McLook
The Springboks made their South Island debut against Otago in their fourth tour match. Otago had a reputation of being tough opposition against the Springboks, on previous tours, and the Springboks approached them with the necessary respect and caution. Continue reading
South Africa lost the first two tri-nations matches against NZ at the breakdowns, in my opinion. We were totally annihilated at the breakdowns – on attack and on defence. This intrigued me so I’ve been pondering about this issue since Saturday and it was the main topic of my conversations with Kiwi’s whenever we talked about the rugby. Thing that I wanted to figure is what exactly made the difference; what did the AB do at the breakdowns that made them so much better and efficient? Continue reading
For the next few months I am going to complete the series on the 1965 Springboks before starting with the 1976 tour to South Africa. The first two sessions on this tour has already been posted and can be found on 16 February and 16 March. The one posted on 16 February is called: The 1965 Springbok tour to New Zealand – the team and some preliminary thoughts and the one posted on 16 March is called: 65 Springboks in Australia.
I suggest people read those two sessions first before reading the rest of the series. Here is session 3 of this series:
Arrival in New Zealand and the first 3 tour matches
The Springboks arrived on June 27, 1965 from Brisbane via Auckland at Gisborne, where they were warmly welcomed by about 2000 people. There were a few protestors with posters against the tour, but the warmth and enthusiasm of the reception left the South African with a warm feeling around the heart. Dawie de Villiers and Nellie Smith, utterly sincere, smiled and said it was like coming home. Continue reading
Euphoric newspaper headlines praising the Springboks as world champions were at the order in the Sunday and Monday newspapers after the series victory.
In the All Black side there was no singing and partying after the test. Only a few of the team showed up at the post match reception.
Most players just sat round the lounge, morose and reflective. Vodanovich is almost heart-broken. “We’ll have to start looking for backs,” he mutters. Continue reading
Since seeing the AB team a few days ago I have been breaking my head trying to figure Graeme Henry: what is Graeme Henry’s game plan? Here are the teams for Saturday’s match at Eden Park. Continue reading
As a South African living in New Zealand with a great appreciation of the Springbok history against New Zealand it has always irked me that the younger generation Kiwi’s don’t understand or remember the Springbok/All Black rivalry. Continue reading
The All Blacks and Springboks played each other for the first time in 1921. In the second test of that series the two teams met –for what was the first ever test on Eden Park- on what has now become a fortress for New Zealand rugby. The All Blacks have won 20 straight test matches at the ground, with their last non-victory being an 18-18 draw with Francois Pienaar’s Springboks in 1994 (thanks to six Shane Howarth penalty goals). Continue reading
This weekend the Springboks play the All Blacks on Eden park which was where that infamous flour bomb test took place in 1981.
Sorry folks, just a quick insert from GBS… I do not want to spoil McLook’s Article but I thought it wise to insert some video footage here, before McLook’s actual Article… as an appetiser.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZMIySG75c[/youtube]
Lead-up to the test
Ivan the terrible’s revenge
From a New Zealand perspective, the fourth test of the 1970 tour will be remembered for an incident that occurred a week before the test in Potchefstroom. Continue reading
The last three tour games of the 1970 All Black tour were against North East Cape, Northern Transvaal and the Junior Springboks (Gazelle). The one against North East Cape had a cricket score but the other two were hard matches that the All Blacks almost lost. Continue reading
Hier is die vergelyking van Francois Louw en Deon Stegmann ten opsigte van hulle S14 stats. Hierdie inligting het ek getrek van twee websites op die internet naamlik ruggastats en rugby stats. Aantal minute gespeel per wedstryd en aantal “turnovers” gemaak het ek van rugby stats afgetrek die res van die inligting kom van ruggastats. Continue reading
Op versoek, hier is die S14 statistieke van Schalk Burger teenoor Deon Stegmann. Continue reading
Voor mense begin vloek en skel oor die meriete van Pierre Spies of Duane Vermeulen en elkeen sy eie drom slaan oor hoekom Spies goed of sleg is of oor hoekom Vermeulen goed of sleg is, lees die onderstaande syfers en tabelle deeglik deur.
Julle sal merk dat beide spelers hul sterk- en swakpunte het en dat hulle spel die direkte gevolg is van die patroon waarin die spesifieke speler in sy spanverband speel.
So, sien hierdie vergelyking eerder as iets positiefs as ‘n bepaalde uitspraak oor ‘n speler.
Team selections and pre-test opinions
The tension was unbearable, and both teams surprised with unexpected and daring team selections in an attempt to achieve some sort of strategic advantage. Continue reading
One of the most anoying things in NZ is the tendency to doggedly bring people in high positions down if they made a mistake. They (the media) will just keep at it until the person (whether a coach, politician, ex-all black or any other type of executive) get’s sacked. Continue reading
The New Zealand Prime Minister, John Keys, was questioned today by media in Auckland about the growing controversy over former All Black Haden’s claims that the Crusaders have a policy of limiting the number of Polynesian players in their teams to just three. Continue reading
East London was the AB’s next stop for a match against a South African rural XV. The Kiwi’s experienced the hotel owner smug, a bit of a stuck-up and full of self-importance. They found it very amusing when, one Gielie de Kock -a white journalist with a dark skin- was chased out of the hotel with a group of coloured suppoters keen to meet the All Blacks. Continue reading
Will they or won’t they? Will the Crusaders continue to play their high risk-high reward rugby, or will they bring out the stodgy stuff for the weekend’s Super 14 semi-final against the Bulls? Continue reading
On the recommendation that the All Blacks should not miss the “magnificent scenery” of the Garden Route they cancelled their flights and travelled by bus to George for their next match against SWD.
Here’s what they thought of the Garden Route:
It was dreadfully dull by all reports and the players were bored. The return journey will be by aircraft.
The Crusaders said before the match they had a specific game plan, they’ve spotted a weakness and have a game plan to exploit that weakness. As it is they won every facet of the game except the match. They scored more tries, had more possession, wasn’t beaten in the line-outs or the scrums, made more turnovers and spent more time in the Bulls half of the field.
So what was the weakness they saw and what was the game plan?
The Crusaders have special plans for the Bulls in Pretoria this weekend, with coach Todd Blackadder hinting at a secret strategy they believe can get them up to a result that will keep their semifinal aspirations alive. Crusaders believe they’ve spotted a weakness they can exploit.
Check out the cartoon on Nonu, featured in today’s Dominion post here in Nu Zolland.
The shoe is at last on the other foot. On the New Zealand foot, to be specific.
The pressure is mounting on NZ rugby and the primary focus in the newspapers here in NS was on the outside change the Hurricanes might reach the semi’s after their win against the Chiefs.
It was a strange but clear phenomenon; the Bulls getting their S14 campaign back on track for three consecutive years the moment they made Morné the first choice no. 10. This was of course in the years when Steyn was still liefling’s understudy. Continue reading
Crusaders add to New Zealand’s woe – Wynne Gray
The sloppy 16-24 loss to the Force at the start of this roadtrip will be looking doubly painful for the Crusaders after they were clubbed 42-14 by the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday. That will also be another disconcerting note for the All Black selectors.
The entire Crusaders’ pack has played for the All Blacks, but they were bludgeoned by their hosts and savaged by referee Stu Dickinson. Behind those troubles, international five-eighths Daniel Carter played with a continued lack of clout and control.
An article in the AUCKLAND SUNDAY STAR TIMES indicate that THE ALL BLACKS selection panel are in desperate search for a new and more dynamic scrumhalf. They –the selection panel- appear poised to spring a surprise with confirmation coming yesterday from assistant coach Wayne Smith that he and head coach Graham Henry believe rugby has a new kingpin: the halfback.
English and Afrikaans newspapers’ reactions to the 2nd Test were slightly varied. English media’s primary response was to give NZ credit for a well deserved win, while the Afrikaans media accused the AB of aggressive, malicious and angry behaviour with emphasis on what they called dirty tactics.