Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Wallabies breeze past the Springboks in Durban

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Wallabies breeze past the Springboks in Durban

Australian skipper Stirling Mortlock led his side to a comfortable three tries to two victory over the hapless Springboks in Durban on Saturday, winning 27-15 in match that the visitors controlled for the majority of the eighty minutes.

Australia were composed throughout, soaking up the physicality in a match that was anything but pretty. They now go to the top of the Tri Nations table after their well deserved win that included tries from Robinson, Tuqiri, and Mortlock.

The world champion South Africans are now out of Tri Nations contention after their second poor performance in succession.

The Wallaby victory was the first in South Africa since 2000, and only their second since 1992, so the achievement deserves the due praise, despite the Springboks looking confused, panicked, and generally all over the place, sparking questions about the coaching tactics and gameplan.

The 48 000 disgruntled Durban faithful booing their team off the park says it all.

The late effort by South Africa, with Adi Jacobs sneaking two quick fire tries, never really threatened Australia who were all but out of sight and never looked in danger of seeing their 12 point cushion diminished in the closing minutes.

The brutal physical nature of a Tri Nations clash has meant that Australia now face a few serious injury worries, with Berrick Barnes and Dan Vickerman being the latest casualties for Robbie Deans to deal with.

Man of the Match Rocky Elsom on the other hand, has been cited for dangerous play after pulling down Victor Matfield in the lineout.

South African front rower CJ van der Linde is also likely to miss next weeks match, as his ridiculous head butt ruck-clearing technique will no doubt land him in hot water.

All attention now turns to Johannesburg, where the Wallabies haven’t won since 1963 at fortress Ellis Park. In reality the result will have absolutely no bearing on the tournament, but it will be a good occasion for the visitors to get another win, and a chance for the home side to save face after a highly disappointing few weeks.

The Australian success in Durban means that the deciding match has been set up for September the 13th, when the Wallabies host the All Blacks in Brisbane.

PLEASE NOTE: This video has been removed by Mediazone, who own the rights to the footage and no longer allow us to use it. Apologies from our side.

Time: 10:08

So what are people's thoughts - did SA fluke the world cup, or was it just that key players and coaches have retired since?

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 12:00 pm
well, i said it at the start of the tri nations, and i will say it again, australia are going to win it. with the combination of giteau, mortlock, tiquiri, you cant get much better.

Chris G, i feel that due to knew rulings by the south african staff to have a certain amount of coloured people on the team has let the boks down a bit. Im not being racist, i just think that due to this ruling they have lost a few key players. Also, they have been trying out new players in a few key positions, for example habana didn't play, the centres are being messed about with a bit, and against one of the worlds top teams you can't afford to try out new things, otherwise you will lose the match.

of course by the next world cup these new players will have experience, and will be lethal players in times to come.

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 12:05 pm
No SA did not fluke the WC at all. They're still an incredibly powerful team on paper, but I don't think certain coaching decisions have worked in their favour. Look at how good Butch James was in the WC, playing to a game plan that suited him. Now, Pdv (coach) has come in and changed the plan on the field, resulting in James looking less than average all season, and now even contemplating retirement!

Gameplan poor... players responding to it poorly too.

And btw chris m, Habana was injured.

Well done Aus. Played far better on the day. :)

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 12:11 pm
No wonder the wallabies won.

Both Mortlock and Loti had the ball at the same time!

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 12:14 pm
why is the best team in the world playingstupid rugby?

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 12:36 pm
Come on Boks, NZ will look the other way if you break Mortlock's legs... honest!

By Unknown, at August 24, 2008 12:37 pm
Zimboks now ranked 3rd on the IRB standings...talk about fall from grace! and I thought England were bad World Champions...

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 1:04 pm
You're dead right Fridge, weird that it's not obvious on the video.
also:
– SA seemed to fluff about 20 points worth of real chances and poor decisions under pressure is poor football. But they didn't look all that far away from being a winning side. Aus were efficient rather than terrific.
– From the replays I wasn't convinced by two of the key TMO decisions, Robinson's try and the ball kicked dead later on. Not horrible but not cut and dried I thought.
– At one point the ref penalised SA for picking up a knocked on ball from an offside position. Matfield queried it saying "... but it was a knock on!". Yep Victor, that's the law.
– Other than two non-bonus SA wins against Aus, the ABs were always going to have to win in Brisbane to get the silverware. After next Saturday they might have to win very well. Once they sent that feeble French side packing Oz have been real good at home so it should be a doozy.

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 1:43 pm
One person to blame for SA's loss...Robbie Deans!!!

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 2:08 pm
this was one of the most boring games of rugby I`ve seen...

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 3:06 pm
Pieter de Villiers to blame for the Springboks diabolical performance. He has got the players so confused that none of them look like they even know how to play rugby. Given a World Cup winning team and look what he does with them. I can only dream about have a coach like Robbie Deans coaching the Bokke....we would be invincible. PDV shouldnt get paid...

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 3:11 pm
minstrel boy - agreed. ALMOST as boring as any of the 6 Nations matches...

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 3:21 pm
To answer your question ChisG no we didn't fluke the world cup we had a propper coach at that stage who knew his players inside out and masterminded a gameplan to suit...

Our incumbent and less than adequate coach who has never even coached at Super 14 level was given the Bok job ahead of the 2007 Super 14 winning coach of the Bulls...go figure...???

His moto and what he keeps telling the players is to "play what you feel"…he seems to believe you feel good by thinking about scoring points and feel them onto the scoreboard instead of having a game plan and executing that plan…

Despite getting out rucked at the beginning of the season by Wales and Italy then absolutely mocked at the breakdown by NZ and OZ in the 3N he still apparently seems to think that our players do not need to be drilled at practice and learn to stay on their feet at ruck time…

Oh wait maybe they just don’t “feel” like it…???

By durrie, at August 24, 2008 3:23 pm
boring is watching poms kick cheap goals over the goal post instead of going for tries over the try line, now that is BORING AS F$^*O...hip horay for southern hemisphere rugby!!!

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 4:24 pm
sigh sigh sigh.. what happen to south africa.. they were looking really good during the world cup.. they go on to win it.. and then there's a change of coaching stuff.. to screw up so badly when ur given a world cup winning squad just speaks volumes of the ability of PDW. they really nid a new coaching stuff.. they drive players back in the tackle but they dun try to rip the ball.. they are getting out played in the break down no matter who they play.. their lineouts which used to the best in the world is just utter crap.. losing their own lineouts.. come on we used to be concentrating on how many lineout balls we cld steal.. not how many we lose on our own throw.. the finishing is absolutely inefficient.. it seems like once they get into the opposition 22.. they lose all composure and everything all goes haywire. everyone is rushing it in the 22. and the new players like conrad jantes is just no up to the mark. his hands are like shit.. his kicking aint awesome.. his running lines arent devastating.. and sigh i dun even want to get started on pieterson on the wing.. anyone say his chip and chase that went practically across the field.. the be honest its not about the coloured players who are coming in.. its just.. the new players who are coming in aint up to the mark.. like the beast has shown some potential and he works hard..
i hope e ppl at the top really open their eyes and we start seeing some changes.. playing like this as world champions is such a disgrace.. COME ON SOUTH AFRICA.. SHOW UR TRUE POTENTIAL DAMN IT

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 4:35 pm
lol @ Fridge - watching the match, that's what it felt like man

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 7:21 pm
To chris g, the key coach did not retire after the world cup. he was replaced because he wasn't black. SA rugby are never satisfied. The SA coach's role is never safe even if you win the world cup for them. Why do you think SA rugby never have international rugby coaches (coaches who are from other countries)apply for the role? They'd rather become a shit shoveler on a pig ranch than apply for the head coaching role of SA rugby.
The SA rugby players only have themselves to blame for the loss. I don't think that PDV is to blame.
I do think they should sack half the team and bring in some real players like Jaque Botes, Keegan Daniel, Ryan Kankowski, wikus van heerden, Ruan pienaar. Guys who know how to do the hard yards. Guys who are hungry to play. I did think that Adi Jacobs had a fantastic game.

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 9:46 pm
SA have a lot of depth in their provincial/Super 14 sides. It appears that some of the players currently in the Springbok setup are only there because they won the world cup and not on current form.

I think that a lot of the players who are in the team are the sort of players suited to a structured game plan - like what a coach like Eddie Jones would instill. However, the players who are suited to PDV's type of style of Rugby (expansive) are in SA but not in the Springbok team.
15. Francois Steyn 14. Tonderaai Chavanga 13. Adrian Jacobs 12. Jean De Villiers 11. Bryan Habana 10. Peter Grant 9. Ruan Pienaar 8. Ryan Kankowski 7. Wikus Van Heerden 6. Schalk Burger 5. Bakkies Botha 4. Andries Bekker 3. BJ Botha 2. John Smit(c) 1. Beast Mtawarira
16. Bismarck Du Plessis 17. CJ Van Der Linde 18. Pierre Spies 19. Jaque Botes 20. Fourie Du Pree 21. Jaque Fourie 22. JP Pietersen

By Anonymous, at August 24, 2008 10:15 pm
My mate from the SH had the cheek to diss the 6N this year, this Tri Nations has been horrific, so many horrible games. Way to go ELV's. Thank god for the Top 14 tomorrow.

By Anonymous, at August 25, 2008 8:36 am
geoff...your kidding me right!!! the tri nation games this year have been some of the best played under the ELVs in a very long time!!! I haven't been bored once by these games and this is coming from a true Pom! If anything i really can't wait for the November tests to start up cause there is no way in hell that the NH rugby is up to par with SH rugby, as much as it pains me to say!!

By Anonymous, at August 25, 2008 11:42 am
FINALLY the wallabies win in south africa, last time that happened ,i didn't know rugby exixsted!!!!!!
watch out , WALLABIES ARE ON THE WAR PATH!!!!!!

By Anonymous, at August 25, 2008 2:39 pm
all credit to australia, like someone said - they were very efficient and kept grinding away. i dont think SA played too badly but we kept on throwing away chances!! im all for PDV saying players must back themselves but at the same time there needs to be structure to ensure support and quick ball otherwise breaks etc are all for nothing!! i was very critical of jacobs in the beginning but he seems to be stepping up to the plate fine at the moment.basically we need to step back, calm down and play 'boring' rugby for a while until this team gains confidence. i love butch, but i think he must go and rest for a while til his form returns. chris G - you cant win a world cup by fluke, our team gelled perfectly under a stable coach. well done aus, but the bokke will be back

By Anonymous, at August 25, 2008 6:05 pm
ummm this game is far from having no bearing on the tournament. This game is a must win for the Wallabies. If we win this game it puts the Wallabies at the top of the table with the last game being against NZ.

SA did not fluke it, the Wallabies are a far better outfit now with the new faces in the team. NZ is NZ, if they did not meet the French they would of won the world cup.

By Anonymous, at August 26, 2008 7:17 am
I do not know why people are confused why SA are playing so bad. Look at the results from the super 14s. SA teams placed 14, 13, 10, 5th and 3rd. This is very bottom of the table stuff. Yes the Australians sides did not do much better, but the Waratahs came 2nd and they make up most of the forward pack which has been the problem with the wallabies. No problems with the backs. NZ well I do not have to say anything since they always do so well. SA teams did not perform in the super 14s so it is no surprise that the national team is losing. But do not lose heart all the SA fans; it was only a few weeks ago that you beat NZ in NZ.

By Anonymous, at August 26, 2008 7:26 am
i think we nid another winger and another fullback.. pieterson and conrad jantes havent done anything to prove that they are worth their place in the SA team.. any thots?

By Anonymous, at August 26, 2008 9:43 am
yes i have some "thots" i rekon that they have both earned their place on the field with SA. Jantes has proven very good under pressure and has proved he has the ability to catch big bombs put up by the opposition. J.P Pieterson has also shown that he is a very good runner and can break though lines of defense almost at will. He is also a strong defender.

So SA supporter i suggest the next time you decide to put up your opinion give us some evidence please, because despite popular belief we all do like to hear other peoples interpretations of players and games

Cheers
Chazza

By Anonymous, at August 26, 2008 11:54 am
c'mon look at who south africa beat to get the world cup.... I mean Fiji, Argentina, then an extremely proud but tired England, I mean c'mon! They scraped past Fiji! fiji! if that fijian lock had used a lower body position close to the line (like probably any other bloody tight 5 forward in the world would have done)they coulda been out. Argentina were probably the best out of those three, but the boks scored was it 2 or 3 intercept tries? Furthermore who ever played the boks in the final would have had to beat NZ/France and Eng/Aus, Imagine for example if you were the French; you would have had to get up for a huge game against the all blacks, then week later a huge game against the wallabies/poms and then following two huge games, you had to play an relatively fresh boks team in another huge game. All in the space of just three weeks. Totally overrated world cup winning team. Martin Johnson himself put it poignantly before they played england in the final, if ever the boks were going to win a world cup this was their best chance!

By Anonymous, at August 26, 2008 12:42 pm
Furthermore, Jake white's coaching is overrated crap too. If Eddie Jones wasn't taken on as technical advisor they would have been as brain less, shapeless and crap as they had been under the rest of the time they were under Jake (where they only won through intercept tries), though I guess he was smart enough to get Jones on board. Something this Stupid 'should-think-before-he-talks' De Villiers would be good to learn from. He seems a bit of a close minded stubborn retard, who can't see that his tactics aren't working. I suggest the Boks get a foreign coach. Why?

1. Cos none of the South African coaches are good enough to get any team to win a comp unless the other teams a seriously drained of their top players (all blacks). Everyone knows South Africans are brain and no brawn.

2. To kill off this race based bull shit. Because everywhere else in the rugby world this race bull shit isn't a problem, and you just know that a foreign coach wouldn't bring that baggage with him and that he'd pick on merit, just like you should.

They should possibly keep the quota bull crap at provincial level
(where the development of players actually happens!) and leave the sanctity of playing for the bok jersey to those who truly deserve to, based on talent.

By Anonymous, at August 26, 2008 1:02 pm
Anonymous, above.

The problem is if a foreign coach dont pick up to 5 black or coloured players, he's going to be a rasist too. Our politics is only going one way. Even if a coloured coatch picks less than 5 black or coloured people, he's a rasist to.

As far as you other stupit comments is concerned. Look at SA's track record against NZ and AUS. Mybe you'll learn a bit of rugby out of it. No offence to NZ or Aus. Why do you never see a sa supporter critisising the all blacks or aussies? Think a bit like you said: "should-think-before-he-talks". Maybe you must think before you talk. You dont make any sence at all.....

By Anonymous, at August 26, 2008 2:59 pm
jantes dropped the ball during the game against the aust.. simple pass to him ball fell out.. pieterson chip and chase went totally to the side.. is that considered the actions of what the best players in south africa have to offer?

By Anonymous, at August 27, 2008 4:38 am
How about you tell me what the record against Oz and NZ over the last decade has been like? Isn't it something like 60%+ for Oz and 75%+ for NZ? Secondly if you want to celebrate rugby games won by intercept tries you are of course entitled to you're opinion. But IMHO it makes the score a little more flattering than it actually is (hence the overrated comment). Thirdly, you can't tell me with a straight face that winning a tournament without playing three of the top 4 teams going into the tournament can make you the strongest team in the world. Fourthly, are you absolutely blind to how much better SAF got when Eddie Jones helped? the support play, offloading, the work off the ball, 100% better accuracy, the 100% better accuracy with the basics, like passing and catching. structured multi-phase play to create points of attack. Actual back line movements to create space other than pass from side to side and let the defence just slide right and left. i.e. use of dummy runners, inside balls, the two lines of attack, etc. Fifthly, explain how the quota system at provincial level only is not a valid comment. Sixthly black or white he's still SAF and there is that emotional element. e.g. You can see with Deans coaching OZ there isn't an emotional attachment. He coaches to win, not cos he loves the jersey, country or whatever. It's his Job. As cold as that may sound, IMO it's what is needed. Seventhly, I get heaps of crap from SAF supporters, so I have no idea what you're on about.

So how bout you use your brain and not your brawn as I explained, read my comments properly, then try and come up with a valid argument other than 'I am too dumb to understand what you are on about' hence you 'make no sense' . You need to back your arguments with evidence. Otherwise I could have just used something stupid like 'Yo mama fool' as a riposte. see how such comments have no weight behind them?

P.S. If you'd like me to simplify further just let me know.

By Anonymous, at August 28, 2008 1:25 pm
What's the point in going off on a rant, wanting people to reply to you, but commenting as Anonymous??

Either cowardly, or just pretty dumb if you can't figure out how to post comments with a name.

By Anonymous, at August 28, 2008 6:56 pm
yea i agree with the above stop commenting on here without a name!

By Anonymous, at August 30, 2008 6:14 am
What's the difference between using anonymous, or a pseudo name like shaft, dickedd or wankstar? I thought it was the comments that were important, not the fake name you use? If you wanted my name and number you're using the wrong website, and I'm sorry, but not interested. Gaydating.com is what you were probably after. If you'd like to go back to the debate though, I think that would be more appropriate.

By Anonymous, at August 31, 2008 6:28 am
Huge difference halfwit - if there's a whole lot of people posting as anonymous then nobody knows who's saying what. Is that logic lost on you?

Plus, it's the site rules, so either abide or risk having your comments deleted.

I'm sure gaydating.com appreciates your business.

And understand this, if you reply again as anonymous, I won't know it's you so whatever else you say is pointless. :)

By Anonymous, at August 31, 2008 9:11 pm
Firstly in my last comment I used the name 'anonymous' to prove my point. I'm glad you finally figured out with your full wittedness that the comments were posted by the same person though. I assumed that people would pick that up, given that the two posts followed each other and the second one began with a 'Furthermore'. I'm sorry my half wittedness assumed too much. Hopefully you would have also picked up that this comment is being posted by me again... I dunno though sometimes you full witted people are just too clever.

And please don't go gay bashing ok, it's perfectly fine if you're gay or not, I'm not judging you on your sexuality, just on your lack of any rugby debate. And by the way I tried to fit this one into one comment so it wouldn't confuse you again. I hope it helps somewhat.

By Anonymous, at September 02, 2008 1:04 pm
the guy above me^ is a tough cunt
and hes git too much spare time on his hands

By Anonymous, at January 02, 2009 9:50 am