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On Saturday we see the 1st of 2 Tests this year by the Springboks against the Azuri from Italy.
Due to Soccer World Cup repercussions the 1st Test is hosted at Witbank and the 2nd Test in East London.
It will be a Springbok mix-and match side against the hard-scrumming Azuri but who offers very little in the backline.
Veteran flank Schalk Burger has been withdrawn from the Springbok team to face Italy at the Puma Stadium in Witbank on Saturday.
Nick Mallett has named his Italy Team to face the Springboks in Witbank in the 1st of 2 Tests between the Azuri and the Springboks and has his inspirational captain, Sergio Parisse back in the team.
The Azzurri take on the Springboks for only the ninth time in their history, having never beaten the Springboks.
SA Under-20 coach Eric Sauls on Wednesday made two changes to his starting lineup that suffered a 35-42 defeat against Australia to the team that will play New Zealand in the second semi-final of the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship in Rosario on Thursday.
The changes are both made in the backline where Springbok Sevens back Branco du Preez replace the injured Francois Venter at centre. Venter sustained an ankle injury during Sunday’s Pool C clash in Sante Fe. In the other change, Vodacom Free State utility back Nico Scheepers comes into the side in place of Sampie Mastriet.
England have named their team to face Australia in the second test with two changes from the team that lost last weekend in Perth.
Leicester Tigers scrum-half Ben Youngs and Northampton Saints lock Courtney Lawes will make their first starts for England in the match in Sydney.
Wales have made three changes to the team which lost 34-31 to an under-strength South African side in Cardiff two weeks ago.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has made two changes to the starting side that beat England in Perth last week, bringing back centre Matt Giteau and halfback Will Genia for Saturday’s second test in Sydney.
Giteau and Genia were both injured for the first test, won 27-17 by the Wallabies, although Genia sat on the bench as an unused reserve.
The Springbok medical team and its regional counterparts have met to plan the way ahead for the country’s leading rugby players in the lead up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
The Sharks have announced that coach John Plumtree has extended his contract for a further three years.
All Blacks Coach Graham Henry and his Assistant Coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have named their team to play Wales in the second Test and Final ever Test at Carisbrook, Dunedin, on Saturday 19 June.
The 4 Teams to advance to the Semi-Finals of the IRB Junior World Championship is Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa, following the culmination of the third round of pool matches.
Rugby Players want a share of the huge rugby world cup profits that they will be making for the IRB by playing in the world cup next year.
New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association boss Rob Nichol says that he players were poised to ask the International Rugby Board (IRB) for a share in the tournament’s profits.
South Africa ended a five year losing streak against France with a resounding 42-17 victory over the French at Newlands on Saturday.
The Springboks had not beaten France since the teams met in 2005 in Port Elizabeth.
We have had the privilage here on Rugby-Talk of an analysis of the rolls of Deon Stegmann and Francois Louw, done by McLook.
This has empted one of our Bloggers, Die Blou Kuberruim Wandelaar, to compile his own analysis, and because our viewpoint is one which allows differing opinions, we always give opportunity for such brilliant works to be published.
Thanks, DBK Wandelaar, here is your impressive piece:
Springboks (25) 42 / France (10) 17 (Final score)
The Springboks hosted France at Newlands, Cape Town at 14:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Springboks came with a top game and stifled all French attempts early, also scored a try early (after 2 minutes by Pierre Spies) and then built up a solid lead.
The French never gave up and in the scrums they were strong, specially against BJ Botha ( SA Tighthead).
The Springboks finally won by 42 / 17, which must be one of the biggest Springbok wins (not the biggest though) over France.
Gio Aplon was rewarded with 2 tries and because of that received the Man of the Match award. Other standout players for the Springboks were Danie Rossouw and Francois Louw.
Wallabies (14) 27 / England (0) 17 (Final Score)
The Wallabies hosted England at Subiaco Oval, Perth at 12:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Wallabies had the better and more industrious backline, whereas England had by far the superior forwards pack and a dominant scrum as displayed by their 2 penalty tries from repeated scrum infringements.
The wallabies won by 27 / 17.
All Blacks (38) 66 / Ireland (7) 28 (Final Score)
The All Blacks hosted Ireland at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth at 09:35 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The All Blacks took the lead early with a penalty and then followed up with a try by Conrad Smith to lead 10 / 0. The score just ballooned from there as Irish No 8, Jamie Heaslip received a deserved RED Card for kneeing players in a ruck.
The All Blacks eventually ran in 9 tries, whilst the Irish showed some pluck of their own as well with 4 tries of their own.
The All Blacks won by 66 / 28.
South Africa (0) 1 / Mexico (0) 1 (Final score)
The Soccer World Cup started today and although the 1st match between SA and Mexico kicked off at 16:00, the Opening Ceremony for the Competition already started at 14:00 SA Time.
We do not usually host Soccer on Rugby-Talk, but we will be making a rare Soccer presense felt here for SELECTED SOCCER WORLD CUP GAMES.
This is the match thread for the match between SA and Mexico. The Opening ceremony and match was broadcast live on SuperSport 3 on DSTV in SA and ALSO on SABC 1 in SA.
South Africa and Mexico drew a tight game by 1 / 1 after South Africa took the lead after 55 minutes through a goal by Siphiwe Tshabala. Mexico equalised at 78 minutes with a goal by Rapael Marquez.
The Springboks host France in a once-off Test at Newlands, Cape Town on Saturday at 14:00.
Traditionally, as a Springbok supporter I have had the most respect for the All Blacks as opponents to play, but in clear second place has always been France…. “Die Hane” as we know them in Afrikaans.
Former New Zealand rugby league international Shontayne Hape will make his test debut at inside center among six changes to the team which played France in the last round of the Six Nations championship.
Hape, 29, played 14 rugby league tests for New Zealand and becomes the third former Kiwi league international to play international rugby league for England after Henry Paul and Lesley Vainikolo.
The SA Under-20s secured their second win in the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship after running in 11 tries as they comprehensively defeated Scotland 73-0 in Sante Fe on Wednesday.
The Baby Boks were in rampant form on attack and were equally superb on defence in this Pool C clash played at the Estadio CA Colon stadium.
One of our fellow bloggers, 4man, mailed me and some others a link of a very High Definition 3D and 360 Degrees Stadium Photograph Combination.
You can pan and zoom right onto your seat position where you will find yourself as clear as day, just before the anthems were sung!
The link is: http://worldcupstadiums.in3sixty.com/gigapixel-images/orlando-stadium-super14-final/
Queensland prop Ben Daley will face a baptism of fire in his Wallabies debut against England at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night.
Daley, 21, will make his Test debut as one of four changes to Australia’s starting 15, which defeated Fiji 49-3 in Canberra last weekend.
Hooker Saia Faingaa, fullback James O’Connor and winger Drew Mitchell have also been promoted by coach Robbie Deans.
With less than three days to go before the FIFA World Cup 2010 kicks off in South Africa, the Springboks showed their support for Bafana Bafana at a media function in Cape Town.Here is what they had to say!
Player Movement was detailed at a media conference today at the High Performance Centre in Bellville, Senior Professional Coach Rassie Erasmus and MD of WP Rugby (Pty) Ltd Rob Wagner, confirmed player movements.
Western Province flyhalf Peter Grant will miss the Currie Cup after taking the option in his contract to move to Japan on a loan spell for the remainder of 2010.
Grant is just one in a number of player movements in and out of the Cape Town outfit, as senior professional coach Rassie Erasmus looks to get all his ducks in a row ahead of the Currie Cup campaign.
Here is a short breakdown of all the player movements in and out of Western Province:
SA Under-20 coach Eric Sauls on Tuesday made three changes and one positional switch to his side that will play Scotland in Sante Fe on Wednesday at 19h00 (RSA time).
Centre Branco du Preez who made his debut for the Springbok Sevens during this year’s IRB Sevens World Series, winger Sibusiso Sithole (Sharks) and forward Mlungisi Bali (Blue Bulls) have all been elevated to the starting lineup for this crucial Pool C clash.
Young Wallaby fullback James O’Connor scored a hat-trick of tries as the Australian Barbarians drew with England 28-28 in Perth on Tuesday.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has selected a very experienced and competant side for the Test against france at Newlands, Cape Town on Saturday.
France coach Marc Lievremont on Tuesday called up Biarritz flanker Wenceslas Lauret to make his debut against the Springboks in Saturday’s Test at Newlands.
Lievremont said Lauret’s presence would help to contain the intensity which the South African loose forwards brings to the match.
The All Blacks have handed Test debuts to three new All Blacks for their match this weekend against Ireland at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, on Saturday the 12th of June.
Graham Henry and his Assistant Coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have named three players to make their Test debuts and three other new All Blacks on the bench.
The Ireland team to play New Zealand this Saturday has been named and shows ten changes to the starting XV that played against the Barbarians in the opening game of the tour.
In the backline Tommy Bowe, Gordon D’Arcy, Tomas O’Leary will all start the game, as does Captain Brian O’Driscoll in the centre to win his 102nd cap.
The Xerox Lions on Monday gained a former All Blacks coach and a Springbok centre but lost a Bok forward.
Peter de Villiers, National Coach and his Springbok selectors have named an extended squad of 27 players, with notable omissions Frans Steyn, CJ van der Linde, Joe van Niekerk, Meyer Bosman, Odwa Ndungane and Andries bekker.
De Villiers will announce his 22 man squad for this saturday’s Test against France tomorrow, Tuesday.
Wales (16) 31 / Springboks (14) 34 (Final Score)
Wales hsted the Springboks at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff at 15:30 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
Wales started the match fast, racing into an early lead and after an intercept try by James Hook from a wayward John Smit pass, went into a 16 / 3 lead. The Springboks fought back and some of the new combinations started to gel and by halftime the score was Wales 16 / Bokke 14.
After halftime the Springboks continues their mid match dominance, adding another converted try and grabbing the lead, now leading by 21 / 16. It was Wales next to score from a penalty, drawing the SA lead back to only 2 points.
Frans Steyn then slotted a long penalty from near halfway, causing the Springboks to lead by 24 / 19. Next it was the try by Juan de Jongh, which carved the Welsch fedence to ribbons, for the Bokke to sail into a lead of 31 / 19.
The Welsch were not finished though and capitalised on some hurried Springbok replacements, adding 1 unconverted try and 1 converted try to the lone penalty by the Springboks, bringing the final score to Springboks 34 / Wales 31.
Australia (14) 49 / Fiji (3) 3 (Final Score)
The Wallabies hosted Fiji at Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 11:40 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Wallabies won, like expected, by 49 / 3, scoring 7 tries in he process.