Monthly Archives: November 2010
Over the years there have been some intense battles on the rugbyfield between SA and England. England have this uncanny ability to surprise, frustrate and bring us back to earth. For the next couple of days I am going to describe my personal favourites of matches between these two rugby nations in terms of the worst, the best, the most frustrating, most annoying, most dissapointing, most embarrasing, most shocking and most satisfying matches I’ve had the privilage to experience (see or listen to on the radio). I’ll start with the most shocking test match between England and South Africa.
SCRUMMING MESS
Whatever is being done to clean up the scrumming mess, it’s not working. The slower engagement sequence is not working. Penalising is not working. Perhaps they are starting from the wrong end of the problem.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has made just two changes to his side to face England, as Pierre Spies and Ruan Pienaar return to the starting line-up for the final Test match of the tour.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has attacked referees for unfairly targeting the Australian scrum because of their ”preconceived ideas”.
It is major decision time for Springbok coach Peter de Villiers following the disappointing manner in which his team lost to lowly Scotland in Edinburgh at the weekend.
Martin Johnson believes England’s gritty victory over Samoa will stand his side in good stead as they attempt to end their four-year losing streak against South Africa.
The Springboks were tactically pathetic and physically overwhelmed in what can only be described as an embarrassing performance.
I always love this , when each players participation is assessed by the experts. Everyone has their own opinion. Read this and go ahead speak your mind.
France (9) 15 / Argentina (3) 9 (Final Score)
France hosted Argentina at Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier at 21:45 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
On a muddy field, fireworks is not expected, so in a hard and physical battle, the boot decided the outcome, not a single try scored.
France ground out a win, winning by 15 / 9.
Ireland (13) 18 / All Blacks (19) 38 (Final Score)
Ireland hosted the All Blacks at Landsdowne Road, Dublin at 19:30 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
The Irish came with a dogged and determined approach and initially traded penalties with the All Blacks, but the black machine changed a couple of gears late in the first half, scored a try and in the first part of the second half really punished the Irish.
Ireland was not done yet and threw everything at the All Blacks.
Final score was All Blacks 38 / 18, with Dan Carter only missing the last conversion when time was already up.
Scotland (12) 21 / Springboks (9) 17 (Final Score)
Scotland hosted the Springboks at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh at 16:30 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
In a scrappy game a brave Scotland held out to beat the Springboks and shatter their Grand Slam hopes.
Worst Springbok performance in a very long time.
3 Matches are played simultaneously this afternoon.
Scotland vs Springboks 16:30 SA Time
Italy vs Wallabies 16:00 SA Time
England vs Samoa 16:30 SA Time
The Grand Slam is a relatively modern term coined to either represent a full house of wins by one Six Nations country over the other five participating nations or a full house of wins by a touring Southern Hemisphere team over the four United Kingdom (UK) home unions. The term Grand Slam was first used in 1933, by the American journalist John Kieran. In describing the attempt that year by Jack Crawford to win all four titles, he compared it with “a countered and vulnerable grand slam in bridge”. Kieran singled out these four titles as being the biggest in tennis because, at the time, they were the main international championships held in the only four countries who had won the Davis Cup. Crawford failed to achieve the Grand Slam that year as he lost in the US Championships final to Fred Perry. It wasn’t until 1938 that Donald Budge became the first person to achieve the Grand Slam. The expression Grand Slam, initially used to describe the winning of the tennis major events, was later incorporated by other sports, notably golf, to describe a similar accomplishment.
Considering that each of the four UK teams (and France) generally play a different style and have different strengths and weaknesses a Grand Slam is, in terms of adaptability, probably a greater feat than winning a series against one country.
South Africa 584/9d & 203/5d
Pakistan 434 & 153/3 (67 ov)
Fall of wickets – 1-66 (Taufeeq Umar, 20.3 ov), 2-66 (Mohammad Hafeez, 21.2 ov), 3-66 (Younis Khan, 21.4 ov)
Match drawn
The Sharks have stood by their word and made sure Kings Park will remain the home of Sharks rugby.
Wales (6) 16 / Fiji (13) 16 (Final Score)
Wales hosted Fiji at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff at 21:30 Sa Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
Fiji salvaged a draw with a converted penalty after time was up, final score 16 / 16.
Now the All Blacks wait for the embattled Wales team…. it’s going to be murder on a grand scale.
For this time of year there is a lot of rugby to be seen on TV in SA This weekend.
The importance of the Varsity Cup has been underlined once again by several SA rugby heavyweights joining various coaching staffs.
Heyneke Meyer, the Blue Bulls director of rugby, Herkie Kruger, Lions flyhalf, and David de Villiers, Cheetahs lock, have all joined Varsity Cup coaching staffs.
The plot to assasinate Deon Helberg has thickened, it now reads like a Hollywood story… or a true television soapie.
All Rugby Unions have received the following Letter from BokSmart, notifying them of the requirements for next year.
A bit longwinded but interesting.
Western Province Rugby and DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, today announced the signing of a 3 year umbrella sponsorship agreement encompassing all representative WP Rugby teams, the Stormers and Newlands Rugby Stadium, effective 1 January 2011.
Wallaby coach Robbie Deans has dropped Matt Giteau from the starting line up to face Italy after he was shown a yellow card in last weekend’s loss to England.
England vs South Africa Rugby Legends, 26 November 2010 @ The Stoop 19:45pm
A 47-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday for allegedly conspiring to murder Blue Bulls rugby player Deon Helberg, police said.
Coach Peter de Villiers on Thursday called up three replacements to the Springbok squad for the final two matches of the team’s end-of-year tour against England and the Barbarians – both matches at Twickenham.
Coach Graham Henry has continued with his policy of rotation by benching Sonny Bill Williams.
We laud some schools for developing rugby and producing quality players like a conveyor belt, well Grey College boasts 9 players in the Springbok touring squad and 8 out of 22 in the match 22 for the Springboks against Scotland! Amazing.
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has made four changes in personnel to the starting line-up for Saturday’s Test against world champions South Africa at Murrayfield.
Nick Easter will lead the England side for the first time in a full international against Samoa at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.
Seven of the Scotland players involved in the 49-3 mauling by New Zealand are in need of medical assessment ahead of Saturday’s Test against South Africa.
Since reading most opinions on news websites and the mainstream media I cannot get that irritating tune of Kenny Rogers called The Gambler out of my head. Continue reading
People might think we are making a huge fuss about this Springbok “doping” scandal but I guess they do not see the implications of it for us, as sports lovers, and moreso the impact it has on our already tainted reputation as world leaders in Rugby. For me its a major embarassment, especially to think that our whole team may have been exposed. Continue reading
The South African Rugby Players Association has welcomed the arbitration award handed down by Advocate Nic Treurnicht – confirming that SARPA must with immediate effect be given representation on the SARU Executive Council.
It is the second time that a court has ruled in favour of the players’ union, to ensure they have a member on the council.
Munster secured a 15-6 victory against Australia in gale-force conditions at Thomond Park handing Australia their second loss on the end of year tour.