Latest news with #UnitedRugbyChampionships
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
James Venter aims to end Sharks tenure with a bang in URC title quest
James Venter Sharks flank James Venter says it has been a boyhood dream to play for the Durban side. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Having made the top four of the United Rugby Championships the Sharks are confident ahead of their quarter final match against Scarlets at home on Saturday (7.30pm kick-off), said flanker James Venter. Now at the tail-end of his time at the Durban side, Venter said they are confident in the rugby they've been playing and fancy their shot at the URC final. The Sharks secured a home quarter final after thumping the Ospreys 29-10, with a bonus point, at Kings Park last Friday. They will be hoping for a victory on Saturday and a Glasgow defeat at the hands of Leinster, so they can move up to third place. Venter alluded to the fact that the Sharks have smelt blood, and adjusted their mentality going into the final round accordingly. 'We want to have an 80-minute performance. That's what we are aiming towards, according to our standard and quality,' Venter said. 'I don't think that there are many teams that can keep up with us. I think that's more or less what we are striving towards. 'We know that when we finally hit that game, and when we string that 80-minute performance together, we will be a very hard team to beat. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading 'The Stormers have been playing great rugby, but so have all the teams in the top eight. Whatever our road looks like to the finals, we will be prepared for that.' Venter has been with the Sharks since 2018, and decided to join the London Irish in the English Premiership next season. He said the Sharks have molded him into the player and professional he is today, and is grateful to have lived out his boyhood dream. The South Coast boy from KwaZulu-Natal wants to end his career at the Shark Tank with a bang. 'It was always a dream to play for the Sharks at a professional level. I've done that for six years. They've had a massive impact on molding me as a player and person. Just being in this environment, I think I'm privileged to have lived out a dream of mine,' Venter said. Sharks Flanker James Venter says he wants to end his tenure at his boyhood club on a high note. @IOLsport — Jehran Daniel (@JehranD) May 14, 2025 'Going into the last few games, I just want to leave a legacy, experience the fans and locals at Kings Park. My friends and family are here so I am really looking forward to it and hoping we can make it a memorable season as well,' Venter said. The Stormers and Bulls are the two other South African teams that made Round 18 of the URC tournament. The Stormers take on Cardiff in Cape Town on Saturday, while the Bulls square off against the Dragons at Loftus. During the quarter-finals, the first-ranked team faces the eighth-ranked team, the second plays seventh and so on. The tail end of the tournament will require some level of tact if the Sharks want to be successful, not just from a physical or strategic perspective, but also in understanding the referee in charge of their respective matches. The URC's laws of the game have sometimes been style as ambiguous because of the inconsistencies and varying interpretations by certain referees. James Venter says some home work on the referee will be vital going into the final stages of the URC given their ambiguous Laws.@IOLsport — Jehran Daniel (@JehranD) May 14, 2025 Given the fact that it's too late to change anything now, Venter said doing some homework on their referee will be crucial to the games. Playing the quarter final without a big name like Eben Etzebeth is also a minus for the Durban team, but Venter said they are still confident in the line up of locks available. Etzebeth was ruled out of the Starlets match due to injury. 'The subjectivity of some refs at the breakdown is definitely the grey area. I think that's what you got to play towards,' Venter explained. 'You have to see how the ref is interpreting the breakdown, where his clear lines and blurred lines are. 'I think that's rugby, you got to do your homework on the ref and be aware and make observations on the field and make a determination then.'
The Herald Scotland
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Huw Jones returns for Glasgow Warriors as XV named to face Benetton
The Scotland centre - named in the British and Irish Lions squad on Thursday - is back in the Warriors squad for the first time since his injury for Scotland back in March. Jones last featured for Glasgow in January and has since been recovery from an issue in the Six Nations finale. Fellow Lions call-ups Sione Tuipulotu and Zander Fagerson remain unavailable for this weekend's United Rugby Championships clash in Treviso. However, Scott Cummings - the fourth Warrior in the Lions squad list - does start at blindside for the match. Kyle Steyn captains Glasgow from the wing. Read more: Glasgow Warriors XV 1 Jamie Bhatti (121) 2 Johnny Matthews (94) 3 Fin Richardson (5) 4 Max Williamson (28) 5 Alex Samuel (36) 6 Scott Cummings (138) 7 Rory Darge (63) 8 Sione Vailanu (34) 9 George Horne (135) 10 Tom Jordan (67) 11 Kyle Steyn (C) (88) 12 Stafford McDowall (90) 13 Huw Jones (79) 14 Jamie Dobie (85) 15 Ollie Smith (44) Replacements 16 Gregor Hiddleston (23) 17 Nathan McBeth (54) 18 Murphy Walker (13) 19 JP du Preez (30) 20 Euan Ferrie (35) 21 Ben Afshar (20) 22 Adam Hastings (66) 23 Kyle Rowe (33)
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three of Ireland rugby's greatest make their last home stand in Dublin against France
Confirming the pending international departures of rugby greats Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony and Cian Healy was classy planning on Ireland's part. By announcing the retirements last week, Ireland set up the trio to be celebrated appropriately in their last home appearance in Dublin this Saturday, and minimized the emotional distraction in the buildup to playing a formidable France in the title-swaying clash between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Six Nations. Murray, O'Mahony, and Healy — who have played international rugby together for 13 years — are being team players to the end. Their ultimate hope is, whatever the outcome against France, the end of their international careers will come in Rome against Italy next week with a third successive Six Nations title. 'They're not the type of players that would want it to ever be about them,' Ireland interim coach Simon Easterby said. 'But we want to mark the occasion with the respect and the performance that it deserves for them, and they want to do the same.' Healy backed up the sentiment. 'Just because I've decided to retire doesn't mean I'm starting to think about the past,' he said. 'I'm here to do a job and ideally that job is two more wins and lift a trophy.' Healy is the most decorated Trophy or not, the 37-year-old loosehead prop will retire as Ireland's most decorated player. Healy is the caps record-holder for Ireland (136) and Leinster (237), and has won five Six Nations titles, four European Cups and seven United Rugby Championships. His career was already stellar when he signed retirement papers in the summer of 2015. A neck injury led to surgery which caused complications; he was unable to use his right hand. But when feeling in the hand began coming back, he didn't file the papers. Three months later he was playing in the second of his three Rugby World Cups. There would have been a fourth World Cup, in 2023, but he injured a leg in the last warmup. Murray was established quickly Healy had been with Ireland for two years when Murray was introduced in the warmups for the 2011 World Cup. By the end of the tournament in New Zealand he was the starting scrumhalf and returned home to unexpected recognition. 'At the time,' the 35-year-old said, 'I was just thinking, 'This is crazy. Enjoy it.'' World Rugby recognized him as the best scrumhalf in its team of the decade, from 2010-19. Murray was Ireland's No. 1 until 2021 but still went on his third Lions tour that year as the backup skipper in South Africa. He's also been to four World Cups and amassed 123 test caps for Ireland, adding, 'I had the best days of my life in a green jersey.' O'Mahony at peace O'Mahony considered retiring a year ago after he captained Ireland to Six Nations glory, followed by a series draw in South Africa. 'My big litmus test was whether I was capable of continuing to play for Ireland,' the 35-year-old flanker said. 'I'm glad I made the call. I'm happy with the decision now. I'm at peace.' His leadership qualities go back to school days. As a pro, he's led Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He debuted off the bench in 2012 against Italy, and 112 caps later proved he's still got it against Wales in Cardiff two weeks ago when he played his first full 80-minute test in 16 months. He was sore for several days but 'I loved the fact I got 80," he said. "I enjoyed every minute of it. It was an unbelievably difficult test match but I felt great after.' The trio's combined 371 caps are littered with some of Ireland's greatest moments. Outside of the Six Nations, there was beating the All Blacks for the first time in Chicago, historic series wins in New Zealand and Australia, and rare wins in South Africa. 'The team understand the impact that the three lads have had on Irish rugby,' Easterby said. 'They've all become very close; they're not just Irish teammates but good friends. The mark of respect and the motivation is they and the rest of the team want to finish this tournament on a high. All they've ever thought about is the team and what's going to make us the best we can be on Saturday.' ___ AP rugby:
Associated Press
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Three of Ireland rugby's greatest make their last home stand in Dublin against France
Confirming the pending international departures of rugby greats Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony and Cian Healy was classy planning on Ireland's part. By announcing the retirements last week, Ireland set up the trio to be celebrated appropriately in their last home appearance in Dublin this Saturday, and minimized the emotional distraction in the buildup to playing a formidable France in the title-swaying clash between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Six Nations. Murray, O'Mahony, and Healy — who have played international rugby together for 13 years — are being team players to the end. Their ultimate hope is, whatever the outcome against France, the end of their international careers will come in Rome against Italy next week with a third successive Six Nations title. 'They're not the type of players that would want it to ever be about them,' Ireland interim coach Simon Easterby said. 'But we want to mark the occasion with the respect and the performance that it deserves for them, and they want to do the same.' Healy backed up the sentiment. 'Just because I've decided to retire doesn't mean I'm starting to think about the past,' he said. 'I'm here to do a job and ideally that job is two more wins and lift a trophy.' Healy is the most decorated Trophy or not, the 37-year-old loosehead prop will retire as Ireland's most decorated player. Healy is the caps record-holder for Ireland (136) and Leinster (237), and has won five Six Nations titles, four European Cups and seven United Rugby Championships. His career was already stellar when he signed retirement papers in the summer of 2015. A neck injury led to surgery which caused complications; he was unable to use his right hand. But when feeling in the hand began coming back, he didn't file the papers. Three months later he was playing in the second of his three Rugby World Cups. There would have been a fourth World Cup, in 2023, but he injured a leg in the last warmup. Murray was established quickly Healy had been with Ireland for two years when Murray was introduced in the warmups for the 2011 World Cup. By the end of the tournament in New Zealand he was the starting scrumhalf and returned home to unexpected recognition. 'At the time,' the 35-year-old said, 'I was just thinking, 'This is crazy. Enjoy it.'' World Rugby recognized him as the best scrumhalf in its team of the decade, from 2010-19. Murray was Ireland's No. 1 until 2021 but still went on his third Lions tour that year as the backup skipper in South Africa. He's also been to four World Cups and amassed 123 test caps for Ireland, adding, 'I had the best days of my life in a green jersey.' O'Mahony at peace O'Mahony considered retiring a year ago after he captained Ireland to Six Nations glory, followed by a series draw in South Africa. 'My big litmus test was whether I was capable of continuing to play for Ireland,' the 35-year-old flanker said. 'I'm glad I made the call. I'm happy with the decision now. I'm at peace.' His leadership qualities go back to school days. As a pro, he's led Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He debuted off the bench in 2012 against Italy, and 112 caps later proved he's still got it against Wales in Cardiff two weeks ago when he played his first full 80-minute test in 16 months. He was sore for several days but 'I loved the fact I got 80,' he said. 'I enjoyed every minute of it. It was an unbelievably difficult test match but I felt great after.' The trio's combined 371 caps are littered with some of Ireland's greatest moments. Outside of the Six Nations, there was beating the All Blacks for the first time in Chicago, historic series wins in New Zealand and Australia, and rare wins in South Africa. 'The team understand the impact that the three lads have had on Irish rugby,' Easterby said. 'They've all become very close; they're not just Irish teammates but good friends. The mark of respect and the motivation is they and the rest of the team want to finish this tournament on a high. All they've ever thought about is the team and what's going to make us the best we can be on Saturday.'
