It came with drama and a little controversy, of course it was, because this was the Boks v the ABs. New Zealand skipper Sam Cane was sent off for a high hit on Jessie Kriel in the 27th minute and that influenced but did not ruin the game. Cane is invariably pretty upright when he goes for those big pile drivers but in recent matches has directed and timed his challenges perfectly. Alas, on the biggest night of all, he was slightly off and paid a heavy price
In the last month or so, since official doms’s draconian opening salvo on such challenges at this World Cup, refs have been a tad more lenient but in truth it looked a likely red from the off. When the man with no name in the bunker at Roland Garros gave the thumbs down it was disappointing, but not a surprise.
Meanwhile, back at the Stade were cards, disallowed tries, frequent recourse to the TMO, close calls. We had the lot. There are many South African heroes in this story from the innovative coaching duo of Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus to stand out players in every compartment and last night it was Pieter Steph Du Toit – World Player of the Year when the Boks last won the World Cup – who produced a supernatural physical effort up front to spearhead the Boks challenge. Handre Pollard wasn’t far behind, an individual who can look ordinary in ordinary games and world beating on the very best occasions.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 29, 2023 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 29, 2023 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Minikin sparks a party at Twickenham for Yorkshire
EUPHORIC scenes swept round Ionians ground as Lewis Minikin dashed over to score Yorkshire's fourth try to send the white rose to Twickenham for the first time in 16 years.
Rebels facing tough test against 'Canes
SUPER Rugby Pacific play-off spots were confirmed this weekend, with the soon-to-be extinct Melbourne Rebels living to fight another day in eighth place.
Ospreys' Nicky just too tricky for Cardiff
LEICESTER-BOUND, Smith scored Nicky two tries as Ospreys squeezed into the playoffs with a bonus-point victory over a battling Cardiff in an enthralling game.
Quins want to throw fitting farewell party
HARLEQUINS stars Shaunagh Brown, Rachael Burford and Emily Scott start their final game for the club today.
Mapletoft set for Georgia challenge
ENGLAND U20s head coach Mark Mapletoft has confirmed his 30-player squad that travel to Georgia next week in preparation for next month's World Championship.
Gloucester put faith in 'some old heads'
IT was typical of Gloucester's season - make that the last couple that when they came up against a front five in last weekend's Challenge Cup final that contained four World Cup winners they were missing three frontline forwards.
Smith has final say for Saints
NORTHAMPTON Saints, having run teams ragged in glorious fashion all season, scrummaged and muscled their way to their first Premiership final since 2014 but a resilient Saracens contested the issue until the final whistle.
Finally! Bath hold nerve to see off Sharks
BATH are one victory away from winning the Premiership for the first time after surviving a Sale comeback, but they are likely to be underdogs against a Northampton that has been a couple more years in the making.
Chessum 'gutted' to miss out on England
OLLIE Chessum admits he is \"gutted\" to be missing out on a busy summer with England in the southern hemisphere.
Boyd got me back on track - Ludlam
LEWIS left the Ludlam Franklin's Gardens turf in a Northampton jersey for perhaps the last time on Friday night, six years after he thought about ending his career because he feared it was going nowhere.