MONDAY, 1.00PM:
THE Springboks went down 32-20 to Australia in a Tri-Nations match at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday. Shaky backline and pathetic tackling cost Springboks the match.
Springbok coach Carel du Plessis said after the match the team will have to go back to the drawing board for this Saturday’s game against the All Blacks. He said he was not satisfied with the way his men played. “It is extremely disappointing when you know you can perform at a higher level and you don’t,” he said. “I cannot explain why it is happening and we will simply have to go back, work harder and come back stronger next week.”
Bok captain Gary Teichmann said: “As a team we are not happy with our performance today. We lacked the passion showed by the Australians. We have to learn to put it together week after week and maybe that’s something we can learn from the All Blacks.” He said the side is still seaching for consistency before they can claim to be the world’s best team.
Meanwhile, Fullback Andre Joubert received a call-up to the squad on Sunday afternoon to replace injured Dawie van Schalkwyk. Joubert, who was dropped from the team, played for Natal in the Bankfin Currie Cup series against Gauteng Lions and Northern Free State during the past two weeks and is fit to join the Springboks.