Tag: Rugby

Check on all the ins and outs ahead of the new PRO14 season.

Benetton:

In: Marco Zanon (Mogliano), Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara (Waikato), Derrick Appiah (London Scottish), Giuseppe Di Stefano (Fiamme Oro), Giovanni Pettinelli (Calvisano), Antonio Rizzi (Petrarca), Dewaldt Duvenage (Stormers)

Out: Filippo Filippetto (retired), Marty Banks (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes), Whetu Douglas (Crusaders), Matteo Zanusso (Calvisano), Francesco Minto (released), Michael Tagicakibau (released)

Cardiff Blues:

In: Dmitri Arhip (Ospreys), Jason Harries (Edinburgh), Rory Thornton (Ospreys), Samu Manoa (Toulon), Liam Belcher (Dragons)

Out: Alex Cuthbert (Exeter Chiefs), Damien Welch (Cross Keys), Taufa’ao Filise (retired), Sam Warburton (retired)

Cheetahs:

In: Dian Badenhorst (Free State Cheetahs), Aidon Davis (Bayonne), Louis Fouché (Kubota Spears), Lloyd Greeff (Free State Cheetahs), Sibabalo Qoma (Free State Cheetahs), Clinton Swart (Toyota Verblitz), Boan Venter (Free State Cheetahs), Henco Venter (Toshiba Brave Lupus), Tian Schoeman (Bordeaux), Dries Swanepoel (Bulls)

Out: Francois Venter (Worcester Warriors), Johan Goosen (Montpellier), Uzair Cassiem (Scarlets), Clayton Blommetjies (Scarlets), Tom Botha (Ospreys), Reniel Hugo (Toyota Verblitz), Niel Marais (Yamaha Júbilo), Clinton Swart (Toyota Verblitz), Henco Venter (Toshiba Brave Lupus), Carl Wegner (Toyota Verblitz)

Connacht:

In: Peter Claffey (Academy), Cillian Gallagher (Academy), Conán O’Donnell (Academy), Robin Copeland (Munster), Kyle Godwin (Brumbies), David Horwitz (Melbourne Rebels), Joe Maksymiw (Leicester Tigers), Jonny Murphy (Rotherham Titans), Sevu Reece (Waikato), Colby Fainga’a (Melbourne Rebels)

Out: New Zealand Jake Heenan (Bristol Bears), John Muldoon (retired), Pita Ahki (Toulouse), Andrew Deegan (Western Force), Naulia Dawai (Otago), Cormac Brennan (released), Denis Coulson (released), Steve Crosbie (released), Stacey Ili (released), Pat O’Toole (released), JP Cooney (released), Andrew Browne (released)

Dragons:

In: Jordan Williams (Bristol Bears), Rhodri Williams (Bristol Bears), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester), Rhodri Davies (Rotherham Titans), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester), Huw Taylor (Worcester Warriors), Josh Lewis (Bath), Ryan Bevington (Bristol Bears), Aaron Jarvis (Clermont), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Tiaan Loots (RGC 1404), Jacob Botica (RGC 1404), Rhys Lawrence (Ealing Trailfinders), Brandon Nansen (Stade Francais)

Out: Sarel Pretorius (Southern Kings), Phil Price (Scarlets), Scott Andrews (Neath), Luke Garrett (Neath), Adam Hughes (retired), Pat Howard (Ealing Trailfinders), Rhys Buckley (Bargoed), Barney Nightingale (Bargoed), Keagan Bale (Bargoed), Angus O’Brien (Scarlets), Nicky Thomas (Scarlets), Dorian Jones (Angoulême), Charlie Davies (Northampton Saints), Lloyd Lewis (Pontypool), Sam Beard (Canterbury), Thomas Davies (Cardiff), Ashley Sweet (Ebbw Vale), Liam Belcher (Cardiff Blues), Sam Hobbs (released), Robson Blake (released), Carl Meyer (released)

Edinburgh:

In: John Barclay (Scarlets), Simon Hickey (Bordeaux), Matt Scott (Gloucester), Juan Pablo Socino (Newcastle Falcons), David Cherry (Stade Niçois), Pietro Ceccarelli (Oyonnax), Pierre Schoeman (Bulls), Senitiki Nayalo (London Irish), Luke Hamilton (Leicester Tigers), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors), Jason Baggott (Academy), Charlie Shiel (Academy), George Taylor (Academy)

Out: George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Jordan Lay (Bristol Bears), Cornell du Preez (Worcester Warriors), Junior Rasolea (Grenoble), Neil Cochrane (retired), Duncan Weir (Worcester Warriors), Elliot Millar-Mills (Ealing Trailfinders), Jason Tovey (Cross Keys), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Scarlets), Jason Harries (Cardiff Blues), Kevin Bryce (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Shields (retired), John Hardie (released), Glenn Bryce (released), Phil Burleigh (released), Robbie Fruean (released), Tom Galbraith (released)

Glasgow:

In: George Turner (Edinburgh), DTH van der Merwe (Newcastle Falcons), David Tameilau (Narbonne), Nick Frisby (Reds), Robbie Nairn (Academy), Bruce Flockhart (Academy), Adam Nicol (Academy), Kevin Bryce (Edinburgh), Thomas Gordon (Currie)

Out: Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ryan Grant (retired), Pat MacArthur (retired), Richie Vernon (London Scottish), Lewis Wynne (London Scottish), Henry Pyrgos (Edinburgh), Leonardo Sarto (released)

Leinster:

In: Jordan Larmour (Academy), Vakh Abdaladze (Academy), Caelan Doris (Academy), Josh Murphy (Academy), Joe Tomane (Montpellier), Will Connors (Academy)

Out: Jordi Murphy (Ulster), Jamie Heaslip (retired), Isa Nacewa (retired), Richardt Strauss (retired), Oisin Heffernan (Nottingham), Joey Carbery (Munster), Cathal Marsh (released), Peadar Timmins (released)

Munster:

In: Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets), Calvin Nash (Academy), Liam O’Connor (Academy), Fineen Wycherley (Academy), Mike Haley (Sale Sharks), Neil Cronin (Garryowen), Arno Botha (London Irish), Joey Carbery (Leinster)

Out: Simon Zebo (Racing 92), Robin Copeland (Connacht), David Johnston (Ealing Trailfinders), Gerbrandt Grobler (Gloucester)

Ospreys:

In: Scott Williams (Scarlets), Aled Davies (Scarlets), Lesley Klim (Doncaster Knights), Tom Botha (Cheetahs), George North (Northampton Saints), Gheorghe Gajion (Trelissac), Guido Volpi (Narbonne), Giorgi Nemsadze (Bristol Bears), Luke Morgan (Wales Sevens)

Out: Brian Mujati (retired), Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints), Rhys Webb (Toulon), Kieron Fonotia (Scarlets), Ashley Beck (Worcester Warriors), Ben John (sabbatical), Eli Walker (retired), Rowan Jenkins (Yorkshire Carnegie), Guy Mercer (Bath), Dafydd Howells (Dragons), Hugh Gustafson (retired), Dmitri Arhip (Cardiff Blues), Rory Thornton (Cardiff Blues), Jeff Hassler (released), Jay Baker (released), Brendon Leonard (released)

Scarlets:

In: Kieron Fonotia (Ospreys), Blade Thomson (Hurricanes), Uzair Cassiem (Cheetahs), Clayton Blommetjies (Cheetahs), Phil Price (Dragons), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Kieran Hardy (Jersey Reds), Angus O’Brien (Dragons), Ed Kennedy (Randwick), Matthew Davies (Neath)

Out: Tadhg Beirne (Munster), John Barclay (Edinburgh), Scott Williams (Ospreys), Aled Davies (Ospreys), Billy McBryde (RGC 1404), Jack Condy (retired), Tom Grabham (retired), Emyr Phillips (retired), Tom Varndell (Angouleme), Geraint Rhys Jones (Ebbw Vale), Tom Williams (Wales Sevens)

Southern Kings:

In: Sarel Pretorius (Dragons), Meli Rokoua (AEIS Agronomia), JC Astle (Mont-de-Marsan), Schalk Oelofse (Mont-de-Marsan)

Out: Piet-Louw Strauss (Maties), Siya Mdaka (Eastern Province Elephants), Rowan Gouws (Eastern Province Elephants), JP Smith (Eastern Province Elephants), Joe Smith (Leopards), Njabulo Gumede (Free State XV), Anthonie Volmink (Golden Lions XV), Jacques Nel (Aurillac), Martin du Toit (SWD Eagles), Alshaun Bock (SWD Eagles), Dayan van der Westhuizen (Blue Bulls XV), Etienne Swanepoel (Valsugana)

Ulster:

In: Marty Moore (Wasps), Jordi Murphy (Leinster), Nick Timoney (Academy), Will Addison (Sale Sharks), Alexander Thompson (Terenure), Billy Burns (Gloucester)

Out: Charles Piutau (Bristol Bears), Tommy Bowe (retired), Callum Black (Worcester Warriors), Brett Herron (Jersey Reds), Paul Marshall (retired), Callum Patterson (Cornish Pirates), Andrew Trimble (retired), Stuart Olding (Brive), Jared Payne (retired), Paddy Jackson (Perpignan), Robbie Diack (released), Aaron Cairns (released)

Zebre:

In: Edoardo Padovani (Toulon), Nicolas De Battista (Cornish Pirates), Massimo Ceciliani (Viadana), Samuele Ortis (Rovigo Delta), Giovanni Licata (Fiamme Oro), Giosuè Zilocchi (Calvisano), Daniele Rimpelli (Calvisano), Jimmy Tuivaiti (Calvisano), Paula Balekana (Sydney Rays), Apisai Tauyavuca (Fijian Drua), Matu Tevi (North Harbour), Francois Brummer (Bulls)

Out: James Tucker (Waikato), Failaga Afamasaga (Colorno), Andrea Manici (retired), Andrea De Marchi (I Medicei), Valerio Bernabò (retired), Jacopo Sarto (Colorno), Rory Parata (Cornish Pirates), Matteo Pratichetti (retired), Tommaso D’Apice (released), Serafin Bordoli (released), Derick Minnie (released)

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The match officials for this weekend’s action have been confirmed, with Jaco Peyper taking charge of the Crusaders versus Hurricanes clash.

New Zealander Glen Jackson will referee the Lions versus Waratahs clash in Johannesburg.

Crusaders [1] v Hurricanes [4]
@ AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Referees: Mike Fraser, Ben O’Keeffe
TMO: Shane McDermott

Lions [2] v Waratahs [3]
@ Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Rasta Rasivhenge
TMO: Marius Jonker

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Wales will host the opening night of the new PRO14 season when the first of 152 international club games take place in Cardiff and Swansea.

The Welsh capital will play host to a clash of European Champions as Cardiff Blues (Challenge Cup winners) welcome defending PRO14 title holders and Champions Cup winners, Leinster, to Cardiff Arms Park.

The second game on Friday, August 31 will see Ospreys open the campaign with a visit of Richard Cockerill’s Edinburgh, who reached the PRO14 Final Series for the very first time just two months ago.

Round One sees a full set of terrific match-ups with two clashes of former champions when Connacht host Glasgow Warriors while Scarlets, 2017 title winners and last season’s beaten finalists, travel to Kingspan Stadium to face the 2006 Celtic League winners, Ulster.

Munster will take on the Cheetahs while the Cheetahs’ South African compatriots, the Southern Kings, start their season in Parma when they tackle Zebre.

Finally, Dragons fans will have high hopes to see what the region can achieve in season two of Bernard Jackman’s tenure as they face a challenging opener against Benetton Rugby, who are aiming to build on last season’s record number of wins to make a real push for the PRO14 Final Series.

For the first time ever the Championship has also been able to announce kick-off times and dates for the first 17 rounds of the PRO14 which is a big win for clubs and their supporters. Click here to view them.

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Sharks coach Robert du Preez has tipped the Crusaders for Super Rugby glory, saying that he can’t see any team dethroning the defending champions.

The Crusaders downed the Sharks 40-10 in their Christchurch quarter-final clash, setting up a semi-final against the Hurricanes. Should they win that game, they will face either the Lions or the Waratahs at home.

Although the Lions will be competing in a third successive Super Rugby final if they see off the Waratahs, Du Preez doesn’t see much hope for them of finally claiming their maiden title.

“The Crusaders are an excellent attacking and defending side and I can’t see any other team beating them,” Du Preez said, according to Sport24. “Their set piece is so good, line-out wise particularly, they scored tries from that and you have to front up physically.

“We weren’t quite there and that was the story of our season. We just can’t keep patient. I guess that’s the sign of a young, growing team. But I’m really proud of the boys, they put a big effort in and for that, I’m proud of them.”

Last season, the Crusaders beat the Lions 25-17 in the final in Johannesburg. They will be looking to secure a 13th final on Saturday and add to their eight Super Rugby titles if they do.

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Samoa Sevens player Gordon Langkilde has been arrested and charged with assault following the tunnel bust-up at the Rugby World Cup Sevens that left three Welsh players injured.

The incident occurred in the tunnel at AT&T Park on Saturday after Samoa’s 24-19 defeat to Wales. The apparently unprovoked attack left Wales player Tom Williams with tournament-ending injuries – a broken nose and fractured cheekbone, while another 26-year-old Welsh player sustained facial injuries along with a 24-year-old team-mate, police said.

A statement from the San Francisco Police Department said Langkilde had been charged with aggravated assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.

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Lions hooker Malcolm Marx is expecting a tough physical battle when the Johannesburg-based side hosts the Waratahs in Saturday’s Super Rugby semi-final clash.

Marx gained 56 metres from five carries and won important turnovers for the Lions during their 40-23 win over the Jaguares in the quarter-finals, even scoring an intercept try.

He is now gearing up for the challenge of facing a side which has made more clean breaks (264) than any other in the competition.

“They will definitely be physical in their approach, but we just have to take it as it comes. We will definitely focus on our game and our approach to the game,” he said, according to Eyewitness News.

The Waratahs fought back from 23-6 down to beat the Highlanders 30-23 in their Sydney quarter-final, but facing the Lions away will be an even tougher test. According to prop Tom Robertson, they will have to be wary of Marx’s threat.

“From a forwards perspective, Malcolm is really a danger-man,” he said, according to the Citizen.

“He plays in the front-row but he gets around the park like a flanker. He’s pretty fit and quite handy with the basics too.”

Indeed, Marx played at flanker during his high school days, and it appears that he has not forgotten the skills he learned.

The Citizen quote him as saying: “You can never plan. I played No 7 in high school and even though I shifted to hooker in matric (his final year), I sort of always still wanted to fulfill that (poaching) role.”

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Crusaders centre Ryan Crotty has said that they will head into their Super Rugby semi-final against the Hurricanes with confidence if they can get their preparation right.

The defending champions haven’t lost a game since going down to the Highlanders on March 17. Their only other loss this season came a week before that against Saturday’s semi-final opponents.

With momentum behind them, one would expect the Crusaders to be buoyed by confidence from their recent on-field performances, as well as home ground advantage. However, Crotty has claimed that in reality, their self-belief is made on the training ground.

“I think you take confidence from how you prepare, I think if we plan deep in our preparation and preview them like we have and put the time in during the week, that’s where you can get confidence from, how well prepared you are,” Crotty said, according to RNZ.

“Saturday then rolls around and that’s the easy bit, it’s about doing the hard work Monday to Friday and then the fun stuff on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, Crusaders assistant coach Brad Mooar has admitted that the Crusaders will need to improve on their 40-10 quarter-final win over the Sharks, despite the resounding scoreline in that game.

“We realise that we need to be getting better every day and so get better or face the end of the season,” he said.

“A heck of a lot of respect for the Hurricanes, we got things right in a lot of cases against the Sharks, but we know there’s a lot we got out that we need to work on and we need to get better at for the Hurricanes.”

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Western Province Rugby president Thelo Wakefield has hit back at former Springbok captain Corne Krige after he described the organisation’s administrators as “amateur”.

Krige played 68 matches for Western Province, 56 for their Super Rugby side, the Stormers, and 39 Tests for the Springboks, but has been scathing of his former provincial side’s management, claiming, according to Rapport, that there were many employees who did not belong in their positions and were “not competent to run a multi-million rand organisation”.

Wakefield is no stranger to criticism, with former Springbok and Western Province prop Keith Andrews having already called for him to step down back in April over his union’s precarious financial position and the Stormers’ dismal on-field performances.

However, Krige’s comments appear to have particularly irked him, even though Netwerk24 claimed that the former flanker sent Wakefield a private message explaining that his comments were not specifically directed at him.

Wakefield’s open letter to Krige read:

Dear Corne

As a past player for WP I was most disappointed in the article published in Rapport on Sunday.

The article was not only damaging to WP Rugby but also to me personally.

Given that you were a great player and captain, despite being extremely hurt by the article, I would like to retain my dignity and not take you on publically in the printed press. I would however like to point out some facts and address some of the issues you raised;

– We have experienced a number of challenges recently at WP Rugby and continue to work tirelessly to develop a plan that we believe will make WP great again.

– That plan involves a number of unencumbered (debt free) high value property assets that WPRFU owns. Part of WP Rugby’s turnaround strategy is the development of those property assets to ensure significant residual income streams for the Union in perpetuity.

– The leadership of WP Rugby includes some incredibly astute business minds including; Dr Johan Van Der Merwe of Mayco; Suzanne Stevens of Brightrock and Hennie Heymans of DHL, all whom contribute significant business expertise to the running of WP Rugby at the highest level. In addition, the current CEO Paul Zacks, has an MBA, an honours and a masters degree, as well as 25 years of commercial experience.

– We believe that we have contracted an exceptional group of athletes for next season and will ensure all issues and potential stumbling blocks like the current team management issue are dealt with and clarity provided where required, to ensure we have the best possible chance in the competition. We are also in advanced discussion with one or two high profile players that we are confident will join us.

– WP Rugby can confirm that former WP Rugby (Pty) Ltd shareholder Remgro has not recalled their loans and that WP Rugby is in regular contact with Remgro with regard to its outstanding indebtedness to Remgro.

– In addition, WP Rugby can confirm that it is in discussions with a potential equity investor with regards to the sale of a stake of less than 50% in the commercial arm of WP Rugby.

– WP Rugby also wishes to clarify that the Aerios claim for damages it allegedly suffered, is against the Liquidated Company, not the current Company and is being dealt with by the Liquidators.

As you are aware from your time as a player it remains easy to comment from the touchline. A leader however would arm himself with the facts, not attack individuals and would roll up his sleeves to the support the Union.

Regards.

Thelo Wakefield

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Lions captain Warren Whiteley and full-back Andries Coetzee have both committed themselves to the Super Rugby semi-finalists for one more year.

The news comes as a significant boost for the Johannesburg-based side ahead of their Super Rugby semi-final against the Waratahs at Ellis Park on Saturday.

There were fears that Whiteley in particular would join a growing exodus that will see Jaco Kriel, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Franco Mostert depart for the Premiership next season.

But the duo have now joined scrum-half Ross Cronje in putting pen to paper as they strive for Springbok selection ahead of the World Cup in Japan next year.

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Waratahs prop Tom Robertson is well aware that it will take some preparation to adjust to Johannesburg’s altitude, but says his team has the necessary experience to cope during Saturday’s Super Rugby semi-final against the Lions.

The Waratahs edged the Highlanders 30-23 in Sydney to book their place in the last four, but history suggests they are in for another tough battle this weekend, as they have never won a Super Rugby play-off match in South Africa.

Ellis Park will host the clash and apart from playing in front of South African fans, the ‘Tahs will have to cope with playing over 1700 metres above sea level.

“It is just getting used to it throughout the week in training and stuff like that. A lot of us, all of us in the match day 23, have played a game over here and we know what it feels like. We’ve played a few Tests in Pretoria and Joburg and we know what it feels like so we’ll be getting used to it at training this week,” said the Wallaby prop, according to IOL.

Robertson has called on his fellow forwards to help supply clean ball to the Waratahs’ star-studded backline, which includes the likes of Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley and Israel Folau.

“We have one of the best backlines in the competition and it is up to us forwards if we can get them good, clean ball so they can do the work. We are really confident in those guys,” he said.

“It is our task as a forward pack in the scrums and lineouts to deliver them clean ball and you’ve seen last week what Kurtley (Beale), Israel (Folau) and Bernard (Foley) can do, they are freaks on their own. It will be up to us to get them the ball.”

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