Germany got off to the perfect start in the 2010 FIFA World Cup by thrashing Australia 4 – 0 in their opening encounter in Durban.

With a young squad and without injured Michael Ballack, the Germans went on a scoring rampage. Lukas Podolski opened their account in the eighth minute before veteran Miroslav Klose doubled the lead before the half-hour mark.

Cheered by the green and gold fans at the Durban Stadium, the Socceroos showed more determination after the re-start but saw their challenge take a fatal hit when Tim Cahill was shown a straight red card in the 56th minute following a late tackle on Bastian Schweinsteiger.

(more…)

On tuesday Peter de Villiers named an unchanged Springbok team to face Australia at Newlands on Saturday in Cape Town.

The Bok coach kept intact the team that beat the All Blacks by 31-19 in Durban last weekend to win their second consecutive Vodacom Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand.

The only change to the Springbok team is on the bench, where fit-again Ruan Pienaar takes the place of Wynand Olivier.

Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha will play together as a lock-pairing for the 50th time in a Test for the Springboks. Matfield will play in his 86th Test and Botha in his 60th.

Jean de Villiers, who played in his 50th Test last weekend, will on Saturday surpass De Wet Barry’s record for the most capped Springbok centre of all time, when he will run out in the midfield for the 40th time. He played on the wing and as a replacement in his 11 other Tests.

The Springbok team is (Test caps in brackets):

15. Frans Steyn (32)
14. JP Pietersen (28)
13. Jaque Fourie (47)
12. Jean de Villiers (50)
11. Bryan Habana (50)
10. Morné Steyn (5)
9. Fourie du Preez (48)
8. Pierre Spies (24)
7. Juan Smith (59)
6. Heinrich Brüssow (6)
5. Victor Matfield (85)
4. Bakkies Botha (59)
3. John Smit (86) – Captain
2. Bismarck du Plessis (26)
1. Tendai Mtawarira (15)

(more…)

Australia ended their end of year UK tour with a victory over the Barbarians. The Aussies won 18 – 11 at Wembley Stadium in an very exciting and action packed game.

“The Wallabies, with England referee Chris White seemingly in the festive season spirit already and very generous in his handling of the constant breaches of the law, simply tackled the BaaBaas into submission.

But it was the Australians’ greater enthusiasm and willingness to push the law to its utter limits in both defence and at the breakdown, that won them the day.

The victory was sealed only two minutes from time, by replacement Lachie Turner’s breakaway try after South Africa’s Francois Steyn, who also missed a number of goal-kicks, turned the ball over yet again.

The result meant Australia had won four of their six tour matches – also beating Italy, England and France, but losing to New Zealand, in Hong Kong, and Wales last weekend in Cardiff.

Australia took the Rugby Union gold medal in 1908 with a 32-3 victory over Great Britain, represented by the south-west English county of Cornwall.

The Barbarians, in honour of that match, all wore yellow Cornwall socks as they departed from their usual tradition of players wearing their club socks.

BaaBaas try-scorer Jerry Collins, who last year played for Cornish side Barnstaple, even dyed his hair yellow.

The Barbarians were 6-13 behind with just under 30 minutes left when they got back into the game with a superb try.

Australia fullback James O’Connor’s poor kick out of defence gave possession back to the Barbarians and Steyn, playing at flyhalf, threw a long cut-out pass to Welsh wing Shane Williams, the newly-crowned International Rugby Board Player of the Year.

Williams, on as a half-time replacement for Percy Montgomery, sprinted clear down the touchline.

(more…)