Skilled, talented, disciplined, focused, the list could probably go on and on. The powerhouses of world rugby are the Springboks. The green and gold juggernaut rolled on in front of a 49,000 capacity Newlands crowd yesterday. Under beautiful blue Cape Town skies, the Springboks were relentless in their quest for a third tri nations crown as they laid the Wallaby wardrobe bare.
Showing once again why they are world champions, the Boks showed composure after going behind through a second minute converted Adam Ashley Cooper try. Then, the Springbok pack went about their business. The battle hardened forward eight were bludgeoning upon the back of the Bok aerial bombardment approach. Although Australia handled the high ball far better than the All Blacks the previous week, the Bok troops arrived in numbers to the breakdown. Extreme pressure from Heinrich “GI Joe “Brussow and company led to a number of Wallaby turnovers, ill discipline and errors. The infringements did not go unnoticed and point machine Morne Steyn added another seven penalties and one drop goal to his ever growing point tally throughout this encounter. Titans Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha were colossal as they celebrated 50 appearances as a locking combination for the Boks. Knowledgeable rugby experts were wrong thinking that the Bok lineout would be challenged. The 8-0 lineout steals for the Boks more resembling a football score.
Starved of possession at the set phases and beaten on the floor the Australians resorted to foul play after foul play. The Wallabies did win this encounter though as they racked up three yellow cards to zero from the Boks. By half time they were down to 13 men as Richard Brown, for playing the ball from an off side position and Matt Giteau for a recklessly high challenge (deserves to be cited) on Fourie du Preez were given their marching orders. Later whinging Wallaby stand in Captain George Smith was told to waltz of for stupidity in the 79th minute.
The Wallabies did threaten later on with a dominant scrum (probably due to a fatigued Bok pack that have played 3 hard test in a row) and an excellent Matt Giteau solo try, but it would never be enough to challenge the Boks who had opened up a convincing lead by then.
The Boks professionally closed out the game.
Springboks victorious 29 – 17 .
One senses that the Springboks know where their strengths lie and they are implementing their game plan to perfection The Springboks have a well deserved three week rest before they embark on the away leg of the competition. The competition is theirs to botch. Surely now one away win will sew up the series. Their first away encounter is in “little Cape Town “ – Perth. The Boks have a good record here and the stadium is by no means a Wallaby fortress.
There are questions the Springboks may need to ask themselves before the trip though.
Do they replace the in form Heinrich Brussow with the returning Schalk Burger?
Should they experiment and give Ruan Pienaar the fly half berth and Morne Steyn a run at fullback?
How can they score more tries to get those elusive bonus points?
The Australians next meeting will be against the All Blacks in Sydney on the 22nd of August.
I have a sneaky suspicion that the Wallabies are going take that one.
Scoring :
SA : 29 Try : Matfield Penalties Morne Steyn ( 7 ) Drop Goal : Morne Steyn ( 1 )
Aus : 17 Tries : Ashley Cooper , Giteau : Conversions Giteau ( 2 ) Drop Goal : Barnes
Ricky’s Read : Wallabies to beat the All Blacks
Editors note: Ricky got the read 100% correct by predicting a bok win for this past weekend with the boks winning by 12 points
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