The Springboks were frustrated in the battle “down under” as they went down, 16-9, to the Wallabies in their Tri-Nations test match played at the Subiaco Oval in Perth on Saturday. Both teams were well short of technical perfection in a scrappy game with the Wallabies gaining a crucial edge in the way referee Bryce Lawrence controlled, or didn’t control!, the breakdown.

New Zealander Lawrence allowed a George Smith-led Wallabies side to get away with plenty of liberties (if not murder!) in the rucks and mauls and also to negate the Springbok lineout by stepping across or fouling the jumper.

That said, the Springboks also succumbed to their own errors — both in selection and execution.

The Boks missed the steadying influence of Percy Montgomery, with Conrad Jantjes having an uncertain game at fullback, while Schalk Brits’s lineout throwing was off-beam — one misdirected ball leading directly to the try by Lote Tuqiri in the 34th minute that gave the Wallabies a lead they would not relinquish.

In the end the Boks gained a vital bonus point from the match — a point which may well prove to be crucial as the rest of the tournament unfolds — but they will rue not having made more of their chances.

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The Springbok management has confirmed that Vodacom Chedetahs hooker Adriaan Strauss will replace the suspended Birmarck du Plessis in the Springbok squad. The 23-year old Strauss received his call-up to national duty after a Sanzar judicial hearing suspended Du Plessis for three weeks following an incident during the Vodacom Tri-Nations match on Saturday in Dunedin between the Springboks and the All Blacks. He arrives early Tuesday morning in Perth.

Springbok management also announced they would not be appealing against the three-week suspension.

Du Plessis was found guilty of breaching Law 10.4(k) by making contact with the eye area of New Zealand flanker Adam Thompson in Saturday’s historic clash at Carisbrook.

Strauss is the second hooker to join the Springbok camp in as many weeks after Vodacom Western Province hooker Schalk Brits flew in to Wellington following the withdrawal through injury of Bok captain John Smit, who subsequently underwent a groin operation late last week.

Source: sarugby.com

Ricky Januarie produced a marvelous individual try to set up a historic 30-28 victory for the Springboks over the All Blacks in their Tri-Nations rugby test match played at Carisbrook in Dunedin on Saturday. Blow-by-blow scoring:

The nuggety scrumhalf’s magical try in the 74th minute, converted by Francois Steyn, carried the Springboks to their first ever victory in Dunedin and their first in New Zealand since 1998.

A see-sawing match had swung one way and then the other but with seven minutes to play the All Blacks were leading 28-23 and were having the better of exchanges and against a Springbok side who were down to 14 men after skipper Victor Matfield had been yellow-carded for a high tackle by Australian referee Matt Goddard.

But then came the moment for Januarie to write his name bold in green-and-gold annals.

Picking up the ball behind a maul he darted sharply around the left, spurted between Keven Mealamu and Neemia Tialata and into the clear and then performed the most perfect of chip-kicks over the head of fullback Leon MacDonald before re-gathering the ball to dive over the line.

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Backs:

Bolla Conradie, Jean  de Villiers, Peter Grant, Butch James, Conrad Jantjes, Adrian Jacobs, Ricky Januarie, Bryan Habana, Percy Montgomery, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen, Ruan Pienaar, Frans Steyn.

Forwards:

Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Bismarck du Plessis, Ryan Kankowski, Tendai Mtawarira, Brian Mujati, Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, John Smit (c), Gurthro Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde, Joe van Niekerk, Luke Watson.

The surprises in the group are probably foremost BJ Botha who did not make it. JP Pietersen have been included, but have not played a test match since the World Cup. Tonderai Chavanga, Schalk Brits and Gcobani Bobo from the Western Province also did not make the group.

It was a wet day at Newlands and perhaps that was why South Africa’s 26-0 win over Italy in this one-off test match will be recalled as one of the least memorable matches to be played at this famous ground.
The Boks scored four tries to nil and were full value for their victory in that, unlike last week, they set about the task of winning this game in the time honoured way that you do test matches — by suffocating their opponent with an approach that emphasised basics and forward control. In this way, it was much more like the first test win against Wales in Bloemfontein than last week’s clash at Loftus.
However, while their driving maul, which netted two of the tries, was a big positive for them to take onto the field in the event they face New Zealand or Australia in the wet in the Tri-Nations, there was not too much else to enthuse over in a turgid game which only briefly brought out any semblance of a test match atmosphere in the 36 000-strong crowd. (more…)

The Springbok rugby team to face Nick Mallet’s Italy team is as follow:

15 – Conrad Jantjes

14 – Odwa Ndungane

13 – Gcobani Bobo

12 – Jean de Villiers

11 – Bryan Habana

10 – Francois Steyn

9 – Ricky Januarie

8 – Ryan Kankowsky

7 – Juan Smith

6 – Luke Watson

5 – Victor Matfield

4 – Bakkies Botha

3 – CJ van der Linde

2 – Bismarck du Plessis

1 – Beast Mtawarira

Replacements:

Schalk Brits, Brian Mujati, Andries Bekker, Joe van Niekerk, Schalk Burger, Peter Grant, Ruan Pienaar.

Friday – 20 June:

19:00 – Currie Cup: Sharks vs Western Province

Saturday – 21 June:

09:35 – Second Test: New Zealand vs England

15:00 -  South Africa vs Italy

17:10 – Currie Cup: Lions vs Bulls