HSBC Sevens World Series
All Blacks (18) 40 / Springboks (7) 7 (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks hosted the South African Springboks at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
6 Tries to 1… what else can one say…
The world expects the Springboks to lose. More than they expect the All Blacks to win they expect the Springboks to lose.
Many hope that they will lose just to chastise them for this ‘weakened team’ on tour.
The latest Springbok soap opera has sparked a whole lot of conflict between the pundits of New Zealand and Australia against the South Africans.
At the centre of the storm is Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers.
The Springboks have made four changes to their starting team to face the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations in Wellington on Saturday.
Uncapped lock Gerhard Mostert(photo left) replaces Flip van der Merwe (rib), Sharks flanker Jean Deysel comes in for a benched Ashley Johnson, centre Adi Jacobs is promoted from the bench for Wynand Olivier who drops to the reserves, and fullback Patrick Lambie replaces the injured Gio Aplon (back/shoulder).
No wonder Steve Hansen produced a feisty response when asked who would start at No8 on Saturday night.
A seemingly innocuous question yesterday about whether Liam Messam would get another run in the position was enough to earn a gruff rebuke from the All Blacks forwards coach who was in no mood to ruminate about who would start against the Springboks in Saturday night’s Tri-Nations match.
Would it be Richie McCaw, who has trained in the position this week, or would Messam get another shot at No 8?
As it happens, neither.
The Crusaders’ all-conquering scrum could result in some happy pills being lobbed into Steve Hansen’s rugby diet this year.
After last season’s Grand Slam tour a fuming Hansen threatened to implement “golden oldies” scrums into the All Blacks game plans during World Cup year after his men were repeatedly penalised by northern hemisphere referees. Eight months later, however, the All Blacks’ forward coach’s anger needle is out of the red zone and the Crusaders’ powerful set-piece during the Super competition may have been instrumental in his mellow mood.
The Tri Nations should never have happened in a World Cup year. Tests were compromised by money hungry SANZAR. Rugby World Cup has destroyed Rugby’s old traditions!
Here are some really insightful video clips of the first Tri-Nations Test. Continue reading
It has been impressive to watch the All Blacks coaches in action this week as they set to work on the detail of an area that is increasingly deciding the outcomes of test-match rugby.
Two weeks ago Samoa used the counter-ruck to destroy Australia’s search for quick attacking ball, something South Africa failed to achieve with disastrous results in Sydney last weekend.
While every club side in New Zealand spends hours on the breakdown, they do not do it with the impressive accuracy and thought of the country’s top side.
Controversial Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has found an unlikely ally in All Blacks assistant Steve Hansen.
South Africa were well beaten by Australia in the Tri-Nations opener after de Villiers decided to leave most of his top players at home and a woefully understrength Springboks side will also run out against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday.
Dwyer’s thoughts in blue with some commentary from my side in black.
The Boks were well under strength with about eleven first choice players missing and, as was clear with the second-string Wallabies against the Samoans, this is rarely good enough.
So clearly it is not just the Springboks who struggle with their second stringers. What worries me though is that we probably have more rugby players in the Western Cape than the entire Australia. One would think we have enough depth to be competitive with a second string team.
The All Blacks will rest at least four key players for Saturday’s Tri-Nations rugby test against South Africa’s Springboks in a move that is likely upset a number of New Zealand Rugby fans.
The most annoying aspect about this match was that Australia scored almost all their tries off mistakes made by South Africa. I’ll have to watch the match again but I can’t recall Australia actually scoring a try off set piece (lineout, scrum or even consecutive rucks).
Apart from our lineout which was only reasonable because we mauled the ball up twice –by the way that was the only time I saw Stegmann with ball in hand (truck and trailer behind the maul), was he even on the field- and our scrum which was at best average. We were just about ordinary in everything else we did.
Our four main problems: Firstly losing the ball within 3 recycles almost every time we tried to run with the ball, secondly not taking the ball up at speed and therefore unable to breach the defensive line, thirdly poor defence especially around the fringes and in the backline, lastly being too predictable and one dimensional on attack. Continue reading
Wallabies (15) 39 / Springboks (6) 20 (Final Score)
The Wallabies hosted the Springboks at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia at 12:00 SA Time (20:00 Sydney Time). This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
Sub-standard performance from the Springboks and a consumate Wallaby performance. 5 Tries to 2.
Sharks lock Alistair Hargreaves has been drafted into the Springboks’ starting XV for Saturday’s Tri-Nations Series Test against Australia in Sydney.
Ashley Johnson admitted at his first media conference as a Test Springbok that it’s quite intimidating to prepare yourself for a match in the Cheetahs’ dressing room in Bloemfontein.
YOU have to get up early to catch out Peter de Villiers, or even keep up with him.
In fact the Wallabies would do well to get to ANZ Stadium well ahead of time for Saturday’s Tri-Nations opener, or they might find the Sprinkboks are already halfway to victory before the first supporters have even passed through the turnstiles.
It seems to be de Villiers’ latest cunning plan to sweep away any opposition by simple dint of moving the clocks forward.
I recieved this mail from Old Griqua 14…
“If you get a chance, have a look at these pictures of Sydney last night – almost a cyclone. All this talk about climate change???
Might suit the bokkies on the weekend . . .
Best wishes, Old Griquas 14 in Sydney”
South Africa, who travelled to Australia without 21 Test regulars, have included three uncapped players in their team for Saturday’s Tri-Nations opener against the Wallabies.
The Springboks will award Test debuts to props Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger as well as number eight Ashley Johnson on Saturday at Sydney’s Olympic stadium.
Australia have brought back their heavyweights to play South Africa after the embarrassment of last Sunday’s loss to Samoa.
Australia will field nine of the players who started in last year’s history-making win over South Africa at Bloemfontein after the Wallabies’ combination for Saturday night’s opening Test in the Tri Nations was named today.
Come join our Tri-Nations + prediction game on SuperBru! It’s free and loads of fun.
Just Click on the SuperBru Logo, it will take you to the SuperBru web site, where you can join.
Pool Name: Rugby-Talk 3 Nations +
Pool Code: bidswoes
Folks, a lot of people seem to be all rugby’d out… but damn man, it is 5 days before a Tri-Nations Test against the old foe…
Wake up, shake yourself, get in the mood… it’s time for International Rugby again, time to watch the Green & Gold, time to stand behind our Bokke!
Rugby World Cup winner Johann Muller and star flanker Heinrich Brüssow were included in the Springbok squad on the away leg of the Tri-Nations Series on Friday.
The pair have responded well to treatment and will be part of a 28-man party to take on Australia in Sydney on July 23 and New Zealand in Wellington a week later.
Waratahs and Wallabies prop Benn Robinson has been ruled out of Rugby for the rest of the season ruling him out of the TriNations and the world cup.
Highlanders lock Jarrad Hoeata is the newcomer in the All Blacks squad named for the Tri-Nations.
The squad, which will be captained by All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, is made up of 16 forwards and 14 backs and packs huge experience with 1028 test caps between them.
Veteran back-rower Radike Samo has been reactivated by the Wallabies as one of 15 triumphant Queensland Reds named in Australia’s 40-man Test squad on Sunday.
Fijian-born Samo, who celebrated his 35th birthday with a Super Rugby title, is one of the big selection surprises along with Reds reserve hooker James Hanson and Melbourne Rebels utility back Mark Gerrard.
Captain John Smit will lead a squad of 27 players drawn from the Springboks’ preliminary Rugby World Cup squad on the away leg of the Castle Tri-Nations Series, it was announced on Friday.
John Smit will lead a decidedly second-string Springbok selection on the away leg of the Tri-Nations series, but coach Peter de Villiers believes the side can still win in Australasia.
Sharks looseforward Jean Deysel has been added to the Springbok training squad in Cape Town because of injuries. Deysel, who made his Test debut against Italy on the 2009 end-of-year tour, joined the group on Wednesday.
I was reading the team of the week selection by Planet rugby the other day and it made me wonder what the depth was in each of the three Tri Nations countries, and also which positions they have sufficient depth.
South African rugby has this reputation of having a powerful scrum. In fact the perception is that South African rugby is totally dependent or at least of being over dependent on its scrum to the extend that if you can counter the South African scrum the Springboks are easy to beat.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry has said that his selectors face a tough job as they must ensure that New Zealand’s entire squad must get game time ahead of the world cup and still win Test matches.
Frans Steyn is set to rejoin the Springboks for this year’s TriNations and the Rugby World cup after playing for Top 14 club Racing Metro.
Glory be to the All Blacks, hallowed be their name, who with a year to go to a Rugby World Cup tournament are once again considered to be the best team on the planet.
It’s familiar territory for the All Blacks being all-conquering in the years between the World Cups only to come a cropper when they tournament takes place.
Archie Henderson: So the Tri-Nations wasn’t as bad as we thought. We might have lost all but one of the six matches against our old enemies and conceded the most tries, but – hell’s bells! – we made a lot of money going about it.