South Africa 42 England 6
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South Africa have hit form at the exactly right time as they humbled England 42-6.
South Africa led 20-6 at halftime and went on with it after the break running away with a 42-6 win against an English side with no answers.
The Springboks scored 6 tries to nil to complete the humiliation for England.
South Africa 20 defeat Wales 15
South Africa were too good for Wales winning 20-15 but Wales showed they were far from easybeats and will prove a challenge to defeat.
South Africa scored two tries to nil with Adrian Jacobs and Jean De Villiers scoring for the Boks.
South Africa lead 13-3 at half-time before Wales mounted a comeback through the boot of James Hook but were unable to score a try that would have got them over the line.
Watson selection could cause Boks to Boycott tour
Luke Watson’s recent anti-Springbok comments have put the focus on other players within the Springboks and the potential for a number of players to boycott the end of season tour.
The Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Sondag, revealed players in Durban, Gauteng and Cape Town may be ready to withdraw from the Boks if Watson was selected after his vomiting comments about the Boks jumper.
The paper reported that angry players asked captain John Smit to relay their comments to the heirarchy.
Watson’s comments are currently under investigation by the SA Rugby board.
Luke Watson digs a deeper hole again…
South Africa’s Luke Watson can’t help but speak his mind and he has done it again but this time it may cost him dearly.
Watson was quoted on rugby365.com in an article as saying that “the problem with SA Rugby is that it is controlled by Dutchmen (Afrikaans-speaking white South Africans)”. He went on to say that he was kept from vomiting on the Springbok jersey because of the bigger picture and that ”the men who sit on my left and right of me in the change room despise me for who I am”.
Watson went on to say, “We need to see the bigger picture and realise that the here and now is not just the here and now, but the here and now only exists because of those who went before us and because of those who are still to come. Me having to wear the Springbok jersey, to keep myself from vomiting on it, because there is a bigger picture, because men and women have bled for me to get there.”
Watson has long been a man of controversy and no doubt this will be heavily scrutinised by the South African Rugby board and if it has not been taken out of context then Watson may be contemplating his words for years to com
2009 Rugby Tri-Nations Fixtures
The 2009 Rugby Tri-Nations fixtures have been announced.
The tournament kicks off in Auckland when Australia take on New Zealand on 18th July. The New Zealand then travel to South Africa where they play the Boks two weeks in a row.
Australia then take on the Springboks in only one test in South Africa before playing three tests at home. The Tri-Nations end in September with New Zealand taking on the Springboks then the Wallabies.
The 2009 Rugby Tri-Nations schedule is;
July 18, 5.35pm New Zealand v Australia, Auckland
July 25, 11pm South Africa v New Zealand, Bloemfontein
Aug 1, 11pm South Africa v New Zealand, Durban
Aug 8, 11pm South Africa v Australia, Cape Town
Aug 22, 8.05pm Australia v New Zealand, Sydney
Aug 29, 8.05pm Australia v South Africa, Perth
Sept 5, 8.05pm Australia v South Africa, Brisbane
Sept 12, 5.35pm New Zealand v South Africa, Hamilton
Sept 19, 5.35pm New Zealand v Australia, Wellington
Note: All times are Australian Eastern Standard Time
Boks press for ELV changes
The global battle that is the ELVs in Rugby continues as South Africa has fallen into line with the northern hemisphere insisting upon changing the ELVs to that of the global ELVs for next years Super 14.
Both Australia and New Zealand are happy to continue with the rules as per the Super 14 this year but the Boks are concerned as they will play the British Lions next year and the Spring tour with the global ELV laws.
The main difference between the two sets is that the ELVs used in the 2008 Super 14 award was that free kicks are awarded for offences that are generally penalties under the global ELVs. This is particularly visable around the ruck and breakdown where the free kicks have kept a fast paced Tri-Nations tourament and Super 14.
The debate will go on but the ELVs have a long way to go until the IRB make a final decision in August 2009 on whether to continue or not with the ELVs.
Could Rugby have a World Series?
Reports from the Daily Mail in the UK have claimed the IRB are looking at organsing a Rugby World Series that would occur every two years.
The World Series would start as a round robin as part of the Six Nations and the current Tri-Nations teams including Argentina with results counting towards the World Series. Tests between the hemisphere’s rugby teams would continue to take place between June and November.
The top two teams would play-off every two years, most likely at the new Wembley Stadium in front of 90,000 people where the winner could take over in excess of AUD $20 million.
Chances are any plans of getting this up and running before the next World Cup would be unlikely but if the IRB can get all the Union’s on board then it could start by 2010.
Springbok Arrested for Drink Driving
Ricky Januarie was arrested over the weekend for drink driving at Durbanville after Januarie played in his teams 92.15 victory.
This is the second time this year that Januarie has been in trouble for excessive alcohol consumption.
Super 14 could be Super 15 in 2010
Australian Rugby supremo John O/Neill speculated that in 2010 we could see a 15 team Super Rugby competition.
The addition of another team would be from Australia perhaps Melbourne or the Gold Coast and the season would run from March to August, where each team would play a home and away against their own domestic provinces and would play each foreign team once similar to the current Super 14.
It would also allow for an expanded final series, perhaps as long as six weeks.
O’Neill went on to say that the European teams could tour in August and the Tri-Nations could be played between September and October. The additional rugby would be well received in the souther hemisphere after critism of the short Super 14 series that runs only four months.
The Super 14 will expand it’s final series from 4 to six teams in 2009 and further changes are almost certain for 2011 when changes are likely to the format and teams that emcompass the Super 14. Pacific Nations teams and even Japan have been discussed as possible teams that could play a part in the an expanded 2011 Super 14 competition.
One potential hitch is the Northern Hemisphere nations who may protest against touring in August as this is the start of their pre-season in Europe. We will watch this closely at The Ruck and Maul and keep you posted of any developments.
Springboks coach in blackmail scandal
A Johannesburg newspaper reported on Saturday that a rugby official and Springbok player tried to blackmail coach Peter de Villiers. The paper alleged that the offical and player attempted to blackmail Peter de Villiers by releasing a sex tape of him if he failed to select a player in the team.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has denied reports of the alleged blackmail but declared that an offical had met with De Villiers on 15th August in Cape Town but the SARU have not been able to find any basis for the claim.
The employee was advised on 25th August that they would face an internal hearing on a yet to be determined date. The surrounding drama is continuing to add fuel to the fire and is seems that some Springboks are at loggerheads with their coach.