Army failed to register a single point on the board and team captain Kobus Porter says they were not switched on at all during the game. Porter says the high risk brand of rugby they played didn’t not pay off on the night. UJ won their first game convincingly in the tournament beating CUT 46-10 in Bloemfontein and will next face tough contender NWU Pukke next week Monday. Porter told SABC Sport Journalist Thando Gqmane that UJ will bounce back hard against Pukke in their following home game.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske commended his team for their tactical superiority in their shock 35-29 win over the Sharks at King’s Park Stadium in Durban yesterday. Drotske though said that his team almost allowed the Sharks to stage a comeback but praised his charges for the character shown especially in defence in keeping the Sharks at bay and winning……..
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee says his team’s 29-17 win over the Bulls in their Super Rugby opener at Loftus Versfeld last night was a good start to the competition but warned his team not to get carried away with the result. Coetzee commended his young team for a good team performance which was clinical and saw the Stormers dominate the Bulls in all facets of play. Coetzee though says his team face another tough task in their first home game next week against the Blues…….
Lions captain Warren Whiteley says that he is backing his team to bounce back from their 22-8 defeat at the hands of the Hurricanes in their Super Rugby opener played at Emirates Airline Park last night. Whiteley says his team lacked the patience to take advantage of their opportunities in the first half but that there were enough encouraging signs that the team will do better going forward and that they are a better outfit than they were last season……
Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit says he can’t wait to get back to playing Super Rugby after a nine month absence from the game due to injury. Du Toit played in the Sharks warm-up match against French champions Toulon last week and is certain to be a starter in the Sharks season opening game against the Cheetahs at King’s Park in Durban on Saturday……
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has selected Springbok Arno Botha ahead of captain Pierre Spies in the team to play against the Stormers in their Super Rugby opening match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Spies was expected to start the game but Ludeke says that it will be better if Spies starts off the bench as he is still making his come back after missing out on two seasons because of a bicep injury……
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has admitted that it was tough choosing his match day team for their Super Rugby opener against the Hurricanes to be played on Friday evening at Emirates Airlines Park (formerly Ellis Park). Ackermann though was confident in the ability of his squad who started off last year’s season as rookies and believes that keeping the core of his team gives him a good balance ahead of this year’s campaign……
Springbok and Stormers eighthman Duane Vermeulen was the biggest winner at the SA Rugby Awards which were held last night at Vodaworld in Midrand. Vermeulen won the awards of SA Rugby Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and the Super Rugby Player of the Year. An emotional Vermeulen says that last year was a good year for him especially having stayed injury free and enjoying the backing of management from both the Stormers and the Springboks……
Western province Rugby Football Union president Thelo Wakefield today confirmed that Stormers and Western Province coach Allister Coetzee will be leaving the Newlands based team at the end of this year’s Currie Cup season to join Japanese club the Kobelco Steelers. The announcement was made today by Wakefield after weeks of speculation on Coetzee’s future…….
Springbok Sevens captain Kyle Brown has spoken about the importance of keeping the focus in the team the same as previous tournaments as the Blitzbokke try to win their third consecutive tournament at the start of the Wellington leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series tomorrow in New Zealand. The Blitzbokke have started the series on a high with tournament wins in Dubai and at home in Port Elizabeth in December but Brown is adamant that the team should remain focused on the fundamentals that have put them at the top of the world series log. The Blitzbokke play in the opening game of the tournament against France followed by their game against Japan before playing their final pool match against the USA……..
The Border Bulldogs rugby side beat the Old Selbornians in a preseason friendly 29-17, in preparation for the Vodacom Cup in the Buffalo Municipality Stadium in East London in the Eastern Cape. The Bulldogs had gone down 17-12 in their first preseason game against Central University of Technology from Bloemfontein in East London. The win for the Bulldogs against Old Selbornians who are a club under the Border Rugby Union was a confidence booster for the side. Conditioning coach of the Bulldogs Denzil van Heerden explains why preseason games are an important part of his conditioning plans. Heerden also says that they have small objectives so far in their preseason games. Heerden believes that physicality and pace are a key factor that they are working on with the Bulldogs and by the 21st of March the Bulldogs will be in a better position compared to where they were last year on the log.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer could have his contract renewed beyond this year’s Rugby World Cup and South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux has intimated that he has already given an indication that the organization plan to keep Meyer in their books until 2017………
Former Springbok centre Waylon Murray says his return back to Durban where he will play for the Sharks has been the change that he has been looking for in his career. Murray was last contracted to the Bulls and prior to that had been on the books of the Southern Kings. Murray says his second coming to the Sharks will give him the platform to test his abilities against the best players in the business ahead of this year’s Super Rugby competition……
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says that the inclusion of Springboks Handre Pollard and Marcel van der Merwe into the team to play against English premiership outfit Saracens is part of easing them back into action after being injured. Pollard and Van der Merwe will start from the bench along with Pierre Spies while Ludeke has selected a star-studded starting team which will be captained by Deon Stegmann ahead of their second pre-season warm-up match to be played in London on Saturday. Ludeke was speaking ahead of the team’s departure for London.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske says his team can take a lot of positives out of their first warm-up game of the season against the Bulls in Polokwane. Though not impressed with the three tries they conceded, Drotske said his team will need to learn that they must seize opportunities created in a game…..
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says that he is pleased with the way in which his second string side played in their 30-13 win over the Cheetahs in their Super Rugby pre-season friendly played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Ludeke was particularly impressed with how their training ground simulations were able to come off on the field and obviously with the return from a long term injury of Springbok flank Arno Botha……
Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane says he is adjusting well to life in Pretoria after making the move from Bloemfontein at the end of last year to join the Bulls for the next two years. Already with 13 Test caps and 42 Super Rugby caps for the Cheetahs, Nyakane is one of three Cheetahs players to have been bought by the Bulls to bolster their Super Rugby squad with hooker Adriaan Strauss and flank Lappies Labaschagne the other two. Nyakane says that he is enjoying being at the Bulls so far…… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says that he is happy with the conditioning of his players at this stage of their Super Rugby preseason preparations and says that he has been particularly impressed with how his players continued to train during the Christmas and New Year’s three week break. Ludeke says the focus now ahead of the start of the season in mid-February will be on game related conditioningand their game plan for the season……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Coming off an innings and 35 runs victory over bitter rivals the Cobras in the Sunfoil Series last Sunday, Lions coach Geoffrey Toyana hails his charges’ performance highlighted by Stephen Cook’s 147 before retiring hurt. Toyana says he is impressed with the youngsters who put their hands up for the senior side to record their first victory over the Cobras in Gauteng in 11 years.
The table topping Lions have not made any changes to their side ahead of their upcoming clash against the Titas in the Gauteng derby starting on Thursday in Benoni. Toyana says their aim is not to break the momentum for the last four-day game before shifting focus to the Momentum One Day Cup. SABC Sport journalist Thando Gqamane reports
Sharks assistant coach Sean Everitt has confirmed that former Springbok centre Waylon Murray is now training with the squad in hopes of making the final cut for their Super Rugby squad. Murray makes a return to Durban after an unsuccessful stint at the Bulls. Pumas lock Lubabalo “Giant” Mtyanda is also training with the Sharks as back-up in the lock department while former Saracens wing and New Zealander Jack Wilson is also said to be adjusting to the South African weather conditions. Everitt was speaking in Durban at Sharks training after their return from their Christmas and New Year’s break… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he was satisfied with the way the likes of Coenie Oosthuizen, Trevor Nyakane, Nizaam Car and Johan Goosen came through the Test against Italy in Padova yesterday. The Springboks beat Italy 22-6 and Meyer believes that he has a good platform to pick a quality squad for next year’s Rugby World Cup... SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says the Test against Italy will be a huge test for Johan Goosen at fullback and Trevor Nyakane at loosehead prop. Goosen will be making his first start at fullback after having played all of his international rugby at flyhalf while Nyakane will make a rare start ahead of Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira. Meyer made four changes to his team which was announced earlier today in Padova with Goosen, Nyakane, Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje and Coenie Oosthuizen all starting… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok flank Teboho “ Oupa” Mohoje says that it will be important for fringe players to focus on doing well in the two remaining games against Italy and Wales if they are to get the attention of Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer with a view of making next year’s Rugby World Cup squad. However, Mohoje says the focus should not be on the World Cup but rather doing well in the Tests against Italy and Wales…… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts says that Springbok prop Jannie du Plessis and fullback Willie Le Roux are doubtful starters for this coming weekend’s Test against Italy after both players sustained injuries in the win against England. Both players will be going for scans later today after the team’s training in Padova with Du Plessis suffering from a knee and hamstring injury while Le Roux will have his cheekbone checked for any fractures…… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer praised his team for their character and all round performance they showed in beating England 31-28 at Twickenham. Meyer said his side were tactically astute and well-disciplined in a result that could have gone either way……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
The Springboks have been given a clean bill of health after their defeat against Ireland on Saturday and ahead of their much anticipated encounter against England this coming Saturday. Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts today confirmed that prop Jannie du Plessis was the only “ injury” concern in the team with Du Plessis requiring some dentist intervention on a broken tooth…SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has acknowledged that Ireland were better than them especially tactically in their 29-15 defeat at Aviva Stadium in Dublin yesterday. It was the Springboks first loss in the northern hemisphere since Meyer took over the reins of the national team in 2012 and the first defeat to northern hemisphere as well in Meyer tenure as Springbok coach. Meyer gave credit to Ireland for playing good rugby and making use of their chances…… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Western Province loose forward Nizaam Carr says it is a dream come true to be part of the Springbok squad that is currently on tour in Europe and says that he is looking forward to contributing to the success of the team in their Tests against Ireland, England, Italy and Wales. SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni has more
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says the passing away of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa and Olympic silver medalist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi is tragic for the country especially that they were sporting icons and has conveyed his deepest sympathy to their respective families on behalf of the Springbok team who have gathered in Johannesburg ahead of their end-of-year tour to the northern hemisphere… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Newly appointed Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold admitted that he would never have dreamt of being appointed to his new job at the Burban-based franchise even in his wildest dreams but says it was a job easy to take because of his ambitions and those of the Sharks. Gold though will take up his position probably at the end of January upon his return from Japan where he is head coach of Kobelco. Gold said that he needed to honour his contract with Kobelco which lapses at the end of the Japanese season. Gold takes over from Jake White who unceremoniously walked away from the job less than a year into it last month. Former Springbok and Sharks technical director Brendan Venter has been appointed as a consultant. Venter was largely responsible for the Sharks winning the Currie Cup last year…SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Western Province coach Allister Coetzee says that winning the Absa Currie Cup final is special and even made more special by having done it at their home ground of Newlands. Western Province beat the Golden Lions 19-16 to secure themselves a second title in three years… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Lions coach Johan Ackermann announced an unchanged team to face Western Province in the Absa Currie Cup final at Newlands on October 25 but hopes that having two props on the bench in Jacques van Rooyen and Julian Redelinghuys will come in handy towards the end of the game where he expects there to be more scrums than usual… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Western Province coach Allister Coetzee says that there are no injuries in his team to play against the Golden Lions in Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup final at Newlands and that Cheslin Kolbe will train with the team tomorrow at captain’s run and Nizaam Carr is also fit after suffering a hip injury in the semi-final against the Blue Bulls last weekend. Coetzee has also recalled Springbok Jaco Taute who will start at inside centre in place of Michael van der Spuy after Taute missed out on the last two weeks because of a rib injury… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann says it is a privilege for his team to be in the Absa Currie Cup final and that there is a good feeling in the team ahead of their encounter against Western Province at Newlands. Ackermann was speaking at a press briefing at the Johannesburg Stadium… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann says his team’s 50-20 win over the Sharks was by no means a complete performance even though the scoreboard will suggest otherwise. The Lions will now travel to Cape Town on the weekend to face off against Western Province in the Currie Cup final…..
Lions captain Warren Whiteley concurred with Ackermann saying that the scoreboard was not a true reflection of how hard the Sharks were to beat. However, Whiteley was impressed with the way in which his team’s scrums and believes it lay the platform to wearing the Sharks down……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Western Province coach Allister Coetzee said his team passed a character test to beat the Blue Bulls 31-23 and secure themselves a place in the Absa Currie Cup final against the Golden Lions at Newlands. Coetzee says his team’s win was the perfect result and is happy that all Western Province teams have made their respective finals from under-19, under-21 to the senior team. Western Province will be playing in their third consecutive final this coming Saturday having won it two years ago against the Sharks and losing last year also at Newlands against the Sharks as well……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Sharks coach Brad McLeod-Henderson says his team have been able to pick up good consistency in the past few weeks and they have only made one change at hooker with Kyle Cooper returning from injury to replace Monde Hadebe who drops to the bench for their Currie Cup semi-final against the Golden Lions at Ellis Park on October 18. SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann says it was a tough decision to make in leaving out replacement prop Jacques van Rooyen whose place on the bench is taken by SA Sevens star Kwagga Smith. Ackermann though has named an unchanged team to face the Sharks in their Currie Cup semi-final clash at Ellis Park on October 18...SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann says it was a tough decision to make in leaving out replacement prop Jacques van Rooyen whose place on the bench is taken by SA Sevens star Kwagga Smith. Ackermann though has named an unchanged team to face the Sharks in their Currie Cup semi-final clash at Ellis Park on October 18...SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says the inclusion of Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard at inside centre in his team to play against Western Province in the Absa Currie Cup semi-final on October 18 at Newlands will bring something different to the way in which his team will play. Pollard replaces the injured Burger Odendaal who broke his arm in last week’s encounter against Griquas at Loftus. Pollard is one of three changes to the Bulls starting team with Rudy Paige starting in place of Piet van Zyl at scrumhalf and Werner Kruger being elevated to starting at tighthead prop ahead of Marcel van der Merwe… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Western Province coach Allister Coetzee says he did not select Jaco Taute because the Springbok back was still nursing a rib injury and instead chose Michael van der Spuy to partner up with Juan de Jongh in the midfield ahead of their Currie Cup semi-final clash against the Blue Bulls at Newlands on October 18. Coetzee said he is happy with Van der Spuy as he has played with De Jongh before……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says he is proud of the way his team closed out the regular season with a 46-12 win over Griquas at Loftus Versfeld to secure the last semi-final berth in this year’s Absa Currie Cup. Ludeke said that his team have shown great character to be able to salvage a season that almost went wrong after languishing at the bottom end of the log for most of the season……SABC Sport reporter Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he is relieved and proud of his team after their 27-25 win over the All Blacks in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park. It was the Sproingboks first win over the All Blacks since 2011 and it was the first under Meyer as coach. The Springboks also broke the All Blacks 22 match unbeaten run...SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said he hoped that Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer’s critics would leave him alone now after registering his first win over the All Blacks. Hansen said that the Springboks deserved to win and commended his charges for showing composure and heart to give themselves a chance at winning the game…SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok manager Ian Schwartz today announced the Springbok team to play against New Zealand in their last Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at Ellis Park. Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has made one change to his team at hooker where Bismarck du Plessis is elevated to the starting line-up in place of Adriaan Strauss while eighthman Duane Vermeulen has been bracketed to start along with Schalk Burger. If Vermeulen is not fit to play then Burger will start at number 8…SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni
All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster says they will wait a little bit longer to see if lock Brody Retallick and prop Wyatt Crockett will be fit to play in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against the Springboks on Saturday. Both Retallick and Crockett sustained injuries in the Test victory against Argentina on Saturday in La Plata……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok loose forward Schalk Burger says that the Springboks need to stand up to the challenge when they face New Zealand in the final Test of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday. Burger though is under no illusion of the difficult task that faces the Springboks of trying to beat an All Blacks side they haven’t beaten since August 2011 but Burger is hopeful of a Springbok victory… SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers says he was satisfied with his side’s 28-10 win over Australia in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test played at Newlands in Cape Town. Even though the Springboks struggled to breakdown the Wallabies for most of the match, De Villiers says he was extremely happy with the last 10 minutes of the game where the Springboks managed to score three tries and grab the bonus point victory...SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has made three changes to his starting line-up to play against the Springboks in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter at Newlands in Cape Town. Queensland Reds hooker Saia Fainga’a will make his first appearance for the Wallabies this year while Brumbies wing Joe Tomane returns after a spate of injuries kept him out of the national team this year and Adam Ashley-Cooper also returns on the wing after an injury that kept him out of the Test against Argentina. McKenzie says he has been impressed by how hard Fainga’a has worked at training and believes that he will make a meaningful contribution in the set-pieces particularly the lineouts and scrums……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts revealed that Springbok flank Francois Louw has undergone an operation to a disc in his neck to relieve pressure on a nerve in an injury sustained during the Springboks loss against the All Blacks two weeks ago in New Zealand. Louw underwent the operation and could be fit enough to participate in the Springboks end of year tour while Roberts also confirmed that scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar will miss the next two Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against Australia and New Zealand because of a knee ligament injury also sustained in the Test against the All Blacks. Roberts though did confirm that Pienaar should be fit enough to be selected for the Springboks end of year tour to the northern hemisphere. The Springboks are currently in Cape Town preparing for their Rugby Championship clash against the Wallabies on September 27 at Newlands...SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann says his team needs to learn to play for 80 minutes at a high intensity if they are to close out games with a favourable result. Ackermann was speaking after watching his team cruise to a 29-15 win over the Pumas in their Absa Currie Cup encounter played at Ellis Park. The Lions however allowed the Pumas to get back into the game but were fortunate in that they had built up a big enough lead to close out the game…SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Sharks coach Brad McLeod-Henderson applauded his team for sticking out for 80 minutes and being able to disrupt the Bulls lineout in their 26-16 win at Loftus Versfeld. The win ensured that the Sharks remain in semifinal contention as they finished the weekend in third place, one spot better than they were at the beginning of the weekend……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has admitted that his team’s failings in the lineout was a critical aspect in handing the Sharks a 26-15 victory in their Absa Currie Cup encounter played at Loftus Versfeld last night. The Sharks scored a try at the end of the first half to take over the lead and scored again in the second half while the Bulls could only manage five penalties…SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has made four changes to his team to face the Sharks in their Absa Currie Cup clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Former Junior Springboks Junior World Championship winning captain Wiaan Liebenberg comes in for Deon Stegmann who has been suspended for a week. Callie Visagie replaces Bongi Mbonambi at hooker while Rudy Paige replaces Piet van Zyl at scrumhalf and Sampie Mastriet comes in for Akona Ndungane. Ludeke says the changes in his team were brought about by a need to keep players fresh as part of their rotation policy……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Sharks captain Tera Mtembu says his team can no longer afford to lose a game in this year’s Absa Currie Cup competition. Mtembu said his team is fully focused on their upcoming challenge against the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon……
After their draw against the Free State Cheetahs last weekend in Bloemfontein, Mtembu believes that his team showed plenty of improvement in many facets of their play. However, Mtembu is hoping that their execution is better on the weekend in Pretoria…SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann has praised the individual brilliance of a handful of his players in securing them the 35-33 win over Western Province in their Absa Currie Cup encounter at Ellis Park last night. Ackermann said that a good team performance made it possible for individuals to shine…..
Ackermann stressed the need for individuals to stand out in a team if they are to do well as was the case with his team last night but said that he was also disappointed in how his team gave away two tries at the end of the game…..SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he is very disappointed with his team’s 14-10 loss at the hands of New Zealand in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test played at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington yesterday. It was the Springboks second consecutive loss of their tour after losing to Australia last weekend and their fifth consecutive loss to the All Blacks. Meyer though did say he was proud of the way in which his team played but their failure to use their opportunities let them down……
Meanwhile Springbok captain Jean de Villiers says losing to the All Blacks is a bitter pill to swallow and what was more compounding for De Villiers was that it was his 100th Test appearance. De Villiers said the game was a close affair but believes his team weren’t good enough at the end…..SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has made only one change to his team to play against New Zealand in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test in Wellington on Saturday. Speaking at a press conference earlier today, Meyer said he was giving SA Under-20 captain Handre Pollard another opportunity to start at flyhalf in place of Morne Steyn and is hopeful that Pollard will bring something different to the team……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke has expressed his disappointment with his team’s 24-23 defeat at the hands of Australia in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter in Perth yesterday. Meyer says his team played well until they suffered a yellow card to Bryan Habana……SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke expressed his relief at his team’s 36-26 win over the Golden Lions in their Currie Cup encounter at Loftus Versfeld. SABC Sport journalist Vata Ngobeni reports
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer made six changes to his team to play against Australia in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test in Perth on Saturday. Tendai Mtawarira returns to the starting line-up in place of Gurthro Steenkamp while hooker Adriaan Strauss replaces Bismarck du Plessis. Victor Matfield also returns from injury to take his place in the second row while Marcel Coetzee gets a start at flank in place of Juan Smith. Flyhalf Morne Steyn gets back his number 10 jumper in place of Handre Pollard and Jan Serfontein will start at number 13 in place of Damian de Allende. Meyer says he chose a more experienced team and is hoping to get some continuity after their below par performances against Argentina……
Even though Meyer conceded that Serfontein’s will be playing out of position at number 13, Meyer says that he will be interchanging his centres in order for captain Jean de Villiers to help Serfontein on defence……
Meyer said that he was concerned at the lack of training time Francois Louw and Serfontein got this week because they were nursing niggles but his biggest concern is the lack of caps amongst the players on the bench……
With tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis having played most of the Tests this year and Super Rugby matches for the Sharks, Meyer says he will need to rest Du Plessis and that he was hoping that Frans Malherbe would take over the reins at prop until Malherbe suffered an injury in Salta against Argentina. Meyer believes that Du Plessis will anchor the scrum again and will do a better job than they did in Salta……
The weather forecast for Perth on Saturday anticipates rain when the Springboks play against the Wallabies which will go against the Springboks ambition to play an expansive game. Meyer says his team want to move the ball around but is expecting a tough battle regardless of the conditions…..
The Springboks did not lose to the Wallabies last year with their last defeat coming two years ago coincidentally at the same Patersons Stadium they will be playing at on Saturday in Perth, but Meyer is adamant that the Wallabies are ina better place than his Springbok team. Meyer has lamented the number of injuries that have struck his team and the lack of continuity but remains hopeful that his side will put in a good performance…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann commended his team for showing calmness in beating ehe Eastern Province Kings 44-21 in their Currie Cup encounter at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium last night. Ackermann said he was not surprised at how the Kings came out fighting in the game……
Ackermann warned that the Kings are an ever improving team and that one can already see the influence of their coach Carlos Spencer in the way they play. Ackermann strongly believes that the tide will turn for the Kings and they will become a force in the competition…..
Ackermann credited his replacement players for giving his team the impact they required to win the game but said that the score-line was not a true reflection on how tough the game was……
Ackermann says his team has been blessed with senior players who have taken ownership of the team an led from the front but that it has helped having the same team from Super Rugby to Currie Cup as they have been able to fix whatever problems themselves……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says his team were gutted after their 23-18 defeat at the hands of Western Province in their Currie Cup encounter at Loftus Versfeld. Ludeke though acknowledged that his side had played their best rugby so far this season and they will need to consistently do so if they are to win the remainder of their games…..
Ludeke said that his team’s finishing let them down and that the amount of broken field play that they gave Western Province was ultimately fatal to their cause…..
Blue Bulls captain Deon Stegmann says his team need to remain positive from the performance they put up and that he was happy with the most of the things that worked in their game-plan…….
Last night’s loss was the Bulls third of the season with only one win in the bag but Stegmann says they must continue to believe that they can do better and continue to improve in order to get the results they desire…..
Ludeke admitted that the speed of Western Province winger Seabelo Senatla is what beat them on the day but also commended his players for being dominant in most facets of play…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says his team’s 30-25 win over the Eastern Province Kings in their Currie Cup encounter at Loftus Versfeld will be important in them regaining their confidence for the rest of the competition. The Bulls have endured a bad start to this year’s competition after losing their fiurst two games of the season against the Lions and Western Province and Ludeke admitted although not pretty, their win was effective…..
Ludeke commended the Kings on the way they played and almost won the game but was just as complimentary towards his team for being able to claw themselves out of trouble and to victory. Ludeke believes they have what it takes to keep on winning……
Blue Bulls captain Deon Stegmann says his team need to take the positives from their win over EP Kings forward to their fixture against Western Province especially their ability to remain calm under pressure and grind out the bonus point win……
EP Kings coach Carlos Spencer says he proud of the way his team played even though they lost to the Blue Bulls but says their failure to execute properly in the second half cost them the game……
Spencer says his team need to cut out the soft moments in the game where they hand the ascendency to the opposition if they are to become a factor in the competition. Spencer says there is still a lot of work ahead for his team and has warned that the competition will get more difficult…..
Spencer though believes that his team can get better with time and experience of playing in the Currie Cup premier division and as soon as they get to grips with the expansive style of rugby he wants, then they will eradicate the handling errors that seem to hinder their progress……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer praised his team show of character in their come-from-behind 33-31 victory against Argentina in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter in Salta yesterday. Meyer says that he is happy that his team showed that they have the ability to win and that they were still in contention to win the competition. Meyer though did concede that Argentina played good rugby on the day and that a lot of work still lies ahead for his team…..
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers says he is happy with the fact that his side were able to record victory over Los Pumas and that Argentina are a better side than their lowly 12th ranking in the world……
De Villiers gave credit to the replacements that were brought on for the Springboks and says it was their contribution that lifted the team to victory……
De Villiers says that the bounce of the ball did not favour his team and that Los Pumas played the conditions well on the day. De Villiers believes that his team will learn from the ugly win and also praised them for the character they showed….
De Villiers admits that it would have been ideal for his team to have started and finished the game well but said sometimes they needed to grind out victories like the one last night……
Meyer says that he is very concerned about the way in which his side have failed to gain dominance in the scrums and says that they will need to adapt to the referee and improve on this area going forward in the competition…..
Meyer also said that he is unsure why his side struggle to beat Argentina in their backyard but is not surprised at the way Los Pumas played……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts has given the team a clean bill of health upon their arrival in Buenos Aires and says that all members of the touring Springbok party will be available for selection. Roberts also said that Willem Alberts and Victor Matfield had been left behind in South Africa to focus on their rehabilitation and the duo should be available to travel with the Springboks to Perth in Australia in two weeks’ time…..
Roberts doesn’t think the altitude will be a factor in Salta on Saturday saying that Johannesburg is at a much higher altitude than the Argentinian city and that the Springboks should not struggle at all…….
With the Springboks flying to Sao Paulo on Brazil before connecting to Buenos Aires, Roberts said that jetlag would also not play a role in the players and their physical condition leading up to the game. Roberts said that the players have adjusted to the demanding travel schedule of international rugby…..
Roberts has also confirmed that Juan Smith has fully recovered from a hamstring strain and should be available for selection this week…..
Springbok backline coach Ricardo Loubscher is hoping that Saturday’s Test in Salta will be a drier affair after the Springboks couldn’t utilize their backline because of the wet conditions at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday. Loubscher says his backs will need to exploit the opportunities when they present themselves against Argentina on Saturday……..
Loubscher said it will be important for the Springboks to focus on winning Saturday’s game before going for the bonus point from scoring four tries…….Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says his team showed character in being able to escape with a 13-6 win against Argentina in a rain drenched affair at Loftus Versfeld last night. Meyer said his team had wanted to play an exciting brands of rugby but that the conditions played into the hands of the Pumas in their opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship match…..
Meyer believes that his team will be better off for the experience of playing in such conditions and showered scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar with praise for the manner in which he controlled the game under trying conditions…..
Meyer said that he had expected a more scrappy game because of the wet and slippery underfoot conditions but that he was satisfied with the way in which his team scrummed but believes there is still a lot of room for improvement……
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers said that the conditions were probably the worst he has ever played in. De Villiers was complimentary of the youngsters in his team for the manner in which they played with maturity. Even though the Springboks didn’t play the way they wanted to, De Villiers said he was still happy with the win……
Meyer is still holding out hope that his team will be able to gain a bonus point win over Argentina in Salta next weekend as his team failed to pick up the maximum points on offer last night. Meyer says that he was relieved that the game didn’t end in a draw and that his team was able to pick up the four points for the win. The Springboks now lead the Rugby Championship standings after Australia and New Zealand played out to a 12-all draw in Sydney yesterday…..
Meyer also said that because of the conditions it was difficult for his team to get involved in an armwrestle with the Pumas because of the wet ball but also said that Argentina will always make life difficult for any team…..
Meyer also lamented the loss of Willem Alberts through injury on Friday evening after captain’s run as one of the reasons why the Springboks struggled in the lineouts and were forced to use their number five jumper most of the time……
De Villiers conceded that their execution on the day was not good enough and even though hampered by the conditions they could have done better. But De Villiers also said that his team will be better equipped in the future to deal with such conditions and they go to Argentina this week with the same goals and even greater motivation…Journalist: Velile Mbuli
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts today declared a clean bill of health for the team ahead of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship opener against Argentina at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Roberts also gave details of the nature of Victor Matfield’s knee injury which will keep the lock out of action for this weekend’s clash…….
Roberts said that he was happy with the progress that captain Jean de Villiers has made and that De Villiers is in the final stages of his rehabilitation and will in all likelihood be fit for selection…….
Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira has also been given the green light by Roberts after suffering a neck injury during the June internationals and Roberts says he is happy with Mtawarira’s fitness……
Roberts said that players have been treated differently especially in their final stages of rehabilitation with certain players requiring a game or two to get back into the swing of things while others can be thrust back into Test rugby without needing to regain match fitness. Roberts said he was satisfied with how Eben Etzebeth and Frans Malherbe had come through the Currie Cup match for Western Province against Eastern Province Kings over the weekend and that it will help boost their confidence ahead of the weekend’s Test……
Without Matfield running the Springboks lineout this weekend, Springboks forwards coach Johan van Graan believes that it will be an opportunity for either Lood de Jager or Eben Etzebeth to fill Matfield’s big boots………
Van Graan said they were expecting nothing new or different from Argentina on Saturday and that the Springboks have spent some time studying the players within the Pumas team……
Van Graan also said that there was a positive and festive environment within the Springbok team when they began training today after spending the weekend with their families. Van Graan is particularly pleased with the week’s training that the Springboks were able to utilize last week in Johannesburg and said it helped them focus on the smaller details in improving their game……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann is hoping that his team can grow after their 41-13 victory over the Blue Bulls in their Absa Currie Cup opener at Ellis Park. Ackermann said what was pleasing for him was the way the youngsters played when they came onto the field……
Ackermann said that his team was not desperate with getting a bonus point victory as it was important that they win but Ackermann it was pleasing to be able to get the extra point as it will be important at the end of the competition…..
Golden Lions captain Warren Whiteley said that he was satisfied with the win and credited much of it to the substitutions that came on in the latter stages of the game…..
Whiteley said that his team will still need to improve on their victory and that it is important that they were able to get continuity from Super Rugby as they have had no change in the player personnel…..
Ackermann said that it was critical for his team to win their first game especially playing at home and that there was a lot of pressure on the home side to get positive results……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke admitted that he was disappointed with his team’s performance in their Currie Cup opener against the Golden Lions at Ellis Park where the Lions recorded their third consecutive win in Currie Cup rugby. Ludeke feels that his team lost the battle in the collision and that the Lions were better than them in broken play…..
Ludeke was also disappointed with his team’s failure to take advantage of the few opportunities they had and that his team lacked structure to be able to mount any sort of charge against the Lions……
Even though the Bulls struggled in the scrums, Ludeke said that his team showed character in their attempt at fighting back and that their problems were fixable……
Blue Bulls captain Deon Stegmann said his team was poor with ball in hand but that there were enough positives for his team to build on for their next clash against Western Province next weekend……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers says his knee injury has improved drastically since joining the Springbok camp this week and that he should be fine to play in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at Loftus Versfeld next week. De Villiers was speaking at his first press conference this year at the team’s base at the Pallazo Hotel in Fourways………
De Villiers is not at all worried about his fitness levels and said that there was no consideration for him to play in this week’s Absa Currie Cup to regain match fitness and that the only issue was him regaining his confidence with playing…..
Former Cheetahs captain and now Toulon loose forward Juan Smith was today drafted into the Springbok squad as a replacement for the injured Victor Matfield and De Villiers says the return of Smith to the national team has been nothing short of a miracle. Smith has not been part of the national team since 2010 and played his last game for the Cheetahs at the beginning of the year in 2011 where a torn Achilles tendon in a Super Rugby match against the Bulls ruled him out of action for three years. Smith has been capped 69 times for South Africa and his return to the Springboks is on the back of strong performances for his French club Toulon last season where the club went on to win the French Top 14 and European titles. Last year Smith made a miraculous return to rugby when he signed for the star-studded Toulon team where he has been playing with fellow compatriots and 2007 World Cup winning teammates Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw and Bryan Habana De Villiers believes there is still a lot Smith can add to the national team…….
De Villiers admitted that the loss of Victor Matfield to the Springbok team for the first Test against Argentina due to a knee injury is a major blow for the team but that there is at least some depth when it comes to lock within the national team set-up. Cheetahs lock Lood de Jager is likely to start at number five against Argentina next week……
With the Springbok yet to beat the All Blacks since Heyneke Meyer took over the coaching reins two years ago, De Villiers believes that it will be important for his team to beat the reigning world champions in this year’s Rugby Championship. In beating the All Blacks De Villiers says it will give the Springboks plenty of confidence ahead of next year’s World Cup and in the team reaching their goal of being the best team in the world……
However De Villiers insisted that they were not obsessed with beating the All Blacks and that it is one of their many objectives for this season……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has said that Springbok captain Jean de Villiers is still an injury concern and that a final decision on his availability for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship opener against Argentina in Pretoria next week. Meyer said he would know only at the end of today whether the likes of Damian de Allende, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe and Tendai Mtawarira. The Springboks are in camp in Johannesburg this week and will meet again at the beginning of next week in Pretoria……..
Meyer has conceded that the Springboks first outing in the Rugby Championship against Argentina will be a tough assignment for his troops as most of them are not as battle hardened with many of them having been injured and missing out on the Incoming series in June. While the injuries afforded players some sown time Meyer said that it was not the ideal way and that he is hoping that his team can get some continuity from the June Test into the Rugby Championship…..
Meyer says there are a few areas of concern that his team will need to work on this week and that the scrums and the tactical kicking of his team will need to be urgently addressed ahead of the Rugby Championship…..
With the South African teams not contesting the Super Rugby final last week and the Sharks being the only representative in the play-offs two weeks ago, Meyer feels that his team won’t be as battle hardened and confident as the Australians and New Zealanders in the championship. However, Meyer believes that the positive of not having teams in the Super Rugby finals is that his players are a lot fresher after two to three weeks of no rugby action……
Meyer also tried to explain his 30-man squad he has selected for the Rugby Championship saying that the door to the national team was still wide open for Coenie Oosthuizen, Siya Kolisi and Johan Goosen who failed to make the squad…..
Amongst the many concerns that Meyer has lamented since taking over the reins of the national team two years ago, the lack of number five lock is still causing Meyer sleepless nights. With Victor Matfield being the only recognized number five lock in the squad, Meyer says they will have to settle with the likes of Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth as Matfield’s deputies……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Sharks chief executive officer and former Springbok captain John Smit today announced Lubabalo “Tera” Mtembu as the Sharks captain for the upcoming Absa Currie Cup competition with Brad Macleod-Henderson as the head coach. Mtembu becomes the first black player to captain the defending Currie Cup champions and Smit said Mtembu was deserving of the position. Smit has been particularly impressed with the strides the 23-year-old Mtembu has made in this year’s Super Rugby competition and while it is a huge responsibility to lead the Sharks, Smit believes Mtembu has all the right attributes to do well in the job……
Macleod-Henderson said one of the reasons Mtembu was his choice to captain the team is that he will be able to hold onto his place in the team and that the former Dale College pupil has a bright future ahead of him. Macleod-Henderson though warned that it won’t be an easy campaign for the Sharks after they played until the penultimate week of Super Rugby and that there will be a lot of new faces in the team as they face a season without their Springboks……
Mtembu said that he was looking forward to leading the Sharks and that this was a dream come true for him…..
Mtembu doesn’t believe that he will be overwhelmed by the role of captain and said that he would certainly call on the assistance of veterans Odwa Ndungane, Jacques Botes and even Smit…….
Macleod also re-iterated that Mtembu would have plenty of support from the older players in the team and that there were other leaders in the team that have given their full support to Mtembu’s appointment……
Smit said the fact that their Springboks won’t be available throughout the Currie Cup was the perfect opportunity for the union to build on their player depth and at the same time test the strength of their squad without all their Springbok stars……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
South African Rugby Union chief executive officer Jurie Roux says he is extremely concerned about the current state of the Border Rugby Union especially with the heavy losses that their under-19 and under-21 teams have been suffering in recent weeks. Roux says decisions will be made once the work of administrator Monde Tabate is done……..
Roux says Saru has no choice but to help the ailing Border Rugby Union to return to its glory years as it is an important union especially in the development of black African rugby players and also as a feeder to other unions with the many rugby playing schools and clubs in the province……..
Roux says he has been impressed with the progress made by many of the smaller unions in returning back to financial sustainability. Roux, in previous years, had voiced his concern on the viability and survival of many of the unions as they were living beyond their means and couldn’t attract sponsorship. While many of the unions are living in shoe string budgets, Roux says they have done well to stay afloat and that there must be clever initiatives of attracting commercial partners……
Roux doesn’t believe that rugby has exhausted all means of bringing in more revenue and says that his organization will have to be smart in how they negotiate the next broadcast deal and also how they package their competitions in order to increase revenue……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
South African Rugby Union chief executive officer Jurie Roux is adamant that the Absa Currie Cup remains the bedrock of South African rugby and will always be the breeding ground for the Springbok team. Roux said the Currie Cup competition will continue to defy the odds as it is the feeder system to Super Rugby franchises and ultimately the national team and this year’s competition will be no different even without the Springbok players for the majority of the competition. Roux was speaking today at the launch of the oldest domestic rugby competition in the world which was held at Jeppe’s Boys’ High School in Kensington Johannesburg……
Roux says the inclusion of the Eastern Province Kings, Griquas and Pumas into the Currie Cup premier division will certainly help build rugby in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga, areas Roux feels rugby needs to expand to for its long term survival…….
Roux has no doubt that the new eight team premier division format will be beneficial for South African rugby and that having some of the smaller unions in the big league will help build more depth in players within the structure……
EP Kings coach and former All Blacks flyhalf Carlos Spencer says there is a lot of excitement within the team, their fans and the province ahead of the teams long awaited appearance in the premier division……..
Spencer is no stranger to Currie Cup premier division rugby as a coach as he assisted former All Blacks and Lions coach John Mitchell to Currie Cup glory three years ago. Now as head coach, Spencer is looking forward to the challenge of leading the Kings and says the enthusiasm of the players and his coaching staff have eased some of the pressure on him……
Sharks loose forward Jacques Botes is hoping that the defending Currie Cup champions will take with them the momentum of Super Rugby into the domestic competition but is well aware that every team will be targeting the Sharks this year. Botes though believes that it won’t be easy for the Sharks to retain the title as every team in the competition harbours ambitions of winning the title…..
Botes did not shy away from the fact that the competition will be made more difficult by the absence of their Springboks but says it is the challenge of every union to work with the squads they have been able to assemble at the moment…..
Mpumalanga Pumas head coach Jimmy Stonehouse says his team are well prepared and ready to compete in the premier division. The Pumas finished the first division as champions and they were unbeaten and took the unenviable route of the play-offs against Griquas last year to earn themselves a place in the premier division…..
Stonehouse though cited the boardroom indecision on whether the Currie Cup would be a six team or eight team format as a major stumbling block to them not being able to secure big name players for this year’s Currie Cup competition. However, Stonehouse believes that his team will be a formidable force in the competition…..Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Sharks director of rugby Jake White has no doubts that his team can beat the Crusaders in their Super Rugby semifinal clash in Christchurch on July 26. Two months ago the Sharks recorded their first ever Super Rugby win when with 14 men they beat the Crusaders 30-25. However, White does not believe that history will play a part in what happens on Saturday but said that he believes that he has the players in his team to beat the Crusaders……
White was in a similar position last year as head coach of the Brumbies when they defied history by becoming the first team in Super Rugby to beat the Bulls in a Super Rugby semi-final on South African soil. White says the experience of playing and winning knockout rugby will be valuable this week for himself and the team……..
There will be calls this week for White to start with Springbok Pat Lambie at flyhalf but White says he will only make a final decision on his team later this week. White believes that he finds himself in a position of strength with a handful of options in his team selection……
Highlanders coach and former All Black Jamie Joseph believes that the Sharks will have a difficult task in beating the Crusaders in Christchurch after flying across the Indian Ocean ahead of the semi-final. Joseph, however, believes that the semi-finals have the making of a great game with both teams being strong at the set-pieces……
With the Super Rugby competition expected to expand from the current 15 team format to 18 teams in 2016, Joseph is not bothered too much about the prospect of an additional franchise from South Africa and a possible two more franchises from Asia. Joseph, who played and coached in Japan, believes that everyone should adapt to the competition and that their primary concern should be their franchises……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Sharks director of rugby Jake White says their 31-27 play-off win against the Highlanders at King’s Park last night should be a great lesson for his team on how to play knockout rugby. The Sharks staged a comeback after trailing in the game and White believes the momentum they picked up in the last 20 minutes of the game will be beneficial for his team as they face the Crusaders in the semi-finals of the competition next weekend in Christchurch……
Even though his team kicked poorly and from that the Highlanders scored three tries, White commended his forwards for playing well and said that they will take a lot of lessons from the errors of their ways on how not to play but will also look to build on the performance of the forwards ahead of the semi-finals…..
White said he was still not sure on whether Springbok lock Stephan Lewies will be fit to travel with the team to New Zealand but that he would wait on medical advice before taking any decision on which players will form part of the travelling party…..
White could also not confirm if Springbok prop Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira would be travelling with the Sharks to New Zealand as he failed to gain fitness in time to play against Highlanders yesterday. White said he was not too concerned about Mtawarira’s availability as the likes of Thomas du Toit and Dale Chadwick had proved themselves worthy cover at prop……
White also began playing mind games with the Crusaders by declaring that the odds were heavily stacked against his team winning next week’s semi-final and said that it would be important for his side to get to New Zealand as soon as possible and enjoy the country…..Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph said his team was gutted after their 31-27 play-off loss against the Sharks and that they felt they were ready for the encounter. Joseph said his team were confident going into the game regardless of coming to Durban on the back of two heavy defeats to the Waratahs and Crusaders respectively……
While the Highlanders lost the game in the battle of the scrum and forwards, Josephb said he was extremely proud of the manner in which his team showed mental toughness and the ability to overcome the physical challenges of flying from New Zealand to South Africa and playing in such a high intensity game…..
Joseph said that he was particularly pleased with the way in which his team played this season especially with nobody having given them a chance to make the play-offs. Joseph is also happy with the young players that have developed into good Super Rugby players and hopes that they can go on to achieve greater things…….
Josephs conceded that much of the difference in the Sharks beating them was largely due to the presence of Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis. Du Plessis was a thorn in the Highlanders in the scrums and Josephs also believes through his leadership on the field……
A disappointed Highlanders captain Nasi Manu said that he was proud of how his team went out fighting in the competition and the fact that his team reached the play-offs of the competition which was beyond the expectations of many of their detractors……JOurnalist: Vata Ngobeni
Sharks director of rugby Jake White doesn’t seem to be fazed by the prospect of his team having to go overseas in their effort in winning the Super Rugby competition. White is confident that his team can win this coming weekend’s play-off match against the Highlanders and then travel abroad to face the Crusaders in the semi-finals and beat them as well. However, White questioned the current play-off format if it means that year in and year out the two top teams on the log will finish off contesting the final…….
White has cautioned his team about thinking too far ahead and to concentrate on their match against the Highlanders this coming Saturday. Even though the Highlanders were heavily beaten by the Crusaders over the weekend, White believes that they will be a different team on Saturday in Durban……
White also confirmed the probable return of Springbok Pat Lambie to the team and possible return of Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira as well to the side after a lengthy injury lay-off for Lambie and a shorter one for Mtawarira. White though voiced his concern over the availability of JP Pietersen who suffered a concussion in the weekend’s game against the Stormers…….
While Lambie’s return is not guaranteed, White said that he will not hesitate to start with Lambie as he has proven in the past to be a match winner and hardly shows signs of rustiness. At the same time White said he had enough back-up at flyhalf if Lambie won’t be fit to play……
White says the gamble to rest players last week in the game again the Cheetahs which the Sharks lost will only bear fruit or prove to be suicidal on how far his team progresses. White conceded that he had to rest some of his Springboks after a heavy playing schedule over the past three months and while it back-fired against the Cheetahs, it could also prove to be a master stroke if the Sharks go on to win all the remaining games in the competition and be crowned champions…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said he was satisfied with the manner in which his team finished their Super Rugby campaign after beating the Melbourne Rebels 40-7 at Loftus Versfeld. The Bulls ended their season in ninth place and missed out of the Super Rugby play-offs due to two losses against the Lions and Stormers in the past two weeks……
Ludeke commended his team for keeping their composure even when they struggled to put away the Rebels in the first half and said that the early try in the second half lifted the team……
Ludeke believes that his team will take valuable lessons from their mishaps this season and that there is a need for the Bulls to start rebuilding for seasons ahead……
Ludeke also revealed that the Bulls were still in the market for more players to bolster their squad to make up for the small margins that cost them dearly this season. Ludeke is confident that his team will be able to win away games in the future…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Lions coach Johann Ackermann says that he is pleased with the overall performance of his team in this year’s Super Rugby competition after their 60-25 victory over the Cheetahs. The Lions who did not play in last year’s Super Rugby competition have managed to finish fourth in the South African conference and 12th on the overall Super Rugby log with seven wins, their best ever in the competition……..
Ackermann conceded that there is always a possibility of losing players to other franchises and to markets abroad but said it is highly unlikely that any of his current players will leave the Lions at the end of the year. Ackermann lauded his players for the courage and passion they played with this season and said that it will be important for them to remain so in next year’s competition……..
Ackermann also warned his players of the hangover effect from a season where they have done well and said that it will be important for them not to rely too much on the successes of this season come next year. According to Ackermann, his team will need to work even harder in the off season if they want to do better next year……
Even woith the confidence sky high in the4 Lions team at the moment, Ackermann doesn’t believe that it will necessarily translate into success in the upcoming Currie Cup season…….
Lions captain Warren Whitely commended his team for having played with maturity and channeling the emotions of Franco van der Merwe’s farewell into their biggest win ever in Super Rugby. Whiteley said the passion and hunger within the team is what that has carried them this season…..
Whiteley said he was not surprised with the monumental scoreline with which his team beat the Cheetahs and that they had been expecting the game to become loose and expansive……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Lions coach Johan Ackermann voiced his satisfaction after his team’s 34-17 win over the Melbourne Rebels at Ellis Park last night. Even though the game had its fair share of errors, Ackermann commended his entire team for the effort they put in to record the Lions sixth win of the season……
Lions captain Warren Whiteley was somewhat disappointed that his team could not secure the four try bonus point but did commend his team for a much improved second half where the Lions overwhelmed the Rebels in the latter stages of the match…….
Whiteley made special mention of the impact of the bench in achieving the result and how the substitutes were able to bring about a greater intensity in the last 20 minutes of the game…..
Voicer: Rebels coach Tony McGahan was happy with the fight his team put up until they relinquished the lead just before the hour mark, a stage in the game where McGahan believes his team ultimately lost the match…..
McGahan said there were small margins that separated the two teams and that the Lions capitalized on their momentum while the boot of Springbok flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff also gave the Lions some ascendency in the game…..Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske showered praise on his team for keeping their composure and keeping the Sharks at bay in the dying moments of their Super Rugby clash in Bloemfontein last night. The Cheetahs pulled off a major upset by beating the Sharks 27-20 forcing the Sharks to drop one position in the Super Rugby standings to third place and in danger of missing out on a home semi-final berth…….
Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss commended his team’s defence as the standout area where they were able to dominate and ultimately win the game……
Drotske did not want to comment much about the Sharks failure to win their last two matches saying that the disruptions with players being in the Springbok team and the fact that they had played too much rugby could be factors worthy of considering when looking at the Sharks losses…….
Sharks director of rugby Jake White says his team are still in with a chance of securing a home semi-final but they will have to beat the Stormers in their last game and hope the Highlanders beat the Crusaders as well. White though was not too pleased about the way his team started against the Cheetahs……
White commended the Cheetahs defence but was also scathing towards the referee for not allowing his team reward at the breakdowns……
White also lashed out at Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer for playing his players to the ground and not giving them a rest saying that it has contributed much to the fatigue his players are suffering at the moment. White believes that the combination of Super Rugby and Springbok matches is taking a toll on his players but said that was no excuse for their loss to the Cheetahs…..
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said his team were prepared and ready to take on the Bulls and they also played with the intensity required to win derbies in their 16-0 win over the Bulls in their Super Rugby clash at Newlands yesterday. The victory saw the Stormers climb the log to 11th spot and third place in the South African conference but it sad news for the Bulls as the loss ruled them out of play-off contention……
Coetzee said his team are now playing with balance on attack and defence and their ability to score points while stopping the opposition from putting any points on the scoreboard must be commended…..
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke conceded that his team were nowhere in that first half against the Stormers and even though they dominated the gain line in the second half, they couldn’t convert pressure into points…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
The Springboks finished their Castle Lager Incoming Series with a 55-6 win over Scotland at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium yesterday to ensure that they remain unbeaten for three years during the June Internationals. Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer was extremely pleased with the way in which his team have been dominant during the Tests against Wales and Scotland but was even more pleased with the fact that his team did not concede any tries against Scotland……
Meyer was also pleased with the manner in which his team was able to take advantage of the quick ball they enjoyed early in the first half. However Meyer admitted that Scotland were able to slow them down because of the battle at the breakdowns but in general the Springbok mentor was happy with his team’s performance with ball in hand……….
While the Springboks have managed to win all the incoming tours since 2012, Meyer conceded that there is still a concern over the lack of number five locks in the country even though there a handful of players who made the Springbok debuts during the series. In light of the debutants, Meyer also admitted that it will be difficult for him to select a 30 men squad ahead of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship but importantly Meyer said that the door was open for players who perform well to be selected for higher honours…….
Junior Springboks flyhalf and captain Handre Pollard received rave reviews from Meyer on his Test debut yesterday and Meyer said that Pollard had met all the expectation of what a flyhalf should be in the Springbok jumper…….
There is concern over the ankle injury to scrumhalf Fourie du Preez with Meyer revealing that he is worried that Du Preez might not be fit in time for the Rugby Championship. The full extent of Du Preez’s injury will only be known today or tomorrow but there is fear that he could have a hairline fracture in his ankle……
Springbok captain Victor Matfield spoke of his satisfaction at seeing players making their Springbok debuts but more importantly cited the depth in positions that the Springboks enjoy. Matfield though was quick to serve a reminder to the players that they must work hard to keep their places in the squad…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts has confirmed this afternoon that lock Flip van der Merwe and prop Beast Mtawarira will not be available for the Springboks Test against Scotland in Port Elizabeth. Van der Merwe is likely to be out of rugby for a month after suffering a knee injury in the Test against Wales while Mtawarira’s absence from the game is yet unknown and will be determined by a specialist after the Sharks prop sustained a neck injury in the same Test against Wales over the weekend. Springbok flank Willem Alberts also sustained a concussion and his availability for the Test against Scotland is doubtful…..
Roberts could not confirm whether Van der Merwe will require surgery or not and said that is a decision that the player and the Bulls will have to make once they have consulted with a specialist in Pretoria…….
Roberts said the severity of Mtawarira’s injury will only be determined once the swelling has subsided and a specialist in Durban has examined him……
Roberts said that there was no way in avoiding the increase in injuries and that the Springboks and Super Rugby franchises will have to modify the players training schedules as to ease the load of the players……
Roberts was cautious to blame franchises for the rise in injuries to players and instead commended South Africa’s Super Rugby franchises in their ability to manage players and their workload. Roberts said it was inevitable that injuries would be on the increase with the increase in the number of Super Rugby and Test matches and the pressure on every team to win their respective competitions…..
The crisis at flyhalf within the Springbok camp has been relieved with the news that Lions flyhalf Marnitz Boschoff has recovered from his ankle sprain and that Johan Goosen could also be fit for selection if he passes the final stage of his rehabilitation while Junior Springboks flyhalf and captain Handre Pollard has joined the Springbok team in Port Elizabeth. The Springboks will be without regular flyhalf Morne Steyn who has had to return to France to his Top 14 club Stade Francais……
Springbok defence coach John McFarland says he is not worried at how easily Wales managed to breach the Springboks defensive lines over the weekend and instead commended the bravery and commitment shown on defence by the Springboks in the dying minutes of their 31-30 win over Wales……
McFarland says that the Springboks will be out to maintain their unbeaten record over northern hemisphere teams when they face Scotland at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. McFarland said the Springboks have taken note of how well Scotland have played in recent Tests and the danger they pose especially their back three…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok wing Bryan Habana has been given time off from the Springbok team’s preparations in Nelspruit this week after the birth of his son and Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he is not worried about Habana missing out on training this week. Meyer confirmed that Habana will rejoin the national team on Jume 20 ahead of the Springboks second Test against Wales at Mbombela Stadium on June 21
Meyer has made two changes to his starting line-up with Tendai Mtawarira replacing Gurthro Steenkamp in the frontrow and Flip van der Merwe coming in for Bakkies Botha at lock. Meyer said the decision to bring back Van der Merwe was in order to give Botha a rest and that it was also a rotational move…..
In a surprise move, Meyer has recalled former Bulls centre Wynand Olivier to the match day 23 with Olivier set to start on the bench. Meyer said that there would be changes in the next Test against Scotland in Port Elizabeth next week but had refrained from making wholesome changes for the Test against Wales with the fear of breaking the team’s momentum and also wanting to keep intact his best team…..
Springbok captain Victor Matfield will on Saturday become the most capped player in Springbok history when he makes his 112th appearance. Meyer lauded Matfield as a player and his ability to come out of retirement and still prove himself worthy to play international rugby……
Meyer believes that Matfield can still be better than he was before retiring in 2011 and that his contribution to the Springboks cause will be most felt in the Tests against Australia and New Zealand in the Rugby Championship. Meyer hailed Matfield as one of the greatest players in the game and also for the value he brings with his leadership…..
Meyer was at pains to justify Olivier’s inclusion into the team even though the France-based centre joined the squad this week. Meyer said that Olivier can cover a multitude of positions in the backline and also brings with him the experience of having played in these positions at international level……….
Meyer remains wary of the danger Wales will pose to his team on June 21 but says his team’s sole focus is to improve on the way they played in the first Test with the Springboks chasing the perfect game for 80 minutes…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer waxed lyrically about his team’s 38-16 victory over Wales at King’s Park in Durban yesterday. Meyer was especially pleased with the way his team played in the first half…….
Springbok captain Victor Matfield was also happy with the way his team played but said that there is still a lot that the team can improve on ahead of the second Test at Mbombela Stadium next Saturday…….
Meyer though was not particularly pleased with the fact that his team leaked a try after holding Wales at bay for 69 minutes. However, Meyer did say that the five tries that his team scored were well executed and singled out centre Jan Serfontein for the performance he put in facing the experienced centre Jamie Roberts…….
Wales coach Warren Gatland conceded that the Springboks were by far the better side especially in the first half and remains hopeful that the second half performance by his team will inspire them to play better next week…..
Gatland expressed his disappointment at his team’s poor defensive effort and also admitted that Springbok fullback Willie Le Roux was detrimental to them stemming the tide in the first half. However Gatland commended his team for not throwing in the towel and said his team will be better for it next weekend…..
Wales defence coach Sean Edwards said the team’s performance was very similar to that of previous years and tours and is confident that Wales will bounce back next week…..Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has made a handful of changes to his team to play against Wales in the first Test of the Castle Lager Incoming series at King’s Park on Saturday. Toulouse prop Gurthro Steenkamp has been elevated to the starting line-up in place of Tendai Mtawarira with Steenkamp set to make his 50th appearance for the Springboks. Bulls centre Jan Serfontein will also make a start at inside centre while Cheetahs wing Cornal Hendricks will make his Test debut. Cheetahs lock Lood de Jager is also set to make his Test debut if called on from the bench. Meyer explained Steenkamp’s start as part of the rotation policy in the team and also to honour his milestone……
Meyer admitted that the Springboks were undergoing a crisis at centre but said that Saturday’s Test presented a great opportunity for JP Pietersen and Jan Serfontein…….
Meyer conceded that Serfontein was not yet due for a starting berth and had it not been for the Frans Steyn debacle yesterday, Serfontein would have started later on in the series. Meyer though re-iterated his confidence in Serfontein and his abilities to do well in the starting berth……
Meyer did not want to dwell too much on Frans Steyn, who yesterday recused himself from the Springbok team for the remainder of the series in what the Sharks centre explained as “needing time to consider his international career.” Meyer said it was important for the team to move forward and focus on building a squad of players who will compete at next year’s Rugby World Cup……
Meyer also predicted that Cheetahs lock Lood de Jager will have a great international career especially that he is learning the tricks of the trade from veetrans Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha. Meyer believes that De Jager is the complete package at lock…….
While Wales are yet to beat the Springboks on South African soil, Meyer believes that they are not a side to be taken lightly. Meyer though urged his team to focus on themselves and expect an even tougher battle than what they encountered last week against the World XV……
Meyer conceded that the past two weeks have been the toughest for him as Springbok coach and that injuries and the sudden withdrawal of Frans Steyn were the few curve balls he has had to contend with……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Wales coach Warren Gatland is expecting nothing short of a tough physical battle when his team take on the Eastern Province Kings at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth June 11. Gatland is fully aware that the Kings will be using the match as part of their Currie Cup preparations while Wales will have only this game as a warm-up ahead of the first Test against the Springboks on Saturday……
Gatland said that he is expecting the Kings to play a similar type of rugby to what their coach Carlos Spencer dished out during his playing days for the All Blacks…..
Wales forwards coach Robin McBride says it will be important for Wales to get their tour of South Africa off to a good start with a win over the Kings on June 11. McBride conceded that they don’t know much about the individual players within the Kings team but they are expecting a hostile environment in Port Elizabeth……
McBride said that playing against a side like the Kings which they know little of could work in their favour as it leaves them with no choice but to focus on what they need to do to win……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
The Springboks may have emerged 47-13 runaway winners against a star-studded World XV team at Newlands last night but Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says it was a tough outing for his team and there are a few areas of concern ahead of their opening Test against Wales in Durban this week……
Meyer, though, expressed his satisfaction with his team’s ability to score tries after they managed to score six tries against the World XV and Meyer emphasizing the importance of executing their plays……
Springbok captain Victor Matfield said his team made far too many mistakes and their discipline was not up to standard but said that he was happy with the manner in which they responded in the second half…….
Meyer was also not impressed with the way in which his team gave away penalties in the game and said that they will need to quickly adapt to Test rugby as it was not Super Rugby. Meyer has urged his players to change their mindset and adapt quicker to referees ahead of the first Test against Wales in Durban on Saturday……
Meyer is wary of the danger Wales will pose for the Springboks as he believes that they thrive in playing in dry conditions. Meyer has made a call to his player to elevate the way in which they play to another level……
Former Springbok coach and World XV coach Nick Mallett commended his team for the manner in which they took the game to the Springboks in the first half but admitted that their second half was poor…….
Mallett believes that the outing was good for the Springboks in getting them battle hardened ahead of their series against Wales and Scotland and commended the Springboks for their organized play……
At the same time Mallett thinks that the Springboks will need to put in more work if they are to be successful against Wales especially the old guard of Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha and Schalk Burger who Mallett believes they contributed positively in yesterday’s game…….Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer named his team to play against the World XV at Newlands on June 07 and Cheetahs wing and former SA Sevens star Cornal Hendricks is the only uncapped player in the starting line-up. Meyer says he has been impressed with Hendricks form in Super Rugby and believes Hendricks can become a permanent player within the Springbok team……
Meyer has also named Sharks players Frans Steyn and JP Pietersen as his midfield combination for the game and believes that Pietersen can make good of his move from wing to outside centre……..
At the same time Meyer said that his team’s playing style is determined by the strengthens of the players he has selected and contrary to popular belief, he encourages his players to play with freedom that will result in tries being scored……
Stormers centre Juan de Jongh again missed out on selection but Meyer defended his omission by stating that he is testing the midfield combination of Steyn and Pietersen and knows what De Jongh brings to the team and will in future be in the reckoning for a starting berth…….
World Cup winning scrumhalf Fourie du Preez will yet again start the international season off the bench with Meyer saying that Ulster scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar will start ahead of Du Preez as the Japanese-based Du Preez is not match fit but will certainly be given an opportunity to play on Saturday……
Even though Saturday’s game against the World XV won’t count as an official Test match, Meyer said he was not tempted in giving away caps for the sake of handing players an opportunity to play and that players need to force their way into the Springbok starting line-up…….
Meyer also rubbished reports that flyhalf Morne Steyn has been benched at his French club Stade de Francais because of poor form and instead said that Steyn has been struggling with a back injury. Meyer commended overseas clubs for the manner in which they manage players by using the rotation system……
The Springboks will only have the game against the World XV to prepare for the Castle Lager Incoming series against Wales and Scotland and even though Meyer would have wanted more warm-up games, the former Bulls mentor says Saturday’s game will still be a good enough preparation. Meyer said he does expect there to be some hiccups in the way his team plays but has minimized the occurrence of errors by selecting an experienced outfit…….
Springbok team: 15. Willie le Roux, 14. Cornal Hendricks, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Frans Steyn, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Morne Steyn, 9. Ruan Pienaar, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Willem Alberts, 6. Francois Louw, 5. Victor Matfield (captain), 4. Bakkies Botha, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16. Schalk Brits, 17. Gurthro Steenkamp, 18. Coenie Oosthuizen, 19. Flip van der Merwe, 20. Schalk Burger,21. Fourie du Preez, 23. Johan Goosen, 24. Lwazi Mvovo. Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts confirmed last night that Stormers centre Damian de Allende has been ruled out for the remainder of the Castle Lager Inbound tour. De Allende injured his knee in the Super Rugby match between the Sharks and Stormers and is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks with a grade two medial ligament strain.......Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts confirmed last night that Stormers centre Damian de Allende has been ruled out for the remainder of the Castle Lager Inbound tour. De Allende injured his knee in the Super Rugby match between the Sharks and Stormers and is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks with a grade two medial ligament strain…….
Roberts said that there weren’t any other injuries in the squad includiong from the overseas-based players except for the normal bumps and bruises…..
Roberts explained the injury conundrum regarding Frans Steyn as one that needs to be managed. Steyn is suffering from a knee cartilage injury in his right knee and Roberts says that it is a matter of managing the time Steyn spends on the training field especially with his kicking. However, Roberts expects Steyn to be fit and available for selection ahead of this weekend’s Test against the World XV in Cape Town…….
Schalk Burger is also suffering from a neck injury which Roberts says has improved and that Burger should resume training today with the rest of the squad and should be available for selection……
Roberts said that he is very worried about the number of injuries emanating out of Super Rugby but conceded that nothing much could be done besides monitoring and managing players……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyeneke Meyer is yet to settle on a flyhalf for the team going into the June inbound series against the World XV, Wales and Scotland. While Stade Francais flyhalf Morne Steyn is still frontrunner to retain the number 10 jersey, Meyer revealed during their training camp in Durban that the likes of Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen and SA Under-20 captain Handre Pollard also have a good chance at getting a fighting for a place in the flyhalf berth…..
Meyer conceded that as much as most of his focus is on the Springboks first game of the year against the World XV next week in Cape Town, he is also thinking about the long term sustainability of the team and the personnel who will be involved…….
Meyer admitted that he is concerned at the lack of number five locks in the country and that the decision by Victor Matfield to come out of retirement has been a blessing in disguise for the Springboks. Meyer said that Matfield’s influence has been evident during the training camp……
Most of Meyer’s squad for the inbound series will be made up of South African-based players but Meyer did admit that the overseas-based players add a lot of experience to the national team and that he will be looking at picking the best team available to him this year……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Bulls lock and former Springbok Victor Matfield says it is always a privilege to be part of the Springboks but would rather wait until the announcement of the Springbok squad for the June internationals before celebrating his return to international rugby. Matfield along with Schalk Burger and Heinrich Brussow were named in a 36 men Springbok training camp squad after all three last played for the Springboks in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Matfield is hoping to remain injury free until the end of the month and hopefully his performances for the Bulls have impressed Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer. The 36-year-old Matfield came out of a two year retirement this year……
Matfield said that he was happy with his current form and that it was always his aim to return back to the Springboks and play at next year’s World Cup in England……..
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said he was very happy for Junior Springbok Jacques du Plessis who also managed to gain a call up to the Springbok training camp and that it is part of their aim at the Bulls to produce Springboks while winning trophies. Ludeke says that being part of the training camp is hoefully a step in Du Plessis becoming a full international soon…….
Ludeke also credited prop Marcel van der Merwe for the hard work he has put in this season which has seen him also being called up to the Springbok training camp. While Van der Merwe has only started two matches for the Bulls in this year’s Super Rugby campaign, Ludeke says it has been the Bulls policy of rotation that has seen Van der Merwe return to his best……..
Ludeke has made a handful of changes in his team to play against the Brumbies at Loftus Versfeld in Friday. Captain Flip van der Merwe returns from a three week ban and will start alongside Matfield while Werner Kruger replaces Marcel van der Merwe at prop. SA Under-20 flyhalf Handre Pollard will start of the bench with Jacques-Louis Potgieter returning at flyhalf. Ludeke said that changes in the team are determined by the opponent and strategy……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Cheetahs flank Heinrich Brussow was named in the Springbok training camp to be held next weekend in Durban which could open the way for Brussow’s return to the national team after three years out of international rugby. Brussow along with Victor Matfield and Schalk Burger were announced in the 36-man training squad along with new faces Sharks centre Sibusiso Sithole, Cheetahs wing Cornal Hendriks and Teboho Mohoje. Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske said Brussow is a world class player who has been special to the Cheetahs…….
Drotske admitted that this year’s Super Rugby season has been a frustrating one for his team and that things started going wrong for them from the beginning of the year. The Cheetahs have managed to win only three matches out of the 13 played so far this season with nine losses and a draw…….
Drotske though has had his spirits lifted after his team beat the Brumbies 27-21 on Saturday and said that it shows the small margins in the competition if his side could beat a team that was vying for the top of the log. Saturday’s win catapulted the Cheetahs to 12th spot on the log after they had been languishing at the bottom…….
With a local derby against the Stormers fast approaching, Drotske said there won’t be a need to motivate his players as they understand that they need to finish this part of the season on a high ahead of the June international break……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee says that Springbok eighthman Duane Vermeulen will be fit to play against the Western Force even though he sat out training today and will do so for the remainder of the week. Stand-in captain Schalk Burger is still doubtful for the clash after suffering an injury against the Bulls last weekend. Coetzee says that a final decision on Burger’s availability will be made on Friday after captain’s run……
Burger jokingly explained his injury and the consequences of it and confirmed that he is doubtful for the match against the Western Force at Newlands on Saturday……. IN: Ja it’s touch…..
Stormers flyhalf Peter Grant will become the third Stormers player to make his 100th appearance for the franchise and Coetzee said that he selected Grant ahead of Kurt Coleman at flyhalf as a sign fo respect for Grant’s milestone. Coleman has been relegated to the bench with Grant moving from inside centre back to his familiar position of flyhalf……..
Coetzee emphasized Grant’s experience as being important to the Stormers cause against the Force and that Coleman understands the need for Grant to start ahead of him…….
Burger says that keeping possession will be important if the Stormers are to have a chance at beating the Force and that the Australians are a big threat at the breakdown…….
With three South Africans in the Force team and two in their management, Burger acknowledged that playing against the Force would feel like playing against a South African side…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke couldn’t contain his joy after his team’s 28-12 win over the Stormers in their Super Rugby encounter at Loftus Versfeld last night. Ludeke commended his charges for their calmness when they were trailing the Stormers by 12-0 after 20 minutes in the first half and the leadership shown by captain Victor Matfield in guiding them to victory. The win has kept the Bulls in contention for a play-off berth Bulls clawed our way back in the first half when we were behind we dominated field position one or two breakdown they capitalized on, decisions on the field and leadership win was a good win, players were accurate players kept their cool and an awesome second half
Bulls captain Victor Matfield was also pleased with the manner in which his team played and said that this was the nearest performance to playing the complete game that they are chasing. Matfield commented on how their patience and execution reminded him of past Bulls teams who suffocated their opponents to victory…….
Matfield gave credit to a young and inexperienced Stormers side that fought valiantly until the end. In the end Matfield applauded his team for having stuck to their plan and not focusing on what the Stormers were going to do…….
Stormers captain Schalk Burger said that his team’s inability to maintain a high level of play for the entire game, inexperience and elementary errors cost them dearly in their loss to the Bulls. At the same time Burger commended the fight his team put up against a Bulls side that has not been beaten at Loftus this year…..
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee is hopeful that his team will be better off after last night’s loss to the Bulls and that the youngsters fielded would have learnt some valuable lessons. Coetzee cited the long and debilitating injury list as one of the reasons he selected a young and inexperienced side to play against the Bulls but also gave credit to the Bulls for the manner in which they engineered the victory…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) is in discussion with the International Rugby Board (IRB) to have the national team play Portugal in a historic two test matches ahead of their 2014 Confederation of Africa Rugby Division 1A championship defense in Madagascar in June. The KRU website reportedly revealed that consultations are on-going with the IRB for the team to play two top class rugby Tests encounters before travelling to Madagascar. Kenya has never played such a reputable rugby nation and these will actually be the first ever real rugby Test with an overseas opponent KRU chief executive officer Jack Oko, currently in Cape Town, South Africa, explains further…..
Meanwhile Tusker Simba XV visited South Africa for a two-month period training stint where they played in the Vodacom Cup. Oko reckons the training task in South Africa was to prepare for the forthcoming 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifiers in Madagascar.
The Kenyans are reportedly negotiating with South African Rugby Union (SARU) so that Kenya can be admitted into the Vodacom Cup next year and possibly permanently. In this regard, Oko extends a welcome to sponsors so that some of the matches could actually be hosted in Nairobi.
Rugby has a long history in Kenya. Formed in 1923, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was dissolved and the district unions incorporated into the Rugby Football Union of East Africa upon its formation in 1956. The Kenya national sevens team is much more successful, doing well in the IRB Seven World Series, as well as the Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Sevens. Journalist: Coudjoe Amankwaa
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke lauded his players for their manner in which they were able to come-from-behind in their 26-21 win over the Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld yesterday. Ludeke said his team showed character and good game management while they were unlucky not to score more tries…….
Bulls captain Victor Matfield said that the victory has taken a lot of pressure off his team after losing four consecutive games. Matfield believes that the win will be a timely confidence booster ahead of this week’s clash against the Stormers……
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske said that his team wilted under the pressure applied by the Bulls especially in the second half of the game. Drotske acknowledged the Bulls dominance in the mauls and said that his team conceded the game by giving away penalties…….
Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss gave credit to the Bulls for having forced his team into their style of rugby and thereby saw the Cheetahs relinquish their half-time lead and ultimately the game…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Sharks director of rugby Jake White said that it is sometimes enough for a team to win ugly as long as they win referring to his team’s unconvincing 19-8 win over the Cheetahs……
White believes that it is getting tougher by the week for his side as every team in the competition is targeting them as the number one side on the Super Rugby standings. White says his message to his team has been not to underestimate any team…….
At the same time White believes that the Sharks need to undergo some changes in personnel and ideas if they are to remain at the top of the Super Rugby standings but is wary of making these changes this week as the Sharks prepare to play against the Highlanders on Friday in Durban……
White also poured cold water on any suggestions that the Springboks will struggle this year with most South African Super Rugby teams not doing well in this year’s competition. White is optimistic that with most South African franchises likely not to make the play-offs, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer will have more time with the players in the lead up to the Rugby Championship……
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske says there is still a lot of hard work ahead for his team if they are to try and replicate last season’s form in their remaining games in the competition. The Cheetahs are all but out of contention for a play-off berth and are languishing at the bottom of the Super Rugby log…….
Drotske however remains positive that his team can try push for a play-off berth but they would have to win all their remaining matches and do so well. AT the same time Drotske says every team in the competition is under pressure as the competition gets tougher by the year…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske says his team is its own worst enemy and that they need to learn to play for the full 80 minutes if they are to make any inroads into this year’s Super Rugby competition. Drotske’s comments came after the Cheetahs sunk to a 52-31 loss against the Crusaders…..
Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss says his team will need to quickly fix the errors of their ways if they are to win their second game in the competition and continue to do so for the remainder of the round robin stage. Strauss said everything with their structures is right and that the players need to find the balance between playing structured rugby and expansive rugby…..
Strauss says he has not yet lost hope and that the Cheetahs can still rescue themselves from the lowly 14th place on the standings with only one win from their eight matches which includes a draw……
Sharks director of rugby Jake White believes that Sharks centre Sbura Sithole has proven that he is more than able to play in Super Rugby but admitted that he still has some way to go before pushing for a place in the national team. White converted Sithole from wing to centre this year and Sithole has been able to fill the gap left by the injured Paul Jordaan. Sithole, a national team Sevens star, was rewarded with the man-of-the-match award for his efforts in the Sharks 25-12 win over the Lions on Saturday…….
White also said that he was not surprised that Springbok wing Lwazi Mvovo’s move to fullback has been so successful. White believes that Mvovo will get better in the position with time…..
With the Sharks still leading the South African conference and on top of the combined Super Rugby standing, White is confident that they will be able to handle whatever the Cheetahs throw at them next Saturday in Durban……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
The Department of Sport and Recreation together with SASCOC are intensifying the transformation talk in South African sport and uncooperative federations could face the music. Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula met Presidents and CEO’s of SA Rugby, SAFA, Cricket SA, Netball SA and Athletics SA yesterday as a follow up to the recently released transformation report by the Eminent Persons Group. The main purpose was to engage with the federations on how they are going to implement the findings of the EPG report. And Mbalula has picked on rugby to be honest with itself after a strong debate in a meeting…
During the PowerPoint presentation that was done by Dr Willie Basson a member of the EPG, a leading sports administrator from one of the top three federations was overheard as saying “he’s talking nonsense”. Basson had been going through the slides that showed that this particular federation was falling behind in certain sections when it came to transformation. And Mbalula hasn’t taken kindly to these comments…
There have also been a lot of reports about the 60 to 40 percent targets of representation in the national teams. Mbalula has also blamed the media on what he calls selective reporting and distortion of facts for narrow interests…
Mbalula has also denied that there will be a relaxation of the 60-40 percent transformation target when it comes to rugby but revealed that they are prepared to meet SA rugby and hear their side of the story if there’s a need to…
Rugby had been identified as being one of the best performers in the EPG report overall including governance matters but performed poorly when it came to transformation. SARU CEO Jurie Roux says they are satisfied with yesterday’s session…
SABC Sport understands that the Ministry of sport is very happy with the progress that is being made at Cricket SA regarding transformation and CSA President Chris Nenzani says they are merely being judged on the data they’ve provided…
Football doesn’t have challenges when it comes to representation but scored very low overall when matters of governance were included. This was also due to a lack of proper structures at provincial level something that SAFA President Danny Jordaan says they are addressing…Journalist: Velile Mbuli
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says the return of Derick Minnie from injury could not have come at a better time for the Lions as they prepare to take on the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday. Minnie is the only change to the Lions team and Ackermann believes that he will add a lot of value in the Lions last home game before they embark on their overseas tour next week......
Lions coach Johan Ackermann believes his team lost to a better Crusaders side at Ellis Park yesterday. The Lions suffered their first defeat at home this season when they were convincingly beaten 28-7 by the Crusaders. Ackermann says his team were just outplayed on the day……
A visibly angry Ackermann said that his players will need to take responsibility for the loss and that individuals made bad decisions on the field which ultimately led to them not being able to gain momentum in the game……
Lions captain Warren Whiteley conceded that his team didn’t follow the gameplan as planned and that they will need to pick themselves up this week ahead of their last home game against the Sharks before going on tour…..
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said that he was happy with the win especially considering that his team were low on confidence before the match. The Crusaders became the first side this year to cross the Indian Ocean, either way, and record victory with the Waratahs being the second in their win over the Stormers in Cape Town last night……..
Crusaders captain Ryan Crotty said his team managed to capitalize on the errors of the Lions and were fortunate that the pressure they applied turned into points for them…..Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell commended his team for the character they showed in their 33-26 loss against Fiji in the cup final of the Tokyo Sevens. Fiji stole the victory in the last seconds of the game and with it wrestled the title away from the South Africans who won in Tokyo last year……
Even though the Blitzbokke were losing finalists yesterday, they managed to get enough points to finish on top of the log in IRB World Series, two points above New Zealand. Powell says that his team will need to focus on their process and not get carried away with their log standings ahead of the next tournament in Hong Kong this weekend…..
The Blitzbokke have now played in four consecutive cup finals and Powell said that his team would be aiming at making it five in a row in Hong Kong. However, Powell believes that his team will need to play clever rugby if they are to stay ahead of the chasing pack in the series. The Blitzbokke have been boosted with the inclusion of Cecil Afrika to their squad for Hong Kong where they have been drawn in Pool B and will play against Australia, France and Spain. Their first match will be against France at the Hong Kong Football Stadium followed by Spain and Australia……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Lions coach Johan Ackermann said that his team’s come-from-behind 23-20 win against the Reds at Ellis Park was a special moment that will last for a long time for him and his team. The Lions came from 20-6 at the half-time interval to score two tries in the past 15 minutes of the game to edge out the Reds …..
Ackermann is hopeful that their wins in the last two weeks against the Blues and Reds, respectively, will give them the belief that they deserve to play in the competition……
Reds coach Graham Hill was left fuming after the game blaming much of their demise to referee Stuart Berry who heavily penalized them and sent two of their players to the sin bin in the last 10 minutes of the game. James Hanson and Jake Schatz were both shown yellow cards four minutes apart from each other. Hill said he would take up the matter with Sanzar’s head of referees Lyndon Bray…..
Reds captain James Horwill said that he had requested Berry to consult with the television match official with some of the decisions but that Berry refused to do. Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says that his side has been playing well since the start of the Super Rugby competition but never got the reward. Ludeke feels that his side’s hard work has been finally vindicated after the 38-22 win over the Blues at Loftus Versfeld which has pushed the Bulls up to fourth place on the combined log after suffering two consecutive defeats at the beginning of the season…….
Bulls captain Flip van der Merwe believes that the bonus point try his team managed to score at the end of the game will go a long way in helping stay amongst the frontrunners in the competition……
Blues coach Sir John Kirwan conceded that his team made far too many errors that eventually cost them the game……..
While Kirwan was happy with the fight his team showed in the second half of the game, the former All Black wing said his team failed to apply more pressure on the Bulls……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke today made some sweeping changes to his team to play against the Lions in their Super Rugby encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Former Springbok and Bulls captain Victor Matfield returns to the starting line-up for the first time since coming out of retirement while Grant Hattingh moves from lock to number eight. The Bulls have also made a change at prop with Frik Kirsten replacing Werner Kruger and the only change in the backline comes at flyhalf where Jacques-Louis Potgieter replaces Louis Fouche. Ludeke hopes that the changes to the team will help them secure their first victory after losing their first two games of the season against the Sharks and Cheetahs……..
Bulls captain Flip van der Merwe says that his players have taken responsibility for the two losses so far this season and that they have worked extremely hard in trying to improve on their game ahead of the encounter against the Lions……
Van der Merwe said that there was no problem between himself and former captain Victor Matfield even though they differed in a decision on the field in the game against the Cheetahs. Van der Merwe says that Matfield is supportive of his role as captain and that he brings a lot of experience to the team while it was only Van der Merwe’s first game last weekend as captain of the side…….
Ludeke has commended the Lions on the way on the way in which they have started the season with two wins against the Cheetahs and Stormers but believes that his team can counter them…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss hailed his teammates performance as the most gutsy bunch of guys his played with in their maiden Super Rugby win against the Bull in Bloemfontein. It had taken the Cheetahs eight years and nine matches before they could beat the Bulls but Strauss said it was important for his team to remain humble……..
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske said that his team’s tactical play was the most pleasing aspect of their 15-9 win over the Bulls and that he appreciated the fact that they were able to rise above the wet and rainy conditions………
Drotske said that the win placed pressure on the team as they jetted off on their tour of Australia and New Zealand as it was the first time they were going on tour on the back of a win………
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke conceded that the Cheetahs were tactically superior and that his team failed to convert the pressure they had applied into points……
Ludeke urged the Bulls supporters not to get emotional with the fact that his team have lost both of their games so far this season and said that it was important for the players to experience losing if they are to appreciate what it takes to win games……..
Lions coach Johan Ackermann struggled to contain his emotions and said that he was proud of his team’s performance in their historic 34-10 win over the Stormers in their Super Rugby encounter at Ellis Park. It was the Lions first win over the Stormers in Super Rugby and the Stormers biggest losses in recent times…….
Ackermann went on to say that this was one of the best matches he has been involved in as a coach with the character that his team showed especially when they were one man down in the second half……
Lions captain Warren Whiteley said his team’s success came from them believing in their structures and from their win last week against the Cheetahs but warned that they need to stay humble and focus on their next match against the Bulls next weekend at Loftus Versfeld……..
Stormers captain Jean de Villiers says that their loss against the Lions was their worst performance in seven years and that every single player in the team needs to take responsibility for what transpired on the field. De Villiers did say however that his team have an opportunity to rectify their flaws when they play against the Hurricanes at Newlands…….
De Villiers commended the Lions for playing clever rugby and taking full advantage of the scoring opportunities they created but was still left with question marks over the commitment of his team to the jersey…….
De Villiers also said that they had done everything possible in their preparations in the 14 weeks leading up to their first game of the season but all the preparation in the world accounts for nothing if they are not able to execute it on the field when it matters the most…….Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok Sevens captain Kyle Brown says his team has done well in the last two tournaments in Las Vegas and Wellington and that they must continue to be consistent and work hard ahead of the Tokyo and Hong Kong legs of the IRB World Series. The Blitzbokke beat New Zealand in Las Vegas to successfully defend their title but lost to New Zealand two weeks later in the final in Wellington. It was the first time in six matches that New Zealand had defeated the Blitzbokke with their last win having been in November of 2012……
Brown has warned against speaking of winning the series, a feat South Africa last did in 2009. The Blitzbokke are two points behind New Zealand on the world series log but Brown believes that his team need to build on the successes of this current season…….
With the likes of Seabelo Senatla, Rosco Specman and Paul Delport all likely to be fit and available for selection for the Tokyo and Hong Kong legs of the series at the end of March, Brown says all three will be valuable additions to the team……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Sharks coach Jake White says he is happy with the how his team fared in their final warm-up friendly against the Lions at Ellis Park. The Sharks beat the Lions 57-14 and White was particularly happy in that his team broke away from playing typical South African rugby........
White also stressed the need for his team to play a more expansive brand of rugby if they are to score tries at will and believes that they have an unpredictability about them that will work in their favour in the upcoming Super Rugby season.......
Lions coach Johan Ackermann says the outing against the Sharks was extremely important for his team especially for their experience. Ackermann conceded that the scoreline in the game ballooned mainly in the first half with his players struggling to deal with the tempo and opposition.......
Ackermann though said that their defence in an area they will need to work on ahead of their opening Super Rugby match against the Cheetahs next week.....Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Stormers captain Jean de Villiers says they will use their pre-season warm up match against the Bulls at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on February 1 to improve on the things they have been working on during the off-season. De Villiers also said it was an opportunity for players to claim a spot in the team. The Stormers named a strong team which will see Springbok flank Schalk Burger start alongside Siya Kolisi and Duane Vermeulen while centre Damian de Allende will start on the wing……..
De Villiers said that his team are confident that they can win the Super Rugby competition but warned that every team in the competition probably feels the same……
Playing against an equally strong Bulls team, De Villiers is under no illusion that it will be a tough outing in Polokwane on Saturday and said that the game being staged in Limpopo will benefit the expansion of rugby throughout the country……
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke believes that one warm up match is more than sufficient and that it will be important for his team to improve by the week during the season. Ludeke is adamant that their game against the Stormers on Saturday in Polokwane will help in seeing where they need to make adjustments ahead of their season opener against the Sharks in Durban on February 15…..
Ludeke said that he is looking for a quality performance from his team and his full strength team sees the return from injury of captain Pierre Spies, flanks Arno Botha and Deon Stegmann and flyhalf Louis Fouche. The Bulls also announced the return of flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter after playing in France for Bayonne and Dax. Potgieter last played for the Bulls in 2011 before leaving them for the Sharks and has signed a two year contract with the three time Super Rugby champions……
Bulls captain Pierre Spies says that it will be important for his team to focus on playing well this weekend and on a personal note is excited to be returning to rugby after being out of action for six months after sustaining a bicep injury last year in a Test against Samoa……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok Sevens captain Kyle Brown says it is important for his team not to focus on Kenya who they play in their final pool match in the Las Vegas leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series but instead they should focus on their goals which is to beat Wales and Canada in their pool as well.
With the Blitzbokke trailing New Zealand by two points on the log, Brown has warned against believing that they have a good chance of winning the series by saying that there is still plenty of work and tournaments to be won before thinking about the series win. The Blitzbokke have won twice in Vegas and are the defending champions…..
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell says it will be important for his team to win the next two tournaments if they are to stand a chance of being series contenders. After the Las Vegas leg of the series, the Blitzbokke will try to win the Wellington leg in the back yard of their arch rivals New Zealand next weekend…..
The Blitzbokke will again face Kenya and former coach Paul Treu, a team they have played twice already this season and have also been drawn against at the upcoming Commonwealth Games, but Powell believes that their approach will be the same as any other team……
Powell believes that it will be critical for his team to be at their best in their pool games and leave nothing to chance as any of their opposition can upset them on the day………
Powell also revealed that the confidence in his team was sky high after their home tournament win in Port Elizabeth last month but has warned against arrogance. Powell is hopeful that his team will use the confidence of being able to win tournaments and beating reigning series champions New Zealand in the process to their advantage over the next two weekends in Las Vegas and Wellington…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Varsity Cup managing director Duitser Bosman believes that the stature of the competition continues to grow as it has become the platform in launching many Springbok careers and that of professional coaches. Bosman was speaking at the launch of the Varsity Cup in Stellenbosch where all the teams in the cup and the Varsity Shield competition had gathered…….
Bosman also revealed that this year’s Varsity Cup competition will trial the two referee system for the International Rugby Board and Bosman is confident that the system will come into use in the professional game in the not too distant future…….
Former All Blacks and Golden Lions coach John Mitchell will be coaching the UKZN Impis in the Varsity Shield this year and says that he will do his best to improve the relationship between the university and the Sharks while also trying to ensure that the Impis play in the Cup competition……
Mitchell acknowledged that he was entering the unknown but says that he is looking forward to the challenge of helping groom future rugby stars and academics…….
While Mitchell has not coached professionally since parting ways with the Lions in 2012, he has revealed that he still harbours hopes of returning to coach professionally but for the time being will help in coaching at grassroots……
Former Griquas coach Pote Human will this year take charge of the defending champions the University of Pretoria and has admitted that there is a lot of pressure on him and his team to ensure that the title remains in the capital city for the third year running…….
Former Springbok and Blue Bulls scrumhalf Robert du Preez has also emerged as the new coach of the North West University and believes that this will be the toughest season since the inception of the competition……..
Du Preez believes that the Varsity Cup and Shield have managed to attract high profile coaches because it is the nearest level to the professional side of the game and is also the perfect platform to give players and aspirant coaches exposure……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
National Sevens captain Kyle Brown says the team has managed to stay fit through the festive season as they prepare for the Las Vegas and Wellington legs of the IRB World Sevens Series. Brown revealed that their win at their home tournament in December ranks as a very special moment for the team and himself. Brown was speaking at the Cape Town International Airport on the departure to Las Vegas via London……..
While it is still early in the sevens season for Brown to predict that the Blitzbokke will be title contenders, he does believe that winning their home tournament will give them the consistency they need to be successful in Las Vegas as the defending champions of that tournament next weekend. The Blitzbokke are just two points behind New Zealand on the series table and a win in Las Vegas will propel them to the top heading to Wellington in New Zealand a week later…..
Brown said that his team will harness all the good things that worked for them in Vegas last year when they won the tournament but also stated that it will be important for them to impose their game on opposition teams. The Blitzbokke play against Wales, Canada and Kenya in their pool……..
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell said that he was excited about the return to fitness of speedster Seabelo Senatla and experienced campaigner Stephan Dippenaar and is also happy to have called-up debutant and Pumas wing Rosco Specman to the squad that travel to the Vegas and Wellington tournaments..…….Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Namibia Rugby Union have assembled 40-Under-20 players, following a nation-wide talent identification programme, aimed at ensuring that the players get the right basics in as far as the sport code is concerned. The aim of the nation-wide search campaign is to broaden the pool of players for Namibia. Namibia Rugby Union CEO Mr Sybrand de Beer has revealed that some South Africa’s Springboks stars were invited to Windhoek, to help hone the skills of the players.
The under 20 training camp was accredited by the International Rugby Board (IRB) and it remains a feeder to the Namibian Rugby national team. De Beer says the Under-20 squad has qualified for the Junior World Rugby Championship scheduled for Hong Kong next year. According to the chief executive officer (CEO) of Namibian Rugby Union, his country has qualified for the previous four world cups.
Asked what could be done to fast-track the development of rugby in Namibia and across the African continent, this is what de Beer had to say.
De Beer emphasized that Namibia should have about 20 000 rugby players by 2015.
And while the FNB Foundation was being singled out for ululation for funding the talent search, De Beer was quick to commend the Namibian Government for their assistance. Journalist: Coudjoe Amankwaa
National Sevens captain Kyle Brown has dedicated last night’s 17-14 win by his team against New Zealand in the final of the HSBC Sevens World Series in Port Elizabeth to the late former president Nelson Mandela. Brown revealed that it was difficult to control the emotions of the team throughout the weekend but that they were inspired to do well for Madiba and country when they played in the final. This was the first time in five years that the Blitzbokke won their home leg of the series after New Zealand has dominated and their first victory since the tournament moved from George to be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizebeth…..
Brown credited his entire team for the hard work they put in and not dropping their heads after losing last weekend’s final against Fiji in Dubai…..
Brown says he hopes the Blitzbokke win will help alleviate the grief that South Africa has been under since the passing of Madiba……..
Win will bring smiles to people’s faces huge honour to icon to Nelson Mandela to give him present and respect him in that way
Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell admitted that he is still getting to grips with being the head coach of the team but congratulated his players for showing character and winning and hopes for more cup victories in the series. Since taking over from Paul Treu, Powell has coached the team in three tournaments finishing fourth at the Gold Coast in Australia, second in Dubai last weekend and winning their home leg.…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse believes that the Absa Currie Cup premier division should be extended to eight teams from the current six team format. Stonehouse guided his team to promotion into the premier division in October by beating Griquas but says South African rugby will be better off with an eight team Currie Cup premier division. Saru’s general council will meet again tomorrow in Cape Town where a revote will be cast again on the issue after it was decided two months ago to keep the current six team format. Tensions between Eastern Province, South Western Districts and Border are alleged to be the stumbling block in expanding the premier division…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell believes that the six weeks in between the Gold Coast Sevens in Australia and this weekend’s Dubai Seven will be of great help to his team. Powell says that his team used the time to prepare for the Dubai leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series…….
Powell says it will be important for his team to remain intact for the better part of the season if they are to challenge for top honours at the end of the series. Powell believes that the Blitzbokke will need to have consistency in team selection if they are to be title contenders……
Even with return from injury of Branco du Preez and the availability of Western Province and Junior Boks star Cheslin Kolbe for the Blitzbokke in Dubai, Powell has warned against relying on individuals and has urged the team to play well in order for the individuals to shine……
Powell says it will be important for his team to top their pool if they are to make meaningful in roads in Dubai. The Blitzbokke kick-off their tournament on November 29 with matches against Argentina, Russia and Samoa…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
City of Polokwane mayor Freddy Greaver has made a plea to the South African Rugby Union to give his city an opportunity to host a Test match involving the Springboks sooner rather than later. Greaver says he is confident that Polokwane just like Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit did this year will get a Test match……
Greaver went on to say that it is time that the Springboks play up north as they owe it to their passionate supporters and the budding rugby players in the rural parts of the province. If the Springboks are to play in Polokwane, Greaver believes that it will benefit both the team and the people of the province….
Greaver also announced that the Bulls will play against the Stormers in their Super Rugby warm-up game at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in February next year after the Bulls had played against the Cheetahs in the past two warm-up games in 2011 and 2012……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer believes that he has the perfect mix of youth and experience in his match 23 to play against France in Paris on November 23. Meyer has made no less than seven changes to his team with Coenie Oosthuizen set to start at tighthead prop alongside Bismarck du Plessis at hooker and Tendai Mtawarira on the other prop. Eben Etzebeth returns at lock and too Morne Steyn at flyhalf while Willie le Roux will start at fullback. Lourens Adriaanse is set to make his debut off the bench while Meyer has recalled Siya Kolisi and confirmed that Pieter Steph du Toit will conver at lock and flank……
Meyer says that Oosthuizen’s elevation to the starting line-up in the unfamiliar position of tighthead prop is no cause of concern and that Oosthuizen has been steadily improving in the role when coming off the bench……..
While Oosthuizen is also famous for his ball carrying abilities, Meyer says that Oosthuizen will need to focus primarily on his scrumming……
Meyer believes that fullback Willie Le Roux has improved tenfold especially with his tactical kicking and in the slippery northern hemisphere conditions. Meyer revealed that Le Roux had proven that he was worthy of wearing the Springbok number 15 jumper…….
Meyer says that it is imperative for his side to remain focused on Saturday’s game and not worry too much about how they have played this year.
Meyer says that his team won’t be playing on sentiment on Saturday at the very same venue where the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup in 2007. Meyer is encouraged at the fact that his team have defied the odds this season with a record against Argentina, winning in Brisbane and beating Wales and Scotland without conceding a try. The Springboks have not beaten France in Paris since 1997 and Meyer is hopeful that his team can overturn that record……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he is extremely pleased with the fact that his team have been defensively sound in their past two games of the end-of-year tour. After recording a resounding 28-0 victory against Scotland at Murrayfield, Meyer has applauded his team for not yet leaking a try in their games against Wales and Scotland……
Meyer all but confirmed that prop Frans Malherbe will no longer be taking part in the tour after injuring his ribs and he will be replaced by Blue Bulls prop Frik Kirsten who is set to join up with the squad in Paris. Meyer though is hopeful that flank Francois Louw will recover in time for the Test against France on November 23……
Although Meyer and his team were expecting a sterner test from the Scots, Meyer revealed that his team had done a lot of work in making sure that the areas of the game that let them down in their previous Test in Nelspruit were rectified and that they played well especially under the wet and slippery conditions…..
Meyer also credited his team’s win to the strong start the Springboks made and noted exceptional work in the lineouts even though Meyer conceded that his team were worse off in the second half partly because of the pouring rain……
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers says he was happy with the win especially in the way in which his team performed in the first half where the Springboks scored three tries and short to a 21-0 half-time lead……
Meyer has urged his team to make a clean sweep of their northern hemisphere tour by beating France on November 23 to give him his “dream tour”. The Springboks have only lost two of the 11 Tests they have played this year……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Golden Lions coach Johann Ackermann says the return of Elton Jantjies and CJ van der Linde to their starting team to face Western Province in the Currie Cup semi-final will add a lot of experience to their side. Even though Jantjies and Van der Linde have not featured in the Lions team for three weeks, Ackermann remains confident that their experience will be a major asset for the Lions at Newlands on October 19……
Ackermann says that his team will not change their expansive approach of playing the game and that he has given a directive to his players to feel free to express themselves on the field. Ackermann though said his side would not play reckless rugby in their effort to gain a place in the Currie Cup final……
Even though Western Province remain unbeaten in the competition, Ackermann believes that once off games sometimes suit the underdogs and on many occasions the favourites have often faltered when needing to win…..
Lions captain Derick Minnie says that his team thrive on their underdog status heading to Newlands and that it will be important for his team to have good discipline if they are to upset Western Province in their own backyard…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Golden Lions coach Johann Ackermann says that he was frustrated by his side’s poor discipline and inability to build momentum during their Absa Currie Cup 35-28 win against Griquas at Ellis Park. Ackermann though commended his team for the character they showed towards the end of the game to gain themselves victory and a semi-final berth. The Lions will play against the defending champions Western Province in Cape Town in the first semi-final while the Sharks will host the Free State Cheetahs in the other semi-final…….
Ackermann also commended Griquas for their ability to stop the Lions rolling maul but Ackermann said that they didn’t want to reveal too much of their play ahaead of the semi-finals…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann says he is happy with where his team are on the Currie Cup log but believes that as much as they have scored the most tries in the competition they need to tighten their defence ahead of their clash against the Griquas at Ellis Park on October 12. Ackermann was speaking at his team announcement press conference……
The Lions are currently in fourth place on the Currie Cup log and victory against Griquas would secure them a semi-final berth however Ackermann has warned his team against playing expansive rugby and says a win will be good for their confidence going into the semi-finals. If the Lions loss and the Blue Bulls manage to beat the Free State Cheetahs in their match on October 12 then the Lions could finish in fifth place and fall out of the semi-finals…..
Lions captain Derick Minnie says that it is important that his team secures victory first before chasing any bonus point that will cement their place in the semi-finals…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar has selected Springbok centres Jan Serfontein and JJ Engelbrecht ahead of their do-or-die Currie Cup clash against the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday. Pienaar also made changes to his pack of forwards with Jacques Engelbrecht starting at number eight and Jono Ross moving to flank while Wiaan Liebenberg drops out of the team. There has also been changes on the bench with Werner Kruger replacing Dean Greyling as the replacement prop and Clayton Blommetjies comes in place of Ulrich Beyer………
Blue Bulls captain Jono Ross says even though they beat the Cheetahs in the first round of the competition they are expecting a very tough game as both teams will be fighting for the last semi-final berth……..
Pienaar is wary of the Cheetahs especially with Springboks Adriaan Strauss and Coenie Oosthuizen back in the team and says that their defence will need to be up to scratch if they are stop the Cheetahs. Pienaar is hopeful that his team will play their best game of the season and make it into the semi-finals……
Pienaar believes that the team that dominates the set-piece best will win on Saturday and says that his team has rectified the lineout problems they suffered against the Sharks last weekend……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has lamented his side’s poor defence in their 38-27 loss to the All Blacks at Ellis Park yesterday. The loss meant that the Springboks finish second on the Castle Lager Rugby Championship log while New Zealand were crowned champions and broke a 13 year winless drought at Ellis
Meyer also commended his team on the attacking rugby they played and even though the All Blacks were the better side on the day, Meyer feels that his team is closing the gap between themselves and the world champions…….
Meyer says that the intention was always to go out and try the Rugby Championship and that they could have done so had their defence been more resolute and not allowed the All Blacks the easy tries…….
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers feels as though the players let their coach down as there had been adequate planning to give the Springboks a chance to beat the All Blacks. De Villiers believes that the turning point in the game was when his team conceded the try before half-time and not capitalizing after stopping Ma’a Nonu from scoring the fourth try for the All Blacks...Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says that he will not risk playing centre JJ Engelbrecht if he is not fit to play but will give Engelbrecht until Friday to prove his fitness ahead of Saturday’s crucial Castle Lager Rugby Championship decider against the All Blacks at Ellis Park. Engelbrecht is suffering from a contusion to his quad muscle and if he is not fit to play then Jan Serfontein will be handed his first start with Juan de Jongh coming in on the bench……..
Lions lock Franco van der Merwe is set to make his Test debut at his homeground if Meyer calls upon him from the bench after Juandre Kruger was promoted from the bench back into the starting line-up because of Flip van der Merwe’s one week suspension. Meyer says that Van der Merwe’s debut will be special but that he chose him over Sharks youngster Pieter-Steph du Toit because of Van der Merwe’s experience and the need for a specialist lineout jumper…..
Meyer said that the situation with rotating his hookers creates healthy competition in the team and it is important for Bismarck du Plessis and Adriaan Strauss to always put the team ahead of their personal aspirations. Du Plessis has been selected ahead of Strauss this week after Strauss started against Australia………
The presence of Du Plessis in the Springbok starting line-up to face the All Blacks will evoke emotions from the last time the two teams played against each other. Du Plessis was given his marching orders in controversial circumstances after being handed a second yellow card but Meyer says it will be important for Du Plessis to keep his emotions in check but is expecting him to be as physical as he has always been…….
Meyer took a moment to speak about Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira’s milestone of making his 50th appearance for the Springboks this coming Saturday. Mtawarira will join his fellow frontrow teammates Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis who also achieved the milestone this year. Meyer said that Mtawarira has never let the team down and is a man of true character after making a full recovery and making it back into the Springbok team after last year’s health issues with his heart……
If the Springboks are to score the four tries and win on Saturday to secure themselves the Rugby Championship title then Meyer believes that they must stick to their basics but more importantly believe that it is possible to beat the All Blacks…….
With sentiment and confidence sky high amongst many Springbok supporters at the good record the Springboks have against the All Blacks at Ellis Park, Meyer warned that it will take more than just history and the crowd to win the game for them. Since the 1995 Rugby World Cup win, the Springboks and All Blacks have played five times at Ellis Park with the Springboks winning four of those Test including the last one in 2004 when Marius Joubert scored a hattrick of tries. The last time the All Blacks won at Ellis Park was in 2000……..
Meyer conceded that his team’s task at beating the All Blacks and scoring the four tries was near impossible but that there could be a plan to unlock their arch rivals in world rugby……..
Franco van der Merwe says it will be a dream come true to make his Test debut against the All Blacks at Ellis Park and that he was prepared to play anywhere for the Springboks in the past year and a half while waiting to be named in the team…….
As special as making his 50th appearance for the Springboks will be for Mtawarira, the soft spoken Zimbabwean-born prop says that his goal will be to help the Springboks beat the All Blacks and lift the Rugby Championship trophy……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts says that Springbok centre JJ Engelbrecht is the only doubtful starter ahead of this coming weekend’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks at Ellis Park. Engelbrecht has a contusion to his quad muscle and will be given until later this week to prove his fitness………
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said that he has accepted the one week ban handed to Springbok lock Flip van der Merwe after being cited for a dangerous tackle in the Test against Australia at Newlands. Meyer says that it is important for his team to move on and remain positive this week……
With Van der Merwe not available for October 05's Test against the All Blacks, Meyer will in all likelihood start with Juandre Kruger at number five lock while Golden Lions lock Franco van der Merwe has been called up to join the squad in Johannesburg and will stand a chance of earning his first cap at his home ground if selected on the bench as Meyer intimated today. Meyer said that he will not consider Sharks lock Pieter-Steph du Toit as it would be like throwing a lamb to the wolves…….
Regardless of the fact that the Springboks failed to score four tries and gain a bonus point which would have seen them only need to beat the All Blacks at Ellis Park this coming Saturday, Meyer said that he was pleased with the result against Australia and that it has kept them in contention to win the championship……
Meyer has not hidden his team’s intentions to go for broke against the All Blacks with nothing short of a bonus point victory certain to win the Springboks the championship. As much as the open game could expose the Springboks to the All Blacks attacking prowess, Meyer believes his team need to be positive and try score the four tries and win if they to be crowned champions……
Meyer believes that South Africa is closing the gap on New Zealand but that it is going to take some time before the Springboks become a well oiled machine like the All Blacks are at the moment. Meyer is adamant that for the Springboks to be the best team in the world all the unions and Super Rugby franchises will need to work together for the benefit of the national team. However, Meyer is confident that a lot of ground has been covered by his team in the past year or so……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Former Springbok World Cup winning coach Jake White says he is still to see the release documents from Australian Super Rugby franchise the Brumbies after the two parted ways. White, who coached the Brumbies in the past two years and into this year’s Super Rugby final where they lost to the Chiefs, says he wants the situation to be beneficial to the Brumbies and himself as he seeks employment in South Africa……
While rumours have been aplenty about White’s next destination, he made it clear that he wants to get back into international rugby and after the Australian head coach job was handed to Ewen McKenzie, White says he felt that the door had been closed for him in Australia……
White has also not denied that he is the firm favourite to take over as Sharks head coach and while there are yet to be formal talks between himself and Sharks CEO John Smit, White indicated that it would make sense for him to work in Durban. At the same time White would like to work closer to his family in Cape Town meaning a possible move to Western Province in the vacant director of rugby position……
Even though White had not yet considered being part of the current Springbok management, he has offered his help to Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer in whatever capacity……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Golden Lions coach Johann Ackermann feels that his team could have scored more points had they kept to their gameplan in their 35-26 win over the Blue Bulls at Ellis Park. The win elevated the Lions to third place on the Currie Cup log while the Bulls remained in fifth spot……
Ackermann also lamented his team’s failure to maintain composure when within striking distance of the Bulls try-line but believes it is a lesson that will serve them well going forward…….
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar commended his team for the manner in which they were able to contain the score to within six points in the first half even though they played for 20 minutes one man short. Pienaar cited his team’s lack of commitment in the one-on-one tackles as the reason to why the score ballooned in the second half……
Pienaar believes their lack of discipline led to their ultimate demise as the two yellow cards and inability to keep their shape on defence contributed heavily in the Lions win…….
Blue Bulls captain Jono Ross concurred with coach Pienaar on the lack of discipline but was buoyed by the fact that his team was able to salvage a bonus point which still keeps them in the hunt for a semi-final berth with a mathematical chance..Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar has made eight changes to his team to play against the Golden Lions in their Absa Currie Cup encounter at Ellis Park. When announcing his team at Loftus Versfeld, Pienaar said that some of the changes were rotational and some were injury enforced……..
The Bulls will also be boosted by the return of try-scoring machine and Springbok wing Bjorn Basson from the national team. Pienaar hopes that Basson will inject the right energy into the team while the change at fullback with Clayton Blommetjies coming in for Jurgen Visser will hopefully bring the Bulls great reward according to Pienaar…….
Another change for the Bulls will be at flyhalf where the injured Handre Pollard has been replaced by Tony Jantjies. Pollard injured his ankle at training while Jantjies has been called up from the under-21 team. Pienaar is hopeful that Jantjies will make use of the opportunity after being the starting flyhalf for the Bulls at the beginning of the season before picking up an injury against the Lions……
Pienaar says that his team have no choice but to win all their remaining games in the competition if they stand a chance of making the semi-finals so the result against the Lions will be non-negotiable…..
Blue Bulls captain Jono Ross says that what happened against the Lions in the first round has been forgotten by his team. The Lions beat the Bulls 62-23 at Loftus Versfeld last month but Ross says the focus for his team is to win at Ellis Park……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says the belief and positive mindset in his team contributed immensely to their 38-12 win against Australia in Brisbane. The win which was the Springboks first in 42 years in Brisbane made sure that the South Africans remain on top of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship log, one point ahead of New Zealand who the Springboks play against next weekend in Auckland…….
Meyer also praised his team for the manner in which they defended as they not only prevented Australia from putting more points on the scoreboard but they did not concede a try as well. Meyer believes that the game was won in the mind before they could do it on the field…….
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers believes that the win is significant in proving that his team is learning from their previous errors. De Villiers has commended his team for showing composure and using the opportunities they created……
De Villiers also made special mention of the Springbok forwards and the exceptional manner in which they scrummed. And even though the loose forwards have come under some criticism for not being as quick to the ball, De Villiers says he loves having them in his team…….
While Meyer did not want to get ahead of himself in proclaiming the win as the best in his short tenure as Springbok coach, he did admit that he was very emotional and animated during the game because of his passion for the team. Meyer heaped praise on his management team and the players for the win but reminded them that a great challenge in New Zealand lies ahead next week and that the Wallabies will come back stronger from the defeat……
Meyer says his team needs to quickly forget about the win and focus on how they will beat the world champion All Blacks at Eden Park next weekend. The Springboks have not won at Eden Park in just over five decades and September 14's Test will be Meyer’s toughest challenge with his team now having won nine consecutive Tests……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
With the Springboks having to endure a busy travel schedule in the first weeks of the Rugby Championship, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is reluctant to say that his players are fatigued but believes that they will have to be managed well in the next two weeks when they are in Australia and New Zealand. The Springboks returned from Argentina last week Monday and on Saturday evening flew to Brisbane in Australia to prepare for their upcoming Test against the Wallabies next Saturday (September 07)…Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar has made four changes to his team to play against the Sharks on Saturday in Durban with Akona Ndungane returning after a lengthy injury lay-off while former SA under-20 star flyhalf Handre Pollard will make his Currie Cup debut. Pollard will start in place of the injured Tony Jantjies while Waylon Murray will make his first start for the Bulls at outside centre with Ulrich Beyers moving to the inside in place of the injured Francois Venter. Another change in the team sees prop Frik Kirsten return to the side and start ahead of Werner Kruger while Pienaar has brought in David Bullbring on the bench in place of Wilhelm Steenkamp. Pienaar said that it will be a great opportunity for Pollard to show that he can make the step into senior rugby……
Pienaar says that the inclusion of Ndungane and Kirsten will add a lot of experience into a team and that Ndungane will add a calm head to a young and inexperienced backline…….
Pienaar believes that his team have an opportunity to right the wrongs of their last performance which was a 62-23 loss against the Golden Lions last Saturday. Pienaar says it will be important for the whole team to play as a unit against the Sharks in Durban……
At the same time Pienaar said that he is not too worried about where his team lies on the Currie Cup log. The Bulls are at the bottom of the log after their massive loss to the Lions but a win against the Sharks could easily elevate them back to the top. Pienaar says his team is only focusing on their game against the Sharks and not the log……
Blue Bulls captain Jono Ross believes his team can turn around their debilitating loss against the Lions into a win against the Sharks. Ross says seven days is enough for his team to rectify their mistakes against the Lions…..Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he is not happy with his team’s performance in their 22-17 Rugby Championship win against Argentina in Mendoza yesterday. Meter revealed that there were some harsh words exchanged between himself and his players during the half-time interval of the game and commended his players for not conceding points in the second hal0. The Springboks are still on top of the Rugby Championship log and lead the All Blacks because of a better points difference………
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers believes that his team needs to take the positives out of yesterday’s performance and that they must quickly move on ahead of their next Test against Australia in Brisbane in two weeks’ time……..
A disappointed Meyer said that his team will need to go back to the drawing board and that taking a step backwards could help in them taking two steps forward. Meyer says that the Springboks will need to fix their problems before going to face Australia and New Zealand……..
Meyer believes that his team learnt valuable lessons out of their disjointed game against Argentina and that it came as no surprise that Argentina played as well as they did yesterday. Meyer said that they were making no excuses and that the Springboks will have to accept that they were poor on the day………
De Villiers believes that what happened in Mendoza is a part of a learning curve for his team and proves that the Springboks still have a long way to go in terms of stepping up their performances to a level that they can consider themselves title contenders... Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says the two changes made to the team to play against Australia in their Rugby Championship clash at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane were done purely on a rotation basis. Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis will start ahead of Adriaan Strauss while Bulls lock Flip van der Merwe will start at number five instead of Juandre Kruger. Speaking from their base in Brisbane, Meyer says that he has the luxury to be able to replace players that are as good and that they will also bring in the physicality factor for the team……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer named an unchanged starting team to play against Argentina in the second Test of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship. The only change in the match 23 comes on the bench where Jano Vermaak replaces Fourie du Preez who is unavailable for the Springboks overseas matches in the competition. Speaking from Buenos Aires, Meyer said that August 24's Test in Mendoza will be a new challenge for his team and that they will be trying to be much better than they were in Johannesburg last week…….
Meyer conceded that it was never going to be easy for Argentina to play against the Springboks last week with all the emotions of the Nelson Mandela Sports and Cultural Day but believes the contest in Mendoza will be much closer than last week’s 73-13 win…….
Meyer is under no illusion at how difficult it will be for his team facing Argentina this coming Saturday and believes that they will be highly motivated and emotional. Meyer again insisted that his team will need to improve especially against the South Americans who have been very competitive playing at home……
By keeping the same team Meyer is hoping that the consistency in team selection will also lead to a continuation of the way the Springboks played last week at the FNB Stadium. Meyer says he has been impressed with the way in ewhich his backline has performed this year but says their primary goal on Saturday is to win…….
Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessi will be making his 50th appearance for the Springboks on Saturday in Mendoza and even though Du Plessis has had his career hampered by sitting on the bench behind John Smit previously and now Adriaan Strauss, Meyer believes that there best of Du Plessis is yet to come…..
Meyer says that he doesn’t want to remember last year’s match in Mendoza where the Springboks drew 16-16 against Argentina. Meyer cited that game as the reason why his team should not get carried away in believing that after beating Argentina by 73 points, they will easily do the same on August 24……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula is hoping that Saturday's Nelson Mandela Sport and Cultural Day at the FNB stadium will demonstrate the unity that sport brings to the rainbow nation of South Africa. The long awaited event will see SA football legends coming up against their Italian counterparts at 10:30am followed by an international friendly match between Bafana Bafana and Burkina Faso at 13h30. The Springboks will then take on Argentina in the Rugby Championship at 17h00 followed by a music concert that will wrap up the events of the day. To Mbalula this has always been a dream of giving back to the international icon... Good news for the thousands of fans that will be travelling from various areas around Gauteng is that there will be free transport for the ticket holders according to Passenger and Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) CEO Lucky Montana...
Journalist: Velile Mbuli
Trevor Nyakane's ill-discipline has become a problem which he must sort out if he wants to return to the Springbok squad. The Cheetahs prop was axed from the Boks squad to play in the return fixture against Argentina for disciplinary reasons. Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Tomorrow’s (August 24) Rugby Championship Test between the Springboks and Argentina in Mendoza will be a milestone for Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis who will be playing in his 50th Test match. Du Plessis said that it was a privilege wearing the Springbok jersey and never did he dream that he would be a Springbok………
Springbok veteran wing Bryan Habana believes that the time has come for the Springboks to get rid of their demons after the Springboks drew 16-16 against Argentina in Mendoza last year and the fact that the Springboks have not won away from home in a southern hemisphere competition since 2009……
Habana believes that the Springboks can build on their 73-13 beating of Argentina last week in Johannesburg but also says that what happened at FNB Stadium won’t necessarily be repeated by the Springboks in Mendoza……..
Springbok loose forward Willem Alberts says that the Springboks will not be taking Argentina lightly and that they will need to replicate last week’s performance if they are to get a similar result…….
Du Plessis has warned against underestimating the ability of Argentina to come back from their 73-13 defeat by the Springboks. Du Plessis believes that the Pumas will have a lot to prove in front of their home crowd and even if they are without the experience of captain Juan Martin Lobbe, lock Patricio Albacete and fullback Juan Martin Hernandez who are all injured, the Pumas will still be strong…….Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn says he is happy to play with either Ruan Pienaar or Fourie du Preez at scrumhalf as they are both outstanding players. Steyn will once again start in the number 10 jersey in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship match against Argentina at FNB Stadium on August 17 but is not taking it for granted that his place in the team is secure but says that he is happy with his current form......
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth is under no illusion that Argentina will bring the same intensity and physicality with which they played with in their first Rugby Championship season last year. Etzebeth believes that they will also be at their best and even though the new scrum laws will be a new feature for all teams, he is confident that the Springboks will adapt well........
Springbok loose forward Siya Kolisi says the Nelson Mandela Sports and Cultural Day will be special for him as it will be his first Rugby Championship match for the Springboks. Kolisi will start from the bench but believes that the event is another opportunity for rugby and football to unite the people of South Africa in the same way Nelson Mandela did........
Journalist: Vata Ngobeni
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says his team will need to move on from their disappointing 29-15 defeat at the hands of New Zealand in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter at Eden Park in Auckland. With still two home matches remaining against Australia and New Zealand, Meyer is hopeful that his team can turn matters around…… Meyer admitted that his team was outplayed at parts by the All Blacks and was willing to offer no excuses for the defeat…… While French referee Romain Poite has come under heavy criticism for the two yellow cards and subsequent red card to Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis for a dangerous tackle on Dan Carter and for allegedly elbowing Liam Messam, Meyer conceded that playing with 14 men for 50 minutes hindered their performance. However, Meyer insisted that they did not blame the referee and that his team will take the decisions on the chin……. Meyer believes that his team did well to contain the scoreline to below 50 points seeing that they played most of the game one man short especially against the world champion All Blacks at their spiritual home at Eden Park and at the same time believes valuable lessons were learnt by his team that should stand them in good stead for their remaining two matches at home……. Springbok captain Jean de Villiers says that the players are to blame for the loss and that Du Plessis’ red card took away from making the game a spectacle. De Villiers admitted that they let the country down but is hopeful that they can rectify matters when they return home even though the loss proved that there is still distance between themselves and the All Blacks……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni