The 2013 Rugby Championship will kick off on Saturday.The four top rugby unions of the Southern Hemisphere will be in action.
First game up is the Bledisloe Cup match between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney. It will be former Reds, Waratahs and Stade Français coach Ewen MacKenzie’s first game in charge of the Wallabies following the departure of Robbie Deans. The big news seems to be his decision to start with Matt Toomau, the Brumbies flyhalf who’d also had a short spell with Western Province once upon a time. That game kicks of at 12h05 SA time.
At 17h00 it’s the Boks up against Argentina as part of a Madiba double-header international special at Soccer City which includes a soccer match involving Bafana Bafana and Burkina Faso at 13h30. Most people will be expecting South Africa and New Zealand to record comfortable wins, while it won’t come as too much of a surprise if Burkina Faso ruin the party with an upset against the struggling SA national soccer team.
| # | SPRINGBOKS | SCHOOL | PUMAS | WALLABIES | ALL BLACKS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tendai Mtawarira. | Peterhouse,Zim | Juan Figallo | James Slipper | Tony Woodcock. |
| 2 | Adriaan Strauss | Grey College | Eusebio Guinazu | Stephen Moore | Andrew Hore |
| 3 | Jannie du Plessis | Grey College | Matias Diaz | Ben Alexander | Owen Franks |
| 4 | Eben Etzebeth | Tygerberg | Manuel Carizza | Rob Simmons | Luke Romano |
| 5 | Juandré Kruger | Paul Roos | Patricio Albacete | James Horwill (c.) | Samuel Whitelock |
| 6 | Francois Louw | Bishops | Pablo Matera | Hugh McMeniman | Steven Luatua |
| 7 | Willem Alberts | Monnas | Juan Martin Leguizamon | Michael Hooper | Richie McCaw (c.) |
| 8 | Duane Vermeulen | Nelspruit | Leonardo Senatore | Ben Mowen | Kieran Read |
| 9 | Ruan Pienaar | Grey College | Martin Landajo | Will Genia | Aaron Smith |
| 10 | Morné Steyn | Sand du Plessis | Nicolas Sanchez | Matt Toomua | Aaron Cruden |
| 11 | Bryan Habana | KES | Juan Imhoff | James O’Connor | Julian Savea |
| 12 | Jean de Villiers (c.) | Paarl Gim | Felipe Contepomi (c.) | Christian Leali’ifano | Ma’a Nonu |
| 13 | JJ Engelbrecht | Grey High | Marcelo Bosch | Adam Ashley-Cooper | Conrad Smith |
| 14 | Bjorn Basson | Dale | Gonzalo Camacho | Israel Folau | Ben Smith |
| 15 | Willie le Roux | Paul Roos | Juan Martin Hernandez | Jesse Mogg | Israel Dagg |
| 16 | Bismarck du Plessis | Grey College | Agustin Creevy | Saia Fainga’a | Keven Mealamu |
| 17 | Gurthrö Steenkamp | HJS Paarl BH | Nahuel Lobo | Scott Sio | Ben Franks |
| 18 | Coenie Oosthuizen | Grey College | Juan Pablo Orlandi | Sekope Kepu | Charlie Faumuina |
| 19 | Flip van der Merwe | Grey College | Mariano Galarza | Scott Fardy | Brodie Retallick |
| 20 | Siya Kolisi | Grey High | Julio Farias Cabello | Liam Gill | Sam Cane |
| 21 | Fourie du Preez | Affies | Tomas Cubelli | Nic White | Tawera Kerr-Barlow |
| 22 | Pat Lambie | Michaelhouse | Santiago Fernandez | Quade Cooper | Beauden Barrett |
| 23 | Jan Serfontein | Grey College | Horacio Agulla | Tevita Kuridrani | Ryan Crotty |
@phat55: Ruan Pienaar – the words slowest scrumhalf with the biggest mouth ! How good did Du Preez look when he came on ? He seems to just have more time than anybody else and is confident enough to make others look good around him
Seeing the name Beast just remind me about sometime that gives me shivers.
Sisa Sibiya a boy who went to Queensburgh high school and in my eye, a player that ‘would’ go very far in rugby,recently joined in with George Campbell this month of August.
I know that this is about the Rugby Championship.but I just had to spread the word of Sisa Sibiya joining George Campbell.
95kg guy, big ball carrier at the age of 16.
When his given the chance to put on a rugby jersey he like literally plays like a beast.
Rumours say that he was to good for Queensburgh. It was less of a challenge for him sotheysay.
ruan pienaar is too slow and bjorn basson is just plain poor!!!
I cringe when I see him on defence!!!!
against aussie/all black wingers it will only get worse
but because he is a blue bull,HM will keep playing him
@Woltrui: Dit is nie n rekord nie. Sien die foto wat van hulle verskyn op hulle FB- dit was geneem in Nelspruit- 8 spelers plus nog twee in die groter groep, dws 10 uit die 30. Die tweede gedeelte van jou kommentaar is onleesbaar hier by my
ON-GE-LOOFLIK. 7 manne van 1 skool in die groep van 23. Geluk Grey Bloem. Twyfel of enige ander skool in die wereld met so ‘n rekord kan spog
Moet natuurlik byvoeg dat die manne by Affies nie so seer op kwantiteit fokus maar meer op kwaliteit. Om die rede dat die een Affie in die groep gelykstaande aan 7 is van enige ander skool
Lets see if the Boks can topple the Blacks off there pedastal