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There has been a dizzying amount of information pumped out by the Super 14 Rugby teams in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, all of it on team sheets, teams, warm-up games, venues and players beset with injuries — the latest being Dan Carter’s (Crusaders) Achilles tendon op to Jaque Fourie’s (Bulls) hand.
It’s almost like watching the horses being loaded into the gate at the start of a major horse race. Games are being played tonight, Friday and Saturday and then the awaited February 13, when the Super 14 begins.
So what sense is there in generating more of the same information because it is incredibly confusing and of course there is the information overload? So next week we can focus on the bottom line and review the actual teams that are going to take each other on.
Much is at stake over the next few months and the landscape of rugby is going to change dramatically, domestically, in the Southern Hemisphere, Sanzar as well as in Europe.
The South Africans are using the Super 14 as a warm up for the British and Irish Lions Tour in June and July. The British and Irish Lions are using the Six Nations as their warm up for the same tour to South Africa.
On one hand is Peter de Villiers and on the other is Ian McGeehan scoping out shadow teams and players for mid-year.
Within this mix then two seismic events will take place. Maybe not events, but seismic processes that have long-term ramifications for rugby, which we know.
The first is crafting an appropriate Super Rugby series for the next 5 years, this has to be in place by June and the second is the bidding for a Rugby World Cup in 2015 or 2019.
The Super Rugby series will most likely be a Super 15 version with the addition of a team from one of the Sanzar nations to the existing Super 14. This is either Melbourne from Australia or the Eastern Cape franchise.
With the Australian Rugby Union having withdrawn from the Pacific Nations Cup tournament this year it is likely that the last man standing could very well be the Eastern Cape franchise, especially since they are due to be launched on June 16 with an inaugural match against the British and Irish Lions. There is no sense in launching the franchise, playing 80 minutes and then putting them in mothballs for another year and a half till 2011. This team needs game time and preparation for February 2010, which is but 12 months away, so a fixture list from July to December has to be created and franchise custodians to safeguard the interests of the franchise and procure sponsors and supporters.
Now this is where it gets tricky and you begin to see how inextricably linked the Eastern Cape franchise is to SA Rugby’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015 or 2019.
SA Rugby has to have the South African government’s support to proceed with a bid that has to be in and judged on the July 20. Hence the International Rugby Union’s visit to meet with Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile recently.
The minister has for the past 4 years asked SA Rugby to include rugby players from the Eastern Cape in the Super Rugby tournament.
So a convergence of these goals and objectives is imminent, which is a good thing for rugby because it buries the hatchet and allows all rugby entities to get on with the business of running rugby and growing the game.
Isn’t that what we all want after all?
So back to the Super 14 and some interesting facts and then on to the captains and coaches of the 14 franchises.
Super Rugby team records
Highest score: 96 points — Crusaders defeated Waratahs 96-19, 2002
Lowest score: 0 points — Reds defeated Hurricanes 11-0, 1999; Brumbies defeated Bulls 15-0, 1999; Sharks defeated Bulls 29-0, 1999; Brumbies defeated Cats 64-0, 2000; Highlanders defeated Bulls 23-0, 2005; Blues defeated Brumbies 17-0, 2006; Brumbies defeated Reds 36-0, 2007; Crusaders defeated Force 53-0, 2007; Crusaders defeated Stormers 22-0, 2008
Highest winning margin: 89 points — Bulls defeated Reds 92-3, 2007
Highest score away: 60 points — Blues defeated Hurricanes 60-7, 2002
Most consecutive wins: 15 wins — Crusaders, 2002/03
Most consecutive losses: 11 losses — Bulls, 2002
Most tries in a match: 14 tries — Crusaders vs Waratahs, 2002
Most tries in a season: 71 tries — Crusaders, 2005
Fewest tries in a season: 15 tries — Blues, 1999, 2000; Reds, 2007
Most wins in a season: 12 wins — Crusaders, 2008 regular season
Fewest wins in a season: 0 wins — Bulls, 2002 regular season
Least losses in a season: 0 losses — Crusaders, 2002
Most wins in a row at home: 21 wins — Blues 1996-1998; Crusaders 2004-2006
Bulls
Coach: Frans Ludeke
Captain: Victor Matfield
Yesterday’s warm-up match against the Sharks: Tiger Mangweni, John Mametsa, Braam Gerber, Wayne Julies, Rocco Jansen; Francois Brummer, JP Joubert; Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Vince Gwavu, Okkie Kruger, Willem Serfontein, Bêrend Botha, Sangoni Mxoli, Bandise Maku, Dean Greyling
Reserves: Zane Botha, Corné Fourie, Rossouw de Klerk, Bosman Grobler, Francois Hougaard, Ruan Boshoff, Gerhard van der Merwe, Dries van Schalkwyk
Cheetahs
Coach: Naka Drotske
Captain: Juan Smith
The Cheetahs will start their Super 14 campaign on February 13 against the Lions at Coca-Cola Park before departing to fulfil their overseas commitments. The Cheetahs first home game will only be in the eighth round.
The Cheetah touring party:
Fullback: Hennie Daniller
Wings: Danwel Demas, Jongi Nokwe, Fabian Juries, Bjorn Basson
Centres: Piet van Zyl, Corné Uys, Jacques-Louis Potgieter
Flyhalf: Meyer Bosman
Scrumhalfs: Tewis de Bruyn, Sarel Pretorius
Loose forwards: Frans Viljoen, Juan Smith, Hendro Scholtz, Heinrich Brussow, Kabamba Floors
Locks: Flip van der Merwe, Nico Breedt, David de Villiers, Wayne van Heerden
Props: Wian du Preez, Kobus Calldo, Bees Roux
Hookers: Richardt Strauss, Adriaan Strauss
Lions
Coach: Eugene Eloff
Captain: Cobus Grobbelaar
Sharks
Coach: John Plumtree
Captain: Johann Muller
Stormers
Coach: Rassie Erasmus
Captain: Jean de Villiers
Reds
Coach: Phil Mooney
Captain: Berrick Barnes
Tonight’s QR Reds trial match team against the Western Force at Ballymore: Peter Hynes, Brando Va’aulu, Morgan Turinui, Berrick Barnes (c), Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Ben Lucas, Leroy Houston, Daniel Braid, Scott Higginbotham, Adam Byrnes, Van Humphries, Dayna Edwards, Sean Hardman, Greg Holmes. Reserves: Saia Faingaa, Laurie Weeks, Robert Simmons, Poutasi Luafutu, Will Genia, Anthony Faingaa, Blair Connor
Waratahs
Coach: Chris Hickey
Captain: Phil Waugh
Waugh’s first appearance as captain this year will come tonight against the Brumbies in the Waratahs final pre-season trial.
Brumbies
Coach: Andy Friend
Captain: Stephen Hoiles
CA Brumbies vs Waratahs at the Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney tonight kick-off at 7.40pm: Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Nic Henderson, Ben Hand, Mark Chisholm, Peter Kimlin, George Smith, Stephen Hoiles (c), Joshua Holmes, Christian Lealiifano, Francis Fainifo, Stirling Mortlock, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Clyde Rathbone and Mark Gerrard
Reserves: John Ulugia, Guy Shepherdson, Shawn Mackay, Sitaleki Timani, Patrick Phibbs, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Julian Salvi, Matt Toomua, Pat McCabe
Western Force
Coach: John Mitchell
Captain: Nathan Sharpe
Chiefs
Coach: Ian Foster
Captain: Mils Muliaina
Crusaders:
Coach: Todd Blackadder
Captain: Richie McCaw
Highlanders:
Coach: Glenn Moore
Captain: Jimmy Cowan
Hurricanes:
Coach: Colin Cooper
Captain: Rodney So’oialo
Blues:
Coach: Pat Lam
Captain: Keven Mealamu
The Blues starting team to play the Highlanders is: Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu(C), John Afoa, Kurtis Haiu, Anthony Boric, Jerome Kaino, Justin Collins, Chris Lowrey, Taniela Moa, Tasesa Lavea, Jo Rokocoko, Benson Stanley, Isaia Toeava, Anthony Tuitavake, Paul Williams
Reserves: Tom McCartney, Tevita Mailau, Charlie Faumuina, Jay Williams, Dean Budd, Onosai’i Auva’a, Peter Saill, Chris Smylie, Grayson Hart, Jimmy Gopperth, Michael Hobbs, Jamie Helleur, Rene Ranger
