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/ 30 September 2007
After pacing the sidelines for two weeks, Schalk Burger gets another chance to wreak havoc for South Africa at the World Cup. The bustling blonde backrower was switched from the flank to number eight in a strong Springboks lineup unveiled by coach Jake White for Sunday’s match against the winless United States in Montpellier.
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/ 28 September 2007
South Africa are not planning to cruise into the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals. The Springboks have already won Group A and want to keep the momentum going into the knock-out stages of the tournament, so coach Jake White on Friday announced a strong starting line-up to face the United States Eagles in Montpellier on Sunday.
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/ 28 September 2007
During my playing career I came to the conclusion that coaching and managing a team must be a thankless task, writes Thomas Castaignede. There are always plenty of people lining up to pontificate about what you should do or could have done better, but not many standing there saying they feel they could actually do the job because they truly understand what it entails.
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/ 24 September 2007
New Zealand, Australia and South Africa may not have been at their destructive best but all three southern hemisphere giants have kept up their unbeaten World Cup records. Little Tonga pushed South Africa, and scored three tries, before they were edged out 30-25 in a pulsating clash in Lens on Saturday.
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/ 22 September 2007
Mighty South Africa were given the fright of their lives on Saturday before they made sure of their World Cup quarterfinals place with an error-strewn 30-25 win over Tonga. Springbok coach Jake White almost paid an embarrassing price for making 11 changes to the side who beat England 36-0.
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/ 21 September 2007
There have been times during his tenure as Springbok coach when Jake White must have wished he were Bernard Laporte — but this is not one of them. At the same time that White and his charges are relaxing after a job well done, the coach of France is wondering if his team will still be in the World Cup on Saturday morning.
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/ 19 September 2007
South Africa coach Jake White retained just four players who started in the 36-0 defeat of titleholders England last Friday when he named his team for the World Cup Group A match against Tonga in Lens on Saturday. The 43-year-old has guided the Springboks to two impressive wins over Samoa (59-7) and England.
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/ 14 September 2007
South Africa humiliated world champions England in Paris on Friday as they inflicted a record World Cup defeat on them winning 36-0 to avenge their 2003 World Cup loss to the English. Two tries to JP Pietersen (taking his total to three), one from Juan Smith and 18 points from Percy Montgomery handed England defeat.
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/ 13 September 2007
South Africa and England have quite a Rugby World Cup history and their clash at the Stade de France on Friday promises to be yet another enthralling chapter. It was here eight years ago that the Springboks — then the defending champions — ended England hopes of landing the William Webb Ellis trophy and ridiculed Clive Woodward’s statement of ”judge me on the World Cup”.
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/ 12 September 2007
South Africa flanker Schalk Burger will not play at this year’s World Cup again unless his team reach the semifinals. Burger was banned for four matches at a disciplinary hearing that ran into the early hours of Wednesday morning after he was found guilty of a dangerous tackle on Samoa scrumhalf Junior Polu in South Africa’s 59-7 victory on Sunday.
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/ 11 September 2007
Percy Montgomery almost sounds like he should have been sitting with King Arthur and his knights but instead the fullback will be chasing his own Holy Grail of the Rugby World Cup. Montgomery is the national side’s record points scorer with 797 and if selected for Friday’s match will join Joost van der Westhuizen as the leading cap winner with 89.
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/ 9 September 2007
Veteran South Africa full-back Percy Montgomery made up for missing the 2003 World Cup through suspension as he inspired his side to a 59-7 victory over a valiant Samoa in Paris on Sunday in their World Cup clash at the Parc des Princes as he scored 29 points.
Club rugby in the northern hemisphere has long been derided as the poor cousin in world rugby. But the post-World Cup exodus of a raft of top-flight internationals from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will help confound that long-standing belief.