Category: Tri Nations

News and discussion about the Tri Nations

Let The Wars Begin
You beauty. At last the phoney war is over. Ireland and Wales are dispatched, and now the ‘real’ tests are about to start – the ones that have trophies riding on them, where the results matter. Read the full article

Now For The World’s Best
It’s the business end of the season for the All Blacks now: the Tri Nations and, more particularly, the Springboks – and I can tell you that a lot of Bok fans are hoping the All Blacks win at least one and maybe both of the two tests in New Zealand over the next two weeks. Read the full article

Boks’ Road Trip Could Settle Trinations
Nobody will be so bold as to say it, but most know it to be true – the fate of the 2010 Tri-Nations could be known by July 17. Read the full article

Springbok strength leaves ABs with nowhere to hide
Rugby might have entered a more expansive space this year, but it will be back to the old values of doing it up front and coping with the pressure this Saturday night for the All Blacks. Read the full article

Who Are The Underdogs Again?
As the Tri-Nations comes upon us again, it once again looks as if the Aussies at best can hope for second and the real title race is between New Zealand and South Africa. Read the full article

Springboks

Backs: Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Zane Kirchner, Wynand Oliver, Ruan Pienaar, Morné Steyn.

Forwards: Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, BJ Botha, Schalk Burger, Jannie du Plessis, Ryan Kankowski, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, Dewald Potgieter, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, John Smit (c), Pierre Spies, Gurthrö Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde.

All Blacks

Forwards: John Afoa (Auckland Blues), Anthony Boric (Blues), Tom Donnelly (Otago Highlanders), Corey Flynn (Canterbury Crusaders), Ben Franks (Crusaders),Owen Franks (Crusaders), Jerome Kaino (Blues), Richie McCaw (captain, Crusaders), Keven Mealamu (Blues), Liam Messam (Waikato Chiefs), Kieran Read (Crusaders), Brad Thorn (Crusaders) Victor Vito (Wellington Hurricanes), Samuel Whitelock (Crusaders), Tony Woodcock (Blues).

Backs: Daniel Carter (Crusaders), Jimmy Cowan (Highlanders), Aaron Cruden (Hurricanes), Israel Dagg (Highlanders), Cory Jane (Hurricanes), Richard Kahui (Chiefs), Mils Muliaina (Chiefs), Ma’a Nonu (Hurricanes), Rene Ranger (Blues), Josevata Rokocoko (Blues), Conrad Smith (Hurricanes), Benson Stanley (Blues), Piri Weepu (Hurricanes).

Wallabies

Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale, Richard Brown, Luke Burgess, Mark Chisholm, Quade Cooper, Ben Daley, Rocky Elsom (c), Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Matt Giteau, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, Rob Horne, Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Ben McCalman, Salesi Ma’afu, Stephen Moore, Dean Mumm, Jame O’connor, David Pocock, Benn Robinson, Nathan Sharpe, Rob Simmons, James Slipper.

Forwards
Anthony Boric, Aled de Malmanche, Tom Donnelly, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (c), Keven Mealamu, Kieran Read, Adam Thomson, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Victor Vito, Tony Woodcock.

Backs
Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford, Cory Jane, Richard Kahui, Mils Muliaina, Josevata Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Piri Weepu.

Not considered due to injury
Mike Delany (shoulder), Stephen Donald (shoulder), Jason Eaton (knee), Andrew Hore (shoulder), Ma’a Nonu (knee), Sitiveni Sivivatu (shoulder), Isaia Toeava (hip), Ali Williams (Achilles)

Scorers
Wallabies 21 (9)
Tries: Adam Ashley-Cooper, James O’Connor
Conversion: Matt Giteau
Penalties: Matt Giteau (2)
Drop goal: Matt Giteau

Springboks 6 (6)
Penalty: Morne Steyn
Drop goal: Morne Steyn

What they said
John Smit: ‘There are no excuses. Excuses are for losers, so we have no excuses. We’ll have to do the job in Hamilton next week. We’ve got one more chance, one game, and we have to make the most of our opportunity.The intensity was not quite where it should have been. It’s hard to pinpoint where it went wrong. We had our moments and just couldn’t put it together. Nevertheless, we still created pressure and they beat us at our own game. Obviously we started on a bad foot and kept chasing the score-line. It is healthy in the Tri-Nations to try and get into your opponents half. A lot of calls were not going our way. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don’t. But at half-time, at 9-6, we were happy because they were dominant and we felt we had made the best of a bad first forty. We came out in the second half and for a while it looked as if we might turn it around. But we didn’t spend enough time in their half and create pressure. We looked up with eight minutes to play at creating those opportunities by setting up a drive, but were not given those opportunities. No one loses four on the trot and just rocks up. They were far more formidable, but rest assured we will be fired up for our final game in Hamilton.’
Peter de Villiers called the scrums ‘the new grey area of rugby’: ‘It used to be the breakdown, now it is the scrum. You do not know which way it is going to go and sometimes it is more guesswork.’
Robbie Deans: ‘Not giving them a start helps.The boys kept playing for eighty minutes. We had three tries over the line disallowed and the guys kept coming and kept their heads up for 80 minutes. It was evident at the end there that some belief and confidence kicked in, showing great spirit for such a young group of players and that’s what we’ve been looking for.’
George Smith: ‘I’m far happier with our effort. We put a lot of work in, not only this week but throughout the Tri-Nations, and to get the reward now is fantastic. Well done to the Springboks for resisting us so well for the majority of the match, but in the end we made our possession and territory count. There was a collective understanding for us that we had to repay the Australian public for their loyalty. I was very impressed with the way we scrummed and the way we handled the lineouts. There’s a few things we need to work on but I’m just delighted with the outcome.’

Teamsheets
Australia
15 James O’Connor 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Will Genia, 8 George Smith (c), 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Subs: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Wycliff Palu, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Quade Cooper, 22 Peter Hynes.

South Africa
15 Ruan Pienaar, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (c), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Schalk Burger, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Frans Steyn.

Match Details
Date: Saturday, August 29
Venue: Subiaco Oval, Perth
Kick-off: 12.05 SA | 18.05 AUS | 10.05 GMT
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
TMO: Keith Brown (New Zealand)

Scorers
Australia 25 (6)
Tries: Matt Giteau (2), Lachie Turner
Conversions: Matt Giteau (2)
Penalties: Matt Giteau (2)

South Africa 32 (22)
Tries: Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana (2)
Conversions: Morne Steyn (3)
Penalties: Morne Steyn (2)

Teamsheets
Springboks – 15 Ruan Pienaar, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (c), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Andries Bekker, 19 Schalk Burger, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Frans Steyn.

Australia – 15 James O’Connor, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 11 Peter Hynes, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Richard Brown, 7 George Smith (c), 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Subs: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Al Baxter, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 David Pocock, 20 Will Genia, 21 Quade Cooper, 22 Drew Mitchell.