Rugby lovers only: Tri-Nations

[Steve19]

Tri-Nations rugby: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

SA Wins One for Madiba

President Mbeki congratulated the team for fielding a record number of black players in the side but it was clear that Australia was in for a trip to the woodpile when President Nelson Mandela took the field before the game with SA World Cup Championship Captain Francois Pienaar to urge the team to victory. The statement was every bit the powerful statement about South Africa's non-racialism that was witnessed in the 1995 Rubgy World Cup.

South Africa blew out Australia today in a match that looked more like Ohio State-Indiana football than a game between the two best rugby teams in the world right now. Australia did not know how to cope with a side that simply ran them into the ground with a punishing pace and superior back line movements. This was a game about speed and strength and Australia will go to bed tonight wondering just what hit them in this game.

The final score flattered the losers in a game that reversed a recent loss in Australia. South Africa, who I thought had little chance to win because of managerial problems in recent months that unsettled the team in Australia will have captured the attention of the New Zealand All Blacks big time!

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=rugbyNews&storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20050723:MTFH33018_2005-07-23_15-09-00_L23240690:1

<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=HeaderDataCell>Springboks surge to 33-20 win over Australia


Sat Jul 23, 2005 4:08 PM BST


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By Ken Borland<!-- Article Utilities Box Begins -->

JOHANNESBURG, July 23 (Reuters) - South Africa surged to a 33-20 victory over Australia to retain the Mandela Challenge Plate in the second leg test in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Fielding a new-look backline in a side with eight changes from the 30-12 first-leg defeat in Sydney, the Springboks adopted a pacy, ball-in-hand approach and scored three tries to race into a 33-8 lead with 24 minutes remaining.

Fullback Percy Montgomery succeeded with all seven kicks at goal to finish with 18 points.

Jean de Villiers, who was switched from the wing to inside centre, popped up with an intercept try in the 13th minute and the Springboks increased their lead to 20-3 when new flyhalf Andre Pretorius intercepted and set up winger Bryan Habana.

Australia fought back when winger Breyton Paulse was yellow-carded following repeated infringements by the Springboks and number eight David Lyons was driven over for a try from a lineout.

The home side was still in control at halftime with a 23-8 lead, but replacement flanker Schalk Burger was yellow carded for a high, stiff-arm tackle almost immediately after coming on.

The Springboks increased their lead to 30-8, however, when De Villiers made the break for outside centre Jaque Fourie to score and the lead was big enough to absorb a late Australian fightback via tries from flyhalf Stephen Larkham and hooker Jeremy Paul.

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? Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.

 

[wadc45]

Steve -

Here's another good write-up with a picture of Andre Pretorius (what a great comeback for him)...having Pretorius, Percy Montgomery and Jan de Villiers in your back row is a deadly combination.

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</TD><TD vAlign=top width=440 bgColor=#ffffff><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=440 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom>Boks run away with Mandela Plate</TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=middle>23/07/05</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=440 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Three tries each at Ellis Park South Africa retained the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate when they recorded a stunning 33-20 win over Australia with a stunning performance at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday. The teams scored three tries each, but four Percy Montgomery penalties saw the Boks race clear.



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Running away: Andre Pretorius
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<SCRIPT language=JavaScript> <!-- if (OAS_listpos.indexOf('Position2') > -1) { OAS_AD('Position2'); } //--> </SCRIPT>There was a sea change from what happened in Sydney two weeks ago when the Springboks lacked energy, motivation, purpose and determination. This time they shone with all those virtues and won the match by a wider margin than the score suggests.

The teams scored three tries each. The Springboks had chances for more tries, frustrated by excellent Wallaby defence and their own poor handling. The second half in particular belonged to the Springboks though the Wallabies scored two tries to one in the half, but the two were in the last eight minutes when the game was already won.

A big difference was the aggressive tackling of the Springboks and in the second half their dominance of the Wallabies in scrums and line-outs where they won six Wallaby throws out of seven till the Australians brought Daniel Vickerman on.

There was a lot of ceremony and celebration to start with as South Africa honoured its No.1 citizen, Nelson Mandela, wearing his prison number on his T-shirt - 46664. The Springboks all wore the number on their shirt sleeves and so did the rugby dignitaries in the ceremony.

In came the torch of freedom from Robben island where it had started on Sunday. With the torch three World Champion captains - François Pienaar, Paul Delport and Alistair Hargreaves, lit the huge crowd, and the crowd sang a happy Happy Birthday.

Then came the anthems and then came Shosholoza, and the game was on. There was nothing but hype at Ellis Park on a perfect afternoon for rugby.

The Springboks caught the mood and launched into attack after attack in the first half till a succession of penalties brought the Wallabies into the game.

The first penalty went to the Springboks when the Wallabies went into a serious off-side mode as the Springboks zeroed in on their line. Percy Montgomery goaled that and the Springboks led 3-0 after two minutes.

Again the Springboks attacked as they kept the impetus going in the tackle and Enrico Januarie, Gurthro Steenkamp and Juan Smith were prominent. But then Jaque Fourie was penalised for an unlucky bit of crossing and then Victor Matfield went off-side and Joe van Niekerk used his hands where the referee thought he should not have. Matt Giteau goaled. 3-3 after nine minutes.

The Wallabies attacked again but always under pressure as the Springboks charged forward on defence and tackled ferociously. Stephen Larkham flicked a pass. Jean de Villiers grabbed it and sped off down the field for a long run and a try, which Montgomery, on a day when his kicking was 100% secure, converted.

South Africa's second try also came from an intercept. This time Pretorius accepted a short pass from Stirling Mortlock. Off he dashed, like the little boy who had stolen a side of beef, but Chris Latham was bearing down on him. Pretorius heaved a long pass to Bryan Habana who scored.

It was after this that a series of six penalties brought the Wallabies into serious attack. They turned two into line-outs, then chose a scrum and, after Breyton Paulse, in possibly his last match for the Springboks, was given a yellow card, a third line-out. The Springboks initially shunted the maul back but the Wallabies cleverly splintered it and Nathan Sharpe and David Lyons were over, Lyons grounding the ball.

Just before the whistle went for the break Montgomery kicked a third penalty to make it 23-8 at the break.

The Springboks made two substitutions at half-time. On came Fourie du Preez and Schalk Burger. In under two minutes Burger was flashed a yellow card when he was adjudged reckless in a tackle that knocked Rocky Elsom out. This reduced the Springboks to 13 men.

From that penalty the Wallabies made another five-metre line-out but, brilliantly, calmly, Matfield won their ball and the Springboks survived. Paulse came back, and then there were fourteen.

The fourteen Springboks produced a wonderful try as Jean de Villiers broke past George Gregan and Jaque Fourie sped straight up on his outside and raced over the 22 and then the goal-line for a try under the posts. That made it 30-8.

Moments later Du Preez was over but just lost the ball as he grounded it. That was the television match official's advice.

Still the Springboks battered at the brave Wallaby line till Montgomery made it 33-8 with a penalty. There were 22 minutes to go.

When the Springboks split a line-out and John Smit sent Bakkies Botha running clear, only handling prevented a possible try. When they came left only a wayward pass prevented a probable try for Habana. When hey went left, Juan Smith was tackled at the line when a simple little pass would have given Habana a certain try.

After a long passage of play, Stephen Larkham ran 40 metres to score, a try greeted by booing for some people thought there had been a late tackle on Habana before it.

After an intercept, Wendell, Sailor, inconspicuous all match, looked certain to score but Habana cut him down from behind. But the Wallabies went left and Jeremy Paul was able to dot the ball down from close quarters as he twisted at the line. Mortlock missed a comfortable conversion.

By then the crowd was celebrating in the knowledge of a well-deserved Springbok victory and a beaming John Smit accepted the Mandela Challenge Plate.

Man of the match: Jeremy Paul of the Wallabies had a massive match, though whether he was to blame for the line-out waywardness remains uncertain. David Lyons was power and skill but the Man of the Match has to be a Springbok and there were certainly candidates - Andre Pretorius who gave the team direction, Enrico Januarie who gave the team life, Juan Smith who was all over the place but should really have been part of a try, Percy Montgomery was immaculate and innovative, Jean de Villiers always tested one of the best defences in the world, Bakkies Botha jumped, caught, tackled, drove and shoved as a great lock can do but our Man of the Match is a big, young prop from Paarl playing in the position of his injured hero, the mighty Os du Randt, Gurthro Steenkamp, who made life difficult for Al Baxter and then had time to tackle with sincerity and carry with effect. He had a great game.

Moment of the Match: Wendell Sailor looked certain to score. He had only a stride and bit to go but Bryan Habana sped in and scythed him down from behind. It was a great moment in itself but also a symptom of renewed Springbok determination.

Villain of the Match: Breyton Paulse collected a yellow card on the back of collective infringing - it is what you do under pressure sometimes but, yet again, Schalk Burger got one for being reckless, this time after only ninety-odd seconds on the park. Why?

The scorers:

For South Africa:
Tries: De Villiers, Habana, Fourie
Cons: Montgomery 3
Pens: Montgomery 4

For Australia:
Tries: Lyons, Larkham, Paul
Con: Mortlock
Pen: Giteau

Yellow cards: Breyton Paulse (South Africa, 35), Schalk Burger (South Africa, 42)

The teams:

South Africa: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Andre Pretorius, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Solly Tyibilika, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Eddie Andrews, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Hanyani Shimange, 17 Lawrence Sephaka, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Schalk Burger, 20 Fourie du Preez, 21 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 22 Wayne Julies

Australia: 15 Chris Latham, 14 Wendell Sailor, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Stephen Larkham, 9 George Gregan (captain), 8 David Lyons, 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Mark Chisholm, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Jeremy Paul, 1 Bill Young.
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 John Roe, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Chris Whitaker, 21 Mark Gerrard, 22 Drew Mitchell.

Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Roy Maybank (England)
Television match official: Nigel Owens (Wales)



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[RugbyBuck]

Go Boks. They could be dangerous in the '07 World Cup, but I think NZ is the class of both hemispheres right now.

 

[Steve19]

I think you probably are right, at this moment but we're going to test that in just a few weeks! They would not have beaten the Boks last week.

Go Boks. They could be dangerous in the '07 World Cup, but I think NZ is the class of both hemispheres right now.

 

[RugbyBuck]

Boks do it again. I don't really know why, but I love to see Australia lose. The All Blacks' coach is saying that he's looking forward to a tough match with SA this week and rates them more highly than the British/Irish Lions.

 

[Steve19]

Boks do it again. I don't really know why, but I love to see Australia lose. The All Blacks' coach is saying that he's looking forward to a tough match with SA this week and rates them more highly than the British/Irish Lions.

Well, because we all love to see Australia lose. I dislike them because their sportscasters are so incredibly biased toward their home team. Worse than listening to a TSUN announcer during The Game.

The Boks were not impressive. Lots of mistakes. A few guys took some nasty knocks, especially Habana. The previous week was such an emotional game, it is not surprising that there was a letdown. But, behind most of the game, they came back and stayed back.

New Zealand come into the game with a month's rest. South Africa have played Australia two weeks in a row. A bit like Wisconsin, Iowa and the TSUN. Very tough to pull this off.

My guess is that the gamblers will have New Zealand by 10. It's too close to call in my mind. The month off could work against New Zealand in the first half with ball handling mistakes. I think a close game, a few points one way or the other is likely.

 

[RugbyBuck]

That's a match that I'd really like to see. I may have to go to a bar at three in the morning for it. Oh, the sacrifices...

 

[Steve19]

South Africa 22 New Zealand 16

The game was played in Cape Town at the fabled Newlands stadium, where the All Blacks hold an all-time advantage against the home team.

South Africa opened with a penalty and drop kick in the first four minutes and followed up with a try to go up 13-0 in the first ten minutes of a very physical game, in rugby's top rivalry. The All Blacks battled back to tie at 13-13 and the Boks were up 16-13 at the half.

The Springboks sacrificed some of the speed they showed in two wins against Australia to put more size and strength in the field. The second half saw the All-Blacks take early momentum but then the Springboks really put on the pressure.

The final score flattered the All Blacks, mainly because Andre Pretorius took and missed 5 drop kicks that really screwed up chances for tries. The Springboks have defended the home turf but allowed both Australia and NZ to get within a try and gain a bonus point in the last few moments of each game. Still, if the Boks win either away game, they will be the Tri-Nations champions.

A few of the New Zealand players showed that the Springboks really got into their heads, especially McCaw, who repeatedly played the ball on the ground and got caught out in punches in the scrums.

Can New Zealand claim to be #1 in rugby after being beaten by the Springboks, a team who beat #3 Australia the previous two weekends? I think not!

That was almost as much fun as watching the Buckeyes kick the daylights out of TSUN!

 

[Steve19]

<TABLE width="60%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=HeaderDataCell>http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=sportsNews&storyID=2005-08-06T161032Z_01_ALL655213_RTRIDST_0_OZASP-RUGBY-TRI-20050806.XML

Springboks beat All Blacks in thriller
Sat Aug 6, 2005 6:10 PM GMT
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa took a step closer to securing their second consecutive Tri-nations title by beating the All Blacks 22-16 in a pulsating encounter at Newlands on Saturday.

The Springboks head the table with two wins out of two following last week's 22-16 victory over Australia.

The home side began the match at an electrifying pace and were 13-0 ahead after just 10 minutes but the All Blacks clawed back to trail by just three points at the break.

Both sides scored a single try through centre Jean de Villiers and right wing Rico Gear.

The match was decided amongst the forwards where Springbok locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha were imperious in the lineouts.

Fullback Percy Montgomery kicked four penalties and a conversion for a total of 14 points while flyhalf Andre Pretorius kicked a drop goal.

Daniel Carter landed three penalties, the last of which reduced the deficit to six points with seven minutes remaining.

The result helped the Springboks to secure only their third victory in eight attempts against the All Blacks at Newlands and the first since 1976.

Montgomery opened the scoring with a long range penalty in the third minute and Pretorius added a drop goal five minutes later.

De Villiers scored an intercept try two minutes after that and with the All Blacks 13-0 down, a capacity crowd of 49,118 was close to delirious.

SCORING PASS

Worse was to come for the All Blacks when wobbly scrumhalf Byron Kelleher, who had been heavily flattened by Matfield in the first few minutes of the game, was substituted moments after providing the pass for De Villiers to run 60 metres for his try.

But the visitors slowly worked their way back into the game and a Daniel Carter penalty opened their account. Following an attack of lightning speed, flanker Jerry Collins provided the scoring pass to an unchallenged Gear.

Carter's second penalty levelled the scores at 13-13 in the 27th minute and the All Blacks enjoyed a period of dominant possession until four minutes before the halftime break.

Montgomery again punished an under-pressure All Black pack with a penalty that gave the Springboks a 16-13 interval lead.

Two further Montgomery penalties in the first 13 minutes of the second half, against flanker Richie McCaw for foraging on the ground and the scrum for deliberately wheeling, opened up a nine point lead.

The home side replaced terrier-like scrumhalf Ricky Januarie with the more defensively orientated Fourie du Preez in a move to protect their lead.

The All Blacks, who thrashed the British and Irish Lions 3-0 just few weeks ago, failed to handle the pressure and responded with a string of mistakes, notably from fullback Leon MacDonald, left wing Mils Muliaina and centre Aaron Mauger.

After a dismal start to their campaign, the All Blacks will be looking for an improved performance when they face Australia in Sydney next Saturday.

 

[RugbyBuck]

The origin of the Haka:

Oh well, the picture didn't come through, but it's the All Blacks humping sheep.

 

[Steve19]

When the 1995 Rugby World Cup was hosted in Johannesburg, just after the New Zealand anthem, while the stadium was still completely silent, the public address system announced, "Out of deference for the sensitivities of our guests, the sheep braai (barbeque) has been cancelled today."

It was priceless.

The origin of the Haka:

Oh well, the picture didn't come through, but it's the All Blacks humping sheep.

 

[RugbyBuck]

Go Boks

 

[Steve19]

Boks beat Australia for third time in recent weeks!

South Africa pulled a very tight game from the fire with two 90 meter runs by Habana, who looked every bit as fast as Ted Ginn. To be very frank, I have never seen anything like his first run. The other players, some of whom had a thirty meter head start on him, simply looked like they were running in reverse.

Springbok great Naas Botha, who generally believes the game revolves around kicking, was stunned after the game, saying only that "no other country has something like Habana."

The final score flattered Australia, even though they had the greatest share of position and field position. Montgomery uncharacteristically missed five easy kicks, which would have added another 13 points.

South African-born Clyde Rathbone is not well liked in his home country because of saying some pretty ugly things about South African rugby professionalism during the racial transformation of the team. He was outplayed in the game, but was in the right place to take a lateral two meters out and cross the line score for Australia. It will not be lost on Rathbone that this is Australia's third defeat by the Springboks in these few weeks, and fourth defeat in a row. He left the game with about half of the final period still to play, looking very much a spent and bewildered young man.

The worry for South Africa is that they now go into New Zealand, who will be rested after games against South Africa and Australia, pretty banged up after a real defensive battle.

Expecting a win against NZ will be a tall order. However, the Springboks will take much confidence away from a first Tri-Nations win overseas in seven years, their fourth consecutive defeat of a top two team in the last six weeks, and from losing the lead and then coming back to win in a game in which they played well below their ability.

Great teams get the jobs done on an off-day. The Springboks are now ranked #1 in the World Rugby Rankings but only #2 in the International Rugby Board rankings, which seems to use a bit sounder ranking methodology. So, the Boks are at least back to #2 in the world. Next week will answer the question, is South Africa ready to once again hold the position as the world's best? RugbyBuck, I'm coming to your thinking. A lot like OSU 2002. Stunning defence. Get the job done. Do Boks=Bucks? We'll see.

Springboks ride luck for rare away win

By Craig Ray in Perth (Filed: 21/08/2005)

Australia 19 South Africa 22

It took seven years and 12 matches but the Springboks finally proved that they are back at the top of world rugby after they claimed their first away win in the Tri-Nations since 1998.
Australia were mugged by shuddering defence at the Subiaco Oval in Perth in a defeat which will cast a long shadow over the future employment of coach Eddie Jones and captain George Gregan. But it was a game they should have put away in the first 40 minutes.

Australia had 70 per cent possession in the opening half and nearly the same in the second, but kept on running into a green defensive wall.

The last time South Africa won down under was in Wellington, against the All Blacks seven years ago when almost all of the present team were still in school.

Yesterday this group of individuals pulled off one of the great defensive performances to steal a win that should never have been theirs.

Whereas Australia made only 48 tackles, South Africa made a breathtaking 121, but from two of those the ball was turned over deep inside Springbok territory and Bryan Habana, perhaps the fastest wing in world rugby, was freed to score twice from 80 metres out.

The second try was controversial, coming 12 minutes before the end, as full-back Percy Montgomery appeared to knock on before passing to Habana.

Television replays showed that referee Alain Rolland had erred, but in Test matches you ride your luck and the Springboks did just that.

The Wallabies had had problems all week, with many injuries and a vitriolic media campaign against Gregan. When they thought it could not get worse, it did - fly-half Elton Flatley had to withdraw 12 minutes before kick-off because of blurred vision.

It meant a hasty reshuffle of the backline with Matt Giteau taking over the No 10 jersey and the uncapped Adam Ashley-Cooper coming on to the bench.

Ashley-Cooper appeared late in the game after Clyde Rathbone had scored a typically direct try and Mat Rogers and Giteau had shared three penalties between them.

Habana's brace and three penalties by Montgomery as well as a drop goal was enough for the Springboks, the result condemning Australia to their fourth consecutive loss - their worst run since 1982.

South Africa are just one step away from claiming a second consecutive Tri-Nations title if they can beat New Zealand in six days.

Victory against the All Blacks in Dunedin next weekend will see them retain the trophy, while a defeat will leave the Boks waiting for the outcome of the final match a week later in Auckland to know their fate.

They have never won at Carisbrook in six attempts going back to 1921. But they could change that piece of history because it seems this side just do not know how to lose. And the Wallabies just do not know how to win.

Match details

Scores: 0-5 Habana try; 3-5 Giteau pen; 3-8 Montgomery pen; 6-8 Rogers pen; 6-11 Montgomery pen; 6-14 Montgomery pen; 9-14 Rogers pen; 9-17 Montgomery dg; 14-17 Rathbone try; 16-17 Rogers con; 19-17 Rogers pen; 19-22 Habana try.
Australia: D Mitchell; M Rogers, C Rathbone (A Ashley-Cooper 78), M Turinui, L Tuqiri; M Giteau, G Gregan (capt, C Whitaker 70); B Young (M Dunning 55), B Cannon, A Baxter, D Vickerman, N Sharpe, R Elsom (J Roe 61), P Waugh (G Smith 69), D Lyons.
South Africa: P Montgomery; B Paulse, J Fourie, J De Villiers, B Habana; A Pretorius (J van der Westhuyzen 60), E Januarie (F du Preez 52); P Du Randt (G Steenkamp 55), J Smit (capt), C J van der Linde, J Botha, V Matfield, S Burger, J Smith, J van Niekerk.
Referee: A Rolland (Ireland)



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2005/08/21/sraust21.xml&sSheet=/sport/2005/08/21/ixrugu.html

 

[wadc45]

The Wallabies are just in disarray right now...

 

[Steve19]

The Wallabies are just in disarray right now...

Agreed. Gregan apparently was being pilloried in the press BEFORE the game. I think the problem always is direction. They were world #1 and they got a bit cocky about it. They'll be back....count on it. None of these three southern hemisphere teams will ever be completely out of it.

My guess is that NZ will be beat the Boks this week.