The SA Rugby magazine team rounds up some of the interesting snippets of news making headlines around the world.
Sanzaar powerless to prevent late team changes
Sanzaar has admitted they cannot prevent teams from making late changes to their starting lineups after the controversy that followed the Lions’ victory over the Chiefs in Hamilton.
The Lions caught their opponents off-guard by putting Springboks Malcolm Marx and Elton Jantjies into the starting XV an hour before kick-off after they had originally been named on the bench.
Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli suggested after the match that the move had been a deliberate tactic, although his statements were contradicted by assistant coach Ivan van Rooyen, who denied that a false team sheet was filled in 48 hours before the match.
Sanzaar rules require teams to submit a 23-man match-day squad 48 hours before kick-off, but it has been revealed there is nothing preventing teams from making late changes.
It has been reported that the rules will be the same in the World Cup, so the tactic could be used in the showpiece tournament.
Davids knows nothing about Cheetahs link
Kings coach Deon Davids has said that he doesn’t know anything about reports linking him to the soon-to-be-vacant Cheetahs head coach role.
Sunday newspaper Rapport linked Davids as a surprise candidate for the role, which could soon be available should Franco Smith take up the opportunity to coach the Italian national team.
However, Davids told Netwerk24 through a spokesperson that he knows nothing about the apparent connection between himself and the Cheetahs.
Davids’ contract with the Kings will expire at the end of the 2019-20 season, and it will be a surprise to see him leave early, given the ambitions for the franchise by its new shareholders.
British & Irish Lions 2017 tour exhaustion revealed
The British & Irish Lions were left so tired from their itineraries that their players fell asleep on the way to the opening match of their 2017 tour of New Zealand against a Barbarians side.
The Lions scraped through the game by only three points, thanks to a try from Anthony Watson, playing just three days after their arrival in New Zealand.
They were reported to have spent 48 hours in Whangarei before moving on in a convoy of sponsored vehicles.
The revelation was made in a column in the Telegraph, which called for Warren Gatland to be retained as coach for their upcoming tour of South Africa in 2021.
Kerevi apologises for religious posts
Reds captain Samu Kerevi apologised for expressing his religious views on social media over the Easter weekend.
Kerevi took to Instagram, posting a photograph of himself with a verse from the Bible as the caption.
However, a few days later the centre posted an official apology after some fans questioned the appropriateness of his earlier post, given the furore over the Israel Folau saga.
‘I apologise to anyone that I have offended in giving praise to our God on a weekend that we take off to celebrate his sacrifice for you and I,’ Kerevi wrote.
He was supported by franchise teammate Taniela Tupou, who expressed his frustration that Kerevi should have to apologise for his religious views.
Photo: Photosport
