Bekker back but Kitshoff rested for Stormers

Andries Bekker is back in the DHL Stormers pack for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the MTN Lions at Newlands, but coach Allister Coetzee decided to rest Steven Kitshoff and to play Bryan Habana off the bench.

Habana just played three consecutive tests for the Springboks in the Castle Incoming Tests Series against England, whilst Kitshoff, who played for the victorious Junior Boks side in the IRB Junior World Championships 2012, will be rested for the clash, which will see Don Armand starting at flank for the Stormers for first time.

Joe Pietersen, who missed the Stormers last match before the three week break in Vodacom Super Rugby due to injury, is fit again and will start at fullback.

The DHL Stormers team is: 15. Joe Pietersen 14. Gio Aplon 13. Juan de Jongh 12. Jean de Villiers (c) 11. Gerhard van den Heever 10. Peter Grant 9. Dewaldt Duvenage 8. Siya Kolisi 7. Don Armand 6. Tyrone Holmes 5. Andries Bekker 4. De Kock Steenkamp 3. Frans Malherbe 2. Deon Fourie 1. Deon Carstens. Replacements: 16. Tiaan Liebenberg 17. Brok Harris 18. Quinn Roux 19. Jebb Sinclair 20. Louis Schreuder 21. Burton Francis 22. Bryan Habana.

Source: http://www.sarugby.net

Bulls continue to back Steyn

Despite fears that mental fatigue may be behind Springbok pivot Morne Steyn’s recent lapse in form, the Vodacom Bulls will continue to back him and he will start against the Cheetahs this Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.

Steyn didn’t have his best test match in Port Elizabeth and was booed by the crowd in the wind and rain, but will need to use these next few weeks back in Vodacom Super Rugby to find his feet again and regain his form.

Bok coach Heyneke Meyer is set to retain his points machine for the Castle Rugby Championship and said at the weekend that Steyn needs to find his form again in Super Rugby.

Yet, with Steyn hardly ever an injury concern, there is a worry that he has played too much rugby without a break, having racked up a massive 103 games since joining the Springboks for their test series against the British and Irish Lions in 2009.

That includes no fewer than 37 test matches – Steyn missed just two tests in the Green and Gold, and just one in the Bulls jersey in four seasons of non-stop rugby, making one question the way he is being managed.

Those who booed him in the test match have short memories, as Steyn a year ago almost single-handedly beat the All Blacks with an 18-point haul in similarly poor conditions, and has racked up an impressive list of records whenever he dons the Springbok jersey.

He is currently the fastest player to 100, 200, 300 and 400 points in a Bok jersey and holds several world records in rugby as well with his deadly boot, including 41 consecutive penalty successes.

But it is true that Steyn is currently going through a challenging time, and while he tried to vary his play more in the England series, and varied it well in the opening two tests, he needed to be more controlled in the third test and play a more dominant flyhalf role.

Since 2009 Steyn had only one break while playing for the Bulls – when the Pretoria franchise sent down a B side to Newlands in 2010. Before that game he had played 33 consecutive games for the Bulls, and since then another 24 without a break. This year he has played in every single Bulls game in Super Rugby as well.

But instead of giving him a mental break and some time away from rugby, the Bulls believe his game is better served by working through the faults, and by playing him more, as coach Frans Ludeke confirmed on Tuesday.

ON TOP OF THE SITUATION

“We’re not worried, we know Morne and what he is capable of. He may have missed one or two kicks, but we know his ability,” Ludeke said.

“He has been in a situation like this before and he has worked through it. We back him totally to regain his confidence and he knows the areas he needs to work on.”

Steyn spent another of his long sessions after practice this week working on his technique, and when it comes to commitment, he certainly hasn’t shirked his duty.

Ludeke believes it would be unfair to call it mental fatigue, but the truth is that at such a crucial stage in the season, the Bulls can ill afford to lose his boot as they vie for a spot in the playoffs.

“There is another way to look at, sometimes things don’t always go to plan, and life isn’t plain sailing. You get patches like this and you need to work through it. Nobody can sort it out except you. Morne has an amazing work ethic and it is a small thing that he needs to work through,” Ludeke explained.

“To pin it down to mental fatigue would be unfair. He is on top of the situation, and he knows what he needs to do. He simply needs to bounce back. He has missed kicks and then landed crucial ones from the corner, so his ability is not in question.

“I think people miss the consistency of the last three or four years, where he was slotting every kick. We are confident he will find his form again.”

Ludeke’s approach may be a bit different from what the public might like, but he is confident Steyn will be on top form again soon.

“Normally we don’t make too big an issue on these things, we like to work with a positive mindset and we know what he can do. We must back him now – he needs our backing.”

Source: supersport.com

Latest on Lions vs John Mitchell

The investigation into allegations surrounding Lions rugby coach John Mitchell could be completed by the end of this week, according to South African media.

The Johannesburg-based Super 15 franchise suspended the former All Blacks coach last Friday after a group of players complained about him to the franchise's president, Kevin de Klerk.

Local media have reported that the players became fed up with Mitchell's treatment of them. Mitchell, who guided the Lions to Currie Cup success last year, is known as a disciplinarian coach.

The New Zealander is expected to be presented with a host of the allegations against him, and asked to defend himself.

In a statement, de Klerk said: ''We are fortunate to be in a position where we have two experienced assistant coaches (Johan Ackermann and Carlos Spencer) who are able to step in during this period.

"Where necessary, and for the time being, Johan Ackermann (Lions forward coach), in conjunction with the management team, will make the necessary team related and technical decisions."

Mitchell told the SuperSport.com website the matter was now in the hands of his lawyers and he would only respond through them when they believed the time was right.

Supersport.com reported that de Klerk told a local radio station that the complaints were not criminal in nature, but about how Mitchell handled players.

Suspending Mitchell had not been a ''knee-jerk'' reaction, he insisted.

"We understand players are emotional and people work hard, but there are limits as well. There are certain lines that don't get crossed in every aspect of life,'' de Klerk told Radio 702.

Mitchell left the Perth-based Western Force in 2010 after problems with players.

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz

2012 Craven Week TV Broadcasting Schedules

Herewith the Craven Week Schedule. Please note that all matches will be played at the Nelson  Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Date	K/O	SD-Channels	Teams
Mon 9 Jul	08:30	SS1 / SS1A	Leopards vs Namibia
	10:00	SS1 / SS1A	Boland vs Griquas
	11:30	SS1 / SS1A	Lions vs Border
	13:00	SS1 / SS1A / CSN	Free State vs KZN
	14:30	SS1 / SS1A / CSN	Opening Ceremony
	15:30	SS1 / SS1A / CSN	EP vs Valke
Tue 10 Jul	09:30	SS1 / SS1A	Zimbabwe vs Border CD
	11:00	SS1 / SS1A	Griquas CD vs EP CD
	12:30	SS1 / SS1A	SWD vs Limpopo
	14:00	SS1 / SS1ACSN	Pumas vs Griffons
	15:30	SS1 / SS1A / CSN	WP vs Blue Bulls
Wed 11 Jul	09:30	SS1 / SS1A	Game 1
	11:00	SS1 / SS1A	Game 2
	12:30	SS1 / SS1ACSN	Game 3
	14:00	SS1 / SS1A / CSN	Game 4
	15:30	SS1 / SS1A / CSN	Game 5
Thu 12 Jul	09:30	SS1 / SS1A	Game 1
	11:00	SS1 / SS1A	Game 2
	12:30	SS1 / SS1ACSN	Game 3
	14:00	SS1 / SS1A / CSN	Game 4
	15:30	SS1 / SS1A / CSN	Game 5
Sat 14 Jul	13:40	SS5 / SS5A / SS5N	Final Match

Source: http://www.rugby15.co.za

SANZAR boast about Super numbers

With Super Rugby back from its mid-season break - for the June Internationals for the first time - SANZAR revealed that going into the intermission all three territories were tracking beyond comparative numbers from this time last year.

Attendances have been strong, with many fixtures throughout the season setting new records for teams and grounds alike.

SANZAR CEO Greg Peters said this was further proof that Super Rugby was arguably the best international interprovincial competition in world rugby.

"This is the second year Super Rugby has been in its current conference guise with 15 teams, and it is pleasing to note that fans are registering their approval of the new format with record numbers," Peters said.

"The Conference system and increased local derbies are again showing the intense competition within each territory, with grounds, as well as our broadcasting partners revealing some stunning figures."

"In Australia, New Zealand and South Africa the broadcasters have been thrilled with viewing numbers this season, and as a result our stakeholders have been pleased that the current format is yielding desired outcomes."

New Zealand has been seen the biggest growth, with Peters stating that this was exactly the follow on from World Cup!4H (qWu$'nxL$2vor.

"The Legacy Programme implemented by the New Zealand Rugby Union was designed to capture the effects of hosting the third largest sporting event in the world, and as a consequence New Zealanders are watching the game in record numbers."

The cumulative figure continues to rise for NZ with 9,916,300 fans tuning into the 100 matches played to date.

While 2011 had one less match played, with 99 matches played by end of Round 15, a total of 7,458,600 tuned in, seeing 2012 with a considerable increase of 32 percent.

A combined total of 538,959 NZ fans have attended 32 home matches (an average of 16,842 per match) over the first 15 weeks. That is two more matches than the 30 that were played by this time in 2011, with a total of 390,946 (average of 12,217 per match). This represents a 37 percent increase in average crowds per match.

Australia, the boom performer in 2011, spearheaded by the inaugural championship success of the Queensland Reds, has continued to turn in strong numbers.

"Numbers in Australia have been consistent with the remarkable results achieved in 2011, where the Reds title success resulted in new viewing records across the country, while Queensland Rugby has since turned in some great results off the field, maintaining record attendances while shattering membership numbers," Peters said.

After 15 rounds a cumulative total of 5,888,000 fans have viewed the 100 Super Rugby matches in Australia. This average is only slightly down 3 percent on the highs of 2011 and has climbed considerably as the season progresses.

With 34 matches played on home soil, 633,847 Australian fans have attended Super Rugby matches to date (average 18,642 per match). 2011 at Round 15 was one game behind with 33 matches played, but was slightly ahead in the cumulative crowd with 640,910 attending those matches (average of 19,421 per match).

South African viewing numbers continued to increase, while their match attendances were slightly down compared with this time last season - but these figures are likely to change with a host of local derbies to come.

"Once again South Africa continues to pour in strong numbers" Peters said.

"While their numbers are down on this time last season in terms of ground attendance, we expect this figure to jump, especially considering some of the remaining derbies to come in the South African Conference."

A massive cumulative total of 34,074,497 South African fans have tuned into the 100 matches to date. By the end of Round 15 in 2011, 99 matches had been played with a total of 28,658,402 viewers. While only one game less had been played in 2011, the difference of 5,416,095 is a significant gap and therefore a great increase in viewership for South Africa compared to 2011.

A total of 852,838 fans have attended the 32 matches played to date (an average of 26,651 per match). This is two matches less than the 34 that were played by the end of Round 15 in 2011 with a total of 914,249.

There have also been reports of some great viewing numbers in the United Kingdom, with an average of 35,000 live in-home viewers per Super Rugby match.

Peters said that the second stage of the 2012 Super Rugby season would only build the momentum seen over the first 15 rounds.

"With three rounds still to play, we have nine teams still in Super Rugby Finals Series calculations, a heady group including the defending champions, three former Super Rugby winners, and a collection of other contenders who have exceeded expectations this season," Peters said.

"What will make the run home special are the local derbies and that any team is capable of beating any other and upsetting the Finals Series contenders."

Source: http://www.rugby365.com

Blue Bulls injury and squad update

Thirteen Springboks will return to the Bulls fold this week as they start preparations for the final leg of their Super Rugby league fixtures, but Bok loose forward Deon Stegmann remains on the sidelines.

Bulls team doctor Org Strauss confirmed that all 13 players who were part of the national squad during the three-Test series against England received medical clearance and should be available for selection for the encounter with the Cheetahs in Pretoria.

However, Stegmann, who fractured his arm during the Bulls' tour to Australasia, will sit out this week and could return for the Bulls when they travel to Durban next week to face the Sharks.

Fullback Zane Kirchner, who injured his knee while on Springbok duty in the opening Test against England, has also been cleared.

Strauss also confirmed the availability of Frik Kirsten, who fractured his hand on the Australasian trip.

However, the bulk of the team will come from their returning Boks.

Wynand Olivier, Morné Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Pierre Spies, Jacques Potgieter and Juandré Kruger all featured in South Africa's starting XV that played to a 1`4-all draw against England in Port Elizabeth at the weekend.

Werner Kruger, Flip van der Merwe and Bjorn Basson (the latter unused) were on the bench in PE - while JJ Engelbrecht, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Jano Vermaak were part of the squad but not involved in the matchday 22.

Other injured players still out of action include Lionel Cronje (pectoral muscle, six weeks), Fudge Mabeta (knee, three months) and Rossouw de Klerk (knee, one week).

Source: http://www.rugby365.com

Another 2 injury blows for Lions

The Lions, still reeling from losing their head coach last week, may well be without their two top props when the Super Rugby season resumes this week.

Johan Ackermann, one of the two assistant coaches who will take over from suspended head coach John Mitchell, revealed that Springbok CJ van der Linde (hamstring) and Bok training squad member Pat Cilliers (calf) were injured when the Lions squad returned to training last week.

After a three-week break during the June Test window, the Lions will travel to Cape Town on Saturday to take on the Stormers - before completing their troubled season with fixtures against the Rebels (in Johannesburg) and Bulls (in Pretoria).

Having already been consigned to last place in the South African conference, but hoping to avoid propping up the global table, the Lions need to repeat the giant killing act that saw them topple the Sharks (38-28) just before the break.

However, should they loose both props to injury, they will face a tall order against the SA Conference leaders, the Stormers, at Newlands.

"We will make a final call on CJ [van der Linde] by Thursday," Ackermann told this website, holding out hope that the veteran Bok prop could still play against the Stormers - whom he was contracted to before moving to Johannesburg last year.

"However, Pat [Cilliers] is definitely out," he said, adding: "It is a big setback for him, as he has been playing some good rugby."

Ackermann said there is a good chance Cilliers could be back to face the Rebels next week.

"We will take it [the injury] on a week-by-week basis.

"A calf injury is always a tricky problem, but the doctor feels that he could be back by next week."

He said the two props are the only players who were involved in the win over the Sharks that are injured - with the rest of the group from that game all available.

Springbok centre Waylon Murray, who was on the bench against the Sharks after a lengthy injury lay-off, is in the frame to start this week, while scrumhalf Michael Bondesio is also available again.

The nuggety No.9 is the only one of the previously injured players who could come into the matchday 22.

Ackermann said that Van der Linde is not fit, then Jacobie Adriaanse] and JC Janse van Rensburg will start, alongside Callie Visagie, in the front row.

The former Bok lock said the team will be playing for "pride and honour" in their remaining matches.

"We want to finish on a high, maintain that momentum and try to play the quality of rugby we produced before the break, against the Sharks," Ackermann said, adding: "We have honour and respect to play for and those are our goals.

"We would also like to sort out a few combinations for the Currie Cup."

Source: http://www.rugby365.com

Latest on Junior NZ player rape accusation

Johannesburg - The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) will co-operate with South African police inquiries into an accusation of rape against a member of its Under-20 team, it said on Monday.

"The team has just returned from South Africa, and we are discussing all available details with team management," the NZRU said in a statement.

"Our understanding of the matter is that the allegation was focused on one player."

Neil Sorensen, the NZRU general manager of professional rugby, said all members of the nation's Under-20 squad had returned home.

"The team and team management complied with local police requirements and co-operated fully and assisted them with their inquiries, after which police advised they were happy for all members of the team to travel home," Sorensen said.

"Neither team management, nor NZRU have been contacted by the local authorities since then or advised of any further issues or inquiries.

"If we are contacted, we will co-operate and help in any way we can."

Colonel Vish Naidoo said earlier police were called to the New Zealand team's hotel in Cape Town on Saturday morning when a 22-year-old woman claimed one of the "Baby Blacks" had raped her.

"Police forensic experts were on the scene at the hotel scouring the crime scene and taking samples on the spot."

Naidoo said the charge was being investigated.

The New Age reported that the New Zealand High Commission held top-level negotiations with police about the incident and to secure the whole team's safe passage from South Africa on Saturday night.

The New Zealand side lost 22-16 to the Baby Boks at a packed Newlands Stadium in the final of the IRB Junior World Championship on Friday evening.

Source: http://www.sport24.co.za

No Burger or Koster for Stormers

The long awaited return to the playing field of regular Stormers captain Schalk Burger won’t be happening this week against the Lions, and may not be happening any time soon.

The Stormers management have confirmed that Burger is still struggling with the knee injury that has kept him out since an early stage of the opening Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes at Newlands in February. Burger was making good progress before the break for the international season, but apparently he is feeling pain in his knee again, and may not be back for a few weeks.

That is bad news for the Stormers as it looks like they will still be facing a loose-forward crisis as a result. Duane Vermeulen won’t be back from his injury until the final league game against the Rebels at the earliest, while Nick Koster is also set to miss this week’s match after initially being given the prognosis that he would be ready.

And with Rynhardt Elstadt, who has been solid for the Stormers at No 7, out for one match due to suspension, it leaves the Cape team in a big hole when it comes to the back-row, with Canadian Jebb Sinclair and Siya Kolisi having to be joined by one of Don Armand or, if rumour is to be believed, Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth, on the other flank.

Etzebeth playing flank will be made possible if Andries Bekker, who has made an impressive recovery from injury and looks likely to return to the playing field earlier than predicted, proves his readiness over the next few days.

The Stormers can probably afford to drop one of their remaining three matches and still win the South African conference in Super Rugby, but they will be wanting to start of the closing sequence of matches in the league phase with a win as they face a potentially difficult away game against the Cheetahs the following week.

Source: http://www.supersport.com

6 Weeks of Super Bok trials coming up

The next six weeks of Super Rugby should be particularly intriguing after having had a look at Heyneke Meyer's opening hand against England.

The new Bok mentor made a few bold selections when he assembled a team that was set up to overpower England with little preparation time, and they churned out a series victory through some patchy performances which showed both immense potential and a few vulnerabilities.

Although they were devastating at times against England, the Boks lacked the consistency to put their determined opposition away comprehensively, and Meyer now has six weeks to consider how the gameplan and selection policy should differ for the upcoming Rugby Championship which will provide a much sterner test of his team's credentials.

The Bok coach has made it clear that he wants to pick the best team to take on the specific opposition that they are faced with, and after laying a 'solid foundation' against England it will be instructive to see if his selections and approach change at all when considering the threats of Australia and New Zealand.

The Springboks were derailed by a dogged defensive performance in Port Elizabeth, as England refused them any momentum in the collisions, and the major challenge will be to show that they can adapt to a similar challenge in the future, as the Wallabies and All Blacks will surely try to deny them gainline dominance in the same way.

Whether Meyer decides that he needs to tweak the gameplan, or not, it should be fascinating watching individual players in the next few weeks of Super Rugby, as there will be many who feel they have something to prove.

The Cheetahs may be out of the running for a play-off place, but Heinrich Brüssow has three matches to show Meyer that the Boks do need a specialist openside flank to round off the loose trio, whilst there are a host of other players that were overlooked for the three Tests against England who will want to show that they deserve a spot in the squad.

The likes of Chiliboy Ralepelle, Siya Kolisi, Peter Grant, Juan de Jongh and Lwazi Mvovo will be intent on showing that they can be valuable assets in a Green and Gold jersey this year, and their form will be watched with interest.

In addition to the list of outsiders seeking to break in, there will be a few incumbents, such as the Bulls halfback pairing of Francois Hougaard and Morné Steyn, who will be desperate to rediscover the form and consistency that got them the nod from Meyer in the first place.

On top of these considerations, the injury toll will also be a key concern for Meyer as he waits anxiously to see which players will be available to take on the other southern hemisphere giants.

There will be a few players returning from short-term injuries like Willem Alberts, Andries Bekker, Zane Kirchner and Pat Lambie, all of whom will be intent on proving their fitness in the coming weeks, and another important factor will be how Meyer integrates those who will be available after Super Rugby following lengthy spells on the sidelines.

Players like Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen and Johan Goosen are all expected to be fit again at some stage during the Rugby Championship, but can they be expected to slot right in at the highest level?

All of this makes the next few weeks vital, as the players will want to force Meyer's hand through their form, and the coach has some important decisions to make regarding the style of rugby his team should play in the Rugby Championship.

Meyer's reaction to the draw in Port Elizabeth was that it was "unacceptable" and that the Boks need to "catch up" with their rivals on the international stage, so it will be revealing to see how he reacts, if at all, in terms of selection.

The Bok coach is a big believer in stability and structure, so he is unlikely to make drastic changes to his squad, but there will certainly be reason for every Bok contender to hit form at the end of the Super Rugby season, starting this weekend with the local derbies in Cape Town and Pretoria.

Source: http://www.rugby365.com/

Latest comments from Bok coach and captain

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer and captain Jean de Villiers could not hide their disappointment after being held to a 14-14 draw in the final Test in the Castle Incoming Tour against England. South Africa had already secured the series, 2-0, after victories at Mr Price Kings Park and Coca-Cola Park.

“The players know they haven’t played well,” said Meyer. “We have high standards and we want to win test matches. Tonight we let the country down. All credit to England. They adapted much better than us to the conditions.

“They got behind us once or twice behind us and then defended for their lives. It is no use making excuses – but a lot of our guys haven’t played under these conditions at test match rugby. But no excuses from us – England were the better team on the night”

The Springboks led 9-8 at the interval but held the lead for only 14 minutes of the match as they were unable to convert pressure into points with JPO Pietersne scoring the Boks’ only try of the match in the 62nd minute and Morne Steyn missing three kicks at goal.

“Morne is a worry at the moment and we know he isn’t playing well,” said Meyer. “I thought he played quite well in the previous two games, it was just his kicking that was off. He has high standards and he will be back stronger.”

“He has three Super Rugby games to get himself right and he knows we need him in the Castle Championship. I’ve got a lot of confidence in him, he just isn’t striking the ball well at the moment.”

Jean de Villiers was just as downbeat. He said the Boks failed to execute but also gave credit to England.

“We didn’t play well,” he said. “We lost ball in the set phases and our kicking game wasn’t good enough. I’m not just saying the kickers, but the chasing and contesting in the air, the platform to kick from and everything. You can only play as well as the opposition allows you and credit must go to England for the way they played.

"I thought we did well to come back and get the lead. We had an opportunity to finish off the game and we made a mistake and they came back and equalled things up.

“As long as we move forward and learn from our mistakes it is fine, but if we keep on making the same mistakes then that is a worry.”

Source: http://www.sarugby.co.za

Our Springbok player rating for all 3 England tests

We have averaged the ratings from all rugby websites for each game of the 3 test series against England. Players must have started at least two of the three tests to be considered. Rampaging number 7 Willem Alberts was the best rated player by far, with struggling flyhalf Morne Steyn clearly the worst rated of the Bok starters. 

Source: Ougrote.com

Superugby fixtures for this weekend

Yip, we are back to Superugby this weekend. Herewith a list of the games for the weekend

All times CAT (SA, GMT+2)

June 2012
29	Highlanders	v	Chiefs	Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin	09:35
29	Rebels	v	Reds	AAMI Park, Melbourne	11:40
30	Crusaders	v	Hurricanes	AMI Stadium, Christchurch	09:35
30	Force	v	Brumbies	NIB Stadium, Perth	11:40
30	DHL Stormers	v	MTN Lions	DHL Newlands Stadium, Cape Town	17:05
30	Vodacom Bulls	v	Toyota Cheetahs	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria	19:10

Source: Supersport

Could Wales be the new All Blacks

Australian coach Robbie Deans expects Wales to become an even bigger threat as they continue to evolve and integrate aspects of the All Black battle plan into their game.

Deans, speaking to the media after his team's 3-0 series sweep of the Welsh, admitted his team had the "perfect" trial run ahead of the new Rugby Championship that gets underway in August.

The Welsh - who pushed the Aussies all the way in the last two Tests, which required late penalties for 25-23 and 20-19 wins - were described by the Wallaby mentor as All Black-like.

"Their capacity to play, their ability to play for 80 minutes, they have threats across the ground and they are capable of beating any side in the world," Deans said of the Welsh.

"I would say by the time we get over there at the end of the year they'll be refreshed and lying in wait not only for us but for the All Blacks as well. I think they have a great opportunity over there this year."

But before that the Wallabies face the All Blacks in back-to-back Tests to start the Rugby Championship - which will also see the Springboks and Pumas compete for Southern hemisphere supremacy.

And this, according to Deans, is where the close wins over the Welsh will be invaluable.

"We couldn't have had a better opponent I don't think to prepare us for what's coming," Deans said of the Championship, which gets underway on August 18.

"Because the Welsh play 80 minutes, they look to attack when they sniff an opportunity, turnover ball from their own goal line doesn't concern them and that's classically New Zealand.

"They're the two key traits that New Zealanders possess and they're probably the two key traits we have to master in order to get home."

Deans pointed to his team's steely control at critical times as the difference in the series.

"Mainly the composure. The leadership group has done a great job and that's been evident at the death in each instance, so that stuff comes forward," he said.

Australian captain David Pocock praised the leadership of halfbacks Will Genia and Berrick Barnes for getting the Wallabies home in each Test.

"I thought Berrick and Will did a great job directing us around the field in the last 10-15 minutes and those are the games you want to win," Pocock said.

"It was a real arm-wrestle and we managed to get ourselves into a winning position and then hold on in the end."

Deans said the expanded Rugby Championship incorporating Argentina made things tougher, but he's happy with the groundwork set against Wales.

Australia appeared headed for defeat in Melbourne and Sydney, but showed composure to work towards match-winning opportunities at the death.

"It's going to be the toughest Rugby Championship ever I think. It just goes up, year-to-year the ante just keeps going up," Deans said.

"We [Australia and New Zealand] know each other very well, we play each other a lot, we've been playing each other four times per annum since 2008.

"We're capable of it. But so are they."

Sources: AFP & NZ Newswire

Lots for Heyneke to think about

Skipper Jean de Villiers said last week that defeat in the third test would mean the Springboks having to start from scratch again as they look ahead to The Rugby Championship. They didn’t lose so maybe it’s not really a return to the starting point, but after the draw to England, there is certainly plenty of work to do.

Listening to some of the things Bok coach Heyneke Meyer said afterwards, with his honest admission that he might need to look at himself as much as he looked at the team in assessing the path forward, you might almost have imagined that he was the coach of Ireland, who lost by 60 points to the All Black, and not a team that extended the unbeaten run against England to 10 matches.

But while it might have been a bit melodramatic, Meyer was nonetheless right in suggesting some of his own decisions need to be scrutinised. For a start, when Willem Alberts is not present, there is an imbalance to the back-row, with Marcell Coetzee having to fulfill much more of a carrying role, which meant he neglected the cleaning of the rucks.

Thankfully, barring further injury during the remainder of Super Rugby, Alberts should be back by the time The Rugby Championship kicks off. On the evidence of what we saw at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Alberts is a much better bet as a No 7 flank than Jacques Potgieter, though to be fair to the Bulls player, the match was his first in several weeks as he returned from injury.

Although he said beforehand that he would be sharp, there are always inevitable cobwebs after a lengthy layoff, and Potgieter did show signs of rust and did not look the same player that was so impressive in earlier stages of Super Rugby.

After the three matches against England, the debate over the fetcher flank should also be continued. Coetzee will be good enough in time, but with the ball coming back so slowly both in Port Elizabeth and in the first test in Durban, the Boks could do with Heinrich Brussow’s special skills. When Alberts is there to help them dominate the gainline battle, it is not so much of an issue, but when he is not it becomes problematic.

But loose-forward is not nearly as big a problem area as scrumhalf, where Francois Hougaard had his second poor game in three starts. The longer the season draws on so the argument that the Bulls No 9 has spent too much time playing wing to be considered an international class No 9 continues to gain currency.

HARD SCHEDULE

Hougaard’s poor game did not help Morne Steyn, with the flyhalf struggling through a confidence crisis. His disappointing goalkicking form is only part of it, for it was in general play that Steyn struggled the most in Port Elizabeth. He appears to have rediscovered that old habit of standing too deep in the pocket, even on attack, and that has the impact of taking the players around him out of the game.

He was better though when Ruan Pienaar came on, and unless Meyer is prepared to blood Johan Goosen almost immediately (the Cheetahs wonder-boy should be ready by August), pairing Pienaar with Steyn from the start could be the salve to Meyer’s conundrum at halfback. Pienaar’s kicking game at least to some extent does what Fourie du Preez used to do for Steyn by taking some of the pressure off.

Outside Steyn, Wynand Olivier had one of his more solid test matches, made all the more noteworthy by the fact that so much was going wrong inside him, with Hougaard in particular not inspiring any fluency in the Bok game. However, the presence of Frans Steyn will be welcomed back with open arms when the Boks host Argentina at Newlands on 18 August.

So will one of Patrick Lambie or Zane Kirchner at fullback, for Gio Aplon just doesn’t inspire confidence in the last line of defence. As a wing he may have a future, but there is a reason that the Stormers prefer Joe Pietersen in the No 15 jersey.

The wings JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana both had a good series, as did new captain Jean de Villiers at outside centre. But the outside backs aren’t going to feature if the Boks don’t become more consistent in their control of first phase ball, and Andries Bekker’s anticipated return to the field for the Stormers will be watched with interest in the coming weeks.

Bekker wasn’t in great form before he was injured, but the Boks need him to be at his best as at the moment Juandre Kruger looks more of a stop-gap than a long term solution at No 5 lock.

The Boks did win the series so there isn’t any need for Meyer to be too hard on himself or his team, and Saturday’s misfire might have been down to lack of injury due to a ridiculously hard schedule, with Super Rugby and the international window fusing into one. But there is no denying he has much to think about as he looks forward to the much tougher challenge that lies ahead for his team.

Source: http://www.supersport.com

Newcomers pose All Blacks headache

Hamilton – The drums have started beating in New Zealand for All Blacks great Richie McCaw to yield his cherished seven jersey to Sam Cane, the tyro who ransacked Ireland in Saturday's 60-0 Test demolition.

The 20-year-old Cane was a standout performer among a host of new generation All Blacks who annihilated the Irish in a marked improvement from their narrow 22-19 win the previous week.

“We've got some talent in the side that can do damage to a lot of teams,” head coach Steve Hansen said as he reviewed the record 60-point victory in the third and final Test on Saturday.

“We've introduced a whole group of young men into the All Black jersey and by and large we'd say we've been very happy with the way they've performed.

“We're a new team that's hit the road and hit the road reasonably well. We're not the finished article and we'll stay humble. We'll stay with our feet on the floor and we'll keep working hard and try and get better.”

From the starting line-up that beat France in the World Cup final eight months ago only seven started against Ireland on Saturday.

Many of those missing, notably Dan Carter, Kieran Read, Cory Jane and Richard Kahui, are on the injured roster and will cause selection problems for Hansen when all but Kahui return to duty before the Rugby Championship.

There is intrigue around the loose forwards, locks and almost the entire backline for the upcoming Tests against South Africa, Australia and Argentina in the series that replaces the former Tri-Nations.

With McCaw shifted to the boot of the scrum for the Ireland Test to cover for Read, Cane sparkled as the openside flanker in only his second outing.

His tackling and turnover rate was reminiscent of a young McCaw and his support play netted him two tries.

McCaw's Canterbury Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder and former All Blacks hero Michael Jones have both spoken in favour of New Zealand's centurion openside flanker now moving to the blindside.

“I think that will definitely happen over time,” Blackadder told the Sunday Star-Times. “He's got the ability to be like a Michael Jones. With the way Richie plays, he's more and more used to playing the role of a six or eight.”

Hansen was less certain, saying Cane's outstanding performance made it easier to manage the 31-year-old McCaw “who is the best number seven in the world and we've got someone now that might allow us to make sure he's around for a lot longer.”

Callers on talkback radio appeared to favour a Cane-McCaw-Read loose trio which would sideline Liam Messam, who played with ferocity in the six jersey against Ireland while filling in for the injured Victor Vito.

Luke Romano on debut played the full 80 minutes, finishing with three-Test Brodie Retallick as his partner, raising questions about the future of injured Ali Williams.

After only three Tests the livewire Aaron Smith with his slick passing and intelligent reading of the game appears to have cemented his place at scrum-half.

Aaron Cruden sparkled at fly-half covering for Carter, setting up four tries in the first 25 minutes before limping off with a troublesome Achilles heel.

His replacement Beauden Barrett, playing his first Test, read play like a veteran, winning praise from backs coach Ian Foster for the positive way he “brings a backline on to the ball.”

The main beneficiary was Sonny Bill Williams at inside centre who Hansen rated as the “in form” inside centre ahead of last year's starter Ma'a Nonu.

Foster also confessed the way the All Blacks battered the Irish did not help solve “the conundrum” of the wings where Julian Savea, Zac Guildford, Ben Smith and Hosea Gear all had a run in the series with Jane and Kahui unavailable. – Sapa-AFP

Source: http://www.iol.co.za