Springbok Rugby
The Springboks and Barbarians goes toe to toe on Saturday 4 December 2010 at Twickenham, London at 16:30 SA Time.
This game is difficult to judge, it is a festival game and we should see a very different playing style from a Springbok team which shows 12 changes from last week’s side. All the youngsters and “Fringe-Bokke” gets game time this week.
Nick Mallett does not share the pessimism about South African rugby, and believes Peter de Villiers’s Springboks are headed for next year’s World Cup semi-finals with New Zealand and Australia.
Eat your heart out, all you STATS CRAZY freaks, here’s some of the End Of Year Tours stats:
We give some statistical totals for the three-week period when the International Board. Test window was open. There may be some easy ones – most tries scored and fewest tries, most penalties conceded and fewest penalties, most penalties scored and most penalty attempts missed, line-out throws and failures. And you can see who the most penalised player is.
The international between the Barbarians and South Africa will go ahead as scheduled at Twickenham on Saturday, despite the current cold weather.
With a host of domestic club games, scheduled for this weekend, already called off because of the frosty conditions and heavy snowfall, there were fears the Twickenham encounter may also fall foul of the weather.
I hope this is a joke. No seriously, I hope that Peter de Villiers was sarcastic in his interview in the build up to the Baa-baa’s test.
Don’t know what I am referring to?
Let me help.
Argentina face the daunting task of joining the top three rugby union teams in the world, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, in an expanded Tri-Nations from 2012.
First Andries Strauss, Sharks centre, and now Werner Kruger, Bulls tight head prop, answered the Springbok S.O.S. call to join the Springboks in the UK for the last match of the season against the Barbarians at Twickenham, this Saturday.
Lambie will start at 15 and Janjties will start at 10 for Saturdays game against the Barbarians. Continue reading
Following the Springboks victory of England this weekend, I read with interest how the English press announced that South Africa showed they will be a force in the World Cup. Continue reading
In London to cover the last two games of the Springbok tour to the UK, it seems I am part of an ever shrinking group of people that not only believe in, but love the Barbarians concept.
In this professional era it seems we are happy (or forced) to let the once legendary traditions of rugby past just to slide into ignominy…
Wow! I don’t know what game some of the reporters were watching, but I thought it was an excellent rugby match and classic Test match stuff! Hard, bruising tackles, rock solid defenses, no one giving an inch, and men dying for their inches…well amost. Continue reading
Cheetahs flanker Juan Smith has been named as captain of the Springbok squad for Saturday’s season-ending finale against the Barbarians at Twickenham.
Let us not be guilty of suggesting all is suddenly hunky-dory again in Springbok rugby: it isn’t. But there are also times when the pessimists must be banished, humiliated, to the back seats for a while and a special weekend – “finish and klaar!” — be savoured by those who doggedly keep the faith.
England (6) 11 / Springboks (6) 21 (Final Score)
England hosted the Springboks at Twickenham at 16:30 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SuperSport HD & M-Net on TV in SA.
The Springboks came out firing in the forwards, dominating the forwards battle and scored 2 tries in the process, one a wonderful break by Lwazi Mvovo who gets his first international try.
The Springboks showed some guts and grit and determination and deserved their win, well done Bokke.
The handing out of Springbok jerseys, a pre-matchday tradition in the South African team, has a new member in their club.
Fikile Mbalula, the minister for Sport and Recreation, presented the team with their match jerseys in London on Friday – ahead of the Boks’ encounter with England at Twickenham on Saturday.
After two Springboks had two players tested positive for banned substances in Chiliboy Ralapelle and Bjorn Basson the Six Nations Rugby Limited increased the normal number of two players tested to six.
The Springbok rugby team is currently hampered by their lack of an openside flanker of world-class quality like Richie McCaw.
England manager Martin Johnson has reverted to the starting line-up that trounced Australia for Saturday’s one-off Test match against South Africa at Twickenham.
The true measure of any coach is what he falls back on when the chips are down.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has made just two changes to his side to face England, as Pierre Spies and Ruan Pienaar return to the starting line-up for the final Test match of the tour.
It is major decision time for Springbok coach Peter de Villiers following the disappointing manner in which his team lost to lowly Scotland in Edinburgh at the weekend.
Martin Johnson believes England’s gritty victory over Samoa will stand his side in good stead as they attempt to end their four-year losing streak against South Africa.
The Springboks were tactically pathetic and physically overwhelmed in what can only be described as an embarrassing performance.
I always love this , when each players participation is assessed by the experts. Everyone has their own opinion. Read this and go ahead speak your mind.
Scotland (12) 21 / Springboks (9) 17 (Final Score)
Scotland hosted the Springboks at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh at 16:30 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
In a scrappy game a brave Scotland held out to beat the Springboks and shatter their Grand Slam hopes.
Worst Springbok performance in a very long time.
For this time of year there is a lot of rugby to be seen on TV in SA This weekend.
Coach Peter de Villiers on Thursday called up three replacements to the Springbok squad for the final two matches of the team’s end-of-year tour against England and the Barbarians – both matches at Twickenham.
We laud some schools for developing rugby and producing quality players like a conveyor belt, well Grey College boasts 9 players in the Springbok touring squad and 8 out of 22 in the match 22 for the Springboks against Scotland! Amazing.
The banned substance methylhexaneamine, for which two Springbok rugby players tested positive, is apparently freely available in South African pharmacies.
The chances of more positive tests for banned substances on the Springbok tour appear to be extremely slim.
Coach Peter de Villiers on Tuesday made four changes to the Springbok starting XV and one positional switch for Saturday’s Test against Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. Zane Kirchner, Francois Hougaard, Lwazi Mvovo and Ryan Kankowski were all promoted to the starting line up while Gio Aplon moves from fullback to wing from the team that defeated Wales 29-25 in Cardiff on Saturday.
South Africa, England and Argentina all rise one place in the latest IRB World Rankings after victories in their respective November internationals on Saturday, although it is Bulgaria who claim the honour as the biggest climbers of the week with an eight-place elevation to 82nd.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers may well unleash some of the young stars in his touring party on Scotland in Saturday’s rugby test at Murrayfield.
So many wants South Africa to play their young players this Saturday. Everyone peppers the coach to play this and that player. What will Peter do on Saturday?Who do you think must get a chance? Last night on Kyknet Kobus Wiese and his panel phoned Peter and asked him a few questions.
The banned stimulant Springboks Bjorn Basson and Chilliboy Ralepelle were tested positive for after the team’s opening Test against Ireland possess a real threat to sports men and women across the world, South African Institute for Drug Free Sport chairperson Dr Shuaid Manjra said on Monday.