All to play for

All to play for

19 Jun 2006

The Springboks have never beaten the French at Newlands.

The good news is that the French have also not managed to beat the Boks at the famous old stadium either. Both Tests between the bitter rivals at Newlands have ended in draws.

Thus, apart from it being the first real Test of the year – no offence to the Scottish intended – the Boks need a victory to become the sole owners of the longest unbeaten Bok home run in history as well as claim superiority at Newlands over France.

“We pride ourselves on our home run and the only slight blemish is the draw against France in Durban last year,” assistant coach Allister Coetzee told keo.co.za.

“There is a lot riding on this game after we also lost to them in Paris on the end of year tour. We really want to redeem ourselves for that defeat.”

At Newlands, the last match between the two came way back in 1967 in the final match of a four-Test series. After the Boks won the first two Tests, the French pulled a game back in Johannesburg to trail 2-1, ensuring the home team needed at least a draw at Newlands to win the series. And they did, 6-6.

The only other Test at the ground between the two was drawn 3-3 in 1958. On Saturday, the Boks do not want to leave it that close as they aim to stretch their unbeaten home run to a record 14 in-a-row.

“It’s going to be very tight. We both have solid packs, but I think they would probably start as favourites because we lost some of our momentum in the second Test against Scotland,” said Coetzee.

And the shock loss of Schalk Burger for the rest of the season will not only impact on the dynamics of the loose trio for such an important game, but will also weight heavily on the psyche of the players.

“We set out every weekend to progress and we let ourselves down in PE. We know we need to win and win well at Newlands.”

By Andrew Hollely


44 Comments

  • 1.big g: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:07 pm

    SHARK dragons please…

  • 2.Ig: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:11 pm

    Similar situation against the All Blacks last year….its gonna be a tough one….hope the worng french teams turns up….

    It will also set a new test record for most consecutive test home wins….but i am sure andrew knew that.

  • 3.bigg: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:11 pm

    I don’t see a Bok win on Saturday. We have to many injuries…

    France 23
    Boks 19

  • 4.bigg: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:13 pm

    IG – Andrew already mentioned that!

  • 5.Stan: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:14 pm

    They should have played this game at a real rugby staduim like Fort loftus.

  • 6.Stan: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:15 pm

    But the frech would prefer Cape town as there are more leather shops and *** bars….

  • 7.Icey: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:15 pm

    The French are chiken, and the Bokke, they eat the chicken !!!

  • 8.big g: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:15 pm

    with real naartjies and ‘real’ dumbass supporters hey..

  • 9.xsaffa: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:20 pm

    boks will play with their hearts on their sleeves this weekend, one of our better wins

  • 10.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:21 pm

    Fort Loftus Stan?

    You mean that stadium where the Boks got given their biggest hiding?

    I almost sound like tackler now

  • 11.Andre_WP: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:21 pm

    Stan

    What’s your email addy ?

  • 12.mossel: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:23 pm

    How can Coetzee regard the frogs as favourites? Where is the confidence? We are on a winning streak! (even if not pretty)

  • 13.mossel: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:35 pm

    When was the last time the AB’s lost a test at home? Whats their longest unbeaten streak?

  • 14.Ig: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:39 pm

    Lol PA…..classic.

  • 15.Stan: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:45 pm

    PA, LMGA.
    Yes, i amost thought that it was cackler posting under your name!

  • 16.Stan: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:45 pm

    andre-wp,
    Hoekom?

  • 17.Sampioenman: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:47 pm

    Mossel, everybody is following Deans’ approach to praise the opposition and lull them. Way better than the idiotic way in which Jake White fired up the Irish with his comments…

  • 18.bigg: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:48 pm

    Stan – Newlands is a better ground than Tswane Stadium…

  • 19.Stan: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 14:51 pm

    bigg,
    Naah, you can do better than that….

  • 20.mossel: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:00 pm

    Sampie

    lull them?- yes, praise them?- maybe a little…but suggesting that they are favourites?- no way!

  • 21.J.B. Cowper: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:04 pm

    In France and South Africa we have the two most unpredictable teams in world rugby showing up in the most unpredictable stadium – no wonder they’ve drawn every time at that venue.

    France played well last week and SA bad – it will probably be reversed on Saturday – but I wouldn’t put a cent on it.

    I would say, however, that Traille in his first Test game ever at fly-half will give Jaco a lesson in how to do it.

    John Cowper – Detroit

  • 22.Andre_WP: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:04 pm

    Stan

    Het ‘n artikel van Son wat ek vir jou wil mail.

  • 23.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:08 pm

    Sorry Stan,

    Will never stoop that low again – I just could not resist.

  • 24.Henri F: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:08 pm

    If you drive around Brackenfell in the Cape, near the Hypermarket, you’ll see the WP players who played in the test against the French in 1967 honoured with street names – Tiny Naude, Tiny Neethling, HO De Villiers, John Gainsford, etc.

  • 25.Vinnie: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:20 pm

    I struggle to get out to that specific Hypermarket these days…

  • 26.Stan: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:23 pm

    Andre,
    Stuur vir my jou adres, dan antwoord ek op hom.

  • 27.Skim: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:24 pm

    I eat the chicken.

  • 28.cab: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:26 pm

    chicken pie

  • 29.Skim: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:28 pm

    It is where I get my POWER!

  • 30.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:29 pm

    Come on none of those stadiums beats Kings Park for real atmosphere. I have more chance of being accosted by a drunk Bulls supporter with a 1980′s mullet then anywhere else in South Africa.

  • 31.StMichel: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:40 pm

    “Bitter rivals”. Hardly. Since when?

    Its right that the boks play at Newlands. Playing at altitude has always given the boks an unrealistic view of their strengths. And of course unless I am very much mistaken the boks will find that the world cup will be played pretty close to sea level.

  • 32.Andre_WP: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:43 pm

    Stan

    andre@internet-sa.co.za

  • 33.Stan: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:52 pm

    Yip,
    Kingspark is a lovely place for after parties.
    Pity they dont have a rugby team to go with it.

  • 34.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 15:53 pm

    Hello all knowledgable rugby fans & also all WP / Stormers supporters……

    Ha hahaaa!

    How’s it hanging.

    My question is quite simple: How does the Boks manage to blow so hot one week and sooooooooo cold the next against the same lame Scots?

    I certainly hope to hell Jake White can fire up the Boks enough to pull through a Super Hot performance this coming weekend, then to consistantly perform at a decent level from hereon in, leading into and after the World Cup 2007.

    Personally I am sad for Schalk Burger’s injury, BUT, the Boks have plenty loosies to choose from and cover sufficiently!!

    My worry is much more the inability of the Boks backline to be creative and productive in attack. All SA coaches / teams seem to coach all natural flair and feeling for the game out of the backs, the absolute determination to play to a previously decided pattern of play!!

    They continue to choose of players out of their established positions, both provincially and nationally and it irritates the **** out of me.

    Go Bokke………..!!!!

  • 35.Stan: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 16:10 pm

    andre_wp,
    check your mail…

  • 36.Andre_WP: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 16:18 pm

    Stan , het vir jou gemail hehehe.

  • 37.Andre_WP: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 16:26 pm

    Stan , did you get it ?

  • 38.Viper6: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 16:37 pm

    Luke Watson to make his dream debut at Newlands.

  • 39.sjb: Reply to this comment
    19 Jun 2006, 21:06 pm

    Andre_WP, Stan is te bang jy laat sy adres uit. Daar is te veel muppets wat hom wil donder!

  • 40.boet: Reply to this comment
    20 Jun 2006, 04:12 am

    Our loosies will cope just finem, on a good day theyll kak on most other loose trios in the world. Maybe burger being out will give the boys a good opportunity to learn how to wins games without the incredible Schalk. Then when he returns, White will be able to rest him more and save him for bigger games.

  • 41.Stan: Reply to this comment
    20 Jun 2006, 08:01 am

    sjb,
    Vertel vir my in al jou wysheid, hoe spoor jy iemand op deur n email adres?
    Het dit al by jou opgekom dat virusse en junkmail n probleem kan wees?

  • 42.St.Petersburgbok: Reply to this comment
    20 Jun 2006, 09:25 am

    I’d take the draw if offered it now…..not at all confident.

  • 43.pompies: Reply to this comment
    20 Jun 2006, 10:04 am

    Post 41 If you got a fire wall and anti-spam filters then you’ll have no worries. Tracking some one down from an e-mail is not so easy but there are vays and means. But a cunning fox that you are knew that no?

  • 44.wdw: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 14:21 pm

    Okes have some faith in your team, Jake made decisions in Tri-Nations that we did not like and we pulled it off. He’s putting the caps in the game to win not to loose.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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