Springbok Player ratings:

Props

The Beast – 6

Started off like a house on fire and got the better of Phil Vickery

John Smit – 8

Led from the front superbly and held his composure well. Always gave 100 percent effort, and his influence was noted when he left the field in Durban. He is the man to take us through to Rugby World Cup 2011. Whilst he’s always willing to carry the ball up, his only fault was not making it over the advantage line often enough. But all the Bok forwards suffered that problem.

Gurthro Steenkamp – 6

Made a vital turnover towards the end of the first test. Other than that he had very few opportunities and appears to be rated behind the Beast by de Villiers. His workrate and performances in the Super 14 were superb and probably deserves a starting position over the Beast, as he had no opportunity to show us what he can do against the British and Irish Lions.

Deon Carstens – 4

Was supposed to cover both sides of the scrum for the Boks, but his best move was getting injured in the first test to allow john Smit to come back on. I’m not convinced he is the player we need in the Boks, although he did have a good Super 14.

Hookers

Bismarck du Plessis – 5

Rated by some as the best hooker in South Africa because of his powerful scrumming, strong work in the set pieces and all round strength and ability. Whilst he can be great on his day, he had a quiet series and once again his poor discipline let the side down when he got frustrated in the third test. If we had a decent tighthead I’d move Smit back to hooker.

Chiliboy Ralepelle - 4

Clearly not the second best hooker in the country. Sure he has talent, but I am yet to see what his exceptional qualities are as he doesn’t dominate scrums, his lineout throwing is average and his work around the park is good, but doesn’t stand out. I’d have rated Derick Kuun as our second best hooker.

Locks

Bakkies Botha - 7

Once again Bakkies showed how important he is to the Springboks. He is the man we look to lead us into battle, and dominate the opposition pack. Had a solid series and was extremely unlucky to be suspended for doing nothing wrong. He is victimised, but he always seems to be in trouble! We don’t have another Bakkies anywhere, and we will need to start producing one soon, especially if Bakkies spends as much time off the field as he does on it!

Victor Matfield - 7

Whilst he didn’t do anything wrong other than 2 drop balls in the third test, Victor had a quiet series by his standards. He once again was a great, safe source of lineout ball, and did his works in the ruck.  However he wasn’t visible around the field as much as he usually is, and his role in dictating the play like he does at the Bulls was missing. Like all the Bulls players was strangely subdued and I don’t think that is any coincidence.

Andries Bekker – 5

Was a revelation last year, but is not the man to replace Bakkies as he is a lightweight. Good in the air, and quick around the field, but didn’t stand out for anything in particular. Almost cost the Boks the game at Loftus with his high tackle. Wouldn’t be in my Bok squad, and now appears quite injury prone.

Danie Rousouw – 4

Not a series to remember for the big man. Made minimal impact in Durban, and lasted about 2 minutes at Loftus. Is about the only lock we have to replace Bakkies, and is a strong ball carrier. I’d make him our lock replacement and not use him as a loose forward, where he lacks the necessary pace and athleticism.

Johan Muller - 4

Called in due to a Springbok locking crisis. A tough man who gives consistent effort, but not a world class lock. Did what one would expect, but not the man for the job. A better call may have been Steven Sykes.

Steven Sykes - 5

Didn’t get enough opportunity to evaluate his worth, but may be the longer term successor to Bakkies.

Loose Forwards

Heinrich Brussow - 7

Got around the field well and took his try superbly in the first test. Didn’t make any turnovers in the first test however he made some vital ones to help South Africa get back in the game at Loftus. At Ellis park  he was a mixed bag as he made some vital turnovers, allowed too many steals from the British and Irish Lions and started to lose his cool towards the end of the match. Is the only true opensider we have in our squad so we have to persist with him. Where are all our opensiders?

Juan Smith – 7

Worked tirelessly all series and has a high workrate. With ball in hand he couldn’t get over the advantage line often enough but was strong on defence. Appears to be slowing down a bit, but like the Bulls guys, doesn’t look like the same player who performs so strongly at Super 14 level.

Schalk Burger – 3 

Let the side and his reputation down with his despicable action at Loftus. The effects of his eye gouging will stay with him all career, and I wouldn’t be picking him based on his current form or behaviour. Has lost speed and fitness, and doesn’t throw himself around as he did a few years ago. Lacks accuracy in all he does although he appears to still retain enormous influence in the Bok squad. Disturbing to hear Peter de Villiers say he bases 60% of his game plan around Schalk. Maybe that’s why he had no plan B?

Pierre Spies – 6

Didn’t do anything wrong, but never stood out and for a world class player that’s not quite enough. He made a few good runs, and always looked strong with ball in hand, but when the Boks are struggling, he must gets the Boks going forward. Made a try saving tackle at the end of the first half at Loftus that had a huge bearing on the series. Needs to regain the spark he exhibited at the Bulls!

Ryan Kankowski - 4

Mr Show pony got a full game at Ellis Park in the third test. Not sure where he was hiding all game but he doesn’t do enough hard work when his team is on the back foot. I also think his handling skills aren’t good enough but he never got enough chances or went looking for work to show if that aspect of his game has improved or not. Would not be in my Springbok squad.

Halfbacks

Fourie Du Preez – 5

The best scrumhalf in the world was not involved heavily enough. Is capable of dictating games and with his boot he controls field position. His kicking through the whole series was not quite spot on, many of his kicks were too long. One could argue he didn’t get enough quality ball to stamp his authority on the series, but usually he makes his own opportunities. His covering of the oppositions long kicks was spot on at Loftus and it was his running back at the opposition that got the Boks on the front foot and eventually sealed the win.

Ricky Januarie – 3

 Out of form and a coaches selection. He let the side down in Durban and the criticism of his performance brought one of the strangest metaphors ever heard! Doesn’t deserve a spot ahead of Jano Vermaak.

Flyhalves

Ruan Pienaar – 6

Had a good game in Durban with his field kicking and place kicking being spot on. However he was under a lot more pressure at Loftus and failed that test dismally. Didn’t do much to dispell the opinion he blows hot or cold, but is still a tremendous talent. In the third test he played halfback, and his option taking was poor. Needs better direction, and either he or Morne Steyn need to be the Bok flyhalf for an extended period of time.

Morne Steyn - 9

Won the series for the Boks. Made a try saving tackle on Monye in the first test that went largely unnoticed. At Loftus he had a fairytale game, kicking everything from all around the park, ending with the perfectly scripted final kick from in his own half. Unfortunately in the third test he was unable to get a decent platform from his forward pack, but did his job adequately and kicked 100% once more.

Centres

Jean de Villiers – 6

Was finally able to play in an important series but had limited opportunities due to substitution and non-selection. Is one of the Bok playmakers but never given a chance to get into the game by coach Peter de Villiers. Needs to be more involved and more of our attck needs to based around him, as he takes the ball to the line strongly and creates opportunities for those around him.

Adi Jacobs – 5

Had  a poor series. On defence he was found out, and I don’t subscribe to the commonly held view that his defence has always been suspect. When fully fit he deserves his place in the starting lineup, but his shoulder is quite clearly not 100%. Was a revelation last year with his ability to test defences, and that aspect of his game has been missing since his injury. Someone please get him his surgery and the sooner we can get him back fully fit!

Jacque Fourie – 8

Took his chances beautifully at Loftus when it mattered. Other than that his defence and attacking game weren’t brilliant in the first and third tests. Is a great player, but not consistent enough to be rated as world class as many columnists in South Africa do. Could take a lesson from Brian O’Driscoll in that regard. A centre pairing of Jean de Villiers and Jacque Fourie in the tri-nations will be very solid.

Wynand Olivier – 4

Played his first test since 2007 and probably played his way out of the Bok starting team for a while again. I maintain that he is a good provincial player but not international class. He just doesn’t seem to do enough. He takes the ball to the line but never seems to break through or set anyone else up. Missed vital tackles in defence during the third test, and unfortunately threw the ball that Ugo Monye intercepted.

Wings

Bryan Habana – 7

Appears to be regaining the form of 2007, and took his try superbly at Loftus. Was involved more than he has been in the past, and his defence one on one remains strong, although he came off his wing that led to the Lions try at Loftus. Needs to be playing not resting on the sideline.

JP Pietersen – 7

Still a young player with much to offer South African rugby. It was good to see JP running with ball in hand and some space in both the tests he played in, but what was more impressive is his defence. He is very solid and makes some try saving tackles. In Durban he made some front on hits, on forwards that most international wingers wouldn’t make.  

Jongi Nokwe - 5

Only had the one chance and was never brought into the game. I maintain he is the quickest wing I’ve seen with a deadly step. Has the potential to be a match winner, but it not out there to simply make up the numbers, or get cold standing on the win. I’d love to see Habana and Nokwe as our wing combination, and then given space and ball to move in.

Odwa Ndungane - 6

Another player who is solid at provincial level, but not really world class. Lacks the pace of an international wing, but has a high workrate and goes looking for the ball. Can be prone to dropping the ball, but always gives 100% effort. Stole one ball in the tackle which was great work. I also think we have picked the wrong Ndungane, as Akona of the Bulls has better handling skills and is more consistent.

Fullbacks

Francois Steyn - 5

I won’t be disappointed to see Francois racing off to France, as I believe he is highly overrated. Francois showed once again that he lacks consistency. This was highlighted in his goalkicking. He strikes some kicks beautifully, whilst others he strikes light a 3rd grade club player. From the back his field kicking was poor. He had plenty of chances but generally kicked too deep, without putting any pressure on the back three of the Lions. For some reason he was moving backward in the Lions first tries at Durban and Loftus and this gave the Lions players space to create their tries. Had Francois moved forward, he’d have been able to cut down the space and may have stopped the Lions scoring those two tries.

Zane Kirchner -

The form fullback of the year in South Africa, was never in the squad early enough to make a telling contribution. Could have been the solidity at the back that the Boks needed, and his strength is that he puts up kicks and contests them. It would have been hugely unsettling to be called away from Bulls practice to the Bok squad, in the week leading up to his test debut, but I felt he performed adequately. Should be given the Bok fullback position for an extended run, as in my opinion he is a long term, world class prospect.

Coaches

Peter de Villiers - 2

Has the distinction of winning a series against the Lions, which no other coach in South Africa has achieved for a long time. However under de Villiers the Bokshave been extremely inconsistent, and he has taken a World Champion winning side and made some superstars look very average. It is disconcerting to see players that were performing at their peak capacity a month or so ago in the Super 14 suddenly struggling to hold their own. Almost all of the Bulls players have struggled in this series, which makes me believe that the coaching is the critical factor.

Great coaches get the best out of their players, and other than Australia at Ellis Park, and England at Twickenham, de Villiers has struggled to get this Bok side firing on all cylinders. Too often they look clueless, and not quite sure how to play. No gameplan seems apparent, and it is only the occasional brilliance of world class players that has ensured this Bok side has maintained a respectable record.

His public speaking and press conference ramblings are an embrassment to the team and the country, and it is high time someone made him pull his head in or resign.

Dick Muir and Gary Gold – 3

Neither the forward pack nor the backline seem to be playing to their potential, so both these guys should be booted out along with de Villiers. One can see the influence of Muir and Gold, especially in the backline where no specialist fullback was initially picked. Muir has always favoured versatility, yet hasn’t won anything of substance with his approach.

I favour a clean out of the entire coaching staff.

A 2-1 series win to the Springboks over the British and Irish Lions avenged the disappointment of 1997 .

In many ways however this series failed to live up to expectation, was blighted by off the ball incidents and was littered with inconsistent officiating.

The Springboks seem to be very happy and satisfied with a 2-1 series win, even though they were disgraceful in the 3rd test. The bad memories of 1997 can now be replaced by a series win, and it is eerie how similar the 2009 campaign was to 1997, with the roles reversed.

In 1997 the Boks were clearly the better side, and outscored the Lions by 9 tries to 3. However poor goalkicking let them down and the Lions managed to win the first 2 games even though they were outplayed. The series win was sealed with a Jeremy Guscott drop goal. In the dead rubber, the Springboks won by 19 points.

In 2009, the Springboks won the first test albeit unconvincingly, won the second even thought they were outplayed for a lot of it, and sneaked home courtesy of better goalkicking and a hero in Morne Steyn. And in the dead rubber they were beaten by 19 points.

The First test started off with the Springboks looking extremely focused and professional. They played the sort of rugby that won them the Rugby World Cup in 2007, dominate the set pieces, kick the goals and make no errors. It is not pretty rugby, but it can be mighty effective in tight contests. The Lions meanwhile looked to play the more expansive game, on the hard fields of South Africa.

It was the Springboks though who dominated the first 60 minutes, sticking to the pattern they know best. With a 19 point lead, the game was effectively sealed. However a mass substitution strategy by coach Peter de Villiers robbed the Boks of their momentum and the Lions sniffed an opening. They showed great composure and determination to stick to their running game and the Boks simply held on for dear life. The reintroduction of John Smit with a few minutes left was imperative to regain composure, play the percentages and grind out the victory.

It showed that although the Boks could seemingly destroy this Lions side by playing their game, any let up would be punished. The Lions meanwhile were willing to take greater risks and try and expose the Springbok defence out wide.

A tough Itinerary for the Lions saw them based in Capetown for the week leading up to the test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. The Boks meanwhile had the luxury of getting accustomed to the highveld. It was meant to mean a hiding for the Lions in the last 2 weeks of a tough tour. Instead we saw 2 shocking Boks performances.

Schalk Burger let himself down and will have to deal with a tarnished reputation for the rest of his life. The Lions seized their chance and started exposing the Springbok defence almost at will. The Boks looked shocked and simply could not construct any sort of phase play. facing an 8 point deficit at halftime, the Boks played their second best half of the series. They got field position and ran the ball back at the Lions, forcing errors and working 2 more wonderful tries.

It took some brilliance from Jacque Fourie, a moment of madness from Ronan O’Gara and up stepped Steyn to do to the Lions what Guscott had done to the Boks in 1997. It wasn’t fair, but it lasts for 12 painful years.

The dead rubber at Ellis park was all about pride for the Lions, and a chance for many Boks to earn a place in the ‘first’ team. The Lions were magnificent, and once again employed the same strategy as they employed all tour, despite having massive personnel changes.

I liked the way they moved the ball, ran straight and hard, and took the ball through phases. Many in the Southern hempisherecriticize players like Stephen Jones as one dimensional, but he was instrumental in dictating the way the Lions played, and was prominent looping around the outside backs to create the extra man.

The Boks meanwhile looked devoid of any sense of a game plan other than to play error free rugby in the opposition half, and feed off the Lions mistakes. Their runners were unable to break the advantage line, meaning we often resorted to kicking, which was aimless from the back. The Lions returned the ball with interest from Rob Kearney and Jones.

Whilst I thought the Lions got away with a lot of negative play at the breakdown, especially in the third test, they played to the referee and got away with it. The fact they transgressed the offside line stopped the Boks getting over the advantage line and the Boks were either too shallow turning the ball over, or too deep and nailed behind the advantage line.

No one in the Springbok side was able to produce any tactic to overcome this. It may be why the Boks had greater success from set pieces in scoring tries. However it was interesting how the Bulls players who played so well a month or so ago, and a team that are full of World Class players, now look very average. I think much blame has to go to the coaching staff, especially madmad Peter de Villers! He has not produced anything constructive from the Boks, we were outscored in the series 74-63, but more importantly the Lions scored 7 tries to our 5.

Whilst we may have won the series 2-1, the Lions can claim the moral victory as we did in 1997. Whilst we have 12 years to claim the result, we have 12 more years of waiting to stamp our dominance over the Lions…

Check out my Springbok player ratings for the British and Irish Lions series

This was a shocking team effort from the Springbok, who let themselves, the country and the jersey down. Individually it was hard to find huge fault, but collectively they were awful. Inconsistency is the only consistency since de Villiers became coach and he has taken a World Champion side with awesome players, into an average side.

Springbok Player ratings:

1. The Beast – 6

Since the first test his scrumming has gone downhill. Also in the loose he was not prominent and like all the other Springbok forwards, couldn’t manage to get over the advantage line. Has to start performing every game.

2. Chiliboy Ralepelle - 5

His scrumming, lineout throwing and general play around the field aren’t exceptional, which all the duties he is selected for! Quite clearly not the number 2 hooker in world rugby, and it hasn’t helped him to be given an honourary place on the Springbok side.

3. John Smit – 7

Always leads from the front. Not making enough yardage with bal in hand but controls the side as well as any captain could. A brave player, and if there were any decent tightheads available for the Boks, I’d move him back to hooker.

4. Johan Muller - 5

Another brave player but is limited in capacity. Never gives up, but just not worthy of playing at this high a level. Where are these 10 locks de Villiers says we have capable of playing at this level?

5. Victor Matfield – 6

Victor hasn’t quite been himself this series. Like all the Bulls guys, something has gone seriously wrong since winning the Super 14. Is it the coach, the environment or what?? Also dropped 2 balls, quite unlike Big Vic. Still a world class player.

6. Heinrich Brussow - 5

Got a couple of turnovers, but lacked prsence at the breakdown. Martyn Williams got the better of him, and that resulted in points for the Lions. Heinrich also got frustrated towards the end of the game too. South Africa needs a bigger, more aggressive opensider.

7. Juan Smith -7

Worked tirelessly all game, and used a lot as a ball carrier. Still not sure why he hasn’t been breaking the advantage line very often. Made plenty of tackles too.

8. Ryan Kankowski - 4

Not quite sure where Kankowski was playing. A couple of times he showed up at Ellis Park but didn’t do anything spectacular. If Spies is the devastating runner, we need  a more direct number 8 as backup.

9. Fourie Du Preez – 5

Like big Vic, Fourie has not enjoyed the Springbok setup. His box kicks haven’t been accurate, but his covering play has still been first class. Needs to get better protection at the rucks so he can clear ball faster.

10. Morne Steyn - 6

Kicked 3 from 3, but couldn’t dictate play because of poor quality ball. Didn everything he could, but his teammates need to help him out.

11. Jongi Nokwe - 5

Play never ran his way and he picked up a dislocated finger after which he was tentative. Could look for more work, but when you have a matchwinner like Jongi in your side, use him! A strange decision to replace him with Spies.

12. Wynand Olivier - 4

I’ve never thought Wynand Olivier is world class and Springbok level despite his good Super 14 form. Doesn’t get through many gaps and set others up, but runs straight and hard and does his job. Missed an important tackle and threw the ball that gifted Monye a try. A day to forget.

13. Jacque Fourie - 6

Had a chance to show everyone why he is highly rated. Didn’t do anything spectaular, and his defence is not rock solid as many think it is. Solid game, but a fully fit Adi Jacobs is still my first choice.

14. Odwa Ndungane - 6

Didn’t too much wrong, and got a valuable steal. However the Lions attacked down his side at every chance and that’s where they made inroads. May have been the people inside him that were more responsible however. Not enough pace to be world class.

15. Zane Kirchner - 7

Didn’t do much wrong, but wasn’t helped out by his teammates. A couple of errors including a left footed kick out on the full, but deserves another chance. Why was he subbed so early? What was the point of giving him the starting position?

16. Bismarck du Plessis - 6

Solid in the set pieces but once again his temper got the better of him when the game was getting away from the Springboks. Would still be my reserve hooker, with Smit starting.

17. Gurthro Steenkamp -

Not on long enough to make a good assessment.

18. Deon Carstens -

Did not play

19. Steven Sykes -

Not on long enough to make a good assessment.

20. Pierre Spies - 6

Made a couple of runs, nothing spectacular. Bizarre move to bring him on at wing.

21. Ruan Pienaar - 5

Rusty as a scrumhalf. Was clearly feeling the pressure to do something spectacular in the second half anf took the wrong option a couple of times.

22. Francois Steyn – 5

Many were pleased with his effort, but he didn’t do anything spectacular. One dimensional in running with ball and simply tries to run over players. A predictable player who lacks accuracy.

The Springbok lost the 3rd Test at Ellis Park 28-9.

Whilst they won the series 2-1, the 3rd test result was extremely disappointing, and one of the worst displays since the 49-0 loss to Australia in 2006.

The Lions started off the test with great intensity, and showed they would not lie down lightly. Their intensity at the breakdown was phenomenal, and they outplayed the Springboks here which was the key to their victory. Their pack played superb rugby as a unit, they dominated the scrums, were solid at the lineouts and at the breakdown they contested everything; causing plenty of turnovers which led to their first 2 tries.

In this regard they were superbly led by Paul O’Connell, and also benefited from playing a specialist openside in Martyn Williams. Whilst I think they weren’t always legal in their tactics at the rucks, and got away with being offside far too often, the Boks need to be more streetsmart to deal with those sorts of occurrences and adjust their gameplan accordingly. The Boks were never able to get anysor of phase play going, nor produce any prolonged period of sustained pressure. Mind you, that has been the case all series.

Over the 3 tests, the British and Irish Lions have looked the more constructive side, and their backs showed what they can make their own space and get their team going forward. They also linked up well with their forwards and continually threatened the Springbok defence which has looked decidedly shaky under Peter de Villiers coaching.

With ten changes made by the Boks, and the series already won, many may suggest there was an air of complacency and lack of intensity exhibited by the Boks. However the Lions also had 8 changes and would have been looking forward to getting home after a long season. As professionals, and playing for starting spots for the tri-nations, I feel very let down by the lack of integrity for the Springbok jersey. The 10 changes are not what lost this game for the Springboks, lack of professionalism, hunger to win and poor execution cost them.

Whilst the Lions played well and should be commended, how often have we seen in the past, whenever the Boks should win easily, they don’t?. As highlighted in my article “The problem with SA rugby“, the Springboks lack the killer edge and ability to put sides away. They could take a leaf out of the Bulls’ book as they showed in the Semi and Final of the Super 14. It seems a long time ago since the Super 14 final when South African rugby was riding the crest of the wave and seemingly invincible.

I was also shocked that de Villiers decided to give every player a go against the British and Irish Lions. I’ve never heard of anything so absurd. The priority should be to put out a strong squad and win every game. Players such as Kankowski and Ndungane didn’t deserve a chance, will others such as Habana, JP Pietersen and Spies needed to keep playing.

However with the Sevens title, the Super 14 Title, the World Cup and a Lions series victory, this Springbok side should have won the series 3-0, and performed a lot better than we saw today. The only consistency under Peter de Villiers is the inconsistency. I hope we finally get it together in the Tri-Nations week in week out, else it’s time for Mr de Villiers to go. Be warned, this is your last chance to produce some results buddy!

My Springbok player ratings.

The series is now over, and we are left playing for pride at Ellis Park, Johannesburg.

At stake is a series whitewash, or reclaiming some pride and respect from the Lions. A 3-0 victory is what the public expect in South Africa, and will deflate the Lions and question whether their tours should continue. A 2-1 victory would suggest a close series, and will bring about a great deal of debate and reflection on what happened at Loftus Versfeld in the second test.

Springbok Coach Peter de Villiers named 10 changes in his starting lineup. 

There are mostly enforced changes in the forwards due to injury and suspension, whilst the backline has mostly changes due to a selection/rotation policy.

I like the side, I’m not convinced Chiliboy is the second best hooker in the country, but it’ll be exciting to see him given a go. Johan Muller will never let you down, but he doesn’t have the class of a Bakkies Botha. I’d have liked to see Juan Smith moved to lock and Pierre Spies retained. The Free State flanking duo will be prominent though, and Ryan Kankowski is picked at number eight. I’ve never been a fan of his, I think he’s a show pony who doesn’t have a high enough workrate or make his presence felt in tough games. Once again I fear he may be hard to find for the first 30 minutes or so.

The backline is exciting. Morne Steyn deserves his chance, I’ve sung his praises for a few years now. He has all the skills and his confidence is sky high. He can kick, he can run, and he controls the backline well. I believe with him at flyhalf we’ll see more of the wings on attack, something that’s bee missing from the Boks for the last…well forever really! Wynand Olivier deserves his chance. He’s simple and uncomplicated, and he’ll fit in well with Morne Steyn to get the backline going.

Jacque Fourie is another who deserves his chance, and has been playing great rugby. He’ll bring a more direct aspect to the backline play and set good targets for second phase ball. I’m not sure Odwa Ndungane is a test wing, but his workrate is quite good, so he’ll be involved a lot. The other wing is what excites me most. For 5 years I’ve been saying Nokwe is the fastest win in South Africa, and I believe he is awesome. He can finish superbly, we just need to give him some space. His defence has improved, and under the high ball he may be a bit shaky, but who cares! Just give him an inch of space and he’ll score tries!

It’s the fullback position that excites me most. I said Zane Kirchner would be a Springbok by the end of the year, and i’m so happy they have brought him in sooner rather than later. This kid is solid as a rock. He has a great kicking game and contests the ball well. He tackles superbly but it’s his inclusion into the line and ability to set others away that should see him blow the Lions away in the last 30 minutes.

The British and Irish Lions meanwhile have made 8 changes, mostly due to injury.

In the forwards, Sheridan and Vickery need to ensure the Lions get a solid scrum going. The flank combination looks strengthened in my view with Martyn Williams and Joe Worsley, although Heaslip at number eight is a weak point for me.

The backline looks disjointed and the midfield decidedly shaky. Replacing Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll with Riki Flutey and Tommy Bowe takes so much away from where the Lions can attack. In Shane Williams, Ugo Monye and Rob Kearney they have some three-quarters who can threaten the Boks, but not without being set up well. I fear the Lions attack will be fairly blunt and they’ll rely a lot on the boot of Stephen Jones.

Then there is the cauldron of Ellis Park. The “Field of dreams” for South Africa. We don’t lose here. We won’t lose here. And I’m picking the Boks to win by 20 as the altitude once again takes effect and we start to dominate a Lions side that simply won’t have the firepower, the stamina or the desire to compete with a Springbok side that having won the series can now express itself without the pressures of winning a series. Go Bokke Go!

Springboks Schalk Burger and Bakkies Botha were both suspended after the Springboks v the British and Irish Lions second test at Loftus Versfeld.

Schalk Burger was given an 8 week suspension for eye gouging Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald. After only 27 seconds of play, Schalk had his hand in Fitzgerald’s eyes which was picked up by touch judge Bryce Lawrence.  Lawrence stated to the ref  that it was “At least a yellow card”. In other words he was telling the ref to give a yellow card. 

Looking at the evidence, Schalkis guilty of eye gouging. He has never been a dirty player, but then he has never performed so badly in a season as he has now. In my view he looks a frustrated player, as evidenced by his arguing with referees. He was playing his 50th test, and instead of going down as a Springbok legend, he has tarnished his image forever. Sure he has had plenty of yellow cards, but they have come about from over zealous and reckless play not thuggery and maliciousness.

I believe he should have been shown a red card, and struggle to understand why Bryce Lawrence didn’t make the recommendation. I sympathise with Lions supporters, but I as a Springbok supporter I was happy he stayed on the field for 70 minutes, else we would have struggled! An Italian player got 8 weeks in New Zealand for a similar incident, so at least there is consistency, but I think Schalk can feel lucky it was only 8 weeks. In future I believe eye gougers should get a a lot longer than that.

Bakkies Botha meanwhile was cited and given a 2 week suspension for a dangerous tackle. At a ruck he came charging in from an onside position and this dislocated the shoulder of prop Adam Jones. He didn’t bind on to another player at the ruck, but then again who does?

Bakkies is unfairly treated in my view. That was good cleaning out, and unfortunately a Lions player was too soft and got hurt. He should go back to his knitting classes not complain about it. This is rugby.

The Lions management and British tabloids are screaming out about the Springbok dirty play. However there were plenty of high tackles by Lions players in the second test, and after the first 2 Springbok tries, both players were tackled late.

JP Pietersen was dangerously pushed after he had dotted the ball down, and Bryan Habana was jumped on after he had placed the ball for his try too. Why weren’t any Lions cited?

It seems to me that the Springboks and minnow sides are unfairly treated by citing commissioners and the judiciary. Take this years super 14 and Sione Lauaki and his coathanger tackle on Bryan Habana. Brett Sheehan and his shoulder charge. Or the 2007 world cup when Schalk was suspended, and others weren’t for similar offences. Where is the consistency? Oh well, I shall take comfort with a series victory over the Lions for the next 12 years, that should be enough to keep me happy!

In general the Boks were disappointing. Lack of discipline cost them in penalties, lack of execution caused costly errors, whilst lack of energy and passion simply produced a substandard display. However the last 20 minutes showed what they are capable of us Morne Steyn, Jacque Fourie and Heinrich Brussow seemed to lift the players around them.

Springbok Player ratings:

1. The Beast – 7

Had a strong effort in the loose, but came off second best in the scrums against Gethin Jenkins.

2. Bismarck du Plessis – 6

Did the basics well enough, and while many criticised his quick penalty tap late in the second half, the Lions were never back 10m, and more should have come from that from the ref.

3. John Smit – 8

Led well from the front. Always gives 100% and keep the team composed right until the end. A cool, calm and collected captain.

4. Bakkies Botha – 6

Had a couple of strong runs with ball in hand. We need to see more of that, and as the Springbok enforcer, allowed the Lions to dominate our pack.

5. Victor Matfield – 7

Had a high work rate, but didn’t get the usual steals on opposition throw in the lineout. Always performs well but not one of his more exceptional tests.

6. Schalk Burger – 4

Could have been lucky to play 69 minutes. Not the player he once was. Jake White says he is the best player he ever coached, but for all his enthusiasm and commitment, lacks the quality of execution in my book. Gave away a silly offside penalty also in the second half, and ultimately cost the Boks at least 6 points.

7. Juan Smith -6

A fairly quiet game or Juan Smith. Not prominent on attack of defence, maybe he needs a rest or prehaps it is time to give Dewald Potgeiter a chance bearing in mind the 2011 world cup.

8. Pierre Spies – 7

Strong with ball in hand, made some some telling runs. His covering of the line improved from Durban, and made a try saving tackle late in the first half. Was still slightly anonymous however.

9. Fourie Du Preez – 6

Never has a bad game, but like Spies has been slightly anonymous this series. Didn’t dominate with his kicking game, but in the second half started to run the ball back at the Lions more and more, creating momentum for the Boks.

10. Ruan Pienaar – 4

Had a bad day with the boot. Missed too many easy kicks, and also failed to find touch from a lineout when the Boks were under pressure. Do we drop him for Morne Steyn? If de Villiers loves him so much, he should be persisted with, which is tough on Morne.

11. Bryan Habana – 7

Contributed to the Lions try by coming off his wing, but had a high workrate. Good to see him involved and running onto the ball in the second half, although with little room to move. It’s not the best ball, but it’s a start. Took his try well.

12. Jean de Villiers – 5

Hasn’t regained the high standards he set in 2008. Defence was average, and not breaking the line on attack. Time to try the in form Wynand Olivier?

13. Adi Jacobs – 6

Improved his defence by showing greater commitment. Had some good runs on attack, just failing to link up with other runners. Has done nothing wrong, but Fourie’s exceptional showing should demote him to the bench.

14. JP Pietersen – 7

A much stronger game, running onto the ball more courtesy of better ball. Gave away a silly penalty however in the first half.

15. Frans Steyn – 5

Once again inconsistent with his kicking, although they are long range attempts. Inconsistent at the back and produce enough contestable kicks, which allowed Kearney to get the Lions into Bok territory.

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle -

Did not play

17. Deon Carstens -

Did not play

18. Andries Bekker – 5

Gave away a crucial penalty which almost gave the Lions a draw. Doesn’t make enough impact to warrant his inclusion.

19. Danie Roussow – 4

Got concussed almost immediately.

20. Heinrich Brussow – 9

Made 3 crucial turnovers in the 20 minutes or so he played. Probably benefited from the Lions being tired for the last 20, but provided the spark the Bok forwards needed.

21. Jacque Fourie – 9

Super sub Fourie took his chance exceptionally well. Has earned the right to wear the 13 jersey, at least for now.

22. Morne Steyn – 10

The hero! Kicked every goal, including 2 very tough kicks. Strong with ball in hand, got the backline going. Did everything that was asked of him, and then took it upon himself to win the series. I’ve said Morne is a great player for the last few years, so i’m pleased to see him do so well. I’d keep Ruan at flyhalf and play Morne at inside centre, as he simply has to be in the side.

The 2nd test between the Springboks and the British and Irish Lions was played at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The Springboks emerged victorious 28-25, courtesy of new Springbok legend, Morne Steyn.

The game had many twists and turns, starting with the controversial Schalk Burger sinbinning after just 27 seconds. Schalk was playing his 50th test match and is not a dirty player. He plays hard, but in the spirit of the game. I have reviewed the incident and the footage is not conclusive to me, although he is alleged to have eye gouged Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald. Some of the South African commentators have suggested he will get a lengthy ban, which would indicate he is guilty.

If Schalk was guilty of eye gouging, the question must be asked, “why was he only awarded a yellow card?” If Schalk is indeed guilty, I’d agree with the Lions, and feel very aggrieved it wasn’t a red card, which would have had a marked outcome on the result of the test.

The Lions then dominated the opening 10 minutes, and scored a try through a beautiful move on the right hand flank. Habana came off his wing to help Adi Jacobs, and once the Lions got through the line it was all over. Once again Frans Steyn was moving backwards instead of coming forwards to take the ball carrier and shut down the space available. He did that in the first test, when I felt he could have stopped the Lions first try.

The Lions then seemed to want to run the ball from all over the field, and were making headway every time. The Boks weren’t making first time tackles, nor putting enough pressure on at the breakdown. However from a lineout around the Lions 22, a beautifully worked move put JP Pietersen through the gap to score. Inexplicably, Ruan Pienaar missed the conversion, setting the tone for the rest of his game.

The rest of the firs half saw the Boks making critical mistakes whenever they got field position or attacking chances. Inevitably the Lions stole ball at the breakdown, or managed to force an error. A couple more penalties for offside see the Lions setting up a handy lead, before Frans Steyn pulls one back with a long range penalty on halftime.

The halftime score of 16-8, saw the Lions in control. They seemed to be playing with the higher tempo, and had the edge in the scrums.

The second half saw the Boks start off withanother error. Suddenly both Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins were injured, and now we had to have uncontested scrums. Ruan Pienaar missed a couple of penalty attempts, but the Boks were starting to get more possession, territory and build up pressure. Their biggest downfall was their aimless kicking, not putting enough pressure with their chasing. This allowed Kearney to punish them and drive them back into their own half.

A slew of substitutions saw Danie Rousouw come and go, Jacque Fourie replace Jean de Villiers,  Morne Steyn on for Ruan Pienaar, and Heinrich Brussow on for Danie Rousouw. It worked immediately with Bryan Habana scoring off a set move beautifully. Although there was a hint of obstruction. Morne Steyn kicked his first ever points for the Boks on his home ground.

A penalty goal to Morne Steyn narrowed the gap to 1 point with 12 minutes to play, and suddenly the momentum was starting to shift to the Boks. Their accuracy was getting better, and the Lions were being forced into mistakes. I dare say the altitude factor was probably starting to kick in too. They simply seemed to be running out of energy, and the spring in their step had gone.

A penalty to Jones, took the lead out to 4, and it was inevitable that the Boks would have to score another try to win this one. A kick to the corner saw the Boks work the ball through several phases, and go from the right hand flank to the left, then they worked it back right and Jacque Fourie finished beautifully in the corner after a long TMO decision. It was interesting to hear Bryce Lawrence (the touch judge) question the decision after it was awarded. Keep out of it Bryce, the decision was made! What makes him think he can do that??

Morne Steyn goaled a crucial conversion from the sideline and suddenly the Boks were ahead by 3 and ready to close the game out with 5 minutes left. A high tackle from Bekker immediately from the restart allowed Jones to level the scores, and a draw looked inevitable.

In the 81st minute, Fourie du Preez was tackled in the air and the Boks had a 53m penalty attempt. I thought they’d give it to Frans Steyn, but Morne Steyn decisively stepped forward to take the kick. He hadn’t missed a kick in the time he was on the field. In only his second test, he nailed a long range kick that will make him a Springbok legend. What a beauty! The bitter disappointment of 12 years ago can be forgotten, as for the next 12 years we can relive this magic moment from Morne.

This was almost the opposite of the first test where the Boks dominated for 60 minutes, before the Lions came storming home. This time the Lions dominated for 60 minutes, and the Boks charged home for the last 20. The Boks simply got on the right end of the scoresheet both times. Next week at Ellis Park in the 3rd test i’m hoping for the series whitewash!

Check out the video highlights

My Springbok player ratings

Springboks v British and Irish Lions 2nd Test – Loftus, Pretoria

Live Updates

81st Min – Morne Steyn is the hero! South Africa win the series. South Africa win 28-25.

80th Min – Penalty to South Africa 5m inside their own half. Morne Steyn to take the kick. 53m.

77th Min – Jones kicks a high pressure penalty. Scores locked at 25-25.

76th Min – High tackle, a chance for the Lions to kick a penalty from the left hand sideline about 37m out and 5m in.

75th Min – Morne Steyn kicks from the sideline. Boks ahead 25-22.

74th Min – Stu Dickinson awards the try. TRY! Boks in front for the first time today. Boks ahead 23-22. Morne Steyn to take the conversion from the sideline.

74th Min – Bok try in the corner! Jacue Fourie scores after the Boks moved the ball from 1 side to the other. We are going to the TMO.

73rd Min – Bok penalty. Morne kicks for the corner.

72nd Min – Ferocious stuff. Lions get a couple of valuable turnovers. Boks must protect the ball.

70th Min – Jones kicks the penalty. Lions 22-18.

69th Min – Penalty to the Lions as Schalk rushes up in defence and is a mile offside. Jones should knock this one over.

68th Min – Morne Steyn kicks it! Awesome. Lions ahead 19-18.

67th Min – Brussow wins a penalty at the breakdown. Now the Boks are playing with some urgency, and go forward. Morne Steyn to kick at goal. C’mon buddy.

67th Min – Bismarck taps a penalty. Lions never back ten. Boks knock on.

65th Min – O’Driscoll leaves the field and replaced by Shane Williams.

63rd Min – Habana scores after a beautiful move from a scrum! Beautiful. Morne Steyn knocks over the conversion for his first ever points for the Boks. Lions now ahead 19-15. A game is on our hands.

62nd Min – Danie Rousouw off after a headclash with O’Driscoll. Heinrich Brussow on.

61st Min – Stephen Jones nails it. Lions 19-8. Morne Steyn rerplaces Ruan Pienaar.

60th Min – Kickable penalty for the Lions. Boks coming in from the side.

59th Min – Andries Bekker and Danie Roussouw on for Bakkies Botha and Juan Smith.

58th Min – Boks starting to dominate more possession and territory. But they’re playing catch up.

56th Min – Jacque Fourie on for Jean de Villiers. Adi to move to Inside centre.

54th Min – I think i’d rather see the Bulls side playing the Lions! They’d have scored 30+ points by now!

52nd Min – Penalty Boks for the Lions being in front of the kicker. Pienaar misses from in front. Lions still lead 16-8.

49th Min – Pienaar misses the penalty narrowly. Time for Morne Steyn?

48th Min – Bok penalty just in Lions territory. Pienaar to have a kick at goal.

46th Min – Boks take the ball through the phases well, but don’t make much headway. Someone needs to provide go forward. A high tackle on Habana was missed, and left O’Driscoll feeling the effects. Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins off. Andrew Sheridan and Alun-Wyn Jones on. Uncontested scrums.

42nd Min – Kearney killing the Boks with his kick returns. Bok kicking very aimless.

2nd Half – Can the Boks wrap up the series? Or will the Lions produce a shock result?

Halftime – The Lions have dominated. Boks look shocked, and haven’t constructed a lot. Mostly because the Lions have dominated possession, and territory to a lesser extent. Is it time to try someone different off the bench? And who?

41st Min – Steyn gets the long kick! Lions lead at halftime 16-8.

40th Min – Bok penalty for crossing over. Just in his own half, Steyn to try and bang it over.

38th Min – Steyn drops the ball as Du Preez ran the ball back in space. The Boks have been shocked, and will have to come from behind to win this one. Will the altitude factor come into play for the last 20?

37th Min – Lions winning the battle of the breakdown. Bok chance with a linout in the Lions half.

36th Min – Wave after wave of Lions attack. Spies made an important cover tackle. Jones takes the drop from in front. Lions 16-5.

31st Min – Boks trying to construct something. But O’Driscoll competes at the ruck and wins a penalty. The rush defence is working well.

25th Min – Kearney hollywood as JP tackles him. Lions defensive penalty.

23rd Min – Steyn misses penalty. Lions still 13-5. Lions 70% possession so far.

22nd Min – Boks get some momentum, after Habana intercepts. Bok penalty just over halfway line. Steyn to take the long kick.

18th Min – Fourie Du Preez weights a kick beautifully. Boks scrum 5m from Lions line. But Lions get penalty from the scrum.

15th Min – Lions get a penalty straight in front of the uprights. Boks offisde. Lions 13-5.

11th Min – Beautiful move from the top of the lineout. JP Pietersen through the gap, Bok try! Ruan Pienaar misses from in front! That could be crucial. Lions 10-5.

11th Min – Schalk Burger returns to the field. Lions still up 10-0.

9th Min – Lions running the ball beautifully from all over the field. Boks have to step up and show what they’ve got.

8th Min – Conversion from Stephen Jones on the sideline.10-0. Boks under pressure.

7th Min – Try! Kearney scores a great try in the right hand corner. 8-0.

5th Min – A frenetic start, Lions starting off strong. Boks need to dominate first phase and settle down.

3rd Min – Stephen Jones penalty, first blood to the Lions 3-0.

2nd Min – Lions penalty for offside. Still not sure what Schalk was binned for.

1st Min – Schalk Burger is yellow carded

Both teams come out to a cauldron with red on one side and green on the other

The second test match between the Springboks and the British and Irish Lions takes place on Saturday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld, in Pretoria.

Both teams will be looking to make significant improvements, after their first test efforts, but for the Lions, they have to take the hard road. After the first game in Durban, at sea level, the Lions had to move to Capetown for their mid-week game. Conditions in Capetown have been wet so far, and are entirely different to what they can expect up at Altitude in Pretoria. They will remain in Capetown for the week, and only travel to Pretoria the day before the test, to try and limit the effects of altitude.

Playing on the highveld, at the fortresses of Loftus and Ellis Park, the challenge of the altitude is just as much mental as it is physical. This is Afrikaans territory, where the crowds are extremely passionate and not altogether friendly (until after the game), and you have to cope with trying to learn the flight of the ball through the rarefied air. And if you can master that, there’s always the burning in your lungs that hits you after 20-30 minutes of chasing the Springboks around. Travelling up the day before, there are the mental games that ask you, “how will I cope in the second half?” Mentally the Lions needed to be up on the highveld at the same time as the Boks, because now they bring that mental uncertainty into the equation.

The fact that so many Bulls are in the Bok side also can’t be underestimated. The Boks grow and extra arm and leg it seems up at Altitude, and the Bulls players just love Loftus. It will motivate them, inspire them and give them the mental relaxation to believe they will win and win well. If the Lions thought that winning at Durban was tough, well things just moved to another level.

The Boks will be so much better off after having their first hit out for the year. Even they wouldn’t have known exactly where they stood, but they can learn from that and work on their shortcomings. The midfield defence will be better, even more so with the inclusion of Schalk Burger.

The side that Pieter de Villiers has named is not the strongest side in my opinion. It was interesting to see Div go with a 5-2 on the bench, as earlier in the week I wondered about the possibility of Ruan Pienaar covering the scrumhalf position seeing as Morne Steyn is also in the side. I was also thinking of a 5-2 split on the bench. The only difference is that my reserves bench wouldn’t have Chiliboy and Andries Bekker.

If the Lions are to have any chance of beating the Springboks, they’ll have to do so through their backs and creating chances through their midfield. The Boks will look to play no risk rugby first, relying on territory and dominance through the forwards. It’s a bit one-dimensional, but it worked in for 60 minutes in Durban, and it won them the world cup in 2007.

The Lions could exploit the weak defence of Jacobs through Roberts and O’Driscoll which will create chances. However they’ll need some clinical finishing unlike last week where Money and co butchered 4-5 chances. Schalk Burger will also shore up the cover defence meaning less chance from second phase. If the Lions can start well and actually take the lead, the Boks may feel the pressure. However the Boks usually start well, and once they get their noses in front, it will be hard to come back. Just as we saw with the Bulls a month ago.

I’m picking a more cohesive display from both sides, but especially the Boks. They’ll start like a house on fire and grow an extra arm and leg with the support of a strong, passionate crowd at Loftus and should have a 10 point lead at the break. The second half is where the pain will begin for the Lions as the pressure and altitude start to take effect and i’m backing the Boks by 20! Look out for strong performances from the Bulls players, especially Spies and Du Preez.

It may have taken 12 years, but finally we’ll set the record straight…

The Emerging Springboks scored a moral victory over the British and Irish Lions in playing out a 13 all draw on a cold, wet night at Newlands.

The game started with clear conditions, although the rain had made the surface quite slippery on top. Initially it was the Lions who made the least errors and who enjoyed great field position as the emerging Boks were eager but lacking polish. Turnovers handed the Lions scoring chances, and they started off with a penalty to take a 3-0 lead.

As the game wore on the Boks started to come into the game before Zane Kirchner’s wayward attempted clearance from deep in his half found it’s way straight into the hands of Martyn Williams, who sent Keith Earls over for the try. At 10-0 down in wet conditions, the lead was always going to be worth plenty.

Slowly the game started to even up, and a penalty made it 10-3 at the break. Another penalty early in the second half made it 10-6, and the game was starting to get tight. Both teams had their chances, and both teams made vital errors with a slippery ball. With 20 minutes remaining Willem de Waal came on for the Boks, and I thought his field kicking was quite average.

Neither team was really able to dominate territory, with the game moving from one end to the other. With a penalty at the end of the game, the Boks kicked for the corner and had one last chance from the lineout. They almost scored off the lineout and set up a couple of drives, before going wide and putting Demas away in the corner. Willem de Waal nailed the conversion from the sideline and salvaged a morale boosting draw. The Lions will be very disappointed to let a game slip that they needed to win ahead of the second test.

I thought the never say die attitude of the Boks was fantastic. They were led superbly by their captain Dewald Potgeiter, and the pack played well as a whole. The lineout functioned well with Sykes and Steenkamp. Deysel was strong with ball in hand and just the type of guy the senior Boks could use to get some go forward. He’d be a great player off the bench, and i’d drop Kankowski for him. Vermueulen was also strong around the paddock too.

In the backs, Vermaak showed he is clearly the second best scrumhalf in South Africa with a very polished display, Earl Rose I thought was quick superb in tough conditions. He offers a lot of variation and has all the skills. He simply has to be given an extended run at flyhalf for a top team. I find it ludicrous that we can have such poorly performing super rugby sides (other than the champions Bulls of course) and no place can be found for Rose, when all the other flyhalves are average and the 31 year old guy who kept him out is moving to Perth!

Newman and van Rensburg in the centres were solid in defence but Newman especially made too many handling errors. The wings Vulindlu and Basson both looked dangerous with ball in hand and space to move, it’s a pity the conditions weren’t helpful. Kirchener had a solid game after his early error, and didn’t get the chance to show Pieter de Villiers just what he can do. I am certain his time is coming and he’ll be a Bok by the end of the year.

All the guys off the bench showed great enthusiasm and added impetus when they came on.

For the Lions, it will be the last game on tour for many of them. In the forwards I thought Andy Powell had a strong game with his ball carries, and I think he deserves a test spot. It’s just what the Lions were missing in the first test, someone to get them going forward.

O’Gara seems to be the backup flyhalf, but I think James Hook is quite a good player and poses more all round ability. Their midfield lacked penetration, however I thought Keith Earls had a great game at fullback. He returned the ball well with the boot, and looks to have plenty of ability to run with ball in hand.

All we have left is 2 very important test matches to go. The Lions are now camping out in wet Capetown, preparing for a test in entirely different conditions on the highveld. It’s a great schedule to favour the Boks, and they’ll be pretty confident of wrapping up the series on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld, or can the Lions produce something spectacular..

The Lions man for man are not nearly as good as he Boks and had to rely on their midfield pairing to spark their attacks. They look dangerous and world class, and created plenty of chances, but poor finishing and desperation from the Boks couldn’t convert at least 5 chances.

Player ratings:

1. Gethin Jenkins - 5
Made no impact in the scrums

2. Lee Mears - 3
Performed dismally in the lineouts. Should have been subbed earlier.

3. Phi Vickery - 3
Got dominated by the Beast and couldn’t respond accordingly. Will struggle to make starting lineup next week.

4. Alun-Wyn Jones - 5
About what was expected when facing Botha and Matfield.

5. Paul O’Connell - 5
Led strongly, but lost his cool with the ref, and more composure needed.

6. Tom Croft - 7
Was the pick of the forwards and rewarded with two tries.

7. David Wallace - 5
Struggled to make an impact and needs to steal more ball at the breakdowns.

8. Jamie Heaslip - 5
Like Spies was largely anonymous for most of the game.

9. Mike Phillips - 7
Started to get more involved in the second half and excelled once Du Preez left and Januarie came on. Showed a lot of fight and determination.

10. Stephen Jones - 4
Selected for his goal kicking and will be disappointed. First penalty was tought, but the second was relatively straight forward.

11. Ugo Monye - 4
Missed two tries when he should have taken his chances. A lesson for the Boks about giving your left wing chances!

12. Jamie Roberts - 9
The dangerman for the Lions. Split the Springbok defence on more than one occasion and looks a good player. Combined well with O’Driscoll.

13. Brian O’Driscoll - 8
A world class player. Needs to be watched closely.

14. Tommy Bowe - 6
Didn’t offer much and in my view i’d have selected Shane Williams.

15. Lee Byrne - 6
Was solid and had limited chances before he got injured. Looks a good player.

16. Matthew Rees - 6
Made a difference to the lineouts as soon as he came on.

17. Adam Jones - 7
Improved the scrum straight away and should start at Loftus.

18. Donncha O’Callaghan – 6

19. Martyn Williams - 6

20. Harry Ellis

21. Ronan O’Gara

22. Rob Kearney - 8
Had a good game when he replaced Byrne. Was under pressure at times, but kicked extremely well.

Whilst the Boks played well as a team for the first 60 minutes, they did not construct a lot of phases and ask enough questions of the British and Irish Lions. As individuals they all need to step up for the next 2 tests, and bring in their ball carriers more, to create some space for the backs.

Player ratings:

1. The Beast – 8
A strong game in the set pieces, dominating in the scrum against Vickery. Didn’t carry the ball strongly like he normally does although he had limited chances.

2. Bismarck du Plessis – 6
Did the basics, but also didn’t stand out around the field. Gave away a silly penalty in the second half. His discipline has always been a concern. For my mind doesn’t offer anything extra to Smit as a hooker, and if Carstens had to come on, i’d move Smit to Hooker and take off Bismarck.

3. John Smit – 9
A strong game from the captain who I think is supremely fit and doesn’t get enough kudos for his work around the field. A word to the coaches, never take our captain off! We suffer without him, and it was Dick Muir who pulled him off during a Super 14 final and saw that title slip away. Please Mr de Villiers, learn from that lesson!

4. Bakkies Botha – 8
A strong game in the tight. Did the enforcing role superbly and was possibly taken off a little 5-10 minutes too early.

5. Victor Matfield – 9
A great game again from the big man. Marked his territory in the lineouts, and got the ball away wide from a couple of rucks. He surveys the field so well and is an unsung hero around the park.

6. Heinrich Brussow – 8
Had a solid game but never dominated the breakdowns. I can’t remember him getting a clean steal in the game. Controlled the back of the maul well, and took his try superbly. I’d leave him there next week even is Schalk is fit.

7. Juan Smith – 7
Never gives anything less than 100%, making plenty of tackles and ball carries. I’d like to see him make a few more yards on attack and be a more effective link between backs and forwards.

8. Pierre Spies – 6
Did some great work on defence and had a couple of strong carries from the base of the scrum in the second half, but otherwise largely anonymous. Strange as he has been in great form. Will bounce back on his home ground next week, and needs to cover the long kicks as well so he can run and link with the backs. Too classy to have another quite game.

9. Fourie Du Preez – 6
Another Bull who was strangely quiet. His kicking game wasn’t quite on song, with his box kicks either too deep or too shallow. Will also appreciate returning to Loftus, so the Lions better look out.

10. Ruan Pienaar – 8
Had a good game. Made a couple of errors, including a spilled high kick, but answered his critics superbly with his kicking. Appears to be a de Villiers favourite which is tough for Morne Steyn, but he can be a real game breaker.

11. Bryan Habana – 6
Mostly confined to defensive work. Strange how so many Bulls were quiet. Needs ball, in space and he will score tries.

12. Jean de Villiers – 6
Had a quiet game. Made a try saving tackle on Monye that justified his inclusion, but didn’t offer much on attack. Had a few drop balls, and probably feeling his way back a bit after injury.

13. Adi Jacobs – 3
From the first player that ran at him, it was clear to me his shoulder isn’t right. Was reluctant to tackle. Please get the surgery he needs and put Jaque Fourie in. It is not helping Adi at all.

14. JP Pietersen – 6
Didn’t have much to do, but made a couple of telling tackles head. His tackling is under rated, defensively he is strong. I still prefer the attacking abilities of Nokwe however.

15. Frans Steyn – 5
Too inconsistent in my view. His kicking returns were usually too deep or too shallow to be effective. And his place kicking is either brilliant or woeful. I still can’t see why you wouldn’t want Kirchner instead.

16. Gurthro Steenkamp – 6
Limited chances, but got a vital turnover towards the end of the game.

17. Deon Carstens – 4
Weakend the scrum, and suffered an injury at just the right time. Best move he made all game.

18. Andries Bekker – 5
Too much of a light weight to be on with Matfield. Too much show pony and not enough grunt. I’d rather Rousouw covered the lock reserve.

19. Danie Roussow – 6
Worked hard, but gave away a vital penalty. Always gives 100%.

20. Ricky Januarie -3
Was quite awful. Why would you replace Du Preez with this? Made a vital error, and doesn’t deserve his place in the Bok squad ahead of Vermaak.

21. Jacque Fourie – 4
Deserves to start ahead of Adi next week, although he missed a couple of tackles too.

22. Morne Steyn – 8
Was superb when he came on, and made a match winning tackle on Monye. I’d play him at fullback instead of Frans Steyn.

The first test turned into a thriller at the Absa stadium in Durban, with the Springboks edging out the British and Irish Lions 26-21. The Boks looked to have the game wrapped up at 26-7, before substitutions and lack of intensity almost allowed the lions to snatch an unlikely victory.

The Absa stadium was a magnificent white hot cauldron, bathed with a sea of South African flags that was a beautiful sight. However pockets of the ground were awash with red, generally in the higher levels of the stands, with what I believed were over allocated sections for Lions supporters. Surely we should ensure South Africans fill our stands, but that’s the commercial realities of the modern game, with the ability to charge higher amounts to the Lions supporters.

The match started off at a frenetic pace, with the Boks dominating the early stages. Stephen Jones had an early attempt to give the Lions the lead but missed a difficult chance. Field position, possession and a green wave of attack then carried John Smit over for the first try. The Lions almost hit back immediately, but a try-saving tackle from Jean de Villiers on Monye kept the Lions out. The early exchanges after that were relatively even but Stephen Jones second missed penalty attempt continued to give the Springboks breathing space.

2 Further penalties to the Boks, stretched the lead to 13-0, and the pressure was on the Lions. To their credit they hit right back through a superb break from Jamie Roberts. Clinical finishing ensured the try and the lead was now only 6. This was the second tackle Adi Jacobs missed, and clearly his shoulder is not right. At no stage did he tackle with any conviction, and looked as if he has no strength and confidence in his shoulder. I was surprised the coaching staff didn’t pull him off straight away and send on Jacque Fourie.

The second 20 mins saw the Boks dominate, mostly through their scrum where the Beast got the better of Phil Vickery. He was penalised twice which saw the Bok lead extend to 19-7. At this stage O’Connell was getting very frustrated, and quite stroppy with the ref. 19-7 at halftime, saw the Boks firmly in control.

The second half started in much the same manner as the first half finished, and the Boks had complete control of the game. The rolling maul was superb, and I was pleased John Smit backed the Boks to go for the corner when a kickable penalty was awarded. The resulting lineout and drive, saw Brussow score from the back of the maul. At 26-7, the game was almost sealed for the Boks.

With 20 minutes to go, all that was left to do was close the game out, and ensure a strong psychological edge remained with the Boks. Instead the coaching staff had a moment of madness. They replaced the Beast, Smit, Bakkies and Brussow with Steenkamp, Carstens, Bekker and Roussouw. The backline saw Jean de Villiers and Fourie Du Preez off with Pienaar going to the blood bin, on came Januarie, Morne Steyn making his debut and Jacque Fourie moving to centre.

I can understand a few changes, but wholesale changes weren’t needed. Why would you sub players who were dominating the opposition. Pieter de Villiers said he wanted to inject more speed, which is fine, but don’t take off your captain, your fetcher when you don’t have another to replace him with, or your scrumhalf who is the best in the world. I think too often subs are made just because they are there on the bench. They have to be able to add value.

The Boks then lost structure, intensity and direction. It allowed the Lions into the game, and their desperation was matched with good option taking and creativity. They scored in the 67th minute as a result of sustained pressure, and almost scored straight away again but Monye lost the ball in a superb try saving tackle from Morne Steyn. However they kept on coming and eventually got a try through scrumhalf Phillips who became more and more dominant once Du Preez left the field.

Luckily there was an injury to Carstens (or was there??) which allowed John Smit back on the field and he immediately tried to calm the Boks down. The Lions were now desperate but couldn’t create a match winning try. The Boks were very relieved to hear the final whistle and sneak the win.

Ref Bryce Lawrence I thought was quite average. There are simply too many inconsistencies from all the refs I’ve seen this year. he wasn’t biased, but he did have some confusing decisions.

The Boks were the dominant team for the first 60 minutes, until the mass substitutions caused them to lose their way. To their credit, the Lions capitalised beautifully and were definitely the more creative team all game. The Springboks weren’t able to construct much running rugby all day, and didn’t take the ball through more than 5 phases all game, whilst the Lions managed to 7 times. The Boks dominated the set pieces though and the resulting penalties allowed them to control the match.

There is plenty for both teams to work on heading up to the highveld. The Boks will appreciate the run and have a lot of improvements to make. The Lions will also get better, but I can’t see them winning on the highveld against a team will only get better in all aspects of the game. Anything less than 3-0 will be disappointing.

For Springbok player ratings click here.

For British and irish Lions player ratings click here.

The Springboks take on the British and Irish Lions in an eagerly anticipated 3 test series starting in Durban this Saturday 20th June. Since 1997, the Boks have been waiting for their chance to exact revenge on the Lions for a humiliating 2-1 series loss.

There are many things that make the ‘97 series similar to this one. Both were taken at a time when the Boks were World Champions. Both Lions teams were coached by McGeechan, and both series have the Springboks as strong favourites.

This time around, I think things are quite different. At the moment South Africa has so many talented players to pick from, lots of experience, and heaps of game breakers. Last time around South Africa had a new coach, (Carel du Plessis) and a captain that was quite inexperienced at International level in Gary Teichmann. This time round the Boks, have a settled squad, settled coach, and have been focused on this series for a long time. The Lions, well they always produce a strong side being able to draw on 4 nations, but on paper they simply can’t match the class of the South Africans.

The first game sets the tone for the series, and as the Springboks found out last time; lose the first game and the pressure intensifies like something you’ve never experienced. The down side for the Boks, is the lack of game time for most of their players, but that also has it’s advantages in being well rested, and fresh. The large number of Bulls players should negate that, and the confidence they’ll bring will rub off on the rest of the squad.

The Lions under McGeechan, will once again rely on taking the Boks on physically up front. They’ll look for set-piece dominance and accurate goal kicking. In Stephen Jones and Ronan O’Gara they have sharper shooters than the Boks, but less try scoring ability out wide. There are still some dangerous backs, but they don’t have the class right through the backline, or the experience of using them against top class opposition.

The Lions have to go hard out to win the first game in Durban, as the series then moves to the highveld for the remaining 2 test matches. They struggle to win 1, let alone 2 at altitude, so they have to go up 1-0 in Durban to have any chance in the series. The element of surprise is their best hope.

I’m picking the Springboks to win 3-0. The Boks should be too strong up front. The scrum won’t dominate, but holding it’s own will be enough. The lineouts with Matfield and Botha will be much superior to the Lions and then around the field the Boks have faster and stronger ball carriers. Whilst Pienaar has his critics and many believe he’s underdone, I’m picking him to really shine this series. In my view he is a great flyhalf and has all the skills. He’s done a lot of work on his kicking, and that’ll really help the Boks.

The rest of the Springbok backline will be too good for the Lions, with Habana set to have a blinder of a series. He’s a man for the big occasion, and he’ll prove that once again. The one area that concerns me is fullback, but i’m sure Steyn will be solid if not spectacular. That’ll be enough.

I can’t wait for kickoff on Saturday, i’m sure there’s going to be a lot of niggle, physical stuff and plenty of fireworks. But at the end of it all, the Boks will emerge victorious by about 15 points…

After two contrasting games against the Coastal teams, the Sharks and Western Province, the British and Irish Lions rolled into Port Elizabeth, to take on the Southern Kings as they launched their new franchise.

The Lions were coming off two wins, and the results were probably expected to be the other way around. The Game with the Sharks was a blowout, and the game with Western Province was close. Based on Super 14 form, i’d have expected it to be reversed, but it was also due to coach Ian McGeechan putting his near test side out against the Sharks, and playing a virtual mid-week side against Western Province.

So to the new Nelson Mandela stadium in Port Elizabeth. A great day for rugby in the Eastern Cape. Who cares that most of the players are ring ins from other areas around South Africa, or overseas. This was a day to celebrate Easter Cape rugby. The new Nelson Mandela stadium looked absolutely magnificent, although the surface needs a bit more work. It’s normal for a new surface to experience some teething problems and need time to bring it up to international standard.

THE NELSON MANDELA STADIUM

 
The match itself was played with great intensity, even though it was a virtual Lions “B” team. Derick Kuun led the Kings well and there were some stand out players.

Marco Wentzel and Ross Skeate showed they are quality locks and could make a great impact on provincial rugby in South Africa.

The 2 flanks, Solly Tybilika and Mpho Mbiyozo were a great flank combination and I was pleased to see quality black players given an opportunity and shining. It’s a tragedy Tybilika has had to go through what he has. He may not be Bok standard, but he is definitely a top provincial player and should be in the starting lineup of one of our top sides. Mbiyozo on the other hand is all class and showed why he is a seven’s Bok. I’d love to see him pay Super 14 next year, as he is all class and could be knocking on the door of the Boks before too long. He has all the skills and a fantastic work rate. He’s also a great role model and a truly humble man. 

Darron Nell was strong from the base of the scrum and is a player to watch in the future.

Francois Hougaard at scrumhalf had a strong game before limping off injured. The Bulls are certainly blessed at scrumhalf, and he may not get a lot of game time there, so don’t be surprised to see him move provinces.

Jaco van der Westhuyzen has always been a prodigious talent and controlled the game well. Sure he made mistakes, but he does some things so well, and is so versatile too. It’s a pity he now plays in Japan.

It was great to see local boy Tiger Mangweni playing, and he is such a solid player. I thought he linked well, and did everything expected of him.

Not one of the Kings has a bad game, and the passion and intensity they played with was awesome. The local support was great, with a crowd of about 35000, and it shows we simply have to have a Super rugby team from the Eastern Cape. It’s a pity the result didn’t go our way, but the ref, Nigel Owens, was as biased as i’ve seen. I don’t think he deliberately meant to be, or I hope he didn’t but it doesn’t excuse the fact. He was very one-sided in his policing of the breakdowns, and the Lions were hanging around offside all day which made it hard for the Southern Kings to build momentum and get over the advantage line. The yellow cards were extremely harsh, and the penalty try he awarded the Lions in the second half was a joke. The ball was out, and at best it was a penalty, but i’d even debate that. In the end the result was really secondary to the occasion however, as the Southern Kings launched, and the Lions build up to the first test with the Springboks. Check out the highlights below…

The Lions now move to Durban for the first test, and the Southern Kings go… where??? There is nothing else on for the Kings. No competitions to play in, no team to speak of, nothing to build upon…it’s a tragedy. The Kings have been a political showpiece used by SARU to gain Government support and appear as if they are doing something. Why do we have to put up with the Stormers/Western Province, the Golden Lions and the Cheaters embarrassing South Africa with their rugby teams. Give the Kings a chance to show what they can do They deserve it, and the passion of the Eastern Cape will be enough for them to make us all proud…

The British and Irish Lions have overcome the challenge of South Africa’s cats with contrasting victories.

The midweek game against the Pussycats was shambolic for the home side. How a Super 14 side can perform so badly is beyond me. The British and Irish Lions however played well. Admitedly they were running into gaps and holes that appeared as if from nowhere, but they had the confidence to give the ball some air, coupled with hard and direct running that allowed them to reap the rewards.

The Golden Lions on the other hand have hit rock bottom, and it’s going to take an overhaul to ensure they can perform at the top level again. Talk of the players making demands can now be washed aside, as they don’t deserve anything, and the new coach needs to come in and lay some strong ground rules. The union’s biggest problem will be attracting and maintaining quality players, and if Jacque Fourie does leave for France, they will be in even worse shape.

On the weekend, we moved to Bloemfontein, the city of flowers, where it was the turn of the Cheaters.
The first 20 minutes saw the Lions put 20 points on and a repeat of the midweek game beckoned.

I have to say I agreed with the Lions players that referee Wayne Barnes did a poor job at the breakdown. Brussow was exceptional, and played to the ref’s whistle, but the Lions can feel hard done by.

I was impressed with the Lions willingness to move the ball, run hard and straight, and mix that up with clever changes of angles, inside balls, and backing themselves on the outside. Flyhalf James Hook also showed a willingness to take the ball to the line, and I feel he’d be a better bet than the more predictable O’Gara and Jones for the test position.

The Cheaters on the other hand were lucky with an intercept try in the closing stages of the game, and once again showed they know how to lose games. They’ve had a very settled squad all year, and if they don’t finally perform in the Currie Cup, questions will be asked similiar to what the Lions are now experiencing.

The Lions now move on to the coastal games against the Sharks midweek and Western Province on the weekend as they look to finalise test spots. I’m picking two close games…

The Springboks squad for the British and Irish Lions series was announced on monday, and the players got together in Johannesburg, minus the victorious Bulls players who have earnt a well deserved rest.
There are quite a few players recovering from injuries, but this camp will allow them to get back up to speed under expert medical guidance, and start focusing on the British and Irish Lions series. With the injuries and form of some of the Bulls players, there are going to be some hotly contested positions, mostly in the backs, so the players will be working hard trying to impress Div and gain selection for the first test in Durban on June 20!

The Boks, may not have the game preparation the Lions are receiving, but it’s significant that they are training at altitude whilst the Lions will be moving around from the highveld to sea level. The first test in Durban will be at sea level, but I suspect this will have a major bearing on the second and third tests which are both up on the highveld at our traditional strong hold grounds, Loftus and Ellis Park. It will be interesting as time unfolds to see just what plans Div has for his match day squad, i’m expecting a few surprises still to be announced!

The British and Irish Lions got their tour off a winning start in the weekend with a come from behind victory over the Royal XV in Rustenberg.
It will be a difficult tour for them, whith lots of tavel accross the different climatic zones in South Africa.

I’ll let Bob Skinstad take you through the itinerary.

I’m predicting the Lions to go through almost unbeaten in the provincial games, but in the test macthes i’d expect a 3-0 victory for the Sprinboks. Anything less than that would be a failure for the Boks, but if there is one man who has done it time and again it’s the Lions coach, Ian McGeechan.

My two concerns are the goal kicking, if we dont play Morne Steyn. And the kicking from fullback, depending on who we play there. In my mind, Kirchner has all the skills and is solid and dependable. Still this Bok side has many talented individuals, and the personnel we do have can still do the job.

The Boks have 2 more weeks of preparation and I cant wait for the first test in Durban on the 20th June!

The springbok squad for the British and Irish Lions series was announced yesterday.

This is the full squad:

Props:
John Smit
Tendai “the beast” Mtawarira
Gurthrö Steenkamp
Deon Carstens

Hookers:
Bismarck du Plessis
Chiliboy Ralepelle

Locks:
Victor Matfield
Bakkies Botha
Andries Bekker
Danie Rossouw

Loose forwards:
Schalk Burger
Juan Smith
Pierre Spies
Ryan Kankowski

Halfbacks:
Fourie du Preez
Ricky Januarie

Flyhalves:
Ruan Pienaar
Morné Steyn

Centres:
Jean de Villiers
Adi Jacobs
Wynand Olivier

Wingers:
Bryan Habana
Jongi Nokwe
Odwa Ndungane

Utility backs:
Jaque Fourie
JP Pietersen
Earl Rose
Frans Steyn

By and large it is a good squad, but I don’t think it is the “best” squad we could have named. Whilst I am a firm believer in John Smit’s playing ability and think he’ll do a great job at tighthead prop, it’s worrying we don’t have another specialist tighthead in the squad, or anyone in the country who really put their hand up. Jannie Du Plessis and BJ Botha are both overrated in my opinion, and this necessitates Smit moving to this position. Deon Carstens as cover is a little bit of a gamble, although I think he’s a good player. I’d have gone for a slightly controversial selection and picked Sephaka, I think his scrumming is solid, and his fitness and work rate around the field has been exceptional this year.

The hookers were not surprising. But i’m not sure if Chiliboy is our second best hooker behind Bismarck. Derick Kuun has been awesome this year, and can be considered unlucky to miss out.

No surprises in the locks. Matfield and Botha are the best in the world, Bekker may get to be reserve with Danie Rousouw covering loose forward.

The Loose forward combination is a proven trio, but i’d drop Burger. His form has been dismal, and i’d prefer a true opensider in Heinrich Brussow. Kankowski has never impressed me, and i’d rather Burger on the bench who can cover all three loose forward positions. In another selection many wouldn’t consider, i’d also get Pedrie Wannenburg in there, as I think he is tremendously skillful and offers a great ball carrying option.

Halfbacks were the experienced duo of Du Preez and Januarie. I’d have dropped Januarie and given vermaak a go. I think Januarie needs to offer greater consistency, and Vermaak does the basics well and could be a gamebreaker off the bench.

Flyhalf was predicatable. Pienaar will be first choice, but in my mind Steyn deserves it on current form. I also would love to see Earl Rose at some stage.

The centres pick themselves there, and i’d still put De Villiers ahead of Olivier. If Adi Jacobs shoulder isn’t right, then Jacque Fourie deserves outside centre.

On the wings i’d pick Habana and Nokwe in the test side. There is plenty of cover in Fourie, Jacobs and Pietersen, so i’m not sure why they picked Odwa Ndungane. In any case I think they picked the wrong Ndungane, as Akona was playing brilliantly for the Bulls.

JP Pietersen seems to have the inside running for the fullback position, with Jacque Fourie, Earl Rose and even Morne Steyn as possible options. I’d have picked Kirchner in the squad instead as specialist fullback, and in my starting lineup. Those that opted for Terblanche need to see he is not in the same league as Percy was when he was Brought back as an experienced old head.

Sanjay’s Springbok team
1. Gurthro Steenkamp
2. Bismarck Du Plessis
3. John Smit (c)
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield (v/c)
6. Heinrich Brussow
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie Du Preez
10 Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean De Villiers
13. Adi Jacobs
14. Jongi Nokwe
15. Zane Kirchner

16. Derick Kuun
17. The Beast
18. Danie Rousouw
19. Schalk Burger
20. Jano Vermaak
21. Jacque Fourie
22. Earl Rose