We have reached the end of the Southern Hemisphere Rugby Season for 2010, but that does not mean that Rugby-Talk will close over this period.

We will still cover the IRB Sevens Series in George over the coming weekend and the dribbles of news which comes our way from all over and some of the Northern Hemisphere games and results.

In addition we will cover the Proteas vs India Cricket Tour, both on the Twenty Over Format, the OID’s and of course the 5-Day Tests,  the first Test starts on Thursday 16 December.

The Ashes series between Australia and England is currently played in Australia. A daily Cricket thread covering International Cricket will be posted here.

It is natural that we’ll be much more quiet than during the active Rugby Season, so come out and talk when you can.

For those who are about to take their yearly Festive Season Holidays, travel safe, don’t drink and drive… and generally have a wonderful Festive Season.

The SA Rugby results was a mixed bag this year, starting with a wonderful South African win in the Super 14, through the Bulls as well as the Stormers managing to be runners-up.

Then into the June Test Window, with good wins against Wales and France and 2 expected wins against Italy. Springbok selections were immediately becoming a problem during this phase.

Then came the disasterous Tri-Nations where the Springboks only won 1 game from 6.

Some contracted Springboks were rested after the Tri-Nations, by order of SARU, resulting in a somewhat understrengh Currie Cup Premier Division tournament and with these Springboks only returning to the playing fold just before the semi-finals. Nonetheless, it was a hard Currie Cup and the Sharks took the honours, deservedly so.

Onto the End Of Year Tours, where the Springboks had the opportunity for a Grand Slam against the UK Home Unions PLUS an additional game against the Barbarians.

With a host of first choice Springboks out due to injury, 13 or so of them, a mixed Springbok squad left the SA shores.

We expected the worst against Ireland but in foul whether the Springbok forwards muscled out a win. Already the signs were ominous that the Springbok backline was far below par.

Then it was the game against Wales and once again the Springboks scored an unconvincing and unsatisfying win, with the forwards doing most of the work and carrying a very sub-par backline.

The next game we all expected the Springboks to walk over Scotland and those bravehearts surprised us all, beating the lacklustre Springboks by 21 / 17… Grand Slam down the tubes!

Now it was England’s turn, who had just beaten the Wallabies and once again we, well me and a lot of supporters, expected the worst for the Test against England. Well, the Springbok forwards machine powered to life again and the Springboks beat England convincingly…. with a brilliant forwards oriented game.

This was at a considerable cost though, Captain Victor Matfield broke a rib, Jean de Villiers incurred or aggrevated a groin injury and strangely Peter de Villiers sent a number of players home to SA. The 2 Springbok players who apply their trade in the Northern Hemisphere also had to return to their Clubs.

A mix-n-match, 3rd grade Springboks Team was assembled to face the Barbarians… and they lost today, deservedly so… and cheapening the Springbok jersey in the process without learning anything with a view to preparations for Rugby World Cup 2011.

Our Sevens Springboks, known as the Blitzbokke also failed to make meaningful progress in the first of the yearly IRB Sevens Tournaments at Dubai.

Here’s hoping 2011 only holds positives and we achieve much in this wonderful world of Rugby Union in 2011.

Regards,

grootblousmile

(Webmaster)