Super Rugby 2017

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/super-rugby/pivot-pollard-could-start-against-stormers-7441041

Pivot Pollard could start against Stormers

Pretoria - Springbok and Bulls flyhalf Handré Pollard is ready to be unleashed after injuries kept him out of the game for the whole of last year, and is likely to lead the Bulls in their Super Rugby opener against the Stormers at Newlands next month.

The 22-year-old won’t be a welcome sight for the Stormers but looking at the bigger picture, Springbok coach Allister Coetzee, along with Bulls coach Nollis Marais, will be crossing fingers that Pollard stays fit if their respective teams are to be successful this year.

Pollard’s year-long absence from rugby not only hindered the Bulls’ chances of making last year’s Super Rugby play-offs but it would also have had an adverse effect on how the Springboks played.

With most of the Bulls players a year older and wiser in the workings of Super Rugby, the addition of Pollard (pictured) should strengthen their cause in their bid to make the play-offs and even challenge for the title.
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Good news!
 
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/potgieter-relishing-return-to-bulls-20170118

Potgieter relishing return to Bulls

Cape Town - Loose forward Jacques Potgieter has returned to South Africa to re-join the Bulls ahead of the 2017 Super Rugby season.

Potgieter, 30, completed his duties at Japanese club Munakata Sanix Blues at the weekend and is now ready to re-join his former team-mates, having played for the Bulls between 2011 and 2013.

He also represented the Waratahs in 2014/15 before joining the Sharks ahead of last year’s Super Rugby competition.

Injury prevented him from playing for the Sharks and it was announced last year that he had re-signed at the Bulls.

It was at the Bulls where Potgieter became a Springbok, representing the Boks in three Tests in 2012. He was previously also on the books of the Port Elizabeth-based Kings.
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...connection-questions-dedication-of-sa-players

Stormers' Kiwi coaching connection questions dedication of SA players

A leading New Zealand rugby coach believes South African players have the skills but not the dedication of their Kiwi counterparts.

Paul Feeney, a former Auckland coach and Blues assistant, has joined the Stormers as their skills coach.

Cape Town's Super Rugby outfit are desperate to narrow the gap on their New Zealand opposites just as the Springboks are eager to halt their decline and get back in touch with the standard of play being promoted by the All Blacks.

Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck challenged Feeney to find some differences between South African and New Zealand players and it didn't take him long to come up with some answers.

The basis of his theory was around the Kiwi players willing to put in plenty of personal extras after formal training had finished. It was about professionalism.

"SA players are as skilful as New Zealanders‚ just look at how athletic the players in the Stormers backline are‚ and look at their footwork‚" Feeney told TimesLive.co.za.

"Teams in New Zealand do not have more X-factor players than the South African teams have in their ranks."

But Feeney believed South African players needed to get into working harder and longer on their skills.

"It's all about repetition and execution‚ and making sure players have the confidence to make decisions," he said.

"We must invest a little more time players though. Things need to be done hundreds and hundreds of times so that you can start doing it with gut feel and get it right more times than you get it wrong."
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Why do we need Kiwi’s to speak the truth? The same issues are evident in the Currie Cup. The political climate, money, etc. may contribute to this, but we do not have the leadership to address this within our ranks.

The Lions managed, but it took them a while, and this came through the basis on John Mitchell’s appointment, and we all know where his players drive made him end up. Then there is the Cheetahs, though we have yet to see them translate their Currie Cup victory over to Super Rugby.

We have too little leadership amongst our coaches, popularity is not going to get them there. Harder work and dedication is desperately needed.

I doubt that Feeney will change the Stormers, it will take him some time. At least to break through this season and showing improvement as they progress through the weekly challenges. The big issue is that the Stormers has lost some valuable players and depth, with many leaving on concluding with this season.
 
Fulcrum29 said:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...connection-questions-dedication-of-sa-players



Why do we need Kiwi’s to speak the truth? The same issues are evident in the Currie Cup. The political climate, money, etc. may contribute to this, but we do not have the leadership to address this within our ranks.

The Lions managed, but it took them a while, and this came through the basis on John Mitchell’s appointment, and we all know where his players drive made him end up. Then there is the Cheetahs, though we have yet to see them translate their Currie Cup victory over to Super Rugby.

We have too little leadership amongst our coaches, popularity is not going to get them there. Harder work and dedication is desperately needed.

I doubt that Feeney will change the Stormers, it will take him some time. At least to break through this season and showing improvement as they progress through the weekly challenges. The big issue is that the Stormers has lost some valuable players and depth, with many leaving on concluding with this season.
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I sometimes get the feeling that SA players are over-coached in terms of the game plan and players sometimes need to curb there natural instincts. I.e. they see a potential attacking opportunity, but the coaches game plan is to kick ball downfield from that position.
 
Big loss to the Lions and there supporters,

Miracle man Julian Redelinghuys won’t play Super Rugby

The powerful Lions and Bok prop’s recovery from a serious neck injury last year has been amazing but long rehab rules out return.

In a massive blow to both Springbok and Lions rugby, tighthead prop Julian Redelinghuys won’t play in this year’s Super Rugby campaign.

Lions coach Johan Ackermann confirmed on Wednesday that Redelinghuys, who suffered a fractured neck disc in last season’s Currie Cup semifinal against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, will have to be patient as a long period of recuperation awaits him.

“Julian is busy with rehabilitation, but it’s a long process,” said Ackermann, despite the 27-year-old’s successful neck surgery.

“There is no real time limit so Julian must first be rehabilitated, talk to doctors and then decide for himself if he’s ready to play again.”
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They say high-tackling is dangerous, he was snap tackled by van Jaarsveld.
 
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/another-star-set-to-leave-stormers-20170119

Another star set to leave Stormers?

Cape Town - The Stormers may have a fight on their hands to keep the services of centre Huw Jones.

Jones played three Tests for Scotland last year and is part of their Six Nations squad.

After his Six Nations duties, he will return to Cape Town to play Super Rugby for the Stormers.

However after Super Rugby he may set sail for the northern hemisphere permanently, a report on Netwerk24 indicates, with rumours doing the rounds that the 23-year-old could join the Glasgow Warriors later this year.

This will be a further blow to the Cape franchise, after it was announced on Wednesday that fullback Cheslin Kolbe would join French club Toulouse later this year.

The Stormers confirmed to Sport24 that Kolbe is contracted to them until the end of the 2017 Super Rugby season. He will join Toulouse from the 2017/18 season.

The Capetonians have lost several key players in recent times, with all of Schalk Burger (flank, Saracens), Vincent Koch (prop, Saracens), Jean Kleyn (lock, Munster), Nic Groom (scrumhalf, Northampton) Kobus van Wyk (wing, Sharks) and Jacques Vermeulen (flank, Sharks) seeking greener pastures.

In response, the Stormers signed five new players last week - hooker Ramone Samuels, loose forwards Johan du Toit and Stephan de Wit, fullback SP Marais and utility back Dan Kriel.
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Jaco Taute may also extend his 6-months stay with Ulster.
 
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/new-stormers-recruit-breaks-ankle-20170119

New Stormers recruit breaks ankle

Cape Town - The Stormers have a received a setback with the news that new loose forward recruit Stephan de Wit broke his ankle in training earlier this week.

De Wit, 25, announced the news via his official Twitter account on Wednesday.

He was one of five new signings announced by the Stormers last Friday. The others were hooker Ramone Samuels, loose forward Johan du Toit, fullback SP Marais and utility back Dan Kriel.
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A-hem.
 
they playing the NZ teams this year, already lining up the excuses ........... heh
 
These Super Rugby predictions, many believe that the Jaguares might hit a quarters this year and that the Sunwolves will again bottom out at 18th. The Sharks will beat out the Lions to take the top pool position and that the Stormers will be a worthy contender to battle it out between the Bulls and Cheetahs. Much positivity on an improved Kings side…
 
I thought the Huw Jones to Glasgow Warriors rumour was old news already? Or was it just that at the time, a rumour which has subsequently gained traction...?
 
http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2017/01/454629.html

Rugby: Sunwolves add Nunomaki, Wykes and Tupou to squad

The Sunwolves added three more players to their ever-expanding Super Rugby squad Friday with the addition of Shunsuke Nunomaki, Sam Wykes and William Tupou.

Waseda University graduate Nunomaki has had a standout year for Panasonic Wild Knights, taking over the captaincy from Shota Horie halfway through the season and winning selection to the Top League Top XV.

The 24-year-old flanker was included in the Japan squad for the November tests and has won three caps.

In addition to being teammates at Coca-Cola Red Sparks, lock Wykes and center Tupou both played for the Western Force before heading to Japan in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Wykes has 87 Super Rugby caps to his name while Tupou has 13. Both are eligible to play for Japan once they have fulfilled the residency requirement.

...

Filo Tiatia's Sunwolves squad currently numbers 45 and Japan head coach Jamie Joseph, who oversees the team, hinted Thursday that yet more would be added.
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http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/super-rugby/ups-and-downs-for-lions-ahead-of-super-rugby-7459304

Ups and downs for Lions ahead of Super Rugby

Johannesburg - The good news is that coach Johan Ackermann will have his Japan-based players back next week; the bad news is he won’t have some of his key weapons of 2016 available for some time yet.

Unlike last season when the majority of his foreign-based players only arrived back in Joburg two weeks before the start of Super Rugby, this year Ackermann will have nearly a full month with a close-to-full-strength squad before Super Rugby kicks off on February 24.

Franco Mostert, Jaco Kriel, Warwick Tecklenburg, Warren Whiteley, Elton Jantjies and Lionel Mapoe - all currently based in Japan - are expected back in Joburg from Wednesday, which will give Ackermann plenty of time to get them back into the style of play that proved so successful for the Lions last year.

None of these players will be considered for the warm-up matches against the Bulls in Harare next Saturday (it’s likely to be a non-Super Rugby team) or the clash against the combined SupaBarbarians at Ellis Park on February 4.

The SupaBarbarians invitational side will include eight players from the Leopards, two from the Griffons and several club players, including from Brakpan, Pretoria Police, Impala, Pirates and Raiders. The Lions will finalise their pre-Super Rugby schedule with a clash against the Stormers in Cape Town on February 11.

...

But while Ackermann and Co will be pleased that the Japan-based men are nearly back on the training ground at Ellis Park, and that centre Harold Vorster is fit again and lock Marvin Orie has joined the Lions from the Bulls, they have also to accept they’ll be minus three key stars from 2016.

Tighthead prop Julian Redelinghuys, after breaking his neck while playing for the Springboks last year, will sit out the entire season, while loosehead prop Dylan Smith (shoulder) will only be back in action in March and Springbok wing Ruan Combrinck (shoulder) will only return in April, raising early questions about the Lions’ depth at prop and out wide.

That said, the Lions, after stunning all and sundry last season with their march to the final, developed quality back-up last season and with several of their players having donned the green and gold in 2016 they will be a more experienced bunch going into the 2017 season.
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http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/su...ghts-on-taking-home-super-rugby-title-7459401

Marais sets sights on taking home Super Rugby title

Pretoria - Bulls coach Nollis Marais is a brave man. Not only did he boldly take over the reins last year but he has now declared that the time has come for the Bulls to again rule Super Rugby.

In other words, Marais will accept nothing less than his team making the Super Rugby play-offs this year and has gone as far as saying that their aim is to win the competition.

The Bulls last won Super Rugby seven years ago during a golden era where they became the first South African side to be crowned Super Rugby champions in 2007 and followed it up with two more titles in 2009 and 2010.

Marais now wants his team to emulate the feats of Heyneke Meyer and Frans Ludeke’s teams and even though they lack experience and big name players, the man who cut his coaching teeth in the club rugby scene in Pretoria believes that his team possesses the talent and hunger to be champions.

Last year Marais’ team came within a win of making the play-offs and had it not been for their diabolical showing in their loss against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires then they could have joined the Lions and Stormers.

“No, no, no ... making the play-offs is non-negotiable. We want to win Super Rugby. We now have depth in the squad and we have a very good side that can go all the way. But we have to make play-offs, that’s our main aim,” he said.

...

“Out of my first seven games, I only have one at home. The Stormers, we want to go down there and beat them after they beat us 33-9 in the opening game last year and we are really looking forward to going down there,” Marais said.

“We have a bit of a score to settle with the Cheetahs in Bloem as well. We’ll play the Sunwolves at home before travelling to New Zealand and then we come home when the month from hell starts with the Hurricanes, Highlanders, Crusaders and the Lions. We are looking forward to it and seeing how the players get through it. Our aim has always been to win it (Super Rugby).”
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Wat nou? I call the Sunwolves to beat them by 15.
 
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/bulls-to-lose-star-wing-20170120

Bulls wing in high demand in France

Cape Town - The Bulls may have a fight on their hands to keep the services of talented wing Travis Ismaiel.

A report on Netwerk24 indicates that Ismaiel is in high demand in France, with several clubs believed to be eager to lure the 24-year-old abroad after this year’s Super Rugby competition.

Ismaiel was one of the Bulls’ star performers in last year’s Super Ruby competition and the Pretoria franchise would need to fork out large amounts to prevent him from seeking greener pastures.

This comes after news broke earlier in the week that loose forward Arno Botha will leave the Bulls at the end of this year’s Super Rugby competition.
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I only that they retain him in way or the other. Ismaiel is Springbok material putting up his hand, but nobody is taking notice.
 
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/ex-bok-prop-os-on-his-way-home-20170123

Ex-Bok prop Os on his way home

Cape Town - Former Springbok prop Os du Randt is set to return to South Africa following a coaching tenure in Japan.

Du Randt has been the forwards coach of the Toyota Verblitz club since 2015.

The 44-year-old told Netwerk24 that his contract has expired and while the club offered him a new deal, a compromise could not be found.

He will return to South Africa next month.

Du Randt was the Cheetahs’ forwards coach for a number of seasons before he left for Japan.

Upon his return to South Africa, he hopes to stay involved in rugby on a consultancy basis.

Du Randt played 80 Tests for the Springboks and won two Rugby World Cups with the team - in 1995 and 2007.
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Consultancy basis, like specialised coach? I wonder where he will be consulting…
 
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/bulls-set-for-zimbabwean-super-rugby-warm-up-20170123

Bulls set for Zimbabwean Super Rugby warm-up

The match, scheduled for Saturday, January 28, will see them taking on their Gauteng neighbors, the Lions.

In a second match on the day, the Stormers will face the Cheetahs.

This is the second year in a row that the Bulls will travel to Zimbabwe for a Super Rugby warm-up encounter.

Bulls touring squad

1. Lizo Gboka
2. Jaco Visagie
3. Coenraad van Vuuren
4. Ruben van Heerden
5. Abongile Nonkontwana
6. Nic de Jager
7. Hendre Stassen
8. Renaldo Botma
9. Ivan van Zyl
10. Tony Jantjies
11. JT Jackson
12. Johnny Kotze
13. Rabs Maxwane
14. Jade Stigling
15. Manie Libbok
16. Corniel Els
17. Pierre Schoeman
18. RG Snyman
19. Shaun Adendorff
20. Andre Warner
21. Francois Brummer
22. Franco Naude
23 Edgar Marutlulle
24 John-Roy Jenkins
25 Trevor Nyakane
26 Lood de Jager
27 Adriaan Strauss
28 Jacques Potgieter
29 Hanro Liebenberg
30 Rudi Paige
31. Handre Pollard
32. Jacobie Adriaanse
33. Burger Odendaal
34. Dries Swanepoel
35. Jamba Ulengo
36. Jesse Kriel
37. Warrick Gelant
38. Tian Schoeman
39. Luther Obi
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Is this Blue Bull squad on tour to prove a point? I don’t know how the Cheetahs squad looks like, but the Lions and Stormers are pretty much 2nd string on this tour.
 
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