Super Rugby 2018

http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/details/financial-crisis-rocks-bulls

The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd is close to bankruptcy and struggling to repay the Blue Bulls Rugby Union after receiving unauthorised loans worth millions.

According to Rapport newspaper, BBRU president Gert Wessels allegedly made several unauthorised loan transfers from the union’s funds to the company, but the payments are in arrears. The company is close to being declared bankrupt and is surviving on more loans and favours.

An initial loan worth R8.43-million from the union to the BBC was supposed to be paid off by February 2017 but the company has failed to do so. Despite the non-payment, the union’s CEO Eugene Hare approved another unauthorised loan of R5-million to the BBC, while also signing as a surety for R7.5-million of the company’s other outstanding debt.

The unions’ clubs have now tabled a motion of no confidence in Wessels, stating that he recklessly acted outside his mandate and ruined the union financially.

‘We are of the opinion that he [Wessels] did not put the BBRU’s interests first and we feel he can’t stay on in the position as president,’ said BBRU vice-president Henri van Aswegen.

But according to BBC CEO Barend van Graan, financial difficulty is not exclusive to the Bulls' business arm, but rather the entire South African rugby industry.

‘We are under pressure financially because of the teams’ underachievements, rising costs, low income and dwindling [crowd] attendance. The company will repay these loans as soon as we start making profit again,’ said Van Graan.

After being requested from the BBRU to resign, Wessels reportedly said he’ll only do so if the union nominates him for a position on the SA Rugby executive committee
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The Sharks have named their side to face the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday morning.


Sharks: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Wian Vosloo, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Ruan Botha (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Beast Mtawarira.*
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.

Source: Sharksworld
 
Good looking side. I'm hoping a combination of Sharks travel fatigue and Brumbies at home will see the Sharks slip up (purely from a MyBB comp point of view). But I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sharks take this game. 50/50 call for me...
 
Gotta boss those Brumbies and the game will be theirs. Police those breakdowns properly too, Brumbies love being moegoes at the breakdown and I doubt Glen Jackson will be effective there.
 
As I have previously mentioned, the Panasonic Wild Knights have three players in development in partnership with the Crusaders and the Highlanders.

Here is Takuya Yamasawa receiving specialised kick coaching from the Irish legend, Ronan O'Gara,

https://panasonic.co.jp/sports/rugby/voice/2017/180314135300001.html

All three players will again represent the Crusaders A (Knights) and Highlanders A (Bravehearts), respectively, this weekend.

I can guarantee that Panasonic will never make Taiki Koyama, Takuya Yamasawa or Yoshikazu Fujita available to be ‘loaned’ for the Sunwolves under the current circumstances. This may another case for national duty as prescribed under the JRFU for which the Top League must abide to.

This is just a simple example of conditioning players for higher tiers. Kotaro Matsushima would have never been the player he is today if not for his time at the Sharks Rugby Academy, not to mention that he was named fullback of the week, stats-wise.

Word has it that Suntory is also exploring partnerships with New Zealand and Australian franchises. The Brumbies were the most interested in the proposal.

I am glad that Amanaki Mafi is with the Rebels and I wish that Michael Leitch stayed on with the New Zealand franchises. Whatever happened to Hendrik Tui, I don’t know.

The JRSA desperately needs to negotiate with the Top League for a foundation. If not, the Sunwolves must be relegated from Super Rugby at the end of the season and be thrown at the competition the Western Force wants to start. Jamie Joseph and co. needs to focus on the developing the youth, universities and national team, allow the Top League to take over from JSRA or come to a cooperation for shared interest. The amount of money they can generate from the Top League stakeholders will easily make them the 'richest' Super Rugby franchise by miles.
 
Fulcrum29 said:
As I have previously mentioned, the Panasonic Wild Knights have three players in development in partnership with the Crusaders and the Highlanders.

Here is Takuya Yamasawa receiving specialised kick coaching from the Irish legend, Ronan O'Gara,

https://panasonic.co.jp/sports/rugby/voice/2017/180314135300001.html

All three players will again represent the Crusaders A (Knights) and Highlanders A (Bravehearts), respectively, this weekend.

I can guarantee that Panasonic will never make Taiki Koyama, Takuya Yamasawa or Yoshikazu Fujita available to be ‘loaned’ for the Sunwolves under the current circumstances. This may another case for national duty as prescribed under the JRFU for which the Top League must abide to.

This is just a simple example of conditioning players for higher tiers. Kotaro Matsushima would have never been the player he is today if not for his time at the Sharks Rugby Academy, not to mention that he was named fullback of the week, stats-wise.

Word has it that Suntory is also exploring partnerships with New Zealand and Australian franchises. The Brumbies were the most interested in the proposal.

I am glad that Amanaki Mafi is with the Rebels and I wish that Michael Leitch stayed on with the New Zealand franchises. Whatever happened to Hendrik Tui, I don’t know.

The JRSA desperately needs to negotiate with the Top League for a foundation. If not, the Sunwolves must be relegated from Super Rugby at the end of the season and be thrown at the competition the Western Force wants to start. Jamie Joseph and co. needs to focus on the developing the youth, universities and national team, allow the Top League to take over from JSRA or come to a cooperation for shared interest. The amount of money they can generate from the Top League stakeholders will easily make them the 'richest' Super Rugby franchise by miles.
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Well if they need someone to train them to take quick taps then he's the one :p
 
Agent_Smith said:
Well if they need someone to train them to take quick taps then he's the one :p
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The irony is, the Sunwolves are so badly organised that quick taps are at times their only tactic. They are poor on strategy. Yes, they have been under limited mentorship under Jamie Joseph, but to reboot by restructuring year in and year out is restricting their progress.

Their team this weekend is mostly unchanged, I guess to allow some continuity. They swopped out Hattingh with Van der Walt on the bench, to allow late game momentum, and rotated Quirk out with Labuschagne. They made wise changes to the backline by bringing in Hosea Saumaki (debut) on the wing as they lacked specialised wingers last week. Tupou is moved back to centre where he belongs. They have again placed Tatekawa at no.10 but have at least brought back Noguchi to the bench to replace either him or Matsushima pending on the game, Matsushima is likely to play 80min and may be rotated to the wing pending on the replacement cycle.

All-in-all, it is a better team than last week, positionally. Last week their whole backline was centre orientated with only two playmakers in Lemeki and Matsushima, now with the guys in the right positions it will be better. They still only have two locks on tour, but the depth on the bench will in the very least make them competitive against the Lions going 60-70min which is also pending on whether they have working set-pieces.

From my pov, I guess they will have a better game, score-wise, against the Lions than the Sharks. I called 30, but it may be 15-20 points, in my opinion, seeing the selection.
 
I can't believe the score! I thought the Chiefs would win this one easily.
 
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Bulls looking infinitely sharper than they did last week. Can they sustain it for the second 40 though...
 
Ugh. If John Mitchell had any hair, he'd be pulling it out. A 14 point lead at half time erased and now down to 14 men.
 
Looks like the 2nd time in consecutive weeks that the Bulls will be scoreless in the 2nd 40...

They breathing heavy. Fitness maybe not quite yet where John wants it.
 
The Chiefs closed them out badly. The defensive line for the final 20min is in question for the Bulls, it is if they expected the Chiefs to repeat their set-pieces only to leave open spaces...
 
27 unanswered points. Not sure if that's a reflection on the Bulls or Chiefs to be honest...
 
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