McKenzie quits Reds, Jake also wants Wallaby job, Grant doubtful … A look top line look at all the rugby news worth being aware of this morning …
Jannie du Plessis is in danger of joining brother Bismarck on the sidelines with a knee injury. He will have a scan on his knee today but it is expected the 42-Test Bok will be unavailable for the Sharks’ match against the Rebels in Durban on Saturday.
Reds head coach Ewen McKenzie will leave Queensland Rugby at the end of the 2013 Super Rugby tournament, electing to pursue new coaching challenges beyond Super Rugby next season. He obviously would like to coach the Aussies, but Jake White might now have the inside track … And he is a bumbling prop “who knows nothing about the backline” after all!
And Jake definitely wants the job: “Yes, I want to get back to international rugby, but I’m here (at the Brumbies) for four years and I don’t want it to be a distraction every time something comes up.”
Peter Grant injured an ankle at training last week and will undergo a fitness test today. He is regarded as a doubtful starter for Saturday.
Michael Rhodes is fit, while Juan De Jongh and Jaco Taute are likely make the Stormers run-on XV in the place of Damian de Allende and Joe Pietersen respectively, with the latter likely to play on the wing, replacing the injured Bryan Habana. Gerhard van den Heever is the joker in the pack though!
Given that the IRB and SARU want to improve rugby in Argentina, SARU have seemingly given the Kings permission to utilise their Argentinian players, Vergallo and Leonardi, as both have work permits approved by SARU. So only Parkes (New Zealand) and Lacombe (France) are thus considered to be foreign players. A press release regarding the matter will be released in due course.
The injury to Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen, meaning another lengthy spell on the sidelines. The 20-year-old Goosen slipped and fell during training on Monday and has a serious cruciate ligament tear, which means at least six months on the sidelines.
Baby Bok and Tukkies lock Paul Willemse is heading to Brisbane to join the Bulls – he is there as a precautionary measure after Flip van der Merwe was added to their growing injury list.
Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard and Akona Ndungane have all returned home, following injuries sustained in the Bulls’ 41-19 defeat against the Crusaders.
