Official June tests thread

[OrbitalDawn]

Hi guys

So I figured I'd make a thread where we discuss the upcoming international tests in June.

Fixtures:

Springboks Castle Lager Incoming Tour

June

8 South Africa v Italy Kings Park, Durban 17:15
15 South Africa v Scotland Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit 17:15
22 South Africa v Italy/Scotland/Samoa Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

British & Irish Lions vs Australia:

June

1 Barbarians v British and Irish Lions Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
8 Queensland Reds v British and Irish Lions Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
11 Combined NSW-QLD County v British and Irish Lions Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
15 Waratahs v British and Irish Lions Allianz Stadium, Sydney
18 Brumbies v British and Irish Lions Canberra Stadium, Canberra
22 Australia v British and Irish Lions Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
25 Rebels v British and Irish Lions AAMI Park, Melbourne
29 Australia v British and Irish Lions Etihad Stadium, Melbourne

July

6 Australia v British and Irish Lions ANZ Stadium, Sydney

New Zealand vs. France

June

8 New Zealand v France Eden Park, Auckland
15 New Zealand v France AMI (Adington) Stadium, Christchurch
22 New Zealand v France Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth

 

[OrbitalDawn]

AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Backs: Israel Folau, Digby Ioane, Joe Tomane, Nick Cummins, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rob Horne, Pat McCabe,Christian Leali'ifano, Berrick Barnes, James O'Connor, Will Genia.

Forwards: Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Liam Gill, Scott Higginbotham, Ben Mowen, Rob Simmons, James Horwill, Sitaleki Timani, James Slipper, Ben Alexander, Benn Robinson, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore, Saia Faingaa.

Lots of injuries to frontline players, unfortunately. Polota-Nau and Ioane out for a while. Still a strong squad, though.

 

[Piesank]

If you want to see discrimination look at the Test matches Bloem is getting in the next 3 years.

One against the Argies in this year's RC.

In any case I still think the Ozzies will field a strong enough team to win the Lions tour.

I just really hope that Ritchie Grey (Can't remember the other 2 Scotsmen) get a test call up, the 2009 tour had no Scottish players feature in the 3 tests which I felt was a big slap in the face. I think only the Scottish hooker was in that squad but he wasn't even included in the bench.

EDIT - just saw that McGeechan is a Scottish coach so that is probably acceptable.
EDIT #2 - Saw Ross Ford the Scottish hooker did go on in the 3rd test in the second half.

Nothing to see here

 

[FoXtroT]

Well they have called up Sean Maitland, don't know if that counts though.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Well they have called up Sean Maitland, don't know if that counts though.

Probably 'cos he played in NZ most of his life.

Kind of miss him in the Crusaders outfit.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Italy and Scotland? Wow, that's gonna get us ready

Bring on the borefest!

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Italy and Scotland? Wow, that's gonna get us ready

Bring on the borefest!

Didn't Scotland kick our ass last time we played?

 

[RedWill]

Argies not playing any June tests?

 

[Piesank]

Are we going to Play Lions Series?

 

[walterl]

Lions are playing Samoa next weekend 1 June at Ellis Park, kickoff at 14:30

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Are we going to Play Lions Series?

Nope. The Lions are playing lots of games, but all in the Australia.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Argies not playing any June tests?

Think England are playing 2 tests there and they're also hosting Georgia.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Abuse of Barnes costs Hartley Lions tour

New Zealand-born rugby hooker Dylan Hartley will miss the British Lions' tour to Australia after copping an 11-week suspension for calling referee Wayne Barnes a "f***ing cheat" in Northampton's 37-17 loss to Leicester in the Aviva Premiership final yesterday (NZT).

The England international has two days to appeal the sanction but even if he does get the punishment reduced, it's hard to see Lions coach Warren Gatland taking him on tour. The squad departs for Hong Kong today, beginning a 10-match tour and Ireland's Rory Best has been called in as a replacement.

It is the 27-year-old Hartley's fourth career ban - the other three were for gouging, biting and striking an opponent - and this time the Northampton captain has paid the ultimate price.

He was sent off by Barnes late in the first half of the final at Twickenham yesterday (NZT). He had been warned by Barnes about his language but he ignored the advice and mouthed "f***ing cheat" after a scrum collapsed, according to Barnes.

Hartley pleaded not guilty, claiming his comment was aimed at Leicester hooker and Lions rival Tom Youngs. But Barnes, best known in New Zealand as the referee who missed a blatant forward pass in the All Blacks' quarterfinal defeat to France at the 2007 World Cup, was sure the comment was directed at him.

The three-man judicial panel agreed.

"We cannot get around the fact that Wayne Barnes was certain that Mr Hartley's comments were directed at him," Judge Jeff Blackett said.

"Wayne Barnes said that if he had had any doubt in his mind, then he would have given the player the benefit of the doubt."

"Calling a referee a cheat is an attack on his integrity and contrary to the core values of rugby, and therefore we have taken a serious view and provided a serious sanction."

Hartley's offence was deemed to be mid-range in terms of seriousness and he was suspended for 12 weeks, with a reduction of a week for the manner in which he conducted himself at the hearing.

Hartley has reportedly made sincere efforts to curb his temper, including sessions with a psychologist, and had previously insisted his dark days were behind him.England coach Stuart Lancaster has not closed the door on Hartley's international career.

[video=youtube;7x7sSz_Vsi8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x7sSz_Vsi8[/video]

Haha.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Refs - the whole world is about them being at the center of it. Twit.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

PLAYERS INVITED TO THE SECOND SPRINGBOK TRAINING CAMP OF 2013:

Forwards (19): Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Jannie du Plessis, Coenie Oosthuizen, Wiehahn Herbst, Adriaan Strauss, Bismarck du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Eben Etzebeth, Flip van der Merwe, Juandré Kruger, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Marcell Coetzee, Willem Alberts, Arno Botha, Lappies Labuschagne, Pierre Spies, Ryan Kankowski.

Backs (19): Jano Vermaak, Francois Hougaard, Pat Lambie, Morné Steyn, Elton Jantjies, Demetri Catrakilis, Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh, Jan Serfontein, Robert Ebersohn, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Lwazi Mvovo, Raymond Rhule, Lionel Mapoe, Bjorn Basson, Gio Aplon, Zane Kirchner, Willie le Roux.

Bulls: 13
Cheetahs: 7
Kings: 1
Sharks: 9
Stormers: 8

 

[Piesank]

Could use with more Cheetahs

But seriously Trevor was only included because turbo-reverse from the Stormers got himself injured and Brussow is sitting at home because HM gameplan involves a big 8th man who crabs around on the field. . . .

[video=youtube_share;qWczE490ZPk]http://youtu.be/qWczE490ZPk[/video]

If you don't mind watching the car for half the video you will see all his highlights have him crabbing along the field with the occasional try and playing CoD.

 

[FoXtroT]

^ Thats not really fair, Kanko is a No. 8 while Brussow is a Flank. In other news it looks like Serfontein will be in the Bok squad as he as been withdrawn from the Baby Bok squad.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

So the Barbarians face the British and Irish Lions in Hong Kong on Saturday. Kick-off is at 13:30 SA time.

Teams:

Lions:

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors/SCO), 14 Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues/WAL), 13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/WAL), 12 Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/WAL), 11 Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors/SCO), 10 Owen Farrell (Saracens/ENG), 9 Mike Phillips (Bayonne/WAL), 8 Toby Faletau (Dragons/WAL), 7 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys/WAL), 6 Dan Lydiate (Dragons/WAL), 5 Paul O'Connell (captain - Munster/IRL), 4 Richie Gray (SCO), 3 Adam Jones (Ospreys/WAL), 2 Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/WAL), 1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens/ENG)

Substitutes: 16 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/ENG), 17 Cian Healy (Leinster/IRL), 18 Matt Stevens (Saracens/ENG), 19 Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/WAL), 20 Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/IRL), 21 Conor Murray (Munster/IRL), 22 Johnny Sexton (Leinster/IRL), 23 George North (Scarlets/WAL)

Barbarians:

15 Jared Payne (Ulster/NZL), 14 Joe Rokocoko (Bayonne/NZL), 13 Elliot Daly (London Wasps/ENG), 12 Casey Laulala (Munster/NZL), 11 Takudzwa Ngwenya (Biarritz Olympique/USA), 10 Nick Evans (Harlequins/NZL), 9 Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz Olympique/FRA), 8 Sergio Parisse (captain, Stade Francais/ITA), 7 Sam Jones (London Wasps/ENG), 6 Samu Manoa (Northampton/USA), 5 Dean Mumm (Exeter Chiefs/AUS), 4 Marco Wentzel (London Wasps/RSA), 3 Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester/ITA), 2 Schalk Brits (Saracens/RSA), 1 Paul James (Bath/WAL)

Substitutes: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso/ITA), 17 Duncan Jones (Ospreys/WAL), 18 Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro 92/ITA),19 Jim Hamilton (Gloucester/SCO), 20 Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz Olympique/FRA), 21 Kahn Fotuali'i (Ospreys/SAM), 22 James Hook (Perpignan/WAL), 23 Mike Tindall (Gloucester/ENG)/Rowan Varty

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Anyone else watching the Barbarian vs. Lions game?

 

[MickeyD]

The Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Incoming Series 2013: (province and test caps in brackets)

Lourens Adriaanse (GWK Griquas, 0)
Willem Alberts (The Sharks, 20)
Gio Aplon (DHL Western Province, 18)
Bjorn Basson (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 6)
Arno Botha (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 0)
Marcell Coetzee (The Sharks, 12)
Juan de Jongh (DHL Western Province, 14)
Jean de Villiers (captain) (DHL Western Province, 84)
Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks, 46)
Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks, 42)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (The Sharks, 0)
JJ Engelbrecht (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 1)
Eben Etzebeth (DHL Western Province, 11)
Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province, 83)
Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 27)
Zane Kirchner (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 24)
Siya Kolisi (DHL Western Province, 0)
Juandré Kruger (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 8)
Pieter Labuschagne (Toyota FS Cheetahs, 0)
Pat Lambie (The Sharks, 20)
Willie le Roux (GWK Griquas, 0)
Francois Louw (Bath, England, 17)
Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks, 41)
Lwazi Mvovo (The Sharks, 7)
Trevor Nyakane (Toyota FS Cheetahs, 0)
Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota FS Cheetahs, 2)
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland, 63)
Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 21)
Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 0)
Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 50)
Morné Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 42)
Adriaan Strauss (Toyota FS Cheetahs, 21)
Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 23)
Jano Vermaak (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 0)