Italy 10 Springboks 32
Keo.co.zo brought you live commentary from the Springboks’ second European Tour Test in Udine.
Final score: Italy 10 Springboks 32
79 mins: The Boks run their last attack of the game as the ball is passed out wide to JP Pietersen. The wing puts a chip through, but his grubber goes into touch and the referee blows the final whistle. The Boks look relieved after returrning to winning ways. The Boks win 32-10!
73 mins: Springbok try! From a 22m lineout, Du Preez finds a hole in Italy’s defensive line after fooling the home side with a dummy. 5m from the line, the No 9 offloads the ball to replacement centre Wynand Olivier on his outside and he dives over for the Boks’ fourth try. Ruan Pienaar adds the two points. 32-10 to the Boks!
71 mins: With the front row of BJ Botha, Smit and Beast on the field, the Boks win their first battle at the scrum as the Italians are driven back and penalised.
64 mins: Steyn restores the Boks’ 15-point lead by kicking his second penalty. 25-10 to the Boks!
58 mins: John Smit is penalised at the breakdown after competing for the ball off his feet. This allows Gower to kick Italy’s first points of the second stanza. 22-10 to the Boks!
52 mins: Springbok try! Good continuity and hands from the Boks creates a try-scoring opportunity. Danie Rossouw offloads to Fourie, who passes to Habana and the wing cuts inside. He then passes the ball to the unmarked Fourie Du Preez and the scrumhalf makes good run to the try line to beat the Italian’s cover defence. Steyn kicks the conversion over. 22-7 to the Boks!
48 mins: The Boks’ forwards are penalised at the scrum once again as the Italians clearly have the upper hand, but McLean’s woes with the boot continues and the No 15 puts his attempt wide. Italy would have been ahead if they had a more accurate kicker.
46 mins: Italy’s ill-discipline at the breakdown gives Steyn an opportunity to kick the first points of the second half. The pivot slots the penalty and adds three points to the Boks’ score. 15-7 to the Boks!
42 mins: There’s early worries for the Boks as Italy steal the visitor’s put in to the scrum. Italy’s dominance at the scrum continues as the Boks concede a free kick in their second attempt a few minutes later.
Half-time: Italy 7 Springboks 12
39 mins: The Boks get a penalty on the stroke of half-time. Steyn kicks a good attempt but the pivots fails to hit the target. This proves to be the last action of the first stanza.
37 mins: The Boks lack composure in attack as they drop the ball behind on two consecutive backline moves. This sees Italy steal momentum and results in a penalty awarded to the home side. Fullback Luke McLean, however, misses his first attempt and lets the visitors off the hook.
32 mins: Italy try! From a lineout in the Boks’ 22, the Italians gain a few metres towards the try line. The home side then pass the ball through the backline and good interplay in the midfield sees centre Gonzalo Garcia cut the Boks’ defence and scores underneath the goal posts. Craig Gower slots the conversion. 12-7 to the Boks!
25 mins: The Italians spark an attack and break into the Boks’ 22. Italy find themselves 5m from the Boks’ try line, but master poacher Heinrich Brussow makes a crucial steal and Steyn manages to clear the ball.
22 mins: The Boks’ pack held their own in the first scrum in the 20th minute, but are out-scrummed and penalised in the second two minutes later. The home crowd roar as they see the Italians dominate the Bok heavies.
14 mins: Springbok try! The Boks steal possession and set up a counter attack. The ball is passed through the hands to Habana, who draws in two defenders on the sideline and puts Jaque Fourie into a gap. The centre touches down under the posts and Steyn adds the extras. 12-0 to the Boks!
5 mins: Springbok try! Ryan Kankowski beats one defender and makes a good step to penetrate the Italy’s defence. The flank then offloads to Bryan Habana and the speedster puts on the gas and has a clear run for the first try in the corner. 5-0 to the Boks!
3 mins: The Boks have the chance to score the first points of the match as the Italians are penalised for a late challenge, but Steyn’s attempt hits the post.
1 min: It’s a good, high kickoff from Morne Steyn and the Italians let it bounce. Once the ball is recovered by the home side, the Boks’ manage to force Italy out into touch on the 22m line.
Italy – 15 Luke McLean, 14 Matteo Pratichetti, 13 Alberto Sgarbi, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Craig Gower, 9 Simon Picone; 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Simone Favaro, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys, 4 Carlo Antonio Del Fava, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Subs: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Ignacio Rouyet, 18 Antonio Pavanello, 19 Josh Sole, 20 Mauro Bergamasco, 21 Tito Tebaldi, 22 Gonzalo Canale.
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Adi Jacobs, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (c), 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Subs: 16 Beast Mtawarira , 17 BJ Botha, 18 Victor Matfield, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Wynand Olivier.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:29 pm
#285 cab: AMEN AND I REST MY CASE UR HONOUR
bwaaaaaahahahahaaaaaaaaa
cabby too funny boet
see again they say smitty is poor when it was wian getting his head shoved into bumland
3 or 2 smitty syands his man , yes like you cabby bro we all agree smitty is a better hooker, and like you i agree with BJ playing up north and out of the running smitty was the obvious choice
and if only f steyn and jdiv will be chosen we will be back into winning ways
November 21st, 2009 at 7:32 pm
#299 Kronung: Disagree. Smit is a vital part of the team, just like Victor and Fdp. You need those 3 on the field.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Exactly, it is equally as hard for a 2 to convert to 1 or 3. Simple
November 21st, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Is this the Real Johann Fourie, the sub 4 minute miler, 3.36 1500 mtr. man or just his namesake?
November 21st, 2009 at 7:36 pm
#303 skopskiet: No, just his namesake! I do the mile in sub 15!
November 21st, 2009 at 7:36 pm
#301 Johan Fourie: Possibly. Just think the role of Captain is over-emphasized and we really do need a mobile 2 in the modern game.
But I am no authority, just my humble opinion.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:37 pm
#302 WP_: Yip. It is like expecting Bakkies to play 11 or 14. Not a big difference.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:38 pm
No Smit would be more comfortable at 1 than at 3, go ahead ask him, even Os wouldn’t convert to 3 even if you offered him a Ferrari to do so. When Jake switched him from hooker to prop to accomodate Bismark it was always to 1, never to 3. Big difference, very few front rankers can handle TH, maybe a mere handful on the planet, even Heinke crumbled at 3. Smit must go to 2, or at worst scenario 1, but we still short a proper TH. WP Nel and K.Buys the only two with their hands remotely being held up.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Me too since the army (some time back) I think my mile time gone down to around 15 min too
November 21st, 2009 at 7:39 pm
#305 Kronung: Understand your point of view. I just think that we need certain players in the Big games. Just like NZ need McCaw and Carter, we need Smit, Matfield, and FdP.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:39 pm
OK out adios.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:41 pm
#307 skopskiet: Who is Buys? Big future for WP Nel…I hope!
November 21st, 2009 at 7:41 pm
#307 skopskiet:
Now that is a more valid and interesting observation.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Night all!
November 21st, 2009 at 7:46 pm
#279 grant10:
take a deep breath, i certainly will not call you a traitor for criticising Smit, so lets cut the old political crusade in the bud right there. if you feel you are vindicated, good for you, go cut yourself a piece of cake.
i dont mind if you call me an ou doos and all either. but just because you have an opinion, that is all it is, an opinion – there are others who do not agree with it. i am one of those.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:47 pm
ya maybe slighty easier to shift to 1… but not easy in general, to be fair.
Cheers Johan
November 21st, 2009 at 7:49 pm
GO SCOTLAND! You buggers. 3-0 to the aussies after 27 mins atm
November 21st, 2009 at 7:50 pm
3 all
November 21st, 2009 at 7:53 pm
#299 Kronung:
ask the coach what they think we will let divvie choose the team thank you very much…
#266 grant10: \
already done if you look….bj was awesome…
by the way how good was smittie at 2… great…
now wind your neck in….
November 21st, 2009 at 7:53 pm
#316 WP_:
Feel the same. GO SCOTLAND.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:55 pm
#318 gunther: Smitty was brilliant at hooker. Went back to that position and it was easy peasy like a Duck takes to Water. Our Captain was great there. Good on you Smitty. Played 80min too. Bugger the rest that always want to diss him.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:57 pm
#286 WP_: Well said. Smitty has to stay on for 80min. We need our captain. Some can never see that though.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:02 pm
#320 Puma:
the scrum was also improved by moving danie to 8, i am sorry but kank was poor… he wasn’t even binding properly and his head was up most of the time….
November 21st, 2009 at 8:05 pm
BOD? player of da player?is it April already?
November 21st, 2009 at 8:05 pm
#266 grant10: Yes Grant, Smitty was great at hooker but be honourable too and admit he is the best captain ever and we NEED him for WC 2001. NOT Luke like you say mate. Smitty is our best captain and he played for 80min. Smitty is a yster mate. Does anything for the team a true team person. Everything for the team our captain.
Also a scrum is made of 8 players not 5. Our loosies until Deysel came on were letting the scrum down. Also think it was WdP where the weakness came from too. Beast made a difference too and Bj.
How was DEYSEL. Brilliant. Think he has cemented a place now in the Bok squad too.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:08 pm
#322 gunther: Yip, Just said that in my post 266. DEYSEL. Being saying for a long, long time he deserved a spot in the Boks side. Made all the difference. Great fetcher, carries the ball up strong and his defence is brilliant. Has to start against Ireland.
Very pleased for him getting his first cap. About bloody time too.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:11 pm
#322 gunther: Brussow as brilliant as he is his head also came up at times in the scrum.
It all went so well when John went to hooker, BJ, Beast and Deysel came on. Superb. That is how we must start next week.
Said Danie is better 8 than blindside. Deysel can fetch well too.
Now cant wait for the game against Ireland next week.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Smit and BJ will be good options at 10 next season for Boks. I expect Smit to start most of the games at 3 and move to hooker after 60 mins
November 21st, 2009 at 8:31 pm
#327 Big Hit: @ 3 not 10 wtf lol
November 21st, 2009 at 8:37 pm
#327 Big Hit: hiyas BH my friend , hope you are doing well
unfortunately some in here just have no idea to the value of smitty as player and captain
that man is made of pure greatness , and is a massive pillar to bok rugby
November 21st, 2009 at 8:45 pm
#329 sharks_lover: absolutely, I think some overlook the front row’s contribution in the tightloose, as cab has pointed out it’s the Bok’s best ever season in the pro era with the Sharks front row, Bulls second row and Cheetahs back row. They should keep to that pattern.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:48 pm
#329 sharks_lover: Sharky well said. Agree 100%. Smitty there until 2011 make no mistake. He will be there even if he player hooker where he played very well.
Also not only Smitty’s problem in the scrum when he was at TH. The loosies at that time were not doing their bit and I think the weakness in the front row was from WdP.
Maybe next week. BJ at TH. John at Hooker and Beast at LH.
Dysel has to start at blindside he was superb when he came on.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:11 pm
#328 Big Hit:
I’m not sur bj has the kicking game for a 10…
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:15 am
#324 Puma: Smits captaincy has never been questioned by me…..niether has his continued spot in the Bok team as a hooker. It is his absolute useless scrumming at 3 that has been a concern, and yesterday provided 100% proof of what i have been advocating for a very long time.
Smit at 2….never ever again at 3…thats my position.
He and Bissy can alternate or rotate …whatever….but the Boks must not screw around at tighthead….it is the cancer !!!
And we dont have to either….WP Nel, Buys are 2 up and coming prospects…..
And in CJ and BJ we have 2 specialists more than capable of adding value.
I have always been an advocate of horses for courses Puma…..and have said that true Smit fans would realise that if Smit is to get to WC 2011….it has to be from the 2 spot…never 3.
Boks cannot afford or tolerate the disaster that was our set scrum until BJ came on and Smit shifted….look at the massive difference!!!The entire Bok team fizzed!!
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:23 am
#331 Puma: And Puma…..the fact i am critical of Smit at 3 has nothing to do with respect….i am stating what i am seeing.
I watched the game witl loads of fans yesterday….every scrum there was an outcry!!! Some okes saying Smit must retire, etc…..
I told the 1 fan it wasnt smits fault as he is forced to play out of position….i dont ‘ blame’ Smit….
I blame the fools that made him go to 3 in the beginning!
It was a move doomed to fail…and now has….Smit to 2….or international retirement ….this is and remains my mantra.
Never want to see a non specialist in that 3 jersey again.
Not even a powerful loosehead like Heinke could do the job at 3, yet we expected Smit to do it??
Cmon…doesent take a genius to realise its a huge mess up in the making.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:37 am
some news….CJ also fit for next week….wonder what the team will be…
And FDP may be out with a hand injury.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:42 am
#334 grant10: it hasn’t failed though grant, he was solid for most games this year and it’s SA’s most successful season in the pro-era.
Sharks front row/Bulls second row/Cheetahs backrow has worked well, SA have dominated every other pack except at scrum time where they’ve normally had parity.
What’s the situation on Beast btw, is he going to continue to be allowed to play?
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:28 am
#336 Big Hit: BH…you will never convince me that the move to 3 of smit has been a success….the price we have paid has been immense,,,we are the laughing stock of rugby world with that scrum….absolute shocker that you dont see this….really BH….its a damn shame that we have allowed ourselves to get screwed over scrum tim#e.
Absolute dismal scrumming with smit at 3…far too often.
We wont allow it to continue, PDV has seem the light!
After the transformation in the scrum yesterday i pray that i never have to witness the sight of J Smit at 3 ever again…
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:39 am
#337 grant10: far from a laughing stock, the Bok scrum isn’t even viewed as weak outside SA. You got a winning team g10, enjoy it.
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:46 am
#338 Big Hit: WPity you dont read Afrikaans….the Rugby talk website where the Bulls fans have there site are furious about the scrums and up in arms that smit must never play 3 again…..Tighthead is adamant that we have failed the Bok standards and respect for the scrum for the last 12 months, and i 100% agree.
I am not cared about the boks being a winning team…i am cared about building a team to win in 2011….that Bok scrum has been a disgrace…an absolute abortion….i could not even watch at times yesterday…i was appalled…
PDV ,Muitr and Gold have been shocking in allowing such rot to set in to such a huge fundamental part of the game….disgraceful.
But the changes are imminent. Even the 3 wise men cant be that blind….
I see 90 % of bloggers agree on the poll agree…smit to 2…or bench…ot international retirement….
No ifs or buts….the rot must stop….now!!!
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:04 am
#339 grant10:
just as an aside tighthead said on keo that Sheridan wasn’t a good scrummaging prop before he dominated every SA side on the Lions tour.
The SA scrum hasn’t been strong for a long time as Jones rightly pointed out in his article last week, they have long been getting along with parity and no more yet somehow retained the global reputation for strong scrummaging based on previous generations.
What this South African scrum has however is three players who can make up for any deficiency at scrum time with outstanding displays in the loose which have contributed hugely to the Boks most successful season ever. If you change with the front row make-up you might well find you lose that success too.
The thing about test rugby is that it’s not won on paper, what looks good in theory or on keo’s site often doesn’t work out in practice. The Bok coaches have found something which works in practice, eight players who can (and have) dominate(d) the world rugby scene and I think they’d be foolish to squander that in the name of development for 2011, the Boks results were up and down for a long time this decade so they should hold onto that successful formula with a tight grip and win as many games as they can and enjoy it. Best way to develop is to win.
Interesting that you place so much emphasis on 2011 that you don’t care so much about Boks being a winning team now and that you were appalled while watching your team win. Many SA fans on here a while after the World Cup said they’d rather dominate in the years in between.
Anyway, if there is an area for the Boks to focus on it is surely the backline and in particular the 10/12/13 channels for they’re as devoid of creativity or attacking intent as England have been this Autumn. So much possession for the SA forwards in the 3N so little reward from their backs in terms of tries and bonus points. A centre combination that works should be the priority.
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
#340 Big Hit:
f;ck me – this englishman knows more about bok rugby then 90% of SA fans.
subtlety, try and understand what he is saying.
The Boks coaching staff are well aware Smit is not the best scrumming TH.
As for TightHead, he is good to read, but his is also just an opinion.
To call Sheridan a poor scrummer is plain nonsense to be honest.
As for what happens in 2011, bugger that, focus now on winning test matches.
Our leger is a worry, esp against france who have nearly caught up.
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Smit has done very well imo, and is getting better with each outing, he brings alot besides including mobility and of course his captain and of course allowing the best hooker in the world to play, Bismarck.
There is a reason this has been one of the most succesful bok years, and if you cannot see what the Bok coaches are trying to do you need to stop telling others they cannot see.
i would say one thing tho, perhaps a specialist TH is a must for NH conditions, particularly where our guys are tired. i would say a very different approach should be taken to these tours in general.
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:31 pm
#341 cab: Cab if Boks were able to play France 3 times like we do with our Tri-Nation partners. Maybe who knows we may get 2 wins out of 3. We would never lose all of them.
Also if we got the Italy test first it would have been ideal before playing France.
Remember too. We had 4 players missing against France. JdV, Spies, Fransie and Juan. Can never just lose 4 great players like that and play the same as we did during the 3Nations and Lions Series. Think the players that played in those positions just not the same standard as the ones they replaced.
If only we had tours again. That would be awesome.
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:39 pm
#343 Puma:
we select players and teams to win the 3N, which is really the heart of our season, the bok combination of mobility and power is unmatched, esp at home on our harder faster fields when the players are all primed.
However, these NH EOY tours, require a definite re-think, the players are not only tired, but it probably requires picking a more horses for courses approach.
I think its great BJ is selected since he offers a very different option if the game demands it, always felt BJ is best scrumming TH by some distance, but that is not what Bokke coaches are trying to do. Also BJ has also been in teams whose scrum has been beaten – as the saying goes be careful what you wish for you might just get it.
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
#344 cab: You right Cab, Still think we miss those players. The ones now will gel and it takes time.
Enjoyed Deysel coming on yesterday and yes BJ too.