Oracle of Delphi
KC Hill
Paladin
Craig HillWallabies v Springboks: Grrreen & Gold Class
July 6th 2007 07:18
Venue & time:
Telstra Stadium, Sydney - Saturday July 7, 8pm (AEST)
Last match:
June 2007 - Springboks 22- Wallabies 19
(link privided for match review)
Kick off Time:
8:00pm (AEST) Saturday, 7 July 2007
Telecast Times:
LIVE on Channel 7 in Sydney and Brisbane from 7.30pm AEST.
Delay in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth on Channel 7 from 11.30pm (local time).
LIVE on FoxSports 2 at 7.00pm.
*************************
Okay well...we all know why this is such an important match and if you don't well, I guess you just don't factor in my world.
(my horizons have no periphery)
It's also been a rather tumultuous week in Rugby, what with one player "misunderstanding" his diary, after having "just a couple" of drinks and resulting in him sleeping in and missing work....
It's a valid excuse.
I'd expect the diary entry to look like this;
...and another player collapsing while in a nightclub but he "wasn't drinking heavily" and oh dear, what coincidence that this happened on the same night the first player was having his "quiet drinks"...but it's okay...Lote Tuqiri and Matt Giteau just happen to be drinkers with a Rugby playing problem....
Tuqiri has been suspended. (see this post)
Giteau should be suspended from a ceiling and used as a pinata.
...but new reports say he's good to g(it)o.
On with the preview.
There has also been a lot of hands up in the air blustering over the fact that the Boks have not sent their best players, because SA Rugby wants to protect their players for the soon to be here World Cup.
This is true to an extent but a bit harsh considering a hell of a lot of their strong players are injured and surely, Jake White isn't that much of an idiot to take 'break a leg for the World Cup' seriously that he would deliberately go around injurying his players?
Or would he? Hmmm....
...BUT...there are only 2 players remaining in this run-on side, from the team that played the Wallabies 2 weeks ago in SA.
Scrumhalf (#9) Ruan Pienaar and #11 winger JP Pietersen.
24yo Front-Rower Jannie Du Plessis earns his first cap after tighthead prop (#3) Cobus Visagie suffered an elbow injury at training on Wednesday and was ruled out.
What does elbow injury mean to you?
Veteran loose forward (#8) Bobby Skinstad is Captain because John Smit is out injured with Gary Botha taking Smit's place as hooker (#2).
Noticeable absences are Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha (the locks #4 & #5)...but that's okay because they're pricks.
I just want to know where Pretty Boy Percy Montgomery (Boks #15) is.
Who am I supposed to sledge now?
The Springboks may have been the team to beat lately...and they have been on fiyah...but it's quite hard to determine the form of this team. They still look pretty dangerous and unlike the All Blacks...must never be underestimated.
The Springboks:
Forwards:
1. CJ van der Linde, 2. Gary Botha, 3. Jannie Du Plessis, 4. Johan Ackermann, 5. Johann Muller, 6. Wikus van Heerden, 7. Pedrie Wannenburg, 8. Bob Skinstad (c),
Backs:
9. Ruan Pienaar, 10. Derick Hougaard, 11. JP Pietersen, 12. Wynand Olivier, 13. Waylon Murray, 14. Breyton Paulse, 15. Bevin Fortuin.
Reserves:
16. Bismarck du Plessis, 17. Eddie Andrews, 18. Albert van den Berg, 19. Jacques Cronje, 20. Michael Claassens, 21. Peter Grant, 22. Jaco Pretorius.
***************************** *****************************
Ahhh...it will be an emotional night Saturday night...not just for me....
from www.sportal.com.au
Wallabies coach John Connolly is expecting an emotional farewell for two of Australia's greats after naming George Gregan and Stephen Larkham in the team to take on South Africa in Sydney on Saturday night in what will be their final appearances on home soil.
Gregan, a veteran of 132 Tests, and his long-time halves counterpart Larkham will play their last match for the Wallabies in Australia at Telstra Stadium, as the pair prepare for a World Cup finale later this year.
"They are virtually icons of Australian sport," Connolly said.
Gregan, a veteran of 132 Tests, and his long-time halves counterpart Larkham will play their last match for the Wallabies in Australia at Telstra Stadium, as the pair prepare for a World Cup finale later this year.
"They are virtually icons of Australian sport," Connolly said.
"virtually"??? Moron. "They are icons". Full stop.
(what's the bet Connolly is a secret blogger?)
"We've just been so blessed in this country to have such incredibly consistent players playing in two of our key positions over the past 12 or so years."
"They are two great warriors of Australian sport and I'm sure they will receive a fitting farewell from the supporters on Saturday night in what is such a crucial Test for the Wallabies."
The match will also be Larkham's 100th Test for the Wallabies as he joins Gregan and David Campese (101) as the only players to register a century of caps for Australia.
"They are two great warriors of Australian sport and I'm sure they will receive a fitting farewell from the supporters on Saturday night in what is such a crucial Test for the Wallabies."
The match will also be Larkham's 100th Test for the Wallabies as he joins Gregan and David Campese (101) as the only players to register a century of caps for Australia.
DDH and I will not be going to this match (our boys are) because what's the point in having a big ass TV and Foxtel, if not for watching
...besides...we'd rather snuggle in front of a fire and I prefer screaming at the TV and jumping around like an Energiser Bunny on speed, in the privacy of my home.
(...oh...and the close-ups?...they're not really DDH's thing...having said that, there is nothing like watching a rugby match with an ex player who calls the play before it happens... it's extraordinary...)
So how are we looking?
We're looking GOOD!
There have been some changes to the run on side. Our scrum has been scrumbled...with injuries to Wycliff Palu and Stephen Moore.
Adam Freir takes over from Moore at hookr (#2) and Stephen Hoiles comes into #8...which is great! Stephen Hoiles deserves to be here always. Definitely a player to watch.
Tuqiri's suspension allows Mark Gerrard to fly at wing #14 and of course Griggs is halfback (#9) where he belongs, following last week's scare.
I hope we can keep the momentum and the hunger and the WANT and don't you just love my use of "we"??!!
The Wallabies are feeling it and they're bringing it. They just need to DO it. All in all, it all looks good...the scrum is holding up, we're competing for line-out balls and the back breaks are running smoothly.
The Wallabies will win this match because they want it...and because they want to win it for 2 of the greatest Rugby Players to have run on this earth...Stephen Larkham and George Gregan.
The Wallabies:
Forwards:
1. Matt Dunning, 2. Adam Freier, 3. Guy Shepherdson, 4. Nathan Sharpe, 5. Dan Vickerman, 6. Rocky Elsom, 7. George Smith (vc), 8. Stephen Hoiles,
Backs:
9. George Gregan, 10. Stephen Larkham, 11. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12. Matt Giteau, 13. Stirling Mortlock (c), 14. Mark Gerrard, 15. Julian Huxley.
Reserves:
16. Sean Hardman, 17. Al Baxter, 18. Hugh McMeniman, 19. David Lyons, 20. Phil Waugh (vc), 21. Scott Staniforth, 22. Drew Mitchell
Do I have to say it?
Oh alright, if you insist...
Go The Wallabies!!
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Comment by David
Is the Giteau incident referred to as a scum collapse?
I thought you were supposed to get up and start again. It's about time the refs started going to nightclubs to keep these blokes in line. I liked Norm's suggestion of handing out drinks cards.
David ...
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Comment by David
Someone would have to accompany Loti Tuquri just to carry his.
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
You and Andrea are so good to get through this minefield of posts....
Comment by Andrea
V8 Supercar Pitstop
I guess all I can say is.......
Have a great weekend.
Big hugs, Cara. xxxx
Comment by Andrea
V8 Supercar Pitstop
Comment by David
Comment by Andrea
V8 Supercar Pitstop
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Today was a stay at home day and I'm working on some other stuff and the youngest was out at his friends and I just...I don't know...went a bit crazy...I have been out and on the phone and doing other stuff!
...don't worry Cara...I don't think you'll get that many notifications...you and David are brave souls (and good good friends...) to persevere...
DDH called me earlier and asked if I had moved from my desk!!...he was getting bombarded with new post notifications as well!!
....I guess i'm just excited and 'in the (twilight)zone'...
Comment by Andrea
V8 Supercar Pitstop
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Giteau must have had a Loti Tuquri slammers.
This game should be red hot.
What cooked the Burger?
Ruck and Roll.
Norm
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
It`s like starting a race and giving everything in the first 5 minutes and then coming last.... grrrrrrrr!!!
skinstad did so much YAPPING and even at the end of the first half they just fell apart. As for the kicker.... well they should have donated the cash of his airfare to a village somewhere.....
Bob can be my builder anyday though... grrrrrrr!!!!
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
LT has a new name....Lotta Tequila...
(I'm not kidding! It's spreading fast in Rugby circles!)
draw deep my friend....
Dusk
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Sorry...I was just
droolingadmiring Bob's abs..olutely fine performance on the night.Well...to be fair...the Boks were down 20 of their best players...and they did give us a run for the funny...
...hahahahahahahahaha!!!
I'm hoping for a miracle though...next week...the Boks play the Blacks....
Go the Boks!!!!!!
hope you're well hon and had a good weekend...big hug....
Dusk