Archive for July, 2007

Steyn suspended for two weeks

July 31, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

The Vodacom Blue Bulls’ flyhalf Morné Steyn received a two-week suspension for a dangerous tackle during his side’s clash with the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
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Posted in Currie Cup, Laws and Technical Issues | 19 Comments »

Spies may never play again

July 31, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

Springbok loose forward Pierre Spies may never play rugby again. This possibility arose after his departure from South Africa’s World Cup squad had left his teammates “shattered”.
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Posted in Rugby Personalities | 161 Comments »

All Blacks are sliding

July 31, 2007
Posted by Deon

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, poised to take on a controversial Rugby World Cup role with the Springboks, says the All Blacks are a team in decline, but they may still be good enough to win the global crown for the first time in 20 years, writes Marc Hinton for News24 .
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Posted in World Cup 2007 | 6 Comments »

Bissie gets the call

July 31, 2007
Posted by DavidS

SA Rugby reports that the Sharks hooker has been called up
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Posted in Springbok Team Analysis, World Cup 2007 | 270 Comments »

Blue Bulls hitting the blues

July 31, 2007
Posted by Deon

The Blue Bulls, already without almost 30 of their frontline players through injury and World Cup call-ups, suffered another injury setback ahead of their Round Six Currie Cup match against Boland in Pretoria on Friday.
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Posted in Currie Cup | 8 Comments »

Top ref blows the whistle on World Cup bleaters

July 31, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

“No other sport allows coaches to go in and see referees, armed with laptops, statistics and photos, before a game. Rugby should not be the first; it is absurd.”
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Posted in Laws and Technical Issues, Rugby Administration, World Cup 2007 | 5 Comments »

Can Rassie bring the Gold

July 31, 2007
Posted by Deon

Western Province interim coach Gary Gold, who could hardly contain his disappointment when he spoke about his team’s 45-13 ABSA Currie Cup lost to the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein at the weekend, may turn to new Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus to end his team’s losing streak.
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Posted in Currie Cup | 17 Comments »

Loffie sleeping easy for a change

July 31, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

I must admit that this was the first Saturday night since the game against the Sharks that I have slept throughout the night without waking up with rugby nightmares! [Writes Loffie Eloff for www.lionsrugby.co.za
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Posted in Currie Cup | 4 Comments »

Up close and personal with….Boet Fick

July 31, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

The president of the Blue Bulls, Boet Fick, answers 10 questions from www.bluebulls.co.za
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Posted in Rugby Administration | 1 Comment »

All not well down under

July 31, 2007
Posted by Deon

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has apparently intervened in a major rift involving the Wallaby coaching staff, a falling out that has placed the Aussies’ World Cup campaign under threat.
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Posted in World Cup 2007 | 6 Comments »

Naka waiting for the doctor

July 31, 2007
Posted by Deon

Free State strongman Jannie du Plessis has been given an ultimatum by Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske to decide this week whether he wants to stay in Bloemfontein or follow Rassie Erasmus to Western Province.
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Posted in Currie Cup, Super 14 | 36 Comments »

Saru surprised by Botha’s move

July 31, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

Springbok hooker Gary Botha’s decision to join the English club Harlequins for the next three years is very bad news for South Africa, says SA Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins.
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Posted in General Discussions, Rugby Administration, Rugby Personalities, Springbok Team Analysis | 18 Comments »

SA rugby loses Brent Russell

July 31, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

Springbok Breyten Paulse is ready and available to take over England-bound Brent Russell’s place in the Western Province rugby team. Former Springbok Russell was released with immediate effect on Monday to continue his career with English Premier League club Saracens.
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Posted in Rugby Personalities | 26 Comments »

Wallabies fear Jones will let secrets slip

July 30, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

The Wallabies fear key tight-five secrets will be exposed with Eddie Jones set to sign on with South Africa for the rugby World Cup.Australian forwards coaches Michael Foley and Alec Evans voiced concerns about Jones joining the Springboks staff just three months after quitting his Queensland post.
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Posted in World Cup 2007 | 3 Comments »

SA Rugby meet with Spears liquidators

July 30, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

SA Rugby representatives met the liquidators of the Southern Spears (Pty) Ltd on administrative aspects of the liquidation on Monday.
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Posted in Rugby Administration | 2 Comments »

Spies out of RWC

July 30, 2007
Posted by Morné

The Boks suffered a huge loss with the news that Pierre Spies is out of the World Cup.
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Posted in World Cup 2007 | 73 Comments »

Bulls lose Botha

July 30, 2007
Posted by Morné

The Bulls have lost yet another player to an overseas club when it was announced that Gary Botha will join Harlequins in the U.K.
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Posted in General Discussions | 1 Comment »

Let the games begin

July 30, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

Times rugby correspondent David Hands, considers the merits of the southern hemisphere contenders’ World Cup preparations.
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Posted in World Cup 2007 | 4 Comments »

Cheating a matter of perspective

July 30, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

The mission: to pore over the latest Bledisloe Cup tape and decide whether Richie McCaw is a cheat or not.
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Posted in General Discussions | 37 Comments »

SA crawling with rugby talent

July 30, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

South Africa is crawling with talented young rugby players, ready to defend their country’s honour. This assurance comes from John Plumtree, a New Zealander who now coaches the Sharks’ Currie Cup team.
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Posted in General Discussions | 36 Comments »

Eddie Jones rooting for Boks

July 30, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

Former Wallaby coach Eddie Jones has become a Springbok supporter. His loyalty is no longer with Australian rugby. “I support the team I’m working with. At the moment, I am working with South Africa,” Jones said here at the weekend.
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Posted in Springbok Team Analysis, World Cup 2007 | 16 Comments »

Joost robbed at gunpoint

July 29, 2007
Posted by Rasputin

Joost van der Westhuizen says it was the thought of his wife Amor and their children which kept him calm while a man held a gun to his head.
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Posted in Rugby Personalities | 19 Comments »

Q & A with Butch James

July 29, 2007
Posted by KSA Shark ©

Springbok flyhalf Butch James answers readers’ questions in the Sunday Times
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Posted in Rugby Personalities | 7 Comments »

Front rowers shine in Sharks win

July 29, 2007
Posted by KSA Shark ©

Bismarck du Plessis was a happy hooker after his storming display for the Sharks in their 29-10 (halftime 15-10) win over the Vodacom Blue Bulls in an Absa Currie Cup match in Durban on Saturday.
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Posted in Currie Cup | 22 Comments »

De Waal kicks Cheetahs to win

July 29, 2007
Posted by KSA Shark ©

Willem de Waal hoofed the Vodacom Free State Cheetahs to a 45-13 (halftime 16-13) hiding over Vodacom Western Province in an Absa Currie Cup match in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
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Posted in Currie Cup | 10 Comments »

Jones set to replace Rassie

July 28, 2007
Posted by KSA Shark ©

Former Wallaby coach Eddie Jones is poised to take over the Springbok technical director position vacated this week by Rassie Erasmus.
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Posted in World Cup 2007 | 18 Comments »

Sharks (29) vs Blue Bulls (10) (F/T)

July 28, 2007
Posted by KSA Shark ©

The second big match of the day sees the Blue Bulls tavel to Durban to take on the Sharks.
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Posted in Currie Cup | 43 Comments »

Cheetahs (45) vs Western Province (13) (F/T)

July 28, 2007
Posted by KSA Shark ©

In the first of today’s two big matches Western Province travel to Bloemfontein to take on the Free State Cheetahs.
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Posted in Currie Cup | 55 Comments »