Brilliant 7’s Boks retain crown
Erasmus got it spot on with his selection of this trio. De Klerk and Le Roux are more complete players now than when they left South Africa, and Vermeulen commands presence and respect from his teammates and the opposition.
This was a statement that the right foreign-based players strengthen the Springboks. The All Blacks’ history-making trio of Barrett brothers combined for the All Blacks first try of the season in a script that could have been written by their mom and dad.
The trio did all the work from the first break to the touchdown for the most memorable family try.
Lock Scott Barrett made the break, fed to younger brother Jordie, who made another break to set up the try for the most celebrated of the brothers, Beauden, to score. The Barretts are the first three brothers to ever start in the same Test for the All Blacks.
David Pocock’s return to Test rugby also meant a return to winning ways for the Wallabies as they ended Ireland’s 12-Test unbeaten streak.
Pocock took a year sabbatical from rugby and on his return a year ago suffered injury. The Zimbabwean-born Pocock is one of the best loose-forwards of the modern generation and he was massive in Brisbane.
It was fitting that Pocock scored the try that secured the win, but his performance over 80 minutes was worth so much more than five points. It’s great to see Pocock back playing Test rugby because the game is healthier when players of his class are on display. England’s deliberate ploy to scrumhalf De Klerk with late hits was as stupid as it was cowardly. It contributed towards them losing the Test. Each late hit was penalised and the third one resulted in a yellow card. De Klerk, half the size of Maro Itoje and Mako Vunipola, stood firm despite the illegal tackles. England coach Eddie Jones spoke of the ill-discipline of his team but that ill-discipline was premeditated and Jones, as coach, is as culpable as the dumbies who were so blatant and obvious in putting in the late hits. Former Wallabies hooker Phil Kearns, commentating on Australia’s win against Ireland, summarized what everyone was thinking when he said the game had become a
THE Blitzboks last night ensured a remarkable double for South African rugby over England this weekend when they successfully defended their Paris Sevens title, a victory over England that also meant Neil Powell’s team have retained their World Sevens Series title.
All glory to a Blitzboks side that played poorly on day one of this tournament and again in the quarter-final against Spain — they squeaked home with a sudden death try in extra time — but they saved their best for when it really mattered. In pouring rain in the final, England had little answer when the Boks produced a world class performance from a world champion team.
This 2017/2018 world title will mean that much more to the Blitzboks given that they it was only secured in the last match of the last tournament in the 10-leg series.
And they had to do it without three of their best players, the vastly experienced Cecil Afrika, Branco du Preez and Seabelo Senatla, all injured.
The door to the Blitzboks retaining their world title was opened early yesterday joke after Israel Folau’s try on 60 minutes was disallowed because the TMO had spotted an offthe-ball incident that had absolutely nothing to do with the build-up to Folau’s try.
The incident happened before Australia had even won the ball to set up Folau’s try and Kearns rightly questioned how far back a TMO should be going for an innocuous act that had no impact on play.
The officiating circus was at its laughable best in Auckland, but the French certainly weren’t amused when English referee Luke Pearce yellow-carded lock Paul Gabrillagues for a supposed high tackle that was no different to the majority of the tackles that had been made in the preceding 50 minutes. The scores were 11-all when Gabrillagues was binned and it was a significant factor in transforming the match from a contest to a mismatch. All Black coach Steve Hansen was among the many to agree that Gabrillagues should never have been carded. morning when, in the first quarter-final, log leaders and favourites Fiji lost to the same England team that contested the final.
The Boks wo uld make the Pacific Islanders pay dearly for that loss.
The Blitzboks began the final emphatically when one of the seniors, Werner Kok, rose to the occasion and powered past four defenders for the opening score.
The England reply was immediate, with winger Dan Norton sprinting half the length of the field before passing inside to Oliver Lindsay-Hague for the try, and a minute later Norton himself scored after a similar turn of pace.
The Boks bravely fought back and scored through Dylan Oosthuizen after the hooter had gone for half-time and the touchline conversion made it 14-14 at the break.
The Boks struck first in the second half through the elusive Dewald Human, who took a gap in the defence and had the legs to outsprint the defence.
The Boks extended their lead shortly after when they unusually took a shot at goal, Justin Geduld slotting the drop th rough the uprights for a 24-14 lead, and that would prove to be literally the final score.