Super Rugby 2018

The Sunwolves has a theme song,

[video=youtube_share;TMSN3a2x98w]https://youtu.be/TMSN3a2x98w[/video]

and signed one more Japanese player, Suntory's centre, Daishi Murata (uncapped). It is also reported that Panasonic’s speedster Kenki Fukuoka will miss one month, still recovering, due to knee surgery. He will also miss out on the Brisbane Tens.

Currently the Sunwolves are 50:50 (Foreign:Ethnic) balanced.
 
Aphiwe Dyantyi defied the odds to become pro
http://fans.myplayers.co.za/aphiwe-dyantyi-defied-the-odds-to-become-pro/

However, he forced his way into the professional ranks after impressive performances in the Varsity Cup.

After representing Eastern Province at U13 level in 2007, Aphiwe Dyantyi was touted as an exciting talent at school level. However, during his time at Dale College, he was told he was too small to play for the 1st XV during his matric year. Having missed out on his rugby goals, he eventually gave up on the sport after school and decided to pursue other interests.

He enrolled at University of Johannesburg to study BCom Marketing and played soccer. However, he quickly found his way back to his first love.

“I was living on res at campus. Some of my friends from school asked me if I could play for the Koshuis team as they needed players. They played on a Wednesday, so I was happy to help them out. After a few games, I was asked to train with the Varsity Cup team and that’s when things started happening,” Dyantyi.
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https://citizen.co.za/sport/south-a...e-our-verdict-on-the-lions-super-rugby-squad/

Third time lucky for South Africa’s best team in the tournament the past three years? They amount of key players retained suggest so.

One of the first thoughts that come up when the “Lions” and “Super Rugby 2018” are mentioned in the same sentence is: third time lucky?

It’s not an outrageous thought.

For the fourth year in a row, the franchise is in the remarkably privileged position of having essentially kept all their key players.

As a result, it raises hopes that maybe, just maybe the Lions can finally break their curse in the past two finals of the tournament.

But do the stars still have the focus and will now that their stocks have soared?

Here’s our verdict.

FULLBACKS: Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza

Andries Coetzee shouldn’t be too worried about the criticism he received at Springbok level last year.

The reliable 27-year-old might not quite possess the star quality at international level but he’s a very good performer at Super Rugby level and knows his game inside out at his franchise.

He might even have to help out at flyhalf.

Sylvian Mahuza’s cameos previously also suggests he could flourish with more game-time … and trust.

VERDICT: As long as Coetzee recovers his confidence, all will be fine

WINGERS: Courtnall Skosan, Ruan Combrinck, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Madosh Tambwe

Like Coetzee, Courtnall Skosan should ignore the noises about his Bok career and focus on the fact that he’s a fine performer in the red and white.

Ruan Combrinck is one of the most gifted backs to emerge locally but it must be kept in mind that both are injured currently.

That leaves an inexperienced duo Aphiwe Dyantyi and Madosh Tambwe.

Dyanti’s rise has been particularly impressive after starring in the Currie Cup though it wouldn’t be a surprise if coach Swys de Bruin switches more experienced men like Lionel Mapoe or Rohan Janse van Rensburg to compensate for the knowledge gap.

VERDICT: Promise or plugging the gaps? Interesting choices await

CENTRES: Lionel Mapoe, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Harold Vorster, Howard Mnisi


Opposition could be forgiven for drooling over the players in this position.

Mapoe has been a stalwart for years, no midfielder in South Africa has Janse van Rensburg’s ability to randomly just punch a hole into the defence and Harold Vorster increasingly has the look of another Jan Serfontein about him.

If Howard Mnisi can finally build on an injury-stalled career, this group of men will single-handedly win games.

VERDICT: Oozing pace, power and skill

FLYHALVES: Elton Jantjies, Shaun Reynolds, Ashlon Davids


In some sides’ setup, flyhalf isn’t a be-all and end-all position.

But at the Lions they can’t pull off the all-action game-plan without a conductor.

Elton Jantjies does feel a bit man-alone in this position and if he can’t hit heights quickly, it will heap pressure on the inexperienced duo of Shaun Reynolds and Ashlon Davids.

VERDICT: Possibly wobbly

SCRUMHALVES: Ross Cronje, Marco Janse van Vuren, Dillon Smit, Christiaan Meyer

Of course there’ll be attention on Ross Cronje and whether he’ll recover his confidence after a chastening Springbok year.

But it might be young Marco Janse van Vuren who might have tongues wagging.

The 21-year-old halfback has everyone excited because he reminds so much of Joost van der Westhuizen.

In a scrumhalf drought, that could become a godsend.

“Muis” Meyer is on-loan from Griquas and has guts but where will the injury-ravaged Dillon Smit fit in?

VERDICT: Don’t be surprised if the apprentice takes over from the master

LOOSE FORWARDS: Warren Whiteley, Cyle Brink, Jaco Kriel, Kwagga Smith, Marnus Schoeman, Len Massyn, Hacjivah Dayimani, Willie Engelbrecht

A fit, refreshed Warren Whiteley could have a magical effect on a group of flankers that actually looks far more balanced than previous years.

Kwagga Smith and the on-loan Marnus Schoeman are nippy players who play to the ball, while Cyle Brink and Len Massyn – if he gains a few more kgs – could easily fill Ruan Ackermann’s void.

Hacjivah Dayimani is promising talent and Willie Engelbrecht, signed from the Pumas, screams Lions bargain buy.

He’s a man mountain.

VERDICT: Talented, classy and versatile. De Bruin could later easily rotate

LOCKS: Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie, Andries Ferreira, Rhyno Herbst, Robert Kruger, Lourens Erasmus

The effective duo of Franco Mostert and Andries Ferreira are still present but there’s a feeling that the time might be ripe to explore depth.

Former Junior Bok skipper Marvin Orie had an excellent Currie Cup and a lot has been invested in Lourens Erasmus.

VERDICT: Time to trust some of the deputies

HOOKERS: Malcolm Marx, Robbie Coetzee


An on-song Malcolm Marx, as everyone knows by now, is one of the biggest weapons in world rugby.

But the rest of the depth is actually rather manufactured.

Robbie Coetzee is a very useful backup but below him De Bruin has re-treated Corne Fourie (prop) and Schoeman (flank) in the No 2 jersey.

VERDICT: If injuries strike, the Lions could be hampered by lack of specialist skill

PROPS: Jacques van Rooyen, Sti Sithole, Jacobie Adriaanse, Ruan Dreyer, Johannes Jonker, Dylan Smith, Corne Fourie

There’s a retro feel to this group.

The premium on men like Jacques van Rooyen, Johannes Jonker, Jacobie Adriaanse and Ruan Dreyer seems to be scrumming ability.

And that tends to be forgotten.

To run the ball, you need solid set-pieces.

Surely the Lions will have that.

VERDICT: Scrum power galore but the youngsters will need to provide fresh legs later
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https://www.supersport.com/rugby/super-rugby/news/180206/Sharks_have_made_the_adjustment

Du Preez might have irritated his bosses a little with his claim before last year’s Currie Cup decider that too much emphasis was being placed in South Africa on aping the more attacking style of the successful New Zealand teams. Du Preez said the only rugby he wanted his team to play was winning rugby and it didn’t matter how ugly it might be. That didn't really fit in with the publicised promise to fans to play crowd-pleasing rugby.

Du Preez might have irritated his bosses a little with his claim before last year’s Currie Cup decider that too much emphasis was being placed in South Africa on aping the more attacking style of the successful New Zealand teams. Du Preez said the only rugby he wanted his team to play was winning rugby and it didn’t matter how ugly it might be. That didn't really fit in with the publicised promise to fans to play crowd-pleasing rugby.

Du Preez's words were of course uttered after a league phase of the season where the Sharks had topped the log thanks to the hard work of a pack that afforded them the dominance they required in order to successfully execute a percentage game plan. But it all went pear-shaped when the pack was fronted and dominated by WP in the final. It was clear there was no Plan B for the Sharks and no ability to attack their opponents with scraps of possession. WP coach John Dobson confirmed after that game that once his team got ahead they were content to just kick onto the Sharks as they knew the Durbanites didn't have the attacking wherewithal to hurt them.

The Currie Cup these days should be all about learning from mistakes and building towards Super Rugby, so judging from what Du Preez, who now has the attack-minded Dick Muir helping him as a backline/attack consultant, has been doing in the pre-season, last year’s disappointing end was not in vain.

“We realised after the Currie Cup final that we had to change the way we are playing and we can’t just talk about attracting fans by playing entertaining rugby, we have to go out and actually do it,” said Du Preez in an early season interview with the Durban media.
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Saturday, 17February @ 17h15 SAST (15h15 GMT)

Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg

History:

Played: 18
Lions: 7
Sharks: 10
Draw: 1

In Johannesburg:

Played: 10
Lions: 5
Sharks: 4
Draw: 1

Last matches:
2017: Lions 23-21 Johannesburg
2017: Lions 27-10 Durban
2017: Lions 34-29 Johannesburg
2016: Lions 37-10 Johannesburg
2016: Lions 24-9 Durban
2015: Lions 23-21 Johannesburg
 
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...-need-to-put-aside-ongoing-issues-joseph.html

Rugby: Sunwolves need to put aside ongoing issues: Joseph

The Sunwolves may be on their third head coach in as many years, but some things remain the same as Jamie Joseph explained during a recent break in preseason camp.

"This team's biggest challenge has always been the inability to have a break between seasons and the fact we don't have enough time to prepare properly for a Super Rugby competition that lasts six months," said Joseph, who has taken over the running of the team from Mark Hammett and Filo Tiatia.

Kenki Fukuoka's recent withdrawal from camp is proof of that, the Olympian out for at least four weeks due to an ongoing knee injury that he played with during the recently completed Top League season.

"It is not perfect and it hasn't been fixed," said Joseph. "It's a bit better than last year by about 12 days. But we are competing against teams that have six weeks off, two months of preseason and three (warm-up) games."

"Our preparation is two weeks in Kyushu, one week in Tokyo and then we have to be ready for the Brumbies (on Feb. 24)."

...

"Mentally we can't go into a Super Rugby season worrying about the lack of preparation and how tired we are. For us to win games we have to be prepared to deal with those situations," Joseph said.

"Our game plan is coming together quickly because the attitude is great and the players are learning quickly. And the players seem to be getting better every day. But we have to build a team before we build a game plan. If we don't have a team then we have nothing."

...

"One of the learnings from last year was having players coming in and out of the Super Rugby season affected the Sunwolves' performance. Mentally the players came in with the wrong mindsets. This year we will pick the best players and then concentrate on who gets a rest leading into the June test series."
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Though I agree, the plan is to push more ‘foreign’ contingency into the Super Rugby squad to allow the Japanese player base to be rested, but this move also ensures that the Japan based foreign players are World Cup ready for Japan in 2019. There learnings are however not a new approach, it is the same approach John Kirwan had when he coached Japan, the big change being that Jamie Joseph has a Super Rugby franchise to prepare the national team with.

Then Joseph continues,

Joseph said as coach of two teams he needed to create two different playing environments with the same players.

"There will be differences between the Sunwolves and the national team," he said calling the Brave Blossoms an amateur team that played six games a year while the Sunwolves are a professional outfit that are together for over six months a year.

"There will (however) be consistencies with the game plan as that was the reason the JRFU (Japan Rugby Football Union) wanted to bring a team into Super Rugby."
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it is only that the Sunwolves is plagued by the exact same issues as the national team. Those that don’t know, the Top League season is shortened this year and there will be no Top League season in 2019.

I am more pro Eddie Jones’s approach, he promoted Asian players above other foreigners. Seeking to draw in taller and heavier players from South Korea and Hong Kong to fill in where Japan fell short to compete in tier 1. He never received his wishes from the JRFU. Today it is a private affair :whistle:
 
http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/02/07/super-rugby-jaguares-ledesma-round-one-squad

Ledesma names first Jaguares squad

Ledesma, who took over the top job ahead of the 2018 season, named a 29-man squad for a preseason trial against the Bulls and their opening Super Rugby clashes against the Stormers and Lions.

The former Wallabies scrum coach has named rookie propr Javier Diaz in the team, replacing Santiago Garcia Botta.

Flanker Pablo Matera will skipper the side, with Joaquin Tuculet and Tomas Lezana the vice-captains.

...

SQUAD

Jaguares for South Africa trip
Matias Alemanno
Felipe Arregui
Gonzala Bertranou
Emiliano Boffelli
Sebastian Cancelliere
Agustin Creevy
Bautista Delguy
Javier Diaz
Joaquin Dian Bonilla
Bautista Ezcurra
Santiago Gonzales Iglesia
Juan Martin Hernandez
Marco Kremer
Martin Landajo
Tomas Lavanni
Juan Manuel Leguizamon
Nicolas Leiva
Tomas Lezana
Pablo Matera
Julian Montoya
Ramiro Moyano
Matias Orlando
Javier Ortega Desio
Guido Petti
Nicolas Sanchez
Leonardo Senatore
Nahuel Tates Chaparro
Joaquin Tuculet
Juan Pablo Zeiss
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Any new names other than Diaz?
 
OT:

http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/article/rugby-legend-todd-clever-visits-wwe-performance-center

American rugby legend Todd Clever visits WWE Performance Center

One of the United States’ most decorated rugby players of all time is getting an up-close look at the WWE Performance Center this week in Orlando, Fla.

At the invitation of WWE scouts, retired flanker Todd Clever is in Orlando to check out the world-renowned training facility. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Clever holds the distinction of being the first American to play in Super Rugby competition. He is also the most capped player in U.S. history, meaning he has appeared in more games at the international level than any other American.

...

Nicknamed “Captain America” for his many stints captaining the Eagles (the United States’ national rugby team), Clever announced his retirement from rugby last June. Prior to that, he spent 11 years in professional competition, including playing for clubs in England, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

Clever is the latest luminary from the pitch to visit the WWE PC. South African hooker Ethienne Reynecke worked out alongside NXT athletes last November, and Australian wing Daniel Vidot took part in an invitation-only tryout in October.
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Clever played for the Lions?
 
Fulcrum29 said:
OT:

http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/article/rugby-legend-todd-clever-visits-wwe-performance-center



Clever played for the Lions?
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Vince McMahon’s XFL League to Return in 2020
https://studybreaks.com/culture/xfl-league-return/

WWF and XFL founder Vince McMahon promised a gimmick-free football league with the XFL’s return.
What if I told you the NFL wasn’t the most violent football league? Would you believe that, even while the NFL was beginning to worry about player safety, there was a football league that glorified the most violent and dangerous parts of the sport? Or that blatantly objectifying women, glorifying injury and capitalizing on the most primal aspects of football was accepted on national television just 15 years ago? And what if I told you that same institution is trying to come back and market itself as a “family-friendly” option for football fans? This is not a joke: the Xtreme Football League (XFL) is returning to television screens in 2020.

World Wrestling Federation and XFL founder Vince McMahon promised a gimmick-free football league with the XFL’s return. This is a far cry from the XFL of 2001, a 50-50 joint venture featuring NBC and McMahon’s WWF, or frankly anything on which McMahon has ever put his stamp of approval.

The WWF is infamous for being a rigged, fake form of wrestling that looks to emphasize personalities and antics over any actual integrity that might exist in wrestling as a sport. McMahon attempted to make a mockery of football in the same way with the birth of the XFL league in 2001.

With the NFL quickly gaining notoriety as the “No-Fun League,” for all its penalties, fines and rules, Vince McMahon saw an opportunity. The XFL league — or, as McMahon once called it, the “Extra-Fun League” — would feature very few of the regulations on the sport that lead some casual fans of football to abandon their NFL fandom. It would also bring every imbecilic, primitive detail that made the WWF inexplicably popular at the time and applied it to football.
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Vince needs football player, rugby players is a cheap option to fill the league.
 
Brisbane 10s

Day one:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/101301692/live-brisbane-tens--opening-day

Day one results:

Pool A

Wild Knights 19 Rebels 17
Blues 29 Reds 7
Blues 47 Wild Knights 10
Rebels 21 Reds 17

Pool B

Waratahs 31 Pau 10
Chiefs 17 Highlanders 12
Chiefs 31 Pau 7
Highlanders 12 Waratahs 10

Pool C

Brumbies 17 Fiji 12
Crusaders 22 Hurricanes 0
Hurricanes 12 Fiji 5
Crusaders 31 Brumbies 7

Women

NSW 19 Queensland 5
Brumbies 17 Rebels 7
NSW 27 Rebels 0
Queensland 33 Rebels 0
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Last edited:
Almost time for real ruggas to watch, can't wait. Where's the 2018 comp? :erm:
 
Brisbane 10s

Day two:

Pool Games:

Wild Knights 7 Reds 38
Rebels 7 Blues 29
Pau 22 Highlanders 7
Waratahs 12 Chiefs 15
Fiji 0 Crusaders 17
Brumbies 10 Hurricanes 12

Knockouts:

Chiefs 7 Reds 19 *
Hurricanes 35 Hurricanes 24
Blues 22 Reds 10
Crusaders 10 Hurricanes 14

Final:

Blues 10 Hurricanes 7

* https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...d-out-of-brisbane-tens-by-two-dodgy-tmo-calls

Defending champion Chiefs dumped out of Brisbane Tens by two refereeing blunders

The defending champion Chiefs have been bundled out of the Brisbane Tens after two dodgy TMO decisions in their quarterfinal against the Reds on Saturday night.

The Queenslanders, on their home turf of Suncorp Stadium, won the match 19-7, but two of their three tries – both to lock Angus Blyth – were controversial at best.
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That is the Aussie and Kiwi preseason done. The Kiwis dominated the Brisbane Tens on the scoreboard.
 
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