The Boks are back at home at last and have made some fundamental changes to their attacking axis for today’s must-win clash against the Wallabies at Loftus.
With the Wallabies also forced into a few changes, it will be two unfamiliar teams that take the field at Loftus at 5pm today. We’re hoping, though, that with play-makers Beale and Goosen in the respective flyhalf jerseys, there should be a decent, open game for the spectators to enjoy.
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Pat Lambie.
Australia: 15 Berrick Barnes, 14 Dominic Shipperley, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Radike Samo, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe (captain), 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Brett Sheehan, 22 Anthony Fainga’a.
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Greg Garner (England)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
die bokke gaan die aussies LOOOOI!!!!
Come On Willem Alberts or Beast !!
Got the First Tryscorer odds at 22 and 40 respectively hehehe
@Original Pierre (Comment 2) : there’s a reason the odds are that long
Don’t all Springbok players have odds like that when it comes to being the first try-scorer?
Please let this be an enjoyable game….
@Franshark (Comment 5) : Amen to that. The last few bok games have been eye viruses.
Wohoo!!! Come on boys, make us proud today…
What a day Goosen
2min and the Boks did not kick yet, loving it…
No kick from the Boks yet….skills letting them down though.
Hougaard in front of the up and under from Ru at the base of the ruck. So the first time we kick, we concede a penalty.
Barnes hoiks the penalty left.
Aus missed PK
Flouw has been good since coming back
Penalty Boks. Etzebeth pounces on Samo and forces him to hold on. Goosen will kick from halfway in front.
Goosen with a PK from allmost halfway…
It’s left of the posts.
Just to the left….
Miss each, still 0 – 0
Stupid Aussies go WAY offsides at the ruck, and Goosen is going from about 25m on a 45 degree angle. Relatively easy kick missed.
Come on Goose… dont give HM the excuse to look at Morne again
Nerves getting to Goosen…
Relax boetie…
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 19) : @Franshark (Comment 20) : Ru should be taking the responsibility for those closer ones. Let Goosen take pot shots from far. Will do less damage to his confidence if he’s missing those and Ru is at least keeping the scoreboard ticking over.
@klempie (Comment 21) : Well, yes and no… theres nowhere to hide in test rugby. Let the youngster prove himself. A few misses, then change.
Goosen too nervous, Aussies offside without being penalized and Louw not familiar with the rules. That sums it up so far after 15 minutes.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 22) : Sure, but I’m more interested in him firing as the playmaker than a kicker. Let him prove a point there first, and then bring the kicking in later.
Aussies very direct again this week.
@klempie (Comment 24) : and to me it already looks better…
@klempie (Comment 24) : Fair enough
Well well, setting up the line out…
Wow, kicking for the corner?? Positive, just hope they capitalise
Boks forego kickable penalty for 5m lineout.
What has HM been drinking this week? 
KRUSTY!!!
Great to score.. pity it was sideshow bob
Zane over…
Sorry, I was making a sarmie. Can’t be arsed describing that one.
HM looking relieved
Good move to let Ruan kick
Ru converts. That’s what I wanted to see.
Boks 7 – 0 Convicts
23 mins
Good stuff as Pienaar kicks the conversion
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! These Boks are playing rugby now!
Pienaar should take the kicks, let Goosen take care of the long-range efforts.
Go Goose!!!
Etzebeth steals a Convict lineout and it winds up with Goosen who breaks the line and reaches the line! TMO….
What was that a NR10 break the line in a boks jersey!!!!
Heheeeeeee!!!!!
Looks good to me!
Could be a double movement…
Looks like a second movement..
Damn….double movement. Can’t argue with that.
Pity, fair call though
No try… But seriously good stuff…
That’s a long kick…
Penalty Boks just inside their own half after Sharpe held on. Ru is going for goal…
@klempie (Comment 51) : He had the distance but missed left.
That ball is flying op loftes…
Hope the misses dont come back to bite like against the kiwis
All those enjoying this rugby say “Aye”.
Yes yes yes……
What a TEAM try!!!!!!
Different Bok side with the Goose throwing it around!!! Habana you beauty
Habs you fucking beauty. Starts and finishes off that try.
AYE!!
Ru converts
Boks 14 – 0 Convicts.
30 mins.
@klempie (Comment 55) : Aye Aye Aye!!!!
Really….this an AMAZING performance. Throwing it around, stealing it on the ground and in the mauls. I for one am VERY happy right now.
@klempie (Comment 63) : that makes two of us…
And as I say that, Sideshow kicks aimlessly into space and it goes over the dead ball line.
Forwards not rolling away and Beale will have an easy shot at goal.
Come on. Dont let the convicts have the final say in this half
Boks 14 – 3 Convicts
35 mins
AHAHAHAHAHA!!! Ru put one high…not much else on. Krusty chased and Shipperley obstructs him from reaching the ball.
Ru lining up.
Off the right hand upright.
Pity for that missed catch…
Tight, very tight. Sideshow bob may be having the game of his life here
KRUSTY looking at two now.
TMO. Ashley-Cooper is lying prostrate on the floor.
Will be ruled out. Pity, need to put pressure on the lineout
Looks like Sideshow’s foot is in touch.
Ashley-Cooper was sleeping before he hit the ground.
@klempie (Comment 76) : He’s been stretchered off. Good luck, mate.
AAC off with probably a broken neck from what I heard.
Boks steal another lineout.
Opportunity lost. Oh well, still playing well. Bekker doing well too
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 78) : Nah. Looked like he was just knocked out.
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 78) : Geez, hope not. Hope hes just ko’ed
HT Boks 14 – 3 Convicts
So, 2 tries and 2 tries overturned by TMO. Should be game over already. Hope boks dont let up and let the convicts back in the second half
Shit man… worried about AAC… the oke wasn’t moving at all when he went down.
Flouw has had a great first half for us
Meyer will now get lynched if he even THINKS about bringing Liefling back.
Aussies up to the 22.
Aussie scrum on the 22.
Lucky… JdV made a shocking intercept attempt, then 1 min later knocks it down.
Alberts wins it on our 5m.
good defense……
Excellent first half by the Boks.
Everyone playing well outside of Taute and Hougaard.
Taute, somewhat understandable considering nerves, and just coming back from injury.
Hougaard… maybe just proving that his best position is as an impact player off the bench. Sure as heck wouldn’t have Mvovo there though as suggested by someone earlier in the week
We’re definitely missing JP Pietersen.
There you go. AAC is ok
AAC is concious but concussed and is only going to hospital for a check up.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 93) : @klempie (Comment 94) :
He’ll be used to it by now. That exact thing happens to him once a season at least.
Although we’ve been scrappy at times, I am really loving the attitude.
@hendrikp (Comment 95) : Surprised he still has a brain then
Habs took a quick tap off a kickable penalty, it went through a few hands with them ending up 6m short. Slipper infringes at the ruvk and gets yellowed. Should see a scrum here.
@klempie (Comment 98) : Nope. Lineout. Makes sense given the performance in that area so far.
Flo is mauled over the line.
Excellent call to go for the corner and well rewarded
Ru will convert 3m from right hand touch.
Missed.
Boks 19 – 3 Convicts
54 mins.
Maybe time to let the Goose have another shot at goal
SuperPat is on.
Geez, is Strauss deaf
Aussies = headless chickens right now.
Lambi gets 25 min
HEHEHEHEHEHE!!!! First touch and he clears it from his goal line to half way.
Strongest Bok side available on the field now
The forwards are absolutely FEROCIOUS atm.
What was Strauss doing???
Strauss hands in the ruck. Beale sets up the lineout.
Oh dont bring on van der Merwe!!
HM rings the changes. vd Merwe and Coetzee on.
How did we get out there…
The Aussies are just bashing their heads against a green brick wall.
Habs under the posts.
Excellent thinking. Habana is back gentlemen
@klempie (Comment 115) : you mean walki talki the changes
He followed the ball into touch, took a quick throw just inside his own half. Throw went to Strauss who one-twoed it back to Habs who stepped a few defenders and made a beeline for the line.
Converted and it’s
Boks 26 – 3 Convicts
62 mins
Die bus is VOL!!!
Come on don’t let down now… lets kill them now
Aussie 5m lineout.
Beale should stick to FB. Hes a crap FH
Boks keep driving them back on defence.
Damn!!! We should have shut them out!!
It eventually goes all the way left, and the Aussies finally prise the Boks open. Harris scores in the corner.
Hougaard missing the tackle on Beale. Damn it
Conversion missed
Boks 26 – 8 Convicts
67 mins
Hougie having a bit of a mare in the last few mins
Hougaard nearly ends up with egg on his face as he grubbers straight into a Wallaby.
Dutchman music blaring on the PA.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 132) : @klempie (Comment 133) :
Having a bit of a mare for the last 68 minutes.
If we’d lost this game his position would be on the line. He’s definitely lucky the rest of the players came to the party.
JduP off.
Come on boys. One more try.
Boks losing the plot a bit. They have rested up. Not nice to watch
Debacle by the convicts here. WTF
Only Aus could effectively yellow card themselves
Hmmmm….OK….the Aussies have used up all their subs, and are left without a hooker. Therefore Robinson will throw, scrums will be uncontested and the Aussies will have to play with 14. Weird!
I think the replacement hooker was ruled unfit to continue and Rolland won’t let him play.
Aus to become the first Argentine victim?
Jantjies, Liebenberg and de Jongh are all on.
Ah fuck man. 100m try fluffed 1m from the line.
Scratch that…fluffed 1cm from the line.
Great game by Taute…he made a huge impact on our backline defense…
He was a better 13 than JdV
Glad to see Jantjies getting his cap…
@klempie (Comment 145) : My sentiments exactly. This should be a cricket score
Habs is over the line after what I believe was a massive forward pass….but nevermind.
Excellent work. Great interplay and the try comes
Habana gets a hatick…
He had an super awesome game…
He has been on serious form for the Bokke…
Take it quick Ru so we can get another!
Left about 20 points on the board in kicking alone
That pass was way forward… But who cares.. Hurt them bad…
The only issue is our front row…can’t scrum and nowhere in general play…
Although Strauss was good with ball in hand and def…but made 2 silly mistakes…
Conversion missed….Hougaard kicks the KO off out.
FT Boks 31 – 8 Convicts
Flo had a great game…
@Hmmm (Comment 156) : Nowhere in general play??? What game were you watching??
Wooh he he… Die Bokke wen!!!!
@klempie (Comment 159) : ag don’t even bother..
@Franshark (Comment 161) : I agree with him on the scrums, but they were dominating the breakdown, especially Strauss.
@klempie (Comment 157) : good stuff with the updates…
@Franshark (Comment 163) : Thanks.
pretty good win, hey? Some fine play by the likes of Flouw, Habana, Etzebeth, Vermeulen, Pienaar… De Villiers too
Huh?? JdV says they played exactly the same gameplan as the last game!!!
@robdylan (Comment 165) : If this young team is doing the business with the right gameplan, it bodes very nicely for the future.
@klempie (Comment 159) :
The one where neither Beast nor Jannie were outplayed…
At least Beast was good at defense and good carry early in the game…
Jannie on the other hand is just a useless waste of space…at least he only gave away 2 penalties…
Meyer should start Coenie and bring Pat on as replacement…
Habs is MoM with his hat-trick.
@robdylan (Comment 165) :
Taute too…strong running and awesome defense…
The All Blacks is gonna be a tough one but we can… Let’s go forward now…
Pity its so late in the comp..
@Hmmm (Comment 168) : Jannie maybe deserves some criticism but Beast was on par and Strauss immense.
Just a thought…
All the kickers were great in Super rugby…and much worse for the Bokke…
Could Louis Koen be coaching them backwards?
@klempie (Comment 172) :
Yeh I did give Strauss credit and said Beast was good at defense…
@Hmmm (Comment 174) : The implication was that the front row as a unit was a liability.
John Mitchel and Mallet talking up Goosen and Habana as the 2 players be great…
@klempie (Comment 175) :
They were…conceded 5 penalties between them and struggled in the scrum…
And Jannie was very crap so dragged down the whole front row…
Just did not think Hougaardt was good today…
Made a few mistakes on defense…
@Hmmm (Comment 177) :
But at 2nd thought maybe I should have said the props…
HM looking VERY relieved in the post-match interview.
@klempie (Comment 180) :
He did…and seems he is adament at stating it is the same game plan…
@Hmmm (Comment 181) : He must think we’re all Bulls supporters…
Jean de Villiers:”Nah, the gameplan didn’t change, we just executed it better.”
Okay, that means Morne tried to pass out wide, but the ball kept falling out of his hands onto his boot. Right, now that we know that, we are 100% sure Morne is not suited to play rugby.
I swear Heyneke and JdV must think we’re very stupid,no change in gameplan??? What a lie of note
@klempie (Comment 182) :
My surprise is only 2 Bulls in his side…
Actually a good split of teams…