The Reds are in touch with Australian conference log leaders, the Brumbies, with the bonus-point win. The Brumbies play after facing the Lions in Brisbane next week. With Quade Cooper’s arrival from injury on the horizon, they are hitting form at the exact time and on this form, it would take a valiant person to bet against the Reds making up further lost ground in those two matches. The Chiefs led 22-8 at the halfway hooter, they looked like they were taking control and they had scored three quick tries just before halftime to transform the character of what looked like a close game.

However, rather than at the posts, the Reds garnered dividends for their judgment to kick a penalty to the corner, and after a follow up penalty granted by referee Marius Jonker in the Chiefs’ red zone, a extensive pass to Ben Lucas saw the flyhalf with adequate room to escape the Chiefs defense and score a converted try that made the halftime score 22-15. with Scott Higginbotham satiated over in the 42nd minute after receiving the ball from a recycle on the Chiefs line to finish the match 42-27, an extended low kick-off started the second half flawlessly for the Reds.

However, it was the one by inspiring halfback from Genia that really brought the Reds back to life. Genia pierced through and then teased the defense by dummying to his support Rob Simmons before pinning his ears back and touching down in almost exactly the same spot. The Reds were pushed out to a 39-27 lead by a follow-up try by replacement hooker Saia Faingaa and Harris’s field goal. When Quade Cooper told Fox Sports that while he had not made up his mind about his future, he was not inclined to move, there was potentially more good news for the Reds.

The 25-year-old will play alongside fellow Springboks John Smit and Schalk Brits next season. He has won four caps for South Africa and currently plays for Super 15 side the Sharks. In addition, Hargreaves is relishing the chance to prove himself in the Premiership, although he has been capped four times but was overlooked for the World Cup.

Hargreaves told the club’s official site that he cannot wait to be stuck in and to make a contribution to the continuing development of the club and everybody in South African rugby knows there is something special happening at Saracens. He added that it is a crucial stage of his rugby career and this is a fantastic opportunity for him.

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall is anticipating big things from the powerhouse lock. He said that they are confident Alistair will flourish in their environment and added that Alistair has a fantastic pedigree in SA rugby.

Before making his name with the Sharks, Durban-born Hargreaves, was an age-grade international. With the Sharks, he won the 2010 Currie Cup. Later that year, he went on to make his Test debut against Wales. He was a substitution for Johann Muller, and has since won four caps. Since a 40-7 Tri Nations defeat by New Zealand in July last year, he has not featured for the Springboks.

In another news, Andy Farrell will stay with Saracens and he has rejected England to be part of Stuart Lancaster’s set-up. Farrell said he made a decision to stay with Saracens “for the foreseeable future” after much soul-searching as talks held up between the club and the Rugby Football Union over the level of compensation that would be needed to buy him out of the enduring two years of his agreement.

The Rebels are eyeing a big final three rounds of their inaugural season, while they are out of the running for the finals. They are intending to finish ahead of the below par Brumbies and the Western Force. After edging them in previous meetings this season, they play both teams in their remaining games.

However, against the Springbok-laden Stormers from Cape Town, the Rebels principal challenge will come on Friday night. With only three losses for the season, Stormers have secured the highest position in the South African conference.

Meanwhile, after the fly-half, former England international Danny Cipriani was left out of the Melbourne Rebels squad for a fourth successive match, it seems his wretched exile in Australia looks like reaching an early end. Recently due to disciplinary issues, Cipriani was left out of the Rebels’ two-match tour of South Africa. He has not been included in the squad for this weekend.

Steve Boland, Rebels chief operating officer said that at the moment, Danny remains unavailable for selection, even though the discussions are moving in a very encouraging direction.

With Cipriani, the Rebels have exhibited significant patience but at the end of the day, they are not a rehabilitation centre, but a rugby club. Indications are that that gifted playmaker will be cut loose, if he does not sign a reworked agreement committing him to retaining good behavior off the field.

By leading DHL Stormers, the Durbanites, who are aiming for their eighth win of 2011, are at present one point behind the South African conference. Victory in Durban will allow the Sharks to share the bragging rights as the most dominant South African team in home matches, despite possibly overtaking the team from Cape Town on the log.

Up until now, the Sharks have achieved 60 home victories, 17 wins in opposition to Australian Vodacom Super Rugby franchises and 25 against New Zealand opposition. The Durban outfits have managed to win 18 matches against local teams. The Vodacom Bulls are on 61, made up of 27 victories over NZ opposition, 16 over their fellow South Africans and 18 over the Aussies.

Followed by the DHL Stormers who they have defeats five times, the Sharks have enjoyed a successful run against the MTN Lions, who they have managed to beat on eight occasions. The KwaZulu Natalians have managed to claim three victories against their opponents for Saturday as they have recorded two victories against the Toyota Cheetahs.

Even though the Sharks were beaten by the DHL Stormers in their only home defeat thus far in 2011, they have already defeated the MTN Lions and the Toyota Cheetahs in Durban this season.

Rugby World Cup 2011 will be held across the country over six weeks, with 20 nations taking part in the 48-game tournament.

When Eden Park hosts the final on 23 October as well as both semi finals the weekend before the eyes of the world will be on Auckland for the business end of Rugby World Cup 2011. Including the opening match at Eden Park on 9 September, the city will also host nine pool matches. Held every four years, Rugby World Cup is the third biggest sporting event in the world and is Auckland’s chance to showcase itself on the global stage.

Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard said Jan 28 that, hosting the seventh edition of rugby’s four yearly world championship will add about NZ$700 million ($545 million), or 0.33 percent, to gross domestic product. According to a Deloitte LLP study, staging the event can boost the local economy by as much as 1 billion pounds ($1.9 billion).

When New Zealand’s top ranked All Blacks face Tonga in the first of 48 matches, the 20 nation World Cup starts in 150 days. The final is scheduled Oct 23 in Auckland.

Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Martin Snedden said, the tournament offers New Zealand a rare chance to showcase itself globally as a tourist destination.

On Wednesday, the Australian Rugby Union said that, Gold Coast would host the first tournament of the 2011-12 World Series in late November. Gold Coast was selected over Perth, Sydney and Adelaide. On November 25 and 26, the 2011 tournament will be held at Gold Coast’s Skilled Stadium.

With the support of Events Queensland, the Gold Coast bid team has won a spirited three way tug of war with Perth and five year hosts Adelaide to stage the two day event.

With the Titans (NRL), United (A-League) and the Suns (AFL), the call by the Australian Rugby Union will give rugby a presence in the crowded footy marketplace on the Coast. It is also a strategic winner to enhance Sevens’ profile on the eastern seaboard and aid Gold Coast’s push to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games where Sevens will feature.

Across the two days of this month’s World Series event, Adelaide Oval drew a festive crowd of 26,974. It throws down the gauntlet to Gold Coast organizers to at least match that figure and get creative with their hosting at Skilled Park or even Carrara’s new look Metricon Stadium.

With up to 10,000 visitors expected to attend this year’s Gold Coast event, the HSBC Sevens World Series attracts spectators and players from all over the world. Gold Coast will also host the World Series Sevens rugby tournament in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

To Timaru, the Crusaders will bring their travelling rugby roadshow to face the defending titleholder Bulls. The latter team, with their win over the Hurricanes in Napier last weekend has sent out some cautioning shots to their opponents.

For the past six years, the teams have shared the Super Rugby title and they have 10 titles between them, so the match should have a mini-test match feel to it. The Crusaders in their starting 15 will have at least 10 current or former All Blacks, which may go up by one if the disbeliefs of Dan Carter fronting up is establish to be correct.

To play against the Crusaders tonight after recuperating from a knee strain, Bulls fullback Zane Kirchner has been given the green light.

Last weekend, the only alteration to the side that beat the Hurricanes is Danie Rossouw substituting Jaco van der Westhuyzen. Bulls Captain Victor Matfield said that they have shown in the past that they never shy away from gigantic challenges, even though he added that the Crusaders are playing great rugby.

Against the defending champions, Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder is anticipating a hard test. He said that across the park, they are very conscious of their warnings hence have to be switched on from the kick-off. He added that his team, due to the great depth is at ease with the substitutions for their injured people. He said that when coming on during matches, Matt has played well for them and Chris has played over 100 matches for the Crusaders.

The betting odds for the Super Rugby rivals clash at Alpine Energy Stadium have Crusaders with the best odds of 3/10 and the best odds for the Bulls are 10/3.

England’s finishing 6 Nations match against Dublin in Ireland was missed by the Gloucester centre, which resulted in a 24-8 defeat, which denied them a first Grand Slam title since 2003. The Gloucester underwent the surgery for his ankle ligament injury. He still plans to be back on his feet as soon as possible.

In the current campaign, Tindall captained England for four of their five 6 Nations games, and he is supposed to lead Martin Johnson’s side at the Rugby World Cup 2011.

Johnson persists that his willingness for the World Cup in New Zealand will not be influenced because of his former teammate’s injury.

To Gloucester boss Bryan Redpath, Tindall’s damage is another blow as to the lengthy list of Cherry and Whites casualties; the authoritative centre is another addition.

Lesley Vainikolo is still battling to recuperate from his shoulder dislodgment, James Simpson-Daniel still recuperating from an ankle clean-up and Gloucester were eager to welcome Tindall’s leadership and experience back into their backline.

Before the closing stages of the campaign, Pete Buxton’s broken arm means he will struggle to be fit by then, although there could be better news on Andy Hazell.

On July 3, Tindall is getting married to Zara Phillips in Edinburgh. At Canongate Kirk, on the city’s Royal Mile, the wedding is scheduled to take place, while the reception will be held at Holyrood House hosted by the Queen.

After heavy losses to the NSW Waratahs and New Zealand’s Chiefs, the contest newcomers are battling to begin some consistent form and New Zealand’s Chiefs sandwiched their breakthrough one-point win over the Brumbies.

On Saturday, the Rebels were brought down to earth by the Waikato Chiefs, having secured a last-gasp one-point triumph over the ACT Brumbies in Melbourne in round two, as their set-pieces disintegrated on the way to a resonant 28-point trounce.

In front of 25,000 spectators at Melbourne’s AAMI Park, after a 43-0 thrashing the New South Wales Waratahs, about 10,000 less turned up to watch the Rebels’ narrow triumph over the Canberra-based Brumbies. With nine local teams from homegrown football code Australian Rules, the Rebels are challenging in a sports market swarmed, plus two top-flight soccer teams and a rugby league side.

On Saturday, Macqueen said local aficionados had been remarkable in their support. On Saturday, Macqueen dismantled Western Force for their third straight win. He added that the Sharks, as a team are a great benchmark and they will without doubt put pressure on his team. He also said that his team has to try and match the Sharks and that will be their major role.

The betting odds from various sportsbook betting lines sites have Rebels at 2.43 and Sharks at 1.29.

If his team wins the opening match of their 2011 campaign, the milestone will only be worth something to Fourie du Preez.

Du Preez said in a statement issued by the Bulls on Wednesday that, “The Super Rugby competition is the toughest in world rugby and to be able to play that long is a great feeling and a massive highlight for me. I was privileged to play with many great players in this time and also in a structure that allows one to really enjoy the game of rugby. I feel honored to play 100 games for such a team.”

The highly-rated Springbok scrumhalf, who has played 55 tests, says it means a lot to reach the milestone for the Bulls. But “ultimately it’s just another match against a dangerous opponent. I have not played for a long time and am eager to get on the field again.” Du Preez has been sidelined with a shoulder injury for almost eight months. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Fourie (senior), to play for the Blue Bulls and is not shy to express his pride in the team and the union.

Fourie has not really spoken much about it to Danie Rossouw and Victor Matfield, who are the other Bulls centurions.