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		<title>SARU release &#8211; Update on Kings issue</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The South African Rugby Union issued a release following their meeting today with the 5 existing franchises and the Kings. Release: A further meeting of franchises of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) to discuss participation in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition will take place on Monday. Representatives of South Africa’s five existing Super Rugby franchises (Vodacom Bulls, Toyota Cheetahs, MTN Lions, The Sharks and DHL Stormers), the Southern Kings, the SARU presidency and management met in Johannesburg on Thursday in the latest in a series of meetings on the subject. “Everyone was agreed that we must secure a solution that does not damage any of the existing franchises,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SARU. “It is a complex issue with no easy answers and we are determined to leave no stone unturned in finding that answer. A number of options were discussed but there is currently no preferred alternative to recommend to the General Council.” Roux explained that the decision on Vodacom Super Rugby participation rests with the SARU General Council. The next scheduled General Council meeting takes place on July 13.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/17/saru-release-update-on-kings-issue/</link>
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		<title>Lambie fit for Bloem derby</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Sharks coach John Plumtree has opted to once more go, as far as possible, with the team that beat the Force, with just two changes made for the Cheetahs game, according toSharks website editor Michael Marnewick. Sport24 After three home games, the Sharks are again on the road, although it&#8217;s just for the weekend as they head to Bloemfontein for their 12th Super Rugby pool game. There is only one change to the starting line-up, with Riaan Viljoen coming in for Louis Ludik in an enforced change. Ludik has failed to recover from a bad knock he took to his bicep against the gooForce last week and will sit this game out. He is still struggling and hasn&#8217;t been able to shake that injury off but should hop efully be over it next week. Pat Lambie has suffered no ill-effects of the knock he took last week and will take his place at flyhalf. The second change is rotational, with big Willem Alberts getting a run off the bench in the place of young Pieter-Steph du Toit. The rest of the match-day squad remains unchanged. &#8220;The Cheetahs are an exciting attacking side, although we obviously like to attack as well, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/17/lambie-fit-for-bloem-derby/</link>
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		<title>Guma looking to partner with Kings</title>
		<description><![CDATA[As South African rugby and the franchises are locked in meetings today to figure out how to accommodate the Kings, it has emerged that the Lions former equity partner, Guma-TAC, is now looking at partnering up with the Kings. Jacques van der Westhuyzen &#8211; IOL The Guma-TAC group, one-time potential equity partners of the Lions, are apparently on the verge of acquiring a major stake in the Southern Kings. Jointly led by businessmen Robert Gumede and Ivor Ichikowitz, Guma-TAC were set to become major shareholders in the Lions, but the failure of the parties to reach an agreement ended with Guma-TAC withdrawing from the deal. They now, however, appear ready to return to rugby at the Kings – the side who may in all likelihood replace the Lions in next year’s Super Rugby competition. The South African Rugby Union (Saru) and representatives of the Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks, Stormers and Kings meet in Johannesburg today to discuss the Kings’ entry into Super Rugby and the mechanism to be used to determine which five teams, one of which will be the Kings, will play Super Rugby next year. Saru have already stated the last placed team in the South African Conference [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/17/33184/</link>
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		<title>OZ mob gets IRB windfall</title>
		<description><![CDATA[THE Australian Rugby Union will reap a windfall of at least $12 million and as much as $17.5 million every four years after a breakthrough IRB ruling that will result in international rugby&#8217;s governing body giving countries a bigger slice of the World Cup pie. Sydney Morning Herald The funding move will benefit all tier-one and tier-two international teams on some level. It is a particularly satisfying result for ARU chief executive John O&#8217;Neill, who fought in the face of stiff opposition to have the world&#8217;s top sides remunerated fairly after the ARU posted a loss upwards of $16.6 million in lost gate revenue, broadcast and sponsorship due to significantly reduced Tri-Nations, European Test and June Test series in 2011. New Zealand famously supported O&#8217;Neill&#8217;s plight in October last year, threatening to boycott the next World Cup saying they couldn&#8217;t afford to compete. &#8221;If you had told me beforehand this was the likely outcome, I would have signed on the spot. I&#8217;m very satisfied,&#8221; said O&#8217;Neill, who was made chairman of the IRB regulations committee. &#8221;If we hadn&#8217;t got this result, 2015 would have been unbearable [financially]. We really had to scramble last year. We did all sorts of things [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/17/oz-mob-gets-irb-windfall/</link>
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		<title>Sarel benched for Stormers match</title>
		<description><![CDATA[After leading the table-topping Bulls into the closing minutes of last Friday’s match, Head Coach Michael Foley has made four changes to the side in the hope of overcoming the second-placed Stormers. The Cape Town side sit fourth in FxPro Super Rugby stakes, just one point adrift of their fellow South Africans who top the table with 46 points.  Foley will be hoping that the return of his namesake will boost their efforts to deliver a winning performance in Cape Town in the early hours of Sunday morning. Fullback Bernard Foley rejoins the side after a three-week injury absence and is joined by Brendan McKibbin, who returns at halfback. In the pack, Sitaleki Timani takes over from Kane Douglas at lock and Dave Dennis packs down at No 8 in place of Wycliff Palu.   The decision on whether or not to play Tatafu Polota-Nau will be delayed until later in the week to ensure that the hooker has fully recovered from the head knock suffered in last week’s game. Foley’s reinstatement at fullback means that Daniel Halangahu returns to the bench, despite earning the praise of Head Coach Michael Foley for his performance in round 12. “Daniel (Halangahu) did an [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/17/sarel-dropped-for-stormers-match/</link>
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		<title>Crusaders &amp; Blues teams named</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Crusaders have made seven changes to their team which hosts the Blues this weekend. The Crusaders will play the Blues this Saturday night for the second time this season. They last played at Eden Park in the opening round of the Investec Super Rugby season and the Crusaders won by 19 points to 18. This time the Crusaders will host the Blues at the new AMI Stadium in Addington. Head Coach Todd Blackadder has named his team, which includes seven changes in the starting fifteen from the team that lost to the Rebels last weekend. Most of the changes are in the backs and include Israel Dagg taking the fullback spot and Andy Ellis returning to halfback, so Tom Marshall and Willi Heinz move to the bench. Adam Whitelock will start on the right wing this week, and Dan Carter will move to first five, which allows Ryan Crotty to play at second five. Kieran Read and Luke Whitelock were both unavailable for selection due to injuries sustained during last week’s game. Read is still recovering from a heavy fall onto his pelvis, and Whitelock is being rested after a minor head injury. That sees captain Richie McCaw move [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/17/crusaders-blues-teams-named/</link>
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		<title>Vodacom Cup final</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The might of the North and South clash on Friday evening in Kimberley in the 15th Vodacom Cup final, when GWK Griquas host DHL Western Province. These two sides not only came out tops in the two pools, but were also impressive in their playoff matches in the last fortnight, advancing to the final with relative ease. It would take a very strong argument to say that the two most deserving teams are not in Friday’s final. DHL WP have not lost once this season, while GWK Griquas were only pipped at the post in their pool match against the MTN Lions. Not only have these two sides collected the most log points, but they’ve also scored the most tries in the competition (Griquas with 40), but they’ve also conceded the least (WP with 16, the same as the Ford Pumas, whom they beat in last weekend’s semi-final in Cape Town). GWK Griquas coach Pote Human might disagree, but the history book would suggest the team from the Northern Cape would be the favourites on Friday. Not only are they playing in their seventh Vodacom Cup final, but they are hosting their fourth and are aiming for their fifth title. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/16/vodacom-cup-final-2/</link>
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		<title>Your team doesn&#8217;t give a damn about you</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We have visited this topic quite often on RuggaWorld where we have debated just how much SA Rugby, or just rugby, owes the paying, loyal supporter&#8230; This is a story I can across from a fanatical fan writing about his favourite NFL team &#8211; the sport might be different, the message remains the same. By Justin Halpern writing on Grantland In the last 20 years, I have only missed seven Chargers games. I watch them every Sunday, and if the game is blacked out locally, I crowd around the radio like it&#8217;s 1944 and I&#8217;m listening to FDR give a speech about the Nazis. Five years ago, when I was waiting tables and barely making rent, I spent three hundred and thirty dollars on an authentic LaDainian Tomlinson jersey. I did that partially because I needed to swap out my Steve Foley jersey after he was shot by the cops, but also because I wanted to show my support for the team I loved. And after this season there is a decent chance that the team I have spent thousands of hours — and way too many dollars — supporting will leave San Diego. The Chargers have been in San Diego [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/16/your-team-doesnt-give-a-damn-about-you/</link>
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		<title>Cheetahs drop Sias</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has dropped Sias Ebersohn to the bench for their derby match against the Sharks in Bloemfontein. Ebersohn is currently going through a nightmare period which started when he missed an easy conversion in front of the post against the Highlanders which could have secured them a victory 2 weeks ago. Last week the talented number 10 also struggled a lot in the opening 40 minutes against the Stormers where the home side raced to a 16-point lead early on.  The difference when Sias was replaced by Riaan Smit was almost immediate and this no doubt prompted Drotske to give the youngster some space and time to get back to his best. Cheetahs team for Sharks: 1 Coenie Oosthuizen 2 Adriaan Strauss ( c ) 3 WP Nel 4 George Earle 5 Izak van der Westhuizen 6 Heinrich Brüssow 7 Justin Downey 8 Philip van der Walt 9 Piet van Zyl 10 Riaan Smit 11 Willie le Roux 12 Andries Strauss (vc) 13 Robert Ebersohn 14 Cameron Jacobs 15 Hennie Daniller 16 Hercu Liebenberg 17 Trevor Nyakane 18 Andries Ferreira 19 Ashley Johnson 20 Tewis de Bruyn 21 Sias Ebersohn 22 Philip Snyman]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/16/cheetahs-drop-sias/</link>
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		<title>Coetzee names team, defends tactics</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Stormers have made one forced change and one tactical move for their game against the Waratahs this weekend. Zelim Nel &#8211; IOL Coach Allister Coetzee says that Stormers supporters shouldn’t allow a woeful second-half effort against the Cheetahs to overshadow a solid campaign. “That was probably the poorest 40 minutes of rugby we have played,” Coetzee said after the Stormers were outscored 14-0 after halftime at Newlands on Saturday. “But it can’t distract from what we’ve done up to now.” The Stormers have won nine of 10 matches, including home wins against the Sharks and Bulls, and tour victories against the Highlanders and the defending champion Reds. Meanwhile, Western Province remain unbeaten heading into this week’s Vodacom Cup final against Griquas in Kimberley. “No excuses, but you have to look at the positives,” added the coach. “Between the Super 15 and Vodacom Cup we’ve lost a total of one game, and that was in Christchurch against the Crusaders, last year’s finalists.” Coetzee was, if you’ll excuse the pun, defending the latest round of criticism for the Stormers’ reliance on kick-and-chase tactics, and a sputtering attack. “Go look and you’ll see that the sides that are attacking the most, are [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ruggaworld.com/2012/05/16/coetzee-names-team-defends-tactics/</link>
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