Category: General

General rugby news and discussion

The full Rugby Championship schedule for 2014 (SA kick-off times):

Round 1 – August 16
12:05: Australia v New Zealand (ANZ Stadium, Sydney)
17:05: Springboks v Argentina (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

Round 2 – August 23
09:35: New Zealand v Australia (Eden Park, Auckland)
21:40: Argentina v Springboks (Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta)

Round 3 – September 6
09:35: New Zealand v Argentina (MacLean Park, Napier)
12:10: Australia v Springboks (Patersons Stadium, Perth)

Round 4 – September 13
09:35:New Zealand v Springboks (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)
12:05: Australia v Argentina (Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast)

Round 5 – September 27
17:05: Springboks v Australia (DHL Newlands, Cape Town)
TBC: Argentina v New Zealand (Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata)

Round 6 – October 4
17:05: Springboks v New Zealand (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
00:40: Argentina v Australia (Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza)

Heineken Cup

Final: Toulon 23 – 6 Saracens

Super Rugby

Stormers 33 – 0 Cheetahs
Bulls 44 – 23 Brumbies
Force 29 – 19 Lions
Hurricanes 45 – 8 Chiefs
Highlanders 30 – 32 Crusaders
Rebels 19 – 41
Blues 23 – 29 Sharks

South African schools

Fichardtpark 38 – 30 Sand du Plessis
Humansdorp 22 – 17 Daniel Pienaar

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Super Rugby

Reds 29 – 57 Crusaders
Bulls 28 – 12 Stormers
Cheetahs 16 – 23 Force
Brumbies 16 – 9 Sharks
Highlanders 23 – 22 Lions
Rebels 15 – 25 Hurricanes
Chiefs 32 – 20 Blues

South American Championship

Paraguay 31 – 24 Brazil
Uruguay 55 – 13 Chile

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It’s the end of an era and a sad day for independent sports reporting. Keo.co.za the original, and for a long time best, rugby discussion blog is no more.

Founder Mark Keohane has finally thrown in the towel and joined his former employees as a staff writer on the SARugbyMag website, owned by Highbury Safika Media.

Only a handful of truly independent rugby websites (Frontrowgrunt, Ruggaworld, Rugby Talk, and of course Ou Grote Rugby) remain.

We know how tough it is out there and salute Keo for surviving this long.

We thank all of you 4,632 registered members and 5,320 Facebook fans of Ou Grote Rugby for your support over the last 7 years as we Rock On!

The Brumbies have granted Jake White’s request to be released from his contract with 2 years left to go.

White lead the team to the 2013 Super15 final and was recently named Australia’s Super Rugby Coach of the Year. He was said to have been highly annoyed at not being appointed head coach of the Wallabies, after the ARU had all but promised him the position.

He is currently in South Africa and was spotted at a Stormers training session at Newlands (photo above). Speculation is that he will either be appointed Sharks Director of Rugby (working for new CEO John Smit), Western Province Director of Rugby or coach of French team Clermont.

Joost was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2010, and given two to five years to live. He is committed to fighting the disease, and determined to enjoy the time he has left. He sat down with Jacquie Beltrao of Sky News for a chat.

You can view the video HERE

Here is a transcript of the interview:

How are you and where are you with this disease?

Well, I’m always well, very positive and trying to fight it.

You’re going out there to raise awareness of this disease?

Ja, we’re going worldwide. An MND person tends to go into hiding. There’s no reason for it. You are still alive. Live your life and have fun.

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