https://www.scmp.com/rss/316278/feed The 2014 Super Rugby tournament was the 19th season of the international southern hemisphere club competition featuring professional teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The first round was played on 15 February 2014, and Australia’s NSW Waratahs emerged champions after beating New Zealand’s Canterbury Crusaders 33-32 in a gripping final on 2 August. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Conservationists have criticised players from New Zealand’s Canterbury Crusaders Super 15 team for killing wildlife, including a zebra, while touring in South Africa, then posing in photographs with the carcasses. South African conservation group The Landmark Foundation posted pictures on Facebook showing five Crusaders players with the animals, alongside the caption: “Here are the Crusaders rugby players killing wildlife for laughs on a recent visit to South Africa.” The players include All... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1569000/crusaders-south-african-animal-hunting-trip-draws-flak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1569000/crusaders-south-african-animal-hunting-trip-draws-flak?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:30:00 +0000 The Canterbury Crusaders deserve some credit for keeping their quest for an eighth Super Rugby title alive until the final minute of the season, according to coach Todd Blackadder. The New Zealanders led the New South Wales Waratahs by two points with the end of the match in sight at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday before Bernard Foley's long-range penalty snatched a 33-32 victory and a first title for the home side. Blackadder captained the Crusaders to the first three of their seven Super... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1565628/coach-todd-blackadder-hails-crusaders-fighting-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1565628/coach-todd-blackadder-hails-crusaders-fighting-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:15:45 +0000 Wallabies fans will be hoping that Australia's superlative Super Rugby season, capped by a maiden title for the New South Wales Waratahs, will be a springboard to further success in the test arena this year. And for Australians, international success outside the World Cup is measured in only one way - victories over New Zealand and the return of the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 2002. It is a tempting leap of logic. A Waratahs side packed with Wallabies pip an All Blacks-laden... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1565631/australia-hope-waratahs-super-final-triumph-translates-test-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1565631/australia-hope-waratahs-super-final-triumph-translates-test-success?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2014 07:30:30 +0000 Please click here to see more photos from Super Saturday in Sydney. Bernard Foley kicked a long-range penalty goal in the last minute to clinch the New South Wales Waratahs’ first Super Rugby title against the Canterbury Crusaders in Sydney on Saturday. Fly-half Foley landed the pressure 45-metre penalty to deliver the Waratahs a fighting 33-32 win over the seven-time champions Crusaders and end a 19-year wait for a southern hemisphere provincial title. The Waratahs lost both their previous... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1565210/last-gasp-triumph-waratahs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1565210/last-gasp-triumph-waratahs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2014 15:45:00 +0000 Form collides head-on with pedigree when the New South Wales Waratahs bid for a first Super Rugby title against seven-time champions Canterbury Crusaders in a blockbuster final at Sydney's ANZ Stadium on Saturday. The often rampant Waratahs ran away with the regular season standings this year, having swept the board in all the offensive categories - carries, tries, metres, passes, breaks, offloads and most importantly, points. They’ve earned the right to be called number one, but this is what... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1564425/form-versus-pedigree-blockbuster-super-15-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1564425/form-versus-pedigree-blockbuster-super-15-final?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:45:45 +0000 The New South Wales Waratahs are praying for a change of luck while the Canterbury Crusaders cannot believe their good fortune heading into Saturday's Super Rugby final. It has been 10 years since the Waratahs last beat Super Rugby's glamour side and in their attempt to arrest that long run of losses they have opted not to play at their favourite home ground. The decision to shift the final from Allianz Stadium, where the Waratahs are unbeaten this year, to the bigger ANZ Stadium has been seized... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1563642/change-venue-super-15-final-delights-canterbury-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1563642/change-venue-super-15-final-delights-canterbury-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:45:30 +0000 Nemani Nadolo's thick Australian accent is just one tell-tale sign the New South Wales Waratahs' decision to let the rampaging winger slip through their fingers could come back to haunt them on Saturday. The Fiji international crossed the Tasman Sea with his Canterbury Crusaders side on Wednesday intent on clinching their eighth Super Rugby title in the final against the Waratahs, who cut him loose after a solitary season in 2009. "When you are unwanted and have got to go elsewhere and find... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1562897/its-payback-time-nemani-nadolo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1562897/its-payback-time-nemani-nadolo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Jul 2014 14:00:45 +0000 New South Wales Waratahs will play the Canterbury Crusaders in the Super Rugby final after an epic 26-8 win over the ACT Brumbies in Sydney on Saturday. The Waratahs, who finished the regular season seven points clear at the top, needed an immense defensive effort to hold out the Brumbies in a torrid Australian derby before clinching victory with a brilliant team try in the final minutes. The Waratahs will now take on the seven-time champion Crusaders in Sydney in next weekend’s final after the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1560047/waratahs-set-super-15-showdown-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1560047/waratahs-set-super-15-showdown-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Jul 2014 15:15:30 +0000 The ACT Brumbies have abandoned his conservative game plan but Jake White's Sharks side won't when they face the Canterbury Crusaders in their Super Rugby semi-final on Saturday. The 2007 World Cup-winning coach left the Brumbies last year after guiding them to the Super Rugby final and the Canberra-based side initially adopted White's territory-first game plan only to throw it out last weekend at the start of the play-offs. Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher said in Sydney his side would not abandon... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1559247/sharks-stay-safe-semi-final-clash-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1559247/sharks-stay-safe-semi-final-clash-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2014 14:15:00 +0000 Canterbury Crusaders flanker Richie McCaw has recovered from injury and will start this weekend's Super Rugby semi-final against South Africa's Sharks in Christchurch. The All Blacks captain missed the end of the regular season after breaking a rib playing against England in June and returns to reinforce the seven-time champions as they bid to reach an 11th final. With Matt Todd in such fine form in McCaw's usual position of openside flanker, the 33-year-old will play on the other side of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1558350/fit-again-mccaw-ready-tough-sharks-encounter-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1558350/fit-again-mccaw-ready-tough-sharks-encounter-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2014 14:45:30 +0000 Cold southwesterly winds are bringing snow to Christchurch but stalwarts Richie McCaw and Dan Carter are jumping around like spring lambs as the Canterbury Crusaders prepare for their Super Rugby semi-final against the Coastal Sharks. McCaw, according to local media, was the first out of the changing sheds at training earlier this week, barrelling along at full tilt while the rest of his teammates sauntered onto the field. The 33-year-old All Blacks captain's eagerness to drive his side to an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1557283/veterans-lead-charge-crusaders-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1557283/veterans-lead-charge-crusaders-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2014 14:15:45 +0000 Australia's ACT Brumbies ended the Waikato Chiefs' two-year domination of Super Rugby with an epic 32-30 play-off win in Canberra on Saturday. The two-time winners shot out of the blocks to lead 22-3 after 28 minutes only for the Chiefs to storm back and level the scores at 25-25 with under 30 minutes left. But the Brumbies hung on with a push-over try to flanker Jarrad Butler on the hour. We knew it was going to have to be a full 80-minute performance, you just cannot knock a side like that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1556704/act-brumbies-dig-deep-ending-chiefs-two-year-super-rugby-reign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1556704/act-brumbies-dig-deep-ending-chiefs-two-year-super-rugby-reign?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2014 18:00:15 +0000 The ACT Brumbies have little to fear from the prospect of another arduous journey to the Super Rugby final, having racked up thousands of miles reaching the title decider a year ago, according to winger Joe Tomane. The Brumbies start the post-season with a replay of last year's final against the reigning champion Chiefs at their home Canberra Stadium in the first round of the play-offs on Saturday. If successful, the most likely scenario is two more away matches to clinch a third title in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1555633/brumbies-will-go-moon-super-15-glory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1555633/brumbies-will-go-moon-super-15-glory?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2014 13:45:15 +0000 The Coastal Sharks will host the Otago Highlanders and the ACT Brumbies will have home advantage against defending champions Waikato Chiefs in this weekend’s opening round of the Super Rugby play-offs. The New South Wales Waratahs, chasing their first southern hemisphere provincial title, finished top of the final standings with seven points to spare over the Canterbury Crusaders. The Waratahs and the seven-time champion Crusaders will have the weekend off and host the play-off winners in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1554139/sharks-play-highlanders-brumbies-face-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1554139/sharks-play-highlanders-brumbies-face-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2014 11:00:30 +0000 Super Rugby finals Qualifiers – Saturday, 19 July Stage Time Home Score Away Venue A-QF 17:40 Brumbies 32-30 Chiefs Canberra B-QF 23:05 Sharks 31-27 Highlanders Durban Semi-finals – Saturday, 26... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1553081/super-rugby-standings-2014?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1553081/super-rugby-standings-2014?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2014 18:15:00 +0000 The Wallabies' emphatic 3-0 series win over France last month might convey the impression all is rosy in rugby Down Under, but the game's power brokers fear a quickening player drain could bring the code to its knees. While some jostle for positions in Ewen McKenzie's squad a year out from the World Cup in England, other "players of national interest" are rushing to the exits, boarding flights to Europe and Japan to boost their salaries and see an exotic part of the world long denied by the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1553012/player-drain-threat-aussie-competitiveness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1553012/player-drain-threat-aussie-competitiveness?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2014 17:15:15 +0000 Flanker Matt Todd scored two tries and Dan Carter kicked 12 points as the Crusaders beat the Highlanders 34-8 to win the New Zealand conference on Saturday and likely seal a home semi-final in the Super Rugby play-offs. Carter, playing out of position at inside centre, landed four penalties and a conversion as the Crusaders posted their 11th win of the season to establish themselves as the best team in a strong New Zealand pool. They could only be denied a home semi-final if the Durban-based... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1552991/crusaders-build-momentum-super-15-semis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1552991/crusaders-build-momentum-super-15-semis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2014 16:45:30 +0000 Defending champions Waikato Chiefs scraped into the Super Rugby finals with a tightly fought 11-8 victory over the Auckland Blues at Eden Park on Friday. The Chiefs needed a win in the final match of the regular season to make the top six and keep alive their dream of securing three Super 15 titles in a row. In Canberra, meanwhile, Matt Toomua scored a hat-trick of tries as the ACT Brumbies powered into the play-offs with a barnstorming 47-25 win over the Western Force. There was a bit of fear... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1552291/chiefs-scrape-super-15-play-offs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1552291/chiefs-scrape-super-15-play-offs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2014 15:30:45 +0000 World Cup-winning All Blacks scrum-half Piri Weepu signed for English Premiership side London Welsh on Friday in a move destined to end his international career. Capped 71 times by New Zealand in an international career spanning 2004-2013, the 30-year-old is moving to England from Super Rugby side the Auckland Blues. Weepu scored 103 points in his All Blacks career and played a leading role in New Zealand’s 2011 World Cup success, particularly in their knockout victories over Australia and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1551864/all-blacks-star-scrum-half-piri-weepu-signs-london-welsh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1551864/all-blacks-star-scrum-half-piri-weepu-signs-london-welsh?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2014 06:00:00 +0000 New South Wales Waratahs coach Michael Cheika said he would not risk star Wallaby fullback Israel Folau in their final regulation round Super Rugby match with Queensland this weekend. Leading try scorer Folau will miss the Australian derby in Brisbane on Saturday due to a bruised thigh, with the Waratahs already assured of finishing top of the Super 15 standings and hosting a home semi-final. "In another situation, maybe it would have been [worth the risk]," Cheika said. I know there’s a lot... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1551221/israel-folau-kept-cotton-wool-semi-finals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1551221/israel-folau-kept-cotton-wool-semi-finals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2014 12:30:45 +0000 New South Wales Waratahs looked every inch champions-elect as they locked up top spot in the Super Rugby standings on Sunday, but the play-off picture beneath them was not much clearer after the penultimate week of the regular season. Fullback Israel Folau's 12th try of the campaign helped the Waratahs to a dominant 44-16 victory over the Otago Highlanders that gave them an unassailable 53 points and guaranteed them home advantage for the semi-finals, and potentially the final. The Waratahs and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1548137/waratahs-top-play-picture-still-fuzzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1548137/waratahs-top-play-picture-still-fuzzy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2014 14:30:15 +0000 The Canterbury Crusaders secured their 13th consecutive Super Rugby play-offs berth when a dash of Nemani Nadolo brilliance sealed a 21-13 victory over the Auckland Blues at AMI Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday. In a bruising clash between two All Blacks-laden sides, the result was in the balance until the Crusaders lifted the pace of the game several notches for Fijian international Nadolo to score his second try seven minutes from time. With Dan Carter's conversion, it lifted the Crusaders... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1547583/fijian-flier-helps-seal-victory-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1547583/fijian-flier-helps-seal-victory-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2014 14:15:00 +0000 Aaron Cruden kicked 14 points and won a contest with fellow All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett as the Chiefs beat the Hurricanes 24-16 on Friday to keep alive their defence of the Super Rugby title. Cruden also helped to create a second-half try for lock Brodie Retallick, which clinched victory for the Chiefs, who needed to beat the Hurricanes and must beat the Blues in their last regular-season match next weekend to have any chance of reaching the top-six play-offs. The Chiefs, champions in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1546750/cruden-keeps-chiefs-title-defence-alive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1546750/cruden-keeps-chiefs-title-defence-alive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2014 13:30:00 +0000 The New South Wales Waratahs will need to keep "level heads" and reduce the influence of All Blacks fullback Ben Smith if they are to prevail over the Otago Highlanders in their crunch Super Rugby match on Sunday, according to Israel Folau. The Sydney-based Waratahs grabbed top spot and booked their place in the play-offs with victory over the ACT Brumbies over the weekend, but need to beat the New Zealanders in the penultimate round of the regular season to keep on track to grab an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1543760/waratahs-must-keep-tabs-ben-smith-have-chance-israel-folau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1543760/waratahs-must-keep-tabs-ben-smith-have-chance-israel-folau?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +0000 Two tries from Blade Thompson carried the Hurricanes to an upset 16-9 victory in a crucial Super Rugby derby clash in Wellington on Saturday. The unheralded lock scored the only tries in the cliffhanger match, with the Hurricanes' second win of the season over the Crusaders keeping alive their hopes of making the play-offs. The Crusaders continue to lead the New Zealand conference, equal with the Otago Highlanders on 42 points but with a shade better differential, while the Hurricanes are one... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1542695/blade-thompson-scores-two-tries-lift-hurricanes-against-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1542695/blade-thompson-scores-two-tries-lift-hurricanes-against-crusaders?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2014 18:15:30 +0000 The Chiefs' two-year reign as Super Rugby champions was likely finished on Friday after they were beaten 29-25 by the Highlanders, who stayed on track for their first play-off place in 12 years. All Blacks fullback Ben Smith finished a brilliant counter-attacking try in the 49th minute to give the Highlanders a decisive lead after they trailed 13-10 at half-time. Fly-half Lima Sopoaga added 16 points – six goals from six attempts – to reach 150 points for the season, a record for the Dunedin... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1541966/highlanders-dash-chiefs-play-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1541966/highlanders-dash-chiefs-play-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2014 12:30:45 +0000 The Coastal Sharks face being toppled as Super Rugby leaders this weekend with the New South Wales Waratahs and Canterbury Crusaders both having a golden opportunity to overtake them. While all South African teams have a bye as the Springboks play Scotland, it opens the way for a change at the top in the tightly packed competition where only five points separate the leading four teams. The Australia and New Zealand conferences resume after their June test window with the second-placed Waratahs,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1541163/strong-rivals-poised-topple-sharks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1541163/strong-rivals-poised-topple-sharks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:30:15 +0000 New Zealand captain Richie McCaw played with a broken rib for part of the series against England to help the All Blacks sweep the tourists 3-0, coach Steve Hansen said on Wednesday. Hansen confirmed that the 33-year-old flanker would be out for at least three weeks in a blow for the Canterbury Crusaders' hopes of winning a record eighth Super Rugby title. "Unfortunately, he got a broken rib, which he did possibly in the second test, definitely early in the first one, anyway," Hansen told New... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1539805/broken-rib-no-problem-skipper-m-ccaw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1539805/broken-rib-no-problem-skipper-m-ccaw?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +0000 Rising lock Will Skelton will make his Australia debut against France in the third and final test in Sydney in one of two changes to the side who sealed the series 2-0 in Melbourne. The New Zealand-born 22-year-old, cousin of former All Black lock Brad Mika, replaces former Australia captain James Horwill for the dead rubber in front of home fans at Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday. Highly skilled and a powerful runner, Skelton remains an unfinished product but has excited Sydney crowds in a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1535115/rising-lock-will-skelton-make-debut-wallabies-against-france?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1535115/rising-lock-will-skelton-make-debut-wallabies-against-france?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2014 16:15:15 +0000 A late surge by the NSW Waratahs, sparked by a captain's try from Dave Dennis, carried them to a 33-17 victory over the defending champions Waikato Chiefs in their Super Rugby clash on Saturday. The result kept the Waratahs at the top of the Australian conference, while the Chiefs' hopes of defending their crown a third time were in tatters as they suffered their fifth loss and slipped well outside the crucial top six. After trailing for much of the game, the Chiefs seized a 17-16 lead with two... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1522858/waratahs-stay-top-australian-division-after-win-over-waikato-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1522858/waratahs-stay-top-australian-division-after-win-over-waikato-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 May 2014 17:30:30 +0000 The Coastal Sharks will look to tighten their grip as Super Rugby pacesetters in this weekend's South African derby against the Western Stormers. Jake White's Durban-based team head into their final three games leading by five points and on a high after their successful Australasian tour as they chase their first Super Rugby title. The Sharks won three of their four tour games, including a first-ever win over seven-time champions the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch, and are aiming to finish... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1521292/sharks-seek-reinforce-benefits-aussie-raid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1521292/sharks-seek-reinforce-benefits-aussie-raid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 May 2014 16:00:15 +0000 The counter-attacking skills of the Hurricanes knocked defending champions the Waikato Chiefs out of the Super 15 top six with a stunning 45-8 victory in Wellington on Saturday. The long-range specialists ran in six tries for a bonus-point win that propelled them to fourth place on the tightly packed leaderboard, where only four points separate the second-placed NSW Waratahs and the now seventh Chiefs. The Hurricanes, bouncing back from a loss to the Otago Highlanders last week, have now won six... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1519349/waikato-chiefs-blown-away-hurricanes-counter-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1519349/waikato-chiefs-blown-away-hurricanes-counter-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 May 2014 13:30:45 +0000 Israel Folau equalled the franchise record with his 10th try of the season as the New South Wales Waratahs beat the Melbourne Rebels 41-19 in Super Rugby on Friday to top the Australian conference. Table leaders South Africa’s Sharks strode closer to a home semi-final with a 29-23 win over the Blues, simultaneously eliminating the Auckland-based side from play-offs contention. In the Melbourne match, Folau touched down for the first time in three matches to equal Peter Hewat’s season record for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1519207/israel-folau-notches-10th-try-season-propel-waratahs-over-rebels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1519207/israel-folau-notches-10th-try-season-propel-waratahs-over-rebels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2014 15:30:00 +0000 The Coastal Sharks, on a high after a historic win over the Canterbury Crusaders, are looking to cash in on their dominant Super Rugby record over the Auckland Blues on Friday. The South African pacesetters beat the seven-time champion Crusaders for the first time in Christchurch in 18 years last weekend and face the Blues in the final match of what has been a successful Australasian tour. Jake White's Sharks lead the ACT Brumbies and back-to-back champions Waikato Chiefs by five points and want... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1518053/sharks-chase-perfect-10-against-blues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1518053/sharks-chase-perfect-10-against-blues?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2014 15:15:45 +0000 Australia playmaker Quade Cooper will be out of action for four months after scans on Monday revealed he needs surgery on his injured left shoulder. Fly-half Cooper, 26, fell awkwardly while playing for the Queensland Reds against the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday. He will have the operation on Tuesday and then use the 16-week recovery period to have arthroscopic surgery to clean up loose cartilage in his hip, the Reds said. If there is a silver lining to this, it is that it will allow him time... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1515940/injured-quade-cooper-ruled-out-four-months-say-queensland-reds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1515940/injured-quade-cooper-ruled-out-four-months-say-queensland-reds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 May 2014 16:15:00 +0000 The Melbourne Rebels could lose as much as A$3 million (HK$21.6 million) this season as they battle to maintain a foothold in Australia's crowded sports market. The Rebels have been propped up financially by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) since private investors withdrew support last year and face stiff competition for fans' hearts and wallets in a city dominated by Australian Rules football. "(A$3 million) is a worst-case scenario," Rebels chief executive Rob Clarke said in comments published... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1463229/melbourne-rebels-deep-red-reality-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1463229/melbourne-rebels-deep-red-reality-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Apr 2014 15:45:30 +0000 Super Rugby plays its eighth round on the weekend with four teams trying to change a dominant trend this season: no South African team has won in New Zealand or Australia, and no team from the Antipodes has won in South Africa. The Johannesburg-based Bulls travel to play the Hurricanes in Wellington, while the New Zealand-based Chiefs and Crusaders and the Sydney-based Waratahs are chasing wins in South Africa. Here are five things to know about the round: MATFIELD’S ROLE MORE OFF-FIELD THAN... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1463660/super-rugby-five-things-look-out-weekend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1463660/super-rugby-five-things-look-out-weekend?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Apr 2014 02:45:45 +0000 Two-time Super Rugby defending champions Chiefs scored three tries in the last 10 minutes and kicked a touchline conversion after the hooter for a thrilling 34-34 draw against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday, while the Reds returned home to Brisbane and gave their fans a 22-17 win against Western Stormers. The Chiefs scored five tries and led 12-3 early before surrendering control of the game and trailing the Bulls 31-15. Replacement Gareth Anscombe rounded off a brilliant 70-metre score for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1460639/stunning-fightback-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1460639/stunning-fightback-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Mar 2014 16:30:30 +0000 Here are five things you should know about round seven of Super Rugby this weekend. Read all about it Crusaders captain Kieran Read will play his 100th Super Rugby match on Friday when the Christchurch-based team meet the Hurricanes, joining a fast-growing group of players who have achieved the milestone this season. The All Blacks backrower was both New Zealand’s and the International Rugby Board’s Player of the Year last season, but remains modest and team-orientated. “This is my team,” Read... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1458827/five-things-know-about-super-rugby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1458827/five-things-know-about-super-rugby?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:00:00 +0000 All Blacks scrum-half Piri Weepu has suffered a minor stroke which went undetected for almost a month as he was treated for severe headaches. Steven Kara, a doctor for Weepu’s Blues Super Rugby team, said a scan on Monday had revealed the 30-year-old player likely suffered the stroke earlier this month. Kara said the condition was unlikely to be rugby related. Weepu had complained of migraine-like symptoms since March 1 but the cause of his illness was not immediately discovered. Kara said it... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1458335/all-black-weepu-suffered-undetected-stroke?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1458335/all-black-weepu-suffered-undetected-stroke?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Mar 2014 03:15:30 +0000 New South Wales Waratahs fullback Israel Folau will be unable to add to his remarkable season tally of eight tries this weekend after being ruled out of the Super Rugby clash against the Sharks with a bruised throat. After eight tries in his first four matches, it looked like only injury could prevent Folau from breaking the single-season Super Rugby record of 15, which is jointly held by Joe Roff (1997) and Rico Gear (2005). Folau sustained the injury in the victory over the Melbourne Rebels at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1457090/relief-sharks-sore-throat-rules-out-folau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1457090/relief-sharks-sore-throat-rules-out-folau?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2014 13:00:00 +0000 Leaders Coastal Sharks and defending champions Waikato Chiefs crashed to their first defeats of the Super 15 season as the title race tightened up in all three conferences at the weekend. The Sharks fell 23-19 to the Northern Bulls in a South African derby in Pretoria, ending their run of four wins. The Durban-based outfit’s overall lead was cut to just two points from Australia’s ACT Brumbies after the Chiefs were upset 18-15 by the rejuvenated Western Force in Perth. It was the two-time... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1455060/brumbies-grind-out-win-over-stormers-chiefs-suffer-shock-loss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1455060/brumbies-grind-out-win-over-stormers-chiefs-suffer-shock-loss?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Mar 2014 15:15:30 +0000 The Coastal Sharks put their unbeaten Super 15 run on the line in this weekend's South African derby with the Northern Bulls, as defending champions Waikato Chiefs trek to in-form Western Force. The Sharks, under former World Cup-winning coach Jake White, have opened their season with four wins, but face a test against the Bulls in Pretoria, where they last won three years ago. The Durban-based Sharks are comfortable eight-point leaders of the South African conference, but Saturday's encounter... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1453415/title-credentials-line-sharks-face-bulls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1453415/title-credentials-line-sharks-face-bulls?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2014 14:45:00 +0000 The Hurricanes celebrated captain Conrad Smith's 100th Super Rugby game in style, posting their first win of the season with an overwhelming 60-27 victory over the Central Cheetahs in Wellington yesterday. In a frantic opening, the Hurricanes had their four-try bonus point by half-time when they led 29-20 before piling on a further five tries in the second spell. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak dating back to May last year and lifted the Hurricanes off the bottom of this year's... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1449568/hurricanes-snap-eight-game-losing-streak-style-super-rugby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1449568/hurricanes-snap-eight-game-losing-streak-style-super-rugby?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Mar 2014 15:30:30 +0000 Reigning Super Rugby champions the Waikato Chiefs demolished the Western Stormers 36-20 on Friday to maintain an unbeaten record and show they will not relinquish their title easily. The New Zealanders ran in five tries to two for a bonus-point win in which they ran the Stormers’ vaunted defence ragged. The score would have been even more lopsided but Stormers skipper Jean de Villiers ran down Gareth Anscombe late in the match to stop a certain try. De Villiers was in no mood to celebrate... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1449022/chiefs-run-riot-against-stormers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1449022/chiefs-run-riot-against-stormers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2014 17:00:15 +0000 The pressure on Canterbury Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder was lifted just a little with Tom Taylor's last-gasp penalty handing his side their first victory of the Super Rugby season, but it is a different story for former teammate Mark Hammett. Both Hammett and Blackadder are widely considered by fans, the media and pundits in rugby-mad New Zealand to be the two coaches most likely to be looking for work should they not produce results this season. The seven-time champion Crusaders scraped to a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1444567/nz-coaches-already-face-must-win-games-super-15?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1444567/nz-coaches-already-face-must-win-games-super-15?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2014 14:45:30 +0000 The Western Force produced the best 30 minutes of their Super Rugby history to stun the Melbourne Rebels in their clash in Perth on Saturday. The Force scored the first 32 points of the match to blow the Rebels away and went on to open their account for 2014 with an upset 32-7 win. The home team went within seconds of holding their opponents scoreless for the first time, only for the Rebels to score their lone try as the final hooter sounded. They caught us napping in the first half. We did... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1443884/western-force-pounce-napping-rebels-perth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1443884/western-force-pounce-napping-rebels-perth?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2014 17:00:45 +0000 Where opposing players, judicial officers and brick walls have all failed, the responsibilities of leadership have succeeded in making Wallabies enforcer Scott Higginbotham take a backwards step in the heat of battle. After impressing as stand-in skipper for his provincial side last year, the back-row battering ram is relishing the captaincy full-time at Super Rugby's Melbourne Rebels, and may be set for higher office if he continues to impress Australia coach Ewen McKenzie. The only casualty of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1443719/rebels-leadership-role-could-be-making-scott-higginbotham?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1443719/rebels-leadership-role-could-be-making-scott-higginbotham?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2014 14:45:30 +0000 Jake White's Coastal Sharks will look to regain the outright Super 15 series lead this weekend and impose their daunting home record on the Golden Lions. The New South Wales Waratahs and defending champions Waikato Chiefs have the weekend off with byes, so the Sharks can return to the top with victory over the Johannesburg-based Lions. The Sharks have not lost to the Lions in Durban since 2000, and the four-time Super Rugby runners-up are looking to go one better under the 2007 World Cup-winning... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1442002/sharks-eye-return-super-15-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1442002/sharks-eye-return-super-15-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2014 12:45:15 +0000 Former Australia captain David Pocock will miss the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in two years, his Super Rugby club the Brumbies announced. The 25-year-old flanker – capped 46 times but who was replaced as national skipper by clubmate Ben Mowen for last November’s northern hemisphere tests – underwent a full reconstruction of his left knee on Wednesday. Pocock, who missed the four-nation Rugby Championship in 2012 because of another knee... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1441629/nightmare-pocock-left-knee-undergoes-second-reconstruction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1441629/nightmare-pocock-left-knee-undergoes-second-reconstruction?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2014 02:19:31 +0000