Super Rugby 2017

[Fulcrum29]

I see SBW is making the NZ headlines,

'Conscientious objection' behind SBW taping over bank sponsor's logo on Super Rugby return

Sonny Bill Williams was exercising a "conscientious objection" in taping over a bank sponsor's log on his Super Rugby return, New Zealand Rugby have confirmed.

In his first game for the Blues, the code-hopping All Blacks star stuck medical tape over the Bank of New Zealand logo on his collar, but other sponsors on Williams' jersey didn't get the tape treatment during the 26-20 loss to the Highlanders on Saturday night.

Williams did not explain his action, but in a statement read on air by Newstalk ZB sports show host Tony Veitch, New Zealand Rugby said: "Sonny Bill Williams has lodged a conscientious objection with New Zealand Rugby in his contract to finance companies, banks, alcohol companies, tobacco companies and gambling companies."

Veitch said New Zealand Rugby were not aware of any other player with a similar conscientious objection clause.

The Blues plan to meet Williams and his agent Khoder Nasser to discuss the issue.

"The Blues do not know why the jersey was altered and will be discussing with Sonny and his agent this week," a Blues spokesman said.

Meanwhile, a BNZ spokeswoman said the issue was between Williams and the Blues.

"We've got no issue with it," she told NZME.

"He's entitled to have religious beliefs and customs around that and it's really between him and the Blues as to how that manifests itself. So we have no issue with it."

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Breezers really did play out of their skins yesterday, nothing but respect for that at the end of the day. Don't let it be a one trick pony, stick it to all the NZ teams you face

 

[DWPTA]

And in other news it is reported that Faf de Klerk got a offer of a3 year contract at Sale Sharks worth R21 million.

Worth more then Hougaard at R6 million and Willie Le Roux at R9 million.

If I was Faf I wouldn't blink twice to sign it.

 

[DWPTA]

It works out to about 1.2 million sterling a year

 

[bigboy529]

+1 for the move back to 15 teams, we need a simpler, shorter format, in fact I won't mind if we even go back to Super 12.

Though it will feal totally wrong from a SA supporter point of view, I think some SA unions should murge for the Super Rugby competition. Cheetahs and Lions could go back to being the Cats like in the Super 12 days. This rather than Freestate totally losing out and the players anyway going to other unions to play Super rugby then staying their for the Currie Cup.
Lions and Bulls murging is also a option due to the geographics, but then you sit with 2 historically very strong unions murging and the Cheetahs which is historically a weaker union on its own.
As for the Kings, I guess they could somehow slot in with the Stormers, though I don't see the Stormers getting any advantage out of that, so I doubt that they'll be open for any murger negotiations.

 

[DWPTA]

So Faf was asked to leave the training camp after he told Bok management he is going North.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Lions and Bulls murging is also a option due to the geographics, but then you sit with 2 historically very strong unions murging and the .

Soon that may not be an option to consider, now that the commercial arms may be ‘wholly’ privately owned there is equity on the table which will complicate the Super Rugby licensing mergers. The Blue Bulls Rugby Union has announced their aims to put their commercial arm on the market on Thursday at the SA Rugby AGM. Here is the interesting part, under the revised constitution the unions are allowed up to 74% in private equity ownership, the Bulls has asked to have this amended to 100%. Money is an issue, so are the resources.

I think the Bulls are running dry, and their 2017’s Super Rugby campaign is pressuring, but have also only had one home game.

 

[faniebraai]

So Faf was asked to leave the training camp after he told Bok management he is going North.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

What a boon for SA rugby this performance has been. Change is possible, hope Coetzee took attention.

Maybe all the SA franchises should get Kiwis into their coaching ranks... :cough:

And yeah, Faf shouldn't even think twice about that kind of offer.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Maybe all the SA franchises should get Kiwis into their coaching ranks... :cough:

It brings me back to this article,

https://www.alloutrugby.com/kiwi-sa-players-dont-lack-skills/

January 17, 2017

Kiwi: SA players don’t lack skills

South African rugby players are just as skilled as their New Zealand counterparts and need not stand back for anyone on the skills front.

So says ex Auckland Blues coach Paul Feeney, now based in Cape Town as the Stormers attack coach, who was speaking to Netwerk24.

“Just look at how athletic the players in the Stormers backline are, and look at their footwork,” he said.

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

Everything comes down to repetition and execution, and making sure players have the confidence to make decisions.

“We must invest a little more time (in upskilling) players, though. Things need to be done hundreds and hundreds of times so that you can start doing it instinctively, and do it right more times than you do it than wrong. The structures (here) are more or less the same (as in New Zealand).”

Feeney, a former assistant coach at the Blues, was in Cape Town last year to help out Western Province in the Currie Cup, but has now been roped into the Stormers set up full time by Director of Rugby Gert Smal.

we know what happens to Kiwi coaches when they push a SA team to hard, even when the team improves by getting these structures in place with upskilling the players. John Mitchell comes to mind, the Lions debacle, and how he was side lined by the other unions when Gert Smal tabled him as head coach to replace Eddie Jones at the Stormers.

 

[Fulcrum29]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/beauden-barrett-off-the-hook-after-red-card-20170410

Beauden Barrett off the hook after red card

Cape Town - A SANZAAR Judicial Committee Hearing has found Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett guilty of contravening Law 10.2(a) Intentionally Offending after he received two yellow cards for deliberate knockdowns - and was subsequently issued with a red card - during the Super Rugby match against the Waratahs last Friday.

However, no further sanction has been imposed on the All Blacks and Hurricanes star.

 

[Fulcrum29]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...-over-super-rugby-future-20170410-gvhn41.html

Western Force launch legal action in fight over Super Rugby future

West Australian rugby has dramatically stepped up its fight to save the Western Force, launching legal action to stop the Australian Rugby Union axing the Perth franchise from Super Rugby next year.

RugbyWA representatives served the ARU with a writ during a three-and-a-half hour meeting in Perth on Monday afternoon, notifying the national union of their intention to take out an injunction against the ARU's plans to revoke the Western Force's Super Rugby licence.

In an nightmare scenario for the ARU, it now faces legal action from two constituents just 24 hours after the board voted eight to one in favour of cutting Australia's professional footprint from five teams to four. Melbourne Rebels owner Andrew Cox is also threatening to sue for damages after his team was floated as the second potential team in the firing line.

The dramatic escalation came as the lone voice of dissent on the ARU board broke ranks to express concerns over the process to decide which team is axed from Super Rugby as both the Force and Rebels mull legal action to block their removal.

 

[Fulcrum29]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/mallett-leyds-pass-was-staggering-20170410

Mallett: Leyds' pass was staggering

Cape Town - Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett has heaped praise on the Stormers’ performance following their 34-26 Super Rugby win over the Chiefs at Newlands.

In a highly entertaining affair, the Stormers outscored their Kiwi counterparts by four tries to three, avenging last year’s 60-21 humiliation in the quarter-finals at the same ground.

“This was a fantastic game to watch, and for the Stormers to come out on top is brilliant. It was a game where they had to pull out all the stops in all departments. The Chiefs contributed, as they always do, to a skilful and vibrant game,” Mallett said in the SuperSport studio.

“None of the Stormers players had a poor game. They all got stuck in and played as a team with a well-organised game plan. A lot of credit has to go to Robert du Preez, Dan du Plessis and EW Viljoen. They were up against outstanding backline players, who often bring three or four defenders down the same channel, and they did well to prevent the Chiefs from scoring from first phase.”

'STAGGERING PASS'

Mallett also heaped praise on Stormers captain Siya Kolisi, while he singled out Dillyn Leyds’ pass to SP Marais as exceptional.

With the Chiefs hot on the attack in the second period, Cheslin Kolbe intercepted a pass, before booting up-field. Leyds chased it down and got to it first, before spectacularly throwing a back-flip pass to Marais on his outside, with the fullback rounding off in the corner.

“Siya Kolisi thoroughly deserved to be man-of-the-match, closely followed by Cheslin Kolbe, who stopped two certain tries with interceptions, and then that pass from Dillyn Leyds was absolutely staggering,” Mallett continued.

Mallett also lauded the Stormers coaching staff for the way in which they have transformed the Cape side.

“What (coach) Robbie Fleck has done well, is share the responsibility of the various aspects of the game. Paul Treu is in charge of defence and he should be proud of their effort, particularly in the second half. The breakdown is being handled by John Dobson and the improvement in the Stormers’ breakdown work has been extraordinary. Their cleaning is clinical, the presentation of the ball is outstanding and they get quick ball. Then, of course, Fleck brought in (New Zealander) Paul Feeny as the skills coach and there is no question that he has given the players confidence to make good decisions on the ball.

“What was really special was that a South African side proved that they can hold on to the ball for long periods of time against a New Zealand franchise without conceding possession. The Chiefs’ first two tries came from poor kicks by the Stormers, but obviously there was a message in the Stormers change room that they should hold on to the ball. And they turned it around. We always said their first test would be against a New Zealand team, especially after that choking loss against the Chiefs last year. They’ve made massive strides this year in terms of team progress and coaching, and the evidence was on the field on Saturday.”

 

[Cray]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/mallett-leyds-pass-was-staggering-20170410

Watched it a bunch of times, just crazy good.

https://streamable.com/bjsr5

 

[Fulcrum29]

Watched it a bunch of times, just crazy good.

https://streamable.com/bjsr5

The best thing about the game was that when some Stormer naysayer praised the Chiefs, the Stormers would hit right back. I most certainly didn’t expect the Stormers to pull through, never mind them to display pure class. That defensive line in the final 30 minutes, nothing but a team committed to confidence. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Stormers win over some hearts of the Cape Crusaders.

The Lions better be ready.

 

[Cray]

The best thing about the game was that when some Stormer naysayer praised the Chiefs, the Stormers would hit right back. I most certainly didn’t expect the Stormers to pull through, never mind them to display pure class. That defensive line in the final 30 minutes, nothing but a team committed to confidence. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Stormers win over some hearts of the Cape Crusaders.

The Lions better be ready.

Yup, a very impressive display from the Stormers, and one of the better games of rugby I have watched for a while.

 

[Agent_Smith]

I was at the game, and had Newlands a roof, it would've been blown off when Leyds offloaded to SP. It was insane!

 

[Fulcrum29]

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...e-to-australian-conference-as-good-thing.html

Rugby: Sunwolves see move to Australian Conference as good thing

The Sunwolves responded Monday to the reduction in the number of Super Rugby teams and their move to the Australian Conference, saying the reduced traveling and more favorable time zones will help the side both on and off the field.

"We will continue competing in one of the toughest competitions in the world of rugby, however, we will do so in a slightly better environment regarding the time difference and the long distance travel," Japan Rugby Football Union chairman Noriyuki Sakamoto said in a press release.

On Sunday, SANZAAR -- the body that organizes rugby in the Southern Hemisphere -- announced that from 2018 Super Rugby will be a 15-team competition with two South African sides and one Australian team cut from the competition.

They also announced that the Sunwolves will move from one of the Africa conferences to the Australian Conference where they will play games on a home-and-away basis. They will play eight cross-conference matches against four of the five teams from each of the other two (New Zealand and South Africa) conferences (four at home and four away).

There was, however, as made public by New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew on Monday, a proviso that the Japanese franchise must lift their game or risk being axed in the future.

"Japan are on notice that they've got to perform at a higher level as time goes on. Their win against the Bulls over the weekend was very timely," Tew was quoted as saying by the New Zealand Herald.

When asked for a response to Tew's comments, Japan coach Jamie Joseph, who oversees the Sunwolves, admitted he had not heard what his former boss had said.

But the former Highlanders coach, who won the Super Rugby title in 2015, did say "it's interesting to know what success looks like. I coached a side (in 2013) with 11 All Blacks and we only won three games (in the season)."

However, like Sakamoto, Joseph said the reduction in travel -- the Sunwolves are set to travel close to 120,000 kilometers this season, twice as far as any other side -- would "help out."

The former All Black also pointed out that, unlike other teams, the Sunwolves not only lacked the depth and experience needed to do consistently well but currently struggled to manage the workload of players who come into the squad straight from Top League duties with their company sides.

"But you saw at the weekend what happened when we had a handful of players coming back from a break. Voila, we won the game," Joseph said.

 

[faniebraai]

The Lions better be ready.

I'm afraid they aren't

 

[mbayshark]

Stormers played really well. They just have one mother of a draw this year. After the Lions they still have to play Crusaders, Highlanders & Hurricanes away. And then return home to play the Blues here. Going to be crazy difficult, but hope they can keep the South African flag flying high.