Super 14

The Highlanders will have to do without captain Jimmy Cowan when they play the Bulls in Pretoria this weekend.

All Black halfback Jimmy Cowan had his 28th birthday ruined when the Highlanders suffered a severe 33-0 mauling from the Stormers at Newlands in Capetown this morning.

All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu can't wait to resume one of New Zealand rugby's great domestic rivalries.

The jersey number might be different, but All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has the same hunger and passion of old for his first start this season for the Crusaders in their fourth round Super 14 rugby match against the Blues in Christchurch on Saturday night.

Winger Sitiveni Sivivatu returns from injury as one of two changes in the Chiefs' Super 14 rugby side named today to face the Reds in Hamilton on Friday night after.

The Highlanders have never lost to the Cheetahs, and for the sake of their season they had best keep that record intact tomorrow morning.

Though the season is still fresh and there are plenty of games ahead, the Highlanders, who have lost their opening two games, vitally need a win in Bloemfontein.

Tom Donnelly bristled at suggestions the Highlanders are already locked on a familiar Super 14 rugby path of woe as the competition's nearly men hope history repeats itself in Bloemfontein on Sunday (NZT).

The Highlanders team has been named for their Super 14 rugby match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, on Sunday morning (NZT).

A Super 14 rugby player who allegedly assaulted a man in a car park last year will have name suppression until his next court appearance.

Hurricanes lock Jason Eaton's breach of team protocol occurred during a night out when a barman refused to serve him drinks, the Dominion Post newspaper said today.