The Crusaders have dominated Super Rugby over the years, but only managed to sneak into the knockout stages above the Waratahs on points difference. Always a massive threat, be it at homeor away, the Crusaders remain one of the biggest games on any teams roster. That being said, I do however think tat it is safe to say that the whole stigma surrounding them as “invincible” has eroded away.

The Crusaders will, this season, want to try and reclaim their place at the top of the Super Rugby food chain, and let the rugby supporting fraternity know that they are still the kings of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Whether they will manage to do this remains to be seen, as the Super 14 becomes more and more evenly contested each year. With the top eight or ten teams all having a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages, and what happens in the semis is anyone’s guess.

The Crusaders will still, and probably always, be one of the favourites going into the competition. With All Black supestars like Richie McCaw and Dan Carter running the show, it creates a solid foundation for success. That, coupled with the rest of the depth within the Crusaders camp, which is by far the deepest of any Super 14 union, is a recipe for success.

Players to watch: Read More >>

George Smith, who in my opinion, revolutionised the role of a fetcher flank has just announced his retirement from international rugby. This from the Wallabies camp:

Qantas Wallabies flanker George Smith, one of only four Australians to have reached the milestone of 100 Tests,has announced his retirement from international Rugby and will be released from his ARU and Brumbies contract at the end of the 2010 Super 14 season.
 
The 110-Test veteran recently approached ARU and Brumbies officials to discuss his future and felt after 10 seasons in the Australian jumper he wanted to explore other options.
 
Talks led to the 29-year-old, who made his Test debut with a man of the match performance against France in Paris in 2000, requesting an early release from an ARU contract that was to expire after the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

“George has made an enormous contribution to Australian Rugby for more than a decade,” said ARU Managing Director and CEO John O’Neill.
 
“His list of achievements in the game, both with the Brumbies in Super Rugby and with the Wallabies at the highest levels of the game, stands him alongside the all time greats. Obviously we wanted George to stay and continue through to his third Rugby World Cup.
 
We had lengthy discussions. However, when he made it clear that his passion for international Rugby was not the driving force it once was, we agreed there were suitable grounds for an early release given his long and continuous service to the game in this country.
 
We could have insisted he see out his contract and blocked any opportunities to play the game overseas before the next Rugby World Cup. His wholehearted commitment over 10 years, however, deserves special consideration.
 
We wish George all the best for the future as he enters his final season of Super Rugby with the Brumbies.”

Smith said it was a difficult decision to leave Australian Rugby at the end of May having started with the Brumbies in 1999 and the Wallabies a season later.

“I have been involved with the Qantas Wallabies and Rugby at the highest level internationally for over 10 years,” he said.
 
“Throughout these 10 years I have always held a deep respect and honour for the Wallabies jersey and for what it means to be a Wallaby. I have considered it a privilege to wear the gold jersey in representation of my family, my friends, my fellow players, past Wallabies and of course my country.
 
Being a part of the Australian Rugby family has also allowed me to form and develop lifelong friendships. From coaching staff and mentors who have helped nurture my ability as a player to my fellow players who have not only treated me as an equal from my debut in France 2000, but also helped me to become a better Rugby player and I believe, a better person Read More >>

The Waratahs, after being the most successful Australian franchise in recent seasons, came under fire last season. Heavely criticised for their “boring” brand of rugby in 2009, they will be looking to turn things around and in back the loyalty of their fans for the 2010 season.

Having lost out on a spot in the semi finals to the Crusaders on points difference in 2009, the Waratahs will be hoping that some of their new backline signings will bring back the flair that their fans are so eagerly waiting for. That, grouped with their strong forward pack, in players like Benn Robinson, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Phil Waugh, Dean Mumm and Wyclif Palu just to name a few, lays the foundation for the Waratahs chance at success. From there on, it is up to the players to take the chance and make something of it.

Players to watch: Read More >>

The Stormers squad to face Boland, at the newly completed Cape Town Stadium, for their final Super 14 warm up match, is as follows:

• JD Moller
• Deon Fourie
• JC Kritzinger
• Rynhardt Elstadt
• Anton Van Zyl
• Schalk Burger (C)
• Yaya Hartzenberg
• Pieter Louw
• Ricky Januarie
• Willem De Waal
• Dylan Des Fountain
• Paul Bosch
• Frikkie Welsh
• Sireli Naqelevuki
• Fabian Juries

Reserves:

• Callie Visagie
• Eusebio Guinazu
• Martin Muller
• Pieter Myburgh
• Conraad Britz
• Bolla Conradie
• Lionel Cronje
• Tim Whitehead
• Duane Vermeulen
• Bryan Habana
• Juan De Jongh
• Gio Aplon

This from Cape Town Tens: Former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga, still one of the most recognisable names in world rugby, will complete the International Legends line-up at the 2010 Castle Cape Town Tens.

Umaga will join tournament hosts Bob Skinstad and Robbie Fleck and eight other former internationals in a star-studded International Legends team this weekend and he could not be more excited at the prospect of teaming up with his old foes.

“Zak (Feaunati) got hold of me to find out if I would be keen to play and I obviously know Bob and Rob well from our playing days, so it was great to hear from them and be able to take up the opportunity of coming out for the 2010 Cape Town Tens. Bob and Rob tried to get me out to the Tens last year, but I was unable to make it due to my playing and coaching commitments in France.”

“However, with this season’s French Top 14 on a break, due to Six Nations action, and of course, once I checked things through with my boss (my wife!), I was able to commit to this year’s tournament and I cannot wait to get out and be involved in this great tournament.”

Umaga is, at present, the assistant coach at French club Toulon; having last season filled the role of player/manager as he helped guide his side to safety after flirting dangerously with the dreaded relegation zone.

Toulon are currently in sixth place on the Top 14 standings, and pushing hard for a Heineken Cup place next season, and a more relaxed Umaga is looking forward to a weekend away in Cape Town, his favourite South African city.

“Zak has told me plenty about the overall organisation and everybody that is involved, so it really was an easy invite to accept,” he revealed.

“I’ve not played Tens before, but I think that’s also why I’m so excited – it seems like a great format of the game and I can’t wait to experience it for myself.”

Umaga, who played 74 Tests for New Zealand between 1997 and 2005, retired from Test rugby after leading his side on a successful Grand Slam tour of Europe, having also ‘Black-Washed’ the B&I Lions earlier in the 2005 season. In all, he skippered the All Blacks to an incredible 18 wins from 21 matches.

The full International Legends squad: Read More >>

When the Sharks beat the Blues at Eden Park last year, I thought they were certain to win the 2009 Super 14 competition. Unfortunately, they wilted away in the final stages of the competition, ending in a sub par 6th on the log. The same happened to them in the 2009 Currie Cup, where they topped the log, then ended up being knocked out by the Cheetahs in the semi’s.

The Sharks will be wanting to live up to their capabilities and the expectations of their fans this season. The Sharks certainly have the players to do it. With Springboks, including the likes of: 

• Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira
• John Smit
• Bismark Du Plessis 
• Jannie Du Plessis
• Johan Muller
• Jean Deysel
• Ryan Kankowski
• Adrian Jocobs
• JP Pietersen
• Ruan Pienaar

Just to name a few, a well as other superstar names like Jacques Botes, Rory Kockott, Kegan Daniel etc. The Sharks certainly have the players to take them all the way. The challenge will be to keep things together and for their big name players to play to their full potential. The Sharks have a good balance between experience and youthful exuberance which should add to their chances of performing well this season.

Players to watch: Read More >>

I was looking around on Youtube the other day, as I often do, and came across this brilliant clip. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Fancois Steyn is an exceptionally talented individual!

SA Rugby needs to change their policy on foreign based players for guys with his skill set, who, as we saw in the Autumn Internationals, we so clearly cannot be without.

It looks as if he’s doing quite fine over there…

A tribute to Frans Steyn: [CombatBok]

The Brumbies are hot on the heels of the Blues when it comes to successful Super 14 campaigns. Having appeared in 5 Super Rugby finals and winning two, they are never a team to be discounted. Perhaps not looking their sharpest in recent years, 2010 looks as if it could be a turn around year for the Brumbies.

Gone are the days of George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, but the Brumbies will not be short of superstar play-makers. Matt Giteau has joined back up with his former team mates, and with him,Rocky Elsom will be wearing the Brumbies strip.

These two are not the only formidable players within the Brumbies squad. With names like Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock, George Smith, Stephen Moore and so on in the squad, the Brumbies look impressive on paper.

Their biggest task in 2010 will be their their big names into a strong team. Rugby is a 15 (22), man game, and as Naas Botha always says:

“…I’d rather have 15 players who play as a team than 15 super-stars who play as individuals…”

…or something like that. You get the point though. The Brumbies, in recent seasons, haven’t achieved what they are capable of in regards with teamwork. At least not they way they used to play. This is what they are focusing on with their new “Stand As One” campaign.

Brumbies stalwart, Stirling Mortlock is approaching three massive milestones in Super Rugby this season. Namely:

• Has the opportunity to move to second place in overall Super 14 appearances.
• He is approaching the record for Super Rugby tries. (59 held by Doug Howlett. Currently on 53)
• He is approaching 1000 Super Rugby points. (Currently on 996)

Players to watch: Read More >>

Answer from Tuesday trivia #35: 3.0m and 5.6m respectively.

Congratulations to @BobMabena and @jonathansmit who are last weeks winners. Details will follow.

Tim Horan will be there. Will you?

Q: Which player won himself a year’s worth of Guiness for scoring the fastest try at RWC 1999?

As you all know by now, TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT, so this is your last chance to get in on the action and meet legends like Tim Horan.

Please read the instructions carefully and follow them correctly, or you will miss out!

• BSR, in conjunction with Cape Town Tens, will be giving away 1 set of double tickets each, for the 2010 Cape Town Tens, to two users who answer correctly and follow @BlogSpotRugby on Twitter as well as subscribe to our RSS feed and become a fan of our Facebook page. (T&C’s apply)
• Answers must be left in the “Comments” section, as well as on our Facebook page, both using your Twitter tag as a reference.
• Winners will be announced on BlogSpotRugby soon, so keep up to date.
• Tickets are for the entire Cape Town Tens event, including entrance to the warm up game between the Stormers and Boland at the newly completed Cape Town Stadium.

The Western Force have displayed some exciting rugby since joining the Super 14 competition in 2006, but have failed to achieved the desired results overall. 2010 will be a good year for them to prove that they can be real contenders for the play off rounds. You will notice I don’t mention anything further than the play-offs in this segment, because, as we saw in the 2009 Currie Cup, anything can happen in the final four, so getting to the semi-finals should be what each team is looking for at this point.

The controversy surrounding coach, John Mitchell’s fallout with some senior players, namely Matt Giteau, should be put to rest this season, with Giteau and fellow Wallaby, Drew Mitchell deciding to leave the force.

Not everyone within the team has the same mindset about Mitchell. Young Wallaby star, James O’ Connor , when asked about his decisionto stay with the Perth based franchise, in a recent Exclusive Q&A Sesh with BlogSpotRugby, had this to say:

“I always wanted to stay in Perth, it’s a great environment to play rugby and I’m very much enjoying being coached by John Mitchel and playing for the Force!…”

The force gained a total of 4 bonus points for losing by 7 or less points in 2009, two of them by one point. Had one of those results gone the way of the Force, they would have made it to the top four.

Players to watch: Read More >>