Francois Pienaar
Well this was much better. The Springboks were innovative and clearly made some adjustments to how they play the game. Probably because of the change in game plan, most of the players played well. A few played exceptionally well like Frans Steyn, Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger, Heinrich Brussow, Gurthro Steenkamp and Bismarck du Plessis, when he came on.
Danie ‘Pakslae’ Rossouw was outstanding in everything he did and maintained a high work rate on defence and on attack. Out wide he showed some deft touches, good decision making and a surprising turn of speed.
The most pleasing aspect of the whole match was the fact that they kept the ball in hand.
Rampant Pierre Spies
When it comes to results in pool matches during the rugby world cup, I for one rather look at how and what teams have done and what has been effective.
Springboks (21) 49 / Fiji (3) 3 (Final Score)
The Springboks and Fiji did battle in POOL D in Wellington at 08:00 SA Time (18:00 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & 4, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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A very well balanced Springbok performance!
The Springboks scored 6 tries, 5 of them converted, plus 3 penalties to a lone Fiji penalty.
Job done, mission accomplished, 5 points in the bag!
The Springboks made four changes to their starting line-up and two more on the bench when they named the team to meet Fiji in their Pool D World Cup 2011 match in Wellington on Saturday.
Springbok wing Bryan Habana has been ruled out of South Africa’s Rugby World Cup match against Fiji because of a knee injury and lock Johann Muller is in doubt. Continue reading This Article should actually be read in conjunction with the previous one, namely “Analysis of the Springbok / Wales match”. A lot of the things that I wrote about in the first Article can actually be seen on these video clips.
Frans Steyn scored for South Africa within the first 3 minutes of this historic match between SA and Wales in the second Pool D (so-called pool of death) match of the 2011 tournament.
One has to feel for Wales as they were outstanding on the weekend. I got pretty upset with the Springboks as the match progressed but in retrospective one has the give credit to Warren Gatland and his Welsh side.
I had some sort of an Aha moment during this game in the sense that I developed a deeper appreciation of the impact of the new rule interpretation on the game. The most important thing of the modern game is structure at the breakdown. The emphasis has shifted from set piece to the breakdown. Where previously forward dominance was dependent on structure at set piece, forward dominance now depends on structure at the breakdowns. Continue reading
Despite the most optimistic faces on the Springbok team at the moment, there is no doubt the Boks will be privately fuming with themselves at the way they allowed Wales to steal momentum in their 17-16 victory in Wellington on Sunday.
South Africa on Monday played down injury concerns in the camp, despite confirmation that veteran lock Bakkies Botha is not responding to treatment for his Achilles problem.
Springbok vice-captain Victor Matfield and centre Jean de Villiers have been ruled out of South Africa’s match against Fiji due to injury.
South Africa
The adrenaline seemed to be still pumping for South Africa coach Peter de Villiers the day after his team’s 17-16 victory over Wales in their opening Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool D match at Wellington Regional Stadium.
De Villiers was at his animated, playful best at the team press conference in their Wellington hotel on Monday, cracking jokes and expounding on team tactics and rugby trends.
South Africa’s three greatest exponents of line out play and masters of the tight phases are now injured.
Springboks (10) 17 / Wales (6) 16 (Final Score)
The Springboks and Wales did battle 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 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Springboks squeeked a win by one solitary point.
Not a good performance by the Springboks, with replacement players like Bismarck du Plessis, Willem Alberts and Francois Hougaard made a real difference!
I wrote a piece after the 2010 match and started by stating that between the referee, Habana and the box kicks we nearly lost the match. I also said that the score line was flattering to the Welsh. After watching the game again I’ll stick with those sentiments. Not that Wales were bad, they actually played some good footy in that match but the South African players made it easy for them. The Springboks lacked concentration and were without a doubt tired after a long S14 a tough tri-nations and an extremely physical encounter the previous weekend in wet in cold conditions against Ireland.
[youtube]3d0Sf8dYu1s[/youtube]
The Springboks have named the most experienced team in South African history for the opening match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup against Wales in Wellington on Sunday.
Bakkies Botha
Reports are surfacing across the internet that Springbok lock Bakkies Botha’s Achilles tendon injury is worse than expected and may be ruled out of Rugby World Cup.
Springboks
Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield are injured ahead of Sunday’s opening game against Wales.
Bokke!
It is often said that combinations are key to winning rugby. Now this article is mostly about statistics, so if you are not a statistic minded person it would most likely bore you to death, I did however find some telling stats looking at which combinations seemed to have worked for the Springboks.
Gatland fires 1st barb at Bokke
Their opening match may be just over a week away, but Wales coach Warren Gatland wasted no time in getting the first shot in, in what is sure to be an interesting verbal stoush in the coming days.
John Smit & Victor Matfield
Springbok captain John Smit and Vice Captain Victor Matfield say they want to end their international careers as double Rugby World Cup champions.
Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers
Rugby World Cup hosts New Zealand will be defending champions South Africa’s biggest obstacle at the Rugby World cup according to Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.
June 23, 1956 – South Africa 8 / Wellington 6
The playing surface was not entirely dry as it did rain in the days prior to the match. The match itself was, however, played in magnificent sunny weather in front of 45 000 spectators.
I have a lot I want to say about the upcoming Rugby World Cup (RWC) in New Zealand, and specifically about the Tri-Nation teams, I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Northern Hemisphere teams as I do not know their best players, or those fighting to become the first choice.
It is a very distinct possibility that the next time the Springboks meet the All Blacks, following the August 20 game at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be at the 60 000-seater Eden Park in Auckland on October 23 at 9pm.
The Rugby World Cup starts in two weeks and all the national sides announce their squads this week and then depart for their bases in New Zealand.
Eighteen members of South Africa’s triumphant 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning squad were included in the 2011 party when the 30 players selected to attempt to retain the title were revealed in a live broadcast announcement on Tuesday.
Eighteen members of South Africa’s triumphant 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning squad were included in the 2011 party when the 30 players selected to attempt to retain the title were revealed in a live broadcast announcement on Tuesday.
Pine Pienaar has announced the Bulls team to play against the Leopards on the weekend. It is safe to say those playing will not go to the RWC.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was a mightily relieved man after his side’s 18-5 Tri-Nations victory over the All Blacks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
He had flyhalf Morné Steyn to thank, perhaps more than any one else.
Rookie Springbok utility back Patrick Lambie will face an anxious 24 hours as he awaits a medical report on his injured shoulder.
In the world of the IRB and specifically Paddy O’Brien, protocols supersedes common sense.
The incident in question is the Jimmy Cowan try which was not awarded during Saturday’s Tri-Nations test match in Port Elisabeth based on the fact that the final pass on the try-line from Israel Dagg to Cowan was forward.
Sporting history is littered with tales of great teams and individuals who did not know when to quit and suffered humiliating exits.
Many South African supporters fear a similar fate awaits the ‘green and gold’ at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand as they try to become the first country to successfully defend the title.
So, the New Zealand All Blacks had made a truckload of changes from the team that trounced the Wallabies in Auckland. So, they were eight or more players short of their first-choice run-on team. So, they had never – but never – won in Port Elizabeth. They still expected to win! And a lot of good judges expected them to win, also.
What a classic Springbok / All Black test match.
It is games like these that keep the rivalry alive. Two opposing styles played almost to perfection with uncompromising defence and a bit of referee controversy into the mix.
What a game!
What a timely victory for the Springboks and congrats to the Springboks for not getting drawn into the capacious game so promoted and drooled over by the All Black ‘groupies’.
We want a contest not a flap-flap razzle and dazzle mismatch dominated by one team with a bunch of natural athletes suited to play a league hybrid gobbledygook.
Springboks (15) 18 / All Blacks (5) 5 (Final Score)
The South African Springboks hosted the New Zealand All Blacks at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 17:05 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
Although the Springboks did not score a try, Morné Steyn’s boot was the difference… and all the Springboks worked hard enough, to really deserve the win!
The passion was back in the faces, the focus narrowed, the set phases were good and the breakdown battle was won by the Springboks.
I often hear the old cliché “we want to play heads up rugby”. What the hell, a meerkat does that, he sticks his head out to survey the threats of nature. Then he runs, away, not forward into the danger zone.