The Azzuri took on the Springboks in Udine, Italy at 16:00 SA time. The Springboks won comfortably 32 / 10. (See the Match summary)
Finally a win for the Springboks on Tour this year.
They scored 4 tries to the solitary Italian try.
The Springboks however are not close to the finished article yet, there were hickups, specially when they allowed the Italians to do too much of the play in te first half. The scrums were a mixed bag as well and only seemed to really get going when John Smit reverted to hooker and BJ Botha came on to anchor the Bokke scrum at tight head. I hope this settles it then, John Smit is a hooker… and a jolly good hooker and BJ Botha is needed at tight head.
South Africa took an early lead with 2 tries whilst Simone Favaro was in the sin bin, then Italy came back at the Bokke, controlling the ball well and putting the Springboks under a good measure of pressure.
In this time Italy manufactured a try by Gonzalo Garcia. In the first half Craig Gower missed three kickable penalties and the half ended 12 / 7 to the Springboks.
Morné Steyn also started out quite wayward with the boot to posts, he missed two penalty attempts and a conversion. Apparently it is a different ball that they use there in Italy to the one that Morné is used to.
The second half was more enterprisng by the Bokke and when BJ Botha eventually took the field, with John Smit moving to hooker… Adriaan Strauss leaving the field, the scrums were much better. Beast also joined the front row at that stage, so the best front row on tour consisted of Beast at loosehead, John Smit at hooker and BJ Botha at tight head.
Matfield came on and Bakkies left the field… with Bekker moving to the No 4 lock position and Matfield resuming his favoured No 5 lock position.
We saw that as soon as the Springboks went wide against Italy, away from their powerful forwards, that Italy was vulnerable.
Heinrich Brüssow was on fire yet again, stealinf vital balls at vital times.
Morné Steyn fially adapted to the strange ball in the second half and made the score 15 / 7 in the 46th minute.
Another very positive substitution happened when Jean Deysel came on to replace Ryan Kankowski, he slotted in at blindside flank, with Danie Rossouw moving to the No 8 berth… this clearly worked better, Deysel slotted in perfectly and Danie Rossouw suddenly revived his tour fitting in properly at No 8.
The Springbok’s 3rd try was skillful and the handling was sublime. After Morné Steyn started the move in his own 22m area, the ball went to Danie Rossouw who ran well and passed a marvelous little back-hander to Jaque Fourie as hewent down in a tackle. Jaque Fourie raced on, passing to Bryan Habana on his inside right hand side, Habana made a break then passed to Fourie du Preez who maestro’ed (if there is such a word) over the try line.
Gower then converted a penalty, making the score 22 / 10.
Morné Steyn made it 25 / 10 soon thereafter.. and was then promptly replaced by Ruan Pienaar at fly half. At the same time Wynand Olivier came on to replace Adi Jacobs.
The deserving Wynand Olivier finally scored his first Test try when he crashed over after an inside pass from Fourie du Preez. Ruan Pienaar converted the easy conversion. The score was now 32 / 10, which also turned out to be the final score.
Finally, Francois Hougaard got his firs Test Cap, coming on as a late replacement in the last 4 minutes of the match.
All in all a good day for the Springboks with a lot of questions answered.
Congratulations are in order for the 3 new caps in Bokke Tests, Wian du Preez, Jean Deysel and Francois Hougaard… may you continue to wear the jersey with pride and distinction.
Which questions were answered, might you ask? Well, I would sa y the following:
- Our Front row should be Beast Mtawarira (1), John Smit (2), BJ Botha (3)
- Our loosies should be Brüssow (6), Jean Deysel (7), Danie Rossouw (8 ) – whilst Pierre Spies is injured… with Kankowski moving out the match dat 22 all together. Dewalt Potgieter should be on the bench.
- At inside centre, Wynand Olivier should be the starting centre in the absense of Jean de Villiers, not Adi Jacobs.. he should be relegated to the bench or out of the match day 22 with Juan de Jongh possibly claiming a bench spot in his place.
- For now, Ruan Pienaar seems to be adequate on the bench as utility player, so too Francois Hougaard.
No more experiments Mr Peter de Villiers & Co…. this is what is needed, this is what should happen… please listen to us… some of us know what we’re talking about!
Points:
Italy: 1 Conversion & 1 Penalty Craig Gower, 1 Try Gonzalo Garcia
Bokke: 2 Conversions & 2 Penalties Morné Steyn, 1 Conversion Ruan Pienaar, 1 Try Bryan Habana, 1 Try Jaque Fourie, 1 Try Fourie du Preez, 1 Try Wynand Olivier
Teams:
Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Matteo Pratichetti, 13 Alberto Sgarbi, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Craig Gower, 9 Simon Piccone, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Simone Favaro, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys, 4 Carlo Del Fava, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Salvatore Perugini
Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Ignacio Rouyet, 18 Antonio Pavanello, 19 Josh Sole, 20 Mauro Bergamasco, 21 Tito Tebaldi, 22 Gonzalo Canale
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Adi Jacobs, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Tendai Mtawarira, 17 BJ Botha, 18 Victor Matfield, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 François Hougaard, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Wynand Olivier.
Date: Saturday, November 21
Venue: Stadio Friuli, Udine
Kick-off: 15.00 (14.00 GMT; 16.00 SA time)
Expected weather conditions: Clear with a high of 14°C, dropping to 4°C and a light wind
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: James Jones (Wales), Peter Allan (Scotland)
TMO: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
300 – Not like he was for the Boks, but his experience is huge. He is missed in the Boks team for sure.
298 Yep, those lucky friends of ours in south Africa throwing a lobster on the braai and spreading on the sun cream!!
302 – Oh Carol
Have my lights on already – dark.
296@ Koningkie – Yip
Bokke must be the following now:
Front row:
Beast, Smit, BJ (Wian & Strauss on the bench)
Locks:
Matfield & Bakkies (Bekker on bench)
Loosies:
Brussouw, Deysel, Pakslae (Dewalt Potgieter on bench)
Scrummie:
Fourie du Preez
Fly Half:
Morne Steyn
Centres:
Wynand Olivier & Jaque Fourie
Wings:
Habana & JP Pietersen
Full Back:
Zane Kirchner
Bench backs:
Ruan Pienaar, Adi / Juan, Hougaard
Agree with you. Kankowski runs upright and looses the ball too much – also always head out of the scrum.
303 – Irish – Actually we are spoiled up here, the Saffas always get dark early, would be strange for them being able to go for a walk at 10pm in the light!
Is the Irish game being televised in South Africa or is it just a small game for you guys.
Really. I thought they have long summer days.
307@ Carol – We have long summer days… from 5:00 am till 7:30 pm
…. and don’t forget, we have REAL summer… 8 months of the year…
Rats, its gets worse…..I have slipped on superbru!!
1. Ed the Lion
2. Die Valk
3. Snoek
4. Slasher (who he) ?
5. Puma
6. Velte
7. GBS Webmonster
8. Pietman
9. Pollie
10. Croc
11. Scrumsaam
12. Meeee!! 🙁
GEE WIAAN NOG “N KANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
310. GBS – Call that LONG…We are light from 4.30am to 10.30 on our longest days!!
I will give you the fact you do get heat and sun though!!
What is Superbru?
Smallies – I beg your pardon!!
Listen Carol stop convincing yourself – where would you rather be now…well I have no doubt about it.
GIVE WIAAN ANOTHER CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
314 Irish, how have you survived withoug superBru, the sports prediction game. I will send you a link…hold on, see if I have the technology!!
#316 – answer: IN BED
311@ Carol – Ahhhh, I’ve moved up 9 places already this weekend… now going for GOLD !!
316 – I would be at GBS house, perhaps have a dip in his pool….eat some exotic seafood and drink Saffa Beer. Hows that!
Or up with Puma in Umhlanga, sipping red wine listening to his tales of foreign travel!!
Bugger the wind and rain here and I have had a terrible cold!! Fed up with winter already!
321 really bad here too. The sound of a pool gives me shivers down my livers…oops that beer that does that – lol
305: presies die span wat ek sal kies teen die Iere. Hulle moet jou maar keurder maak.
Dinge het goed gelyk met BJ op vaskop en Smit op haker (sy ingooie was ook baie goed), Danie op agsteman en WO op binnesenter.
It was really cool here this week… I had to wear a Windbreaker / Skipper / Jacket thingy for a couple of days…. damn but we had lots of rain… inches and inches
In sa we drink beer and braai outside at night in the middle of winter
@bdb GEE wiaan nog ‘n kans met daai voorspeler kombo wat laaste gespeel het en kyk wat gebeur julle vergeet wat hy aan john gedoen het in die semi
325@ smallies72 – Fark, that is not always so… the Winter in the Karoo gets pretty chilly…
Hell, and up here in Gauteng we see a bit of snow every 25 years or so….
Make that daytime in Winter… hehehe
325 smallies – Rub it in mate. In winter we hibernate, turn white and wish we were in Africa.
@gbs sorry ek het vergeet ons hier in die suid vrystaat is BAIE tough ek het ‘n min van -9 gemeet die jaar met sneeu
322 Irish – You look after that liver, it has got to last you another 60 years!!
324 GBS – You wear a skipper (that is another wierd word), windbreaker is something we put up on a beach!! 😉
325 Smallies – You trying to make me weep?
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