The popular tournament, now in its fourth consecutive year, is the brainchild of former Springbok stars Bob Skinstad and Rob Fleck.

Medac/Rockets, the country’s leading manufacturer and distributor of sports injury bracing and performance gear will be the official rehab partner for the event.

This year is set to be bigger and better than ever with the number of teams being increased from 56 to 72 and there will now be four divisions – a heavy and light Beer League, The Vets League and the more competitive Premier League.

As always, there will be appearances many from local and international rugby legends such as Breyton Paulse, Leon Lloyd, John Allen and Malcolm O’Kelly. The tournament will include plenty of entertainment off the field with live performances from top acts such as the UK band, The Lightyears and the popular Cape Town based Me and Mr Brown. There will also be beer and food tents, children’s play areas and lots of fun competitions and giveaways including a kicking contest that will see one lucky winner walk away with a brand-new Golf GTI worth R365 000.

As the official rehab partners, Medac/Rockets will have physiotherapists which will be on hand throughout the tournament to assist players with recovery and managing injuries including the use of a cryotherapeutic ice recovery pool and providing post-game massages at the Medac/Rockets Recovery Zone.

“The 10’s tournament is a great event to be involved in. Our recovery tent provides all the players with a world class service of which we are extremely proud,” says Craig Homan, Medac CEO.

Tickets are available now through Computicket and kids under 12 are free.

Released on Thursday morning in a media statement, SARU confirmed that Friday’s conference has been advanced by two hours to 12:00, following the expected conclusion of SARU’s Special General Meeting at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa in Newlands, Cape Town.

Heyneke Meyer, formerly Head Coach at Leicester Tigers, is the overwhelming favourite to be named as Peter de Villiers’s successor.

Even recently retired Blue Bulls and Springbok star Victor Matfield has said he would come out of retirement should Meyer be named the next Springbok coach. Matfield, who is the most capped Springbok with 110 caps, captained the Bulls to Super 14 and Currie Cup victories under Meyer’s mentorship. A possible return to rugby by Matfield is likely to lure the likes of Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha and Gurthrö Steenkamp back to the national team since they left for opportunities abroad.

“Everyone knows what I think about Heyneke, but we must wait until Friday (tomorrow) before we talk about it. Let’s wait and see what happens, we will talk. Everything has consequences. Playing? I don’t know but we will see. It depends if he wants me. I really don’t know, it is difficult to say …,” Matfield said.

However, the fact that Matifield has recently signed a television contract with SuperSport makes it almost  impossible for him to return as Springbok captain. Should he not choose to return to the playing field, perhaps he would take up a position on the management team.

SuperSport Blitz, channel 200, will broadcast the announcement live this week.

Sources: Sport24, iol.co.za

Team doctor, Org Strauss commented on Wednesday that Mabeta will be out of action for at least six months as he is scheduled for an operation and recovery time for a ruptured knee ligament. During the medical check-ups when the Bulls re-assembled in Pretoria after the holiday season break, Mabeta was the obvious casualty. Other players are also at various places of recovery and will join the team as soon as Strauss approves of their fitness level.

Juandré Kruger (10 days), Bjorn Basson (14 days), Gerrit-Jan van Velze and Wesley Dunlop (7 days) will join sooner rather than later, while Dewald Potgieter, Francois Venter, Warwick Tecklenburg and Wynand Olivier are among those who will be returning to full training next month.

Commenting on the gathering of the Bulls in the new year for the Super Rugby campaign, captain Pierre Spies commented that “We have big plans and big dreams for 2012. The Bulls have established a proud record in Super Rugby in recent seasons and that acts as a great motivating factor. Everybody is keen to go.”

The Bulls begin their Super Rugby campaign in a match against the Sharks in Pretoria on 24th February.

Source: Supersport

Some of the post read as follows: “I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from International rugby. To do so fills me with great sadness but I know that I have been blessed in so many ways to have experienced what I have with the England rugby team. I never ever believed that I would be able to give up on this dream which has driven me to live, breathe, love and embrace the game of rugby from the earliest days that I can remember…”

Wilkinson’s drop goal in the 2003 World Cup Final against Australia, saw England lift the trophy for the prestigious tournament. Wilkinson who leaves Test rugby as the second highest points scorer of all time behind the All Blacks’ Dan Carter, will continue to play for French club Toulon in the Top 14.

The decision does not come as a surprise as the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have made it clear for some time that they intend to enforce a policy of not selecting foreign-based players.

“Everyone who has played with, coached and watched Jonny play should feel privileged to have had an involvement with him,” said England head coach Stuart Lancaster.

Former Wales and British Lions player Gareth Thomas announced his retirement from rugby in October.

source: MSN Sport

Afrika is an asset to the Blitzbokke, bringing some individual shine an unpredictability to a team that has on the most part, failed to be consistent. The unfortunate players to have been dropped from the squad are Renfred Dazel, Robert Ebersohn and William Small-Smith. While Ebersohn will be returning to the Cheetahs for pre-season trailing, Small-Smith, one of the few stars in Dubai has been unexpectedly and without explanation excluded.

Joining Afrika are Steven Hunt and Bernardo Botha. Botha, who missed a number of crucial tackles in Dubai, can consider himself lucky to have been included.

Springbok Sevens captain Kyle Brown said the prospects of playing at home in the new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be a huge motivating factor for the team. He also added that “We did not play to our full potential in either of the previous two tournaments and will be looking to rectify the small mistakes and play to the standards that we have set for ourselves.”

The Bitzbokke team for the Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa Sevens is:

Chris Dry
Boom Prinsloo
Frankie Horne
Kyle Brown (captain)
Chase Minnaar
Cornal Hendricks
Branco du Preez
Mark Richards
Cecil Afrika
Steven Hunt
Paul Delport
Bernado Botha

source: Supersport

In my honest opinion, what the ex-Bulls player is saying is layered with merit and I’m sure quite a few people would agree with this. What boggles the mind is how neatly he, the Bulls brains trust of the last decade and (for that matter) the whole Springbok squad danced around these types of issues when he was still plying his trade on grass as opposed to behind a table in the foyer of Exclusive Books. The issue of “robot-like” behavior is particularly close to Matfield’s heart as it has been a trademark of Bulls rugby from the days of Naas Botha. The ex-Springbok vice-captain cleverly disguises his old franchise’s ask-no-questions-hear-no-lies tactics as carefully thought-up structures that in no way resemble a programmed android. Furthermore, Peter de Villiers jumped onto this ideology as well and blindly instructed his troops to do whatever it is he felt was the trend at the time. I’m sure Matfield, Smit, Burger and du Preez will argue that they were consulted before the three Stooges (PDivvy, Muir and Gold) charged-off into a course set for disaster and stupidity, but I’m pretty sure they followed without asking – ala Robocop himself.

Where I do whole-heatedly agree with the undisputed line-out king, is on the matter of how unnecessary it would be to look abroad for a national coach. We have the analytical minds in this country to place our beloved Boks back on the long-forgotten pinnacle last experienced in 1997-1998 and September of 2007. There are gentleman who hold South African passports and still manage to look at game plans and defensive structures in such a way that the one does not overshadow the other. The Rainbow Republic has sons who have earned the respect from their players as well as their peers and who would be able to do the job blindfolded – on second thought, maybe not blindfolded though, we just had such a guy and it was an epic fail to say the least! However, I think the readers get my drift and understand that local coaching talent is abundant.

The aspect that Big Vic fails to recognize and that which every rugby-man earning his keep within the domestic structures of South Africa know all too well, is that the coach of the Springboks has a hotter seat than the president of the country. Unlike JZ, everybody and their cousin tell the Bok coach what to do and when to do it. Nobody I’ve read about, spoken to or heard of has this many “advisors” and “interested parties”. The best suited for the quest for World Rugby Dominance (in my humble opinion) is Heyneke Meyer, but he’s been messed around so often that he has publicly distanced himself from the fray. Allister Coetzee is certainly next in line as he’s been holding his own of late in Super Rugby terms, but he too is wary of the undue pressures that accompany the Bok top job.

So there you have it folks, South Africa has yet again proven its unparalleled ability to make unwanted history. We have the proudest rugby nation in the world, the most passionate followers alive, a talent pool of players any country would kill for and yet the vacancy that should be the most sought-after will remain empty until such time as a SURFU-appointed and approved clown with as little self respect as talent comes along to squarely push us back into rugby obscurity. I for one cannot wait.

It was widely expected that Fourie will remain in Japan for only the first part of the Super Rugby season, but link-up with Jean de Villiers in time for the playoffs. Hopes of the return of the prodigal son were squashed by Rob Wagner, managing director of WP Rugby yesterday, when he confirmed that the Cape Town outfit simply could not match the offer Fourie received from his new employers back east. Fourie, who is currently playing for the Panasonic Wild Knights, was quoted as saying “Kobe have been incredibly professional, patient and understanding in all of their dealings with me, particularly in relation to my short term stint with Panasonic, so I thank them for that and look forward to enjoying success with the Steelers.” Apparently Fourie and his wife adore the Japanese culture and are finding the Orient the way they like it – covered in cash!

The 69-cap Springbok is leaving my beloved Stormers incredibly thin in midfield as Tim Whitehead, Johann Sadie and Dylan Des Fountain have since left Cape Town to pursue careers elsewhere. Sadie, especially, must be ruing his decision to swap Table Mountain for Church Square as he was certainly assured much more game time with Fourie out of the picture. But this is not all doom and gloom, at least now Province have a valid excuse for yet again not securing any silverware for the trophy cabinet – they’re bleeding new players!! De Villiers and Juan de Jongh now effectively becomes the first-choice centre pairing with no real experienced support players available as cover. Which brings us to the most worrying news of all – Adi Jacobs has been circling Newlands like a possessed vulture looking for a long overdue meal ticket. Since falling out of favour with John Plumtree and subsequently not securing an extension on his contract, the native Kuilsriverian has been in talks with Uncle Allister about joining the WP structures. Now instead of telling the silver fox to take a hike, not unlike the Bulls did with former glory boy Derrick Hougaard, Coetzee is actually entertaining the idea of Jacobs in a mentoring capacity. Think Bob Skinstad at the 2007 RWC.

The presence of Habana, de Villiers, de Jongh, Joe Pietersen, Aplon and Duwenage in any backline is certainly not to be scoffed at, but the issue now becomes one of depth and player fatigue. As it is the boys are playing an insane amount of rugger with pre-season training commencing in December and the actual season carrying on right through the following year. Injuries aside, these guys will need to be rested at strategic times and as it stands now, we simply do not have that luxary.

Fortunately my new year’s resolution is to remain calm in the face of any Province implotion, otherwise this state of affairs would have certainly led to the stroke that ended my life.

Brief was my excitement when I made haste to the mailbox to pick up my latest addition of SA Rugby and a familiar face stared back at me – NOT SCHALK AGAIN! Yes people, Schalk Burger donned the cover of my favourite magazine for close to the fourth or fifth time this year alone! Have these guys run out of people to put on the cover or what?! Granted, Schalk sells and he had an above-average RWC, but please widen your search and get some new blood in. Thankfully other regulars like Fourie du Preez, the combo of Victor Matfield/Bakkies Botha and of course John “deep pockets” Smit have either thought it time to retire or ply their trade abroad.

However, upon putting my disappointment on ice and actually opening the damn thing, I found (to my surprise) a stand-up comedian, moonlighting as a journalist. Ryan Vrede took on the enviable task of throwing an article together that explains why Schalla should become the heir to Smittie’s Bok hot-seat! What a load of ostridge-like drivel his particular contribution turned out to be – filled to the brim with references of Burger’s “never-say-die attitude”, his ability to take on all opponents “head-on” and even going as far as to label him a talisman for all that SA rugby stands for. If Schalk Burger epitomizes SA Rugby where it is at in this post-RWC wake of disappointment, that is one thing, but if he is the future of SA Rugby, we’re in for a decidedly tough and heart-wrenching FOUR, MORE YEARS!

When bursting on the scene in 2004, Burger made an impact most people can only dream of. He had a temperament second to none and a work-rate arguably never seen before and this made the rugby fraternity of the world sit up and adore. His wavy blonde locks were impossible to miss and he popped up everywhere, made tackle upon tackle and turned over possession like … well a man possessed! His explosion onto the scene was extremely well received world-wide and endorsements were pouring in like Monsoon rain. Burger became a house hold name and his style of play became instantly linked to many products, aligning it/them to no-nonsense toughness.

It was an exciting time in international rugby and fortunately for coaches, but unfortunately for Burger all of this upheaval coincided with considerable advances in the field of player-profiling and in-depth video analyses. Schalk was making such an impact that rugby-playing nations the world over were making plans to counter Uncle Jake’s thoroughbred.  And counter it they did, in more ways that one. Schalk’s upright running action was immediately pin-pointed as a way to unsettle the big man. Soon he started running into opponents with exactly the same vigor, but coming up without possession of the ball. This apparently frustrated the South African and he persisted to through even more of himself (if this is even possible) into each collision, with a similar unsatisfactory results.

As Burger became more of a vital cog in Jake White’s building process, his role became much more involved. He was seen as an integral link between forwards and backs and was perched at first receiver on numerous occasions.

This grew to be a problem as we had effectively “lost” our fetcher. It became clear that it was no person in particular’s role to play towards the ball anymore. White famously snapped at a journalist who encountered about the importance of a “turn-over specialist/fetcher”, saying that a fetcher is somebody who collects beers from the fridge. Schalk filled those boots with distinction when he first played for the Books, but was needed elsewhere and became estranged from that role. To a large extent and in my opinion, Burger then became ineffective in commanding a justified place in the Springbok fold. Commitment, attitude and even guts were attributes that simply had to be accompanied by a unique style of play, part and parcel of the best player in each position in the country. They cannot be made reasons to justify average performances and selection policies based on experience.

In closing, I believe that Schalk Burger serves SA Rugby proudly and has done so very well in the past, yet how big a part he is to play moving forward has to be measured in how well he can adapt. Currently this seems to be the only attribute he hasn’t quite learned to master.

Sanzar announced this morning that the Springboks will be meeting the Pumas at the opening game of the new “Castle Rugby Championship” in South Africa in August 2012. The re-branded Tri-Nations now includes the Argentinian rugby team (joining Australia and New Zealand) that will take part in the new-look and new fixture line-up tournament.

The agreement was made official at a signing in Auckland recently with the Sanzar Joint Venture partners after several months of negotiations and included the Unión Argentina de Rugby (UAR) and the International Rugby Board (IRB).

Sanzar CEO Greg Peters said that “The invitation to Argentina to join the Championship is a defining moment for Southern Hemisphere rugby and significant for world rugby.”

The fixtures are as follows with venues to be announced in due course:

18 August 2012
Australia vs New Zealand
South Africa vs Argentina

25 August 2012
New Zealand vs Australia
Argentina vs South Africa

1 September 2012
Travel Bye

8 September 2012
Australia vs South Africa
New Zealand vs Argentina

15 September 2012
Australia vs Argentina
New Zealand vs South Africa

22 September 2012
Travel Bye

29 September 2012
South Africa vs Australia
Argentina vs New Zealand

6 October 2012
South Africa vs New Zealand
Argentina vs Australia

source: SA Rugby

Pat Lambie, Schalk Burger and Bismarck du Plessis

On Thursday night, Gold Reef City hosted the 2011 SA Rugby Awards and here are some of the winners of the night.

Springbok flank and Western Province captain Schalk Burger won the award for SA Player of the Year for the second time, going up against fellow Springbok and Shark’s player Pat Lambie who did not walk away empty handed. The 21-year-old was named the Absa Young Player of the Year.

A historical Currie Cup victory for the Golden Lions saw them unsurprisingly winning three titles during the ceremony that included Absa Team of the Year for the squad,  Absa Coach of the Year for John Mitchell and Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year for their captain Josh Strauss.

Other winners included Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis for The SARPA Players’ Player of the Year Award and Springbok Sevens flyer Sibusiso Sithole for The Supersport Try of the Year for his tournament-winning score in the final of the Edinburgh Sevens against Australia. Cecil Afrika, who was recently named the World Sevens Player of the Year walked away with the award for Springbok Sevens Player of the Year.

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) also paid tribute to two recently retired Springbok legends. Both John Smit, who has already left the country to take up a contract with English club Saracens, and Victor Matfield played their last Test for the national team in the quarter-finals at the Rugby World Cup.

Commenting on the past year of rugby, Oregan Hoskins, President of SARU said “Onfield success of our national and provincial teams will always be of paramount importance, but I believe we have enjoyed a special year in the history of our rugby – perhaps a watershed year.”

source: SA Rugby