Referees
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) jointly announced a ground-breaking rights deal for Springbok players’ image rights with the Springbok Players’ Trust on Tuesday.
What a performance! The hoodoo of the 100th test has been broken, and no more fitting than being that of the great Victor Matfield at the stronghold of Bulls rugby, Loftus Versfeld.
Article written by Met Uysh Continue reading
In the first article in the series we looked at the Stormers and their trials and tribulations during the last 10 years of Super rugby. Today we look at the Bulls and the remarkable improvement they have shown over the decade. Continue reading
This year’s Club Champs takes place at Maties from Saturday 18 to Friday 24 September and, in addition to Hammies and Noordelike, will feature the country’s 14 provincial champions in a 16-team first-round draw.
South Africa and Australia came close to producing a new version of rugby this morning in Pretoria.
It was essentially rugby sevens played with 15 men a side – an interesting hybrid model which, alas, I don’t think has a future.
Leading up to the test
McLean and the rest of the New Zealand rugby journalists once again had much to say about the Springbok’s preparation in the week before the test. McLean writes as follows on this matter:
Training – the importance and fostering of. That could be the theme of the day. In the morning, the Springboks did a good deal of it. Someone threw the ball in incessantly. Goosen, newly and most deservedly capped, rose up at No3, du Preez at No5, Nel at No7. In turn all made the catch. Everyone else stepped to the right positions; and that was that. Meanwhile, the backs, under care of Nelie Smith, chased around the place and did a good deal of criss-cross scissors passing. It was all very proper and not terribly enthusiastic and re-awakened the feelings of early in the tour that these men weren’t working hard enough. There was certainly not much humour about anything; nor earnestness, either, for that matter. Just everyone going through a routine. Continue reading
Apart from Test Rugby, Springboks vs Wallabies, there is some other rugby on TV today as well.
Man, one does not need news like this…. Blue Bulls prop, Bees Roux, was arrested this morning alledgedly for beating a Tswane Metro Cop to death.
He has yet to appear in Court.
John Smit was answering fan questions in the Springbok E-zine and was asked how long he still feels he can play at this level.
Despite consistent criticism throughout this year’s Vodacom Tri-Nations campaign, and a mediocre showing in his 100th Test match, where his fitness and form was consistently questioned, Smit still believes he can soldier on until the World Cup.
The captain was visibly irritated last week by questions about him retiring and a rumour that went around that he would call it a day after the 100th cap. After missing the tackle that cost the Boks the game against the All Blacks at FNB Stadium, he has returned this week more determined than ever to make up for his mistake.
At the end of this year’s Tri-Nations the Springbok management will have to stand objectively and clinically look at the difference between blind loyalty and blind faith as opposed to reward in selecting the best Bokke to lead them into next year’s Rugby World Cup.
This is not their only poser, they have to decide whether Assistant Staff has the ability and afinity to take it competently from here as well as how to adapt or fine-tune game plans for the World Cup.
Today I look at player selection only, the game plan strategies and coaching staff will have to wait for another time.
The use of small sided games in football (soccer) to integrate scientific training methods used by athletes -to peak- with skills is a exciting new innovation in repeated sprint sports. I thought it might be useful to add some additional explanation as most readers probably don’t have a background in the science of training and peaking.
I am going to do the explanation using a typical 10 week running periodization program. For the purpose of the discussion I will focus only on the interval sessions because that is essentially what I want to emphasize in this post; how the interval sessions differ from one phase of the periodization cycle to the next. Continue reading
Well it is now time for reflection and hopefully the emotions have settled down a little. I thought it would be interesting to look at the match statistics and see what can be taken from them. Continue reading
There has been quite some reaction on perceptions that the Springboks are not fit enough (see Graeme Henry’s remarks on this issue). Some bloggers have made remarks like “they are professional athletes. How can they not be fit enough?” This is essentially what inspired this post because fitness can mean a number of things depending on how you define fitness and there is quite a difference between being fit and being sharp. Continue reading
After 4 Springbok losses in a row in a Tournament, the Tri-Nations, which lies very close to the hearts of South Africans and with the Rugby World Cup now exactly a year from now, the temptation is there to insist on taking the knives out and to cut some dead wood from the Springbok team and management.
… but we’ve been there before, remembering so well how we, me included, shouted from the rooftops that Jake White needed the axe.
The doctor caught up in the Harlequins fake blood scandal has reportedly admitted that she cut the lip of Harlequins winger Tom Williams, as she appeared at a General Medical Council misconduct hearing in Manchester.
What a great game of rugby. Credit to the players for staging such a fantastic spectacle.
In the end, a rather disappointing result if you are a Springbok supporter. A heart-broken loss is the word that has been thrown around in the newspapers. I’ll concur with that and with that in mind I believe it is important to dissect what went wrong as that is the only way to learn from your mistakes and to move forward. The Springbok team would undoubtedly do their own dissection but for us Springbok supporters dissection and discussion of the match helps to brings closure.
I believe we showed massive improvement at the breakdowns (as compared to our previous two games against the All Blacks) for 90% of the time. However, the 10% of the time that we were not up to it -at the breakdowns- actually cost us the match. Continue reading
The Springboks next three matches were against North Auckland, Auckland, and a combined team of Nelson / Marlborough / Golden Bay-Motueka.
The game against North Auckland was played in Whangarei probably one of the most scenic and best small-boat cruising areas in the world. Terry McLean put it as follows:
It was a perfect flight from Hamilton to Whangarei, especially from Auckland northward along the coast, over the bounteous beaches and islands of the fairyland that is the Hauraki Gulf. I freely sold this as the greatest small-boat cruising ground in the world and the Afrikaners living a thousand miles from the seas warmly agreed with me that it probably was. As it is. Continue reading
Springbok fullback Frans Steyn’s saga with SA Rugby is finally over, and he will join the team on Sunday night in preparation for next weekend’s match against Australia at Loftus Versfeld.
Springbok captain John Smit looked a downtrodden figure as he contemplated missing the tackle that gave the All Blacks a 29-22 victory at FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday night.
Article written by Brenden Nel, Supersport
Fitness levels played an integral part in the All Blacks comeback to score a lat 29-22 victory and disappoint 94000 people at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
From Supersport
In light of the abuse Peter de Villiers and SARU got on the Frans Steyn debacle and the fact that Frans Steyn played last night for his Club Racing Metro in the French Top 14 Competition, I looked at the IRB regulations on the availability of players. The problem for me, with no legal background, is to identify ALL the legal loopholes.
The Lions withstood a determined onslaught from the Pumas to run out 33-30 (halftime 13-10) victors in their Currie Cup Premier Division match played at the Puma Stadium in Witbank on Friday.
Match Report from Supersport
There is widespread speculation of exactly who will follow up in SASOL’s place to be the main sponsor of the Springboks from 2011. Will it be ABSA or Castle?
This Saturday is the time for the springboks to redeem themselves, they need to set aside all the excuses of their coach, the media hype about them playing last year’s rugby, the ill feelings that SARU has for the antipodes and focus on one thing only, beat the All Blacks. Continue reading
Just found the following article in the New Zealand Herald. Written by Peter Bills.
It’s official.
The All Blacks are treated differently by referees from either of their Tri-Nations opponents. The statistics from the first five games of this year’s competition show a staggering difference in the ratio of penalties per yellow card. Suspicions are rife in South African rugby that the All Blacks get a special deal, are favoured whether subconsciously or consciously by referees.
Now, the figures seem to prove the point. South Africa are the most regularly penalised, conceding six penalties per yellow card. The Australians’ figure is remarkably similar – just seven a card. But by the same calculations, the New Zealand tally is incredible. Continue reading
Forgive me McLook i saw this on your blog and in due time you might have placed it here. I jumped the gun and did it for you. I really liked the article.
Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has handed first Test starts to scrumhalf Francois Hougaard and lock Flip van der Merwe for the Tri-Nations match against New Zealand in Soweto on Saturday.
The Western Force has landed one of rugby’s most exciting young playmakers with New Zealand Maoris representative Willie Ripia heading to Western Australia for the next two Super rugby seasons.
South African rugby is exploring the possibility of breaking away from their alliance with New Zealand and Australia as the SANZAR relationship is too strained.
Springbok squad of 24 players has gathered in Johannesburg to prepare for the Vodacom Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
With his 100thTest looming on Saturday for John Smit i found this article by Mike Greenaway. What a place to reach this milestone. In front of the biggest Rugby crowd this century in South Africa. FNB Stadium will witness the Worlds most capped captain reaching his century.
For those who want Heynecke Meyer as Springbok coach , here is a article by Simnikiwe Xabanisa where Meyer reveals some of his rugby knowledge and thoughts.
“Ek sal op die veld vir Suid-Afrika sterf.” 
Continue reading
Article from the Sunday Times Live by SIMNIKIWE XABANISA
Rugby-Talk’s comments section is still open for ALL Visitors and Guests to comment… so go ahead, do your thing!
Commenting will revert back to Registered bloggers only tonight after the WP / Bulls match.