The following from SARU: The Springbok medical team and its regional counterparts have met to plan the way ahead for the country’s leading rugby players in the lead up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

The meeting of medical and conditioning teams from Springboks and the five Vodacom Super 14 regions – including doctors, physiotherapists and fitness conditioners, was hosted by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) at the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town.

The main purpose of the gathering was to discuss the management of players in both International and National competition over the coming months with the ultimate goal of having a fit and full strength squad at the 2011 World Cup.

The key outcomes of the meeting were:

• Enhanced  two-way communication between the Springbok medical team and its regional and provincial counterparts
• Establishment of a collaborative approach in the interests of player welfare in the build up to Rugby World Cup 2011
• Agreement on two-way sharing of information on conditioning, performance, recovery, and injury management and prevention; and ensuring regular updates between the Springbok medical team and the regions during the Vodacom Tri-Nations, Absa Currie Cup and the Super 15
• Confirmation of the application of injury prevention protocols developed by Springbok physiotherapist Rene Naylor, based on the latest scientific research.
• Establishment of areas of collaborative research on new trends, technologies and related developments

Springbok Coach Peter de Villiers addressed the meeting where he explained his objectives and how he believed the national and regional medical teams could play a key role in ensuring a full strength and fully fit squad for 2011 World Cup.

“It is gratifying to see these talented and knowledgeable people working for the common good of Springbok rugby. I am now reassured that our players are in safe hands, both nationally and within their regions,” de Villiers said.

Springbok team doctor, Craig Roberts said: “The meeting was a significant step in that it will ensure for the sharing of information from both sides and enhance collaboration between us for the common good of South African rugby. The regions fully support the concept of injury risk assessments and will provide the necessary support on the ground to make sure that the required injury prevention measures are implemented”.

SARU Medical Manager, Clint Readhead added: “The meeting has ushered in a new era in collaboration between the Springbok and Regional medical and conditioning teams. There is a clear understanding that the continued high performance of South African rugby’s leading players can only be achieved if the experts work together towards a common objective”.

With the final of the 2010 Super 14 just days away, the excitement and anticipation is growing to enormous proportions. The tickets for this, all South African final, were sold out in just minutes, and come Saturday, the Orlando Stadium in Soweto will be packed to the brim with screaming Bulls and Stormers fans.

Let’s recap on what happened in the last knockout encounter between these two power-houses of South African rugby, the 2009 Currie Cup semi final. (Yes the one that Naqele-douche-bag screwed up)

2009 Currie Cup semi final – Western Province VS Blue Bulls [WRNrugbynews]:

Will this Saturday’s, winner takes all encounter, bear any resemblance to the last knockout round match-up between these two sides?

Who do you think will walk away with the 2010 Super 14 title? …Beers all around!

Judging from this weeks nuclear refereeing fallout, it would seem as if it’s about time the IRB seek new sponsorship with one of the major cotton wool manufacturers, because at the rate that they keep wrapping their referees in a cotton wool protective cocoon, it might become expensive.

This whole debacle with the state of refereeing in this year’s competition is reaching boiling point after the latest incident involving Steve Walsh’s refereeing display during round 11 of the 2010 Super 14, in the game between the Waratahs and the Brumbies.

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few days, the whole issue revolves around the Brumbies being extremely dissatisfied with the way in which Steve Walsh refereed the match between the two Australian franchises, in which the Brumbies lost.

The Brumbies were particularly unhappy about Steve Walsh not awarding a try  to Adam Ashley-Cooper, in which Walsh ruled there was a double movement.

Referees make these types of calls on a game to game basis, sometimes they are questionable, sometimes spot on. In the case of the questionable decisions, sometimes they will be for you, sometimes against. The law of averages might suggest that these for/against calls will balance out in the end and that should be the end of it.

But in a competition as closely contested as this year’s Super 14, where about 10 of the 14 teams still have at least an outside chance of making the playoffs, one questionable decision could mean the end of the season for you.

Adam Ashley-Cooper’s disalowed try: [s14twentyten]

I thought it was clear as daylight, but you be the judge?

One could also take into consideration the substantial financial implications Read More >>

Fourie Du Preez fancies a run in Japan

Arguably the best player in the World, Du Preez (who many consider was robbed of the 2009 IRB Player of the year , which was awarded to All Black, Richie  McCaw), has extended his contract with the Bulls until the conclusion of the Super 15 competition in 2011.

We can also look forward to seeing him take on another Rugby World Cup as he signed his Springbok contract that will keep him in Green and Gold till the end of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011. After that, well it’s off to the land famous for karaoke, origami and sushi as he is set to join a club side in Japan.

Du Preez, who made his debut for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in 2001 and for the Vodacom Bulls in 2003, wants to end his successful relationship with the Bulls on a high.

What does Du Preez have to say?

“These were the best rugby years of my life and I could never have played for another union. By revealing my plans for the future now, it will give the Bulls sufficient time to plan for the future and possible successors. There is already some excellent players like Francois Hougaard knocking on the door, so it is time to move on,” Du Preez said.

Read More >>

Congratulations to the Blue Bulls on an excellent win in the 2009 Currie Cup final. What a great contest between the two teams who have dominated Currie Cup finals over the last 5 or so years. There where one or two instances where I felt that the Cheetahs were unlucky in calls not going their way, Habana’s try in the 14th minute was clearly forward, but it was a hard fought contest all around and a great game. Pity about the unnecessary argy bargy after the final whislte. I definately think Bakkies would have dominated that one… A special mention should go to Jonathan “JK” Kaplan for letting the game flow.

Enjoy the highlights: [Rugbydump]

2009 Currie Cup final – Blue Bulls VS Freestate Cheetahs

Get off of me you fly...

In a heavy blow to the Springboks, Pierre Spies has been ruled out of the Springbok end of year tour with a surgery requiring finger injury. Spies apparently injured his finger in the Currie Cup final this past Saturday an had to have surgery on Monday night. Spies’ athleticism will no doubt be missed by many of the Springbok fans, but all is not lost. In a country where we are currently blessed with a whole host of extremely talented loose forwards, as the door closed for Spies last night, it opened for Sharks loose forward, Jean Deysel.

Many rugby fans around the country were disappointed to see Deysel originally left out of the Springbok end of year tour squad, whilst a host of shock selections, some unwarranted, were included. Deysel has been knocking on the door for Springbok selection, or there andthere abouts, for some time now. Diesel Deysel as he is called by many of his fans has what it takes to make the step up an should do us proud in the Green and Gold strip. He is a player who relishes in the physical contact, enjoys running with the ball, and shows good interplay. My only gripe with him is that from time  to time his handling is a bit kak, but I’m sure he will be working on this. All in all, I think it is not a bad call at all.

In other news, Fourie Du Preez has been rewarded for his sublime form this season Read More >>

What a weekend of upsets, who would have seen that double whammy coming? I’m still speechless! Here are the highlights: [WRN]

Currie Cup 2009 – Semi Final 1 – Sharks VS Free State:

What you missed just before the opening shot in the clip above is that just prior to The Beast lifting his hands in complete and utter ”innocence”, he had already illegally scooped the ball through to the Sharks’ side… 5 points.

Currie Cup 2009 – Semi Final 2 – Western Province VS Blue Bulls: Read More >>

Take that you "bliksemse bal"...!

Naas Botha is quite simply the face of rugby as far as South Africa is concerned. Naas is still baas [boss] as far as tactical rugby knowledge goes, and love him or hate him, his opinion is generally respected across the rugby playing fraternity. At times during his playing days he was criticised for not getting involved in too much contact, nor keen on having a go himself. Whilst the first part of the above might be true, I definately don’t believe the second part is. Perhaps the view that his running game was below par is due to the fact that his kicking game was so far ahead of anyone else at the time.

Naas was devastating with both his left and right boot, earning him the nickname, “Nasty Booter” from the British press during the 1980 British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. They found out just how nasty he could be in the third test in Port Elizabeth when Botha, under immense pressure, put a touchline conversion between the uprights in wet conditions to give the Springboks a 12-10 victory and an unbeatable three-nil series lead.

As well as being a devastating kicker of the ball, whether it be drop kicking, punting or place kicking, Naas had impeccable handling skills and was able to get his backline moving very quickly at any given moment with his accurate long and short range passing. He had an eye for a gap and was a deceptively quick runner.  This coupled together with his handling and superb passing skills resulted in countless tries for the players outside of him.

Naas controlling the 1986 rebel New Zealand Cavaliers test:

Naas had a tactical reading of the game that was second to none. Read More >>

Don't give me lip #4, I'll snot klap you...!

Jonathan Kaplan is the most experienced international test referee of all time, this year becoming the first referee ever to take control of over 50 test matches (53 to date). He began refereeing in 1984 and took charge of his 1st international test between Namibia and Zimbabwe, in Harare, in 1996.  Kaplan doesn’t take kak on the field, once telling Bob Skinstad, “You talk on the radio, I’ll ref the game…”. At 174cm and 79kg, he isn’t scared to take charge, putting the often towering players around him in their place.

Who better to chat to in a year which has highlighted so many law changes and clear problems at the scrum and breakdown areas. BlogSpotRugby caught up with Jonathan Kaplan and asked him a few quick questions.

Here Goes:

• Dooley: Read More >>

Things are certainly heating up at the business end of the 2009 Currie Cup competition. The gap between the larger unions an the smaller ones certainly seems to have grown this year with only the Griquas able to hold their own in the top half of the log.

With WP, the Sharks and Blue Bulls already having secured spots in the top 3, this weekend’s games will decide the final spot, which will be battled out between the Cheetahs and the Griquas.

The top 3 can by no means rest on their laurels though, with home semi finals still up for grabs, as wel as trying to secure a home final.

The Sharks, who will face the Griquas, have what should be an easier game this weekend, when comparing to the match-up between WP and the Lions in Johannesburg. Both teams will want to secure a 5 points from their respective games, in the process raking up as much points as possible to grab the number one spot by means of points difference. Either WP or the Sharks could end up in the number one spot, either of the two could also slip to the number 2 spot, but no lower.

The bottom two spots will be shared by the Blue Bulls and either the Griquas or the Cheetahs. The Blue Bulls have secured an away semi final and cannot finish lower than 4th on the log, but are still able to finish in 3rd place. The last place on the log will be decided by the Griquas performance against the Sharks this weekend, only needing 2 points to secure the final spot in the top 4, but can mathematically still push their way into third place.

The log as it stands: Read More >>