Super Rugby News
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@stargazer said in Scotland v Australia:
Sekope Kepu suspended for 3 weeks
Wallabies prop Sekope Kepu appeared today before an independent World Rugby-appointed Disciplinary Committee following the red card he received after 39 minutes of the Autumn International match between Scotland and Australia on Saturday, 25 November 2017 for an infringement of law 10.4(h) ('a player must not charge into a ruck or maul. Charging includes any contact made without use of the arms, or without grasping a player'). Mr Kepu accepted that he had committed an act of foul play and that it had warranted a red card. The Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Jean-Noel Couraud (France), along with former international players, Becky Essex (England) and De Wet Barry (South Africa), considered all of the available evidence and heard submissions from Mr Kepu and his representatives. The Disciplinary Committee considered the relevant incident to have been a dangerous shoulder charge into a ruck in which contact was made with an opponent's head. In considering sanction, the Disciplinary Committee assessed the seriousness of Mr Kepu's conduct and concluded that it had been in the mid-range of World Rugby's scale of seriousness for that type of offending, which has an entry point sanction of a six-week suspension. The Disciplinary Committee considered that there were no aggravating factors and that there were several mitigating factors, including Mr Kepu's 'guilty' plea and his previous clean disciplinary record. The Disciplinary Committee allowed the maximum discount of 50% and reduced the length of the suspension to three weeks. Taking account of Mr Kepu's playing schedule (and in particular that the Southern Hemisphere close season is about to start), the Disciplinary Committee suspended Mr Kepu until midnight on Sunday, 4 March 2018. He was reminded of his right of appeal.This means that Kepu will miss the first two games of the Super Rugby season.
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Designated captain Dane Coles is set to miss the bulk - or all - of the upcoming Super Rugby season, after rupturing an Anterior Cruciate Ligament while playing for New Zealand against France. He's due for surgery in the next week and best-case scenario is that he'll return to the Hurricanes' helm in late June; worst is he's done for the next nine months, says head coach Chris Boyd.
Then there's those who are rehabilitating after surgery. Ben May (knee) should be fit after Christmas, while Blade Thomson (shoulder) and Michael Fatialofa (knee) are due to play the February 2 preseason game against the Crusaders in Greymouth. Matt Proctor (shoulder) should be right when the campaign-proper starts in Pretoria on February 25. Jordie Barrett (week three), Isaiah Walker-Leawere (mid-season) and Nehe Milner-Skudder (after mid-season) are others making useful progress from their shoulder surgeries.
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According to this article, there will be a preseason game between the Canes and the Blues in Auckland on Thursday, 15 February. Have the Blues announced this yet? Where and what time?
There won't be any Canes preseason games in the provinces this year. The only other preseason game is the one already posted earlier against the Crusaders in Greymouth on Friday, 2 February, and - of course - the Brisbane Tens.
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@stargazer did he play last year, did any of thier front line forwards play last year?
THat all needs to be considered...if he was set to play, by all means it should count
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@taniwharugby This was the Waratahs squad for the 2017 Brisbane Tens:
Israel Folau
Tolu Latu
Tom Robertson
Taqele Naiyaravoro
Paddy Ryan
Hugh Roach
Damien Fitzpatrick
Ned Hanigan
Ryan Mccauley
Michael Wells
Rory O'connor
Patrick Mccutcheon
Brad Wilkin
Jamason Schultz
Matt Lucas
Jake Gordon
Mack Mason
Bryce Hegarty
David Horwitz
Andrew Deegan
Con Foley
Andrew Kellaway
Cam Clark
Harry Jones
Reece Robinson
Lote TuqiriLooks like they indeed had several forwards, including a few first choice players, in their squad.
Edit: I think under Sanzaar rules, preseason games don't count for suspensions. Not sure about the Brisbane Tens. Complicating factor is that the suspension doesn't come from Sanzaar but from World Rugby.
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The Sunwolves squad has been announced.
2017 Highlanders Craig Millar and Hayden Parker, who were overlooked this year, have found a new team. As announced earlier, Michael Leitch is in the squad. Robbie Robinson will be back in SR, too! Apparently, more players will be added to the current 26 players.
Edit: the Sunwolves slogan is "Top 5 in 2018"
https://sunwolves.or.jp/en/information/article/4502/
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@kiwimurph said in Super Rugby News:
@stargazer haha top 5 in the Aussie Conference perhaps?
If I'm not mistaken its a play on words, as the number 5 is pronounced GO in Japanese.
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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!
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@hooroo said in Super Rugby News:
PLEASE NO PLEASE NO PLEASE NO PLEASE NO PLEASE NO!!!!
Fixed.
@stargazer said in Super Rugby News:
I don't think it's a bad idea. Surely, Cooper should be much better than Kirkpatrick?
The Reds ditched Quade in favour a player even more raw than Perofeta and the Wallabies (who could desperately use a backup 10) are basically deciding to play without a specialist backup 10 than have Quade in the squad.
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@kiwimurph well given people think the NZR do whatever SBW wants, maybe he will just tell them he wants his mate Kqwayde alongside him?
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Clear clickbait
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This article sums things up nicely.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11955282
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Not sure whether it's interesting news that 2Degrees will be the exclusive telecommunications partner for all five New Zealand Super Rugby teams, but this caught my eye:
The 2degrees logo is set to take pride of place on a new brand property - the sides of jerseys, from the Blues in the North to the Highlanders in the South.
More brand names on the jerseys ...
It’s a tight five for 2degrees | 2degrees
2degrees will be the exclusive telecommunications partner for all five New Zealand teams competing in the Investec Super Rugby competition from February 2018. 2degrees CEO Stewart Sherriff says the sponsorship is a positive reflection of the company’s national capability. “This is a significant...
