Today’s big match takes place at Newlands in Cape Town.
Will the Boks go 3 from 3 in this year’s Tri-Nations competition by adding the scalp of the Wallabies to the pair of home wins against the All Blacks?
Or will Robbie Deans’ team show exactly how much smarter they are than their Antipodean neighbours?
Kick-off is at 17h00 SA Time.
Teams:
South Africa: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 MornΓ© Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich BrΓΌssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Andries Bekker, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Adi Jacobs
Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Richard Brown, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 David Pocock, 20 Will Genia, 21 Peter Hynes, 22 James O’Connor.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Tim Hayes (Wales)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
By Paul Dobson

GO BOKKE
yeah bokke
boks by 10 or more!
If we win this we’ll win the whole caboodle imo. π
Them wallabies is in for a blikseming!
@Baldrick (Comment 5) : Ja nee
Come on BOYS!!! You can do this!!!
Try Aus!! π― We didn’t contest lineout on the right hand side and defense caught at 6s and 7s and Ashley cover goes over in the right hand corner.
Gits converts.
0-7 after 3 mins.
@klempie (Comment 8) : Ashley-Cooper π³
Aus are SERIOUSLY harrassing us. π―
Offside from Aus rush defense. MS going for poles 37m out and slots it again.
3-7 9 miins
Boks slowly composing themmselves after that initial onslaught.
Aus give away a penalty after blocking a chasing Japes. Dead-Eye Dick slots it from 44m. π Geez he’s good. I’d say on a par with Monty.
6-7 12 mins
VERY even contest at the breakdown at the moment with Boks just edging it at the mo. Aus have started fluffing a few passes and resulting in unforced errors.
Boks get another penalty after a ruck infringement. DED gets another.
9-7 14 mins.
Barnes DG!!
9-10 15 mins. Breathless stuff!
They call for the stretcher for Juan Smith but he tells em to bugger off and gets back in the game. π
Gold off their feet at the breakdown again and MS goes for posts from 35m in front.
12-10 21m.
I can’t single any Bok out for praise atm. They’re all immense. π
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! BARNEY puts through a cheeky grubber after Habs calls for one but VICTORIA takes it to the line! π
Conversion missed.
20-10
@klempie (Comment 17) : Great grubber from the Skipper….did you see the grin on his face when Vic scored? π π
BOKKE
What’s up with Habana’s hands? 2nd ball he’s coughed up π‘ π
@Villie (Comment 20) : Kicking’s good though…
Giteau high tackle on du Preez. Personally I think that should be red. He gets yellow.
@Villie (Comment 20) : kak pass
Aus down to 13 for offsides!! LOL
@klempie (Comment 24) : MS slots the penalty.
23-10….COme on Boks let’s get a couple tries!
Bokke steaking lineouts at will
We should have scored a try with 13 down by now! π
damn,we shoulda scored a try there
The FERRET forces them to hold on we quick tap and Spies loses the ball forward 3m short off a quick tap after a number of passes. π
HT 23-10
Not a bad half for the boks, but we need to score tries in the 2nd half,
neither Steyn is impressing me much
Giteau should get cited for that tackle against fourie…not even attemptiong to go for the ball. Aussies playing very cynically…sad really spoiling a good game.
Rob…think you watching a different game – Frans playing superbly! π
Shame Brian can’t seem to getting anything right today.
they are making us look a bit silly now
@Just a Fan (Comment 33) : And MS.
Both Aussies back on the field and we only got 3 points outta it. π
@Just a Fan (Comment 33) : no he isn’t. He should learn to pass
Giteau over the deadball line. Play goes back to Aussie 10m
m steyn is doing nothing other than booting the ball down their throats
Ruan needs to come on…
@robdylan (Comment 39) : He’s put in a couple of good tackles bro.
JP not having a good day atthe office
finally a useful kick from steyn
FS tries a drop but he’s got too much height on it.
@klempie (Comment 41) : so what? He’s a flyhalf, not a flank
Victoria et al have poached 6 Aus lineouts. π
@robdylan (Comment 45) : Tell that to Butch.
i stick by what I said. They are both looking useless
Rossouw on for Smith.
@robdylan (Comment 48) : And you are entitled to your opinion. π We discussed opinions at length in the “Iago” thread. π
Rob I think you are stirring…he does pass but he also takes more than one opposition player out of play.
at least butch has a running game
@Just a Fan (Comment 51) : and then throws the ball away wildly. Did it 3 times in the first half alone
Gold off their feet at the breakdown.
George Smith is complaining about the Ferret sealing it off after Rolland blows them up for ACTUALLY doing it. Replay shows no such infringement.
26-10 55 mins.
Sorry Rob – how useless? Another kick by MS
i want Running Ruan back. Penalties are boring
@robdylan (Comment 52) : I’ll give you that.
@robdylan (Comment 56) : I’ll give you that too.
@robdylan (Comment 56) : LOL and then MS chases down an Aussie to win a 5m scrum.
Welldone Ms great running and tackle.
Aus DESTROY our scrum! π―
@klempie (Comment 61) : TWICE
Good Aus defense turns the ball over 8m out.
Runa in 7 minutes time would be welcome, Robbo, ill take the converted penalties thanks.
@Just a Fan (Comment 55) : a penalty from right in front? What a genius
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 64) : Se vir hom!
doc wants on
Rob gets his wish. Ruan on for F Steyn. And he’s playing at 15. So P Div is basically giving Rob the finger. LOL
ru is on!
@klempie (Comment 68) : check your facts
Rob..Carefully now…remember Ruan couldn’t get thos right the last game he played. Anyway RP on now let’s see if he can earn his place back.
@robdylan (Comment 70) : So that pass from touch from du Preez to Ru was Ru at 10?? π
Ausget over the line but are held up. Scrum 5m.
@robdylan (Comment 70) : wait! Appears it’s me who’s wrong. And the commentators
Frans off – now aussies get to the try line.. π
Try Gits
Boks have a scrum 5 and scrum like amateurs. Aussies have a scrum 5 and score a try. We still have a problem at scrum time!
Try Aus!! Giteau straightens up and gets over.
Converted.
26-17 66 mins
have we all forgotten how to tackle?
@robdylan (Comment 74) : It’s ok. Happens to the greatest of us.
@robdylan (Comment 79) : More importantly…do we think that putting Ruan at 15 was a good idea? JdV should have come off, Ru to 10 and MS to 12 or vice versa.
Beast off…J Dup on
Nother deadball kick from Gits take us back halfway.
better kick that time
JdV off, Adi on
Japes is great at using his head.
JP dude FFS
@klempie (Comment 81) : agree
Stransky has a dip at Bafana’s scoring abilities. π
brussmw is my MOM
Bekker on for Bakkies
Not sure what Jannie Dup offers the Boks.
Bakkies and FDp go off….immense today!
Panic Mechanic is on for du Preez
@robdylan (Comment 90) : Could be any of Brussow, Bakkies, Victor or FDP
abs interfered with and JS decides to go for the lineout! π
Smith with a professional foul…and just walks off!
LOL George Smith gets blown up and didn’t even bother looking at the card. Just ran off for the last 3 mins.
we should call them the Springbores
Aussies content to concede penalties rather than tries or else it could have be a HUGE score!
MS puts the penalty over and it’s 29-17 after 79. MS gets a record for most penalties in a game.
Jacques Fourie been anonymous today.
Game over.
FT 29-17. Aus denied a BP.
@Villie (Comment 101) : Indeed.
anyway. Let’s not be petty. Good win. But we won’t win away from home playing like this
@robdylan (Comment 98) : Robbie,quiet yourself π
@robdylan (Comment 104) : Agree.
Log is
SA 3 12
NZ 3 4
Aus 2 with a game in hand
@klempie (Comment 107) : Aus 2 2 π³
@Villie (Comment 101) : that’s because Braam van Strasteyn kicked all the ball away
George Smith talks about “inconsistent calls” at the breakdown. π
Well done Snor and co. Although you had a bit of a blaps where you put Ruan on.
Victoria get MoM
@klempie (Comment 110) : Noticed that.Tollie of the match goes to him
Did anyone see Iago jumping up and down behind the posts for that Barnes DG? She was in white.
@klempie (Comment 112) : bad call. It was Brussow by a country mile
@robdylan (Comment 109) : Yeah…I was a little frustrated with the boring rugby played. They could and should have played a lot more rugby and if they did, I reckon a 4 try bonus point would have been a certainty. It’s not like we have poor outside backs!
Breytie says that Japes and Habs are non-existent in the team atm thanks to all the kicking. I have to agree. Which is why when JdV goes MS should go to 12 and Ru to 10.
8 Aussie lineouts poached. We need to work on our scrum though.
@klempie (Comment 117) : would rather hide steyn at fullback
@klempie (Comment 118) : that aus scrum has improved a hell of a lot
Oops I got the log wrong.
Aus didn’t get a BP so they are on 1.
@robdylan (Comment 119) : And what about F Steyn? Oh wait. You think he’s useless. That explains it. π
@klempie (Comment 121) : guess I need a 3n log here π
@klempie (Comment 122) : got it in one! π
Ok, seriously. Name one good thing he did today
@robdylan (Comment 124) : Ummmm…SA and Aus weren’t really playing games that aided his involvement. When he did get the ball he had a couple of good breaks.
@robdylan (Comment 124) :
Just before M Steyn’s drop goal F Steyn was going to take a DG himslef and FdP indicated he should run. And he ran shows he is becoming a team player π
Shows FdP was trying to shaft the Sharks and help the Bulls. π
Snor makes it through a post-match interview without saying anything dumb or arrogant. π And gets a hug from Joel. π
I think everytime Burger hears the name Brussouw he must cringe!!!!!!!!!!!
Burger will be lucky to ever start again if Brussouw continues in this form.
@klempie (Comment 125) : but every time he broke we lost possession due to a stupid pass off the ground
@robdylan (Comment 129) : LOL SS Just had a higlights package of F Steyn breaking the line, kicking and tackling! π
@KSA Shark Β© (Comment 128) : He’ll be lucky to play again imo.
@klempie (Comment 127) :
OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What will the anti-div do, they will have nothing to talk about for the next week? π
@KSA Shark Β© (Comment 132) : We’ve got scraps to work with. Like where Ruan was put when he came on. π
π The Poms are 80-5 in their 2nd innings and still TRAIL by 263. Beautiful.
Aussies just dropped a catch in the slips. π
@klempie (Comment 134) : Oh and it’s only end of day two. π
@klempie (Comment 130) : hope they did some good editing
@klempie (Comment 112) : Can’t argue with that. He scored a try, took all his lineouts and poached a few of the Aussies. Had a very good game!
well done Bokke, still strugling to score tries though, i hope they work a bit harder on that
OMG. Some dof but VERY hot blonde just got asked who her favourite Boks are at Boktown to which she replied “Jaques Kallis and Mark Boucher”. ROFL!!
DM just said he wants to see Ruan at 10. So that’s nice. π
Interesting statistic: Ruan Pienaar and Morne Steyn have now both scored 83 test points.
Pienaar after 32 tests and 12 starts and Steyn after only 6 tests and 3 starts.
On top of that Steyn’s points came against top 5 opponents only. No easy games against Scotland, Italy or Samoa to scew the numbers.
@fyndraai (Comment 142) :
Dude, you really need to up your game. π
In how many tests was Ruan the designated (sp?) kicker??
No one is denying that Steyn is a better kicker than Ruan… its just that he can’t get a backline away like Ruan does. π
@wpw (Comment 143) :
The answer is at least 7 tests. That includes the recent ones we know about and an earlier game against NZ (23 June 2007) in which be landed a penalty kick. Happy? π
15 of his points (3 tries) came against Namibia and Tonga.
The only thing that really matters is points on the scoreboard and in that regard MS can produce.
Oh and before I forget.
GGGRrrrreat job PDivvie.
He needs to engineer just 1 road win to secure the 3N and as a Bok coach he will be on par with the great Jake White. π
@wpw (Comment 143) :
Apologies for the lack of detail but this is a sharks site after all so I try to keep things simple. π
@fyndraai (Comment 145) : ha ha. Not π
@fyndraai (Comment 144) :
There will still be someone out there who believes he is a kak coach even if he goes on to win all three the Boks’ overseas games. π
Bok coach records
Coach – Tests – Wins – Win%
Kitch Christie 14 14 100
Cecil Moss 12 10 83
Nelie Smith 15 12 80
Ian Kirkpatrick 12 9 75
Danie Craven 23 17 73
Peter de Villiers 19 14 73
Nick Mallett 38 27 71
Jake White 54 36 66
Boy Louw 9 6 66
AndrΓ© Markgraaff 13 8 61
Johan Claassen 18 10 55
Harry Viljoen 15 8 53
Rudolph Straeuli 23 12 52
Avril Malan 8 4 50
Hennie Muller 16 7 43
Carel du Plessis 8 3 37
Ian McIntosh 12 4 33
John Williams 5 1 20
The gap in the rankings is now almost 2 points between No.1 & 2. π
@KSA Shark Β© (Comment 148) : wow… Mac’s record looks really bad when you view it that way.
TOUGH opposition, though.
France (h) drew
France (h) lost
Aus (a) WON
Aus (a) lost
Aus (a) lost
Arg (a) WON
Arg (a) WON
Eng (h) lost
Eng (h) WON
NZ (a) lost
NZ (a) lost
NZ (a) drew
@robdylan (Comment 150) :
The matches against NZ and the Aussies cost him his job… π
BOKKE! π
Oz scrum is doing so well cos Robinson scrums inward so much that he kisses his hooker on the cheek each time.
Everybody knows the Aussies cheat at every scrum. π π