Saru confirms Cardiff clash
3 Mar 2010
The Springboks will play Wales just a week after the Super 14 final.
The Test on 5 June will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Millennium Stadium, which was opened in 1999 with a match between Wales and the Springboks that the hosts won 29-19.
Saru is set to pocket £500 000 (R5.73 million) from the game, which explains why it has happily added another Test to the Boks’ already jam-packed programme.
The world champions will now play 14 Tests in 2010, despite warnings from the likes of Prof Tim Noakes that they are playing too much rugby and will suffer the consequences at next year’s World Cup.
‘As we opened the stadium 10 seasons ago, it was only appropriate that the Springboks should be the nation to mark the anniversary,’ said Oregan Hoskins, president of Saru.
‘Wales were very keen that we should share this day with them and although it is a break with the traditional shape of our domestic season I am sure it will be a momentous rugby occasion – the kind of event that Test rugby is all about.’
The Boks then play France at Newlands on 12 June, followed by two Tests against Italy on consecutive weekends.
The six-match Tri-Nations follows, plus a Grand Slam tour at the end of the year. Just for good measure, the Boks also play against the Barbarians in early December.
‘Obviously we are aware acutely aware of the player management issues that this [additional] Test [against Wales] presents,’ said Hoskins, ‘but I am sure that the Springbok selectors will look at this as an opportunity to Test combinations.’
82 Comments
2 Mar 2010, 20:47 pm
DRAGONS!!!!
2 Mar 2010, 20:49 pm
Stupid !!!!!!!!!!!
2 Mar 2010, 20:50 pm
Geez, so much for resting our bokke….
2 Mar 2010, 20:59 pm
What is verkeerd with these mense. Can’t they dink for hulle self.
2 Mar 2010, 21:01 pm
Play F Steyn….CJ…BJ….Butch and whoever else it is we are eyeing for wc 2011 squad. There has to be a squad type system….or kiss WC 2011 goodbye.
Remember the super 14 final a week before….just imagine stormers and bulls make it??
wtf THEN?
2 Mar 2010, 21:14 pm
They should select the best performing Bok fringe players from the S14 and mostly Europe/UK based players that can still offer something for WC2011 for this test.
2 Mar 2010, 21:14 pm
the kind of event that Test rugby is all about.
First quote…
I am sure that the Springbok selectors will look at this as an opportunity to Test combinations.
Second quote…
Do you hve any f#%$^*@ idea what you are talking about???
Honestly is it just me???
And we are seemingly ‘happy’ to have this guy run for another term???
2 Mar 2010, 21:22 pm
Nobody’s paying the slightest bit of attention to poor old Tim Noakes and his hackneyed 30 year old hobby-horse these days.
2 Mar 2010, 21:25 pm
@TheTackler:
Yeah, money swears, that is the only reason that they do not take note.
2 Mar 2010, 21:34 pm
crazy stuff….i reckon 2011 is a goner….seriously …we have no plan….PDV being set up to fail by SARU….
Hookers at 3….old toppies trying to milk the bucks…no farkit , i get pi ssed odf…
2 Mar 2010, 21:37 pm
@TheTackler:
You are right.
No administrators are – but then, that is expected.
Funny how most coaches are though.
2 Mar 2010, 21:40 pm
simple play the first team boks in the june tests and half the trin nations then eOYT play the second string inlcuding frans steyn butch ,and the rest of the overseas boks
2 Mar 2010, 21:41 pm
it would be a different matter if it was the Junior Boks / emerging Boks squad.
what use is it to play one away test and then fly home for the inbound june test.
PDV has got to select an emerging side.
2 Mar 2010, 21:51 pm
The problem that the poor coach has is that he is expected to win every test – the public demands that, so he cannot really rest players.
Noakes has predicted that the 2009 end of the year tour will be a disaster, that the Sharks will do badly during the 2010 super 14 and that the Bulls will not win the 2010 super 14 (unless the 2 mentioned teams give their boks a proper break during the first 6 weeks of the comp, which they are not really doing).
So far, he was right wrt the eoy tour and it seems as if he is right about the Sharks – it’s too soon to know whether the Bulls will be able to keep their momentum, but it is unlikely.
The power of money is just too much to resist – 2011 probably a goner as Grant has said.
2 Mar 2010, 22:11 pm
we just have to learn and accept that we cannot play our 1 st team boks everytime….we have to totally embrace the squad system. Out with the dead wood papsakke….clearly identify the top 44 players [ 2 x 22 man squads...include JDV,BJ,CJ,JUANDRE KRUGER....MAYBE BUTCH ,ETC ] and have faith in the 2 nd string. Because as lekker as it sounds that the best test team must always play as night follows day i can tell you the super 14 squads not going to be accomodating. Too much pressure on them coaches…..thats how it is….dont agree with it….but thats the way it is…
2 Mar 2010, 22:15 pm
Hot news for Soda Joe – ‘Crikey Mate did you see that Shark’ is back…
He dreams of that woman!! I just had to tell him!
2 Mar 2010, 22:17 pm
Evening Boys….
2 Mar 2010, 22:29 pm
Madness, driven by greed. Madness! Killing the goose that lays the golden egg, indeed…
2 Mar 2010, 22:37 pm
Ego decision. It was dumb ten years ago. It’s still dumb now.
It’s dumb that we’ve just renewed our commitment to Super Rugby with uneven playing fields.
When are we going to become wiser and stop selling ourselves short?
2 Mar 2010, 22:43 pm
Money talks
Oregan “pine” Hoskins wags his tail…
2 Mar 2010, 22:50 pm
Anyway, surely I am not the only one who will be delighted to welcome the Bok’s back to Cardiff!!!
Yippee, date is in my diary already, a chance for the UK bloggers to meet up!!
Why should you lot have all the fun!!
2 Mar 2010, 23:42 pm
On a slightly related note can anyone explain why we haven’t played the Boks down under since 2004….?….
Is there a specific reason for this or are our ties just stronger with the Ozzies and All Blacks….?….
Not that I’m complaining……
We’ve been going steady in the sub-zero temperatures in Dublin the last few years…….
2 Mar 2010, 23:47 pm
…….”I’ll just go back and speak to my players”
3 Mar 2010, 00:18 am
Logic goes abegging yet again…
3 Mar 2010, 00:53 am
This PDV’s biggest challenge thus far. If he plays all his key (senior)players in all these test we will fall short of the line in 2011. It must been seen as an oppurtuinity to build two teams one that should challnege the top 4 teams and one that should challnege the lesser nations. It may seem arrogant but he will need to approach the test matches having regard to the quality of opposition. It won’t always work and you can expect the Boks to lose a couple along the way but there is no choice he cannot play his finest every game. Our key players are senior players and will have all but exhausted themselves by the time to world cup comes around if he plays them in every test match. Which brings me to the next point and that is what’s the use of having a schedule like this when you can’t put the 15 best on the field every time? It makes a mockery of test match rugby and it looking more like a professional club not a team representing a country.
3 Mar 2010, 00:54 am
As it always does. Avarice, thy name is many (TM)
3 Mar 2010, 01:22 am
this is so retarded, why are we playing in Cardiff??
3 Mar 2010, 01:34 am
@fantasticbarnsmell: might have something to do with the World Cup being on.
3 Mar 2010, 01:36 am
Don’t know if you guys have seen this or not but this is fresh of the NZ Herald press… And they say Saffas are arrogant!
Kiwis are confident that, 24 years on from their last World Cup triumph, the All Blacks will win on home turf, according to an nzherald.co.nz poll.
Of 600 people questioned, 59 per cent picked the home side to win the final at Eden Park next year.
The next closest team picked to take top honours was South Africa, a long way behind on 17 per cent. No other team inspires much fear in the New Zealand public it would appear – just 5.3 per cent thought Australia would win, 3.9 per cent England and 3 per cent France.
I’m actualy suprised that they would give away 40% to the opposition.
3 Mar 2010, 01:50 am
@WP_: MISSING: Logic. Age: Unknown. Description: Small and fuzzy. Last known location: Boarding a plane to the UK. Believed to have been kidnapped by suspect under the alias of Greed and likely to have been abetted by Oregon “No balls” Hoskins.
3 Mar 2010, 02:15 am
@carol: Miss Cheltenham. I am in rainy California. A Cotswoldian California as it were.
I only have the hots for you, everyone else is a pretender, not a contender.
Who is Crikey. Good name for a gal though.
3 Mar 2010, 02:21 am
By the way this is a completely stupid idea.
I quite like Grant’s suggestion of playing all the European players.
Grant – FFS – Butch can hardly play a full season of club rugby – he is (sadly) not an international anymore.
3 Mar 2010, 02:36 am
@SodaJoe: I don’t see the big deal really, what’s the issue people have?
3 Mar 2010, 04:11 am
@Big Hit: Wel there are 2 options, we use it to shape final squad for 2011 RWC, with particular emphasis on fringe players.
Or we get dof and play the top players and exhaust/injure them so that our team is not the best we have on offer.
RWC 2011 is going to be very hard, harder than normal. There are 6 teams in it with a good chance. Not just 4.
New Zealand
France
South Africa
Ireland
England
Australia
Wales
I do not see Argentina in it this next time.
I put my order of potential winners. I actually believe that France have a better than even chance of winning.
3 Mar 2010, 04:23 am
@BokiNZ:
No supprise there boet. I recall chatting to a business associate in Chch before the 2007 WC and this dude was talking about how excited he was cause he had his tickets to the WC final……. I said, you gotta beat France first mate, and he got quite aggro and said I was being stupid………well the rest is history
3 Mar 2010, 04:26 am
@SodaJoe:
Reckon you maybe right there Soda. They just need to ensure they sting a few back to back top games and they could be in the final.
Along with SA of course
3 Mar 2010, 05:16 am
if transformation and overseas selection policies can be relaxed a bit then there wil be no reason why we cant be competitive in the grandslam tour. But ja unfortunatly piet helium is a political pawn employed “not for rugby reasons only”. Piet created this monster when he promised SARU that he wil have 10 players of colour in his worldcup run-on squad.
3 Mar 2010, 05:17 am
@SodaJoe: I think there will be 5 teams with a chance of winning, as always (3N plus Fra/Eng). The final has always been between these teams and I don’t see much different this time around.
As far as I’m aware SA only play France once this summer so the Wales test will be just one more. They will probably experiment in the two Italian tests.
3 Mar 2010, 05:45 am
@ BOKINZ #29
I don’t think that’s too arrogant – the NZ fans believe in their team, not much wrong with that? If the WC was in South Africa and you posted that poll in South Africa, you would find similar results I think.
3 Mar 2010, 06:34 am
@OneTime: the difference is…every 4 yrs its the same thing. Last time round, this same paper had an speculative article by 1 of its “experts” (think its that prop who died not too long ago) about 3 mths out on who NZ’s opp was going to be in the final!! And if that wasn’t bad enough, the conclusion was that it didn’t realy matter anyway! That sorta thing is just the tip as well… Now tell me again Saffas are the same? SARugby went thru too deep waters for any Saffa to be that over-confident mate!
3 Mar 2010, 06:40 am
600 people? thats a HUGE survey, wonder how long it took them to tabulate all the answers, hope they had a super powerful computer to help..
such a cross section of the rugby loving public in NZ..
most kiwis will be confident in the team, but I dont think they will be arrogantly expecting a victory, more like hoping…
3 Mar 2010, 06:40 am
send the Sharks to play this match, we know today that they are not making the playoffs and with their 11 Boks the dragons will feel that they are getting value for money.
3 Mar 2010, 07:02 am
@BOKINZ:
Fair enough – when you put it like that, then I tend to agree with you more. The original context of your post didn’t seem like much of an issue to me, but claiming the win as a given is pretty cocky, I do seem to remember a lot of the Kiwi press doing that in the last WC.
3 Mar 2010, 07:06 am
@ REDLION:
I was going to give a comprehensive reply, but figured it would be wasted on you, so I figured I may as well just get to the point: You’re an annoying twat! Haha.
3 Mar 2010, 07:10 am
@Robzim:
Took the words outta my mouth.
Money talks, common sense walks…in South Africa.
Affirmative action in South African rugby is the death knell for our national sport.
Soccer is a joke already. Our Banana Banana national team is as powerful as any of the teams in the English Third Division but just twice as mismanaged..
3 Mar 2010, 07:47 am
money talks hey, and this could be perfect to blood our new young players but no kill the workhorses
3 Mar 2010, 08:03 am
Actually, we can field a lot of different players for these tests, noone says we MUST play Vic, Bakkies, FdP etc. every single test.
I mean those tests against Italy we can field our second team. Give kanko some game time so maybe he can become better than almost average.
We must win though, thats the first priority.
3 Mar 2010, 08:07 am
@KZN King Shark: haha yes. Not often spotted with politicians or administrators.
3 Mar 2010, 08:09 am
@WP_: my girlfriends a politician….never met anyone who works harder….not all them politicians the same!
3 Mar 2010, 08:11 am
@grant10: Yes well, the majority of them… But good for you! We need more of them in this country mate
3 Mar 2010, 08:15 am
play this team vs wales
1 beast
2 bismarck
2 bj
4 juandre kruger
4 a bekker
6 brussow
7 j smith
8 A Johnson
9 januarie
10 b james
11 mapoe
12 jdv
13 a jacobs
14 jpp
15 f steyn
Bobs your aunt…
3 Mar 2010, 08:19 am
Come to think of it, we could play the following team against the Italians:
Fowards: Werner Kruger, Gary Botha, Bees Roux, Flip Nel, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Stegman, Potgieter, Rossouw
Backs: Heinie Adams, Wacko Jacko, Pretorius, Dippenaar, Kirchner, van den Heever, Mametsa
Maybe a couple out of position, but thats not a problem.
3 Mar 2010, 08:24 am
@BlueBlood:
Yer and you would get beaten.
3 Mar 2010, 08:29 am
@BlueBlood: Pride comes before a fall.
Bulls getting way out of hand….careful….a bit of humility now and then please.
3 Mar 2010, 08:40 am
@NZINCHINA: agree. Smashed I’m afraid. So they’d have to play in blue shirts far removed from the fabled green.
3 Mar 2010, 08:42 am
@grant10: morning Grant. How you bud? Newlands on saturday?
3 Mar 2010, 08:43 am
@grant10: trying to do some work from home this morning. As one can see, failing.
3 Mar 2010, 08:45 am
this is just dof.
seemingly, the only way out is to forfeight next years S14.
top boks rested and reconditioned for a good 3 months after the end of year tour.
that’s the only way we will have a chance of performing next season.
3 Mar 2010, 08:48 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl: They already said that the Bokke won’t be playing in this year’s Currie Cup.
Also, next year is the Super15, which is a much longer competition, so I am sure that the Bokke won’t play in the second half of that either.
Will probably be rested for the Tri Nations as well.
So, there is ample opportunity for rest.
But, I dont know how teams like the Lions are going to cope with such a long competition, they dont have the depth.
3 Mar 2010, 08:56 am
@grant10: butch is a bigger sicknote than schalk, forget about him, get him out of your head, let go!
He was always solid without ever being spectacular.
You always preach the pas glories don’t mean diddly squat, this is a classic case!
3 Mar 2010, 09:01 am
Dit was hierdie same test tien jaar terug that we lost our unbeaten record teen Wallis.
3 Mar 2010, 09:02 am
Lots of rugby , i like it !
3 Mar 2010, 09:05 am
the only thing left now is for pdv to let us in on his PLAN…i sure hope he has a plan
3 Mar 2010, 09:07 am
@grant10: # 54,
surely you know he isn’t sierieaaaaas!
Well i he is sieriaaaaaas… he must stop smoking that stuff..
3 Mar 2010, 09:09 am
@Transformation: he has – he’s taking the Kings to Wales….
3 Mar 2010, 09:13 am
keyboard………. hell no!!!!!!!!!!
3 Mar 2010, 09:16 am
@grant10: PDV will play his strongest team v Wales, more likely to see an experimental side during the two tests v Italy.
3 Mar 2010, 10:41 am
@poppa69: (41) Don’t mock it. That survey reached 100% of New Zealand’s literate and sober population.
3 Mar 2010, 10:59 am
@Big Hit: PdV’s strongest team isn’t nescessarily the strongest team available..!
3 Mar 2010, 11:10 am
SARU can do this with the provisio they don’t select any players involved in the final – so that’s pretty much everyone except the Bulls
3 Mar 2010, 11:14 am
@Storm outta hell: well he doesn’t change the side much so we know who it’s likely to be.
3 Mar 2010, 11:16 am
@katman:
lol
I heard it was conducted from all the South Africans that have stayed out of crime.
3 Mar 2010, 11:17 am
@Big Hit: Yep…it’s the likely players on the bench that bothers me…and then he wonders why we always go to sleep in the last 20..???
3 Mar 2010, 15:42 pm
All these Tests could be a blessing IF, and a HUGE FARKEN IF, the selectors actually choose young “FORM” based players unlike last years end of the year mix up. Combine that with Grant’s suggestion of European based players and it could work out fine.
As long as the jokers actually chose Forwards who have played in the last 6 months and who are REAL Springbok potential, then could be great opportunity. Can rotate Smittie and Bissie all year long. We have enough loosies, scrummies and need to give our back – up Flyhalf (whoever they eventually decide) an extended run.
Home games against Italy to build confidence, Wales away game, plus European tour. Perfect. The KEY is the selection and coaching…So forget Dickie Muir – he has had his chance and not too successful – too much experimentation. Get Heyneke, Rassie and Alistair Coetzee and ask them to run these “Shadow Boks”.
3 Mar 2010, 17:17 pm
@toddke: I agree! Its a good opportunity.
I like the idea of giving the European-based okes a run in this game. Although I dont know how it affects the team dynamic/morale etc…
3 Mar 2010, 18:01 pm
Great idea. Yes lets see how much more we can play our top players into the ground. This game should cheer up Noakes no end!!
These are the types of games where a mandela 15 would be appropriate!!!
3 Mar 2010, 18:17 pm
grant10 – That should Bob’s your uncle and Fannies you aunt.
I think BJ for Beast, Beast also needs a good rest.
Hopefully The Sharks donnot make the S14 playoffs and their players get a rest!!
3 Mar 2010, 18:20 pm
@TASSIES: I am there Tassies…corporate box with the suits….cold beer and snacks…hopefully a Stormers win!
3 Mar 2010, 18:23 pm
bih hit….we got a super 14 semi…..maybe final…then to wales…then home to France??
Bloody hell…
3 Mar 2010, 18:39 pm
@grant10: tough going but France play the weekend before tests all the time, maybe leave the Bulls players out of the trip north
3 Mar 2010, 18:52 pm
@Big Hit: 80
Thats what i mean….if Bulls make final it will be difficult to expect them to front up in wales a week later then against france at newlands…..
crazy schedule….money …plain and simple
10 Mar 2010, 20:36 pm
South Africa will field a team stripped of a host of home-based players when they face Wales in Cardiff in June.
Coach Peter de Villiers has confirmed only two players per Super 14 franchise will be picked for the squad.
The rest of the squad will be chosen from players exiled in Europe in what will be a pre-World Cup trial for them.
The World Cup holders’ coach said: “I would be skinned by the media if I didn’t take the opportunity to look at players based in Europe.”
The Saturday, 5 June clash at the Millennium Stadium comes just five days after the completion of the current Super 14 season.
De Villiers is unwilling to rely on his home-based players, especially ahead of a busy pre-World Cup season that will see the world champions play 14 Tests.
Instead De Villiers will focus his attention on the Tri-Nations campaign, which begins when the Springboks play New Zealand in Auckland on July 10.
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“Our focus will definitely be on the Tri-Nations this year, given that we play our first game of the tournament at the same venue where we’ll be based for next year’s World Cup.
“We’d be stupid not to focus on that game and, by extension, on the entire Tri-Nations tournament.
“I will take only two (contracted) Boks to Wales from each franchise, at most.”
The South African Rugby Union has a policy of not selecting players plying their trade abroad.
But De Villiers will overlook that and give the likes of BJ Botha, CJ van der Linde, Wikus van Heerden, Butch James, Jean de Villiers and Frans Steyn a chance to forward their claims for a World Cup place.
“By choosing overseas-based players for the Wales Test we won’t be putting the Springbok brand at risk,” said De Villiers.
“Instead, it will be an opportunity for us. We won’t have another chance to look at these players and at our depth again.
“I have to think about what will be best for the Springboks with a view to the World Cup, and I would be skinned by the media if I didn’t take the opportunity to look at players based in Cardiff.
“I’m loath to say it, but this could be a one-off trial for players overseas to push for a World Cup place.”
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