FRANCE AND Biarritz centre Damien Traille will miss Saturday’s all-French Heineken Cup final against Toulouse at the Stade de France because he has not recovered from an arm injury.
“Damien had to withdraw because playing would be too risky and could sideline him for a long time,” Biarritz manager Laurent Rodriguez said yesterday.
However, number eight Imanol Harinordoquy, who played in the 18-7 semi-final win against Munster with a spectacular face mask to protect his broken nose and left the field on the hour because of a rib injury, should be fit to play.
“Imanol is not in pain any more. He should resume full training tomorrow and we are confident he will be able to lead our team,” added Rodriguez.
Meanwhile, South Africa lock forward Bakkies Botha will miss the final games of rugby’s Super 14 competition after getting a four-week ban for reckless play for the Pretoria-based Bulls in Cape Town three days ago.
Botha charged into a ruck and made contact with Stormers wing Gio Aplon in the second minute, causing him to need treatment on the field. The Stormers won the match 38-10.
Botha will miss the Bulls’ Super 14 semi-final against the Crusaders in Soweto on May 22nd, a possible final against the Stormers or Waratahs, and the Springboks’ Tests against Wales in Cardiff on June 5th and France in Cape Town on June 12th.
Arch rivals Australia and New Zealand have fixed a Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong on October 30th in a reprise of their lucrative 2008 clash that generated millions of dollars in revenues for their respective unions.
“There was an incredible response when the All Blacks played the historic Bledisloe Cup Test match there two years ago and we are expecting a similar experience,” New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said yesterday.
The All Blacks and Wallabies broke a more than 70-year tradition by holding a Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong in November 2008. The clash reaped more than NZ$3 million (€1.7m) in revenue for the NZRU alone from tourist packages and hospitality, prompting the unions to hold a second Asian Bledisloe Cup match in Tokyo last year.
The teams’ other Bledisloe Cup matches this season will be in Melbourne, on July 31st, in Christchurch, New Zealand, on August 7th and Sydney on September 11th.
Weekend fixtures
(all kick-offs in Irish-time)
Saturday
Heineken Cup Final – Biarritz v Toulouse, Stade de France, 5pm.
Super 14 Semi-finals – Bulls v Crusaders, Orlando Stadium, Soweto, 4.05pm; Stormers v Waratahs, Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, 6.10pm.
Sunday
Challenge Cup Final – Cardiff Blues v Toulon, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, 2pm.
