Springbok team vs New Zealand: 2011 Tri-Nations

The Springboks’ chopping and changing will continue on Saturday when they face the All Blacks, so much so that it’s impossible to tell which starting XV will take the field when the world champions play their opening World Cup game against Wales on September 11.

While their main rivals New Zealand and Australia are all but settled, ready for a tilt at ultimate glory, this is far from the case with South Africa and worse still it remains unclear who will be the side’s run-out captain for a World Cup that’s less than a month away.

It’s pretty worrying.

The Springboks

For this weekend Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has made five changes to the team. World Cup winning captain John Smit will drop to the bench and will be replaced at hooker by his Sharks teammate Bismarck du Plessis. It means lock Victor Matfield will therefore captain the Springboks against the All Blacks in Port Elizabeth, South Africa’s last match before their World Cup defence begins.

In the other changes, Gurthro Steenkamp, South Africa’s player of the year in 2010, starts at loosehead prop instead of Tendai Beast Mtawarira while there is a first Test start for Sharks loose forward Willem Alberts at number 7 ahead of Danie Rossouw.

In the backs, young promise Pat Lambie replaces the injured Francois Steyn at fullback while Morne Steyn returns in favour of Butch James at flyhalf.

It’s an important match; another poor performance would only serve to compound the scepticism surrounding the team and its coach, scepticism that is seemingly backed up the Springboks’ track record over the past four years.

Despite beating the British & Irish Lions and winning the Tri-Nations in 2009, it has by in large been an unproductive four years for the Boks – unproductive because South Africa has failed to build on their wondeful 2007 World Cup victory. In fact there is an argument that even that glorious 2009 was an anomaly. The Springboks at the time had outstanding players in the form of their lives, and were playing under laws that in some ways hid the deficiencies of their coaching team as no adaption or innovation was needed.

2007 World Cup glory

Fortuitous events and injuries also caused a change in some questionable selections. For example, Adi Jacobs and Ruan Pienaar were preferred ahead of Jaque Fourie and Morne Steyn at centre and flyhalf respectively. Metronomic fetcher Heinrich Brussow was also originally not considered a necessary weapon. All three changes were crucial to South Africa’s victory over the Lions and subsequent success for the rest of 2009.

The Boks also had a young Wallaby side and rebuilding All Black squad playing into their hands, and of course it’s a fact that really great teams can coach themselves. In football, Chelsea certainly did something similar when they reached the Uefa Champions League final in 2008 after the departure of Jose Mourinho.

So now fast forward to 2011 and its becoming clearer with each day that De Villiers doesn’t have the full respect of his team while the outside world has generally lost confidence in his captain. With 26 days to go to the Springbok’s World Cup opener it wouldn’t be wise to drop Smit from the team, a man who has been a true braveheart and ambassador for South Africa during one of it’s most successful periods. The Gary Teichmann episode ahead of the 1999 World Cup, when the then captain was unceremoniously dropped ahead of the tournament, is also a warning reference point from the past.

The real point, however, is that like other things this is a situation that was sadly missed by South Africa’s technical team over the past four years. Although hindsight is a wonderful thing, perhaps 2009 was when Smit should have then been slowly phased out of the team or a new leader given time to stamp their authority. Today as we speak Chilliboy Ralepelle and Du Plessis clearly offer a lot more than Smit. But this can’t be blamed on the Saracens bound stalwart.

All-round Peter de Villiers has failed to build on the 2007 platform that was so well built by Jake White and failed to take advantage of what is no doubt a golden generation of talent in South African rugby. Pat Lambie, Juan de Jongh and Gio Aplon are examples of world-class talent that hasn’t been properly integrated into the Boks setup. Australia young gun James O’Connor meanwhile has turned into a match-winner for the Wallabies.

In all De Villiers has displayed very little foresight, whether tactically or in his selections. It’s always easy to apportion blame but the sad fact is that, as things stand, it’s very difficult to see any light at the end of this particular tunnel for the Boks, especially looking at the tough World Cup group, including Samoa, Wales, Fiji and Namibia, they have been given.

Will the Boks be able
to stop the All-Blacks?

With less than a month to go to the World Cup it’s perhaps too late to fire De Villiers... though that is an option... it would at least relieve the side of the circus surrounding its sometimes comical coach.

The All Blacks meanwhile, comfortable and settled in their methods, have ominously sent a weakened squad to South Africa (much like the Boks did in 2007 ahead their World Cup victory). Flyhalf Dan Carter, captain Richie McCaw, number 8 Kieran Read, lock Brad Thorn, prop Owen Franks, fullback Mils Muliaina and centre Conrad Smith have all been left behind in New Zealand.

They, like the rest of us, will be watching on TV a match that, as early as it is, could signal the end of South Africa’s reign as world champions.

Springbok Team
1. Gurthro Steenkamp
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield ©
6. Heinrich Brussouw
7. Willem Alberts
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. JP Pietersen
15. Pat Lambie

Replacements

16. Tendai Mtawarira, 17. John Smit, 18. CJ van der Linde, 19. Danie Rossouw, 20. Ashley Johnson, 21. Francois Hougaard, 22. Butch James

Head to Head
• South Africa’s record against New Zealand:

Played 82; Won 33; Lost 46; Drawn 3;

Points for 1 268; Points against 1 554; Tries for 125; Tries against 161; Average score 15-19

• South Africa’s Tri-Nations record against New Zealand:

Played 35; Won 10; Lost 25;

Points for 685; Points against 987; Tries for 62, Tries against 93. Average score 20-28

• South Africa’s home record in the Tri-Nations against New Zealand:

Played 17; Won 7; Lost 10;

Points for 391; Points against 474; Tries for 36; Tries against 45. Average score 23-28

Springboks vs Australia - Line-ups

South Africa vs Australia

2011 Tri-Nations

Saturday, August 13

Mr Price Kings Park Stadium, Durban



Heinrich Brüssow to return

Springboks

1. Beast Mtawarira

2. John Smit (captain)

3. Jannie du Plessis

4. Bakkies Botha

5. Victor Matfield

6. Heinrich Brüssow

7. Danie Rossouw

8. Pierre Spies

9. Fourie du Preez

10. Butch James
11. Bryan Habana

12. Jean de Villiers

13. Jaque Fourie

14. JP Pietersen

15. Frans Steyn
Replacements

16. Bismarck du Plessis

17. Gurthro Steenkamp

18. Gerhard Mostert

19. Jean Deysel

20. Francois Hougaard

21. Morne Steyn

22. Gio Aplon

Australia
1. Sekope Kepu, 2. Stephen Moore, 3. Ben Alexander, 4. Nathan Sharpe, 5. James Horwill, 6. Rocky Elsom (captain), 7. David Pocock, 8. Scott Higginbotham, 9. Will Genia, 10. Quade Cooper, 11. Digby Ioane, 12. Pat McCabe, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14. James O’Connor, 15. Kurtley Beale

Replacements: 16. Saia Fainga’a, 17. Salesi Maafu, 18. Sitaleki Timani, 19. Ben McCalman, 20. Radike Samo, 21. Luke Burgess, 22. Anthony Fainga’a

Match Facts
• South Africa’s Test record against Australia

Played 72; Won 41; Lost 30; Drawn 1; Points for 1 367; Points against 1 278; Tries for 166; Tries against 133; Average score 19-18

• South Africa’s Tri-Nations record against Australia

Played 35; Won 17; Lost 17; Drawn 1; Points for 768; Points against 825; Tries for 72; Tries against 83. Average score 22-24

• South Africa’s record against Australia in Durban

Played 4; Won 2; Lost 2; Points for 72; Points against 74; Tries for 7; Tries against 7; Average score 18-19

John Smit... most Tests as captain

Records
• The Springboks’ starting line-up boasts a total of 810 caps, exceeding the previous record of 750 caps which was also against Australia in Bloemfontein, 2010

• John Smit will extend his world record of most Tests as a captain to 79 and his Tri-Nations record of most tests as a captain to 31. Richie McCaw of New Zealand is second on 27 Tri-Nations Tests

• John Smit and Victor Matfield will extend their shared South African career record of 22 caps against Australia

• Victor Matfield will extend his record as the most capped Springbok in the Tri-Nations to 42 appearances

• Jaque Fourie and Jean de Villiers will extend their record for most Springbok appearances as a centre pairing in the starting line-up in Tests to 23

• Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha will extend their world record for most appearances as a lock combination in the starting line-up to 61

• The following players will extend their Springbok records in a position:

Victor Matfield – 106 Test as lock

John Smit – 90 Test as hooker

Bryan Habana – 68 Test as wing

Jean de Villiers – 54 Test as centre

Butch James – 37 Test as flyhalf

Source: news24

From The Archives - We've Been Here Before

We have been here before – the euphoria and unconfined joy, a young team with huge talent, an achievement against the odds and a nation rejoicing.

Just as the under-20 class of 2004 became the first side to qualify Lesotho for a continental tournament, 2010’s Makoanyane XI will be amongst Africa’s cream – world champions Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Mali, Gambia and hosts Libya – at the 2011 Caf African Youth Championship.

But that is where the similarities must end.

The Makoanyane XI

The Makoanyane XI team which qualified for the 2005 edition of the tournament in Benin is now nowhere to be seen and the miserable failure to build on that side was crystallised by the Lesotho Football Association’s (Lefa) disbanding of Likuena in February. Indeed it is why this moment, which is to be honest is only a development step, is so special – because Lesotho has been so starved of success on the football field.

That 2005 side, blessed with talents such as Tefo Maipato, Ralekoti Mokhahlane, Dlhomo Monapathi and Thabo Masualle, was never properly nurtured.

Only Bokang Mothoana, who now plies his trade in Tunisia, can be said to be fulfilling his potential.

Instead that special crop of players has spent the past six years stagnating while Likuena lost all its matches during the 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The question now to Lefa is whether things will be any different this time around and whether Lesotho will build on this achievement.

Is there the administrative fortitude to set clear strategic plans?  Will this momentum be sustained? Will Lehlomela Ramabele, Tšoanelo Koetle or Kopano Tseka lead a competitive Likuena in five years time? Or will Lefa go down the same path again and let precious talent rot away?

Lehlomela Ramabele celebrates after
Lesotho's qualification for the 2011 African Youth Championship

As Lefa’s public relations officer Baba Malephane said at the Makoanyane XI’s post match conference the side’s preparation and readiness for the African Youth Championship next March is no doubt vital; but of even more importance is having a strategy that will reap rewards long after the tournament’s end.

The main factor which destroys Lesotho’s football is the day-to-day structures which players are subjected to. Simply put, the amateur status of local football is unsustainable. having a strong national team and players involved in high-level competition is not mutually exclusive.

Even with the Makoanyane XI’s qualification their prospects over time in the current conditions are bleak because they are not exposed to an environment that will challenge them to develop.

In two years time Lesotho’s football in the country is supposed to be at least semi-professional. This should be the local authorities’ main priority.

Lesotho has always fared quite well in youth football but this promise peters out because of the overall poorness of the league the players play in, in what are supposed to be their best years.

One for the future: Montoeli Sonopo

In other words, there is no way a country can achieve football success with a Sunday League premier league such as the one in Lesotho.

It is often put forward as a self-soothing excuse that there are “poorer” countries which still succeed (even if they don’t have the best national leagues).

But Lesotho’s premier league is unquestionably the worst run in the region, with the lowest profile and the worst facilities.

Professionalising football is not a magic pill for success but a better structured club for example can manage a youth team, providing the possibility for national youth leagues and grassroots development. To make an example with the Makoanyane XI, all its players have been produced by current premier league clubs through their meagre resources, not as a result of any programs by Lefa.

Under-20 Leslie Notši has already expressed concern at the standard of strikers at his disposal and has said he will try engaging in programs with clubs because this is where players spend their time.

Unfortunately the biggest problem at the moment lies with the premier league as an organisation. The premier league is a lovey-dovey club that hopes for and lives off hand-outs. That is why clubs’ grounds were not checked before the season and why sides like LMPS and LDF continue to have shabby facilities even though they posses the manpower to maintain and improve their facilities.

There have to be stricter targets and punishments for the clubs that don’t meet them – either by monetary fines or even docking points. Time is running out and the ones who suffer most are the players.

Football it should not be forgotten is an interconnected industry. Success on the field, with quality players and acceptable facilities such as LCS’s Central Prison, translates into interest, business and sponsorship off it.

Makoanyane XI captain Basia Makepe (right)

It is a fallacy to believe this under-20 team will just win on the senior international stage by having a couple of camps in the year and by playing friendly matches. That will help, but football at the highest level has changed; it is not for jokers anymore.

Football is an everyday operation to improve.

These are the fundamental reasons why the 2004 under-20 team has stagnated.

There is also a strong case to export the current Makoanyane XI talent.

But with no agents in Lesotho Lefa in conjunction with relevant clubs have to set up clear strategies to find the players clubs in stronger leagues.

It should not happen as it did in 2004 when Maipato, Monapathi, Neo Makama and Katleho Moleko were shipped off to South African outfit Orlando Pirates to satisfy the greed of a certain few and then just dumped there.

Those moves in retrospect have done little for those players’ careers.

What this class of 2010 and others like them deserve is a chance to build on their talent by providing them with an environment that will take theirs and the country’s football to the next level.

Written in October 2010 following Lesotho’s qualification for the 2011 Caf African Youth Championships

The Legend of Sir Alex - By Matela Lechesa

The Legend of Sir Alex

The great American football coach Vince Lombardi once famously proclaimed: “If winning isn’t everything why do they keep score?” This maxim could easily be ascribed to the greatest manager in the history of club football (not the American type), Sir Alexander Chapman ‘Alex’ Ferguson.

Since taking over in 1986 as manager of Manchester United, Ferguson has outworked and dominated the football landscape in the United Kingdom and Europe like no one in the history of the game.

Football is a funny old game. Often the gods of football turn back to laugh and mock mortals who value their ideologies more than they are worth, and this is exactly what happened this past season.

Going back to the start of the 2010/2011 season, Manchester United were considered an average team by majority of experts and pundits. Many felt the squad was not deep enough and lacked cutting edge quality especially as the club had still not invested to fill the gaping hole left by the concurrent departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez at the beginning of the previous season.  

The pundits’ logic was simple – United’s senior players had not had a good 2010 World Cup in South Africa by any stretch of the imagination. Rooney had seemingly lost his scoring boots as evidenced by his lacklustre performance for England. Captain Nemanja Vidic was barely average for Serbia while Patrice Evra was at the middle of the whirlwind debacle of France’s World Cup appearance.

The Winners Cha Cha Dance

What the experts forgot to factor in though is ‘The Legend of Fergie.’

Though the Red Devils had never really gone on a real shopping spree since the departure of the 60 goal a season duo of Tevez and Ronaldo, one thing remained intact; Sir Alex Ferguson was still at the helm, and while that is still the case Manchester United has to be the favourites at the beginning of any season. This is a right United have earned under the tutorship of the canny Scotsman.

Sir Alex Ferguson has Manchester United at his heart and his ability to strive on for success when the odds are visibly against him is something that has been woven into his club’s fabric. It seems when the naysayers are at their loudest that’s when Sir Alex is most able to rally his troops around a common mission.

When United kept grinding out results when their rivals could not the pundits began to change their tune but only to say, ‘the team is winning but lacks the flair and charm of Manchester United teams of past.’ Needless to say Fergie used such statement to fuel his troops with further fire. The end result was a league title which was won quite comfortably in the end and a loss in the final of the Uefa Champions League to Barcelona – arguably the best assembled team in the history of the game... far from a season the pundits had predicted at the end of it all. 

"Ref! It's Fergie Time!"

No doubt before Ferguson United was already one of the elite teams in the United Kingdom and to a lesser extent Europe – the Red Devils had already won seven league titles, six FA cups and one continental title – but the hiring of the Scot would catapult the club into the pantheon of legends over the next quarter century. Twelve league titles later, along with two more European titles, Manchester United has become the most successful club in the history of professional football in the United Kingdom. Along with that, the club has also gone on become the most recognisable and most financially valuable sports brand in the world.

Now, you may ask what makes Sir Alex Ferguson so special. Is it his ability to motivate? His unparalleled record? His loyalty towards to one club, or perhaps his understanding of the game? No. Though all of the above are commendable and have made Sir Alex a legend of our time, what strikes me the most about this man is his ability to carry on. Many have come and gone but Fergie has remained at the summit at the highest level, year after year.

When a man becomes so dominant in one field whereby it becomes impossible to find comparisons within the sport it always leads to comparisons with others in other sports. For me Sir Alex is the equivalent of a Vince Lombardi in the NFL or a Phil Jackson in the NBA. But, having said that, football is a global sport unlike these two American sports and perhaps even this comparison does him a disservice.

At 69 years Sir Alex Ferguson still looks fresher than ever and he should go on for at least five more years. In football this is a long time and you would be foolish to bet against Fergie breaking all the managerial records he is yet to.

The Greatest of all-time?

When it is all said and done Ferguson’s life will serve as a manual for anyone who aspires to be a leader in any vocation of life. And one thing is for sure: Manchester United will be favourites for the English Premiership title this season for Fergie has reminded the pundits one again that it is he who is the true talisman at this legendary club.

Tri-Nations: New Zealand vs Australia - Line-ups

New Zealand vs Australia
2011 Tri-Nations
Saturday, August 6
Eden Park, Auckland

New Zealand and Australia face off

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made no changes to the Wallaby starting XV that beat South Africa 39-20 two weeks ago for this crucial Tri-Nations encounter. However the reserves bench has seen a few changes. Experienced lock Nathan Sharpe is replaced by Dan Vickerman while in the scrumhalf position Nick Phipps is replaced by Luke Burgess who is returning from injury. Back Lachie Turner also makes the match 22 replacing flanker Matt Hodgson.

The All Blacks meanwhile have made a host of changes from the side that ran out last time out in a 40-7 thumping of the Springboks. Hooker Keven Mealamu starts with Andrew Hore moving to bench and Cory Flynn dropping out of the match 22 altogether. Owen Franks will start, relegating his brother Ben to the bench. At lock Brad Thorn returns in favour of Sam Whitelock while his Crusaders teammate Kieran Read also comes into the starting XV.

At scrumhalf Piri Weepu starts while wingers Hosea Gear and Sitiveni Sivivatu also return to form a formidable All Blacks starting XV. Indeed tomorrow’s team will be the most experienced New Zealand side in history with a record 766 caps in total.

Starting Line-ups
Position	All Blacks	Wallabies
1	Wyatt Crockett	Sekope Kepu
2	Keven Mealamu	Stephen Moore
3	Owen Franks	Ben Alexander
4	Ali Williams	Rob Simmons
5	Brad Thorn	James Horwill
6	Jerome Kaino	Rocky Elsom ©
7	Richie McCaw ©	David Pocock
8	Kieran Read	Ben McCalman
9	Piri Weepu	Will Genia
10	Dan Carter	Quade Cooper
11	Hosea Gear	Digby Ioane
12	Ma’a Nonu	Pat McCabe
13	Conrad Smith	Adam Ashley-Cooper
14	Sitiveni Sivivatu	James O’Connor
15	Mils Muliaina	Kurtley Beale
Replacements
16	Andrew Hore	Saia Fainga’a
17	Ben Franks	Pekahou Cowan
18	Sam Whitelock	Dan Vickerman
19	Adam Thomson	Scott Higginbotham
20	Andy Ellis	Luke Burgess
21	Colin Slade	Anthony Fainga’a
22	Sonny Bill Williams	Lachie Turner