The Klein Nederberg Secondary School hosted Peter de Villiers for a filmshoot with Sky TV on Tuesday.

De Villiers was interviewed for a documentary feature that is being produced by Sky which looks back on the 1974 British Lions tour of South Africa as well as ahead to the forthcoming series between the Springboks and the 2009 Lions in June and July. The documentary will be screened in the United Kingdom and Ireland in May this year.

In addition to the interview, de Villiers conducted a short skills session with the School’s 1st rugby team.

“When I was asked to find a venue for the shoot I approached Klein Nederberg and they happily agreed,” said de Villiers, whose daughter matriculated at the school.

“The headmistress and staff were very accommodating and hospitable as always and their efforts were much appreciated by myself and the Sky crew,” de Villiers said.

During his visit, the Bok coach interacted with scholars and educators and signed autographs. He also met five-year-old Bok fan Peter Esterhuizen whose dream is to play for the Springboks and whose favourite players are Jongi Nokwe and Percy Montgomery.

The Sky TV crew was grateful to Klein Nederberg for making their facilities available for the shoot.

Source + Pic: sarugby.co.za

Wayne Rooney will not face any more disciplinary action from FA following the red card he received against Fulham over the weekend.

The Manchester United forward was sent-off for two bookable offences during the Premier League champions’ shock 2-0 defeat.

Although he had words with Phil Dowd after being shown the red card, the official has confirmed he was not sworn at by Rooney, an offence which could have led to a longer ban.

However, the Football Association (FA) are to write to Rooney, whose temper has been a worry to some within the English game, about his conduct after the former Everton favourite punched a corner flag while leaving the pitch.

An FA spokesman said on Monday: “We have clarified with Phil Dowd that there was no abuse from the player after he was dismissed.

“In relation to the incident when he punched the corner flag, the referee did not see that and we have written to Wayne Rooney reminding him of his responsibilities.”

Rooney will now be suspended for one match, the Premier League fixture against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, United’s home ground, on April 5.

Source: supersport.co.za

The Lions Super 14 Franchise is on the hunt for the services of former Saracens and Wallabies coach Eddie Jones. They seek him for a possible consultancy roll for the remainder of the Super14 season.

Jones walked out on Saracens recently and is set to take up the position of general manger with the Suntory Rugby Club in Japan. Jones, who started his professional coaching career with the Japanese club in 1996, has continued his involvement with Suntory throughout that time on a consultancy basis.

He also assisted South Africa as consultant during their victorious 2007 World Cup campaign and he had a short  stint with the Bulls as well.

His sudden departure from Sarries comes after news that former Springbok midfielder Brendan Venter, currently defence coach of the Stormers, will take over from Jones as Director of Rugby at the end of the season.

However, Jones still has some time before his Japanese commitments starts and the Lions are hoping to make full use of him during this period.

“We are still negotiating with Eddie Jones’ agents about his involvement with the Lions,” said Lions chief executive, Manie Reynecke.

“At this stage there is an offer on the table. We would like him to come on board on a consultancy basis for the rest of the Super 14. But we are still waiting for his decision,” he said.

Reynecke also didn’t rule out the possibility of Jones taking up a long term role with Lions, which would be similar to his previous involvement with the Japanese club while he was at Saracens.

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Liverpool moved to within one point of the Premier League log leaders Manchester United yesterday by beating Aston Villa 5 – 0 at Anfield. Captain Steven Gerrard scored a hat trick.

United still have a game in hand but, having won 4-1 at Old Trafford last week, the Reds now have a better goal difference by two with eight games left.

Dirk Kuyt started the goal-spree with seven minutes gone and Albert Riera doubled the lead just after the half hour at Anfield.

England midfielder Gerrard added a third from the spot just before the interval and scored a fourth with a free-kick just after the restart.

The Liverpool captain scored a second penalty after goalkeeper Brad Friedel was sent off for a challenge on Fernando Torres as Villa’s winless run stretched to eight games.

Fifth-placed Villa remain three points behind Arsenal and a place in the top four is now looking beyond them.

Liverpool began with real purpose and from Fabio Aurelio’s corner, Friedel was forced to save from Martin Skrtel’s header with just a minute on the clock.

After Villa’s James Milner had a shot deflected wide, Liverpool took the lead with just seven minutes gone following Nigel Reo-Coker foul on Riera down the left flank.

Gerrard drove the ball into the area and Xabi Alonso’s header came back off the bar but Kuyt made no mistake with a powerful follow-up from six yards for his tenth goal of the season

With Gabriel Agbonlahor left on the bench, Villa had a strong spell and Pepe Reina pulled off an impressive stop from John Carew’s flick from Ashley Young’s cross from the left.

Midway through the opening period, another glancing header from Carew, this time from Reo-Coker’s lofted free-kick, was pushed away by Reina before Young hit the side-netting.

But just as Villa were looking threatening, Liverpool doubled their lead.

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Mike Stofile is aparently set to return to SA Rugby and be an influential figure once more.

The Sunday Times reports that the former SA Rugby Union (Saru) deputy president is an unopposed candidate for the position of independent director at Friday’s Saru AGM.

Stofile hasn’t been involved in rugby since failing in his attempt to become president in 2008, however, it is widely believed he still has ambitions on the presidency.

One of two independent directors (the other being either the Griffons’ Dr Jan Marais or incumbent Keith Parkinson) will hold the influential position of chairman, as they will sit on the Presidents Council.

However, it is believed that neither Stofile or Marais are hugely popular with the presidents of the big five unions, who think they lack the aptitude for the role.

‘They are supposed to have strong business and rugby acumen but I don’t think either of them has,” a leading member of the big five unions told the Sunday Times. “They’ve both only worked with small businesses and unions. Also, when Stofile left the last time he suggested his exit was racial. I wonder what’s changed.’

Source: keo.co.za

The Vodacom Bulls remained the only unbeaten side in the 2009 Super 14 with a hard-fought 19-14 (halt-time 9-7) crucial away victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday. The victory, which sees the Pretoria-based side stay atop the log, was one earned from feeding off their opponents errors and notching up the points when they infiltrated enemy territory. It may not have been a great advert for Super 14 rugby at its best, but it was an effective percentage style rugby that saw the Bulls home to a key away win.

Adam Thompson and Israel Dagg scored two tries each as the Otago Highlanders overcame a slow start and poor goalkicking to beat South Africa’s Cheetahs 32-8 in Dunedin Saturday. A swirling wind plagued goalkickers from both sides and Otago managed only three goals from 10 attempts, but outscored the winless Cheetahs five tries to one for a bonus point and a critical home win. The Highlanders were down 8-5 at halftime after playing into the wind and missing all five first-half shots at goal. But they scored four second-half tries to beat the tournament’s last-placed team.

All Blacks winger Sitiveni Sivivatu scored four tries Saturday, setting a franchise record, as the Waikato Chiefs beat the Auckland Blues 63-34. Sivivatu’s first try after three minutes was his 33rd for the Chiefs in the Super 14, equaling the try-scoring record for Waikato previously held by winger Roger Randle. Sivivatu’s second, in the 14th minute, set a new mark at 34 tries before he added two more. Sivivatu was also the first Waikato player to score four tries in a Super 14 match. Those tries left Auckland breathless, 28-8 down after 25 minutes in a normally closely contested local derby.

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Sir Alex Ferguson has in his own words described the current Manchester United squad under his control as the best at Old Trafford in two decades, but does not believe his team will win the unprecedented five trophies this season.

United, who have already won the Club World Cup and English League Cup this term, are currently four points clear at the top of the Premier League and still have chances to win both the FA Cup and the European Champions League.

However, the Scottish boss – who took charge of United in 1986 following a successful spell as Aberdeen manager – was adamant that at least one key result would go against his side.

“The thing about Cup football is you need to be the best but you also need a lot of luck and I think it’s asking too much for all the games to go your way,” Ferguson said in an interview with the New Statesman magazine.

“The one thing I will say is, this squad is the best I have ever had. Every game we play, I feel confident.

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