The Springboks and Wallabies kick of the last Tri Nations competition this morning when they face each other in Sydney, in a shortened competition to make way for the all important Rugby World Cup.
The home team comes off a surprise loss against Samoa last weekend, but with a few changes to the team with top names returning to the starting line up, the Boks should not write off this Aussie side.
The likes of Kurtley Beale at fullback, Quade Cooper at flyhalf and David Pocock on the flank will keep the South African backline busy all day, and we will have to be careful to not give these players any space or time on the ball.
The beauty of a make shift B team in this environment is that every single player will be giving their absolute best to try and make the grade and getting that all important call up to the World Cup squad. This unfortunately is a double edged sword as this could lead to some individualistic play.
I am of the opinion that this Bok team will fight hard, but that the home team, filled to the brim with Super Rugby winning players, will just be too strong and full of confidence.
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O’Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (captain), 5 James Horwill, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 Pekahou Cowan, 18 Nathan Sharpe, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Anthony Fainga’a.
South Africa: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Dean Greyling
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Ryan Kankowski , 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Patrick Lambie
Date: Saturday, July 23
Kick-off: 20.00 (10.00 GMT)
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Expected weather: There is a 50 percent chance of rain, with a high of 14°C, dropping to 9°C
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Kick off is at 12:00 SA time.
Go Bbokke!
Go Bokke!!!
you can do it BOKKE
c’mon BOKKE!
15 minutes until kick-off. This is going to be an interesting match for a number of reasons.
First of all the Wallabies will want to prove that they are a World Cup threat and show that their loss to Samoa was simply a bad day at the office.
On the Springbok side many of the players will want to put in good performances to try and secure a World Cup spot. The performances of Morne Steyn and Wynand Olivier will certainly be interesting as Steyn as a couple of contendars for the no10 jersey and Olivier has failed to improve at Test level as of yet.
Just a quick question, do you as a whole enjoy South African, New Zealand or Australian commentators more???
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 6) : New Zealand commentators are the best imo.
@Ben (Comment 7) : I enjoy the Aussies sense of humour! Makes the rugby game a bit more interesting.
Ok, time for the kids to lose the TV
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 9) : Nah you must just teach the kids to watch the rugby with you!
BOKKE!!!
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 9) : our kids looking forward to meeting yours next week
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 10) : Hehe in our household, they don’t have much choice
The teams are running out onto the field. GO BOKKE!!!
Hehe our boys come out with jackets on while the Aussies come out ready to play
@Franshark (Comment 12) : Excellent
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 15) : They are keeping warm, so in a way they will be ready. The Wannabies will be cold when the match starts.
Really hope that this is gonna be a enjoyable game to watch… I suppose it would be
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 17) : cold and slow hopefully
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 15) : think it is better that way
55000 in attandance
The Springboks kick the match off, the start of the 2011 Tri-Nations!!!
time on … here we go
Good cover defense
VD Merwe conceded a penalty for not rolling away but James O’Connor loses it forward on attack (in the 3rd phase).
First reset scrum, South African put in.
First scrum
Springboks have hoisted the ball twice already, and the Springboks have their second scrum of the match with some good preassure at the break down.
Two mistakes from the Wallabies already and the medics are already on the field for the Wallabies.
yes, we have the second scrum …. and we’re moving forward … come on boys, lets have a try now …
Springboks put preassure on the Wallabies but De Jongh loses it forward and then knocks the chip on by Cooper. Bad start for the number 13. First Wallaby input at scrum time.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 30) : Mvovo just couldn’t get around O’Connor.
CJ Van Der Liinde on for Greyling (blood)
6 minutes played.
flip its called tackling boys
aussies end up scoring a try cos we can’t tackle 
Wallabies score a try after Cooper broke in the midfield! Alexander scores.
Eish
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 34) : That was very poor defense all round.
Wallabies 7 – 0 Springboks
Ben Alexander 7th minute try, converted by James O’Connor.
ben alexander try
successfully converted
7-0 Wallabies
10 minutes
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 36) : I know, and after we put all the preasure on.
Oooooh shhhhhooootttt
SH!T and another one
Holy crap!!! What the hell is going on??? The blind side defense was appalling.
And the Wallabies score again after a break by Genia. This is disasterful by the Boks!!
Wallabies 12 – 0 Springboks.
Well, this could be a very long morning. The boks have massive gaps all over the show.
never going to win any rugby game if we dont start being aggressive at the breakdowns….serioulsy can’t wait for PDV to go…
Wallabies 12 – 0 Springboks
Ioane try, conversion missed by O’Connor.
12 minutes.
digby ioane try
unsuccessfully converted
12-0 Wallabies
12 minutes
Al of a sudden remembered that 49 – 0 loss against the ausies
Oh boy. Pienaar wasted good possession there too. I just dont see them making up a 12 point deficit. There is no x-factor outside the back 3.
De jongh useless today…
Morne no idea what a def line is….
Mvovo showing again that he is one of the worst def backs and his lack of speed cannot get accross in cover def…
Wallabies are tearing the Bok defence to pieces! The Wallabies finally knock it on after some loose passing. The Boks need to score.
The boks dont seem to want to tackle Ioane. He has already slipped 3 tackles.
our defence is atrocious, we look like we don’t know what we’re doing out there
but then again, prove me wrong boys … please 
I hope this isn’t a repeat of 06.
The one turnover after the other
Springboks are missing thier first time tackles! A penalty against the Boks and now Cooper sets up a lineout deep inside the Bok half.
Greyling is back on the field.
15 minutes, greyling coming back on
Wallabies are deep inside the Bok half. The Boks are having a nightmare right now. The Wallabies fortunately loose it forward.
Only scrum and line out working….
The first time tackling is aweful. Giving the aussies plenty of time to offload and keep the ball alive. Is stegmann even playing?
Steyn finds touch with a great kick. They will have the throw in because the ball touched Poocks hands. We loose the ball forward but get a penalty.
The ball is going past Olivier at all. Pienaar makes a half break but there is no one to offload to!! The Boks then loose it forward.
Some decent play until the ball was dropped. I guess on the bright side, being down by 12 points, its taken away the kick and chase as an option.
The Aus backline beating ours for pace around the defender and beating them on the step…
theres a glimmer of hope …
Aparently if your wearing yellow you dont have to release when you made the tackle.
21 minutes played. The Wallabies have thier second scrum.
Direction from Steyn and Pienaar is poor so far. Understandable to an extent, given their lack of play together.
More concerning is the disorganised defence and poor ball retention in contact.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 65) : until we pass to the dude in yellow
That offload by Greyling was truly special. Straight to his opposition.
greyling off again …
Lwazi Mvovo covers well but the Springboks are just not playing well. CJ Van Der Linde is coming on now in the 23rd minute.
Wallabies 12 – 0 Springboks
23 minutes.
Just as I wanted to say that Danie is the only decent ball carrier for the Bokke he goes and knocks…
That was a good pickup by olivier
Olivier is nailed and the Wallabies get a penalty. Pienaar is playing well though. One of the only positives right now.
Olivier was just owned there. The pick and drive simply isnt sucking in enough players. The Aussies still have more than enough men over to defend.
Meisiekind is a joke.
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 75) : Apart from having dropped the ball once and kicking the ball straight out… I cant say I agree. His passing has been accurate, but he takes a step to many before clearing.
Shocking, South Africa have missed 15 tackles in 25 minutes!
I know unning strong is the only half decent thing Mvovo brings to the game…but he should look around…Danie was wide open…
And Morne should wake up…he is not in the game…def and with ball in hand…
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 78) : Yes he has made a few mistakes but he is getting the ball away from some messing rucks. Not something the replacement McCleod would do!
That quick tap was silly too. We didnt have extra men on the outside.. why try move it without space??
woohoo, we get the line out in the right half, lets use this now boys … please !
Both our centre’s are a joke…
De jongh already 3 knocks and missed tackles…
Waynand done nothing so far…
we’re kicking at goal ….
I think I just saw Wynand Olivier pass the ball!
First kickable penalty to the Boks. Should the take the points?
Morne Steyn is lining it up.
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 81) : No, but then I wouldnt want Macleod to start for the Boks any time soon either.
At last the ausies gets penalized for hand in
woohoo, and we have score !!!!
12-3 Wallabies
29minutes
Well at least we be getting zero
Well, at least it cant be a whitewash now…
Wallabies 12 – 3 Springboks
29th minute penalty conversion by Morne Steyn.
So on the half an hour we get a 10m lineout.
Just saw Hagreaves for the first time…
@Hmmm (Comment 80) :
Weren’t you the genius who reckoned that JPP was slow and Beast couldn’t scrum? Now you claim that Mvovo is slow etc?
Take the pills, you need them.
The forwards have forgotten how to tackle in open field. They are standing around expecting everyone else to make the tackle
Looks like we afraid for contact
@Big Fish (Comment 95) :
De Jongh should realise he does not step as well as he think he does…
Springboks are going no where but backwards. The Wallabies then win a penalty for a side entry in the ruck.
The Springboks need to tackle the man and not the ball – meaning if Cooper dummies nail him! Don’t watch the ball, watch the man!
Olivier needs to be told that if you dummy every time, its not a surprise anymore!!
Pinaar the best Bok on the park sofar
van der linde off, kanko on …. 33 minutes
Hope lambi starts 2nd half
The Wallabies are teaching the Boks how to play right now. They are sucking in 3 defenders and using space. Boks are playing 10-man rugby and it isn’t working.
Wallabies get a penalty at scrumtime.
Aus 12 – 3 SA
35 mins
@Franshark (Comment 97) : yeah agree..PDV doesnt like our guys commitng in the tackle though. We alwasy put in some huge hits playing for the franchises, come to play for PDV and we have to stand off very very frsutraing
@Franshark (Comment 102) : Yes thank you someone who agrees!
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 103) : van der Merwe you mean.
Wallabies 15 – 3 Springboks
35th minute penalty converted by O’Connor.
@Franshark (Comment 104) : De Jongh has proven useless today…..Lambie should come in and take over at 12…
successful kick by o’connor
15-3 Wallabies
37 minutes
Boks havent really looked like scoring a try yet. Pretty sterile attacking stuff coupled with poor defense: dangerous combo..
@Ben (Comment 109) : oops, sorry
Why do we have do sthese stupid flip passes all the time…..cost us more than they make….
Big Fish…
When Beast started he could not scrum AT ALL…
JPP is not fast…he but not slow…he is running great lines and strongly this year…
I was talking of Barrit being slo then…
If Mvovo is fast…the the Lions van Rensburg / Vermaak and Killian should be able to qualify for the 100m olympic srint…but I can tell you know they wont qualify…
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 108) : I also agree
Ok I’m out, hopefully the Springboks come back (I will be watching but I’m jumping offline right now).
Aplon really put on a late tackle their but it was clever.
@Hmmm (Comment 116) : Dude, go watch JPPs try against the Waratahs, where he left the “fastest player” in Australia as well as the waratahs centers for dead, then tell me he isnt fast. You have been fooled by his running style, and are not watching how much ground he covers each step.
We look good brief moments…just to make a useless mistakes…
another chance to add points, steyn going at goal ….
(hooter already gone)
Mvovo feeling the pressure there…more worried about the on coming player than getting the ball
HALF TIME
Aus 15 – 6 SA
successful kick woohoo
finish the half at….
15-6 Wallabies
@Just a Fan (Comment 123) : Yes, Lwazi isnt exactly looking for work either… pretty disappointing. Its been a painful game to watch so far.
well lets hope they have a good team talk during half time and come out a little more motivated to win this game than they seem to have started
At least only 9 behind into the break…
@Hmmm (Comment 128) : yes considering that we are looking bad, we are still in this game
Morne should kick to Bassons side of the field…Mvovo had 3 kicks and look like having NO chance of fielding it…
Taking the ball in or through the channel is Mvovo’s game and with half a chance he will break through the 1st line of def..
Jacobs to make a difference too
second half under way …..
@Hmmm (Comment 130) : I dont think Basson has performed either..he still needs to learn to tackle
what was Mvovo doin!
o’connor try
Geez, how much space did they want to give Cooper that close to the line. Backline defense was awful.
Boks centers looks if they took some tips from the sharks mid field in SR
Just a fan…Mvovo is just as bad a def…even worse actually…
Of our back 3…I only back Aplon to make a tackle…but only cause of his guts…
But my other commet was specifically ref to kick chaces…not performance…
We can’t afford to play both Steyn and Olivier – too slow to defend against Cooper, and too 1-dimensional on attack.
and o’connor successfully converts his own try
22-6 Wallabies
45 minutes
@Just a Fan (Comment 134) : Mvovo decided to come in because de Jongh was in no mans land. Poor effort by both of them really.
Morne not on today…we need Lambie on for Morne and Jacobs for De Jongh…
@Big Fish (Comment 139) : Agreed, the inside backs look stagnant. Outside backs getting ball behind gainline.
@Just a Fan (Comment 134) : nothing, nothing he can do if de jong invitets cooper in for coffee
WHen do you think SuperPat will come on…we need someone else to help Ruan? what other wingers have got on the bench?
@Just a Fan (Comment 134) :
He was coming in to tackle Cooper because Steyn and Olivier weren’t.
Words cannot describe.. no comment
moore could possibly have scored the wallabies their BP try …. TMO pending
I wouldn;’t have given that try – that was lost forward.
The next game…we need to relace Mvovo with Odwa…
TOM says :
you may award the try
and it is successfully converted
29-6 Wallabies
48 minutes
SA 24 missed tackles… well, that says it all.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 151) : stupid connection , can’t edit my TOM to TMO grrr
JPP and Odwa are the only wings I would have. We need to replace PDV. Sticking to his stupid disorganised rugby plan. No one knows what the other is supposed to be doing – so no-one is doing anything.
@Just a Fan (Comment 149) : Naah, the try was good. If that had been the sharks, I would have been seriously aggrieved if the try hadnt been given..
Kanko at 7, Johnson at 8, why???
o’connor kicking again grrrr
@Hmmm (Comment 150) : the problem is in the front, we not holding the game, turnovers and bad balls to the backs, if we sort that we will do better, stegman is noware, ashley is looking for him
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 155) :
..well yeah..but..I am clutching at straws…I am desperate…
and he successfully gets it in grrrrr
32-6 Wallabies
51 minutes
this is just pitiful now, any light at the end of the tunnel is flickering
Well, this game is effectively over, and this is mild compared to what the Boks can expect against the All Blacks.
About time they took ashley off. Hasnt been able to step up to this level today
De Jongh taking every ball up…can’t he pass?
@Culling Song (Comment 156) : it was to get rid of vd merwe that was dredfull, now changed with deysel on
and another flipping try by cooper
Great tackle by stein…… OR NOT!!!
Morne Steyn tackling like a machine again today.
@Franshark (Comment 165) : But surely Kanko at 8, Johnson at 7 would make more sense?
Franshark…
Stegman is the worst 6 in SA…
and the conversion is good
39-6 Wallabies
57 minutes
Still no Pat Lambie
Ok, that does me. These Boks would lose to the Pumas. Its an embarrassment. The flip passes have been intercepted more often than not, the ball carriers have been ponderous. The backline has either stalled at Olivier, or when he has passed they have been stopped way behind the advantage line. The set scrums are under pressure, the players arent tackling first time, nor are they dropping back in defense. Its been an all round complete debacle.
Oh jea lambs is on
ABOUT TIME….Go Pat….Shold have Left MOrne on and taken DE Jongh off though
Now we have an even worse front row…
Smit…Chili…CJ
Ai!??!
@Just a Fan (Comment 172) : Hes on now, but probably wishing he wasnt.
AND THAT IS WHAT KING LAMBI DOES.. He is light years better than stein
Thanks Pat…this try was due to him….Weldone Chilliboy
try Boks !!!!
59th minute
Ralepelle
Lambie making dif the min he came on…
and lambie converts perfectly
39-13 Wallabies
60 minutes
It’s tempting to point out that play has improved as the number of Sharks players in the team has increased… but I won’t
@Culling Song (Comment 183) : I will though.:)
@Culling Song (Comment 183) : I will, GO SHARKS!!!
@Culling Song (Comment 183) : @Just a Fan (Comment 184) :
@Just a Fan (Comment 184) : snap
Hodgeson cuts down Mvovo even though Mvovo had loads of space…
Basson / Aplon / Jacobs would have gotten passed….
Even the camera man kept up with him…
I think Mvovo needs to learn how to tackle and move to 13…he will be really good there
Great to see Deysel getting stuck in and showing the guys how to tackel.
@Just a Fan (Comment 189) : agree
@Hmmm (Comment 188) : He is not having a greta game…has improved with Lambie being on the field. But he is a good winger with great potential for the future. Although this game is painful it was to be expected. PDV doesnt coach with any structure, so everyone looks like headless chickens…Even the kiwis put structure first before “free thinking” play …..looking forward to the end of the world cup.
How many Sharks on the field….
@Just a Fan (Comment 192) : not enough obviously because the situation is still pretty hopeless at the moment
Mvovo is getting and better over the course of the game – his work-rate has been really good too.
39-13 Wallabies, 10 minutes to go ….
WHY WHY do they makes us go thru these interviews when the game is on????
@Just a Fan (Comment 191) : Mvovo will learn when to pass and when to hold with good communication and experience, he realy looks good, ran o’commer in from behind just now
smit try woohoo woohoo
Good scrumhalf try by John
Weldone Barney….
brilliant conversion
39-20 Wallabies
76 minutes
Aus 39 – 20 SA
76min
FULL TIME
AUS 39-20 SA
Guys, these guys are learning their trade here, and didn’t give up – we may have lost, but we didn’t get humiliated.
FULL terrible TIME
Aus 39 – 20 SA
well done to the sharkies in the team (i include ruan in that)….
ok, disappointing result, off to visit friends, have a good Saturday guys
@Big Fish (Comment 204) : agree, this is bad, but it is good bad
There’s gonna be highlights of the SHARKS game from last night on ss1 now….
@Big Fish (Comment 204) : Absolutely…they still managed to pull it together to stop it frim being a humilation.
@Franshark (Comment 209) : thanks for tha..gonna watch now…
@Just a Fan (Comment 211) : me too
@Franshark (Comment 209) : KSA was not impressed last time I gave score while watching the highlights package a day late , so I will refrain from doing it again
The guy that’s giving the commentry is from Newcastle
Well that was so obvious that dale scored that last try
Oh darnit we lost. I wish I could’ve seen the game.
Oh darnit we lost. I wish I could’ve seen the game. From the comments I guess we weren’t too good. It would be disappointing if I thought we were going to win.
Much better performance when the bench came on.
Okay so this answers the question about how we would have reacted if we’d sent a B-side to the NH last season to rest some boks and ended up losing.
@Franshark (Comment 213) :
Can someone please tell me why we stick with Morne Steynzzzz zzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ? when the one true flyhalf comes on and turns the game around in a matter of SECONDS?
Morne Steyn is like Nascar….
And it’s another left turn…. and they’re making another left turn… oh look it’s another left turn…
He’s kicking the ball away…. guess what, he’s kicking the ball away… and there’s Steyn… kicking the ball away. Gawd almighty, give me STRENGTH!