All Blacks Coach Graham Henry and his Assistant Coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have named their team for the first Bledisloe Cup Test against the Wallabies in the Tri Nations at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, on Saturday 31 July. (Kick off: 8.05pm Aus Time)
Matt Giteau and Berrick Barnes will combine in the Australian backline for the first time this year after being named alongside of each other today in the Wallabies side that will confront the All Blacks in Melbourne.
Vodacom WP coach Allister Coetzee today announced his team to take on the Barloworld Toyota Pumas at Newlands on Friday 30 July 2010. Kick-off is at 19h10.
The Sharks will have most of their senior players back after a long injury layoff or those returning from Springbok duty, This will however leave Plumtree with many headaches as to who to play or who to rest.
The Article below thanks to The Daily News. Continue reading
South Africa’s third loss in as many weeks in the Tri-Nations means they now sit only 0.70 points above Australia in second place in the latest IRB world rankings. Continue reading
If you read the following article carefully and look how they explain Richie McCaw,s play as legitimate one wonders if the harsh criticism of Peter de Villiers is not just a opportunistic chance to kick us while we are down.
Springboks and management made a lot of enemies in SANZAR lately. None more so than the writer of the following article. Spiro Zavos was always a critic of South Africa and after this last 3 weeks we gave him all the fuel he needed.
Deon Stegmann, Blue Bulls livewire openside flanker will be out of action for 4 – 6 weeks with a grade 2 hamstring tear.
Stegmann was injured early in the Bulls vs Cheetahs game on the weekend and was in obvious discomfort as he was helped off the field.
Three disasterous Tri-Nations Tests in Anzac and some terrible experimentation in the June Test window, and here we sit…. after a super Super 14 season where 2 South African Teams ruled the roost…
Is it time to wield the knives and chop a few heads in control of the Springboks?
Should Peter de Villiers (coach), Dick Muir (assistant coach), Gary Gold (assistant coach) and even our National captain, John Smit be told “You have reached the end of the road.”?
Springbok Jaque Fourie has been banned for four weeks for a dangerous tackle in Saturday’s 30-13 defeat to Australia, dealing another blow to South Africa’s calamitous defence of their Tri-Nations title. Continue reading
Sing this to the tune of Yellow Bird: ‘Yellow card, the Springboks have now got three … Yellow card, why is it always me?’ Continue reading
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
The Springbok selectors have released eleven players to their provinces to play in the Absa Currie Cup during the three-week break from Vodacom Tri-Nations duty. Continue reading
Bulls (16) 23 / Cheetahs (9) 25 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls hosted the Vodacom Free State Cheetahs at Loftus, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time. This is the match thred for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
Free State Cheetahs stole a win after the hooter with a try by Skipper Badenhorst, to draw level and a great pressure conversion by Sias Ebersohn, to win the match.
Griquas 26 / Lions 20 (Final Score)
The GWK Griquas hosted the Xerox Lions in Kimberley at 15:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
Griquas won the match by 26 / 20
Wallabies (17) 30 / Springboks (3) 13 (Final Score)
The Wallabies hosted the Springboks in Brisbane, Australia at 12:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSpor 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Wallabies, like feared, had a plethera of possession and break-down ball to work with in the 1st half, ran intelligently and recycled the ball well.
This earned them penalty after penalty and they built up a hefty lead as a result from kicks at goal.
In the 2nd half, when Dewald Potgieter replaced Ryan Kankowski, things evened up a bit, enabling the Springboks to score 2 tries but the Wallabies fought and defended well to maintain a lead and run out winners by a 17-point margin.
The final score was Wallabies 30 / 13.
It has been a frantic two weeks in rugby circles in the Southern Hemisphere and unfortunately for some South Africa has been in the midst of each storm, played by the media and in the media.
“Make a public apology or we won’t speak to you again.”
That is the ultimatum that the Springbok team have issued Australian TV company Fox Sports after coach Peter de Villiers was called a clown during the company’s rugby programme, The Rugby Club.
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Article courtesy of SA Rugby
It’s been 13 long years since the Springboks last scored a try at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane against the Wallabies – a record they are keen to change in Saturday’s third Vodacom Tri-Nations Test of 2010.
THE only thing that is likely to be on Springbok captain John Smit’s mind at the moment is how they can possibly overcome the Wallabies in Brisbane this Saturday, but on his return to Durban, he is set to resume contractual negotiations with the Sharks.
Article with compliments to the Daily News. Continue reading
The Tri Nations have just begun and we’re already hearing stories about how tired and fatigued some of the Springboks are. Endless seasons for Smit, Matfield, Habana, du Preez, Spies, Botha, du Plessis… are finally taking their toll, the New Zealanders had rest, rotation and recuperation and were ridiculed for it? Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hanson must be having a wee chuckle at the moment.
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South Africa’s sixth Super rugby franchise the Southern Kings looks set to play in Super Rugby from 2013.
Reports suggest that the Super 15 – which kicks off in 2011 – will expand again in 2013 to a Super 16.
Southern Hemisphere rugby bosses SANZAR have moved to block the establishment of a proposed Twenty20-style rugby tournament in South Africa from 2012.
The Springboks are taking their complaints to an official level with the South African union asking SANZAR to look into what they clearly feel is a bias against Peter de Villiers’ side by the judicial system. Continue reading
Lock Juandré Kruger is back for the Vodacom Blue Bulls and ready to take on the Free State Cheetahs in an Absa Currie Cup match to be played at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Adriaan Strauss, the Springbok hooker of the Cheetahs is finally back from injury (shoulder surgery) and immediately gets selected to start at hooker in place of Skipper Badenhorst, who is relegated to the bench.
Altogether 4 changes is made to the team by coach Naka Drotske, all injury related.
Two recent performances from the Springboks have raised some serious questions about the team that should take us to World Cup success next year, and whether the current crop has hit the ceiling, or still has a lot to offer Bok rugby. I asked Dr. Ross Tucker, an expert in the field of sport science for his opinions on the matter. Continue reading
An injury to New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence will see the Wallabies match against the Springboks being controlled by a different referee to the one that was planned.
Stephen Larkham, Justin Harrison and Marco Caputo will return to the Brumbies as part of the side’s coaching staff for the 2011 Super 15 .
Larkham will return to Canberra after completing his third season with Japanese club, the Ricoh Black Rams, to take up the position of the Brumbies Attack Coach while Harrison, who completed his 96-cap Super Rugby career with the Brumbies this year, will stay on as the club’s Forwards Coach.
The Sharks have opted for consistency as they made only one change to the 22 players that defeatedthe Blue Bulls at the Absa Stadium last weekend.
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The line between calling something as you see it and whining seems to be very fine, so call me a whiner if you like, but I am getting tired of being politically correct when criticising referees. Continue reading
Ruan Pienaar and Morné Steyn will finally play together again as the Springboks’ halfback pairing in what probably feels like an eternity to two very good friends. Continue reading
Vodacom WP coach Allister Coetzee today announced his team to take on the Platinum Leopards in Potchefstroom on Friday 23 July 2010. Kick-off is at 19h10. Continue reading
ADAM Ashley-Cooper has reclaimed the fullback role for the Wallabies in their opening Tri-Nations rugby Test against South Africa on Saturday.