IRB World Rankings
Welcome back!
South Africa have reclaimed the second spot on the IRB World Rankings after their win over Australia 53-8 in Johannesburg. Australia can reclaim second spot with a win against New Zealand in Brisbane.
No other changes occured in the Top 10 due to a lack of international rugby matches.
The list of the top 10 are below;
New Zealand
Australia
South Africa
Argentina
England
Wales
France
Ireland
Scotland
Italy
IRB World Rugby Rankings
The IRB latest world ranking’s have been a major blow to the South African Springboks as they have dropped from No 1. at ths start of the year to No 3. behind the New Zealand All Blacks and Australian Wallabies.
South Africa have had a horror Rugby Tri-Nations series while Australia have improved dramatically after being fourth at the start of the Rugby Tri-Nations series.
The list of the top 10 are below;
New Zealand
Australia
South Africa
Argentina
England
Wales
France
Ireland
Scotland
Italy
Experience key for Springboks
The South African Springboks have named an experienced side to take on the All Blacks in the first Tri-Nations match for 2008 on Saturday. The Springboks have named 10 players from the World Cup winning final appearance last year in the team. The team is generally as predicted with an experienced bench with some outstanding young players like Watson, Steyn warming the bench alongside legends of South African Rugby like Percy Montgomery.
The Springboks will be captained by John Smit who recently joined the team from France after playing in the final. The All Blacks will need to be at their best to beat the Springboks who have pace, flair and dynamic performers all over the paddock.
The Springboks side to take on the All Blacks is;
Conrad Jantjes, Odwa Ndungane, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Joe van Niekerk, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, CJ van der Linde, John Smit, Gurthro Steenkamp.
Reserves: Bismark du Plessis, Brian Mujati, Andries Bekker, Luke Watson, Bolla Conradie, Francois Steyn, Percy Montgomery.
Wallabies vs France Preview
The Australian Wallabies will be keen to improve on their recent performance against Ireland with a dominant performance in the first of two international matches against France.
The French have sent out what has been called a second string side but those that know French Rugby their is no such thing as a second string side from France. Sebastien Chabal will line up for France in what is a mostly unknown team that has come to Australia. Marc Lievermont has been unable to select a number of major stars who have been playing for the top four teams in the French rugby championship. Regardless of not having the major stars France have some dynamic players who possess genuine skill and speed but have not had the chance to make their presence felt on a regular basis at international level.
The Wallabies have been deep in training for the last two weeks working on some combinations and improving of core skills. Luke Burgess will be better for the run against Ireland and with some additional tuition from Robbie Deans in the kick department he will further stake his claims for a long term position at No. 9. The forward will need to stay on their game this week against France, late in the game fatigue was evident as Burgess was exposed at the breakdown with half the forward pack going missing. The Australian backline will be eager for a run and can be expected to deliver more on the promise shown against Ireland. The direct running was a marked improvement on the direction of attack under Connelly.
The ruck and maul will be at the game in Sydney and will provide an update on the match on Sunday. We tip the Wallabies to come out on top by 9 in what should be an open and entertaining game.
Australian Wallabies
Cameron Shepherd, Peter Hynes, Stirling Mortlock, Berrick Barnes, Lote Tuqiri, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.
Reserves: Adam Freier, Ben Alexander, Dean Mumm, Phil Waugh, Sam Cordingley, Ryan Cross, Adam Ashley-Cooper.
France
Pepito Elhorga, Alexis Palissson, Francois Trinh-Duc, Damien Traille, Benjamin Thiery, Benjamin Boyet, Dimitri Yachvili, Louis Picamoles, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Imanol Harinordoquy, Lionel Nallet, Sebastien Chabal, Benoit Lecouls, Sebastien Bruno, Lionel Faure.
Reserves: Benjamin Kayser, Renaud Boyoud, David Couzinet, Matthieu Lievremont, Sebastien Tillous-Bordes, Thubault Lacroix, David Janin.
Argentina vs Italy Preview
Argentina and Italy will be primed for a big one off test at the Estadio Olimpico in Argentina. Italian coach Nick Mallett has recalled three stars from Stade Francois who were unavailable due to team commitments last weekend. Star Sergio Parisse will return and captain the side that lost to South Africa 26-0 in a brave performance last week. He is joined by teammates Mirco and Mauro Bergamasco who will give the Italian side more experience and impact. Luke McLean has retained his spot after a strong performance against the Springboks.
Argentina have also been strengthened by the addition of their stars from Stade Francois and Biarritz who both lost their semi final matches last weekend. Argentina have dropped a number of players from their shock loss to Scotland 26-14 at home. Gonzalo Tiesi, captain Felipe Contempomi, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Santiago Gonzales Bonorino, Marcos Ayerza and Federico Serra have all been dropped from the side that lost 26-14 to Scotland last week
Argentina should be too strong in front of their home crowd and with a number of stars back they should have to much firepower. Argentina by 12.
Argentina
Horacio Agulla, Miguel Avramovic, Lucas Borges, Marcelo Bosch, Alejandro Tomas Campos, Manuel Carizza, Martin Durant, Pablo Gambarini, Alvaro Galindo, Juan Francisco Gomez, Juan Martin Hernandez, Alfredo Lalanne, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Pedro Ledesma, Esteban Lozada, Federico Aramburu, Rodrigo Roncero, James Stuart, Bernardo Stortoni, Hernan Senillosa, Alvaro Tejeda, Nicolas Vergallo.
Italy
Andrea Marcato, Kaine Robertson, Mirco Bergamasco, Gonzalo Garcia, Matteo Pratichetti, Luke McLean, Simon Picone, Sergio Parisse, Mauro Bergamasco, Josh Sole, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Santiago Dellape, Carlos Nieto, Fabio Ongaro, Ignacio Rouyet.
Reserves: Leonardo Ghiraldini, Alex Moreno, Tommaso Reato, Alessandro Zanni, Pablo Canavosio, Enrico Patrizio, Riccardo Pavan/Jaco Erasmus.
Elsom to be released after Tri-Nations
Rocky Elsom the Wallabies flanker will be released by the ARU after the Tri-Nations series to play for Leinster on a three month contract under compassionate grounds.
Elsom, 25, has had a stellar last two years for the Waratahs and the Wallabies, consistently being one of the teams best performers. Elsom has departed under compassionate grounds, the exact nature of his departure has not been disclosed for privacy reasons. The concern by the ARU was that if they did not release him then he may have been lost from the Australian Rugby for good. It is hoped Elsom will be back for the 2009 international rugby season.
While this is a loss for Australian Rugby is could also be a positive as it will unearth some additional stars who have been coming through the ranks during 2008.
Greg Somerville signs with Gloucester
Greg Somerville, 30, the most capped All Black prop has signed a two and a half year deal with Gloucester. Somerville will join Gloucester after December and will be a major addition to the squad. Gloucester have been a strong side in the English premiership in recent years and Somerville will join a team that is at the top end of the premiership.
Somerville who can play on either side of the scrum as loosehead or tighthead prop has represented the All Blacks a record 59 times and will be a massive loss for the All Blacks.
Ben Alexander replaces Matt Dunning
Ben Alexander, 23, has replaced an injured Matt Dunning who has been forced to withdraw after succumbing to a cork injury. Al Baxter will replace Matt Dunning in the starting team as Alexander takes his place on the bench. Alexander was called into the side after starting in the Australia A win last week against Tonga.
Ben Alexander has had a meteoric rise this year after impressing Robbie Deans and Wallaby selectors in his brief appearances for the ACT Brumbies. Alexander impressed off the bench with his scrummaging and workrate on the field and distinguished himself enough in his limited time to get the nod for Wallaby selection.
We here at the ruck and maul think Ben Alexander is the future of Australian Rugby and his workrate around the field and scrummaging will only improve and he can look forward to a very long and successful international career ahead of him.
Springboks Tri-Nations Squad
The South African Springboks have announced their team for the away leg of the Tri-Nations Rugby series against New Zealand and Australia.
The only major addition to the squad from the recent home tests against Wales and Italy was JP Pietersen who took no part in the tests. JP Pietersen who had a strong 2007 underperformed for the Sharks in 2008 and has struggled with match fitness this year. The break will have done him good and South Africa will hope to see him return to the form he displayed in 2007.
John Smit will again Captain the Springboks with his commitment in the French Rugby Championship drawing to a close with his role for Clermont in the final this weekend. Bismarck du Plessis who has filled in the hooker role in recent weeks has been a star performer for the Springboks and is likely to receive more game time in the Tri-Nations series. Two ommisions of note were BJ Botha and Danie Rossouw who were part of the Rugby World Cup winning squad. Both were omitted from the travelling party and will have a hard fight ahead of them to reclaim spots for the home leg of the Tri-Nations.
The South African team for the away leg of the Tri-Nations series is;
Backline: Bolla Conradie, Jean de Villiers, Peter Grant, Butch James, Conrad Jantjes, Adrian Jacobs, Enrico Januarie, Bryan Habana, Percy Montgomery, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen, Ruan Pienaar, Francois Steyn.
Forwards: Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Bismarck du Plessis, Ryan Kankowski, Tendai Mtawarira, Brian Mujati, Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, John Smit, Gurthro Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde, Joe van Niekerk, Luke Watson.
Wallabies squad unchanged for France
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has stuck by his team for the first test against the French on Saturday. Robbie Deans has named an unchanged team in what is a change of practice over recent years. Not once in the reign of John Connelly as coach were the Wallabies team unchanged from one international to another. Coach Deans did impress upon his players the importance of taking your place for granted and that each player should play each international like it was their last. This attitude would generate greater competition for spots and keep everyone on guard that any drop in form will see them dumped for another player who is performing.
The Wallabies will play a French side that is dramatically different to the team they fielded in the World Cup final but while it is a youthful squad it is arguably just as good and in some opinions the youthfulness of the side and enthusiam matched with the speed and ability of the team could be arguably better than the top rated French side they could field if they had the players from the top four teams.
The Wallabies team is;
Cameron Shepherd, Peter Hynes, Stirling Mortlock, Berrick Barnes, Lote Tuqiri, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Matt Dunning, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, Dean Mumm, Phil Waugh, Sam Cordingley, Ryan Cross, Adam Ashley-Cooper.