Yearly Archives: 2011
Samoa coach Titimaea Tafua on Wednesday announced two changes to his starting line-up to face South Africa in their final Pool D game in Auckland on Friday.
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar has named the same side that bravely outlasted the Lions in Johannesburg last week, to take on the resurgent Pumas in Currie Cup action at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has made just two changes, both in the forwards pack, for their vital Currie Cup clash with the front-running Lions at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein this weekend.
New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Tew says that the All Blacks may be forced to withdraw from participating in future Rugby World Cups.
Tew says that the All Blacks participation at the World Cup has cost his union more than 13 million New Zealand dollars (£ 6.6 million).
Georgia (12) 25 / Romania (6) 9 (Final Score)
Georgia and Romania did battle in Palmerston North at 08:30 SA Time (19:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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In the sloppiest, most error-ridden game of the tournament, thus far, the Georgians managed to grind out the win.
When Dan Carter reckons something isn’t quite right with a rugby ball, people listen.
So when the All Blacks’ goal kicking wizard admitted yesterday that the official Gilbert “Virtuo” ball used during the World Cup had caused some frustrations, it was time to dig up a few statistics.
Italy (20) 27 / USA (10) 10 (Final Score)
Italy and the USA did battle in Nelson at 08:30 SA Time (19:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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USA forced Italy to grind out a win, with their dominant scrum, and for the first time in a very long time, Nick Mallett’s side managed to get a bonus point for tries scored.
One could say mission accomplished by Italy, but they really made hard work of the task.
Vodacom Blue Bulls flanker Dewald Potgieter will not play in the remainder of the Absa Currie Cup competition after injuring his ankle.
Canada (7) 23 / Japan (17) 23 (Final Score)
Canada and Japan did battle in Napier at 06:00 SA Time (17:00 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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A draw, in this very good battle! In 2007 at the World Cup these two sides also drew (12 / 12).
There are five changes in the pack as Bismarck du Plessis is partnered with the returning Tendai Mtawarira and Bismarck’s brother Jannie du Plessis in an all-Sharks front row. The final change among the forwards sees the return of Heinrich Brüssow to the back row.
Victor Matfield will captain the Springbok team to play Samoa in the deciding Rugby World Cup Pool D clash at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland on Friday.
Victories for the Blue Bulls and Free State Cheetahs at the home grounds of the front runners of the Currie Cup ensured the competition is still wide open with just three rounds to go before the semi-finals.
The Blue Bulls beat the log leading Golden Lions (21-18) in Johannesburg, while the Free State Cheetahs were too good for Western Province in Cape Town (34-20).
TEAM anouncement at 20:00 (Team in article above)
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers gave his players two days off to recharge the batteries ahead of their final Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool D match against Samoa, on Friday.
Is this a pot of crock by Brenden Nel, or is it just a public relations stunt or is there after all something most of us miss?
Why are senior players like Fourie du Preez and Victor Matfield, who could possibly benifit the most from John Smit’s exclusion, so happy to play under his captaincy?
In Victor Matfield’s absence, Danie Rossouw called the lineouts, ran more with the ball and was one of the Springboks’ most impressive players on the park.
With Matfield set to make his return from a hamstring injury in Friday’s match against Samoa, Rossouw will swap the number five jersey for the number four and revert back to playing a tighter game.
I was watching Namibia play their 4th Test match against yet another very tough opponent in only 14 days (17 days from Rugby World Cup kick-off), in their run on 15 for this match there are only 6 players making a living on rugby, and the only player that can be seen playing for a truly professional high quality outfit is Jacques Burger the Namibian captain.
South African rugby journalist Vata Ngobeni was detained during the early hours of Monday morning when Taupo police removed him from a local pub suspecting he was a drug dealer.
Wales (22) 81 / Namibia (0) 7 (Final Score)
Wales and Namibia did battle in New Plymouth at 08:30 SA Time (19:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Wales made it hard for themselves in the first half, only scoring 3 tries in that period, but the second half was a different story, with the tries eventually raining on Namibia towards the end.
Namibia now exits the World Cup, all their Pool games done and dusted.
Interpreting some games of rugby is akin to interpreting a Rorschach inkblot. The Rorschach Test was developed by Swiss psychologist Hermann Rorschach in 1921 to give insights into personality characteristics. It asks subjects to describe what they see in 10 symmetrical inkblots and the tester will make various assumptions about their personality according to the interpretation. – by John Eales
Samoan stalwart Seilala Mapusua has vowed his side will throw everything at the Springboks on Friday after winning the battle of the islands yesterday to keep their World Cup quarterfinals hopes alive.
Argentina (3) 13 / Scotland (6) 12 (Final Score)
Argentina and Scotland did battle in Wellington at 09:30 SA Time (20:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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This was not a pretty, airy-fairie match, but hard and unrelenting rugby.
The Argentinians came back from being 12 / 6 down to score a marvelous try and a cool conversion, and then hanging on with everything they had to keep brave Scotland away.
Ireland (36) 62 / Russia (0) 12 (Final Score)
Ireland and Russia did battle in Rotorua at 07:00 SA Time (18:00 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Ireland scored 9 tries to 2 and comfortably took the match, as expected.
The world’s rugby media have been rich in their praise for the All Blacks’ impressive win over France with former England lock Paul Ackford declaring: “The World Cup is as good as theirs”.
Fiji (0) 7 / Samoa (12) 27 (Final Score)
Fiji and Samoa did battle in Auckland at 04:30 SA Time (15:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Samoa just suffocated Fiji out of the game from the word go.
Very late in the second half, the game sprung alive after the first try of the match, with 2 more tries scored, one from each side.
WP (6) 20 Cheetahs (24) 34 (Final Score)
DHL Western Province hosted the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Free State Cheetahs took the game by the scruff of the neck early on and by Halftime were leading by 18.
DHL Western Province refused to lie down and came back hard at the Free State Cheetahs, to only concede a late try by Coenie Oosthuizen, and resulting in a 14-point loss for the Home side.
DHL Western Province now face the Sharks and then the MTN Lions in successive weeks.
Lions (6) 18 / Blue Bulls (18) 21 (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions hosted the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 15:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Blue Bulls desperately held on, with superb defence to win this cliff-hanger by 3 points.
All Blacks (19) 37 / France (3) 17 (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks hosted France at Eden Park, Auckland at 10:30 SA Time (20:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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After a strong France start, the All Blacks had a purple patch, where they scored 3 quick tries and from then on France was always just chasing the game.
5 Tries to 2 for the All Blacks.
Peter de Villiers surely did put the attention back on the Haka with his remark that over-performing it will impact on its effect.
The other side of the coin is that the more it is performed in the streets the more it connects the people to the tribe/nation.
I often get the impression that New Zealanders –especially the Islanders- have difficulty understanding that the rest of the world just don’t have the same romantic obsession with the Haka than them.
As an outsider one can feel that they just don’t get it namely that outsiders tolerate it and are not in awe of it. That outsiders are being polite and not overwhelmed by it when they make compliments and positive remarks about it.
For outsiders it is hard to understand how the Haka connects the individual to the Soul of the nation. For the kiwis the Haka is a serious war dance.
England (34) 67 / Romania (3) 3 (Final score)
England and Romania did battle in Dunedin at 08:00 SA Time (18:00 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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There was ALWAYS only going to be one winner, and so it was, England winning by 10 tries to none.
Sharks (14) 29 / Griquas (10) 18 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted GWK Griquas as Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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The Sharks scored their 4 tries for a bonus point win, but the Griquas gave them a torrid time and in the end lost by only 8 points.
I was sent these facts, figures and stats, by our friend and fellow-blogger, 4man. Thanks Ou-Ballie!
It is truly remarkable how many of the players in Rugby World Cup 2011, playing for their different countries, were born in another country, not the one they are playing for.
The Blue Bulls have a tough task if they want to keep alive their Currie Cup semi-final hopes when they travel to Johannesburg on Saturday to face the table-topping Golden Lions.
On Friday in Cape Town, Western Province host the resurgent Free State Cheetahs in a tricky encounter for the home team, after the side from Bloemfontein crushed The Sharks last weekend.
In the two other games of the weekend, Griquas travel to Durban to face The Sharks, still hurting from their defeat in Bloemfontein last week, while both the Pumas and the Platinum Leopards will be aiming for their second victory of the season in Nelspruit.
Wallabies (22) 67 / USA (5) 5 (Final Score)
The Australian Wallabies did battle with the USA Eagles in Wellington at 10:30 SA Time (20:30 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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The Wallabies scored 11 tries to a solitary try by the USA.
The injury toll on the Wallaby side will be worrysome for them, though.
DHL WP Coach Allister Coetzee named his team to take on the Toyota Freestate Cheetahs at DHL Newlands on Saturday 24 September at 17h05.
New Zealand rugby Coach Graham Henry has strengthened his All Blacks team with the return of skipper Richie McCaw and Dan Carter among four changes for Saturday’s big World Cup Pool A game with France at Eden Park.
Springboks (31) 87 / Namibia (0) 0 (Final Score)
The South African Springboks did battle with Namibia in Albany at 10:00 SA Time (20:00 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The First half was not convincing at all by the Springboks, too many lapses in concentration and too many forced and unforced errors riddled this period. Despite not being clinical enough the Springboks scored 4 converted tries and a penalty in the First Half.
The Springboks started the Second Half in much the same vein, but then suddenly all gears clicked into place, and the tries rained on the poor Namibians. The Springboks scored 56 points in the Second Half.
Altogether, the Springboks scored 12 tries, hell make that 12 converted tries, as the 2 Springbok kickers had a flawless night with the boot as well.
At this juncture in Rugby World Cup 2011, this is the biggest win of the Tournament, surpassing the 83 / 7 score by the All Blacks whilst at the same time keeping the score sheet squeeky clean for the Springboks on the day.