Monday Evening Round Up

December 04, 2017
3772
Ultimate Rugby

Jaba Bregvadz to become first Georgian in Super Rugby

Hooker Jaba Bregvadz is set to become the first Georgian player to play Super Rugby after signing up for the Japanese Sunwolves franchise for the 2018 season.

The 30-year-old, who has 49 caps for Georgia, spent three seasons with Top 14 side Toulouse and was part of the Georgia side that finished third in their World Cup pool, securing automatic qualification for 2019.

Assistant coaches Jonny Bell and Tim Taylor agree new deals with Gloucester Rugby

Gloucester Rugby have confirmed that Coaches Jonny Bell and Tim Taylor have agreed new contracts with the club, extending their respective stays at Kingsholm and providing stability in the coaching team over the seasons to come.

Jonny enjoyed a terrific playing career as a centre at club level with Northampton Saints and Ulster as well as winning 36 caps for Ireland.

Meanwhile, former Gloucester fly-half Tim Taylor has continued to impress as part of the coaching set-up under new Head Coach Johan Ackermann, having originally joined the Cherry and Whites as a player.

France to host the U20 Championship in 2018

World Rugby has today announced that France will host next year's U20 Championship with host cities being Béziers, Perpignan and Narbonne for the five match days (30 May, 3 June, 7 June, 12 June and 17 June).

3 More former All Blacks want to make Pacific Island switch for RWC 2019

Former All Blacks Ma'a Nonu, Steven Luatua and Victor Vito have joined Charles Piutau, Frank Halai as players linked to a switch to Pacific Island nations for the next Rugby World Cup.

Piutau and Halai, who both have Tongan ancestry, want World Rugby to loosen the eligibility rules to allow capped players to return to tier-two nations.

"If there's a way to do it, I want to give something back and play for Tonga at the 2019 World Cup," Piutau told the Mail on Sunday.

Tonga are in the same pool as England for the World Cup.

Marx leads nominations for SA Rugby Player of the Year Awards 2017

Springbok and Lions hooker Malcolm Marx leads the nominations for the SA Rugby Player of the Year 2017 awards with three, closely followed by four players who bagged two nominations each.

The 23-year-old Marx is nominated in the top category, SA Rugby Player of the Year, as well as for Young Player and Super Rugby Player of the Year.

Nominees for SA Rugby Young Player of the Year:
1 Curwin Bosch
2 Jean-Luc du Preez
3 Warrick Gelant
4 Malcolm Marx
5 Damian Willemse
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) December 4, 2017

Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year
1 Nizaam Carr
2 Robert du Preez (both DHL WP)
3 Warrick Gelant (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year
1 Jaun Kotze
2 Tertius Maarman (both Down Touch Griffons)
3 Jeandré Rudolph (Leopards)
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) December 4, 2017

Vodacom Super Rugby Player of the Tournament:
1 Jaco Kriel
2 Malcolm Marx
3 Franco Mostert (all Emirates Lions)

SuperSport Rugby Challenge Player of the Year
1 Craig Barry (DHL Western Province)
2 Enver Brandt (Tafel Lager Griquas)
3 Shaun Reynolds (Xerox Golden Lions XV)
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) December 4, 2017

Steinhoff Springbok Sevens Player of the Year nominees:
1 Chris Dry
2 Werner Kok
3 Rosko Specman

Junior Springbok Player of the Year nominees:
1 Juarno Augustus
2 Curwin Bosch
3 Damian Willemse
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) December 4, 2017

Nominees for Team and Coach of the Year are:
1 Emirates Lions / Johan Ackermann (Vodacom Super Rugby runners up)
2 Springbok Sevens / Neil Powell (HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series winners)
3 DHL Western Province / John Dobson (Currie Cup and Supersport Rugby Challenge winners)
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) December 4, 2017

Veteran All Black to replace Vermeulen at Toulon

According to reports in France, RC Toulon have identified 81 Test cap All Black Jerome Kaino as their front-runner to replace no.8 Duane Vermeulen.

The new salary cap in the Top 14 could see Toulon lose the services of Duane Vermeulen, Ma'a Nonu & Marcel Van der Merwe at the end of the season.

But #Midol says @RCTofficiel have a replacement for DV lined up. They've had a deal with @allblacks Jerome Kaino for a month, apparently
— James Harrington (@Jamesonrugby) December 4, 2017

Top tries Premiership Rugby round 10