Official Super Rugby Thread 2013

[OrbitalDawn]

So many people injured at the start. Heard this morning that Burger is also not going to be back for 3 weeks. Couldn't shake a calf strain.

Most sad about Cory Jane missing the whole season.

 

[Devill]

Devill: Bulls vs Stormers is going to be great.

So who's going to come out on top?

Well, I am not sure. My heart and my head is saying different things

I would first like to see the teams for Friday.

 

[Devill]

Last year the stormers won and I picked bulls.

This year I'm going bulls again.

Haha, well I am not sure. The Bulls imo will be like a better cheetahs team this year. They looked to run the ball a lot more and they also have a lot more young blood with a season or two behind them now. the problem for the bulls is the fact that the stormers have a massive bench and that they learnt and showed how to grind out wins in the pool stages over the last two years.

Add to that fact that they now have in Jantjies a more attacking flyhalf and the odds do seem to be in the stormers' favour.

 

[Devill]

A lot will depend on our front row again.

Think that'll be the difference. That and the new rules...

Well the Bulls lost greyling (the daft retard that was yellowed for foul play 10 minutes after coming on for the boks last year) so we have a 1 up on you guys there

The bulls also lost wilhelm steenkamp and we are stretched a tad thin on locks atm, so I am thinking the WP could dominate the forwards section come friday night.

Stormers team for Friday vs the Bulls

15. Jaco Taute, 14. Gio Aplon, 13. Jean de Villiers (captain), 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 6. Siya Kolisi, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. De Kock Steenkamp, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16. Martin Bezuidenhout, 17. Frans Malherbe, 18. Don Armand, 19. Nizaam Carr, 20. Dewaldt Duvenage, 21. Gerhard van den Heever, 22. Joe Pietersen

Mean looking team and bench. The only "weak" spots I see might be 9&10 combo, as they are new. And the centre pairing of JdV and de Allende is also very new.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Its getting so bad that the kings may be in with a semi-final shot.

That would be hilarious.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Well the Bulls lost greyling (the daft retard that was yellowed for foul play 10 minutes after coming on for the boks last year) so we have a 1 up on you guys there

The bulls also lost wilhelm steenkamp and we are stretched a tad thin on locks atm, so I am thinking the WP could dominate the forwards section come friday night.

Stormers team for Friday vs the Bulls

15. Jaco Taute, 14. Gio Aplon, 13. Jean de Villiers (captain), 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 6. Siya Kolisi, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. De Kock Steenkamp, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16. Martin Bezuidenhout, 17. Frans Malherbe, 18. Don Armand, 19. Nizaam Carr, 20. Dewaldt Duvenage, 21. Gerhard van den Heever, 22. Joe Pietersen

Mean looking team and bench. The only "weak" spots I see might be 9&10 combo, as they are new. And the centre pairing of JdV and de Allende is also very new.

Quite excited to see how Jantjies & Taute will fare in a proper team. +1 on mean looking team. Hopefully Kolisi is a beast again this year, and plays his way into the Boks.

 

[Creag]

Think him and Whitehead are injured.

Looks like Willem Alberts will be out for 4 weeks aswell, FFS season has not even started yet.
Although we do have some depth in Sharks, so we will manage and be just fine.

Multiple Damn!

Its getting so bad that the kings may be in with a semi-final shot.

Don't. Joke. About. Things. So. Abominable.

Well, I am not sure. My heart and my head is saying different things

I would first like to see the teams for Friday.

When you get past your multiple personality disorder, could you please give us a sense of your leaning?

Had to have a good lol this morning as Stormers coach was talking about being favourite for the 2013 title. Talk about delusions of grandeur!

 

[Devill]

When you get past your multiple personality disorder, could you please give us a sense of your leaning?

Well in the morning it is leaning left, and by mid afternoon it is leaning a tad right.

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Nothing less to be expected from Puke Watson's team...

The Southern Kings’ road to Super Rugby has been a rocky and tumultuous one. With Super Rugby rapidly approaching it seems they intend to take the controversy with them into the competition as the Western Force’s training session on Tuesday was interrupted by a spy spotted in the bushes.

The Western Force were completing a practise at Victoria Park when players collecting balls for the kickers noticed a suspicious character concealed in bushes near the field. When they tried to confront the spy he took off, carrying video equipment and a tripod. The Force gave chase through the bushes, but the man fled over a road and through a service station.

Sources at the Force practiced confirmed that practice had been interrupted by someone thought to be spying on proceedings.

The Force declined to make any official statement on the matter.

Enquiries to verify the story with the Kings were unsuccessful with the EP Rugby union refusing to hand out their media liason’s contact details.

We will continue to try and contact the Kings to bring you their official response.

http://www.arenasport.co.za/2013/02/19/kings-in-spying-controversy/

 

[Creag]

How low can you go?

 

[MickeyD]

How low can you go?

Lies... it was Hougi and Dewald P (they were at Reeva's funeral that was just around the corner!).

 

[Bosvark@]

SHARKS ALL THE WAY

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

SHARKS ALL THE WAY

Luckily your team can't lose to the Lions this year...hahaha

 

[Piesank]

Luckily your team can't lose to the Lions this year...hahaha

 

[Piesank]

Last year I got every single blues game wrong.

Anyone have any idea weather they're going to be useless again?

I would go against them for the first few games then you get a better feel for them.

 

[KOPITE]

I think the Stormers will have too much for the Bulls. Stormers by 7 is my prediction.

 

[Piesank]

Goosen is in!

Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Frans Viljoen, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Waltie Vermeulen, 19 Johannes Prinsloo, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Elgar Watts, 22 Ryno Benjamin.

Date: Saturday, February 23
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jason Jaftha (South Africa), Tiaan Jonker (South Africa)
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee (South Africa)

This side looks like it could pull it off if they keep ball in hand and do the one thing that was missing from the pre season and last years Currie Cup play for 80 minutes!

Cheetahs by 13 - you heard it here first folks!

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Goosen is in!



This side looks like it could pull it off if they keep ball in hand and do the one thing that was missing from the pre season and last years Currie Cup play for 80 minutes!

Cheetahs by 13 - you heard it here first folks!

You making my Superbru decisions tough... . I really want to go for the Cheetahs, but I am scared I might lose ground to the top people. But playing at Bloemfontein might swing it for me...

 

[Piesank]

You making my Superbru decisions tough... . I really want to go for the Cheetahs, but I am scared I might lose ground to the top people. But playing at Bloemfontein might swing it for me...

No buddy, go for the Sharks, if I didn't make a promise to myself at the Free State stadium two years ago I would've backed the Sharks this Saturday, but you guys won't hear the end of it if we pull it off

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Damnit, sucks that I'm missing this Highlanders vs. Chiefs game. Sounds exciting!