Well, it was today that I was up & ready to watch the game between Argentina & the All Blacks so Pops came here along with Dad & Jansen to my flat to watch the rugby & during the game, I was having Pizza for lunch (Well I had a Clausthaler low alcohol beer with it).
But 1st, it was the Springboks who have home ground advantage against the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria (The site of the All Blacks capturing their 1st test series win in South Africa 20 years ago) so here's the full news report:
South Africa returned to the victory trail when they secured a deserved 18-10 triumph over Australia in their Rugby Championship clash in Pretoria in Round 5.
An accomplished kicking display from Morne Steyn, who scored all his team's points, guided the home side to victory although the Wallabies scored the game's only try early in the first half when Scott Sio went over the whitewash.
The result means the Boks ended a 3-match losing streak and they move above the Wallabies into second place in the standings.
Despite their win, there are still question marks about the Boks though as the Wallabies dominated the territorial stakes and spent large parts of the game in the home side's half.
Springbok head coach Allister Coetzee's decision to go with a 6/2, forwards/backs split backfired on him as the Boks lost the services of Jesse Kriel in the first half as well as Bryan Habana and Rudy Paige early in the second half.
This meant that the Boks were forced to play with Jaco Kriel on the left wing during the game's final quarter. But to their credit, the Boks showed great character and a solid defensive effort in the second half secured them this result.
The home side's captain Adriaan Strauss deserves special praise as he led from the front in what was by far his best Test of the season. He was named the official man of the match.
The Boks made a bright start and after taking the ball through several phases with their forwards, Steyn opened the scoring with a well-taken drop goal in the fifth minute.
The Wallabies were soon level, however, when Bernard Foley landed a penalty after Eben Etzebeth was penalised for taking Sean McMahon out off the ball midway between the halfway line and South Africa's 22.
Five minutes later, Habana failed to find touch and Israel Folau launched a counter-attack from inside his 22. The ball went through several pairs of hands and the Wallabies were soon close to the home side's try-line.
Will Genia then threw a long pass to Sekope Kepu who did well to offload to his front row partner Sio,who went over under the posts for his first Test try.
Australia had a chance to increase their lead in the 23rd minute, when Vincent Koch was blown up for a scrum infringement midway between the halfway line and the visitors' 22, but Reece Hodge's monster effort landed just short of the cross-bar.
3 minutes later, Steyn narrowed the gap to four points with a penalty, after several Wallabies went off their feet at a ruck. South Africa were then handed a lifeline in the 35th minute when Folau was yellow carded for taking Habana out off the ball after the Bok flyer had chipped ahead, close to the Wallabies' 22.
Steyn made no mistake with the subsequent place-kick which meant the game was evenly poised with score at 10-9 to the visitors. South Africa upped the ante on attack but couldn't round off their attacking chances but they regained the lead on the stroke of half-time when Steyn added his third penalty after Australia strayed offside on defence.
There wasn't much to report during the early exchanges in the second half although the Wallabies had two golden opportunities to take lead but Hodge missed two shots at goal in quick succession.
Steyn also had an opportunity to extend his side's lead on the hour mark but his penalty attempt, from 55 metres out, was also off target.
The rest of the half was a war of attrition as both sides tried to gain the ascendancy but although the Wallabies spent large parts of the half camped inside the Boks' half, they committed a plethora of handling handling errors which proved costly in the end.
Steyn scored the first points of the half in the 76th minute when he landed a penalty from close quarters after the Wallabies were penalised for a ruck infringement and the pivot sealed the result when he slotted his second drop goal in the game's closing stages.
And now, here's the full match commentary of the All Blacks playing at Estadio Jose Amalfitani in Buenos Aires as they face Argentina in round 5 of the Rugby Championship:
KICK OFF: We are underway as the referee blows his whistle.
2 MINUTES LATER, PENALTY GOAL: Beauden Barrett has kicked a penalty goal.
The defensive line has been broken as Dane Coles goes through the gap.
16 MINUTES LATER: A gap opened in the defence and Agustin Creevy took full advantage.
2 MINUTES LATER: Argentina have won 20 rucks so far this game.
1 MINUTE LATER: This is dangerous for the defence as Julian Savea bursts through to advance the New Zealand attack.
New Zealand have won 20 rucks so far this game.
6 MINUTES LATER: Javier Ortega Desio has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
TRY: New Zealand are only a few metres out, surely they must score! And they do with Anton Lienert-Brown touching down.
Beauden Barrett sets up the try.
1 MINUTE LATER, CONVERSION: Beauden Barrett has kicked a conversion.
5 MINUTES LATER: Nicolas Sanchez kicks the penalty.
1 MINUTE LATER: Trouble here as Julian Savea breaches the defence.
Fabulous play by New Zealand has led to Patrick Tuipulotu being able to wriggle through a gap.
TRY: Great hands by New Zealand leads to a try for Ryan Crotty.
Ryan Crotty makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
That's a great try assist by Anton Lienert-Brown.
2 MINUTES LATER, CONVERSION: Beauden Barrett converts the try.
What a run here by Ardie Savea as he gets over the gainline!.
2 MINUTES LATER, TRY: A series of passes by New Zealand results in a try for Dane Coles.
The defensive line has been broken as Israel Dagg goes through the gap.
Anton Lienert-Brown played a key part in that try.
1 MINUTE LATER, CONVERSION: Beauden Barrett makes no mistake with that conversion attempt.
A gap opened in the defence and Ryan Crotty took full advantage.
1 MINUTE LATER, TRY: A wonderful passing move by New Zealand is finished off by TJ Perenara.
Spellbinding play by Ben Smith is finished off with a try.
1 MINUTE LATER: Beauden Barrett has hooked the conversion to the right of the posts.
HALF-TIME: The half-time whistle blows and both teams’ head for the dressing rooms.
40TH MINUTE: The 2nd half is underway.
2 MINUTES LATER: New Zealand have won 40 rucks so far this game.
1 MINUTE LATER: This is dangerous for the defence as Brodie Retallick bursts through to advance the New Zealand attack.
1 MINUTE LATER: Trouble here as Anton Lienert-Brown breaches the defence.
TRY: Silky skills by New Zealand ends with a try for Ben Smith.
1 MINUTE LATER: Beauden Barrett does the business as his conversion attempt goes over.
2 MINUTES LATER, SUBSTITUTION: Brodie Retallick comes off. Sam Whitelock comes on.
1 MINUTE LATER, SUBSTITUTION: Agustin Creevy leaves the field. Julian Montoya comes on for Argentina.
SUBSTITUTION: Ryan Crotty departs for New Zealand. New Zealand sub Damian McKenzie comes onto the field.
3 MINUTES LATER: Fabulous play by Argentina has led to Santiago Cordero being able to wriggle through a gap.
Argentina have won 40 rucks so far this game.
What a tackle there by Damian McKenzie as he saves a certain try!.
YELLOW CARD: Joe Moody (New Zealand) is shown a yellow card.
SUBSTITUTION: New Zealand make a substitution with Liam Squire coming off. New Zealand make a substitution with Wyatt Crockett coming on.
1 MINUTE LATER, SUBSTITUTION: Argentina decide to make a substitution, with Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro being replaced. Argentina decide to make a substitution, with Lucas Noguera Paz getting some game time.
3 MINUTES LATER: Ardie Savea has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
1 MINUTE LATER, SUBSTITUTION: Martin Landajo comes off. Tomas Cubelli comes on.
1 MINUTE LATER, TRY: Facundo Isa scores the try from close range.
CONVERSION: Nicolas Sanchez adds the two points for Argentina.
1 MINUTE LATER: Facundo Isa makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
5 MINUTES LATER, SUBSTITUTION: Ramiro Herrera comes off. Enrique Pieretto Heilan comes on.
SUBSTITUTION: Owen Franks leaves the field. Ofa Tu'ungafasi comes on for New Zealand.
SUBSTITUTION: Joe Moody departs for New Zealand. New Zealand sub Liam Squire comes onto the field.
1 MINUTE LATER: Argentina have won 60 rucks so far this game.
YELLOW CARD: Liam Squire (New Zealand) is shown a yellow card.
1 MINUTE LATER, SUBSTITUTION: Argentina make a substitution with Pablo Matera coming off. Argentina make a substitution with Juan Manuel Leguizamon coming on.
2 MINUTES LATER: TJ Perenara has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
1 MINUTE LATER, SUBSTITUTION: Argentina decide to make a substitution, with Nicolas Sanchez being replaced. Argentina decide to make a substitution, with Jeronimo De La Fuente getting some game time.
SUBSTITUTION: TJ Perenara comes off. awera Kerr-Barlow comes on.
1 MINUTE LATER: Dane Coles comes off. Codie Taylor comes on.
1 MINUTE LATER: Try saving tackle made by Javier Ortega Desio.
What a run here by Julian Savea as he gets over the gainline!.
5 MINUTES LATER, SUBSTITUTION: Beauden Barrett comes off. Lima Sopoaga comes on.
SUBSTITUTION: Kieran Read leaves the field. Elliot Dixon comes on for New Zealand.
1 MINUTE LATER, TRY: The kick through from Argentina has allowed Joaquin Tuculet to touch down.
1 MINUTE LATER: The defensive line has been broken as Joaquin Tuculet goes through the gap.
CONVERSION: The touch judges raise their flags as Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias kicks the conversion.
SUBSTITUTION: Ramiro Moyano departs for Argentina. Argentina sub Matias Orlando comes onto the field.
2 MINUTES LATER: A gap opened in the defence and Matias Moroni took full advantage.
3 MINUTES LATER: This is dangerous for the defence as Tomas Cubelli bursts through to advance the Argentina attack.
Argentina have won 80 rucks so far this game.
FULL-TIME: It's all over! The referee has blown his whistle to end the match.
Until next time it's bye from us. (That is my 26th blog of the year 2016 (MMXVI)
No comments:
Post a Comment