The President’s Council of the South African Rugby Union resolved yesterday to move the Springbok emblem to the right-hand side of the national playing jersey.

“The decision was taken to accommodate the application of the National Sports Emblem – the King Protea – and to bring SA Rugby in line with other South African sports federations and planned legislation.

As a consequence of the change the Protea that is currently displayed above the leaping Springbok, will be removed from the Springbok logo.

“The Council took cognisance of the advice they received from the Sports Minister on pending national legislation and a consensus was reached,” said Mr Oregan Hoskins, SARU President.

“The possibility of retaining the Springbok on the left-hand side was discussed, as council had not taken a decision on the positioning and legislation remains to be promulgated. However, it was the decision of council to avoid confusion by making the move now and to prevent a future necessity of making a second change in due course.”

The timing of the change will be confirmed once logistical considerations have been finalised.“

Source: sarugby.co.za

Bok coach Peter de Villiers named the Springbok team that’ll take on the English at Twuckenham on Saturday.

“Tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis came into the front row in place of his injured brother Bismarck, with John Smit moving inside to hooker. There was also a change in the back row where Danie Rossouw is promoted from the bench to replace Juan Smith who took a blow to the head against Scotland and has not fully recovered.

The back division is unchanged – with Fourie du Preez still not fully recovered from a quadriceps injury – while there were two changes on the bench.

Flanker Heinrich Brussow could make his Test debut if he is called into action while Chiliboy Ralepelle covers for John Smit. They replace Rossouw and the injured Gurthro Steenkamp.

The team is as follow (test caps in brackets):

1. Beast Mtawarira (9)
2. John Smit (capt) (80)
3. Jannie du Plessis (6)
4. Bakkies Botha (54)
5. Victor Matfield (79)
6. Schalk Burger (48)
7. Danie Rossouw (35)
8. Pierre Spies (18)
9. Ricky Januaries (33)
10. Ruan Pienaar (26)
11. Bryan Habana (45)
12. Jean de Villiers (45)
13. Adi Jacobs (20)
14. JP Pietersen (23)
15. Conrad Jantjes (23)

Reserves:

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle (2)
17. Brian Mujati (11)
18. Andries Bekker (12)
19. Ryan Kankowski (6)
20. Heinrich Brussow (-)
21. Frans Steyn (26)
22. Jaque Fourie (35)

Source: sarugby.co.za

South Africa made it two out of two on their British tour on Saturday by narrowly beating Scotland 10 – 14 on Saturday, after the Scots led 10 – 0 at halftime.

“For the second successive week it was the home coach who felt his team had played the better rugby and deserved to win, and Scotland’s Frank Hadden had even more right to do that here than Wales’ Warren Gatland did a week ago.

Scotland led 10-0 at half-time and were pressing for a try in the final minutes as they launched wave after wave of attack at a tired Bok defence. On a day where both kickers missed attempts at goal, it was Scotland who conspired most against themselves by fluffing no less than four shots at the posts.

It was not supposed to be this close against a Scottish team that now drops to ninth on the world rankings after this defeat, and which is at a low ebb at present. Just seven days ago the same Scotland team played the All Black second stringers and lost by 30 points, and much was made before this game of the fact the Scots had not crossed for a try at home in 14 months.

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It’s not often that 2.01 m tall Bok vice-captain Victor Matfield gets to look up to someone. That is exactly what he did when the Springbok team crossed paths with the WWE SuperStars at Cardiff Airport on Sunday.

The American wrestlers had touched down in the Welsh capital just as the Bok squad was getting ready to fly to Edinburgh on the second leg of its end-of-season Northern Hemisphere tour.

As the excited Bok players were spotting their favourite wrestlers, man-mountain Kali stopped to greet them and have his picture taken. He made the pride of South Africa look small in comparison.

Matfield, a tower of strength in the Bok second-row, was dwarfed by the seven-foot giant who chatted briefly before moving off to the waiting bus.

Kali was amongst more than 30 wrestlers in the group. The Bok players who are keen followers of the WWE action on TV back home were in awe as the many well-known characters passed by.

Source: sarugby.co.za

Pic: ramanindia.blogspot.com

Peter de Villiers surprised quite a few experts by calling up Earl Rose to Bok flyhalf position instead of WP flyhalf Peter Grant. Luke Watson also withdrew himself from the squad before the team anouncement.

“Free State Cheetahs flank Heinrich Brüssow is the other debutant.

South African squad:

Backs: Jean de Villiers (Western Province), Fourie du Preez (Blue Bulls), Jaque Fourie (Golden Lions), Bryan Habana (Blue Bulls), Adrian Jacobs (Sharks), Conrad Jantjes (Western Province), Enrico Januarie (Western Province), Jongi Nokwe (Free State Cheetahs), Odwa Ndungane (Sharks), Ruan Pienaar (Sharks), JP Pietersen (Sharks), Earl Rose (Golden Lions), Francois Steyn (Sharks).

Forwards: Andries Bekker (Western Province), Bakkies Botha (Blue Bulls), Schalk Burger (Western Province), Heinrich Brüssow (Free State Cheetahs), Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), Ryan Kankowski (Sharks), Victor Matfield (Blue Bulls), Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Chiliboy Ralepelle (Blue Bulls), Brian Mujati (Western Province), Danie Rossouw (Blue Bulls), John Smit (captain), Juan Smith (Free State Cheetahs), Pierre Spies (Blue Bulls), Gurthrö Steenkamp (Blue Bulls.

Brüssow (22) and Rose (24) were named among 28 players for Tests against Wales (November 8), Scotland (November 15) and England (November 22).

The inclusion of Rose in a team that has no specialist flyhalf is a major shocker – even more so if Rose’s very poor form in the Super 14 and Currie Cup this year is taken into consideration.

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The men from Potchefstroom, the Platinum Leapords are back with the big boys in the Currie Cup Premier division after beating the Valke twice in a row.

“The Leopards – who finished the regular part of the First Division season in first place, before losing to the Griffons in the final on October 10 – beat the Valke 27-19 to make it two from two against the Brakpan-based side, having beaten them 29-24 last weekend.

The Leopards ended the promotion/relegation fortnight as the only unbeaten team and they will be joined in the Premier Division in 2009 by the Boland Cavaliers, despite the Bolanders going down 50-42 to the Griffons in Welkom on Friday afternoon.

Boland beat the Griffons 54-15 last week and that victory was enough to see the Bolanders – who finished seventh in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division – retain their Premier Division status once again.

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South Africa’s premier Union Rugby competition, the ABSA Currie Cup is set to welcome a new team into their midst.

“The Leopards took a giant leap towards inclusion in South Africa’s top echelon when they edged the Falcons 29-24 in their First Round promotion/relegation match in Brakpan on Friday.

The Leopards, who will take a handy advantage into next week’s second leg, could join the ranks of big animals like the Sharks, Blue Bulls, Cheetahs and Lions – not to mention Western Province, Griquas and Boland Cavaliers – next year.

The Cavaliers have virtually secured their place in the Premier Division for another year with a runaway 54-15 win over the First Division champions, the Griffons, in Wellington earlier on Friday.

The second leg is in Welkom, but Griffons have several mountains to climb if they are to get promotion.

We look at the first leg of the promotion/relegation matches:

Falcons 24-29 Leopards

The Leopards, beaten in the First Division Final last week, have one foot in the big time after beating the Falcons in Brakpan on Friday. The visitors from Potchefstroom deservedly won the match after trailing 6-10 at half-time.

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