http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/story/141870.html Battle lines drawn for Super Rugby Finals SANZAR have confirmed the fixture details for the new-look Super Rugby play-offs that kick off next weekend. The Waratahs will kick things off against the Blues at Eden Park on Friday night with the Crusaders hosting the Sharks at Nelson's Trafalgar Park on Saturday due to their opponents having to travel from South Africa. The regular season drew to a dramatic close on Saturday with the Stormers joining the previously qualified Reds in securing a home semi-final and a priceless week off as the Super Rugby Finals Series gets underway. The Waratahs and Sharks finished the regular season tied on 57 points and equal with 10 victories. However, the Waratahs qualified in fifth position due to their superior points differential. Rounding out the cast are the seven-time champions the Crusaders, who claimed the New Zealand Conference title with victory over the Hurricanes, and the Blues who cemented their play-off spot with a win against the Highlanders. The winners of the Super Rugby Qualifiers will advance to the semi-finals, where they will face the Reds or Stormers who will host the games on Saturday, July 2, with the Final taking place the following week. The season finale will be hosted by the qualifier that finished highest in the overall Super Rugby table. Super Rugby Finals Series Super Rugby Qualifiers: Blues (4th) v Waratahs (5th) Friday, June 24, 2011 Eden Park, Auckland New Zealand Kick-off: 7:35pm NZT / 5:35pm AEST Referee: Chris Pollock AR 1: Stuart Dickinson AR 2: Glen Jackson TMO: Vinny Munro Crusaders (3rd) v Sharks (6th) Saturday, June 25, 2011 Trafalgar Park, Nelson NZL Kick-off: 7:35pm NZT / AEST Referee: Bryce Lawrence AR 1: Keith Brown AR 2: Vinny Munro TMO: Garratt Williamson Super Rugby Semi-Finals: Queensland Reds (1st) v Lowest ranked qualifier Saturday, July 2, 2011 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia Kick-off: 7:40pm AEST Stormers (2nd) v Highest ranked qualifier Saturday, July 2, 2011 Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa Kick-off: 5:05pm SAST / 1:05am (Sunday) AEST Super Rugby Final (Saturday, July 9, 2011) Jun 10, 2011 Chiefs 18 - 18 Hurricanes Brumbies 32 - 17 Melbourne Rebels Jun 11, 2011 Crusaders 23 - 16 Blues Waratahs 33 - 7 Highlanders Force 21 - 24 Reds Lions 30 - 30 Sharks Stormers 16 - 19 Bulls Jun 17, 2011 Blues 33 - 16 Highlanders Melbourne Rebels 24 - 27 Force Jun 18, 2011 Chiefs 11 - 19 Reds Crusaders 16 - 9 Hurricanes Waratahs 41 - 7 Brumbies Bulls 23 - 26 Sharks Cheetahs 34 - 44 Stormers 1 Reds Australian Conference Leader 66 2 Stormers South African Conference Leader 63 3 Crusaders New Zealand Conference Leader 61 4 Blues Wildcard 60 5 Waratahs Wildcard 57 6 Sharks Wildcard 57 7 Bulls 54 8 Highlanders 45 9 Hurricanes 41 10 Chiefs 40 11 Cheetahs 40 12 Force 33 13 Brumbies 33 14 Lions 25 15 Rebels 23
Jun 24, 2011 Blues 26 - 13 Waratahs Jun 25, 2011 Crusaders 36 - 8 Sharks July 2011 Sat 2 Semi final: Reds v Blues, Lang Park, Brisbane 19:40 local, 09:40 GMT, 10:40 BST Sat 2 Semi final: Stormers v Crusaders, Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 17:05 local, 15:05 GMT, 16:05 BST Sat 9 Final: TBC v TBC
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/story/142362.html Brits joins Stormers on loan June 27, 2011 Saracens' Schalk Brits will provide back-row cover for the Super Rugby title-chasing Stormers Saracens' Schalk Brits has rejoined the Stormers on loan ahead of their Super Rugby semi-final against the Crusaders at Newlands on Saturday. The Stormers have been granted special dispensation to recruit the all-action hooker on a short-term deal as they bid to combat a growing injury list that includes flanker Pieter Louw, No.8 Duane Vermeulen and Baby Boks forward Siya Kolisi. Louw is recovering from a serious knee injury while Vermeulen was sidelined with a similar injury during the Stormers' victory over the Cheetahs two weeks ago. Kolisi was lined up as a replacement but suffered a concussion and wrist and shoulder injuries in a mugging incident on Friday night. A request for dispensation was subsequently made to tournament organisers SANZAR who have since given the all-clear for Brits' return to the Super Rugby stage as back-row injury cover - two years after he quit the Stormers for England. As a result, Brits is now chasing a notable double having produced a man of the match performance to propel Saracens to a 22-18 victory over Leicester in this season's Aviva Premiership finale. Stormers coach Allister Coetzee is confident Brits can make a seamless switch from hooker to back-row but the versatile 30-year-old is set to start Saturday's sudden-death clash on the bench with Schalk Burger, Francois Louw and Nick Koster favourites to start. "Schalk played occasionally for the Stormers at loose forward, so it shouldn't be a problem," he told Keo.co.za. "He's been in outstanding form for Saracens this season, and while he has fed the lineouts and competed in the scrum, his role has effectively been that of a loose forward. "I wanted someone who could fill Nick Koster's role on the bench, somebody who could make an impact and Schalk obviously fits the bill. He will not, however, be considered a hooking option." Brits, capped three times by South Africa in 2008, failed to earn a place in the Springboks' training squad for the Rugby World Cup with coach Peter de Villiers seemingly happy with his current options as hooker. But Coetzee believes that Brits could still make a late run into the squad. "It's a high-profile game and I'm sure a good performance will force [De Villiers] to have a look," said Coetzee. "He has got that X-factor."
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/story/142796.html?e=headline Nonu re-signs and switches to Blues ESPNscrum Staff June 30, 2011 All Blacks and former Hurricanes midfielder Ma'a Nonu has re-signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) for two more years and also signed with the Blues Super Rugby franchise. The 29-year-old Nonu has signed for the 2012 and 2013 seasons and will also take a playing sabbatical from New Zealand rugby at the end of the year, joining the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan's Top League competition for several months before returning to for next year's Super Rugby competition. Nonu, who found himself surplus to requirements at the Wellington-based Hurricanes after failing to earn a new contract beyond this season, was delighted to ink on a new deal. "I'm happy that I'm continuing my career in New Zealand and would like to thank the Blues for giving me the opportunity to join them," the 56-cap centre said in a statement. "I was flattered and grateful to receive offers to play for other teams as well but the Blues was the best option for me and my family and I'm really looking forward to joining them next year." NZRU CEO Steve Tew welcomed Nonu's decision to stay in New Zealand and hailed his signature as a huge boost for rugby in the region. "Ma'a is an outstanding, world-class player who has been committed to New Zealand rugby for the best part of a decade, and for him to commit further is fantastic news," he said. "We have said that we will look to be flexible when it comes to re-contracting our leading players and we think giving him the chance to play in Japan is another example of that flexibility," Tew said. "With the rugby season finishing earlier than normal this year we were happy to provide Ma'a with a one-off opportunity to have a Japanese rugby experience without overly compromising his commitment to the Blues. Blues coach Pat Lam, whose side face the Reds on Saturday in this year's Super Rugby semi-finals, was delighted to secure Nonu's services. "It's no secret there was a lot of interest in securing Ma'a by teams both locally and around the world. He is a quality player so it's great news for the Blues that he has chosen our team in which to continue his impressive rugby career." Nonu, who racked up 110 Super Rugby matches in nine years with the Hurricanes, joined a growing group of current and recent All Blacks who have recommitted to New Zealand rugby after this year's Rugby World Cup, including captain Richie McCaw and playmaker Daniel Carter, hookers Keven Mealamu, Corey Flynn and Hikawera Elliot. The All Blacks most capped prop Tony Woodcock and fellow props Ben Franks and Wyatt Crockett, locks Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Tom Donnelly and Samuel Whitelock, loose forwards Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read, Daniel Braid, Liam Messam and Victor Vito, and backs Jimmy Cowan, Alby Mathewson, Colin Slade, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Ben Smith, Israel Dagg and Aaron Cruden have also put pen to paper with the NZRU.
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/story/143464.html Reds take Super Rugby title July 9, 2011 Reds 18 - 13 Crusaders Half-time: 6 - 7 Tries: Genia, Ioane Cons: Cooper Pens: Cooper 2 Tries: Carter Cons: Carter Pens: Carter 2 The Reds won their first Super Rugby title of the professional era with a pulsating 18-13 win over the Crusaders at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The Reds now join the Brumbies, who took the title in 2001 and 2004, as Australian winners of the southern hemisphere's premier competition. An outstanding solo try from Will Genia saw the Reds upset the odds. The sides were locked at 13-13 with just 12 minutes to play when the Wallabies scrum-half received the ball 10 yards inside his own half following a turnover. He initially appeared to be boxed in by defenders but quick footwork saw him break free into Crusaders' territory. Genia still had plenty of work to do but a dummy to his outside support as they reached the 22 gave him just enough room and momentum to slide over the line. The Crusaders, the most successful side in the competition's history, launched a series of desperate late attacks, but it was not enough as their Brisbane-based opponents closed out the victory. The Crusaders had led 7-6 at the break thanks to a fantastic converted try by Daniel Carter, Quade Cooper responding with two penalties for the Reds. Carter kicked two penalties of his own after the break but Digby Ioane's spectacular try levelled the scores, before Genia struck the decisive blow. Many had predicted an exciting contest between the tournament's leading scorers and the opening exchanges were played out at a frenetic pace. Ioane could have given the hosts an early try but he failed to gather a well-placed Cooper chip, while the Crusaders launched two bright counter-attacks in a breathless start. The New Zealand side were the quicker of the teams to settle, retaining possession through the phases and putting pressure on the Reds defence, but their gathering momentum was halted by two not-straight line-out throws from hooker Corey Flynn. The normally metronomic Carter missed a penalty chance to give the visitors the lead, and opposite number Cooper punished him by nailing his first effort on the half-hour mark for a 3-0 lead. But All Blacks star Carter hit back by crafting the opening try with a moment of genius. The fly-half had few options when he received the ball going right but his delicate grubber turned the defence and he raced through to re-gather and dot down before adding the extras. Cooper kept the Reds in close company at the break by slotting his second three-pointer two minutes prior to the break. The Crusaders should have extended their lead within seconds of the resumption as Sonny Bill Williams' pass sent centre partner Robbie Fruean clear, but his inside pass was juggled and put down by Sean Maitland with a clear run to the line beckoning. Carter knocked over a penalty to establish a four-point lead at 10-6, but the Reds struck back through Ioane. The powerful winger turned on the gas to outpace Williams on halfway and his left-foot step left full-back Tom Marshall clutching at thin air as he charged over, Cooper kicked the conversion to make it 13-10 in the hosts favour. The lead did not last long as Carter held his nerve to slot a long-distance penalty shot, but Genia had the last word with his wonderful clinching score.
I don't know about streaming, but direct tv has super 15. Fox Soccer Plus use to carry all the SANZAR competitions but decided not to renew their contract. I would love to see the NBC Sports Network (use to be called Versus) pick up the Super 15.