Super Rugby 2017

Sunwolves press conference confirmed for the 12th December, announcements to be made:

- Coaching staff,
- Management staff,
- 2017 jersey,
- Tickets, etc.
 
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/more-stormers-eyeing-careers-abroad-20161130

More Stormers eyeing careers abroad?

Cape Town - Following reports linking Cheslin Kolbe with a move to France, more Stormers players are rumoured to be considering moves abroad.

French website, lerugbynistere.com, reported earlier this week that Toulouse were interested in signing the fullback after the conclusion of next year’s Super Rugby competition.

And according to Kwese Sports, centre Huw Jones, prop Oliver Kebble, hooker Scarra Ntubeni and loose forwards Rynhardt Elstadt and Nizaam Carr are also considering leaving the beleaguered franchise after next year’s Super Rugby competition.

The moves would hardly be surprising, with WP Rugby in financial strife, having applied for liquidation.

Kolbe’s agent, Dane Galley, meanwhile confirmed to Netwerk24 that his player’s contract with WP expires at the end of the 2017 season.
Click to expand...

These players will be available throughout the 2017 season, great, a no issue with them broadening their horizons. The media should also slack down on WPRU’s liquidation, Super Rugby is largely backed by the commercial arm which has the possibility, pending on SARU’s constitution change within the next 3 months, to privatise a union. Also, the Aerios case in ongoing, little is known at this stage. The liquidation also does not compromise the union’s participation on developing players or the Currie Cup.

My gut tells me that Remgro is going to acquire WPRU which will change the ways SA had been administrated rugby over the years.

Huw Jones leaving SA is a non-issue, Scotland is his place.
 
http://www.supersport.com/rugby/springboks/news/161201/Strauss_has_back_surgery

Strauss has back surgery

Springbok captain Adriaan Strauss looks set to miss the start of the 2017 Vodacom Super Rugby competition after he underwent a back operation on Thursday in Pretoria

Strauss has been playing with the back injury for the past few months and has been suffering from the pain throughout the European tour when he led the Springboks for the last time before retiring from international rugby.

Upon his return he saw a specialist and it was decided to have the operation immediately in order to help him recover in time to play a meaningful part in the Vodacom Bulls’ Super Rugby campaign next season.

The Bok captain underwent the operation and will be in the High Care unit at a top Pretoria hospital for another day before he is allowed to be moved back to a general ward.

It is uncertain when he will be released to go home, but in all likelihood he will have to be off his feet for at least a week after the operation.

According to the Bulls doctor Herman Rossouw, Strauss has been struggling with the disc problem in his back for some time now, and it is hoped that if all goes well with the operation and recovery that he will be back in action at the end of February or at the beginning of March.

“It is a problem that has been plaguing him for a long time now,” Dr Rossouw told Supersport.com, “The specialist was still to decide the extent of the operation but we are looking to have him back as soon as possible. We will only know though, when the operation is finished.”
Click to expand...

Wow, why play a man down?
 
First sighting of the Sharks new kit with CCC .... courtesy of Sharksworld


The design team has stuck with a traditional black and white theme for the home and away jerseys, emphasising the City of Durban and its ties to the Sharks team through the use of various motifs. Surfboards and traditional Zulu shields are just two of these, embossed in a rather subtle fashion on both jerseys.
Click to expand...


Rights_Free_Image_-_Home_Jersey_740x513_vd9o3f.jpg



Rights_Free_Image_-_Away_Jersey_740x513_bmumzl.jpg
 
Ugh. As much as I dislike the Bulls their 2017 traditional wear seems to be the best look imho. The 2016 Bulls wear was horrible. I don't like too much art on rugby wear...
 
Good news,

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/pollards-recovery-on-track-for-super-rugby-20161207

Pollard's recovery 'on track' for Super Rugby

Cape Town - The Bulls have confirmed that star flyhalf Handré Pollard has made a successful return to training and is on track to be "fit and ready" by January 2017.

Pollard missed the entire 2016 season due to knee and shoulder injuries, but is in line to return for the Bulls' first Super Rugby warm-up match against a South African Super Rugby opponent in Zimbabwe on Saturday, January 28.

The Bulls will kick off their 2017 Super Rugby campaign against the Stormers on Saturday, February 25 at Newlands in Cape Town.

Provisional warm-up fixtures for 2017:

January 28: South African Super Rugby opponent (Zimbabwe)

February 8: Chiefs (Brisbane)

February 10/11: Brisbane 10's

Extended Bulls training squad:

Utility backs: Duncan Matthews, Divan Rossouw, Manie Libbok, Jesse Kriel, Earll Dowrie

Fullbacks: Warrick Gelant, Ulrich Beyers

Wings: Luther Obi, Kafentse Mahlo, Irvin Ali, Andell Loubser, Jamba Ulengo, Jade Stighling, Travis Ismaiel, Sibahle “Rabs” Maxwane

Centres: Dries Swanepoel, Johnny Kotze, Jan Serfontein, Franco Naude, Burger Odendaal, JT Jackson, Boeta Hamman

Flyhalves: Francois Brummer, Tony Jantjies, Joshua Stander, Tian Schoeman, Handré Pollard

Scrumhalves: Ivan van Zyl, Andre Warner, Embrose Papier, Rudy Paige, Piet van Zyl

Loose forwards: Renaldo Bothma, Hanro Liebenberg, Freddy Ngoza, Arno Botha, Nic de Jager, Abongile Nonkontwana, Ryno Pieterse, Jannes Kirsten, Ruan Steenkamp, Shaun Adendorff, Roelof Smit, Jacques Potgieter, Eduan Lubbe, Marco van Staden

Lock: Eli Snyman, Hendre Stassen, Lood de Jager, Jason Jenkins, Ruben van Heerden, RG Snyman

Props: Jacobie Adriaanse, Conraad van Vuuren, John-Roy Jenkinson, Martin Dreyer, Trevor Nyakane, Pierre Schoeman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Lizo Gqoboka, Nqoba Mxoli

Hookers: Jaco Visagie, Edgar Marutlulle, Corniel Els, Adriaan Strauss, Alandre van Rooyen
Click to expand...

Bulls looking good. I'm interested in the battle between Jenkins and Lood. Great to see Pollard on the recovery.
 
DO NOT LET LAMBIE OR POLLARD PLAY IN THE PRE-SEASON GAMES FFS!!!

Those thighs of rugby players always impress me. I just shudder to think what kind of workout gives a person those boomstompe for legs.
 
Last edited:
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/fleck-confirmed-as-stormers-coach-20161107

Fleck confirmed as Stormers coach

Cape Town - Robbie Fleck has been confirmed as coach of the Stormers' Super Rugby franchise.

WP Rugby CEO Paul Zacks, confirmed the news at the press conference announcing Western Province Rugby's decision to apply for liquidation of their professional arm, WP Rugby (Pty) Ltd, held at Newlands on Monday afternoon.

“We hadn’t called an official press conference announcing or introducing (him) yet, but Robbie Fleck is our head coach, and has been appointed for three years.

“The reason is that from a rugby perspective we’ve had a good look at our rugby structures, the way we play, our culture, our fitness and conditioning.

“We recognised that there were deficiencies in certain areas, and so Robbie spent a lot of time and effort with our fitness coach, gathering data, intellectual property, information, on our systems and how we can improve going forward.

“When we are ready, he will present our vision and the way we want to play as Stormers going forward... there will be a massive change to how we want to conduct ourselves on a professional rugby basis.”
Click to expand...

When he was appointed as interim coach they mumbled something in the same line, only then they were not under liquidation. WP has lost many players and more are leaving. The Stormers may have a struggling 2017 season… and in 2018 they will have a more inexperienced squad pending on the union rescue. Sad to see the state that WPRU is in, heard many things through the clubs...
 
Seeing the situation that the WPRU is in they will probably rebrand 2016’s Currie Cup wear with an Stormers logo :whistle:
 
Toulon snap up Cornal Hendricks
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/toulon-snap-up-cornal-hendricks-20161208

Cape Town - In a surprise move, Toulon have announced the signing of former Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks on a deal until the end of 2016/17.

The 28-year-old, who has run out for South Africa on 12 occasions, had to stop playing earlier in the year because of a serious heart condition.

But it appears he's now able to make a return to rugby and the Top 14 side has moved for his services ahead of the Champions Cup weekend.
Click to expand...
 
Bok centre to go under the knife
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/bok-centre-to-go-under-the-knife-20161209

Cape Town - Cheetahs and Springbok centre Francois Venter will undergo an ankle operation in Johannesburg on Friday.

Venter injured his ankle in this year’s Currie Cup and the injury flared up again on the Springboks’ year-end European tour.

A spokesperson for the Cheetahs said Venter is expected to be out of action for at least three months, which means he’ll miss the Bloemfontein franchise’s first couple of Super Rugby games.

The 25-year-old made his Test debut against England at Twickenham last month, and also played in the internationals against Italy and Wales.

The Cheetahs start their Super Rugby campaign at home to the Lions on February 25, 2017.

They will also play two warm-up matches - against the Stormers in Harare (January 28) and Sharks in Durban (February 3).
Click to expand...
 
Sunwolves:

Czc00FJUkAALWlt.jpg

Team:

Czc39g3UUAEi-_4.jpg
Czc3_iGUAAADfcN.jpg

17 new Sunwolves, 9 which are uncapped Blossoms.

Ed Quirk, Liaki Moli and Derek Carpenter is back in the squad, so is Riaan Viljoen, another mention is Willie Britz.

EDIT:

The Squad:

Forwards: Keita Inagaki, Masataka Mikami, Koki Yamamoto, Takeshi Kizu, Takeshi Hino, Shota Horie, Takuma Asahara, Heiichiro Ito, Koo Ji-Won, Hitoshi Ono, Kyosuke Kajikawa, Shinya Makabe, Liaki Moli, Willie Britz, Ed Quirk, Uwe Helu, Yo****aka Tokunaga, Shuhei Matsuhashi, Malgene Ilaua, Yuhimaru Mimura

Backs: Keisuke Uchida, Takahiro Ogawa, Fumiaki Tanaka, Kaito Shigeno, Yuki Yatomi, Harumichi Tatekawa, Hikaru Tamura, Yu Tamura, Hayden Cripps, Teruya Goto, Kenki Fukuoka, Timothy Lafaele, Derek Carpenter, Yasutaka Sasakura, Kotaro Matsushima, Riaan Viljoen

The only player in the squad which under the current rules are ineligible to represent Japan by 2019 is Ed Quirk due to his participation in Australian Sevens. They say that Hayden Cripps is a rugby prodigy, don't know anything on the guy... other than he was a Tasman/Hurricanes development player.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X