HSBC Sevens World Series
The Australian Rugby Union has suspended James O’Connor until Sunday, August 28 after the Wallabies wing failed to appear at two official team functions on Thursday August 18.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was a mightily relieved man after his side’s 18-5 Tri-Nations victory over the All Blacks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
He had flyhalf Morné Steyn to thank, perhaps more than any one else.
So, the New Zealand All Blacks had made a truckload of changes from the team that trounced the Wallabies in Auckland. So, they were eight or more players short of their first-choice run-on team. So, they had never – but never – won in Port Elizabeth. They still expected to win! And a lot of good judges expected them to win, also.
What a classic Springbok / All Black test match.
It is games like these that keep the rivalry alive. Two opposing styles played almost to perfection with uncompromising defence and a bit of referee controversy into the mix.
What a game!
What a timely victory for the Springboks and congrats to the Springboks for not getting drawn into the capacious game so promoted and drooled over by the All Black ‘groupies’.
We want a contest not a flap-flap razzle and dazzle mismatch dominated by one team with a bunch of natural athletes suited to play a league hybrid gobbledygook.
Springboks (15) 18 / All Blacks (5) 5 (Final Score)
The South African Springboks hosted the New Zealand All Blacks at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
Although the Springboks did not score a try, Morné Steyn’s boot was the difference… and all the Springboks worked hard enough, to really deserve the win!
The passion was back in the faces, the focus narrowed, the set phases were good and the breakdown battle was won by the Springboks.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry was happy to turn the pressure up on the beleaguered Springboks ahead of this weekend’s test, saying a victory would be “vital” to the South Africans.
With a World Cup campaign around the corner and both sides doing some serious tinkering with their lineups ahead of that tournament, it’s a moot point who has more to lose or gain out of this Tri-Nations test on Sunday (NZ time).
Coach Peter De Villiers has dropped Springbok Captain John Smit to the bench for this weekend’s clash against the All Blacks. Continue reading
A common trend in South African rugby is the emphasis on short term gains rather than long term vision. Continue reading
Springbok captain John Smit has not yet been ruled out of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, a South African Rugby Union (Saru) spokesperson confirmed on Sunday.
The Wallabies achieved one of their most courageous overseas Test victories against the Springboks at the weekend to push their World Cup claims, Australian newspapers said on Monday.
How much stil makes sense in South African Rugby? Is it maybe a way for Peter and his coaching team to confuse all? How serious is our challenge? Who is not laughing? Is it not the perfect chance to let the politicians get their way and pick that 60% black team? Who would care if we send a brand new politically correct team to the World Cup? Most serious rugby supporters gave up anyway on our chances to win this year.
Springbok captain John Smit and fullback Frans Steyn are in doubt for the World Cup after they were both injured in South Africa’s 9-14 loss to Australia in the Tri-Nations.
Springboks (6) 9 / Wallabies (0) 14 (Final Score)
The South African Springboks hosted the Australian Wallabies at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Wallabies mounted a massive second half fight back to beat the Springboks by 5 points, all their points coming in the second half.
Many years ago I read a book written by Org Mandino, called “The greatest salesman on earth”.
South Africa’s Springboks take on Australia’s Wallabies in a Tri Nations 4th round match 
Date: Saturday, August 13
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17:05 (15:05 GMT)
Shock and horror, many big names have been excluded from the All Black squad to play the 3N Test in South Africa. Continue reading
Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brussow will return to the Springbok starting line-up for the first time in 21 months, following the announcement of the team to meet Australia in a Tri-Nations Test at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
Hurricanes loose-forward Victor Vito has been called into the All Blacks squad preparing for the TriNations rugby match against the Springboks in Port Elizabeth.
Reds back rower Scott Higginbotham and Nathan Sharpe were named in the Wallabies rugby team to face the Springboks in a Tri Nations rugby Test against the Springboks in Durban on Saturday.
I wrote this article on Sunday for another web site, and thought the guys on Rugby-Talk wouldn’t want to hear how good the All Blacks are, but seeing that superBul provided us with such an enlightening article about the infringements at the breakdown, I thought I’ll put my 2 cents in.
After their loss to the All Blacks in Wellington, Springbok lock Victor Matfield said that “It seems as if they are untouchable. The refs allow them to get away with murder. … I cannot say much about the ref (Alain Rolland), because I will get into trouble. But there were a few times on attack when we struggled to play because our ball was deliberately slowed down.”
Just whingeing, or did Victor have a point? We decided to take a close look at the All Blacks’ “rules of engagement” at the breakdown.
The Springboks have moved to shore up their problems in defence by bringing in defensive coaching specialist Jacques Nienaber on a consultant basis.
Speculation is rife… the Springbok senior players will be under-prepared, some say. Others say they have not rested enough. And then there are those that say these senior Springboks do not need to have played to be sharp as ever.
Let’s critically look at when last these senior Springboks played, and what their form was when they played.
The Springboks have called up loose forwards Ashley Johnson and Ryan Kankowski as cover for a number of injury concerns among their back row forwards.
Coach Robbie Deans has taken two more players into his squad of 26 players to fly across the Indian Ocean to Durban on Sunday – prop Salesi Ma’afu and No 8 Radike Samo.
The All Blacks look set to rest Richie McCaw and Dan Carter for their tour to South Africa where they will play the Springboks in Port Elizabeth.
Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, has added the Cheetahs flank Heinrich Brüssow to the squad to face Australia on Saturday in Durban. Continue reading
All Blacks (17) 30 / Wallabies (0) 14 (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks hosted the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park, Auckland at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The All Blacks sailed to a commanding lead early on against a Wallaby side which was unusually error-prone. In the second half the Wallabies tried hard but it was always going to be nigh on impossible to come back from so far behind.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers on Friday named a 24-man squad featuring several players returning from injury rehabilitation for the home leg of the Tri-Nations series.
Springbok “coach” Peter De Villiers has announced his squad for the home leg of the 3N. Continue reading
The All Blacks will field the oldest side in their test history against the Wallabies at Eden Park on Saturday.
Coach Graham Henry has nailed his World Cup colours to the mast by naming a team of veterans that will closely mirror the starting side in the knockout phase of the World Cup.
Not only will “Ted’s Army” be the most ancient starting XV in the All Blacks’ 477 tests dating back to 1903, they are also the most test-hardened team in rugby history.
The Wallaby squad is without veteran lock and Force Captain Nathan Sharpe.
A group of 23 players involved in the Springboks’ preliminary World Cup squad have been released back to their clubs and provinces to be available for Currie Cup selection this weekend.
The list includes 15 of the 29 players who were part of the squad for the away leg of the Tri-Nations Series.
Wallabies half back Luke Burgess has been given the all clear to return to rugby to face the All Blacks this weekend in the Tri-Nations.
Peter de Villiers was in a buoyant mood despite back-to-back defeats for the Springboks over the past two weeks on the away leg of the Tri-Nations in Australasia.