France calls up two new caps

Updated January 26, 2012 23:05:10

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre named uncapped lock Yoann Maestri and centre Wesley Fofana in his squad for the opening Six Nations championship match against Italy at the Stade de France on February 4.

Saint-Andre, who took over from Marc Lievremont after last year's World Cup, included 17 players from the squad who lost the final against hosts New Zealand by a point, including 14 of the starting line-up.

Prop David Attoub, who had not been named in the initial 30-man squad this month, was a surprise inclusion because of Luc Ducalcon's lack of match time with Castres.

France squad: Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili, Francois Trinh-Duc, Lionel Beauxis, Aurelien Rougerie, Maxime Mermoz, Wesley Fofana, Vincent Clerc, Julien Malzieu, Maxime Medard, David Attoub, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Jean-Baptiste Poux, William Servat, Dimitri Szarzewski, Pascal Pape, Yoann Maestri, Lionel Nallet, Julien Bonnaire, Thierry Dusautoir, Louis Picamoles, Imanol Harinordoquy

Reuters

Tags: rugby-union, sport, france

First posted January 26, 2012 22:39:30

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Springboks name new coach

Updated January 27, 2012 21:23:17

Former Bulls mentor Heyneke Meyer has been named as the new South Africa coach.

The 44-year-old Meyer steered the Bulls to four Currie Cup titles between 2002 and 2006 and then their first Super 14 crown in 2007.

Meyer succeeds the controversial Peter de Villiers, who won a single Tri-Nations title and beat the British and Irish Lions in 2009 before guiding the Springboks to the quarter-finals of last year's World Cup in New Zealand.

Meyer had initially been the favourite to succeed Jake White in 2008 when De Villiers was appointed, and he subsequently quit rugby before joining Leicester in June 2008.

Reuters

Tags: rugby-union, sport, south-africa

First posted January 27, 2012 21:21:07

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South Africa approves Kings for Super Rugby

Updated January 28, 2012 10:33:38

One of South Africa's existing teams in the Super Rugby competition faces the axe after the Southern Kings secured a place in the tournament from 2013, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) said.

The inclusion of the Kings, who hail from Eastern Cape - the hotbed of black rugby, has left the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls, Cheetahs and Lions facing an uncertain future.

One of the five teams will be out of the lucrative tournament unless SARU can convince SANZAR (South Africa-New Zealand-Australia Rugby) to allow a sixth South African team to play in the competition.

"The Kings' place in the Super Rugby competition in 2013 was confirmed by the general council, who gave it 100 per cent support," SARU chief executive Jurie Roux told a news conference.

"A final decision on the fate of the other five franchises will be made at a special general meeting on March 30 after the council has considered recommendations by the unions. There are a number of options, including asking SANZAR to include a sixth South African team."

The Southern Kings inclusion in Super Rugby has been backed by politicians and those unhappy with the pace of transformation in South African rugby.

None of their constituent teams - Eastern Province, South-Western Districts and Border - play in the premier division of South Africa's domestic Currie Cup competition.

Eastern Province were beaten 43-12 by Boland in last year's first division final.

Reuters

Tags: super-14, rugby-union, sport, south-africa

First posted January 28, 2012 10:33:38

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