Saturday Sport Review 14 June - Marco Jacobs If you are a Springbok rugby supporter there can be no greater sight than a team that is playing with power and a fair amount of flair. For sixty minutes Wales had no answer or a way to counter the Bok juggernaut. There are still a lot for the Springboks to work on but I am sure that they know what their deficiencies are and how to rectify it. The FIFA World Cup kicked off on Thursday and has already produced some fantastic moments for the football lover. The match of the tournament so far was between defending champions Spain and the Netherlands.The Dutch totally annihilated the Spanish with an emphatic 5 - 1 win. Robin Van Persie scoring the goal of the tournament so far. A big mention must go to Pietie Coetsee who retired after the South African womens hockey team played their final match against Korea in the hockey world cup. What a wonderful ambassador she was for her sport and South Africa as a whole! Here is a more in depth look at what happened in the world of sport. Boks power past Wales By Thahir Asmal Durban – Willie le Roux scored a fine solo try and had a hand in three others as the Springboks eased to a 38-16 victory over Wales in the opening Test match at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.The Cheetahs fullback set up two Bryan Habana scores and also played in franchise teammate Cornal Hendricks for a try on debut.Duane Vermeulen scored the other try in a one-sided affair, ensuring the hosts started their Test season on a high.Heyneke Meyers men, dogged by off-field problems in the build-up, showed little sign of distraction apart from the opening three minutes when Wales twice delivered threatening runs on either wing and came away with a Dan Biggar drop goal.But South Africa settled in thereafter and hit back with a wave of phases, although they were hampered metres from the line as the visiting defence cleared.However, there was no stopping France-based Habana when he sharply chased down Le Rouxs kick-ahead to touch down on the left after seven minutes with the veteran winger showing a good burst of speed to beat Alex Cuthbert after flyhalf Morne Steyns initial quick ball allowed the fullback to run into space.Wales then lost Jamie Roberts to a yellow card after the star centre tackled Le Roux in the air.And the Boks took full advantage by scoring twice in that 10-minute passage.First Stormers flanker Vermeulen crashed over, collecting quick ball from Fourie du Preez, after a drive from an attacking line-out was held up. Le Rouxs brilliant shimmy then opened up space for Habana to latch onto his pass and skip over for his 55th Test try.In between those scores, Bigger had popped over another drop kick when French referee Romain Poite was playing advantage.Le Roux then scored an outstanding solo try, chipping ahead from inside the 22 and regathering after the bounce fell kindly for him and not opposite number Liam Williams, and diving over for the fourth try two minutes from the break.Although Biggar added a penalty before the changeover, the lead was still a substantial 19 points.That was stretched to 22 five minutes into the second half when Steyn, who kicked six out of six attempts on goal, slotted over a penalty.Hendricks scored a fifth try of the night when the ball was rapidly switched from left to right, Le Roux drawing men once again, as the ball was sent wide to the former to cross.The Welsh, who scored a disallowed try for a forward pass on the hour, finally managed a five-pointer with 10 minutes to play as Cuthbert ran from inside his own 22, brushed off three tackles and ran in under the post.It was nothing more than consolation, though, as the Boks took a 1-0 lead in the two-game series.Scorers: South Africa: Tries: Bryan Habana (2), Duane Vermeulen, Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks. Conversion: Morne Steyn (5). Penalty: Steyn.Wales: Try: Alex Cuthbert. Conversion: James Hook. Penalty: Dan Biggar.Drop Goal: Biggar (2). – Sapa The All blacks scraped trough with an uncomfortable 28 - 27 win against a game England team! The New Zealand coach, Steve Hanson was however bullish after the series clinching victory over the Poms! All Blacks: Best yet to come Dunedin - New Zealands ability to seize control when the chips are down stunned England in the second Test in Dunedin Saturday and All Blacks coach Steve Hansen warned it was just a taste of things to come.A third quarter rampage, in which the All Blacks scored three tries, set up a 28-27 victory with the one point margin flattering England.The All Blacks turned a 6-10 deficit at half-time into a 28-13 lead before England scored two late tries to close the gap but when victory was beyond them.England coach Stuart Lancaster rated the All Blacks onslaught immediately after half-time as exceptional but Hansen said they were still below their best.We played better (than the first half) theres no doubt about that but I dont think we played as good as we possibly can, he said, singling out the forwards for special praise.They stepped up to the mark, particlarly the tight five. They scrumed well, the line-out was good and apart from the first two line-out drives that England had I think we managed to contain them.After scraping a narrow 20-15 victory in the first Test and being outplayed for most of the first half in the second, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw felt the tide start to turn just before half-time.So the key was after half-time to keep that going and a couple of quick tries put the momentum firmly with us and made them make a lot of tackles, he said.Once we started to make them tackle, its like any team that has to tackle a lot you start go go down on your haunches gasping for a bit of air.Apart from wrapping up the three-Test series with a game to spare, Hansen said the All Blacks were also getting valuable information about England a year out from the next World Cup.From a World Cup point of view weve introduced a couple of new players and were playing one of the best sides in the world and managing to come out on the right side. Its a positive, he said.But I guess the biggest thing about this series is were learning a lot about ourselves and along with that were learning a bit about England so that information will be good going forward. - Supersport The Wallabies overcame a much more determined French side from the one that they encountered a week before, 6 - 0, in a dour match, to also clinch their series two nil! Wallabies win Melbourne bore 2014-06-14 Melbourne - The Wallabies have eked out a 6-0 win in a try-less struggle over France to claim the series in the second Melbourne Test on Saturday.Bernard Foley and Nic White kicked penalty goals which ultimately proved decisive in a grimly-fought second half to break a 0-0 half-time stalemate.It was the first time the French have been held scoreless in Tests against Australia since 1928 while they are still searching for the first win down under in 24 years ahead of next weeks final Test in Sydney.The Melbourne match reached no great heights as Australia played for field position with kicks in the second half to capitalise on French mistakes inside their own territory to claim victory.But it was a much more committed effort from France, who made 10 changes after losing the opening Test 50-23 in Brisbane last weekend.Regardless of what gets written, we showed great character and grit and in the end we toughed out a game that was complicated tactically and we won it, Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said.At least we are showing week to week that we can find ways to win.Dreadful handling cost Les Bleus their chance of winning their first match in Australia since current coach Philippe Saint-Andre was a French winger back in 1990 as they frittered away the limited possession they had in a second half of few thrills before a half-empty stadium.At least tonight we matched Australia and we werent a sparring partner, but at halftime we should have been seven or ten points in front, Saint-Andre said.We had the opportunity to score a try, we missed two penalties and it was 0-0 and Australia started the second half well and our discipline was a little bit poor.We need to carry on and look forward to the next game in Sydney next Saturday.France had the better chances in a scoreless opening 40 minutes and Wallabies fly-half Foley just beat full back Brice Dulin to ground the ball in a desperate chase after a kick in the opening minutes.Dulin missed a penalty attempt from halfway after James Horwill was penalised in a ruck.No.8 Ben McCalman had a try disallowed for the Wallabies via the video referee midway through the way when Matt Toomua was ruled to have made contact with Dulin in chasing his kick over the French try-line.Scrum-half Morgan Parra missed Frances second penalty attempt before flanker Yannick Nyanga charged down Toomuas clearing kick only to go into touch near the Wallabies try-line.Scrum-half White missed Australias first shot at goal minutes after half-time and he had another penalty attempt minutes later which cannoned off an upright into Sekope Kepus hands but the French defence held firm.Foley finally broke the deadlock with a penalty in the 53rd minute after No.8 Damien Chouly was ruled offside as Australia attacked inside Frances quarter.White kicked the Wallabies six points clear with 15 minutes left after Antonie Burban was penalised as McKenzie brought on Kurtley Beale and Pat McCabe to liven up the attack.English referee Wayne Barnes lost patience with the errant French and yellow-carded replacement forward Bernard Le Roux, leaving France a man down for much of the final 10 minutes.But the Wallabies failed to finish off the French with the killer try despite their dominant possession and field position in the second half.Teams:Australia15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Scott Fardy, 5 James Horwill, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 James SlipperSubstitutes: 16 Nathan Charles, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Laurie Weeks, 19 Luke Jones, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Kurtley Beale, 23 Pat McCabeFrance15 Brice Dulin, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Maxime Medard, 10 Remi Tales, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Alexandre Menini.Substitutes: 16 Brice Mach, 17 Thomas Domingo, 18 Nicolas Mas, 19 Bernard Le Roux, 20 Louis Picamoles, 21 Antoine Burban, 22 Frederic Michalak, 23 Remi Lamerat. - Supersport We wish the Baby Boks the best of luck in their match against the Baby All Blacks. It promises to be an epic clash between the next generation of talented rugby players produced by the two giants of world rugby! Junior Boks ready for battle with Kiwis June 14 2014 By SAPA Johannesburg - The Junior Springboks are ready for their second battle in as many weeks with New Zealand Under-20s when the two rivals meet on Sunday in a crunch IRB Junior World Championship semi-final at the QBE Stadium in Albany, Auckland.Jesse Kriel, the Junior Boks utility back, was declared ready and fit after leaving the field against Samoa because of a head blow. He was named in the starting line-up, which shows a number of expected changes for the last-four encounter with the tournament hosts.Dawie Theron, the Junior Springboks coach, on Saturday named almost the same Junior Bok starting team which defeated New Zealand in their pool encounter at the same venue.The return of Warrick Gelant at fullback sees Jesse Kriel shifting to outside centre alongside the strong-running Andre Esterhuizen, with his twin brother Dan moving to the bench. Long-striding Lloyd Greeff reclaims his right wing spot from Duhan van der Merwe.Up front, Theron picked the front row of Thomas du Toit, Corniel Els and Dayan van der Westhuizen while the loose forward combination will be Jacques Vermeulen, Cyle Brink and Aidon Davis.Handré Pollard will captain the team once more from the flyhalf position.Theron and Pollard both cautioned that the young Kiwis will come out hard and determined to turn the tables in front of their home supporters.“We have to be sharp and alert from the first whistle because New Zealand will play with great determination until the final whistle,” said Theron.“We prepared well for this match but I know we can expect a huge battle. We have to be accurate, though, because it will be a close affair, and we will have to take our chances and make sure we defend well when they put us under pressure,” warned Theron.Mike Ruddocks Ireland have made it to the last four for the first time since the tournament began in 2008, and they will face defending champions England in the first semi-final at the QBE Stadium in Albany, Auckland.Along with the fifth-place play-off between Australia and Samoa, the JWC2014 semi-finals take place on Sunday at the QBE Stadium, with three of the other positional play-offs taking place at the ECOLight Stadium in Pukekohe, about 50km south of Auckland.The Junior Springbok team: Warrick Gelant, Lloyd Greeff, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Sergeal Petersen, Handré Pollard (captain), JP Smith, Aidon Davis, Cyle Brink, Jacques Vermeulen, Nico Janse van Rensburg, JD Schickerling, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Corniel Els, Thomas du Toit. Replacements: Joseph Dweba, Pierre Schoeman, Wilco Louw, Abongile Nonkontwana, Victor Sekekete, Zee Mkhabela, Jean-Luc du Plessis, Dan Kriel.The match kicks off at 9.35am (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport. - Sapa Robin Van Persie should enjoy all the accolades that he has been receiving because it was truly a wonder goal that he scored against the defending world cup champions, Spain. Truly one for the ages! Van Persie goal has Fifa drooling June 14 2014 By Mike Collett Rio De Janeiro - Robin van Persies spectacular headed goal for the Netherlands against world champions Spain was described as “absolutely phenomenal” by former France manager Gerard Houllier.Houllier, a member of Fifas Technical Study Group for the last 20 years, could hardly contain his delight in describing the goal when members of the group briefed reporters at the Maracana on Saturday.“It was absolutely phenomenal,” Houllier said. “Everything about it from a technical point of view was at such high level. The way he watched the ball, the way he moved, a diving header but more.”Jean-Paul Brigger, the head of the group who was a prolific striker and played 35 times for Switzerland, said the goal was astonishing.“It is was what separates the truly great players from the rest of us,” he told Reuters.“In all my years as a professional I could never have scored a goal like that. He had a 1 000 things in his mind as the ball came to him, what was he going to do?”Van Persie got between defenders Sergio Ramos and Jordi Alba in the 44th minute to meet a searching Daley Blind cross with a powerful header that left goalkeeper Iker Casillas rooted to the spot.But what was so special about the goal was the way Van Persie lifted his head like a seal to give the ball the height and flight to go over Casillas and into the net from 18 yards out.“He chose the right thing and it was remarkable,@ Brigger said.“If I was the head of the Dutch airline company, I would sign him up tomorrow and use that image of a Dutchman flying through the air. It was just fantastic.“After the first four games of the 2010 World Cup we had five goals and we have had 15 goals after the first four matches played here,” he added.“I hope that we see a great spectacular World Cup here. The game is now so fast, with great technique and some superb strikers and it is all set up for a great tournament.”Houllier said young players who could deal well with the conditions could be key to success for many teams but he did not think that tiredness from the European season would be a factor.“Freshness in a competition is the key to success. Only the players who were in the Champions League final have not had much of a break, the rest should be fine and have had time to recover properly,” he said.“I think the team that will win the World Cup will be a team that attacks and takes risks.“Regarding last nights game (when the Netherlands beat Spain 5-1) it shows no-one is invincible. But its true that Spain had a lot of players in the Champions League final and that took a lot of their energy.” – Reuters The final review should be left to the Rose amongst the thorns, Pietie Coetzee. What an amazing advert she has been for South Africa and the sport of hockey! SAs Coetzee retires in style Johannesburg - Veteran South African womens hockey star Pietie Coetzee marked her final game for the national team with a goal, as South Africa eased past Japan 2-0 and grabbed ninth at the Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands on Friday.Coetzee, who took to social networking and tweeted her international retirement on the bus to the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague, scored the opening goal, before Dirkie Chamberlain added the finishing touches and ensured South Africa finished two places higher than their world number 11 ranking.The journey has been unbelievable. Its with great pride that I head to the field for one last time with the @sawomenshockey, Coetzees tweet read.Coetzees 59th minute penalty-corner flick took her career tally to a remarkable 282 goals in 287 Test matches, before Chamberlain doubled South Africas lead from the penalty spot 10 minutes later.Coetzee became the all-time leading goal scorer in womens international hockey in June 2011 with the third of four goals she scored in a 5-5 draw against the United States in the Champions Challenge in Dublin.It took her to 221 goals, bettering the 20-year-old world record of Russias Natalya Krasnikova.The South African women now look ahead to the Investec Cup in London from July 9-13, followed by the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from July 24 to August 3. Sport24 CCFM Saturday Sport #SaturdaySport
Posted on: Sat, 14 Jun 2014 19:28:48 +0000