Bok coach Peter de Villiers made nine changes to his match-day 22 and looking at the selections the Boks are seemingly preparing to run what is bound to be a ring-rusty Aussies outfit off their feet. Continue reading
The Springbok match 22 to face Australia in a Vodacom Tri-Nations Test at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday shows nine changes to the one that went down 17-31 against New Zealand in Wellington last week. Continue reading
It’s not often that international rugby journalists have to push and shove to get front-row seats at a test coach’s press conference. Such occasions are generally as alluring as a public stoning, since test coaches are the masters of saying nothing.
OPINION: Richie McCaw might get away with murder, but hey, at least he’s our murderer.
By PETER LAMPP – Manawatu Standard 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
Dear Mr Administrator and fellow readers
After reading (frequently) and commenting (rarely) on Rugby-talk, I felt tasked to submit an article again after the last thrashing we got from the AB’s and the reaction to it.
Referee’s and the judicial process have been the main talking abouts following the first two weeks of Tri-Nations rugby, but what exactly can be done, or is done to address these problems behind the scenes and from the team or team management themselves?
We got in touch with Springbok management to find out Continue reading
All I read this morning are excuses, blaming others and a good old SA whinge to excuse the Springboks diabolical performance for 2 straight weeks in a row.
My view is radically different… the All Blacks are a well oiled machine at the moment, they play situations and referees perfectly, they play cleverly and they use their heads, not for head butting and shannanigans but to outplay their opposition.
The Springboks and their coaching staff on the other hand come accross as hotheads who easily lose their cool with NO ABILITY to get the referee on their side… and they follow it up with sub-standard play and incompetance!
It wasn’t only the Springboks’ battered and scratched bodies that were aching when they boarded their flight for Brisbane yesterday.
By RICHARD KNOWLER – The Press
I saw a Springbok team that tried their heart out and fought back brilliantly up to the second low blow by the referee in the 43 th minute. From then on the coaching staff started replacing players. Taking Danie Roussouw off so early was not the best change but replacing January with Ruan was overdue.
Louis Oosthuizen wins The Open by 7 shots
Article from Sport 24
Boks look ‘sick and tired’
Two All Blacks legends wrote in New Zealand’s Herald on Sunday that the Springboks were “tired” and “looked a bit sick” after the defending Tri-Nations received a second drubbing in eight days from New Zealand and Bok Captain John Smit’s performance was again singled out.
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
Springboks coach Peter de Villiers lashed out at the standard of rugby Test referees Saturday and suggested cheating may be the only way to beat diverse law interpretations.
Sharks (10) 34 / Blue Bulls (8) 28 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Blue Bulls at ABSA Park, Durban at 17:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Sharks get their Currie Cup campaign on track with this bonus point win and the Bulls salvage a bonus point by losing by only 6 points.
The Currie Cup log will be interesting now, with WP the only team with 2 wins.
WP (19) 32 / Lions (0) 0 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Western Province hosted the Xerox Lions at Newlands, Cape Town at 15:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on DSTV in SA.
WP kept the Lions totally scoreless, winning by 32 / 0 but just barely failed to score 4 tries to earn themselves a bonus point.
Article from Sport24 by Rob Houwing
Alain Rolland is the latest referee to find himself public enemy No 1 in the eyes of the South African rugby public and commentators.
All Blacks (13) 31 / Springboks (7) 17 (Final Score)
The All Blacks hosted the Springboks at 09:35 SA Time in Wellington, New Zealand for the 2nd Tri-Nations Test. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The Game was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
For the 2nd weekend in a row the All Blacks score 4 tries against the Springboks to earn a bonus point.
This time the All Blacks win by 31 / 17, a 14 point margin.
Lots of complaints about they way the referee handled the game, but let’s be honest, the All Blacks were the better team on the day again.
Let’s hope Ruan Pienaar now gets a starting berth against the Wallabies and BJ Botha plays at tight head prop. Let’s also hope the National Coach realises that Jean de Villiers is not a right wing.
Rugby-Talk is 11 months old and I took the liberty of making an extract of the World Coverage we have received for this last week.
Every single red dot represents a reader or readers from a specific area.
The South African U18s on Friday kicked off their 2010 High Performance programme to the perfect start after they recorded a convincing 25-5 victory over the France U18s at the Buffalo City Stadium.
The hosts scored two tries which were added by fullback Craig Barry in the second half but were always in control of this international friendly after they managed to build up a solid 15-0 half time lead.
AFTER contracting Bulls flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter, the Sharks are set to sign another versatile back who has been on their radar for some time, 25-year-old Meyer Bosman.
The Article with compliments of Craig Lewis and the Daily News
Cheetahs (14) 33 / Griquas (6) 26 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs hosted the GWK Griquas in Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 2 on DSTV in SA.
The Cheetahs earned their bonus point for tries, with amongst others a hat trick from loosehead prop Coenie Oosthuizen.
Griquas fought back valiantly fro far behind to earn a bonus point for losing by 7 points.
Final score Free State Cheetahs 33 / Griquas 26
Four games are played this weekend, one tonight and three tomorrow.
The games are:
Cheetahs v Griquas, 16 Jul 19:10 (SA Time)
Pumas v Leopards, 17 Jul 15:00 (SA Time)
Western Province v Lions, 17 Jul 15:00 (SA Time)
Sharks v Blue Bulls, 17 Jul 17:05 (SA Time)
Burglary charges against Wallaby and Reds star Quade Cooper have been dropped by a Gold Coast court.
Cooper had been charged with burglary and there were allegations that he stole two laptops which could have de-railed his career.
Tomorrow the high flying All Blacks host the Springboks in Test No 2 of the Tri-Nations of 2010, in Wellington.
The Springboks aim to impress and recover from a bad 1st outing against the All Blacks, whereas the All Blacks intend to really drive the nail home with another win over their biggest world rivals.
Former South African netball captain Irene van Dyk handed the Springboks their match jerseys on Friday before Saturday’s second Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks in Wellington.
Nine players from South Africa’s previous IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign are amongst the final squad of 26 confirmed by SARU on Friday for the 2010 event in England.
Victor Matfield has been frighteningly calm this week when quizzed on South Africa’s response to their 32-12 loss in the Tri-Nations opener.
The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs host the GWK Griquas at Vodacom Park at 19h00.
Naka Drotske’s men lost their first match of the season, at home against Vodacom Western Province last Saturday, while the team from Kimberley stunned The Sharks last weekend.
The Lions coach for the Currie Cup, John Mitchell, has named his charges to take on WP at home at Newlands in Cape Town.
For once we see some consistency in selection at the Lions, giving them far more chance to have a decent enough Currie Cup campaign.
The Sharks coach John Plumtree sprang a surpise or two as he named the Sharks team to face the Blue Bulls this coming weekend. Continue reading
Winger Joe Rokocoko and scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan were ruled out Thursday of New Zealand’s team for Saturday’s second Tri-Nations Test against South Africa because of injury. Continue reading
Os du Randt was interviewed and this is what he had to say on the Bakkies Botha story… Continue reading
The Springbok team that takes to the field against the All Blacks in Saturday’s second Vodacom Tri-Nations Test in Wellington, is the most experienced ever.
There are ways to beat Western Province’s defence, but patience is the key.