Author Archive

Adopt Super 14 laws

May 8, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has urged SANZAR to use the new Super 14 laws in the Tri-Nations tournament this year, arguing it is the logical thing to do.
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Posted in ELV's, Laws and Technical Issues, Super 14, Tri-Nations | 1 Comment »

Saffa to be “most missed Aussie”

May 2, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

“You might have to sign two players to get the skills you are getting from one. The solution might be in a package.”
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Posted in General Discussions | 2 Comments »

Brumbies relieved Burger won’t play

May 2, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

“I’m quite glad he’s not playing, he just tries to be a nuisance at every breakdown and because he’s so good at that, he’s a bit of a pain in the backside to play against to be honest,”
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Posted in Super 14 | 3 Comments »

Hoskins elected to RWC board

May 2, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

South African Rugby Union (Saru) president Oregan Hoskins has been unanimously elected onto the board of Rugby World Cup Ltd.
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Posted in Rugby Administration, Rugby Personalities, World Cup 2011 | 1 Comment »

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.
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Posted in Super 14 | 1 Comment »

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.
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Posted in Incoming Tours, Springboks | 8 Comments »

O’Neill asks for off-season window

April 15, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill will meet the country’s four Super 14 teams at the end of this year’s competition in a bid to find a more logical window for contract negotiations.
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Posted in Rugby Administration, Super 14 | Comments Off

Geldenhuys cleared

April 9, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Lions prop Ross Geldenhuys has been cleared of kneeing Highlanders prop Jamie Mackintosh.
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Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Big Joe down with the flu

April 4, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

The Lions will know only shortly before kick-off whether Springbok loose forward Joe van Niekerk will be fit to play against the Highlanders in their Super 14 rugby match in Dunedin on Friday.
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Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Bulls must force a breakthrough

April 4, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

The Bulls, confident after their performance against the Blues last week, will be out to continue the good work when they play the Western Force in a Super 14 rugby match in Perth on Friday.
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Posted in Super 14 | 1 Comment »

Patrick ….. on the New Laws

April 1, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Most teams are now settling down with the new rules, except perhaps for the Bulls.
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Posted in ELV's, Super 14 | 8 Comments »

Patrick….on Biffo

April 1, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

There have been quite a few grizzles about foul play with the impression given by some SA sources that they are being penalized more than the other partners.
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Posted in Disciplinary, Laws and Technical Issues, Super 14 | 40 Comments »

Louden lined up to coach Waratahs

March 27, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

The pressure is mounting on Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie, with renewed reports that his assistant Todd Louden is being lined up to replace … even before the end of the season.
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Posted in Rugby Administration, Super 14 | 5 Comments »

Bok job won’t hurt Sharks

March 26, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Dick Muir on Tuesday confirmed that he and Stormers’ forward coach Gary Gold had been identified by SA Rugby as possible assistants to Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.
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Posted in Springboks, Super 14 | 10 Comments »

Ashton to learn his Eng fate

March 26, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Brian Ashton’s future as coach of the England rugby union team is expected to be clarified on Wednesday when Rob Andrew, the elite rugby director of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), delivers his review of the Six Nations to the national governing body’s management board.
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Posted in Other Unions / Teams, Rugby Administration | 2 Comments »

NZ rugby awaits diagnosis

March 25, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

The sustainability of rugby in New Zealand comes under the microscope at a two-day forum starting in Wellington on Wednesday.
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Posted in Rugby Administration, Super 14, Tri-Nations | 8 Comments »

Cheetahs scramble for prop cover

March 25, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

The Cheetahs will be without tighthead prop Kobus Calldo for the remainder of their Australasian tour after he succumbed to injury during the Super 14 clash against the Brumbies on Friday.
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Posted in Super 14 | 2 Comments »

We’re fit enough

March 25, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Waratahs scrumhalf Brett Sheehan has defended the fitness of his team and said they were looking forward ‘to playing some football’ in Friday’s Super 14 rugby clash with the Cheetahs at Sydney Football Stadium.
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Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Blacks are not getting a look in

March 23, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Peter de Villiers was quoted this week as saying that he was not happy with how black players (for the purpose of this article “black” will include both coloured and ethnic black players) are being treated by franchise coaches, and lamented the fact that he wasn’t getting the support he has been asking for...
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Posted in Rugby Administration, Springboks, Super 14 | 25 Comments »

Late charge seal it for Force

March 22, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

The Western Force moved into third place on the Super 14 standings with a deserved 36-28 win over the Highlanders at the Queenstown Events Centre, New Zealand, on Saturday.
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Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Late charge seal it for Force

March 22, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

The Western Force moved into third place on the Super 14 standings with a deserved 36-28 win over the Highlanders at the Queenstown Events Centre, New Zealand, on Saturday.
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Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off

Easter Festivals – Thursday’s Results

March 21, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Maundy Thursday and lots of enthusiastic rugby at the various festivals. We give the results as we have received them.
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Posted in Other Tournaments, Other Unions / Teams | Comments Off

Law discussion – S14 2008 week 5

March 21, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

There were six matches in Week 5, plenty of action, lots of tries and, ineluctably, law matters to discuss.
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Posted in Laws and Technical Issues, Super 14 | Comments Off

Crisis talks as British Lions tour chaos looms

March 2, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Crisis talks are under way to try to prevent next year’s British and Irish Lions rugby union tour to South Africa descending into chaos.
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Posted in British & Irish Lions Tour 2009, ELV's, Incoming Tours, Laws and Technical Issues | 2 Comments »

Sensation! Rugby in deep crisis!

March 2, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Here are some of the main elements of an official International Rugby Board press release which appeared last week:
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Posted in ELV's, Laws and Technical Issues | 42 Comments »

New rules are being set up to fail

February 29, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

The chances of the IRB introducing the experimental law variations at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand appear increasingly unlikely.
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Posted in ELV's, Laws and Technical Issues | 8 Comments »

S14 2008 – Game 16 – Lions vs Force

February 29, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

Lions versus Force.
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Posted in Super 14, Super 14 Fantasy League | 123 Comments »

It‘s D-Day for SA teams in the Super 14 rugby series

February 29, 2008
Posted by Rasputin

It is D-Day for several leading South African franchise teams taking part in this year‘s Super 14 rugby series.
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Posted in Super 14 | Comments Off