Springboks
Scotland have made two changes from their starting XV and a further four alterations to their bench for Saturday’s EMC Test against South Africa at Murrayfield. Euan Murray, the 32-year-old tighthead prop who was man of the match when the nations clashed at Murrayfield in 2008, is restored at tight-head prop having missed the New Zealand game due to his religious observance, with Geoff Cross moving to the bench.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has stuck with his guns and pretty much as expected gone for continuity, in selecting the same team as last weekend accept for two changes to the starting fifteen and one on the bench.
While not everybody’s cup of tea, the fact remains that next year established Springbok No 8 and known occasional game-breaker Pierre Spies will return to contention for the national team.
Scotland forward David Denton today looked ahead to the next round of the EMC Autumn Test rugby series and insisted it is a case of “bring on the Boks”.
Undeterred by the fact that Scotland opened their programme with a 51-22 home defeat by New Zealand, the 22-year-old Edinburgh back rower insisted a bucketload of rust has come out of the team’s system.
Scotland and France may both have played tests this past weekend and will play again in the coming weekend. However, the two teams are in quite different places at the moment with France pulling off a very good win against Australia while Scotland suffered a big defeat to New Zealand.
Furthermore, Scotland have numerous players on the injury list ahead of their game against South Africa on Saturday which is great concern for head coach Andy Robinson. On the other hand, France’s coach Philippe Saint-Andre was able to announce an unchanged squad for their game against Argentina.
The Springboks may have an alternative captain leading them onto the field for their second tour match against Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Saturday.
The Springboks have moved into second spot on the International Rugby Board’s rankings after their 16-12 win over Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
News from the UK is that Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira is returning home due to his recurring heart problem.
What the hell is going on with our beloved Springboks? I believe this is the main question every SA rugby supporter wrestles with at this moment!
Wrong players in key positions, an unbalanced back row, injuries to key players and playing an outdated game plan has all been voiced as probable reasons.
Heyneke has responded to most of these criticisms by making changes to the team but still the team seems to be tentative and almost scared to do anything. They played like a golfer obsessed with his golf swing, so focussed on getting it exactly right that he forgets to hit the damn ball. The ‘Boks in the first half was overly careful, almost scared that they would make mistakes (not getting it exactly right). The result of that –and it has been the case in some of The Rugby Championship test matches as well- was that they became tentative and pedantic when going into contact.
Ireland (12) 12 / 16 (3) Springboks (Final Score)
Ireland and the South African Springboks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin at 19:30 SA Time (17:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Springbok Team to take on Ireland in the 1st Test of the Springbok End Of Year Tour to the Northern Hemisphere, taking place on Saturday 10 November, was announced at about 13:40 SA Time on Wednesday 7 November 2012.
Ireland’s South Africa-born hooker Richardt Strauss is set to come face-to-face with his cousin Adriaan in Saturday’s Test match in Dublin.
The customary time of the year when Southern Hemisphere International teams descend on the Northern Hemisphere is now upon us. We can look forward to four action packed weekends with twenty matches involving the various international teams (nineteen of which will be test matches).
The Springboks took part in a scrum study conducted by the International Rugby Board (IRB) in conjunction with the University of Bath in Dublin on Tuesday.
Third Test – Lancaster Park, Christchurch, 18 August 1956
New Zealand 17 / South Africa 10
Skinner: “From what I’ve read over the years you’d have thought the fighting in that third test lasted the entire game, but that simply wasn’t true. There were only two punches – one that floored Koch and the one that stopped Bekker.”
Don Clarke: “Kevin Skinner is quite a modest man but I saw his knuckles after the match.”
Everyone seems to be aspiring coaches and selectors and week after week we watch matches and air our views where we either slate the coach or sing his praises.
So, I would like to invite every Blogger to post his or her 23 players for the First upcoming Springbok Test against Ireland. Also I will put this up for each Test so we can eventually see who gets it right overall as well as each individual Test.
PUMA and the IRFU have launched the new Ireland alternate jersey which will be worn for the first time in the GUINNESS Series opener against South Africa at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday week (November 10).
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is reportedly targeting tighthead prop Brian Mujati as his 32nd squad member for their European tour.
Springbok winger Bryan Habana was on Thursday named South African Rugby Player of the Year for the third time, while DHL Western Province picked up a brace of awards as their Absa Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup success was recognised at a glittering ceremony at the Cape Town International Airport. The Sharks also scored off the field, with three awards heading to Durban.
As the Springboks prepare to travel to Europe for their end-of-year tour, coach Heyneke Meyerhas confirmed that Bakkies Botha will also be on stand-by for their tour along with Marco Wentzel.
Kelly Brown, the 30-year-old back-row forward, will captain Scotland for the first time in next weekend’s EMC Test against New Zealand. The announcement was made today by head coach Andy Robinson as the national squad’s three day St Andrews camp drew to a close.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer on Wednesday defended himself against allegations that he been too conservative during his up-and-down first few months in charge of the national team.
He also confessed to having made “a lot of mistakes; I’ll take that on the chin” and said that he was “not a guy who knows everything”.
The South African Rugby Union’s “watershed” Transformation Indaba concluded on Wednesday with delegates signing a Declaration confirming rugby’s commitment to promote and develop the game among all South Africans.
When the Springbok squad of 31 (one more player to be added) was announced on Sunday, my first impression was that there was a squad of fully fit players, bar maybe some niggles after the Currie Cup Final of the day before.
It now appears that there were indeed real injuries to be considered, specifically the injuries of Adriaan Strauss (knee) and Francois Louw (neck) as well as Springbok Captain Jean de Villiers (hamstring).
The Springboks will travel to the Northern Hemisphere next weekend with five uncapped players but without their all-time leading try-scorer and most experienced player, Bryan Habana.
Two Vodacom Blue Bulls player will undergo medical procedures in the next week following a long and taxing 2012 rugby season.
Springbok No 8 and Bulls captain Pierre Spies may further his career up north after French club Bayonne reportedly have made a massive offer for his services over the next three years.
Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen will undergo knee surgery on Tuesday which will rule him out of action for the rest of the year.
It was written on their faces. The Boks, to a man, left Soccer City in despair last night, their 2012 Championship ending on the most depressing note.
The All Blacks, the trend-setters in the modern game, were beaming and edging ever closer to a world-record run of victories, after a game that only required one half of a puff from them.
Lungani Zama – Sunday Tribune
Springboks (16) 16 / 32 (12) All Blacks (Final Score)
The South African Springboks and New Zealand All Blacks did battle in The Rugby Championship at FNB Stadium, Soweto at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Springbok side to face the All Blacks at FNB Stadium (Soccer City) on Saturday, has been announced.
The same side which played the Wallabies has been selected, with only Coenie Oosthuizen coming in on the bench in place of Pat Cilliers.
Due reward was given to the side who played so well against the Wallabies, by keeping the entire squad in tact.
Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen has been cleared to take over the kicking duties again in this weekend’s Castle Rugby Championship match against the All Blacks at FNB Stadium.
Ruan Pienaar’s elevation to the Springbok kicking role is likely to continue this weekend despite the fact he was successful with less than half of his kicks at goal against Australia at Loftus Versfeld.
The convincing win of the Springboks on Saturday was followed by news on the injury front.
Most notably Francois Steyn, who rolled his left ankle last Monday morning, will have to undergo an operation to clean the ankle up and will be sidelined for 3 months recovering from the surgery.
What an enjoyable Saturday late afternoon, bar the ridiculous 3G Internet signal at Loftus Versfeld, of course!
The Springboks totally dominated and comprehensively outmuscled and outplayed a very ordinary and injury ravaged Wallabies side, with the Springboks eventual winners by 31 / 8, after also leading at the halftime break by 14 / 3.
I guess 5 tries to 1 tells the story, with Bryan Habana scoring a hat-trick on the day to increase his Springbok all time record to 46 Test tries.