Vodacom Western Province will have to tackle the Blue Bulls in a Currie Cup match at Newlands on Saturday without fiery hooker Tiaan Liebenberg.
According to the WP Website Liebenberg sustained a knee injury in the match against the Sharks in Durban this past Saturday and on Monday was ruled out after going for a scan. Team manager Chippie Solomons confirmed Monday that their first-choice hooker will be watching from the sidelines while his mates try and retain their top spot on the log.
“He could have played but we have decided to rather give him time to recover. We have Deon Fourie and Hanyane Shimange to choose from,” said Solomons. The manager reported a clean bill of health otherwise. Coach Allister Coetzee said he was very satisfied with the way the players performed in Durban. “I was very happy. It is not everyday that you go to Durban and the Shark Tank and come away with the points. ”
“It was important to kick off the second round on a winning note and the victory was just fantastic.” Province now can boast that they are the only team to beat the defending champions twice in the competition after also winning (29-15) the first match of the season at Newlands.
“Yes, it is an achievement and that is why I say this win cannot be underestimated. It was a good win for us. The Sharks will definitely be there when it comes to the playoffs so I am happy with what I have seen from my team. “I was very happy with our scrum and lineouts and the forwards deserve the credit for that. However, I was more than happy with the backline play in all departments, especially with their physicality.
“The Sharks chose two physical, strong ball-carrying centres but our guys, Juan de Jongh, Peter Grant, Joe Pietersen, even Frikkie Welsh and JJ Engelbrecht when they came on chipped in and did well in the physical confrontation. But that is what we expect from this group of players.”
Beseerde Janne!
Nie goeie nuus vir die WP nie, maar die Fourie kerel speel ook goed. Hy het goed gedoen op senter toe die WP teen die Bulle op Loftus gespeel het in die eerste rondte.
Chippie confirmed it.
Go my …………..errr……………Cape Baabaas !!
September 1, 2009 – 12:56PM
Unbeaten South Africa has made just one enforced change to its starting team to play the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday when it will aim to wrap up the 2009 Tri Nations series title.
Odwa Ndungane replaces injured winger JP Pietersen, who has returned home after injuring his hamstring in the 32-25 win over the Wallabies in Perth last Saturday.
There is also a change on the bench with Danie Rossouw coming in for injured lock Andries Bekker..
Aussie interviewer: “What do you have to say about all the criticism in the Australian press about the Springboks not playing entertaining rugby?”
Peter de Villiers: “In my coaching manual, it doesnt say anything about entertaining the Australian rugby public.”
Hysterical.
Five changes to Wallabies starting line-up
Stuff.co.nz
Last updated 14:58 01/09/2009
Queensland Reds halfback Will Genia and Western Force openside flanker David Pocock have been handed maiden Tri-Nations starting roles, among the key changes to the Wallabies side for Saturday night’s test against South Africa in Brisbane.
The pair are among five personnel alterations to the starting combination from last weekend’s match against the same opponent in Perth, with the others seeing Berrick Barnes return from injury in the place of Ryan Cross, Drew Mitchell slot in for Peter Hynes on the wing, while Tatafu Polota-Nau takes over from Stephen Moore in the front row.
After being forced to miss the last test due to the effects of a head knock suffered in the Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney two weeks ago, Barnes has proved his fitness and been reinstated.
He returns at inside centre, with Adam Ashley-Cooper shifting out one backline slot from last week to take over from Cross at centre.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says Barnes’ established combination with Genia, whom he has played alongside regularly at the Reds, was a factor in the selectors’ thinking.
“Will has shown us since he joined the squad at the start of the Tri-Nations that he is up to this level, and we saw that again last Saturday night. Having Berrick, whom he knows so well and has such a great understanding with, playing along side him will also help.”
The selection of Pocock, who Deans says has offered great value from the bench so far during the Tri-Nations, sees skipper George Smith move to No 8 to accommodate the 21-year-old in his run on Tri-Nations debut.
It is not a new combination: the Australian loose trio finished that way last weekend, after Pocock replaced No 8 Richard Brown eight minutes into the second half.
“George is comfortable at the back of the scrum while Dave has shown, in the opportunities he’s had to date, that he is worthy of a crack from the start.”
Likewise Polota-Nau has earned a starting spot after making an impact from the run on substitutes each time he has been called on, which includes the final 27 minutes of last weekend’s international.
Moore moves to the bench alongside last weekend’s starting halfback, Luke Burgess, while Brown has been omitted from the line-up.
No 8 Wycliff Palu returns on the bench, after getting through a solid hit-out for his Manly club last weekend, taking Brown’s place.
Warringah and Western Force prop Pek Cowan, who also played club rugby last weekend, has similarly been promoted onto the bench, taking over from Al Baxter.
Queensland Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper has been selected on the bench, subject to proving his fitness after spraining his knee at the end of the last test match.
Tighthead prop Ben Alexander and lock Mark Chisholm, who were added to the starting XV last weekend, have both been retained although Hynes has swapped roles with Mitchell, and will this week start from the bench.
Although Australia can no longer win either the Tri-Nations or the Mandela Trophy this year, Deans says the remainder of the competition, and in particular his charges’ last crack at the world’s top ranked team for the year, still offered a major opportunity.
“It’s a test match and against the world’s best team at one of the premier venues in world rugby. That’s not a prospect any of our blokes would take lightly,” Deans says.
“Every time you put on your national jumper you want to – and expect to – do your best. That motivation doesn’t change, regardless of the circumstance.”
Deans also pointed to the similarities to last year’s final test between these two sides at Johannesburg, after Australia had already secured the Mandela Trophy by going two up in the series.
South Africa comfortably won the third game, and gained such momentum from that performance, that it has lost just one of the 11 matches played since.
WALLABIES: 15 James O’Connor 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Will Genia, 8 George Smith, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson. Reserves: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Wycliff Palu, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Quade Cooper, 22 Peter Hynes
John Mitchell under fire for helping Boks
NZPA
Last updated 14:05 01/09/2009
Former All Blacks coach John Mitchell has ruffled Australian feathers after he handed out the Springboks’ jerseys and gave a stirring speech before Saturday’s Tri-Nations test.
The revelation after the Boks’ 32-25 victory in Perth raised the ire of former Wallabies captain Mark Ella, who questioned whether Mitchell should be providing ammunition for the opposition as an Australian-based Super 14 coach.
“I was surprised to hear John Mitchell had presented the Springboks jerseys,” Ella told The Australian newspaper.
“He has a responsibility to develop Australian rugby and his total allegiance should be with the Wallabies.”
A beaming Boks winger Bryan Habana let the cat out of the bag after the Subiaco Oval test, saying Mitchell’s “stern words” helped motivate the South Africans as they all but sealed the Tri-Nations Cup after four years in the All Blacks’ clutches.
Mitchell is employed by the Western Force, not by the Australian Rugby Union.
The Wallabies squad included six players — James O’Connor, Ryan Cross, Matt Giteau, Richard Brown, David Pocock and Drew Mitchell — who Mitchell coached at the Force this year.
Force chief executive Vern Reid said Rugby WA gave Mitchell permission to hand out the Springboks jerseys on the proviso he received the approval of Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, who was Mitchell’s assistant with the All Blacks at the 2003 World Cup.
“My view is that it is an honour to present an international team’s jumper,” Reid said.
“John asked me for permission. I said it was fine as long as he asked Robbie Deans and he was happy.
“No team wins a game because of a two-minute speech a day before a test.
“It’s a brick in the wall, but it doesn’t turn victory into losing and a loss into victory.”
Deans confirmed yesterday he was made aware of Mitchell presenting the Springboks jerseys.
Two other former Wallabies captains, Simon Poidevin and Andrew Slack, supported Mitchell’s right to hand out the jerseys.
Said Slack: “They could ask Charles Manson to hand out the jerseys and it wouldn’t offend my sensibilities.
“It would not make me think that John Mitchell was not committed to the Australian side.”
@Manlybok -Morning my friend. Thanks for these posts,quite enlightening. Now for the big one Saturday!
Howzit AB, thank goodness you’re here, I was feeling like the last Saffa on Majuba.
Wat maak jy so vroeg op ?
@Manlybok – Neewat dis darem al 7 uur in die more hier! More like the last boere on Spionkop that claimed victory after both sides effectively deserted the koppie! 🙂
AB,is jy plaas toe ?
I want to shout for my Prooooooovince, but I don’t recognise any of them !
@Manlybok – Nee ek het Sondag teruggekom van daar af. I must say Province is starting to impress me this CC.
Ja, it’s lekker to have my 2 teams on top, Boks and Province.
I hope the Boks can close it out this weekend, we haven’t been lucky there in Koos se wereld.
@Manlybok – Yip, I was wondering this morning, has a team gone unbeaten in the 3N before?
@Manlybok – Must be honest; I amworried about the Bulls form of late, and Saturdays match doesnt make it any easier!
I’m not sure, maybe the Kiwi’s that year of 60 something scores, and Mallets 98 team had 17 unbeaten so Im sure that included the Tri Nations.
AB, lots of Bulls missing though, and they will be back.
@Manlybok – Yipbut we need to stay in contention whilst the boys are down under, and it looks to be a daunting task!
More Boys 🙂
@AB –
Ja, of course ! ABs 😀
Manly
Can you pls bring the Chivalry around the back ? I am about to offer someone to shove something large & prickly where the sun does not shine & I might be in need of a quick getaway 😯
@Rugby_Princess – Morning mam! I thought it could only have been you guys! 🙂
@AB – More you 🙂
Here you go for history :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri_Nations_(rugby_union)#Results
#20 Princess.
OK as long as you discard said large and prickly before embarking as I am already shifting in my bench seat and my eyes are watering.
@Manlybok –
Dont worry, I am not sure I could get it back out of where I shoved it even if I wanted too 😯 😆
@Rugby_Princess – Ok thanks for that! So we can become the first team to win 5 or 6 matches in a 3N, best so far was ABs 4! See there is always a silver ling to any cloud!
@AB –
ABs won 5 in 2005 …
Morning All. It is winter in Cape Town today.
Good day to you all.
Decisive rugby coming up this weekend on all fronts.
Gonna be lekka again!
Dis 1 September… Lentedag !
Wat het my daaraan laat dink… ek staan toe mos nou en shower vanoggend, toe dink ek “Wat ‘n wonderlike LENGTE !”
Hehehehehe
@Pietman – Morning, Ja it will be lekker rugby unless you are a Lions or WP supporter.
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