Springbok Team to play New Zealand this weekend

Springbok team: Francois Steyn, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, <>John Smit (captain), Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.

Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jannie du Plessis, Danie Rossouw, Ryan Kankowski, Ricky Januarie, Morne Steyn, Wynand Olivier.

Currie Cup Results: Week 2

18 July: Bulls 30 - 22 Western Province
18 July: Griquas 36 - 11 Leopards
18 July: Lions 31 - 22 Cheetahs
17 July: Sharks 46 - 10 Boland

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George Smith Reaches 100 test Caps for Australia

Today George Smith reached the milestone of 100 test caps as a Wallabie. Since his debut in 2000 against France, Smith has played with all the ferocity and skill that is expected of an international flanker. He is the most capped Australian forward and the first flanker to reach 100 test caps in world history. He spent the 2008 season captaining the Brumbies through the Super 14 and captained the Wallabies on numerous occasion.

From the team at Rugby Window, we all take our hats off to you George, hope to see you in many more matches to come.

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All-Blacks edge past Wallabies

The 2009 Tri-Nations kicked off with the first of the Bledisloe Cup matches. This match was a credit to how close this years competition promises to be, with the on form Wallabies fronting up to the All-Blacks in Auckland. Australia got off to a flying start with Barnes crossing the try line in the first 5 minutes of the match, completing a well worked team try. With the wind behind them the Wallabies continued to dominate of the first 25 minutes, with Gitteau slotting two penalties to make the lead 13-3. The first half was a struggle for New Zealand with many of their top players being starved of game time due to injury. The line out was not functioning correctly loosing two of their throw in's during the first half. After a rusty first 30 minutes from the All-Black captain, Richie McCaw, he clawed back some credibility by scoring the only New Zealand try to go into the break 13-10. This set up a great second half, in the 45 minute the All-Black coaching staff started bringing on the subs and this proved to be the difference. With the wind behind him Stephan Donald kicked four penalties to Giteaus one which left the final score at 22-16 to the All-Blacks. This game was massively physical, with George Smith and Wycliffe Paulu doing some great work on the ground for Australia. Jarome Kayno and Rodney Soalo stood out for New Zealand. As the great All-Black Tano Umange once said about the Tri-Nations; "well it isn't tiddly winks". This Tri-Nations could the the hardest and closest competition in years.

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Springbok Squad to play the All-Blacks this weekend

Springbok squad:

Forwards: Andries Bekker (Western Province), Bakkies Botha (Blue Bulls), Heinrich Brüssow (Free State Cheetahs), Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), Ryan Kankowski (Sharks), Victor Matfield (Blue Bulls), Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Chiliboy Ralepelle (Blue Bulls), Danie Rossouw (Blue Bulls), John Smit (Sharks - captain) Juan Smith (Free State Cheetahs), Pierre Spies (Blue Bulls)

Backs: Jean de Villiers (Western Province), Fourie du Preez (Blue Bulls), Jaque Fourie (Lions), Bryan Habana (Blue Bulls), Adi Jacobs (Sharks), Ricky Januarie (Western Province), Ruan Pienaar (Sharks). JP Pietersen (Sharks), Frans Steyn (Sharks), Morné Steyn (Blue Bulls).

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Weekend Currie Cup Results:

11	Vodacom Western Province	29 - 15	Sharks	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
11	Vodacom Blue Bulls	19 - 13	Xerox Lions	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
10	Vodacom Free State Cheetahs	18 - 28	GWK Griquas	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
10	Boland	26 - 18	Platinum Leopards	Boland Stadium, Wellington

Quote of the Week:

"Currie Cup rugby is traditionally not a competition about fairies and princesses, its about hard men and we see that in the opening minutes of this match..."

(the great...) Bob Skinstad
Western Province vs Sharks 11/07/2009

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Western Province VS KZN Sharks: Preveiw

The 2009 Currie Cup has begun! Saturday afternoon sees two giants of South African rugby go head to head in a battle that could very well set the tone for the season to come. WP have a point to prove after 8 long years of Currie Cup drought, while the defending champs the Sharks will look to start the grueling task of retaining the most coveted domestic prize. The Sharks 22 include 7 current Springboks and have strength across the park, their only weakness being at the flyhalf position where rookie Guy Cronje will have to front up against the formidable Springbok Peter Grant and the resurgent force of Emerging Bok Willem de Waal.

Star All-Black lock Chris Jack will make his Currie Cup debut in this match, does this mark the beginning of SA Rugby fulfilling its potential for creating truly professional (in every sense of the word) rugby in South Africa? Where we can afford to import some great international players to help boost struggling provinces. This weekend marks the return to top flight rugby for Hanyani Shimange. The once understudy to Springbok captain John Smit and second choice Springbok hooker for two years, fell off the raidar when Jake White dropped him before the 2007 RWC in France. Now he is back in the provincial fold and lets hope he stays there, where he belongs. Im sure every blue blooded Province supporter will agree that they could use another Tri-Nations winner in the ranks and this forgotten Bok journeyman may just be back with vengeance.

When looking at the team sheets, one cannot help but feel that the Sharks outfit may be too much for a developing Western Province. However WP's Springboks (Grant, Januarie, Watson, Liebenberg, Shimange and Chavange), Emerging Boks (Newman and de Waal), the Fijian Flier Sireli Naqelevuki and of course All-Black Chris Jack must not be underestimated. WP's great rugby pedigree may just make a come back this year.

KO: 17:05 (C.A.T)
Newlands Stadium Cape Town

Squads

Sharks: Stefan Terblanche; Odwa Ndungane, Andries Strauss, Riaan Swanepoel, Luzuko Vulindlu; Guy Cronje, Rory Kockott; Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Jacques Botes, Johann Muller (capt), Steven Sykes, Jannie du Plessis, Craig Burden, Deon Carstens. Reserves: Skipper Badenhorst, Patric Cilliers, Albert van den Berg, Justin Downey/Ryan Kankowski, Charl McLeod, Monty Dumond, Chris Jordaan.

Western Province: Joe Pietersen, Frikkie Welsh, Morgan Newman, Peter Grant, Sireli Naqelevuki, Willem De Waal, Ricky Januarie, Luke Watson (capt), Pieter Louw, Pieter Myburgh, Anton Van Zyl, Chris Jack, Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg, Wicus Blaauw. Reserves: Hanyani Shimange, JD Moller, De Kock Steenkamp, Deon Fourie, Dewaldt Duvenage, Juan De Jongh, Tonderai Chavhanga.

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Tri-Nations Fixtures 2009 (all kickoff times are local)

July 18
New Zealand v Australia
Auckland
19:35

July 25
South Africa v New Zealand
Bloemfontein
15:00

Aug 1
South Africa v New Zealand
Durban
15:00

Aug 8
South Africa v Australia
Cape Town
15:00

Aug 22
Australia v New Zealand
Sydney
20:05

Aug 29
Australia v South Africa
Perth Perth 18:05

Sept 5
Australia v South Africa
Brisbane
20:05

Sept 12
New Zealand v South Africa
Hamilton
19:35

Sept 19
New Zealand v Australia
Wellington
19:35

Nokwe not a team player...?

Jongi Nokwe has been left out of the Cheetahs squad that will face the Griquas this weekend in Bloemfontein. After his average performance against the British and Irish Lions in the 3rd test, Nokwe has been dropped by Cheetahs head coach, this is hard to believe as he is one of the stars of the struggling outfit. While his defense in questionable at best, his attacking mind and incredible finishing skill will surely be missed this weekend. If the game goes down to the wire, Nokwes absence may be vital. News from the Cheetahs camp is that Lionel Mapoe will be starting on the left wing in place of the "lazy" Nokwe. The coaches believe that Jongi has not spent enough time with the squad because of national duties, despite other provinces starting their Bok players with the same period of absence. Could this be the beginning of the end of Nokwe's career as a cheetah? With teams like WP and Lions in need of a couple more world class players to buff up their back lines, who knows where this Cheetah will end up.

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