ABs set for Read boost
10 Aug 2012
Kieran Read is confident that he’ll recover from his rib injury in time for the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies next Saturday.
The No 8 missed the Crusaders’ final three matches of their Super Rugby campaign because rib damaged cartilage. However, he confirmed that he should be fit as he joined his All Black team-mates at training in Waitakere on Friday.
‘They’re [the ribs] feeling really good, I haven’t pushed them yet and not a lot of contact, so I’ll just have to see how they pull up next week but feeling really good at the moment,’ Read told the media.
Lock Luke Romano is still an injury concern as he hurt his shoulder in the Super Rugby semi-final. Head coach Steve Hansen will be hoping the second-rower will recover in time as he is the third specialist lock in the squad.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks are yet to confirm Sonny Bill Williams’ availability for selection. The NZRU are trying to sort out a short-term deal with his new Japanese club Panasonic Wild Knights, which will allow him to play in Sydney and the return match against the Wallabies in Auckland a week later.
297 Comments
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10 Aug 2012, 12:35 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-98: Interesting that Heyneke picked more Sharks than Bulls before the Sharks got themselves back into the season. That should be an indication that he spots talent and is unbiased in his selections.
Most Province supporters also sadi after the semi that they did well this season considering their lack of talent and some crucial injuries. Well those players are still injured, so why should Meyer pick their talentless backup?
10 Aug 2012, 12:37 pm
There was a Reds player called Cooper
Who’s mind was always a-stupor
His girlfriend named Rice
Said she’d seen bigger on mice
And much preferred Kobe’s big Whooper!!
10 Aug 2012, 12:38 pm
@nama1-94:
Why do you ask that?
Unless Alberts is injured he’ll definitely start ahead of Potgieter. As he did in the June tests.
HM wont deviate too much from the pack that was chosen back then. With the exception of Bekker who is now fit again.
Beast
Biz
Jannie
Etsebeth
Bekker
Coetzee
Alberts
Spies
10 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@74 some of these people have more money than sense. Graeme’s child is named “cadence”. That’s a technical term in cycling & exercise science. Idiots
10 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@Horings-101:
10 sharks
11 bulls
10 Aug 2012, 12:40 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-99: Yeah, something like that!
10 Aug 2012, 12:41 pm
@Horings-97:
Not that I know of.
It’s just that HM seems to prefer the man in blue for his Bok team.
10 Aug 2012, 12:42 pm
@102 I get it. because he’s black?
10 Aug 2012, 12:43 pm
@John Galt-103: I think you’re probably correct there, but any half decent back row forward would make a better option then Spies at #8.
10 Aug 2012, 12:46 pm
@viewer-104: Jislaaik, the Bulls biasedness is just plain sickening in that pack.
@wait for it, wait for it…-105: Starting 15?
10 Aug 2012, 12:46 pm
@Horings-101: Agreed, he does seem to be a good talent spotter but let’s be honest, there are some fine Sharks players in that Springbok team, the likes of Alberts especially.
However I do spot too much provincial bias in some of his selections; a point often raised by bloggers on this site. It’s like the despicable quota system…”Where two players of similar talents are vying for the same position the benefit should go to the previously disadvantaged one”…BullS%&t, it shouldn’t.
And in HM’s case I hope ot doesn’t get down to “Which one plays for my Bulle?”
10 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
@John Galt-103:
…or he can also go Coetzee, Potgieter, Spies as the back row and bring Alberts on as a supersub. (whatever supersub mean)
In both instances you’ll have a below par, for international rugby, back row.
Some individual talent but not a good combination.
10 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
@HongKongSlong-109:
I dont know hey. He was average during the S15 for sure but then probably played his best rugby in 2 or 3 seasons against the Poms.
There was a definite improvement. Not quite up to where he should be but definitely better.
Whether this was because he was playing under HM again or because he had his pack absolutely dominate the collision remains to be seen. Which allowed him to play a bt more freely.
This Rugby Championship is truly massive for him. With Kanko coming back agian next season and Vermuelen also breathing down his neck he really has to pull it out the bag in the next few weeks.
I have a feeling its the last throw of the dice for him.
10 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
@Horings-110: And he wanted to pick Kankowski, but could not do it. He should have picked the starting 8th man for the Stormers. Sinclair or maybe the hooker Fourie.
10 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
@viewer-104: Cadence is a female given
name derived from an English
word meaning “rhythm, flow.” It
has risen in popularity in the
United States, where it ranked at
No. 214 in popularity for baby
girls in 2006, having jumped 745
places up the chart since 2002,
when it was ranked at No. 959. It
peaked in 2007, when it reached
No. 199
10 Aug 2012, 12:50 pm
@nama1-112:
No pal.
Alberts will start.
The only way that combo will start is if Alberts is injured or if Etsebeth is injured and HM decides to pull a Plumtree and start Alberts at 4.
10 Aug 2012, 12:53 pm
Thanks Trans. Wiki? Where’s WPTID?
10 Aug 2012, 12:53 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-111: He does pick a lot of Bulls players for his wider group. Players that will probably only play 10% of the tests, but it is players that he knows will back him.
I think this is a strategic move until the starting Sharks and Stormers trust him. He does not want 5 WP guys not starting in the 22 who will bring that choking mentality to the group.
10 Aug 2012, 12:53 pm
@John Galt-103:
He’s being cuntroversial.
10 Aug 2012, 12:53 pm
@Horings-110:
OK, we get it.
You disagree that Meyer is biased towards BB players. They are all there on merit.
10 Aug 2012, 12:55 pm
Wow.
First post really sums it up. Bakkies is a broken record. Calling Read filth, then all the AB are filth followed by the cheating IRB and then refs. Even before the tournament has started.
PLease Bakkies, just leave the rugby to the real fans as you have promised, not no jumped up bitching twat that constantly says the same thing every post.
10 Aug 2012, 12:56 pm
@nama1-120: He is biased in some way as explained in @Horings-118:
10 Aug 2012, 12:56 pm
@viewer-117: yep…wiki
10 Aug 2012, 12:57 pm
@Horings-118: OK, let’s see what happens…will watch his selections with interest.
10 Aug 2012, 12:58 pm
@Hurricane-121: easy
10 Aug 2012, 12:58 pm
The fact that there is no thread on Keo, previewing the Currie Cup which starts in about 6 hours time, tell you how low the CC ranks on the rugby ladder nowadays.
Even the Coca Cola Craven week got dedicated threads on Keo.
10 Aug 2012, 12:58 pm
“until the starting Sharks and Stormers trust him”
10 Aug 2012, 13:00 pm
@Transformation-125:
10 Aug 2012, 13:01 pm
@Hurricane-121: You did not see Mallett explaining the American football the Chiefs played in the semi? I know the Sharks would not have won, but these illegal tactics of New Zealand teams has gone on since the start of Henry’s tenure. It is absolutely ridiculous and you should be ashamed of yourself and your fellow countrymen. I know New Zealanders have been given a bad deal by the position of their country as they need to suck up to Australia in the same way Wales sucks up to England, but it is no excuse for being filthy cheats.
10 Aug 2012, 13:02 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-119:
Oh i see.
Im not familiar this particular individual.
Is he one of these multi nic guys or is he just a cuntry boy?
10 Aug 2012, 13:05 pm
@Horings-129:
Why you attacking NZ for? Who cares we are on the planet.
What has that seriously have to do with rugby?
You know nothing about us if you think we need to suck up to OZ.
If you watched the game carefully, the Sharks were playing their illegal tactics as well.
10 Aug 2012, 13:06 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-124: Things will change once Goosen gets selected. All of a sudden we will have a flyhalf that gives us that extra 10m on every kick and who likes to run the ball from time to time. Lambie can slot in at fullback (although he had a shocker against the Cheating Chiefs) and Vermeulen/ Kankowksi will start ahead of Spies. The WP Supporters will hate him nonetheless as he will select Kruger ahead of Bekker at some stage.
10 Aug 2012, 13:08 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-119:
It’s a legitimate question.
Why do you think I’m trying to be controversial?
@John Galt-130:
“…is he just a cuntry boy?”
I see what you did there.
10 Aug 2012, 13:08 pm
@126 times have changed. I believe ABSA didn’t organise a launch event for the currie cup this year. The CC Is now basically a duplication of the vodacom cup
10 Aug 2012, 13:14 pm
@Hurricane-131: Do you not suck up to Aus? Let us see. Only 1 oke is favoured by the Super rugby format, but surely you need at least 2 out of 3 guys backing the system to make it happen. Now who is that 2nd guy? I know you hate them, but you need them. We do not.
Regarding the cheating, it is obvious to everyone that NZ has somehow got everyone in the correct position. Every second time the Boks play NZ Allain Rolland is selected as ref. Why? He cannot be the only NH ref. Henry made it public that match fixing is a part of rugby. Since he found it out, a NZ ref got the top IRB job, he started to use these unlawfull tactics and they won the World Cup with several strange games in the tournament. Maybe he decided to also play the game. I mean if there was match fixing in 2007 why would there be no match fixing in 2011.
10 Aug 2012, 13:22 pm
@Horings-135:
lol crack me up this did. So we in favour of a format means we are sucking up to them?
Childish dont you think?
Cheating, again Sharks did there bit as well, as does ALL teams. If none tried to cheat or do things illegally, there would be no penalties.
Henry did not say there was match fixing in rugby.
He said he felt like there was in that game as he could not understand how a ref could miss so much.
He did not say that match fixing is in rugby, no proof at all. As was Bryce, no proof at all.
He said it in a Biography which at the time he felt. He told the truth on how he felt. Does not mean he believe it now.
You should stop mixing up his words to make you post sound better.
10 Aug 2012, 13:23 pm
@Horings-122:
You referal to your p 118.
“…but it is players that he knows will back him” wrt to his selection of fringe player from the Bulls.
“until the starting Sharks and Stormers trust him” wrt players of the provinces mentioned not in the team.
New selection criteria for the Boks?
What happened to “the BEST players will be selected for the Boks?”
@viewer-134:
The CC is a competition run by SARU. Absa is just the ponsor.
Is it not the responsibility of SARU to create the hype around the CC? I know the sponsors also do it but they do it more to advertise their product.
10 Aug 2012, 13:27 pm
@nama1-137: Like I said he shows biasedness in his wider group, but when it comes to a 1st choice Bok and a Bulls player he will ho with the Bok. If it is a 3rd choice SA player vs the Bulls player he will go with the Bulls player to fill in spots in the group.
10 Aug 2012, 13:29 pm
The Rugby Championship
Pumas squad announced for opener
ESPN Staff
August 8, 2012
Juan Martin Hernandez has been included in the 26-man squad
Argentina coach Santiago Phelan has revealed the 26-man squad that will travel to South Africa for their historic Rugby Championship debut Test on August 18.
This year sees the Tri-Nations expanded to four teams with the Pumas taking their inaugural bow in the tournament. And Phelan has named a squad brimming with players turning out in the Aviva Premiership with the likes of Bath’s Horacio Agulla, Leicester’s Marcos Ayerza and Exeter’s Gonzalo Camacho all included.
The squad will travel to Santa Fe to take on Stade Francais on Friday before then travelling to Cape Town for their match against the Boks. Tigers prop Ayerza has called on his side to improve on their performance against Stade after they were downed 25-21 by the Top 14 Orange side last weekend. Ayerza said: “We know we have to improve from last weekend but we will also learn a lot from our debut in the Rugby Championship.
“I think we lacked maturity as a team to know how to handle the anxiety and also we need to learn not to commit penalties at key moments but we are working hard to correct this and eventually I’m sure we will succeed. Friday will be a new measure of how far we’ve come. We have 80 minutes to make amends and try and reverse where we failed last week. If we put in a good performance then it will give us more confidence.”
Argentina squad:
Horacio Agulla (Bath Rugby), Patricio Albacete (Toulouse), Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers), Marcelo Bosch (Biarritz), Martín Bustos Moyano (Montpellier), Gonzalo Camacho (Exeter Chiefs), Manuel Carizza (Biarritz), Agustín Creevy (Montpellier), Julio Farías (Tucuman Rugby), Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (Toulon), Santiago Fernández (Montpellier), Juan Figallo (Montpellier), Alvaro Galindo (Racing Métro), Lucas González Amorosino (Montpellier), Eusebio Guiñazú (Biarritz), Juan Martín Hernández (Racing Metro), Juan Imhoff (Racing Metro), Martín Landajo (Los Pampas XV), Tomás Leonardi (Los Pampas XV), Juan Pablo Orlandi (Racing Metro), Martín Rodríguez (Stade Francais), Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais), Federico Nicolás Sánchez (Bordeaux Begles), Leonardo Senatore (Los Pampas XV), Tomás Vallejos Cinalli (Scarlets), Nicolás Vergallo (Stade Francais)
10 Aug 2012, 13:29 pm
@nama1-137:
Well sorry Nama but i think the best players have not been picked for the Boks, not just this year but for many years now.
This is just another reason why some of these guys have a crack at other teams due to the fact they know 3 or 4 better players are sitting at home watching TV.
10 Aug 2012, 13:33 pm
@Hurricane-136: Surely you do not think the tournament suits NZ teams? The Crusaders surely did not think it suited them last year.
There is a big difference between holding players back and literally tackling a player off the ball before Nanai Williams scored compared to coming from the side of a ruck or holding on or any other penalty that is given in rugby. I have never seen the sort of obstruction from any SA side in Vod Cup, CC, Schoolboy or any other level.
10 Aug 2012, 13:36 pm
@Horings-110:
its a long competition and if history is any guide we could assume the coaches will field an a and b team for home and away legs perhaps?
but ja, i get your ponit.
maybe kruger, spies, morne, kirchener, francois as definate starters
and any of jj, flip, chilli, greyling, potgieter and vermaak to get bench spots?
10 Aug 2012, 13:37 pm
@Horings-138:
Hopefully you’ll be as understanding if the next coach is from another province, say WP, and he does something similar.
In any case, the squad is there already. We need to stand behind the team no matter who gets selected for the match 22.
Does not mean we have to agree with HM’s selections.
10 Aug 2012, 13:40 pm
@Horings-141:
We didnt have a stadium in Christchurch for the Saders to play in….. i live in Christchurch.
That had nothing to do with the format.
Thing is Stormers or the Chiefs had no problem with the format, and guess why?? Cos they won their games. They didnt lose 6 games.
But in all fairness i do see the flaw in the format, and i understand that it is too one sided for the teams that are ahead in the table. But its what the big guys agreed on. Not me.
Anyway i trying to understand what you are saying at the end. What have you never seen in all class of Bok rugby?
10 Aug 2012, 13:42 pm
@Horings-129:
i like you.
10 Aug 2012, 13:43 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-145:
Of course you do.
I have a feeling that Horings is a Bulls supporter.
10 Aug 2012, 13:44 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-106:
absolutely, thats what i mean.
10 Aug 2012, 13:47 pm
@Hurricane-140:
Agree with you re the selection of the best players for the Bok team.
Different coach, different rugby philosophy, different players and not always the best as can be seen with the current coach as well.
10 Aug 2012, 13:49 pm
@Hurricane-146:
no, what you mean to say is he is honest and forthright
that is the feeling you get
when you are in the company of a good and big hearted person
whoever he supports is incidental… or accidental… or something….
provincialism is a saffa thing, remember
dont we give you kiwis enough?
you want to take that too?
10 Aug 2012, 13:49 pm
@nama1-143: Ja, I remember I was not happy with Mallett at one stage.
Some of the things I posted today was for fun (the NZ and WP comments), but I really do think Heyneke is putting his team together strategically to be very successful in the short term (picking players he knows), but also building for a long term success (picking talent such as Etzebeth, Goosen, etc) where in 2 years time there will be no provincial biasedness.
We are all selectors, and some very good at it, but Heyneke knows most players personally and he brought some players to Pretoria because he beliefs in their mental capabilities. Surely it must be very difficult for him to be totally unbiased in the same way Alan Solomons wanted all his Stormers players in the Bok team. It will take time for him to build a new team and be totally unbiased in his selections.
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