The Wallabies have named a strong team to face Fiji this weekend, with no less than five players getting a chance to make their full international debut for their country. The Wallabies will also have a number of other youthful players watching from the stands, all in the mix for selection this season, as the quietly continue building a strong squad for next year’s IRB World Cup in New Zealand.

The Qantas Wallabies team to play Fiji:

15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs), 14. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds), 13. Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs), 12. Matt Giteau (Brumbies), 11. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), 10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds), 9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs), 8. Richard Brown (Western Force), 7. David Pocock (Western Force), 6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain), 5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), 4. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs), 3. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies), 2. Huia Edmonds (Brumbies) 1. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)

Reserves: 16. Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds), 17. Pekahou Cowan (Western Force), 18. Mark Chisholm(Brumbies), 19. Matt Hodgson (Western Force), 20. Josh Valentine (Western Force), 21. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs), 22. James O’Connor (Western Force)

The debate is still raging on as to which team has the best cheerleaders. Sport24 is offering some interesting Wallpapers at the moment. I borrowed a few from the site, and tracked down another. Which Saffa franchise has the best cheerleaders? [Click image for full size]

Sharks:

Stormers:

Bulls:

• Still struggling to find decent shots [pun intended] of the rest of the Super 14 babes. Email to readers@blogspotrugby.com if you’d like to see them featured on the blog.

[Thanks to @TankLanning for the link] Follow @BlogSpotRugby too

Fiji have announced their test team for the Bundaberg Red Rugby Series Test against the Qantas Wallabies at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night. The team is as follows:

Flying Fijians team

1. Campese Ma’afu
2. Tuapati Talemaitoga
3. Deacon Manu (Capt)
4. Dominiko Waqaniburotu
5. Sekonaia Qaraniqio
6. Anthony Wise
7. Jimilai Naikadawa
8. Jone Qovu
9. Emosi Vucago
10. Waisea Luveniyali
11. Timoci Nagusa
12. Saula Radidi
13. Rupeni Caucaunibuca
14. Sireli Bobo (V/Capt)
15. Taniela Rawaqa
16. Viliame Veikoso
17. Graham Dewes
18. Rupeni Nasiga
19. Malakai Volau
20. Vitori Buatava
21. Nemani Nadolo
22. Ropate Ratu

Points of interest:

• The selection of Campese Ma’afu at loosehead prop for Fiji. This ensures he will be involved in a head to head scrum showdown against his brother Salesi Ma’afu, the Brumbies front-rower who will pack down for debut with the Qantas Wallabies in the opening Test of the season. Campese Ma’afu was named in honour of former Wallabies wing legend David Campese.
• The highly-experienced Deacon Manu, who honed his craft playing Super Rugby in New Zealand with the Chiefs, will skipper the side from tight head prop.
• Once considered among the most electrifying players the game has ever seen, Rupeni Caucaunibuca will play at outside centre. His try-scoring feats with the Auckland-based Blues in Super Rugby had him chased by clubs throughout Europe, where he eventually based himself in France.

What Rupeni Caucaunibuca is capable of:

Does he still have it though?

The Springboks have had a rocky build up to their one-off test against Wales, in Cardiff, this weekend. First Butch James was withdrawn by his English club, Bath, over some bullshit red-tape mumbo jumbo.

Then, Victor Matfield, who is in desperate need of a well deserved break, was flown in as cover for the injured Andries Bekker, who hasn’t quite recovered from his foot injury.

That, coupled with the uncertainty of whether or not Dewald Potgieter and Juan de Jongh will recover in time from their respective injuries, and we have a fruit salad of incidents in the lead up to Saturday’s test.

Throw in the call up of the erratic, kick and hope, Zane Kirchner, as cover for Butch James (God only knows how that works), and you have the cherry on top.

I don’t even want to get into the mind baffling selections of both Chilliboy and Alistair Hargreaves. Yes, I understand Chilliboy is a player of colour, and fits into the process of transformation, but at least Maku has been playing, and has done a decent job when given the chance. As for Hargreaves… Do me a favour! Nuff said

Thankfully John Smit and some other senior Boks are their to settle things down a bit. Granted, John Smit should also be rested, but can you imagine if all this were going on and neither him, nor Matfield were present?

It isn’t all doom and gloom though. The selection of BJ Botha, John Smit and CJ van der Linde in the front row will send shivers down the spine of even the most seasoned opposition. Francois Louw is set to make his much deserved debut on the flank, and Gio Aplon is ready to show Shane Williams that he is the new kid on the block.

A formidable sight - making even the most seasoned opposition KAK themselves

Springbok team, with forced/possible changes:

• Bracketed players representing doubt over fitness.
• / = possible switcheroos due to “unforeseen” circumstances.

15. Francois Steyn (Racing Metro) – 36 caps/Zane Kirchner (Vodacom Bulls) – 4 caps
14. Gio Aplon (Vodacom Stormers) – uncapped
13. Jean de Villiers (Munster) – 55 caps Jaque Fourie (Vodacom Stormers)  – 54 caps
12. Butch James (Bath) – 35 caps/ [Juan de Jongh (Vodacom Stormers) - uncapped]/ Francois Steyn (Racing Metro) – 36 caps/ Meyer Bosman (Vodacom Cheetahs) – 3 caps
11. Odwa Ndungane (Sharks) – 6 caps
10. Ruan Pienaar (Sharks) – 36 caps
9. Ricky Januarie (Vodacom Stormers) – 40 caps
8. Joe van Niekerk (Toulon) – 51 caps/ Ryan Kankowski (Sharks) – 11 caps
7. [Dewald Potgieter (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap] Ryan Kankowski (Sharks) – 11 caps/ Joe van Niekerk (Toulon) – 51 caps
6. Francois Louw (Vodacom Stormers) – uncapped
5. Andries Bekker (Vodacom Stormers) – 21 caps Victor Matfield (Vodacom Bulls) – 92 caps
4. Danie Rossouw (Vodacom Bulls) – 46 caps
3. BJ Botha (Ulster) – 19 caps
2. John Smit (Sharks, Capt) – 93 caps
1. CJ van der Linde (Leinster) – 58 caps

Reserves:
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Bulls) – 8 caps
17. Jannie du Plessis (Sharks) – 12 caps
18. Alistair Hargreaves (Sharks) – uncapped
19. Ryan Kankowski (Sharks) – 11 caps
20. Meyer Bosman (Vodacom Cheetahs) – 3 caps
21. Juan de Jongh (Vodacom Stormers) – uncapped Zane Kirchner (Vodacom Bulls) – 4 caps
22. Bjorn Basson (Vodacom Cheetahs) – uncapped

• Kickoff is Saturday 05 June 2010 at 15h30 [GMT+2]

What are your thoughts on all the politics flying around? How do you see the team selections going? Hand me a beer!

Some photos of the Springboks training session in Cardiff, Wales. The Springboks face Wales this coming Saturday, 5 June 2010, at the Millennium Stadium in Wales.

The Boks front row getting into it.

A jog around the University of Glamorgan playing fields

Potgieter wears his cap backwards. He is cool like that.

John Smit leads with ball in hand

Flo listening carefully to the team talk

Chiliboy pondering how to explain his selection to Maku, and who that joker to his left is

Suck on that

Images [Sport24]

Was tough work that, now lets all enjoy a Castle Lite.

The 2010 Super 14 final, played this past weekend, at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, cracked the nod from the New York Times website. Here is a screenshot of the story:

Not bad, not bad at all for our little “island” country. Read the full article here.

The Following from the NZ Barbarians Camp: The New Zealand Barbarians team to play an historic match against the New Zealand Maori team was announced by Coach Bryce Woodward today.

The 22-man squad includes an impressive 14 players from the Rebel Sport Super 14 competition and will have at least two players from the visiting Irish squad.  The team is as follows:

Barbarians team:

Coach Woodward said he was delighted with the calibre of the players invited to join the New Zealand Barbarians.

“Although three of our spots are still to be confirmed, we’re very excited that in the spirit of the Barbarians tradition, two of the Irish internationals are joining us.  And in keeping with another Baabaas tradition, we have recruited a young up and comer in Bryce Heem who has been in the Auckland Under 20 and Blues development squads and is currently in the Auckland Academy.

This is a really strong line up and I’m looking forward to getting the team together.  We are all about to be part of something special and for these guys, it’s a real privilege to be asked to share in the tradition and honour of assembling and playing with the New Zealand Barbarians

This is a great opportunity to play a part in celebrating another great milestone in rugby history – that of 100 years of Maori rugby in this country.  I’m delighted that the New Zealand Baabaas get the first match against the New Zealand Maori in their Centenary year,” Woodward said.

The side will be captained by Highlanders and Otago flanker Alando Soakai.

• New Zealand Barbarians v New Zealand Maori
• Saturday 12^th June, 4:35pm
• Northland Events Centre

Dust off the cooler bags, get the ice bricks ready, pre-order a few cases of SAB Castle Lite (the healthier choice), and try on your tutus and rainbow wigs.

Yes boys and girls, the IRB have just announced the dates of the 2010/2011 IRB Sevens World Series

2010/11 IRB Sevens World Series

Venue: Date:

• Dubai, UAE                                 3-4 Dec 2010
• George, South Africa                10-11 Dec 2010
• Wellington, New Zealand        4-5 Feb 2011
• Las Vegas, USA                        12-13 Feb 2011
• Hong Kong                                 25-26-27 Mar 2010
• Adelaide, Australia                    2-3 Apr 2011
• London, England                       21-22 May 2011
• Edinburgh, Scotland                 28-29 May 2011

Note: The 2010 Commonwealth Games Sevens competition will be held in Delhi, India, on 11-12 October 2010

A Preview of what to expect come sevens time:

For the last few weeks, our main focus has been on the Super 14 season, and what an exciting season that was. But for those of you who are looking for something else, here are the highlights of the rest of the finals played over the past week or so.

2009/2010 Heineken Cup Final – Biarritz vs Toulouse: [WRNrugbynews]

2010 Edinburgh Sevens Final – Australia VS Samoa: [WRNrugbynews]

2010 Top 14 Final – Clermont Auvergne VS Perpignan: [top142009]

Magners League Grand Final – Leinster vs Ospreys: [mleague2009]

There were some great shots taken during this past weekend’s 2010 Super 14 final, at Orlando Stadium, Soweto. Here are my pics: [Zimbio]

Aplon's 74kgs win him the high ball

Superstar in the making

Oh jeez, I f*$#ed that one up...

You're a doos, no you're a doos...

Getting ready for a big one