After the departure of JP Pietersen and Andries Bekker from the Springbok camp due to injury, came the news that Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw and Bryan Habana are also battling injuries.

The trio of Bulls stars are busy working with doctor Craig Roberts on their rehabilitation, with Botha carrying a knee injury, Habana having a groin niggle and Rossouw working on his conditioning following a mild hamstring strain he suffered before coming to Australia.

But with coach Peter de Villiers needing to find replacements for Pietersen and Bekker in the match-day 22 for Saturday’s test in Brisbane, there is some trepidation in the camp.

“The Bakkies injury is more of a worry than anything else, especially since Danie is fit but hasn’t played for a while. We haven’t used him a lot and we’ll have to see whether he can be an 80-minute player,” De Villiers said on Monday.

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Springbok captain John Smit praised his team for a “job well done” after their 32-25 victory over the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday, which strengthened their grip on the 2009 Tri-Nations trophy.

Outscoring the Australians by four tries to three, despite having been branded as boring by their Australasian rivals in recent weeks, South Africa have taken a near unassailable lead in the competition.

With two more games – against the Aussies in Brisbane next week and New Zealand in Hamilton a week later, two more points will give the Boks their third Tri-Nations title.

But it was the clinical manner in which the Boks dismantled the Wallabies in the first half in Perth, taking a 23-6 lead at the break, that really impressed.

And becoming the first team this year to score a four-try bonus point also sent a strong message to their rivals.

The Bok captain, Smit, said his team got the result they wanted – five points on the standings from the game.

“We shortened our week [arriving in Perth in two shifts, on Monday and Tuesday] and we were fresh. We saw the energy in the first 50 [minutes],” Smit said in his post-match reaction.

He admitted that the Boks got into a bit of a “defensive mode” in the last 30.

“The one thing about the Aussies, they just keep coming for the 80 minutes, no matter what,” the Bok skipper added.

Asked about being the first team this year to score four tries in a Tri-Nations game, Smit said it was all part of the plan.

“We said all along that we will do whatever we need to win and tonight was a bit of running and a few tries and it did the job,” the Bok captain said.

He admitted that they were happy with their defensive effort, for most part, despite conceding two late tries – in the 75th and 79th minutes – to give the Aussies a bonus point.

“We spoke about it [defence] at half-time, about getting another half-a-metre, just getting on the referee’s good side.

“There was a lot of penetration coming and we just needed to stay organised,” he said.

He admitted that Bryan Habana’s 52nd minute try was the killer blow.

“Half-time [leading 23-6] there was big talk about putting just one more nail in just after the break and the boys listened for a change,” Smit added.

(via: Rugby 365)

The Springbok coach Peter de Villiers have named two changes to the Springbok team to face the Wallabies this Saturday in Perth in the Nelson Mandela Trophy / Tri-Nations encounter.

As expected Pienaar moves from the bench, where he started the previous Test against Australia at Newlands on August 8, to fullback in the place of Frans Steyn, who is amongst the replacements.

The other change sees Schalk Burger returning to the bench in the place of Danie Rossouw, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.

Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez will earn his 50th Test cap for South Africa on Saturday.

The decision to bring Pienaar into the side at the expense of Steyn in the No.15 jersey will be questioned by some and applauded by others.

The 24-year-old Pienaar has only started at fullback for the Boks twice before – against Tonga at the 2007 World Cup and Wales on the year-end tour in 2007.

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The Wallabies‘ Tri-Nations aspirations have been dealt a serious blow with both Nathan Sharpe and Berrick Barnes having been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with the Springboks.

Sharpe has failed to overcome a shoulder injury sustained in the loss to New Zealand last Saturday, while Barnes is still suffering concussion after taking a heavy knock in the one-point loss.

Bottom of the Tri-Nations table after three losses, the Wallabies’ odds of upsetting the Springboks have lengthened considerably following the loss of two key players.

Sharpe is regarded as one of the world’s best line-out exponents, while Barnes’ kicking game and composure in the midfield will be sorely missed.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is yet to make an announcement on replacements.

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Juan Smith did not partake in the Springbok training on Friday, which means that Schalk Burger will probably wear the no. 7 jersey against Wallabies in Perth next Saturday.

The Boks open the away leg of their Vodacom Tri-Nations campaign against the Wallabies at Subiaco Oval next Saturday, and coach Peter de Villiers has confirmed that Smith, who was in excellent form during the home leg of the Tri-Nations and is rated by many as the top blindside flanker in the world, is a doubtful starter.

“We will make a decision on whether Juan will play against Australia once we get to Perth on Tuesday,” said De Villiers at a press conference in Pretoria on Friday.

But observers at the training session said Smith looks most unlikely to play at this stage as he is not moving easily, and Burger looks set to come straight into his place as per the configurations at what was a physical contact session.

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The Springboks beat the Wallabies 29 – 17 on Saturday at Newlands to make it three wins in a row in the Tri-Nations competition.

The oldest axiom in rugby — that forwards win matches — was provided with massive emphasis as the Springboks overwhelmed the Wallabies with the sheer intensity of their pack.

The Wallabies caught the Springboks unawares with a clever short-ball lineout ruse to provide the Wallabies with a try to Adam Ashley-Cooper before two minutes had elapsed, giving them a 7-0 lead with Matt Giteau’s conversion, but after that there was only one side on the field in spite of the Australians scoring two tries to the Springboks’ one.

The dominance of the Springboks forwards meant John Smit’s men played most of the match in a comfort zone — a zone that enabled Morné Steyn to improve his remarkable record with seven more penalties and a dropped goal.

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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)

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