Tag: Rugby

Ospreys are set to be without Luke Price until next year after the fly-half broke his leg in their 17-13 win over Edinburgh last Friday.

Price, 22, was selected ahead of Sam Davies as the Welsh region began life without Dan Biggar, who joined Northampton during the off-season.

But now the youngster is set to miss a significant chunk of the season due to this injury, with Davies poised for plenty of game time at 10.

Allen Clarke’s Ospreys take on the Cheetahs at Liberty Stadium this Saturday as they look to make it two victories out of two in the PRO14.

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Ulster have been dealt a blow after prop Kyle McCall was ruled out for up to 12 weeks following elbow surgery to repair a torn tendon.

McCall sustained the injury in training last week with Ulster also monitoring Tom O’Toole, who suffered a concussion against the Scarlets. He will follow the Return To Play protocols.

They join Rory Best (hamstring), David Busby (knee), Jean Deysel (knee), Louis Ludik (hamstring), Luke Marshall (knee), Marty Moore (calf), Stewart Moore (knee), Tommy O’Hagan (perforated ear drum), Clive Ross (knee), Jacob Stockdale (hamstring) on the current injury list.

Ulster opened their PRO14 season with a 15-13 win over the Scarlets and face Edinburgh at home this Friday.

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Check out the highlights from Round Two of the Top 14 season.

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Check out the video highlights from Round One of the Premiership season.

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Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has made just two changes to the team that defeated Free State in Bloemfontein last weekend for the clash with the Pumas at Kings Park on Friday.

Both of them are rotational switches as Du Preez opts not to make too many changes to a winning formula.

After an impressive debut off the bench last week, Luke Stringer has been handed a start in only his second Currie Cup match for the Sharks, swapping places with Wian Vosloo who plays off the bench.

Similarly, the exciting young Aphelele Fassi also gets a first start, at full-back, with Curwin Bosch slotting in amongst the replacements to make an impact later in the game.

There is further good news as Akker van der Merwe returns to the side (named on the bench) after missing the opening two rounds.

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Tyler Paul, 6 Luke Stringer, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Gideon Koegelenberg, 3 John-Hubert Meyer, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle (c), 1 Juan Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Khutha Mchunu, 18 Andrew Evans, 19 Wian Vosloo, 20 Cameron Wright, 21 Johan Deysel, 22 Curwin Bosch

Date: Friday, September 7
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 19:00 local (17:00 GMT)
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Archie Sehlako, Graciano Pienaar
TMO: Christie du Preez

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Munster centre Jaco Taute says he can’t wait to make his return to competitive action after a lengthy lay-off with a serious knee injury.

Taute hasn’t played since sustaining the injury against Cardiff Blues last September and is relishing the prospect of making his return in Friday’s trip to Glasgow.

“It has been a long time and I’m not going to lie, it’s been difficult to come back from a serious injury. Luckily, I’ve been there before and I know what to expect and how to deal with the process. It’s been a long year but I’m fully fit,” Taute told the Irish Times.

The three-times capped Springbok proved to be a terrific signing after joining in September 2016 as injury cover for Francis Saili, racking up 26 appearances in an impressive season that saw him named in the 2016-17 PRO14 dream team.

However, most of the following season (last season) was spent studying financial management and rehabbing in the gym, and Taute is looking forward to playing rugby again.

“It’s great to be back and playing rugby and not just rehabilitating in the gym because that gets lonely,” he said.

“They keep you very busy when you are rehabilitating. You are here [in the High Performance Centre at UL] five days a week and they make sure you are on track, but in my spare time I did manage to study and that went well.”

Taute admits that although it can be quite a lonely journey, he did have his centre partner Chris Farrell to keep him company in the treatment room and vice versa for the past six months.

“Unfortunately he got injured when he was playing really well for Ireland so it was tough for him as well, but it’s better in a situation like that that you can spend time together, vent with each other, work hard in the gym together and just talk sometimes – that helps.

“Hopefully for him I was a big help while I was still injured and he’s also on track with his rehab. He also did his ACL, he’s also done that before, so he’s in good spirits because he knows what to do. He a big professional, big strong boy so he’ll also get through it,” said Taute.

Meanwhile, Taute is expecting a feisty encounter against Glasgow at Scotstoun on Friday if the sides’ recent meetings are anything to go by.

“I think it is always a special occasion when these two teams play each other,” said the former Lions centre. “They are a very good team and they’ve showed that in the way they played and the results they’ve achieved, so it will be tough.

“What impressed me at the weekend was they were nine points down, had a yellow card, and still managed to get the win. That’s the sign of a good team.

“They are a very good team – they have been performing. They went to the semi-final last year, they’ve been contending in Europe, so it’s going to be a tough occasion for us but something we look forward to.”

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Former England rugby union star Sam Burgess will close out his career with South Sydney in the National Rugby League after signing a new four-year contract.

Burgess previously played for Bradford Bulls in the English Super League before signing for Souths in 2010. Burgess switched to rugby union in 2014 with Premiership side Bath and became a dual-code international when called up to England’s squad for the 2015 World Cup.

The 29-year-old will leave all forms of competitive rugby at the conclusion of the the newly-agreed contract, which expires in 2022.

“I’d like to leave the game while I’m still playing good football. I don’t want to play if I’m not doing the club justice and I’m not doing the right thing by the team,” Burgess told Sport 24.

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The match officials for this weekend’s action have been confirmed, with Glen Jackson refereeing the Wallabies v Springboks clash in Brisbane.

Rugby Championship

New Zealand vs Argentina
@ Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Nic Berry (Australia)
Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England)

Australia vs South Africa
@ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

Premiership

Northampton Saints vs Harlequins
@ Franklin’s Gardens
Referee: Tom Foley
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe, Peter Allan
Television match official: Graham Hughes

Wasps vs Exeter Chiefs
@ Ricoh Arena
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant referees: Jack Makepeace, Simon McConnell
Television match official: Trevor Fisher

Leicester Tigers vs Newcastle Falcons
@ Welford Road
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Adam Leal, Wayne Falla
Television match official: Claire Hodnett

Saracens vs Bristol Bears
@ Allianz Park
Referee: Andrew Jackson
Assistant referees: Matthew O’Grady, Robert Warburton
Television match official: Stuart Terheege

Bath vs Gloucester
@ Recreation Ground
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson, Roy Maybank
Television match official: Geoff Warren

Sale Sharks vs Worcester Warriors
@ AJ Bell Stadium
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales, Paul Dix
Television match official: Keith Lewis

PRO14

Glasgow vs Munster
@ Scotstoun
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant referees: Dan Jones (Wales), Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Television match official: Neil Patterson (Scotland)

Ulster vs Edinburgh
@ Kingspan Stadium
Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Kieran Barry (Ireland), Robert O’Sullivan (Ireland)
Television match official: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

Dragons vs Kings
@ Rodney Parade
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Leo Colgan (Ireland), Gwyn Morris (Wales)
Television match official: Sean Brickell (Wales)

Connacht vs Zebre
@ The Sportsground
Referee: Lloyd Linton (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Fin Brown (Scotland), John Carvill (Ireland)
Television match official: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)

Ospreys vs Cheetahs
@ Liberty Stadium
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Gareth John (Wales)
Television match official: Tim Hayes (Wales)

Scarlets vs Leinster
@ Parc y Scarlets
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: David Sutherland (Scotland), Wayne Davies (Wales)
Television match official: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)

Benetton Rugby vs Cardiff Blues
@ Stadio Monigo
Referee: Seán Gallagher (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Stuart Gaffikin (Ireland), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Television match official: Stefano Pennè (Italy)

Top 14

Bordeaux-Bègles vs Montpellier
@ Stade Chaban-Delmas
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
Assistant referees: Hervé Lasausa Lespy Labaylette, Jacques De Lemos
Television match official: Denis Grenouillet

Toulouse vs La Rochelle
@ Stade Ernest Wallon
Referee: Maxime Chalon
Assistant referees: Julien Castaignède, Frédéric Chazal
Television match official: Akim Hadj Bachir

Perpignan vs Lyon
@ Stade Aimé Giral
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset, Jean-Luc Rebollal
Television match official: Patrick Dellac

Racing 92 vs Agen
@ U Arena
Referee: Tual Trainini
Assistant referees: Vincent Blasco Baque, Sébastien Hebert
Television match official: Cédric Marchat

Clermont vs Stade Francais
@ Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin
Referee: Romain Poite
Assistant referees: Adrien Descottes, Éric Soulan
Television match official: Bruno Bessot

Grenoble vs Pau
@ Stade des Alpes
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
Assistant referees: Mathieu Noirot, Bruno Gabaldon
Television match official: Éric Briquet Campin

Currie Cup

Sharks vs Pumas
@ Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Archie Sehlako, Graciano Pienaar
Television match official: Christie du Preez

Griquas vs Blue Bulls
@ Griqua Park, Kimberley
Referee: Egon Seconds
Assistant referees: Jaco Kotze, Nico Schmahl
Television match official: JJ Wagner

Golden Lions vs Free State Cheetahs
@ Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Stephan Geldenhuys, Eduan Nel
Television match official: Lesego Legoete

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South Africa assistant coach Matt Proudfoot believes Cheslin Kolbe’s ability to “create something from nothing” makes him a special talent.

Kolbe was added to the Bok squad for the Australasian leg of the Rugby Championship, with this week’s match seeing them face the Wallabies.

Ahead of the game, Proudfoot said it was good to have Kolbe with the team and that a big part of the Boks’ focus for this week will be their consistency and execution of opportunities.

“We are excited to have Cheslin in the side; I think he deserves his chance in the group because I think he has really performed well (in France for Toulouse),” said Proudfoot.

“I obviously know him well from my coaching days at the DHL Stormers, and he is the type of player who can really create something out of nothing.”

Proudfoot added that the Boks know what to expect from the Wallabies this weekend: “They will be determined to bounce back and will no doubt be in our faces, so we need to prepare with the same intensity that we can expect from them on Saturday.

“We are in fact two teams looking to bounce back, so I think this game is going to be crucial for both sides, to see how each one respond. It will be a tight game played on the advantage line by both sides who will be looking to get on the front foot.”

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Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has named three new faces amongst a 31-man squad to face South Africa and Argentina over the next fortnight.

Newly crowned Brumbies Player of the Year Rory Arnold as well as Reds pair Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Caleb Timu will join the Wallabies squad ahead of the Test against South Africa at Suncorp Stadium this Saturday.

Arnold is yet to feature in 2018 while Paenga-Amosa started all three Tests in the number two jersey against Ireland after impressing for Queensland in Super Rugby.

Timu bounced back to his barnstorming best with a try for Queensland Country in yesterday’s grand final replay against the Canberra Vikings in the National Rugby Championship.

Israel Folau (ankle) has been named in the squad after missing the second Bledisloe Cup Test in Auckland while prop Taniela Tupou (hamstring) is also racing the clock to be fit for Saturday’s Test against South Africa in Brisbane.

The Wallabies will reconvene on the Gold Coast later today ahead of the clash at Suncorp Stadium before they take on Argentina at Cbus Stadium on the Gold Coast on September 15.

Australia currently sit fourth in the Rugby Championship after back-to-back defeats to New Zealand.

Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Folau Fainga’a, Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper (c), Sekope Kepu, Tolu Latu, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Izack Rodda, Pete Samu, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Caleb Timu, Lukhan Tui, Taniela Tupou

Backs: Tom Banks, Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Marika Koroibete, Jack Maddocks, Nick Phipps, Joe Powell, Matt Toomua

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