Category: Rugby

Argentina coach Mario Ledesma will be looking to get his reign off to a positive start when his side face the Springboks in Durban on Saturday.

Ledesma took over from Daniel Hourcade, who was dismissed after that record 44-15 defeat to Scotland in June, spelling the end of a torrid 18 months, which included his side failing to register a single win in last year’s Rugby Championship.

Indeed, Los Pumas’ overall tournament record makes for grim reading. Of 33 matches played, they have won just three and drawn one since joining the Tri-Nations in 2012.

But in Ledesma, they may have just the man capable of turning around the fortunes of the national side, who have won two of its last 17 matches in all competitions.

Having cut his teeth in France as a forwards coach and then with the Wallabies, Ledesma excelled in his first season as head coach with the Jaguares, taking them to the quarter-finals for the first time in their Super Rugby history.

With Gonzalo Quesada taking over at the franchise, it is a different job for Ledesma, but with the same group of players, who will be buoyed to still have their mentor around at national level.

Ledesma’s request to call on European-based players has opened the door for Juan Figallo as the only non-Jaguares player to start on Saturday and is a move that could significantly alter the fortunes of the national team if more are drafted in.

Rassie Erasmus, whose Springboks host Los Pumas on the opening weekend, is aware that this is an Argentina side on the rise.

“Mario is definitely going to give this Argentina side new energy,” he said. “With the Jaguares, he went five or six games on the trot unbeaten under difficult circumstances in New Zealand and Australia and then beat all of our franchises.

“They have beaten us here before and they will be sitting back and enjoying the underdog tag but luckily we know that they are formidable, and we have seen what they have done to our Super Rugby teams and the New Zealand and Australian teams.”

After all, the Springboks themselves were experiencing dark days not too long ago but thanks to two consecutive series victories under their belt, they can afford to breathe a lot easier.

Under Rassie Erasmus, they should now be confident that they can go one better than their third-placed finish in last year’s tournament after a convincing 2-1 series triumph over England in the June internationals.

But the fine form of the Jaguares and the appointment of Ledesma will give the visitors plenty of confidence and they could cause an upset or two over the coming weeks.

Players to watch:

For South Africa: Stormers forward Pieter-Steph du Toit has become a senior member of this Springbok side and yet is still only 25 years of age. Whether it is on the blindside flank or at lock, Du Toit has been a rock in the Bok jersey since making his debut in 2013. Du Toit made the most carries of any tier one player during the June tests (42).

For Argentina: Jaguares captain Pablo Matera has had another impressive Super Rugby season. Matera was one of just three players to average more than 10 carries and 10 tackles per game, while he also won 13 turnovers. The former Argentina Sevens and Leicester Tigers man will offer another leadership option on the park besides Agustin Creevy.

Head-to-head: Arguably the world’s two best hookers are set for a collision course this weekend. Malcolm Marx is in the form of his life having scored 12 tries in Super Rugby this season and will be chomping at the bit, after missing the England series with a hamstring injury. The Lions number two will front up against Agustin Creevy, who is integral to his side’s cause as the leader and talisman, setting the example with high work rate and physicality in the loose and set-piece.

Previous results:

2017: South Africa won 41-23 in Mendoza
2017: South Africa won 37-15 in Port Elizabeth
2016: Argentina won 26-24 in Salta
2016: South Africa won 30-23 in Nelspruit
2015: South Africa won 24-13 in London
2015: South Africa won 26-12 in Buenos Aires
2015: Argentina won 37-25 in Durban
2014: South Africa won 33-31 in Salta
2014: South Africa won 13-6 in Pretoria

Prediction: The hosts to have too much muscle. Springboks by 10.

The teams:

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Makazole Mapimpi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Siya Kolisi (c), 6 Francois Louw, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Lionel Mapoe, 23 Damian Willemse

Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements: 16 Diego Fortuny, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Tomas Lavanini, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Juan Cruz Mallia

Date: Saturday, August 18
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17:05 local (16:05 BST, 15:05 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

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Arch rivals Australia and New Zealand resume hostilities when they face off in this year’s Rugby Championship opener in Sydney on Saturday.

This fixture also doubles up as a Bledisloe Cup clash and for the first time in years Australia head into this trans-Tasman encounter with a semblance of confidence after claiming a 23-18 victory over the world champions when these sides met in their previous Bledisloe match, in Brisbane last year.

That success means Australia will fancy their chances of beating New Zealand, although the All Blacks are a formidable force wherever they play in the world.

That was best illustrated in last year’s corresponding fixture when the world champions blew the Wallabies away in the first half in Sydney before eventually securing a 54-34 victory, which paved the way for further Bledisloe Cup success after a 35-29 win in Dunedin.

However, the victory in the third Bledisloe game was an important one for Australia as it ended a seven-match losing streak against New Zealand which stretched back to 2015. If the Wallabies want to be victorious again, they can’t afford a repeat of that first half performance in Sydney last year when the All Blacks led 40-6 at half-time.

It is easier said than done but much will depend on senior players like Michael Hooper, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia and Kurtley Beale, who all have to be at their best to give the All Blacks a run for their money.

Folau is a real danger on attack and has scored six tries in 15 games against New Zealand. Just four players have scored more tries against the All Blacks – Adam Ashley-Cooper (9), David Campese (8), Bryan Habana (8) and Matt Burke (7).

Meanwhile, New Zealand are boosted by the return of experienced campaigners in captain Kieran Read and lock Brodie Retallick, who both missed their team’s 3-0 series whitewash of France in June.

This match will be a momentous one for Retallick’s fellow second-row Sam Whitelock, who will become just the eighth All Black to play 100 Tests when he takes to the field in Sydney.

It is fitting that Whitelock will be partnered by Retallick as they will be starting their 47th Test as a locking partnership – only Robin Brooke and Ian Jones have combined for more Tests for the All Blacks.

Head coach Steve Hansen highlighted the importance of this fixture to his side and expects another tough challenge from Australia.

“We’re all excited at what is shaping up to be another classic Bledisloe Cup encounter here in Sydney on Saturday night,” he said.

“We know that we have to earn the right to perform by preparing well and taking each moment that arises, and that mindset has been reflected in our preparation this week, which has been very good.

“The Bledisloe means a lot to this team and we have the opportunity to show just how much on Saturday night. As far as we’re concerned, neither team currently has possession of the cup and if we want it, we’ve got to front up and take it.”

Players to watch:

For Australia: Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is one player who will be determined to hit the ground running after missing the latter part of the Waratahs’ campaign due to a hamstring injury. The 26-year-old has been rushed into his country’s run-on side for this encounter and, apart from his role as the team’s leader, Hooper will also pose a huge threat on the ground as his partnership with David Pocock at the breakdown is sure to have a big influence on this match. Hooper made headlines last week when he became the first Australian to sign a new five-year contract since 2007 which highlights how highly he is rated in his country.

For New Zealand: Two-time World Rugby Player of the Year Beauden Barrett will be keen to impress and determined to prove that he is still the All Blacks’ premier fly-half. The emergence of Richie Mo’unga as a player with big match temperament during the Crusaders’ successful Super Rugby run has led to calls for him to be elevated to the run-on side at Barrett’s expense, but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen still believes the incumbent pivot is the right man to wear the number 10 jersey. A commanding display from Barrett will keep his detractors at bay and justify Hansen’s faith in him.

Head-to-head: In Reece Hodge and Jack Goodhue, Australia and New Zealand have two promising centres who are both trying to cement their places in their countries’ run-on sides. Both are aged 23 but Hodge is the more experienced of the two and has already played in various positions in the Wallabies’ backline. Hodge stole the show in the last Bledisloe Cup encounter in Brisbane last year when he landed a monster 53-metre kick which helped the Wallabies beat the All Blacks and he will be hoping to repeat those heroics this weekend. Meanwhile, Goodhue’s superb performances for the Crusaders earned him a spot in the world champions’ starting XV and he will be keen to replicate that form in this encounter.

Previous results:

2017: Australia won 23-18 in Brisbane
2017: New Zealand won 35-29 in Dunedin
2017: New Zealand won 54-34 in Sydney
2016: New Zealand won 37-10 in Auckland
2016: New Zealand won 29-9 in Wellington
2016: New Zealand won 42-8 in Sydney
2015: New Zealand won 34-17 at Twickenham (RWC Final)
2015: New Zealand won 41-13 in Auckland
2015: Australia won 27-19 in Sydney

Prediction: Like last year’s Bledisloe Cup clash in Brisbane there will be plenty of thrilling action and don’t be surprised if this match also goes down to the wire with the All Blacks sneaking in by a narrow margin. New Zealand to win by four points.

The teams:

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Lukhan Tui, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Jack Maddocks

New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Tim Perry, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown

Date: Saturday, August 18
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 19:45 local (10:45 BST, 09:45 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

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Glasgow Warriors have announced that back-row duo Ryan Wilson and Callum Gibbins will co-captain the PRO14 outfit for the 2018/2019 season.

Wilson skippered Glasgow last season with Gibbins filling in when the Scotland international was unavailable.

Wilson told Glasgow Warriors’ official website: “I really enjoyed my first year as club captain last year and I’m chuffed to bits to not only be captain again but be co-captain with Cully.

“Since Cully arrived a year ago we’ve formed a good bond, we’re good mates off the pitch and I’m sure we’ll work well together.”

Gibbins, who joined up last season from the Hurricanes, said: “I’m really excited about it. I’m honoured to have been asked to work with Ryan and I’m really looking forward to getting ripped into the new season as a part of this squad.”

Glasgow Warriors head coach Dave Rennie said: “We pretty much had co-captains last year. Obviously Ryan was our squad captain but he missed a number of games through injury and international commitments and Cully captained the side in his absence.

“They work really well together and we have a big squad of 50 players which is a lot to manage so they will share the role and the responsibility which will be good for both of them.

“They have complimentary skills, are both very passionate about this club and are hugely respected by all.”

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Ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship games, we are putting our head on the block and picking our winners from the two matches.

Australia and New Zealand open proceedings in Sydney, where the home team will hope to make it successive victories over the world champions, before South Africa host Argentina in Durban.

The Currie Cup and Mitre 10 Cup also take place over the weekend and we will be predicting the outcome of those contests.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

Australia v New Zealand

Preview: Arch rivals Australia and New Zealand resume hostilities when they face off in this year’s Rugby Championship opener in Sydney on Saturday.

Prediction: Like last year’s Bledisloe Cup clash in Brisbane there will be plenty of thrilling action and don’t be surprised if this match also goes down to the wire with the All Blacks sneaking in by a narrow margin. New Zealand to win by four points.

South Africa v Argentina

Preview: Argentina coach Mario Ledesma will be looking to get his reign off to a positive start when his side face the Springboks in Durban on Saturday.

Prediction: The hosts to have too much muscle. Springboks to win by 10 points.

CURRIE CUP

Pumas v Griquas: Pumas by 8
Free State Cheetahs v Blue Bulls: Free State Cheetahs by 3

MITRE 10 CUP

Auckland v Counties Manukau: Auckland by 7
Bay of Plenty v Taranaki: Taranaki by 8
Wellington v Otago: Wellington by 10

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The Lions have strengthened their options in the front-row with the signing of experienced loosehead prop Danie Mienie.

The 27-year-old started his professional career at the Sharks before having stints at the Cheetahs and Griquas.

He is set to return to South Africa after playing a season for Toulouse in the Top 14.

His arrival at the Lions will be a boost for the Johannesburg-based outfit after they lost the services of first-choice props Jacques van Rooyen and Ruan Dreyer, who joined Premiership clubs Bath and Gloucester respectively.

Photo credit: Lions Rugby Company (Pty) Ltd

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Leinster will begin the defence of their title with a mouth-watering Heineken Champions Cup clash against Wasps at the RDS Arena on Friday, 12 October.

The Pool 1 confrontation is one of a host of top-quality matches in the fixture schedules for all six rounds of the 2018/19 Champions Cup which have been announced by tournament organisers EPCR.

Premiership champions Saracens begin their campaign on Sunday, 14 October when they take on Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium, and last season’s Guinness PRO14 runners-up Scarlets will be at home against the 2018 Champions Cup defeated finalists Racing 92 on Saturday, 13 October.

TOP 14 winners Castres make the journey to Kingsholm to face Gloucester in Pool 2 on Sunday, 14 October, while Cardiff Blues, who triumphed in last season’s Challenge Cup, go head-to-head with tournament debutants Lyon at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland on the same day.

To mark the start of what promises to be an eventful road to the 2019 Newcastle finals, the Falcons are back in Europe’s top flight for the first time since 2005 and Dean Richards’ side have a demanding opening fixture against RC Toulon at Stade Mayol on Sunday, 14 October.

EPCR weekends

Round 1: 12/13/14 October
Round 2: 19/20/21 October
Round 3: 7/8/9 December
Round 4: 14/15/16 December
Round 5: 11/12/13 January 2019
Round 6: 18/19/20 January 2019
Quarter-finals: 29/30/31 March 2019
Semi-finals: 19/20/21 April 2019

2019 Newcastle finals

Challenge Cup final: Friday 10 May, St James’ Park (19.45)
Heineken Champions Cup final: Saturday 11 May, St James’ Park (17.00)

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Promising young back-rower Angus Scott-Young has signed a new contract with the Queensland Reds through to the end of the 2019 season.

The 21-year-old, son of former Wallaby hard man Sam, Scott-Young has already begun to establish his own reputation as a talented, hard-working forward.

He made his Super Rugby debut in Round 3 against the Brumbies earlier this year and earned 14 caps throughout the season.

Scott-Young said: “It was an exciting year to make my debut and get the opportunity to play in so many games. There are a lot of young guys coming through at the moment. We’ve made some developments, but there is plenty of improvement to go.

“There’s a core group of us who have been playing for Queensland representative sides for years, even though this was only our first year for the Reds. We’re a tight group and we enjoy working hard for each other. That bodes well for the future.”

The flanker is one of 14 players who have progressed through Queensland’s pathway programs to Super Rugby in recent years, under the guidance of Reds head coach Brad Thorn at either under-20s or National Rugby Championship level.

“We’ve had Angus around Ballymore for a few years now and he’s been quietly working away, learning his craft. He’s a hard worker and brings plenty of physicality to the role, which is what you want to see from a young back rower,” Thorn said.

“He’s only 21, so he has a lot of growth left in his game. He recognises that and understands hard work is the key to the success of any individual, as well as the team.

“We had 12 debutants in 2018 and a really young squad. They learned a lot this season and it’s great to see them sticking together and committing to what we’re trying to achieve here.”

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Siya Kolisi and his Springbok team are energised, excited and ready for their Rugby Championship opener with Argentina in Durban on Saturday.

Kolisi will skipper the Boks from the side of the scrum following his swap with the experienced Francois Louw in a revamped loose trio, which also includes the returning Warren Whiteley at number eight.

“It’s vital that you start the competition on a good note,” said Kolisi on Friday.

“Winning home games are very important, and we know it’s going to be a huge contest on Saturday against Argentina, who will also be energised by the appointment of their new coach.

“The Jaguares’ performances in Super Rugby will give the Pumas a lot of confidence so we know we will have deliver a quality performance against them here in Durban.”

The Springbok skipper said it was especially good to welcome back Whiteley, Louw, Eben Etzebeth and Malcolm Marx. He was also excited to see the uncapped Marco van Staden and Damian Willemse included in the Springbok matchday 23 for the first time.

According to Kolisi, the Springboks want to build on their success during the June internationals, when they managed a 2-1 win over a very good England side.

“I’m really excited for tomorrow’s match and we are looking to continue to build on what we started in June,” he said.

“Some of us had been in training for up to five weeks in Stellenbosch and we’ve spend a lot of time focussing on areas where we can improve.”

Former Springbok forward and 1995 Rugby World Cup winner Mark Andrews presented the Boks with their matchday jerseys at their team hotel in Durban on Friday afternoon.

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Australia were dealt a blow ahead of Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup clash with New Zealand in Sydney with the news that replacement prop Taniela Tupou has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Tupou suffered the injury at Friday’s captain’s run less than 36 hours before kick-off in the Rugby Championship opener, according to a News Corp report on Saturday.

The prop confirmed he would be missing the match via his public Facebook page.

The 22-year-old’s absence would be a major blow for the Wallabies, with Tupou a force for Australia against Ireland in June.

The Wallabies rely heavily on his impact off the bench and Saturday’s match would have been his first chance to go head-to-head with the All Blacks pack.

It is unclear how serious the injury may be, but the Wallabies will be hoping the damaging prop is cleared for the second Test in Auckland next week.

Rebels tighthead Jermaine Ainsley was kitted up as 24th man on Friday and will step into the matchday 23 as Tupou’s replacement.

Tupou’s injury is the second major front-row absence for the Australian side after regular loosehead Scott Sio was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Australia (revised): 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Lukhan Tui, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Jermaine Ainsley, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Jack Maddocks

Date: Saturday, August 18
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 19:45 local (10:45 BST, 09:45 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

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The Pumas got their Currie Cup campaign off to a fine start when they claimed a deserved 42-19 victory over Griquas in Nelspruit on Friday.

The home side were full value for their win as they dominated for large periods and eventually outscored Griquas by five tries to three and Chris Smith finished with a 22-point haul courtesy of a try, for conversions and three penalties.

Two penalties from Smith gave the Pumas a 6-0 lead by the 22nd minute before their captain, Hennie Skorbinski, ran onto a pass from Stefan Ungerer deep inside Griquas’ 22 and crossed for the opening try.

Smith added the extras before the visitors struck back in the 32nd minute via a well-taken try from AJ Coertzen, who beat a couple of defenders on his way over the whitewash. George Whitehead slotted the conversion which meant the Pumas led 13-7 at half-time.

The home side came out firing in the second half and two minutes after the restart they were rewarded when Ungerer went over for their second try from close quarters after Marnus Schoeman was stopped just short of the try-line in the build up.

The next 20 minutes was one-way traffic as the Pumas scored 22 unanswered points during that period.

Smith added his third penalty in the 48th minute and he continued to impress when he charged down an attempted clearance kick from Whitehead before regathering the ball and scoring his side’s third try.

The Pumas’ dominance reaped further reward in the 58th minute when Ungerer launched a high kick which Neil Maritz gathered before outpacing the Griquas cover defence on his way over the try-line.

Griquas were dealt a blow shortly afterwards when Liam Hendricks was yellow carded for a cynical defensive foul deep inside his half.

The Pumas made their numerical advantage count when Schoeman crossed the try-line off the back of a driving maul in the 62nd minute.

With the game in the bag, the hosts took their foot off the pedal which allowed Griquas to finish stronger and they were rewarded with late tries from Christiaan Meyer and Conway Pretorius which added some respectability to the final score.

The scorers:

For Pumas:
Tries: Skorbinski, Ungerer, C Smith, Maritz, Schoeman
Cons: C Smith 4
Pens: C Smith 3

For Griquas:
Tries: Coertzen, Meyer, Pretorius
Cons: Whitehead 2
Yellow Card: Hendricks

Pumas: 15 Gerrit Smith, 14 JP Lewis, 13 Ryan Nell, 12 Hennie Skorbinski (c), 11 Neil Maritz, 10 Christopher Smith, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Marné Coetzee, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Kwezi Mona
Replacements: 16 Frankie Herne, 17 Andrew Beerwinkel, 18 Hugo Kloppers, 19 Jeandré Rudolph, 20 Reynier van Rooyen, 21 Justin van Staden, 22 Trompie Pretorius

Griquas: 15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Kyle Steyn (c), 12 Christopher Bosch, 11, Godfrey Ramaboea, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Christiaan Meyer, 8 Conway Pretorius, 7 Sias Koen, 6 Wendal Wehr, 5 FP Pelser, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Nicolaas Oosthuizen, 2 Khwezi Mkhafu, 1 Devon Martinus
Replacements: 16 AJ Le Roux, 17 Liam Hendricks, 18 Ruan Kramer, 19 Pieter Van Vuren, 20 Izak Burger, 21 Jonathan Janse van Rensburg, 22 Andre Swarts

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: Ricus van der Hoven, Des van Wyk
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

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