The Springboks completed a 2009 Tri-Nations WHITE-WASH over the All Blacks and claimed the Tri-Nations title for 2009 by beating their rivals 32 / 29 in a thrilling match which went right to the wire.

The All Blacks clearly showed their intentions early on that they wanted to run the ball at the Bokke and initially they had good field position.

Frans Steyn kicked a monster penalty, from his own 10m line to open the scoring, then added another huge one. He later added a third monster penalty conversion.

Dan Carter pulled the score back repeatedly converting some dodgy penalties into points.

Morne Steyn was equally on song with the boot, calmly slotting a drop goal, 2 penalties and 2 conversions… for his 100% kicking record for the day.

The Springboks scored 2 tries, one through Fourie du Preez, the undoubted BEST RUGBY PLAYER IN THE WORLD, and an intercept try by Jean De Villiers.

The All Blacks also scored 2 tries, one through Sivivatu and one through captain Richie MacCaw.

The game was won up front again, with the Springboks reigning supreme in the line-outs and getting parity in the scrums (with the Bokke absolutely monstering one All Black scrum).

On the deck, the combination between Schalk Burger and Heinrich Brussouw worked almost flawlessly, one complimenting the other.

At the back of the scrum, Pierre Spies had mixed fortunes… battling to pick up ball behind the scrum but putting in some very special tackles.

At the half time break, the Springboks were up 22 / 12.

In the second half the All Blacks gave their all, clawing their way back slowly but surely and when they scored through MacCaw with a couple of minutes to go, it was nail biting stuff.

They nearly scored with time up, but the Springboks held fast to record en epic win.

When Schalk Burger went off injured and Bakkies was subbed, one could again see that it affected the Bokke. In comparison, the All Blacks subs provided more impetus to their game.

The Bokke coaching staff replaced Fourie Du Preez with Ricky Januarie, near the end and also brought on Adi Jacobs, Jannie du Plessis and Chilliboy Ralapele.

It was like ice in the Bokke boots, our hearts in our throats, when these needless substitutions were made and ultimately nearly cost the Springboks the game.

When will the Bokke management ever learn that you do not HAVE TO make substitutions for the sake of substitutions. Why fix something that is NOT BROKEN ?

With this important win, the Bokke took the Freedom Cup and the Tri-Nations trophies.

Next week we see the All Blacks take on the Wallabies in the last Tri-Nations match of 2009,it having been reduced to a dead rubber, with the only thing at stake to see who ends SECOND and who ends LAST in ths year’s Tri-Nations.

Well done Bokke !

Points:

All Blacks: 5 Penalties & 2 Conversions Dan Carter, Tries Sitiveni Sitivatu & Richie MacCaw

Springboks: 3 Penalties Frans Steyn, 1 Drop Goal & 2 Penalties & 2 Conversions Morne Steyn, Tries Fourie Du Preez & Jean de Villiers

Teams:

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Ma’a Nonu, 12 Stephen Donald, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock
Replacements: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 John Afoa, 18 Adam Thomson, 19 Rodney So’oialo, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Isaia Toeava, 22 Cory Jane.

South Africa: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Ruan Pienaar

Date: Saturday, 12 September
Kick-off: 19.35 (09.35 SA Time)
Venue: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Expected weather conditions: There is 70 percent chance of rain, lessening, with a high of 17°C, dropping to 11°C and a northerly of 25 km/h
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)