Pat Lambie, Schalk Burger and Bismarck du Plessis

On Thursday night, Gold Reef City hosted the 2011 SA Rugby Awards and here are some of the winners of the night.

Springbok flank and Western Province captain Schalk Burger won the award for SA Player of the Year for the second time, going up against fellow Springbok and Shark’s player Pat Lambie who did not walk away empty handed. The 21-year-old was named the Absa Young Player of the Year.

A historical Currie Cup victory for the Golden Lions saw them unsurprisingly winning three titles during the ceremony that included Absa Team of the Year for the squad,  Absa Coach of the Year for John Mitchell and Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year for their captain Josh Strauss.

Other winners included Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis for The SARPA Players’ Player of the Year Award and Springbok Sevens flyer Sibusiso Sithole for The Supersport Try of the Year for his tournament-winning score in the final of the Edinburgh Sevens against Australia. Cecil Afrika, who was recently named the World Sevens Player of the Year walked away with the award for Springbok Sevens Player of the Year.

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) also paid tribute to two recently retired Springbok legends. Both John Smit, who has already left the country to take up a contract with English club Saracens, and Victor Matfield played their last Test for the national team in the quarter-finals at the Rugby World Cup.

Commenting on the past year of rugby, Oregan Hoskins, President of SARU said “Onfield success of our national and provincial teams will always be of paramount importance, but I believe we have enjoyed a special year in the history of our rugby – perhaps a watershed year.”

source: SA Rugby

Peter de Villiers has said that he will definitely apply for the job of Springbok coach when it becomes available after his tenure comes to an end this year. De Villers plans to hand in his application to serve a second term as the national rugby team’s coach as soon as SARU begin taking them in.

After the Boks were knocked out of the Rugby World Cup by Australia, and one could argue at the hands of Bryce Lawrence, there was a lot of confusion surrounding the separate statements de Villiers made about his position as coach. While some media publications reported that he had stated his intentions to resign, soon afterwards it was reported that he was not planning on doing any such thing. At the post-match press conference de Villiers said that he knew it was the end of the road for him and only 30 hours later said he had not resigned but was simply acknowledging that the match in Wellington had been his final in the contracted period.

Now, after four years as coach, de Villiers believes he has the credentials to continue if the South African Rugby Union want him to. Not winning the World Cup, he says, makes him feel like “there is unfinished business.” I’ll let that statement sink in for a bit.

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The All Blacks are leading the French 5 – 0 in the 2011 IRB World Cup final at half time. A Tony Woodcock try is the only score separating the teams. Peri Weepu have failed with three kicks to goal.

The Springboks have fallen down from third to fourth place in the IRB World Rankings since their 9-11 loss  to Australia in the quarter finals saw them bow out of the this year’s Rugby World Cup. France’s 9-8 victory over Wales that sees them qualifying for the final against New Zealand has launched the French team to third place. New Zealand’s 20-6 victory over the Wallabies have allowed the All Blacks to remain at number one.

The IRB World Rankings are currently as follows:

1. New Zealand (last week: 1)

2. Australia (last week: 2)

3. France (last week: 5)

4. South Africa (last week: 3)

5. England (last week: 6)

6. Wales (last week: 4)

7. Ireland

8. Argentina

9. Tonga

10. Scotland

The Springboks might be out of the Rugby World Cup, but the quarter final against the Wallabies where they were knocked out won’t be forgotten in a hurry. It might be remembered for the performances of Bryce Lawrence and David Pocock, but nobody can take away the massive defensive effort from the Wallabies. Check out this tackle of Radike Samo on Bryan Habana:

Source: rugbydump.com

Having witnessed what we all witnessed on Sunday morning, I thought it best to refrain from engaging in any Bryce Lawrence-bashing on this site, since the truth is that anything I might say will probably just end up sounding like sour grapes.

But that doesn’t stop me from posting this guy’s opinions on the matter:

SARU Chief Executive Jurie Roux has announced that the subject for the Springbok coaching and entire management team for 2012 will be reviewed by the Executive Council (EXCO) of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) after the completion of the Rugby World Cup now that South Africa have exited the championship. Roux explained that the contracts of all of the national team’s coaching, medical and logistical staff expire at the end of 2011.

“The appointment of the Springbok coaches and management team are easily amongst the most important decisions we must take as an organisation. The next steps we take in that process will be in the very best interests of the Springbok team” said Roux.

Current coach Peter de Villiers has recently retracted the resignation he seemed to make after the Boks were defeated by Australia on Sunday. ”No, I never resigned” said de Villiers. “I was just saying it was the end of the road. It’s logical, I have a four-year contract and I’ve known all along that this day would come.”

The Springboks’ next Test will be against England in a three-Test series in South African in June 2012.