Ireland took on the Springboks at Croke Park, Dublin today. Ireland won 15 / 10.
It is with mixed emotions that I make this match summary…
Let’s start at the beginning. It was a pleasure, no an absolute pleasure, seeing the Springbok scrum going forward… the first 3 scrums must have scared the Irish silly and then came the fourth scrum and the Bokke pulverised the Irish even more, leading to a well worked move left and Schalk Burger, the old war horse barging his way over the try line for the only try of the match.
Morné Steyn converted the try and at this stage the Sringboks were leading 7 / 3.
The Springbok forwards continued their onslaught and set up a golden opportunity for Morné Steyn to slot a drop goal, which he duly did… Bokke 10 / 3!
The Irish began to find their feet though, with excellent line-out steals against the Springboks and with sublime cleaning of the ball, over the player on the ground. They defended well and it became difficult for the Springboks to get over the halfway line.
Morné Steyn missed two long range penalties, one dropping under the crossbar and one dropping both under and against the upright.
Jonathan Sexton put a penalty over and suddenly it was Ireland 6 / Bokke 10, there was just a four point margin, this was also the half time score.
After half time the Irish came out fired up, forced mistakes from the Springboks and they conceded penalty after penalty within kicking range, with Sexton slotting them time and again, making it 9 / 10, then 12 / 10 and lastly 15 / 10 for Ireland.
Eventually Morné Steyn was replaced by Ruan Pienaar, who did no better than Morné, having a kick charged down and missing a penalty attempt.
Jean de Villiers replaced Wynand Olivier who had a top game, specially on defence. There was a bit more to the running game with Jean on, but to no avail and at a time when only a try would have won them the game.
Sexton then missed 2 penalties as well….
BJ Botha was replaced in the game, why I’m not sure, but John Smit moved to tight head and Bismarck du Plessis slotted in at hooker. Andries Bekker was replaced as well, with Danie Rossouw moving into the lock position and Dewalt Potgieter earning his first cap.
During the last 8 minutes, the Bokke threw everything at the Irish who defended and defended and kept the Bokke out.
Go rest now Bokke, fix those weary bodies, next year is another big year!
Points:
Ireland: 5 Penalties Jonathan Sexton
Springboks: 1 Conversion & 1 Drop Goal Morné Steyn, 1 Try Schalk Burger
Teams:
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O’Driscoll (captain), 12 Paddy Wallace, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Tomas O’Leary, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 David Wallace, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Paul O’Connell, 4 Donncha O’Callaghan, 3 John Hayes, 2 Jerry Flannery, 1 Cian Healy
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tony Buckley, 18 Leo Cullen, 19 Sean O’Brien, 20 Peter Stringer, 21 Ronan O’Gara, 22 Gordon D’Arcy
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Danie Rossouw, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Andries Bekker, 3 BJ Botha, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Jean Deysel, 19 Dewald Potgieter, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Jean de Villiers.
Date: Saturday, 28 November 2009
Time: 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT)
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin
Expected weather conditions: There 20 percent chance of rain, with a high of 6°C which is 0°C with the windchill factor, getting colder, and a wind from the north of 28 km/h, freshening to 36 km/h
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Chris White (England), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
TMO: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
See the changes to the Springboks lineup with the late withdrawal of Bakkies Botha. Andries Bekker now wears the No 4 jersey and Francois Hougaard comes in on the bench.
Go Bokke!!
Hellooooooooooooooooooooo
They make a big hooha about this in Ireland. Well if we take this game and dont get the Team of the Year, questions will be asked.
Ireland and South Africa will go toe-to-toe at Croke Park on Saturday with the Six Nations and Tri-Nations champions battling for unofficial title of the world’s best team.
Ireland’s march to Six Nations Grand Slam glory earlier this year was due reward for Declan Kidney’s side while South Africa cemented their status as one of the greatest sides ever with a dominant run of form on their way to the Southern Hemisphere crown.
In between these two achievements the leading protagonists from both sides squared up during an enthralling series between the Springboks and the British & Irish Lions. Although both these sides can rightly lay claim to being the best in their respective regions, it is the emotional and physical scars from those brutal matches in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg that will serve as inspiration for many of the players this weekend and those same memories will whet the appetite of the fans.
superBul, jou engels is darem maar damn mooi jong, wens ek kon sulke mooi engels besig!
Go Bokke……. Kick some Irish butt this afternoon.
Go Bokke.
4 – Boerboel, Your English is just as good boet.
3 – Super, Not sure why this is a battle for the worlds best team? To be honest to beat ABs 3 times and Oz twice and win the Lions Series. I think that is far more difficult than Ireland beating teams in the 6 Nations. Those countries rugby teams are not as strong as All Blacks or Australia. Only B Irish Lions Team together make them strong. We beat them twice and may have in the 3rd test had there not been 10 changes.
Not taking anything away from Ireland just think the Boks played more powerful teams this years. Our team now are exhausted and so many injuries. So hoping we can do it. If this was us to tour at the start of our season I would have had not worries. With our 4 missing players too. Now we miss Bakkies and he is a huge, huge loss.
Anyhow may the best team win. Irish if you read this. I mean it what I said above in a good way and not to diss your team mate. They may even give us a hiding today and then may not. But during the year think Boks played much stronger teams.
4
o moet ek meld elke keer as ek CenP.
Hoe gaan dit met jou ou vriend
Ek wens ek kon daar draai, dis mos nou die mooiste tyd in die Kaap?
6 – What I was meaning in my post above is that no matter what happens today. Boks should win team of the year award.
Well that is my feeling. FdP should win player of the year too. PdV coach of the year. Then I am South African so maybe I see it my way 😉
Irish and Carol, See you both have just posted on the other thread. Hello to both of you.
Hi Puma,
What do you think is the chance that the ABs will lose to France?
superBul, wat is CenP?
Ek werk hard aan ‘n besoek aan jou wêreld die einde van die jaar! Dit lyk egter asof dit vrek warm is daar.
Hello Puma, how are you?
My take is that the Bokke will win today, basta!
10 – Super, I have a feeling ABs will up there game but France are playing very well. Then they have so many changes for this game. I have ABs to win by 3 but think this is the best time for France to beat ABs. If France win think France by 7. All Blacks are like Boks when a team beats any of us we will always come back stronger. Think ABs will want revenge for the loss in NZ to France.
12 – I am very well Boerboel, Hope you are too. Just back from the shops and bought some nice Tiger Prawns for the braai later. Now just looking forward to the Boks last game this year. Hoping we win it too.
13 – Boerboel, Hoping we do. Think Boks felt that loss to France a bit. They will want to win this last one on tour.
CenP is copy and paste Boel.
France have a great record in their last few games against the World leaders ABs and SA
16 – Super, Do you think France will beat the ABs today?
Puma, hell i dont know? Cant wait to see how the ABs react to the French, if France come at them like they did against us.
Richie McCaw insists that the All Blacks will not be bullied by France as they prepare to go toe-to-toe at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Saturday.
New Zealand’s skipper is expecting a barrage from a fired-up French side at a ground that has produced eight victories for the home side, including a hammering of the All Blacks in 2000, from nine Tests. The stakes are high for the visitors, with an unbeaten tour in sight and the Dave Gallaher trophy to regain.
18 – Super, Feel the same.
Okay back later when the game starts.
Go Bokke.
“It’s not a big issue but we’ve got to physically stand up, you can’t afford to be bullied around,” he said. “I know the guys are pretty aware of that.
Red cards today?
“You’ve got to give it straight back and against this team it’s going to be especially important.
The contest up front, and particularly at scrum time, is likely to go a long way to deciding the clash and De Villiers’ on-going concerns about rulings around the set-piece resulted in a meeting with IRB referees boss Paddy O’Brien earlier this week.
The Springboks’ series with the Lions was noted for its physical nature and this match is shaping up as another brutal encounter. Ireland’s leading stars will relish the opportunity to settle a few scores and may smell blood with the tourists seemingly showing the signs of a gruelling year. But this proud South African side are not bracketed amongst the greats without reason and are unlikely concede even a yard without a fight.
Net meer as ‘n uur om te gaan…. hoop julle doppe is ge-charge, Bok kleertjies aan… en julle het beheer oor die Remote Control….
Can’t wait – getting really nervous.
Commeth the day and commeth the hour!
24@ Oirish – … and commeth the big let down for you… hehehehe
Helloooooooooo
ID hope it is a clean game without any dubious calls by the Refs
Enjoy
Ras Dumisane was so kind to send me a copy of his rendition of the N’kosi S’ikelele so I thought is only right to supply you with the words of our anthem
We’ll sing a song, a soldier’s song,
With cheering rousing chorus,
As round our blazing fires we throng,
The starry heavens o’er us;
Impatient for the coming fight,
And as we wait the morning’s light,
Here in the silence of the night,
We’ll chant a soldier’s song.
Chorus:
Soldiers are we , whose lives are pledged to Ireland;
Some have come from a land beyond the wave.
Sworn to be free, No more our ancient sire land
Shall shelter the despot or the slave.
Tonight we man the gap of danger
In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal
‘Mid cannons’ roar and rifles peal,
We’ll chant a soldier’s song.
26@ SuperBul – Eishhhhhhh, I do not have much confidence in Nigel Owens… fattap Welschie, that one…
It will be followed with our rugby anthem
Ireland’s Call
Come the day and come the hour
Come the power and the glory
We have come to answer
Our Country’s call
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
Ireland, Ireland
Together standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
We’ll answer Ireland’s call
From the mighty Glens of Antrim
From the rugged hills of Galway
From the walls of Limerick
And Dublin Bay
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
Ireland, Ireland
Together standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
We’ll answer Ireland’s call
Hearts of steel
And heads unbowing
Vowing never to be broken
We will fight, until
We can fight no more
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
Ireland, Ireland
Together standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
We’ll answer Ireland’s call
Hello GBS and Superbul and all the rest. Cork is croaking and I’m croke already and once the Croke Park 80 000 roar we will all be croaking.
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