Internationals
Pumas (10) 17 / 54 (25) Wallabies (Final Score)
The Argentinian Pumas and Australian Wallabies did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario at 00:40 Sunday SA Time (19:40 ARG Time, 22:40 GMT, 09:40 Sunday EDT Aus Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Springboks (15) 27 / 38 (21) All Blacks (Final Score)
The South African Springboks and New Zealand All Blacks did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 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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World Cup-winning All Blacks blindside flank Jerome Kaino will return to the Blues next year after signing a two-year deal with the Auckland franchise.
The 48-Test All Black has been contracted to play with the Blues and be available for the All Blacks in 2014 and 2015.
This important Test match is turning out to be the final of The Rugby Championship of 2013, however it is not a winner-takes-all final, but rather a terms-and-conditions-apply final.
A draw or a win for the All Blacks and the trophy is theirs. The Springboks on the other hand need to do a lot more. They need 4 tries, they need to prevent the All Blacks from scoring 4 tries and they need to beat the All Blacks by more than 7 points to win the trophy. If the Springboks just win the match without scoring 4 tries they will finish second, 1 Log point behind the All Blacks. All the All Blacks need is 1 solitary Log point, to secure this year’s Rugby Championship.
The Springboks have a great record at Ellis Park, when facing the All Blacks and recorded a massive win here under the coaching of Jake White in 2004 of 40 / 26.
For the Springboks to take the title will be a tall order, but not an impossible one. This could turn out to be the clash of the year.
With the Pumas hosting the Wallabies this weekend it is still all to play for for both sides to avoid the wooden spoon in The Rugby Championship.
These two teams are facing their own demons this season as the Pumas have recorded no wins and the Wallabies only one win in this year’s competition. The Pumas will be backing themselves for a win against a struggling Wallaby team who also aeem to be full of internal politics about pay disputes.
The losing team in this clash will finish at the bottom of the Log. This clash will be an interesting one as both teams want to prove a point.
Australia scrumhalf Will Genia’s yo-yo season took an upward turn when he was recalled for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test in Argentina.
Genia comes in for Nic White in the only change to the starting line-up from that beaten 28-8 by South Africa in Cape Town last weekend.
World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry, affectionally also known as “Ted”, could find himself in hot water once again for disparaging remarks he has made about match officials.
The former All Blacks boss who is now a technical advisor for the Pumas, had some choice words to say about the standards of refereeing in the Rugby Championship, saying that referees and the judicial panel have been “totally inconsistent” and are “a weakness in the game.”
Steve Hansen, the All Blacks coach has made only 2 changes to the All Blacks starting 15 for their important Test match and a fitting finale to The Rugby Championship, against the Springboks of South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
As expected, Richie McCaw returns to captain the side and fill the openside flanker role, with Sam Cane dropping to the bench. Richie will play in his 120th Test match and has never had the opportunity to play in a Test at Ellis Park.
The injured prop, Owen Franks, has failed to recover from a groin strain and has been replaced by Charlie Faumuina at tighthead prop, with Ben Franks coming onto the bench.
Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira will play in his 50th Test for the Springboks when they take on New Zealand at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday, in the final round of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
The 28-year-old Mtawarira, who made his Test debut on 14 June 2008 against Wales in Pretoria, will become the 27th Springbok to reach 50 Test caps, following hot on the heels of his fellow front rankers, Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis, as well as Morné Steyn.
The recall of veteran midfielder Felipe Contepomi is one of two changes to the Argentina team ahead of their final Rugby Championship match of the year.
The Pumas, still seeking their first win after two years in the competition, will face Australia at the Gigante de Arroyito, in Rosario, on Saturday.
It may come as a surprise to Springbok fans, but coach Heyneke Meyer has lamented the fact that his team has fallen behind the All Blacks in terms of their kicking game, with the Boks being far too wayward in their kicking this season.
While the Boks have made massive strides at the breakdown under consultant Richie Gray and currently lead the Castle Lager Rugby Championship standings for turnovers won in the competition, they have fallen behind in terms of their kicking game – something that has always been a strength.
The All Blacks ex coach, Laurie Mains says Ellis Park is a daunting task for the All Blacks this weekend and leading Sports Scientist Tim Noakes says that the Jet Lag factor could catch up to the All Blacks this weekend.
Australia’s Rugby Championship campaign is being threatened by a pay row involving one of the key players in the team.
Media reports suggest Ben Mowen is considering walking out over a payment dispute with the Australian Rugby Union – just a fortnight after captaining the team against Argentina.
The 28-year-old is understood to be frustrated because he’s not receiving a top-up contract from the ARU, despite being a regular starter for the Wallabies.
All Black wing Cory Jane is set to make his return to rugby after a long term injury.
He will be starting with baby steps and join up with his club Wellington to face Auckland this coming Saturday in the ITM Cup.
With the Wallabies having arguably their worst season ever, flyhalf Quade Cooper has voiced his concerns regarding the team.
After losing against the Springboks in their match on Saturday, Cooper told the guys to come together and support the coach.
The All Blacks are flying Chiefs prop Ben Afeaki over to South Africa for their match against the Springboks this coming weekend.
Afeaki will be standing in for injured Owen Franks.
The Springboks were dealt a big blow when burly lock Flip van der Merwe was banned for one week and will miss the Rugby Championship decider at Ellis Park on Saturday.
A SANZAR judicial hearing found Flip van der Merwe guilty of contravening Law 10.4(e): Dangerous Tackling, which also constituted a breach of Law 10.4 (a): Striking.
The Bok lock was cited after South Africa’s 28-8 demolition of Australia in Cape Town at the weekend.
The All Blacks headed to South Africa on Monday banking on the return of talismanic captain Richie McCaw to put the seal on another successful season.
Although New Zealand require just a single bonus point to retain their Rugby Championship title, they are determined to seal it by beating arch rivals South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday.
And the All Blacks are confident they will have McCaw in their arsenal.
How big is the role that bonus points play in rugby these days? Are teams and specifically SA teams scared of bonus points or impotent to get them?
Has the bonus point hurdle become to high for SA teams to get over, or are SA teams just coached wrong in terms of bonus points?
It was the penultimate Round of rugby in The Rugby Championship of 2013, with the South African Springboks playing the Australian Wallabies at Newlands, Cape Town and the Argentinian Pumas playing the New Zealand All Blacks in Argentina.
The Springboks comfortably beat the Wallabies by 28 / 8, however a 4th bonus point try just barely eveded them, whilst the All Blacks won away from home against the Pumas by 33 / 15, barely getting their 4th try in the dying seconds of the match.
The All Blacks are now 5 points clear on the Combined Log (23 points), the Springboks 2nd (18 points), followed at quite some distance by the Wallabies (4 points) and the Pumas (2 points).
The competion is now poised for two games next weekend, where the Springboks and All Blacks will contest for the Championship title, whilst the loser between the Pumas and Wallabies will receive the wooden spoon for 2013.
Here are 2 highlites videos of the matches played:
Both Springboks coach and captain, Heyneke Meyer and Jean de Villiers were very pleased following their convincing 28-8 win over the Wallabies at DHL Newlands on Saturday night.
The Springboks scored three tries, but neither the coach nor captain dwelled on a fourth try that would have resulted in a bonus point win.
The vital Springbok win temporarily placed them on equal terms with the New Zealand All Blacks on The Rugby Championship Log, till the All Blacks beat the Pumas from Argentina later in the night, by 33-15 and in the process scoring a 4th try on the final hooter. This now leaves the All Blacks (23 Log Points) 5 Log Points clear of the Springboks (18 Log Points) prior to the finale at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 5 October. The Springboks would have to achieve a full haul of 5 Log Points whilst also beating the All Blacks by more than 7 points and at the same time not conceeding 4 tries in the last match to clinch The Rugby Championship. In anybody’s language THAT is a tall order against the No 1 team in the world, but at least the Springboks are in with a fighting chance.
Flip van der Merwe of South Africa has been cited for alleged foul play during a Rugby Championship match at the weekend.
Van der Merwe is alleged to have contravened Law 10.4 (a) Punching or Striking when he made contact with Australian winger Joe Tomane. The incident occurred in the 39th minute of the match between South Africa and Australia at DHL Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 28 September.
Pumas (9) 15 / 33 (11) All Blacks (Final Score)
The Argentinian Pumas and New Zealand All Blacks did battle in The Rugby Championship at Estadio Ciuda
de la Plata, La Plata, Argentina at 00:40 Sunday SA Time (19:40 ARG Time, 22:40 GMT, 11:40 Sunday NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Springboks (23) 28 / 8 (3) Wallabies (Final Score)
The South African Springboks and Australian Wallabies did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Newlands, Cape Town at 17:00 SA Time (15:0 GMT, 01:00 Sunday AEST).
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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A win in this match is crucial for the Springboks if they are to still have a chance of winning the tounament at the conclusion of the Test against the All Blacks next weekend, a loss could mean season over as far as silver wear goes.
The Wallabies are battling under new coaching staff and winning has become an extinct species down under.
They managed their first win this year in The Rugby Championship in their last encounter against the Pumas, with one solitary point, having scored zero points in the second half.
All in all it is doubtful that the Wallabies will walk away with a win in this match, having said that, they will not make it easy for the Springboks, in a must win match.
This weekend will see the Pumas taking on the All Blacks in Argentina. Argentina are still looking for their first win over New Zealand and their first win in The Rugby Championship and the All Blacks will want to take a win here with a bonus point if they can, as they will be facing the Springboks next week in South Africa in a match building up to be The Rugby Championship decider.
Argentina put up a brave fight in New Zealand in their last outing, however beating the All Blacks is not an easy task and it seems quite far-fetched for the Pumas at this stage. A Puma win however will favour the Springboks, if they manage to beat the Wallabies.
The record remains unchanged with these team having met 17 times and the All Blacks winning 16 of these encounters.
It does seem likely that the safest bet is to go for the All Blacks for a win, however looking at the last home game for the Pumas, they pushed the Springboks for 80 minutes and only lost by 5 points and prevented the Springboks from getting a 4-try bonus point. All in all a good win for the All Blacks seems likely, but there is doubt that they will crush the Pumas and we could see a similar result as against the Springboks.
All Black coach Steve Hansen has made 2 changes to the New Zealand team to play the Pumas from Argentina at the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, Argentina, in the Rugby Championship Test this Saturday (Sunday morning very early SA Time).
A fit again Aaron Cruden comes in at flyhalf as an injury enforced change, replacing the injured Dan Carter.
At hooker Andrew Hore replaces Dan Coles (who falls out of the match 23), for his 80th Test.
Ewen McKenzie, Wallabies coach, has announced his team to play South Africa’s Springboks at Newlands in Cape Town this weekend, with James Horwill returning to the starting line up and captaining the side.
Nic White and Quade Cooper retains the halfback berths, with scrumhalf Will Genia and replacement flyhalf Matt Toomua on the bench.
Adam Ashley-Cooper moves to the wing in place of suspended James O’Connor and Tevita Kuridrani is brought in at outside centre, for his starting debut.
The Pumas have made six changes for their clash against the All Blacks this weekend.
One of the six changes will see veteran Patricio Albacete slotting in at lock.
Springbok prop Jannie du Plessis is set to play his 50th Test which will see him and brother Bismarck achieve a special milestone.
Jannie du Plessis and flyhalf Morné Steyn will play their 50th Tests for the Springboks when they tackle Australia’s Wallabies at Newlands on Saturday.
In a Springbok medical update, it still seems as though some players are still recovering from minor niggles as a result of the last test against the All Blacks.
Probably the most biased rugby writer in world rugby, Spiro Zavos (writes for the Sydney Morning Herald), has described Springbok Rugby as “Thugby”.
Come on Spiros, I have a special toffee that I would like to show you in person… this is a family website, after all.
Anybody who takes Spiros’ ramblings with more than a pinch of salt, lowers him or herself to the lowest COMMON (pun intended) denominator. The man is a legend… in his own mind only!
Come on Spiros, surely you are better than that…
Australia will arrive in South Africa on Monday for the start of what has been described as the road-trip from hell.
Not only will they play back-to-back Rugby Championships – against the Springboks at Newlands this coming Saturday (September 28) and the Pumas in Rosario a week later – but the Wallabies then head to New Zealand for the third and final Bledisloe Cup encounter of the year.
Springbok Coach Heyneke Meyer has recalled two players into the Springbok group for the final two matches of The Rugby Championship against the Wallabies and the All Blacks.
Pieter-Steph du Toit(Sharks) and Juan de Jongh(WP) are the two players who find themselves in the Springbok group for the final stages of The Rugby Championship. Continue reading
Wallaby James O’Connor has now been dropped from the Wallaby squad, indefinately, due to his recent escapade at the Perth airport.