Category: Rugby

The Springboks opened their Rugby Championship account with a 34-21 come-from-behind victory over Argentina at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.

The Boks have not lost consecutive matches on home soil since a three-match losing run between 2015 and 2016. And after that 25-10 defeat to England in the final Test of the June internationals, they looked as if they just might repeat the feat when trailing 14-10 at the interval after a scrappy first-half performance.

However, Rassie Erasmus’ men clicked into gear in the second-half, scoring 17 unanswered points to complete a thrilling comeback and continue their impressive record under their charismatic new mentor. The former Munster boss will be delighted with his wing duo and inexperienced centre pairing (playing together for the first time) as well as handing Damian Willemse and Marco van Staden their debuts.

The Springboks opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Lukhanyo Am powered his way over after superb interplay between backs and forwards, with Andre Esterhuizen, Frans Malherbe and Faf de Klerk instrumental in the build-up.

Argentina responded seven minutes later. A Nicolas Sanchez up and under was spilled by Willie le Roux as the visitors pounced on the loose ball. Possession was recycled and with the Bok defence scrambling that allowed Sanchez to run in under the posts and convert his own try for a 7-5 lead.

Soon afterwards, los Pumas had the lead. Bok captain Siya Kolisi found himself isolated after a mini break down the right flank, with the Argentine counter-ruck proving successful as wing Ramiro Moyano effected the turnover before running 20 metres and timing the final pass expertly for flank Pablo Matera to dot down for his fourth international try.

However, moments later and ten minutes before the interval, Le Roux saw the space on the outside and produced a pinpoint cross-field kick to find Aphiwe Dyantyi out on the left wing for his second try in a Bok jersey as the hosts to cut the deficit to four at 14-10 at the half-time break.

Two minutes after the resumption, Handre Pollard and Esterhuizen combined to make the mini-break to get the Springboks on the front foot before De Klerk’s kick over the top was gobbled up by Dyantyi, who produced a brilliant one-handed finish to grab his brace. Pollard made no mistake with the conversion this time to give the hosts a 17-14 lead.

The Springboks’ third came six minutes later. It came when Beast Mtawarira got under his opposite number at scrum-time and drove him backwards, thus winning the penalty for the home side. They were rewarded for going for the attacking line-out when De Klerk found Makazole Mapimpi with an over-the-top pass, the winger having all the time in the world to complete the finish.

Moments later, both Bok wings had doubles when Mapimpi finished off a flowing move from the home side that involved slick interplay between backs and forwards once again. Malcolm Marx made a particularly telling carry in the build-up to get his side over the advantage line. Pollard’s conversion made it a 27-14 lead after 53 minutes.

After Eben Etzebeth, who had an impressive return, made a bullocking run downfield, replacement debutant fly-half Willemse threw a wayward pass which eluded fellow debutant Van Staden, with Matias Moroni intercepting and crossing untouched under the posts. Sanchez converted to cut the deficit to six.

But with ten minutes to go, scrum-half De Klerk would put the game beyond doubt when he showed good presence of mind to snipe over after Steven Kitshoff was halted inches short. Pollard added the extras, which would prove to be the final points scored of the game, as the Boks ran out 34-21 winners.

The scorers:

For South Africa:
Tries: Am, Dyantyi 2, Mapimpi 2, De Klerk
Cons: Pollard 2

For Argentina:
Tries: Sanchez, Matera, Moroni
Cons: Sanchez 3

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Makazole Mapimpi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Siya Kolisi (c), 6 Francois Louw, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Lionel Mapoe, 23 Damian Willemse

Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements: 16 Diego Fortuny, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Tomas Lavanini, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Juan Cruz Mallia

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

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Australia have been dealt a major blow ahead of next weekend’s Rugby Championship clash with New Zealand after Israel Folau was ruled out injured.

The full-back suffered an ankle injury in the second-half of Australia’s 38-13 defeat in Sydney, with Michael Cheika confirming his absence.

“He got a small tear in a muscle, right down low. Quite rare, really, but it is actually not a long-term injury at all,” the coach told reporters.

“It’s just a lot of swelling. We’ll be hopeful he’ll be back for the first game in Brisbane.”

That match in Brisbane is the Wallabies’ Round Three clash against South Africa on September 8. Before that however is a trip to Eden Park where Cheika believes Jack Maddocks or Tom Banks are more than capable of filling in for the injured Folau.

“I thought he did OK out there when he went on,” Cheika said of Maddocks.

“I haven’t had a good look at it but he wouldn’t have been on the bench if we didn’t think he was ready to play.

“He got a few touches and got a try as well so, yeah, I would imagine he would be there.

“We’ve also got Tom Banks, who’s an out-and-out full-back so we’ll see where we end up.”

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A third-straight Sydney Bledisloe Cup bungle was a performance which the Wallabies were “not proud of”, according to second-row Adam Coleman.

The 38-13 loss was tough viewing in the second-half – a 6-5 half time lead quickly turning into another All Blacks rout as the Wallabies’ set-piece crumbled in front of their eyes.

Having set up camp on Waiheke Island – a 30-minute ferry ride from Auckland’s CBD – the Wallabies now have an Everest-sized mountain to climb if they are to snatch the Bledisloe back from the Kiwis.

Australia haven’t beaten New Zealand at Eden Park since 1986 and the All Blacks are undefeated through their last 41 starts at the ground.

If that number ticks over to 42 on Saturday the Bledisloe will stay across the ditch for another year.

Rather than being daunted by the task ahead of them, Coleman said the grim history would be a motivating factor for the team.

“I have a lot of confidence in our boys,” he told the Australian Rugby Union’s official website.

“What a challenge – to come to Eden Park and respond – I think it’s a great challenge and great motivation for the squad.

“I don’t think they need motivation but it’s a good challenge.”

Coleman dismissed any notion the Australians would benefit from playing the All Blacks later in the Rugby Championship – when they have really hit top gear in recent years – with the team eager to reverse another Sydney performance packed with moments they would rather forget.

“I think it’s a good opportunity to respond,” he said.

“We got beat but I look at it as a positive that we get to play them again and turn around a performance that we’re not really proud of, to be honest.

“We let down people on our home turf and it hurts.

“It’s something we’re not proud of but I think there is a great opportunity on Saturday to turn it around.”

Coleman was calling the shots at line-out time and the Australians lost seven of their own throws on Saturday – killing any and all attacking momentum at critical junctures.

“They mixed things up in that area,” he explained, looking to fix that problem.

“They had a shift/peel play when they first came into the attacking 22 and really changed the picture.

“Defensively I think our boys had made improvement in that area but it’s just disappointing from our attack perspective.

“We were really turning (the ball) over and relieving pressure which, in turn, didn’t give our team the opportunity to attack.”

The turnovers from both set-piece and general play were the killer blow, according to Wallabies back Dane Haylett-Petty.

“When you look at the structured and unstructured defence we were actually really good, but we got killed on turnovers,” he said.

“Four or five tries. It was the main area of the game where we let ourselves down.

“Against other teams they’re probably not going to capitalise on all those opportunities but the All Blacks definitely do and we can’t afford to open the door and give them those opportunities.”

Fix those key areas and the result may have been different on Saturday but for now all eyes are on Eden Park.

“We know we’re good enough, we were good enough for 39 minutes in the game and we’ve got to be able to do it for 80 minutes,” added Haylett-Petty.

“It’s going to take a very good performance but we’ve got a very good team, a lot of quality, experienced players and very good coaches.

“If we stick to what we do well, we’ll do well.”

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All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has admitted that the concussions suffered by centre Ryan Crotty is a concern to him and his team.

Crotty was forced off the field early during the All Blacks’ 38-13 Bledisloe Cup victory over Sydney on Saturday after an accidental clash of heads with midfield partner Jack Goodhue.

That was Crotty’s sixth concussion in the last 18 months and there are worries in the All Black camp around the 29-year-old.

Crotty will miss the rematch with the Wallabies in Auckland on Saturday although medical checks after the match in Sydney suggested he will be fine to play in the Rugby Championship later on.

“It concerns us, definitely,” Hansen told Stuff of Crotty’s concussion issues.

“He’s already seen a specialist and they’ve given him the all-clear. From our understanding as long as you fully recover and don’t go back when you’re not fully recovered, then you’re OK.

“He was just unlucky last night. It was freaky – friendly fire from Jack straight in the face. It would have knocked most of us out.”

Crotty’s All Blacks team-mate, openside flanker Sam Cane was more circumspect when giving his opinion on the matter.

“It’s not nice to see,” he said of Crotty’s head knock.

“It’s just a tough injury. Everything else has a time-frame but there’s just so much unknown with head knocks and it seems like you can be only one away, if it’s the wrong one, from it being then end of it.

“I’ve seen that with a few mates. It certainly helps you appreciate every week and every game you have and realising how fickle it can be.”

Cane also praised the actions of Wallaby back-row David Pocock, who immediately went to Crotty’s aid after he was knocked out, instead of chasing play.

“It speaks pretty highly of his character and the type of guy he is if he’s willing to put the battle to one side in that moment and put the player’s welfare first,” added Cane, who has also had concussion issues in the past.

“So, thank you David.”

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Scottish Rugby has announced that an agreement has been reached with Ulster and the IRFU to allow Dan McFarland to begin working on Monday.

McFarland, who joined the Scotland coaching team from Glasgow Warriors in 2017, was announced as Ulster head coach in April but was contractually obliged to remain in post for a nine-month notice period (ending in January), having originally signed a deal to the summer of 2019.

The governing body and PRO14 side have, however, reached a mutual agreement on terms to allow him to take up his new role immediately.

McFarland’s replacement, Danny Wilson, started work with the Scotland coaching team earlier this month, bringing eight-years’ elite-level coaching experience in the PRO14 (steering Cardiff to Challenge Cup glory earlier this year) and Wales U20, a side he guided to a third and second-place finish in the 2012 and 2013 Junior World Championships.

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South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus believes his side must be more consistent after their bonus-point 34-21 win over Argentina in Durban.

Braces from Aphiwe Dyantyi and Makazole Mapimpi and one each for Lukhanyo Am and Faf de Klerk saw the Springboks seal a comfortable victory.

However, while Erasmus did take pleasure in how his troops bounced back after the break, he was not overly pleased with his side’s performance.

“The only positive was the first 30 minutes in the second-half; it was the only decent rugby we played,” the coach told SA Rugby’s website.

“I was expecting that we wouldn’t produce a completely fluent display, but the first-half was worse than I thought. Thankfully Siya (Kolisi) and the boys picked it up after the break.

“We lost a few line-outs that were crucial and there were some technical errors but for all of that it was a dominant performance, but it wasn’t the crispest performance. Technically and tactically we weren’t on par.”

He added: “The line-outs we lost in their 22 were a problem – we were down there five times and we didn’t capitalise in the first half. That was the most frustrating thing.

“But you have to look at the positive – there is some gelling to be done in this team but as long as the effort is there it will come and we saw good effort.”

Changes are expected to be made to the Springbok side for the reverse fixture in Mendoza next weekend, with Erasmus revealing his plans.

“They know what we’re about now and we’ll make a few changes to the team – four of five changes – as we’re expecting a massive physical onslaught; they are fuming,” he said.

“They have always been tough there – but we got five points out of this game; not the most beautiful and perfect game but we’re well in it. Going there I don’t think we have the luxury of experimenting.”

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Namibia have qualified for Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan after beating Kenya 53-28 in Windhoek to win the Rugby Africa Gold Cup on Saturday.

They join world champions New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and the Repechage winner in Pool B for what will be their sixth-successive tournament.

Kenya’s dream of qualifying for their first Rugby World Cup is not over, but they now face the prospect of taking on Canada, Hong Kong and Germany in November’s round-robin Repechage competition in Marseille for the final place.

Kenya had only beaten Namibia twice in 10 matches with their last victory coming in 2016, but driven by an opportunity to make history, the team ranked 28th in the World Rugby rankings played their part in a highly-entertaining and high-scoring match.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “Congratulations to Namibia on winning the Rugby Africa Gold Cup to secure a place at Rugby World Cup 2019. They were impressive throughout the competition and are deserved champions.

“We look forward to welcoming the Namibia team and their fans to Japan for what promises to be a very special and ground-breaking Rugby World Cup – the first in Asia.

“The qualification process is almost over, but Kenya’s journey continues as they deservedly secure a place in November’s Repechage in Marseille, and I would like to wish them, Canada, Hong Kong and Germany all the best for what promises to be an exciting tournament.”

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Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has named a squad of 28 players for the visit to Argentina, where they will face the Pumas in Mendoza on Saturday.

South Africa and Argentina meet on Saturday, 25 August, for the second time in as many weeks in the opening stages of the Rugby Championship.

The Springboks defeated the Pumas 34-21 in a bonus-point win in the first encounter between the sides in Durban at the weekend.

Erasmus trimmed the forwards by three players, namely Jean-Luc du Preez (loose forward), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (loose forward) and Marvin Orie (lock). Uncapped flanker Cyle Brink underwent surgery earlier in the week to repair damage suffered to his injured knee.

Squad members Ross Cronje (scrum-half), Jesse Kriel (centre) and Lwazi Mvovo (wing) are the three backs not travelling to South America.

The Springboks had a recovery day on Sunday in Durban, while captain Siya Kolisi and the squad are due to fly out to Argentina on Monday morning.

Erasmus will announce his matchday squad on Thursday.

Springbok squad:

Forwards: Thomas du Toit, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi (c), Francois Louw, Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx , Bongi Mbonambi, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, RG Snyman, Akker van der Merwe, Marco van Staden, Warren Whiteley

Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Faf de Klerk, Aphiwe Dyantyi, André Esterhuizen, Elton Jantjies, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Lionel Mapoe, Embrose Papier, Handré Pollard, Ivan van Zyl, Damian Willemse

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Northampton Saints have confirmed that hooker Dylan Hartley and prop Alex Waller will co-captain the squad for the 2018/19 season.

The pair, who have amassed almost 500 appearances in black, green and gold between them, will lead Saints during the upcoming season and new director of rugby Chris Boyd insisted that the decision was straightforward.

“To keep Dylan in a leadership role was an obvious choice for me,” he said. “He’s hugely respected by everyone here at Saints and has led the club brilliantly for several years now.

“We were, however, aware that the club could be without a captain for large chunks of the season while Dylan is away on England duty, so naming Alex as co-captain was the obvious next step.

“Alex is a pivotal figure here at Franklin’s Gardens. His leadership skills are clear to see, and he boasts an intimate knowledge of this club having spent the entirety of his nine senior seasons here.

“Dylan and Alex have worked together for a number of years and I’m sure they will continue to build on their partnership in this new set-up.”

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Hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has defended under-fire Wallabies coach Michael Cheika in the wake of yet another Bledisloe Cup loss to New Zealand last weekend, saying the players need to take responsibility.

Cheika has come in for criticism in the past few days after his side’s second-half collapse, which left their hopes of extinguishing 16 years of Bledisloe heartache hanging by a thread.

But senior Wallabies in the form of Polota-Nau and Adam Coleman have rallied behind their boss, whom they believe is still the best man to take the team forward with the 2019 World Cup in Japan on the horizon.

“He’s definitely the best man for the job,” Polota-Nau told Sky Sports.

“It’s more about how we take that blueprint and put it out there on the field.

“At the end of the day we’re the guys out there on the field and only we can control what the plays are at hand.”

Lock Adam Coleman echoed the words of his team-mate as the Wallabies prepare for the second Test at Eden Park on Saturday.

“We’ve got full confidence in this coaching staff and we back them 100 percent,” Coleman said.

“There has never ever been a question about that so I don’t know where that has come from.”

Polota-Nau added on the tough prospect of winning at the Auckland venue: “(We) don’t even consider what they call the hoodoo of Eden Park.

“I’ve played there quite a few times and managed to win only once – in 2009 with the Waratahs – but we have to make sure we use that one opportunity and reminisce on the good times.

“My biggest motivator is to win again at Eden Park.”

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