Friday’s rugby news has another Cheika outburst, a bold claim from the Crusaders, the Brumbies looking for US talent and the Toulon Springboks building.
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Cheika goes after cameras
Michael Cheika has lashed out at photographers at his team’s final practice session before Saturday’s Super Rugby final. The Waratahs coach became irate when the photographer starting taking pictures of NSW lineout practice, shouting, “What if I come to your work and start f…king photographing you?”
Cheika is already on the equivalent of a good behaviour bond after SANZAR gave him a suspended six-month ban for abusing a cameraman during the Waratahs’ loss to the Sharks in Durban. The training did not seem to be affected, with Adam Ashley-Cooper apparently concluding with a rousing poem. [/one_half]
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Homebush regarded neutral ground
Meanwhile, Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has expressed his disbelief that the Waratahs agreed to move the venue of the Super Rugby Final from their usual home ground at the SFS. The final will instead be held at Olympic Stadium which holds 83,500 fans as opposed to around 44,000 at the SFS.
“There is no way I would ever give up home advantage to anyone,” Blackadder said. “For us it is just the psychological aspect. Going to a neutral stadium is just fantastic.” As expected, the Crusaders have also named an unchanged lineup for the final, with the squad coming off the hammering of the Sharks 38-6 in Christchurch last weekend. [/one_half]
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Brumbies scouting USA
The Brumbies are aiming to be the first Australian Super Rugby team to make use of potential rugby talent at American universities. The team are setting up a “USA Brumbies” academy system based in Arizona State University where potential recruits will train.
“Basically, players will pay to be in a full-time rugby program,” academy manager Nick Leah said. “Stephen [Larkham] and I will be going over in September to look at players and we’ll offer a scholarship.” [/one_half]
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Toulon sign another Springbok
Toulon has added to its growing South African contingent, signing former Springbok prop CJ van der Linde. Midi Olympique have reported that van der Linde has joined Toulon on a two-year contract. While he does have 75 Test caps, the 33-year old is also coming off a horror injury ridden season with London Irish.
Fellow South Africans Bryan Habana, Michael Claassens, Bakkies Botha, Craig Burden, Juan Smith will also line up for Toulon in the coming season. [/one_half]
