Heinrich Brussow has been ruled out for six months with a shoulder injury. According to SuperSport.com, Brussow injured himself against Griquas last Saturday, and after assessing his injury, the Cheetahs decided to let him have surgery on the shoulder so he can return as early as possible for next year’s Super Rugby tournament.
Brussow had already missed the Cheetahs’ first four Currie Cup games because of a knee injury.
Shame, poor guy can't catch a break
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Vito hoping to stake a claim on the All Blacks
Victor Vito hoping to use Saturday's Test against Argentina as an opportunity to stake a claim on the All Blacks blindside berth.
Since the departure of Jerome Kaino, Vito, Adam Thomson and Liam Messam have been competing for the black number six jumper and with the Pumas loose trio in blistering form, Vito is eager to show what he is capable of.
"I try to stay quite level-headed really, and if anything it's about being a cold-blooded hunter rather than a hot-headed one who's probably going to do the wrong move but might get a good hit on someone," the Hurricanes loose forward told Fairfax NZ News.
"Liam's set a really good bar with the physicality, along with all the other loosies as well. I really don't want to be the one who's left behind there. If anything, I want to take the yardstick out a bit further."
Cruden in for Carter
Dan Carter has been forced to pull out of Saturday's Test against Argentina after suffering a calf strain.
The ace playmaker was withdrawn from the side just hours after the team was announced on Thursday.
Coach Steve Hansen said Carter had been carrying a tight left calf in training during the week but had hoped to play.
"However, at training this morning it was apparent that he would not be able to play so we have done the sensible thing and withdrawn him from the Test match," Hansen said.
Aaron Cruden will now start in the 10 jersey, with Beauden Barrett, who made his Test debut against Ireland in June, called on to the bench.
It will be the 23-year-old Cruden's 13th Test but just his fifth start as he continues to benefit from injuries.
He was called up during last year's World Cup when Carter was injured and came on against Argentina in the quarter-finals when then fly-half understudy Colin Slade was injured.
Ruan Pienaar believes containing Wallabies captain Will Genia could help
Ruan Pienaar believes containing Wallabies captain Will Genia could help his team prevail in Saturday's clash in Perth.
Pienaar has identified Genia as Australia's dangerman and feels his battle with the Reds number nine is the most difficult assignment that any player in his side will face.
"Will's probably the most important guy in the Australian side so it's a big challenge for me, but I think that's why you play rugby to play against the best guys and hopefully I can do a proper job," Pienaar told AAP.
"Obviously for me he's probably the best nine in world rugby for a couple of seasons now and he's a player who can create something out of nothing.
"I think the whole Australian team will be keen to do well (after back-to-back losses to New Zealand) and we didn't get what we wanted out of those two Argentina games (one loss and a draw) ... so it's going to be an interesting game and a tough game."
Pienaar knows how how important a win is for the Springboks and the Wallabies as both teams are some way off the pace set by the table-topping All Blacks.
"It's a must-win for both teams and for us travelling over here it's a big challenge playing in Perth," he said.
"Both of us are under a bit of pressure and want to perform well and build momentum going forward in this competition."
Sonny Bill Williams revealed he's trying to convince Wallabies Quade Cooper to join him in switching to the NRL
Sonny Bill Williams revealed that he is trying to convince Wallabies Quade Cooper to join him in making a switch to the NRL.
W'hile plying his trade with the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan, he is set to make a return to the NRL in 2013 and he believes Cooper could make a successful move to rugby league.
Cooper was left out of Australia's squad at the beginning of their Rugby Championship opener against New Zealand in Sydney and was criticised for his showing in the Wallabies' 22-0 Bledisloe Cup loss to the All Blacks in Auckland.
"If people are saying he is not wanted in rugby... if they think he is not good enough to be playing for Australia then I would love to lure him across to rugby league for a year," Williams told Australia'sSunday Telegraph newspaper.
"I will try. I would definitely love to play alongside him. I think he would be a success - I have spoken to him about it."
Cooper delivered inconsistent performances at last year's World Cup in New Zealand and he was booed during the global showpiece by Kiwi supporters who accused him of taking cheap shots at All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.
But Williams is convinced he will be a hit if he decides to switch codes.
"I don't have to make a case for him, you just have to click on YouTube to see what he is capable of," he said.
"He is such a great talent that he cops a lot of stick, especially in New Zealand. A lot of people have a go at him, but I think that's because he is their biggest threat," he said.
"It is more of a compliment than anything."
SBW in Japan
Sonny Bill Williams arrived in Japan on Thursday, boosting the profile of the game in the country ahead of its 2019 hosting of the Rugby World Cup.
After being part of the All Blacks line-up that crushed Australia 22-0, will play with 2010 Top League winners, Panasonic Wild Knights.
Coach Norifumi Nakajima said it was exciting to have a player of Williams' calibre on board.
"I'm really happy that Sonny Bill Williams, one of the best centre backs in the world, has joined the Panasonic Wild Knights this season," he said.
"I think his performance will have a great impact not only for the Wild Knights but also the Japanese rugby world.
"I'm sure that he will help us to make further progress. He will be a great help to regain the titles of the Top League and the national championships."
The 27-year-old Rugby World Cup winner, who helped the Chiefs to the Super Rugby title in 2012, bagged a host of national caps for his native New Zealand in his rugby union spell.
However, the All Blacks' policy of only selecting players who ply their trade in New Zealand will likely put an end to his international career, for the time being at least.
Williams is also the reigning New Zealand Boxing Association heavyweight champion.
Michalak enjoying his return to the Top 14
Frederic Michalak is enjoying his return to the Top 14 but admits he and his team-mates still have room for improvement.
After returning to France from South Africa, where he was playing for the Sharks in a second spell, after a persuasive selling job by Toulon's president Mourad Boudjellal last December.
Michalak, who first played for the Sharks in 2008 and won the Currie Cup before agreeing to return there last year, played his first Top 14 game in more than a year last Saturday.
Having left Toulouse towards the end of the 2010-11 season, his return home came for Toulon in a 29-15 win over Mont-de-Marsan that made it three wins from three games for his new side.
The 29-year-old, whose list of honours includes three Heineken Cups during his 10 years at Toulouse, said he was delighted to have restarted his career in France with a victory, but added that there was much work to be done.
"The match was not exceptional from a team point of view," said Michalak, who has been capped 56 times and has been reunited with former France coach Bernard Laporte, who selected him for both the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.
"However, we will put that right," he added.
"Each week we will try and improve.
"We are joint top of the table so that is good, especially for our confidence."
Michalak identified where they needed to improve.
"We are still losing a lot of possession, we are lacking in our attacking game but it is only the beginning of the season and we are conscious that we should do better," he revealed.
"We are already better individually so I am sure that as a team we can get better as well."
Michalak, who is enjoying playing and training alongside former England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, hadn't given returning to France much thought until Boudjellal started courting him.
"I was in South Africa and not many people were thinking of me at the time back here," he said.
"Mourad Boudjellal spoke to me about the club, the supporters, his love of the shirt, the history of the club which I didn't really know a lot about.
"And it is that which I really liked. And then it is also a club that has signed over the last five years players I really wanted to play with.
"At the moment I am very well here, there is a really good atmosphere."
Michalak, who reached the Super Rugby final with the Sharks, where they were outclassed 37-6 by the Chiefs, is happy to be back under Laporte's tutelage.
"It is going well," he said.
"For the moment he is giving me time to fit into the team and to learn the different combinations.
"I am all ears for what he asks of me. If Guy Noves (Toulouse coach) and he have a different vision of rugby, at the same time they are both leaders, and they both have the capacity to rally the players round at difficult times."
Debate has raged round Michalak throughout his career whether he was best at scrum-half or fly-half and it was not a question he is willing to resolve.
"It is a question that has been put to me since the age of 18," he said.
"And the answer is the same, I will not reply as it serves no purpose."
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