Archive for April, 2008

Rassie rings the changes

April 30, 2008
Posted by Deon

Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus has sprung a few surprises in naming seven changes to his team for their must-win Super 14 clash against the Brumbies at Newlands on Saturday.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 96 Comments »

Wacky Wednesday round-up

April 30, 2008
Posted by Morné

Okay so its time for the Wacky Wednesday round-up and let’s jump straight into it!
Read more »

Posted in Columnists | 76 Comments »

Battle of the loosies at Newlands

April 30, 2008
Posted by Deon

Without the influential Schalk Burger, the Stormers loose trio will have to be “very accurate” at the breakdown to overcome the challenge of the formidable Brumbies unit in Saturday’s crucial Super 14 clash at Newlands.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Saders change for Sharks

April 30, 2008
Posted by Deon

The Crusaders have named centre Casey Laulala to start in their Super 14 match against the Sharks in Christchurch on Friday.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 2 Comments »

Waratahs a tough proposition

April 30, 2008
Posted by Deon

The Bulls could do the Sharks and the Stormers a favour when they take on the high-flying Waratahs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 2 Comments »

Sell Bakkies to highest bidder

April 30, 2008
Posted by Deon

Bakkies Botha should not be forced to play for the Bulls and the Blue Bulls. He should be sold to the highest bidder.
Read more »

Posted in Rugby Administration, Springboks, Super 14 | 37 Comments »

A decade is a long time for Stormers

April 30, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Not only will the Stormers will be looking to record their fourth home win on the trot when they host the Brumbies in a Super 14 clash on Saturday, but they will also be looking for their first win against the Canberra-based franchise in a decade.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 1 Comment »

Gibbes joins Chiefs but Leonard stays home

April 30, 2008
Posted by Deon

The in-form Chiefs will be without All Black Brendon Leonard when they face the Western Force in their Super 14 rugby match at Perth on Saturday.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 1 Comment »

Brumbies ready for a Stirling test

April 30, 2008
Posted by Deon

Anyone could have made the mistake of writing off the Brumbies’ Super 14 semifinal hopes after their 28-42 home loss to the Chiefs in Canberra in Week Eight.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Wales will chill it for Boks

April 30, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Wales players are set to be exposed to a week of training at a cryotherapy centre ahead of the Six Nations Grand Slam winners’ two Test tour of South Africa in June, coach Warren Gatland announced on Tuesday.
Read more »

Posted in Incoming Tours, Springboks | 8 Comments »

No rest for All Blacks

April 30, 2008
Posted by Deon

The All Black staff refuse to let the players breathe. Their original plan to announce a test squad before the Super 14 final was scuttled because of adverse publicity but that has not slowed their ideas.
Read more »

Posted in Other Unions / Teams, Super 14 | 4 Comments »

Mad Muir believes in his men

April 29, 2008
Posted by Deon

Sharks coach Dick Muir has read the riot act to his team in the hope that his pep talk will propel them into action for Friday’s must-win Super 14 clash with the Crusaders in Christchurch.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 94 Comments »

Bismarck in doubt

April 29, 2008
Posted by Deon

The chances are increasing that the Sharks may have to go into their all-important Vodacom Super 14 showdown with the Crusaders without their influential hooker Bismarck du Plessis.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 3 Comments »

Who will have the balls?

April 29, 2008
Posted by Deon

Every man and his dog have had something to say about the performance of the referees in this years Super 14 competition, but most have just touched on the emotional side of it.
Read more »

Posted in ELV's, Laws and Technical Issues, Super 14 | 18 Comments »

Meyer Bosman gets his bounce back

April 29, 2008
Posted by Admin

If it’s accepted that rugby is the game played in heaven, then whoever made the rugby ball had a decent take on the meaning of life.
Read more »

Posted in Rugby Personalities | 9 Comments »

Mission impossible for Sharks

April 29, 2008
Posted by Deon

The Sharks, sitting pretty for most of the Super 14 season, face the prospect of falling out of the top four if they lose to the Crusaders on Friday.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Team of the week – Round 11

April 29, 2008
Posted by Deon

It was a storming selection this week, as the season enters the home stretch and a few regulars keep stepping forward to make our popular Team of the Week.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 2 Comments »

Tiaan also out?

April 29, 2008
Posted by Deon

There was no respite on Monday from the tidal wave of injuries that has left the Stormers Super 14 campaign teetering on the brink of a crisis.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 1 Comment »

Pienaar steps into Michalak’s boots

April 29, 2008
Posted by Deon

Frederic Michalak’s departure from the Sharks scene might well end up being a blessing in disguise because the stuttering backline has an opportunity for a second start, this time under the guidance of Ruan Pienaar.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 5 Comments »

Quo Vadis Locals? Which of the locals will make the semis?

April 28, 2008
Posted by DavidS

Two local teams are still in with a shout to make the semis? DavidS has a look at the remaining games of the contenders and it doesn’t make for pretty reading for Stormers and ESPECIALLY the Durbanites.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 44 Comments »

Springboks threaten strike

April 28, 2008
Posted by Deon

Springboks Bryan Habana, Wynand Olivier and Bakkies Botha threatened to go on strike and withdraw themselves from selection if Botha was not released from the Bulls to join French club Toulon.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 2 Comments »

Super 14′s cut-throat rounds

April 28, 2008
Posted by Deon

The last three rounds in rugby’s Super 14 are likely to be among the most cut-throat in its history with eight teams firmly in the race for four play-offs spots.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Freddie out for six

April 28, 2008
Posted by Deon

France flyhalf Frederic Michalak could be out of action for six months after tearing a ligament in his left knee during a Super 14 match in Sydney on Saturday.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Bleak Super 14 weekend for SA

April 28, 2008
Posted by Deon

It was a bleak weekend for South Africa’s Super 14 franchises, despite the Stormers’ lone win over the Highlanders on Saturday.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 8 Comments »

Botha blasts ‘tyrannical’ Bulls

April 27, 2008
Posted by Deon

Springbok World Cup winning lock Bakkies Botha has called the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd “tyrannical and autocratic” in his court papers given in at the Labour court.
Read more »

Posted in Rugby Administration | 19 Comments »

Super14 shake-up imminent

April 27, 2008
Posted by Deon

Sanzar bosses are looking to implement changes to the Super 14 format a year earlier after receiving approval from broadcasters to do so.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | 8 Comments »

Michalak’s Sharks career may be over

April 27, 2008
Posted by Deon

A sickening knee injury may have ended France flyhalf Frederic Michalak’s Super 14 season and Sharks career.
Read more »

Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

SA-based players for Bok squad

April 27, 2008
Posted by Deon

New Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has virtually shut the door on a number of Europe-based World Cup winning stars ahead of this year’s international season.
Read more »

Posted in Springboks | 11 Comments »