Super Rugby Crusaders Beat Blues In Exciting Match - Some Crusaders Were Offside

Watch this video at the 2 minute mark.

Blues coach Pat Lam is correct to question the legality of the Crusaders 19-18 win at Eden Park. Watch the video above and you will see that while the player who got the touch on the charge down Israel Dagg was probably onside, several other Crusaders including George Whitelock closest to the camera in the video highlights were offside (ahead of the hind most player in the ruck) and definitely influenced Piri Weepu's dropped goal attempt. Rugby is like that though, I guess, you have to chance your arm and he was probably outside of the referee's line of sight. The Crusaders probably took a gamble knowing that it would be a massive call by the referee to award a penalty in the last play of the game to basically dictate the winner.

What do you think? Should the Blues have been awarded a penalty in the final play of the game?

The Blues are questioning the legality of the Crusaders' match-deciding charge-down in the Super Rugby season opener.

The Crusaders have held on to win 19-18 at Eden Park after deflecting Piri Weepu's goal-ward bound drop kick in injury time.

Blues coach Pat Lam says they should've been given a penalty right in front.

He says the video clearly shows a number of Crusaders players offside.

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/13010271/blues-question-crusaders-charge-down/

Watch Free Live Streaming Super 15 Rugby 2012

Watch free live streaming Super 15 Rugby 2012

http://www.oleoletv.me/cat/rugby-union/

Super Rugby 2012 Round 1 Picks

Super Rugby is back with the Super 15 competition kicking off on Friday night in New Zealand. A feature of the competition this weekend is the amazing local derby matches which happen all weekend. One glance at the Super Rugby Round 1 teams that have been named already is a reminder of the high calibre of the competition. Teams will need plenty of depth as the competition has 18 rounds of matches before the finals. Each team gets two byes and it will be an interesting juggling act for team managers to juggle players and still get the good results. This post is for anyone playing fantasy pick the player or results competition.

Super Rugby Round 1 teams can be viewed here

http://www.superrugbytips.com/p/super-rugby-teams-round-one.html

Game 1 - Blues vs Crusaders

These two teams look to be the strongest New Zealand sides and therefore two of the contenders for the Super Rugby 2012 title. The Crusaders have named a strong team even without their stars like Richie McCaw and Dan Carter. They boast a team featuring quality players like Kieran Read, Israel Dagg, and the Franks (one on the bench) and Whitelock brothers. Their fortunes will based on the effort of Tyler Bleyendaal who will have a huge responsibilty as Dan Carter's replacement.

The Blues have boosted their squad this season with Piri Weepu and he will start on an experienced bench. They have their own stars in Keven Mealamu, Jerome Kaino and Isaia Toeava. Plenty will depend on their first five too with the enigmatic Michael Hobbs taking the reins ahead of Weepu and the promising Gareth Anscombe.

Players to buy - Keven Mealamu, Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read, Robbie Fruean, Sam Whitelock, Rene Ranger.
Bargains - David Raikuna, Michael Hobbs, Tyler Bleyendaal, Tom Marshall

My pick - Crusaders by 3.

Game 2 - Brumbies vs Force

The Brumbies are a shadow of their title winning days of Gregan, Larkham and co, but former Springboks coach Jake White will be looking to whip the home team into a competitive team this season. Neither of these two teams will be in title contention, yet this one will be a dog fight. The Brumbies are tough to beat at home with their front row looking particularly strong with Ben Alexander and Stephen Moore at the helm. The Force have a great loose forward trio led by David Pocock and Ben McCalman. I am picking Nathan Sharpe's leadership to get the Force home in a tight match.

My pick - Force by 2.

Players to Buy - Nathan Sharpe, Stephen Moore, David Pocock, Ita Vaea, Peter Kimlin,
Bargains - Leon Power, Andrew Smith, Henry Speight, Nick Cummins, Ben McCalman.

Game 3 - Bulls vs Sharks

This is the big game from South Africa in Round 1. The battle of the first fives will be massive with the steady Morne Steyn facing off against the next cab off the ranks Patrick Lambie. There will be plenty of other massive matchups in this one with Pierre Spies vs Ryan Kankowski, Chiliboy Ralepelle vs Bismarck du Plessis and the battle of the halfbacks with Francois Hougaard vs Frenchman Frederic Michalak. The Bulls should win at home, although it will be interesting to see how they miss some of their experienced players from the past like Fourie du Preez, Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha. The Sharks will take them on upfront and there could be fireworks!

My pick - Bulls by 1

Players to buy - Francois Hougaard, Bismarck du Plessis, Morne Steyn, JP Pieterson.
Bargains - Johann Sadie, Flip van der Meeuw, Juandre Kruger, Francois Venter, Anton Bresler.

Game 4 - Chiefs vs Highlanders

The Chiefs have gained some impressive acquistions in the offseason with Aaron Cruden and Sonny Bill Williams ready to test the Highlanders backline depth. The Highlanders who have themselves gained some quality players like Andrew Hore, Hosea Gear and Tamati Ellison thanks to the Hurricanes fallout, have been struggling with injuries. If this game was played with both teams at full strength then the Highlanders would have more of a chance, but at this early stage with their problems in the midfield, then it is the wrong time to play Sonny Bill Williams and Richard Kahui. There are some real bargains in this match, but remember, neither of these teams will probably be challenging for the title long term. Highlanders are injury plagued with Phil Burleigh and Tamati Ellison forming a new combination to face the world class Sonny Bill Williams and Richard Kahui. Nick Croswell plays out of position at lock, Chris Noakes starts at 10, while Buxton Popoali'i comes onto the wing and is exciting.

My pick - Chiefs by 3.

Players to buy - Sonny Bill Williams, Aaron Cruden, Liam Messam, Andrew Hore, Adam Thomson.
Bargains - Brodie Retallick, Fritz Lee, Sam Cane, John Hardie, Buxton Popoali'i, Chris Noakes.

Game 5 - Waratahs vs Reds

The rivalry between the Waratahs and Reds is intense. These are the top two Australian sides and this looks set to be a dogfight. The Waratahs have bought exciting South African halfback Sarel Pretorius and his battle with Wallaby Will Genia will be worth the price of admission alone. The Reds have yet to name their team for this match, but it will be hard to know how well they will cope without Quade Cooper's spark. This is offset by the loss of Berrick Barnes from the Waratahs. The Waratahs look to have the grunt, but do they have the firepower out wide?

My pick - Waratahs by 3

Players to buy - Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sarel Pretorius, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Radike Samo, Digby Ioane, Saia Faingaa.

Bargain - Chris Alcock, Dave Dennis, Tom Kingston, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Mike Harris. Check starting lineups for the Reds.

Game 6 - Stormers vs Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have a tough assignment in Round 1 travelling to South Africa and taking on the strong Stormers team. The Hurricanes lost plenty of players over summer and so it will be interesting to see how the new breed plus a few stars can handle the hotbed of Cape Town. The Hurricanes haven't been named yet. The Stormers have plenty of pace and have named Bryan Habana at centre. This is a strong Stormers side who will be tough to beat. Stack your team with Stormers this week since they should win well.

My pick - Stormers by 13.

Players to watch - Conrad Smith, Victor Vito, Cory Jane, Tiaan Liebenberg, Andries Bekker
Bargains - Nick Koster, Eben Etzebeth, Gary van Aswegen, Dane Coles, Beauden Barrett.

Game 7 - Lions vs Cheetahs

The final game of Round 1 is a local grudge match between the Lions and the Cheetahs. The Lions take in some great form to this match and a win in this match is compulsory if either of these teams are going to avoid being the bottom South African team in the conference. It sounds harsh, but the South African teams look strong and unfortunately, the Lions and Cheetahs have been average in recent seasons. There are plenty of bargain priced players in this match.

My pick - Lions by 7 points

Players to watch - Adriaan Strauss, Wickus Van Heerden, Lionel Mapoe.
Bargains - Izak van der Westhuizen, Lappies Labuschagné/Philip van der Walt, Andries Ferreira, Johan Goosen.


Who are you picking to win Round 1 Super Rugby 2012?

If you want to join a free tipping competition to win prize money of $50US then join my Super Bru pool.

Come join my Super Rugby prediction game on SuperBru! It's free and loads of fun. Just click here:

http://www.superbru.com/superrugby/pool.asp?p=236288

Pool name: www.superrugbytips.com
Pool code: ribsjowl

Super Rugby 2012 Teams Round One

Here are the team lists for Super Rugby 2012 Round One.

For an up to date list of teams go to

http://www.superrugbytips.com/p/super-rugby-teams-round-one.html

Blues: Isaia Toeava, David Raikuna, Rene Ranger, Benson Stanley, Rudi Wulf, Michael Hobbs, Alby Mathewson, Jerome Kaino, Daniel Braid, Chris Lowrey, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Charlie Faumuina, Keven Mealamu (captain), Tom McCartney. Res: Pauliasi Manu, Tevita Mailau, Brad Mika, Luke Braid, Piri Weepu, Hadleigh Parkes, Sherwin Stowers.

Crusaders: Tom Marshall, Sean Maitland, Robbie Fruean, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Tyler Bleyendaal, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read (capt), Matt Todd, George Whitelock, Sam Whitelock, Tom Donnelly, Ben Franks, Quentin MacDonald, Wyatt Crockett. Reserves: Corey Flynn, Owen Franks, Luke Romano, Luke Whitelock, Willie Heinz, Tom Taylor, Adam Whitelock.

Teams:

Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (captain), 7 Jaques Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouche, 22 JJ Engelbrecht

Sharks:
15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. Louis Ludik, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Tim Whitehead, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Frederic Michalak, 8. Ryan Kankowski, 7. Marcell Coetzee, 6. Keegan Daniel (captain), 5. Anton Bresler, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Dale Chadwick

Substitutes: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Ross Skeate, 19. Jacques Botes, 20. Charl McLeod, 21. Meyer Bosman, 22. Paul Jordaan


Brumbies

1. Ben Alexander,2. Stephen Moore,3. Dan Palmer,4. Leon Power,5. Sam Carter,6. Peter Kimlin,7. Ita Vaea,8. Ben Mowen (c),9. Nic White,10. Matt Toomua,11. Jesse Mogg,12. Christian Lealiifano,13. Andrew Smith,14. Henry Speight,15. Robbie Coleman

Replacements:16. Anthony Hegarty,17. Ruaidhri Murphy,18. Scott Fardy ,19. Michael Hooper ,20. Ian Prior,21. Zack Holmes,22. Joe Tomane

Western Force

1. Pek Cowan,2. Nathan Charles,3. Salesi Ma'afu,4. Toby Lynn,5. Nathan Sharpe,6. Matt Hodgson,7. David Pocock (Captain),8. Ben McCalman,9. Brett Sheehan,10. James Stannard,11. Napolioni Nalaga,12. Rory Sidey,13. Winston Stanley,14. Nick Cummins,15. Alfie Mafi

Reserves:16. Elvis Taione,17. Kieran Longbottom,18. Phoenix Battye,19. Angus Cottrell,20. Justin Turner,21. Ben Seymour,22. Sam Wara

Chiefs

1. Arizona Taumalolo,2. Hika Elliot,3. Ben Afeaki,4. Craig Clarke,5. Brodie Retallick ,6. Liam Messam (c),7. Sam Cane,8. Fritz Lee,9. Brendon Leonard,10. Aaron Cruden,11. Tim Nanai-Williams,12. Sonny Bill Williams,13. Richard Kahui,14. Lelia Masaga,15. Robbie Robinson

Replacements :16. Mahonri Schwalger,17. Toby Smith,18. Michael Fitzgerald,19. Tanerau Latimer,20. Tawera Kerr- Barlow,21. Andrew Horrell,22. Asaeli Tikoirotuma

Waratahs

15. Adam Ashley-Cooper ,14. Tom Kingston ,13. Rob Horne ,12. Tom Carter ,11. Brackin Karauria-Henry ,10. Daniel Halangahu (C)9. Sarel Pretorius ,8. Wycliff Palu ,7. Chris Alcock ,6. Dave Dennis ,5. Dean Mumm ,4. Kane Douglas ,3. Sekope Kepu , 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau ,1. Benn Robinson (VC)

Replacements:16. Damien Fitzpatrick ,17. Paddy Ryan ,18. Lopeti Timani ,19. Jono Jenkins ,20. Brendan McKibbin ,21. Bernard Foley ,22. Nathan Trist

Lions

Jaco Taute, Deon van Rensburg, Doppies le Grange, Alwyn Hollenbach, James Kamana, Elton Jantjies, Michael Bondesio, Joshua Strauss (captain), Derick Minnie, Cobus Grobbelaar, Franco van der Merwe, Wikus van Heerden/ Hendrik Roodt, Patric Cilliers, Callie Visagie, JC Janse van Rensburg.

Replacements: Martin Bezuidenhout, Jacobie Adriaanse/ CJ van der Linde, Hendrik Roodt / Stephan Greeff, Warren Whiteley, Tian Meyer, Butch James, Lionel Mapoe.

Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Dusty Noble, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Lappies Labuschagné/Philip van der Walt, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.

Substitutes: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Lourens Adriaanse, 18 Waltie Vermeulen, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Pieter van Zyl, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Willie le Roux.

Stormers

15. Joe Pietersen ,14. Gerhard van den Heever,13. Bryan Habana,12. Jean de Villiers,11. Gio Aplon,10. Gary van Aswegen,9. Dewaldt Duvenage,8. Nick Koster,7. Duane Vermeulen,6. Schalk Burger (C) ,5. Andries Bekker,4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Brok Harris,2. Tiaan Liebenberg,1. Steven Kitshoff

Reserves :16. Scarra Ntubeni,17. Frans Malherbe,18. De Kock Steenkamp,19. Siya Kolisi,20. Louis Schreuder,21. Burton Francis,22. Marcel Brache

Six Nations 2012 Round Three Teams

Ireland:

15. Rob Kearney, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Keith Earls, 12. Gordon D’Arcy, 11. Andrew Trimble, 10. Johnny Sexton, 9. Conor Murray, 1. Cian Healy, 2. Rory Best, 3. Mike Ross, 4. Donnacha O’Callaghan, 5. Paul O’Connell (c), 6. Stephen Ferris, 7. Sean O’Brien, 8. Jamie Heaslip

Replacements:

16. Sean Cronin, 17. Tom Court, 18. Donnacha Ryan, 19. Peter O’Mahony, 20. Eoin Reddan, 21. Ronan O’Gara, 22. Fergus McFadden


Italy: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Luke McLean, 10 Tobias (Tobie) Botes, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Sergio Parisse (captain), 7 Robert Barbieri, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys; 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Michele Rizzo

Substitutes: 16 Tommaso D'Apice, 17 Fabio Staibano, 18 Antonio Pavanello, 19 Simone Favaro, 20 Fabio Semenzato, 21 Kris Burton, 22 Gonzalo Canale

England: Ben Foden (Northampton Saints); Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Brad Barritt (Saracens), David Strettle (Saracens); Owen Farrell (Saracens), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints); Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Mouritz Botha (Saracens), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Ben Morgan (Scarlets)

Replacements: Rob Webber (London Wasps), Matt Stevens (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Mike Brown (Harlequins)

Wales:

15. Leigh Halfpenny, 14. Alex Cuthbert, 13. Jonathan Davies, 12. Jamie Roberts, 11. George North, 10. Rhys Priestland, 9. Mike Phillips, 1. Gethin Jenkins, 2. Ken Owens, 3. Adam Jones, 4. Alun Wyn Jones, 5. Ian Evans, 6. Dan Lydiate, 7. Sam Warburton (c), 8. Toby Faletau

Replacements:

16. Richard Hibbard, 17. Paul James, 18. Ryan Jones, 19. Justin Tipuric, 20. Lloyd Williams, 21. James Hook, 22. Scott Williams


Scotland:

15-Stuart Hogg, 14-Rory Lamont, 13-Sean Lamont, 12-Graeme Morrison, 11-Lee Jones, 10-Greig Laidlaw, 9-Mike Blair, 8-David Denton, 7-Ross Rennie, 6-John Barclay, 5-Jim Hamilton, 4-Richie Gray, 3-Geoff Cross, 2-Ross Ford (captain), 1-Allan Jacobsen.

Substitutes: 16-Scott Lawson, 17-Ed Kalman, 18-Alastair Kellock, 19-Richie Vernon, 20-Chris Cusiter, 21-Duncan Weir, 22-Nick De Luca.

France:

15. Maxime Médard, 14. Vincent Clerc, 13. Aurélien Rougerie, 12. Wesley Fofana, 11. Julien Malzieu, 10. François Trinh-Duc, 9. Morgan Parra, 1. Jean-Baptiste Poux, 2. Dimitri Szarzewski, 3. Nicolas Mas, 4. Pascal Papé, 5. Yoan Maestri, 6. Thierry Dusautoir (c), 7. Louis Picamoles, 8. Imanol Harinordoquy

Replacements:

16. William Servat, 17. Vincent Debaty, 18. Lionel Nallet, 19. Julien Bonnaire, 20. Julian Dupuy, 21. Lionel Beauxis, 22. Maxime Mermoz

iPredict Rugby and Sport Predicting Application

Super Rugby Tips is testing out a new rugby and general sports prediction application situated down the right hand column of this blog. It is created so that enough people will enter their predictions and eventually create rankings of how well you did or create some kind of banter with your mates on Facebook or Twitter. It is a good chance to prove yourself to your friends.

If you have any problems then let me or the creators know. Otherwise, enjoy and if you have Internet Explorer 9 then you won't be able to use the application.

Click on the red "Pick the score" banner in the right hand column of this blog.

Super Rugby 2012 Teams Round One

Here are the team lists for Super Rugby 2012 Round One.

For an up to date list of teams go to

http://www.superrugbytips.com/p/super-rugby-teams-round-one.html

Blues: Isaia Toeava, David Raikuna, Rene Ranger, Benson Stanley, Rudi Wulf, Michael Hobbs, Alby Mathewson, Jerome Kaino, Daniel Braid, Chris Lowrey, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Charlie Faumuina, Keven Mealamu (captain), Tom McCartney. Res: Pauliasi Manu, Tevita Mailau, Brad Mika, Luke Braid, Piri Weepu, Hadleigh Parkes, Sherwin Stowers.

Crusaders: Tom Marshall, Sean Maitland, Robbie Fruean, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Tyler Bleyendaal, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read (capt), Matt Todd, George Whitelock, Sam Whitelock, Tom Donnelly, Ben Franks, Quentin MacDonald, Wyatt Crockett. Reserves: Corey Flynn, Owen Franks, Luke Romano, Luke Whitelock, Willie Heinz, Tom Taylor, Adam Whitelock.

Teams:

Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (captain), 7 Jaques Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouche, 22 JJ Engelbrecht

Sharks:
15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. Louis Ludik, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Tim Whitehead, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Frederic Michalak, 8. Ryan Kankowski, 7. Marcell Coetzee, 6. Keegan Daniel (captain), 5. Anton Bresler, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Dale Chadwick

Substitutes: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Ross Skeate, 19. Jacques Botes, 20. Charl McLeod, 21. Meyer Bosman, 22. Paul Jordaan


Brumbies

1. Ben Alexander,2. Stephen Moore,3. Dan Palmer,4. Leon Power,5. Sam Carter,6. Peter Kimlin,7. Ita Vaea,8. Ben Mowen (c),9. Nic White,10. Matt Toomua,11. Jesse Mogg,12. Christian Lealiifano,13. Andrew Smith,14. Henry Speight,15. Robbie Coleman

Replacements:16. Anthony Hegarty,17. Ruaidhri Murphy,18. Scott Fardy ,19. Michael Hooper ,20. Ian Prior,21. Zack Holmes,22. Joe Tomane

Western Force

1. Pek Cowan,2. Nathan Charles,3. Salesi Ma'afu,4. Toby Lynn,5. Nathan Sharpe,6. Matt Hodgson,7. David Pocock (Captain),8. Ben McCalman,9. Brett Sheehan,10. James Stannard,11. Napolioni Nalaga,12. Rory Sidey,13. Winston Stanley,14. Nick Cummins,15. Alfie Mafi

Reserves:16. Elvis Taione,17. Kieran Longbottom,18. Phoenix Battye,19. Angus Cottrell,20. Justin Turner,21. Ben Seymour,22. Sam Wara

Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Dusty Noble, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Lappies Labuschagné/Philip van der Walt, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.

Substitutes: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Lourens Adriaanse, 18 Waltie Vermeulen, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Pieter van Zyl, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Willie le Roux.

Stormers

Pietersen, Van den Heever, Habana, de Villiers, Aplon, Van Aswegen, Duvenage, Koster, Vermeulen, Burger (C), Bekker, Etzebeth, Harris, Liebenberg, Kitshoff

Replacements. Ntubeni, Malherbe, Steenkamp, Kolisi, Schreuder, Francis, Brache Referee: Marius Jonker

Super Rugby 2012 Preview - Who Are You Picking To Win?

The 2012 Super Rugby season has quietly popped up without many people apart from the players and coaches really noticing it - but yes indeed it does start this weekend and for many rugby fans it's just as well given it comes at the end of one of the longer off-seasons in recent times.



Here are some tips on what will happen for this season - the first Super rugby season post World Cup in which the All Blacks are actually the reigning World Champions. On paper, in means, we may avoid the post World Cup lull that has resulted in initially lower audiences and crowds in New Zealand as we saw in 2004 and 2008.



In fact with rugby and the New Zealand sporting public on a high, we could be set for one of the better starts to the season. While there hasn't been much hype in Wellington due to the fact that the Hurricanes are on paper not going to be very good this season and because they start their season in South Africa, there has been hype elsewhere in the country including in Christchurch which hopes to host its first Super rugby game in nearly 2 years at the revamped Rugby League Park in Addington after of course missing out due to the devastating February earthquake last year.



And of course, the Highlanders will have a new home and will be the first Super rugby side to play most of their home games "indoors" thanks to their new state-of-the-art Forsyth Barr Stadium. Whether it means the Highlanders will turn into the Minnesota Vikings/Indianapolis Colts/New Orleans Saints of Super Rugby remains to be seen and one wonders if the indoor stadium could dilute Southern rugby's traditional values of hard-nosed forward-based rugby now that weather has effectively been taken out of the equation.



As usual, the pundits are all out for the Crusaders with the Blues in 2nd place. The Crusaders have plenty of talent and given their form last year as well as the fact they're going to be back in Christchurch again, they must be everyone's favourites. They have the ability to get the best out of some players who would be considered average players in other teams. This next tier of players will have to stand up and be counted given the duration of the tournament.

The Blues should be tough but remain as risky a pick as ever - they have All Blacks galore but just don't quite have the consistency that the Crusaders have. Success will depend on teams winning even when they are not at the top of their game. It will be interesting to see how Piri Weepu fits in!



The Highlanders look to have the goods to push the Crusaders and Blues after a promising first season under Jamie Joseph and subsequent signings of Andrew Hore, Hosea Gear, Tamati Ellison, amongst many others. However, they are experiencing a bit of a horror injury list at the moment which will test their limited depth - although given the new format of Super Rugby this might be helpful later on with those players likely to be fresher later on than their peers. Belief is another questionable element here as the Highlanders should have finished in the top 6 but missed out when they appeared to hit the wall at the end.



Which leaves us with the Chiefs and Hurricanes. Dave Rennie has done wonders with Manawatu but needs a season or two to turn the Chiefs around - forward play has never been a strength of Chiefs rugby and work needs to be done there to ensure the talent of the backs is not wasted. One thing to look out for is the development of Aaron Cruden after a star turn at the World Cup as Dan Carter's unexpected deputy. Cruden looks well despite suffering a nasty injury in the Final against France, while there will be interest to see how Sonny Bill Williams goes.

As for the Canes, well expectation has been virtually zero with so many stars gone and Mark Hammett's Crusaderisation well under way. They have a tough start in South Africa but at least they get that done and dusted for the rest of the season. The problem is that they have so many inexperienced players that it will take a season or two to get the team winning again - which may mean crowd numbers won't be much better than last season's historic franchise low.

What about the Aussies and South Africans? Well, it's difficult to see the Reds maintaining their title challenge with Quade Cooper out till later in the season and now not so much the hot property he was prior to the World Cup. The Rebels could be the surprise team of the season with James O'Connor and Kurtley Beale now there and under the guidance of former Wallabies RWC winning coach Rod McQueen. The Waratahs should be there in the mix but don't expect too much from the Force or Brumbies though.



As for the Saffers, they will continue to be strong and it looks like the Stormers could be the team to beat from the Republic. The Bulls will be there but one wonders how they'll cope without now-Springboks coach Heynecke Meyer and an aging forward pack. The Sharks are a bit like the Waratahs and Blues - perennial playoff contenders and the progress of Pat Lambie will be interesting to see - he needs a big season to show that he can be the Springbok first five in June.



Another surprise package this season could be the Lions. The Currie Cup side won the title for the first time in many years under John Mitchell and it looks like things could be turning for the eternal wooden spooners. Now that the Gauteng side have figured out how to win, confidence is high and perhaps this could be the season where the Lions could challenge for a playoff spot. The same can't be said for the Cheetahs though who could be staring at being substituted by the Southern Kings in the 2013 Super Rugby competition if they can't lift beyond their current mediocrity.

So my tips for the table:
1.Crusaders
2.Stormers
3.Blues
4.Reds
5.Sharks
6.Highlanders
7.Waratahs
8.Rebels
9.Bulls
10.Chiefs
11.Lions
12.Brumbies
13.Hurricanes
14.Force
15.Cheetahs

Crusaders v Stormers final at Rugby League Park in Addington

David Lim - Two Minutes Sport
http://www.twominutessport.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/2012-super-rugby-preview.html

My Picks
1. Crusaders
2. Blues
3. Stormers
4. Waratahs
5. Reds
6. Bulls
7. Sharks
8. Chiefs
9. Highlanders
10. Brumbies
11. Rebels
12. Hurricanes
13. Lions
14. Force
15. Cheetahs

Who are you picking to win Super Rugby 2012? Which of the Super XV will triumph? If you think you know your stuff then join the Super Rugby Tips pool. Details down the right column of this website.

Super Rugby 2012 Preview - Part One Battle of Attrition

The Super Rugby 2012 competition gets underway this weekend with plenty of local derby matches including the Blues vs Crusaders in the first game. This season will surely be a battle of attrition when you consider the competition has 21 rounds of matches and an additional break for international test matches in June. The depth of all squads will be tested with the stars likely to sit out the opening months, while injuries, international commitments and the long season may well rob the competition of the opportunity to see the best teams playing at the top of their game.

All this means that teams won't be able to be at the top of their game throughout the competition and so will be required to get the best out of their next tier of players. This is probably why the Crusaders are favourites according to the New Zealand TAB. While they probably have a weaker squad than last season, it is hoped that having more games in their beloved Christchurch this season and their uncanny ability to turn average players into international players must be leaving fans optimistic heading into the 2012 season.

Implications for managers
Managers of www.testrugby.com teams will have their work cut out this season. Each team plays 16 matches over 18 weeks (excluding finals) of the competition and this means judging when which players will be rested when and when each actual team will have a bye. There is no point wasting a trade buying someone for only one game before their team has a bye. With the hectic travel schedule most players will be rested. You get 80 trades for the season with the first top up in Round Six.

Out of the New Zealand teams there will be plenty of bargain priced players for the Hurricanes given that they lost most of their top players last season. The Highlanders have plenty of early season injuries, while the Crusaders could be missing some of their major stars for the first month or so. The Blues look to have the strongest New Zealand squad while the Chiefs have acquired some brilliant backs for this season.

The Crusaders are rightly the favourites in New Zealand, while the Blues, Reds, Waratahs and Stormers are rated closely behind.


Stay tuned for more Super Rugby tips and enter the Super Rugby Tips conference on Superbru.

Super Rugby - Join My Tipping Competition

Come join my Super Rugby prediction game on SuperBru! It's free and loads of fun.

Pool name: www.superrugbytips.com
Pool code: ribsjowl

Click here to join:
http://www.superbru.com/superrugby/pool.asp?p=236288

This pool is designed for readers of www.superrugbytips.com . It is a chance for you to try and beat me, The Guru at my own game. As a tipster of some repute, I take pride in my performance at tipping results using informed analysis.

There is a prize of $50US for the winner of this pool and it is free to enter.

New Zealand Super Rugby Players To Watch 2012

Gareth Anscombe

Sam Cane

Tom Taylor

Kurt Baker

Beauden Barrett

Here are five exciting young New Zealand players to look out for during the Super Rugby XV competition which starts next weekend. David Lim looks at the talent.

Beauden Barrett, Hurricanes
With Aaron Cruden now at the Chiefs, Beauden Barrett has suddenly become the Hurricanes' hottest first five - no offence to Dan Kirkpatrick. Barrett's game style will suit the "Crusader-ization" of the Hurricanes by Mark Hammett and is a very handy goal kicker. With the Hurricanes tipped to plumb depths this season, the finest back prospect to play for Taranaki since the days of Kieran Crowley really has got absolutely nothing to lose in his first season of Super Rugby.

Gareth Anscombe, Blues
Another first-five unexpectedly thrust into the limelight so early on in his professional rugby career, Anscombe is filling the void left by the departing Luke McAlister and Stephen Brett. The pressure is on Pat Lam and the Blues to reach another semifinal and go one better this time though and this season could be key in determining Anscombe's future. Shine and he could even be in the reckoning for the black jersey later in the year.

Sam Cane, Chiefs
With McCaw out till April and now in the autumn of his marvelous rugby career following Rugby World Cup glory last October, battle royal has begun to find his inevitable heir. Yes, the man might say he could play in the 2015 World Cup but knowing New Zealand rugby, surely when someone younger, and fitter appears on the scene, their predecessor will walk away - or be forced to walk, i.e. Zinzan Brooke for Buck Shelford. Matt Todd was last season's sensation covering McCaw while he was injured and will have to be for the first few months of the season. But look out for former NZ U-20 World Cup player of the tournament, Sam Cane. Fresh from a first season of Super Rugby, Cane will be out to prove that not all great openside flankers have to come from the Garden City.

Tom Taylor, Crusaders
Son of former All Black and Canterbury back, Warwick Taylor, Tom looks like quite a handy rugby player himself. He can kick goals and play anywhere in the backline. Given the loss of Sonny Bill Williams to the Chiefs, Taylor's time might come in the midfield up against the talented but workmanlike Ryan Crotty and of course Robbie Fruean.


Kurt Baker, Highlanders
A serious injury ruled Baker out of last year's Super Rugby but the Manawatu/Taranaki flyer is back and with a long-term injury ruling out Kenny Lynn from starting in the Highlanders backs, Kurt Baker is in line for a start in the outside backs while utility back Ben Smith covers Lynn in the midfield. Baker could be handy and offset the loss of Smith's talent at the back. Whether he can make a logjam in the outside backs at the All Blacks is another story.

http://www.twominutessport.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/5-new-zealand-emerging-names-to-watch.html

Super Rugby Referees To Use White Cards - I Am Not A Fan!

Super Rugby referees will use white cards to place foul play incidents on report where a culprit can't be identified this season. While I think there is space for the use of technology if it is available I think this could become like the use of the Television Match Official where referees no longer have the confidence to make the tough calls and can shift the weight of the decision onto another party therefore becoming lazy.

While it is good to use the available technology, I also have an issue with this because I believe that the teams which play the offending team the following weeks will be more likely to benefit rather than the current opponent. There could be situations where in the past at least someone from the offending team would have been yellow or red carded and the victim's team would benefit from having more players on the park, but instead the white card might be used and the offending player will stay on the field. This gives the victim's team no benefit and I think this is wrong.

Shifting the responsibilty away from the referees isn't the answer. I think having two referees or some form of instantaneous use of technology would be better than the "report" system which while it will still catch the offender, won't do it in a timely enough manner.

What do you think? Will this make referees lazy? Will it encourage foul play knowing that they won't be punished in that particular match? Is it better to send off the wrong player in order to give one team an advantage better than punishing the correct player after the match with no benefit to the victim's team?

Watch for the white card during the Super 15.

Referees who suspect foul play but cannot identify a culprit or pinpoint the incident will use a white card to alert a citing commissioner to scan the footage.

That "on report" move is one innovation being introduced when the Super 15 begins next week.

Administrators, officials, referees and coaches have also agreed to streamline the judicial process, with players cited to face charges initially offered leaner bans if they accept a guilty plea and suspension suggested by the duty judicial officer.

Players who refuse that offer or want to contest the charge will now have their cases heard electronically with their counsel, the judicial officer and the player all able to appear on a video conference hookup instead of having to appear in person.

Sanzar chief executive Greg Peters said the aim was to improve the consistency of citing and sentence. Where possible, Sanzar wanted to use one citing commissioner and one judicial officer for the entire tournament with those officials due to be announced shortly.

Referees will concentrate more this season on the breakdown where they will demand the tackler release his victim, while officials will also be focusing on the work of the assisting tackler and the body height of players from both sides arriving to contest the area.

Most referees have favoured a fair bit of "vocal coaching" as part of their game management but they insist they will reduce their level of instruction and penalise players who breach ruck rules, creep up ahead of the offside line at rucks and other blatant infringements. They also want to reduce the number of scrum resets.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10785383

All Blacks Rugby Legend Jonah Lomu Ill Again - Can You Help?

It is sad that I announce that All Blacks rugby legend Jonah Lomu is ill again and struggling after his transplanted kidney failed recently and desperately needs a new kidney donor. I remember seeing Jonah Lomu at the Rugby World Cup 2011 opening ceremony and he looked a bit sluggish, but it is no wonder given how his health has been struggling. Jonah seems like a great man and ambassador for the game of rugby, so it is a shame to see him struggling like this.

All Black great Jonah Lomu's transplanted kidney has failed, leaving him needing intensive dialysis and another new kidney to survive.

Lomu has had to spend time in hospital and is now 30kg lighter than when he launched the Rugby World Cup in September.

Kidney disease forced a transplant eight years ago but in October that organ - donated by his friend and radio host Grant Kereama - stopped working.

Lomu, 36, revealed in this week's New Zealand Woman's Weekly that he was ill again and the transplanted kidney had not responded to treatment.

"We were hoping to see some improvement but nothing has made any difference, so the next step is to try to find a donor."

Lomu's immune system is so low that an ankle injury got infected so badly that he couldn't walk and wound up in hospital.

He told the magazine he was having dialysis for seven hours, three nights a week. But he was focusing on spending as much time as possible with his family.

Kidney Health New Zealand education manager Carmel Gregan-Ford said finding a suitable donor for a second transplant was difficult because the recipient had more antibodies than before their first transplant.

However, she knew people who had had two or three transplants, including one woman whose third transplant was still working after 15 years.

She said about 130 people received transplanted kidneys last year.

Nadene Lomu, mother to Lomu's sons Brayley, 3, and Dhyreille, 16 months, said in the magazine she was struggling to cope. "When trial after trial is smacked in your face, it can be hard. I'm beginning to wonder what else can go wrong."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10784967

Rugby Experience Is Important - Funny Video Isenbeck Beer Premium Argentina

Watch this video which shows just how important rugby experience is. Once you get older you just have to get smarter like the man in this video for Premium Argentina's Isenbeck Beer. There are some familiar faces in this video!

Six Nations 2012 - Round Two Preview

Bradley Davies will miss the rest of the Six Nations 2012

Italy vs England
The Italians will have their best chance in years to knock over the new look England team. The Italians have included some more experience in their team with Gonzalo Canale and Marco Bortolami returning to start. England haven't made any changes, with coach Stuart Lancaster hoping for an improved showing from his team.
Some players worth consideration for www.testrugby.com are Sergio Parisse and Leonardo Ghiraldini for Italy while England fail to really trouble the scorers much, although lock Mouritz Botha is excellent value.

My pick is that Italy could put some serious pressure on the new look England team up front in front of a passionate crowd. I think England will still win, but it will be close.

England by 5 points.

France vs Ireland
This is the match of the round with France favourites to beat Ireland. France has made a few changes to their team with World Cup hero and my favourite French named player Imanol Harinordoquy coming into the Number Seven jersey. There are concerns over the France lineout, so Yoann Maestri and Dimitri Szarzewski have been included in the starting lineup along with prop Jean-Baptiste Poux. Dimitri Yachvili has withdrawn with injury too and is likely to be replaced by Morgan Parra. Ireland will at least have loose forward Stephen Ferris available for selection. SIreland must win if they are to have any chance of winning the Six Nations 2012, so there will be plenty of feeling in this match.

Players to watch: Wesley Fofana, Julien Malzieu and Louis Picamoles are bargains, Pape did well from lock, while it could be worth buying new starters Harinordoquy, Szarzewski, Parra and Maestri. For Ireland assuming they are selected watch for Rory Best, Paul O'Connell and Sean O'Brien as expensive but safe options. Keith Earls will start at centre (assuming he doesn't withdraw late this week!).

Ireland have only beaten France away once since 1972 and I don't think things will change this weekend.

France by 7 points.

Wales vs Scotland

Wales have a locking crisis, but showed enough against Ireland to suggest that they have enough squad depth to remain title contenders. They will be without Bradley Davies, leaving coach Warren Gatland a selection dilemma with Ryan Jones named at lock. Wales have some exciting players with George North, Leigh Halfpenny, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Mike Philips, Rhys Priestland and Sam Warburton likely to cut some capers against the hapless Scots.
Scotland have to replace Dan Parks at Number 10 and Greig Laidlaw could be a bargain priced inside back depending on if he sinks or swims. Scotland does have some good point scoring forwards including hooker Ross Ford, lock Richie Gray and loose forward Ross Rennie.

Wales should be too strong at home for Scotland.

Wales by 15 points.

Here are the teams named for Round Two Six Nations action

Italy:

15 Andrea MASI (Aironi Rugby, 65 caps), 14 Giovanbattista VENDITTI (Aironi Rugby, 1 cap), 13 Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Treviso, 13 caps), 12 Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont-Auvergne, 73 caps), 11 Luke MCLEAN (Benetton Treviso, 34 caps), 10 Kristopher BURTON (Benetton Treviso, 10 caps), 9 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Treviso, 10 caps), 8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 84 caps) – capitano, 7 Robert BARBIERI (Benetton Treviso, 17 caps), 6 Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Treviso, 59 caps), 5 Marco BORTOLAMI (Aironi Rugby, 89 caps), 4 Quintin GELDENHUYS (Aironi Rugby, 26 caps), 3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 83 caps), 2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Benetton Treviso, 42 caps), 1 Andrea LO CICERO (Racing-Metro Paris, 92 caps)

Replacements:

16 Tommaso D’APICE (Aironi Rugby, 4 caps), 17 Lorenzo CITTADINI (Benetton Treviso, 9 caps), 18 Antonio PAVANELLO (Benetton Treviso, 5 caps), 19 Mauro BERGAMASCO (Aironi Rugby, 88 caps), 20 Fabio SEMENZATO (Benetton Treviso, 9 caps), 21 Tobias BOTES (Benetton Treviso, 1 cap), 22 Luca MORISI (BancaMonteParma Crociati, uncapped)

England:

15. Ben Foden, 14. Chris Ashton, 13. Brad Barritt, 12. Owen Farrell, 11. David Strettle, 10. Charlie Hodgson, 9. Ben Youngs, 1. Alex Corbisiero, 2. Dylan Hartley, 3. Dan Cole, 4. Mouritz Botha, 5. Tom Palmer, 6. Tom Croft, 7. Chris Robshaw (c), 8. Phil Dowson

Replacements:

16. Rob Webber, 17. Matt Stevens, 18. Geoff Parling, 19. Ben Morgan, 20. Lee Dickson, 21. Jordan Turner-Hall, 22. Mike Brown

WALES TEAM

Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); Alex Cuthbert (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), George North (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Bayonne); Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), Sam Warburton (Blues, capt), Toby Faletau (Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Lou Reed (Scarlets), Andy Powell (Sale Sharks), Lloyd Williams (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Scott Williams (Scarlets).

Scotland:

15. Rory Lamont, 14. Lee Jones, 13. Nick de Luca, 12. Sean Lamont, 11. Max Evans, 10. Greig Laidlaw, 9. Chris Cusiter, 1. Allan Jacobsen, 2. Ross Ford (c), 3. Geoff Cross, 4. Richie Gray, 5. Jim Hamilton, 6. Alasdair Strokosch, 7. Ross Rennie, 8. David Denton

Replacements:

16. Scott Lawson, 17. Ed Kalman, 18. Alastair Kellock, 19. John Barclay, 20. Mike Blair, 21. Duncan Weir, 22. Stuart Hogg




15. Maxime Médard (Toulouse)
14. Vincent Clerc (Toulouse)
13. Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont)
12. Wesley Fofana (Clermont)
11. Julien Malzieu (Clermont)
10. François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier)
9. Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz)* injured to be replaced by Morgan Parra most likely.
1. Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse)
2. Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français)
3. Nicolas Mas (Perpignan)
4. Pascal Papé (Stade Français)
5. Yoann Maestri (Toulouse)
6. Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse)
7. Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)
8. Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)

Replacements:
16. William Servat (Toulouse)
17. Vincent Debaty (Clermont)
18. Lionel Nallet (Racing-Metro)
19. Julien Bonnaire (Clermont)
20. Morgan Parra (Clermont)
21. Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse)
22. Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan)

Ireland team to face France at the Stade de France: Rob Kearney (Leinster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Keith Earls (Munster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster); Cian Healy (Leinster), Rory Best (Ulster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster), Paul O'Connell (Munster) cpt, Stephen Ferris (Ulster), Sean O'Brien (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: Sean Cronin (Leinster), Tom Court (Ulster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster).