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Dates confirmed for opening Rainbow Cup rounds but no indication the filler tournament can be played to a conclusion
Guinness PRO14 officials have confirmed the dates and kick-off times for the opening three rounds of the schedule filling Rainbow Cup, but this confirmation has arrived with no guarantee that the four South African sides will be allowed to fly to Europe in May and complete the latter rounds of the tournament.
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Plans to base the Sharks, Bulls, Stormers and Lions in England during their European tours were kicked back by UK Government officials last week due to concerns over the South African Covid-19 variant, leaving the plans for rounds four to six undecided as well as the June 19 finals weekend.
In the meantime, the organisers will pressed ahead with the series of locally based matched they have arranged for the opening three rounds. A statement read: “Kick-off times and dates for the first three rounds of the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup can now be confirmed with the opening game kicking off in South Africa.
“Confirmation for rounds four to six will follow once PRO14 Rugby has received all necessary approvals and permissions from the relevant governments and health authorities for the South African teams to travel.”
RAINBOW CUP
Round One
Friday, April 23: Stormers v Sharks (19:00 RSA), Ulster v Connacht (20:15), Edinburgh v Zebre (20:15)
Saturday, April 24: Benetton v Glasgow Warriors (14:00 ITA), Bulls v Lions (16:00 RSA), Ospreys v Cardiff Blues (17:15), Leinster v Munster (19:35)
Sunday, April 25: Dragons v Scarlets (13:00)
RAINBOW CHAOS: “We have little information at this stage, but it seems to be the case that the Rainbow Cup will be cancelled”
Could Bok trial matches and ad-hoc Test fixtures be on the cards? ??https://t.co/M4Qv4dA8kA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 11, 2021
Round Two
Friday, April 30: Sharks v Lions (19:00 RSA)
Saturday, May 1: Stormers v Bulls (17:00 RSA)
Friday, May 7: Zebre v Benetton (19:00 ITA), Munster v Ulster (20:15), Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh (20:15)
Saturday, May 8: Connacht v Leinster (19:35), Scarlets v Ospreys (19:35)
Sunday, May 9: Cardiff Blues v Dragons (KO 13:00)
Round Three
Saturday, May 8: Lions v Stormers (16:00 RSA), Bulls v Sharks (18:15 RSA)
Friday, May 14: Munster v Connacht (18:00), Leinster v Ulster (20:15)
Saturday, May 15: Scarlets v Cardiff Blues (TBC), Benetton v Zebre (18:15 ITA), Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors (19:35)
Sunday, May 16: Dragons v Ospreys (13:00)
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Round Four: Weekend of May 29
Round Five: Weekend of June 5
Round Six: Weekend of June 12
Final: Weekend of June 19
With 2017 Lions staff Howley, Borthwick, Rowntree and Farrell all unavailable, Gatland has shaken up his 2021 staff line-up https://t.co/P2ngCbbxel
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 13, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Andy Goode pushing his own agenda with very dubious considerations on refereeing performances. Luke Pearce speaking a bit of French doesn’t make him a good and adequate referee for the Champions Cup final; his latest refereeing performance in particular was not so great.
4 Go to commentsJordie knows that he has to earn the right to put on the jersey, whatever that jersey might be.
4 Go to commentsThe best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
4 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
116 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
4 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
4 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
116 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to comments