It was not pretty, but it was pretty effective. A spirited second-half fight-back by the Springboks turned a close-run match into a thrilling 23-19 victory over Australia and with it Tri-Nations triumph at a packed King’s Park on Saturday afternoon. It was a hard-fought, nail-biting and at times ugly game.
Springbok coach Jake White delivered a well-placed verbal uppercut to the Australians’ jaw on Wednesday as the next round in the psychological rugby battle continued unabated. South Africa and Australia have been squaring up ahead of the eagerly anticipated winners-take-all Tri-Nations clash on Saturday afternoon.
The return of abrasive flanker AJ Venter to the Springbok starting line-up for the winner-takes-all Vodacom Tri-Nations clash against the Wallabies on Saturday is a clear indication that coach Jake White is prepared to fight fire with fire. The robust loose-forward is the only change to the Springbok starting line-up for the match.
The Springboks have adopted a new motto ahead of the all-important Vodacom Tri-Nations clash with Australia in Durban next weekend: ”All or nothing.” Following the thrilling 40-26 victory over the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday, the Springboks have a very realistic chance of winning the trophy for only the second time.
Joe van Niekerk’s recall after a nasty knee injury to Jake White’s Springbok starting line-up for Saturday’s crucial Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park has given renewed hope that South Africa can finally get title number two under the belt. Van Niekerk’s return bolsters a new-look loose-trio.
Springbok rugby coach Jake White has made four changes to the starting line-up for the Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday. Explosive backrower Joe van Niekerk makes a welcome return to the run-on team in the number eight jersey at Jacques Cronje’s expense, while controversial lock Victor Matfield gets an anticipated recall to partner Bakkies Botha in the second row.
After a long and arduous day of negotiations, the SA Rugby Football Union and the SA Rugby Players’ Association have finally reached a settlement. Leon Levy, from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, said on Thursday evening that the agreement would be put to the players on Monday.
Lions centre Bryan Habana, the surprise inclusion in Jake White’s Springbok squad, said on Thursday that he is struggling to keep his feet on the ground after getting ”the call”. ”This was very unexpected,” said an overjoyed Habana just hours after hearing of his call-up to the Springbok squad for home Tri-Nations Tests.
The purpose of the South Africa Rugby Football Union (Sarfu) board meeting in Johannesburg on Monday was not, as reported earlier, to lure deputy president Keith Parkinson back into the fold. Parkinson resigned last week following a series of recent incidents that have further tainted the image of the sport in South Africa.
Springbok coach Jake White and Blue Bulls lock Victor Matfield have, according to both men, kissed and made up after a successful meeting between the two at Loftus in Pretoria on Tuesday. Relations between the two became strained last week after Matfield was sent home from Australia suffering from an apparent leg injury.