Australia 25 - 32 South Africa: Tri Nations Round 6 Result

The Springboks continued their unbeaten run in Tri Nations 2009 with an impressive win over the Wallabies at the Subiaco Oval in Perth on Saturday, to snuff out any chance they may have had of making a late bid for the trophy. In the process the Springboks put away the pattern which has been so successful for them up to now and instead dusted off their running game to score the tournament's first four-try bonus point.

Springbok tries

Two of the Springbok tries were a direct result of their normal pressure game: the first came as scrumhalf Fourie du Preez seized on a momentary lapse in concentration from the Wallaby defence to take a quick tap and crash over for a close-range individual effort. The second came as Wallaby wing Lachie Turner was unable to control a high catch and knocked the ball straight into the waiting arms of opposite number Bryan Habana who cruised over for an easy touchdown.

The other two Springbok tries were simple set-piece moves which were executed extremely well, to see first Jacque Fourie and then Bryan Habana run through the Wallaby defence without a hand on them. After all the recent criticism about the Springboks' "boring" style of play, it was thrilling to see them running the ball and scoring some excellent tries, and I'm sure the guys enjoyed it too!

Wallabies come back

At 6-22 down at half-time, the Wallabies looked completely out of the game. They'd been outplayed by the red-hot Boks, and their own mistakes had kept them on the back foot for most of the half. However, that all changed after the break and they ran out with renewed intensity and were rewarded shortly with the first of two Matt Giteau tries. After that they waited until the last five minutes of the game for a quick two-try blitz to gain their third losing bonus point for finishing within seven points of the opposition.

That they got so close is a testament to the Wallabies fighting spirit. The fact is they won the half 19-10, and while some of that may be attributed to the Springboks taking their foot off the gas, the Wallabies played very well in patches, as they've done throughout this Tri Nations. They've been regularly winning the first half of their matches - perhaps they're overdue for a game where they win both halves?

Wallaby scrumhalf problems

Scrumhalf Luke Burgess did not have a good game - his passing was imprecise, laboured and inconsistent, and one feels this had a lot to do with the Wallabies' lack of momentum in the first half. Flyhalf Matt Giteau had a poor first half too; without making excuses for him, one wonders how much of this was due to the service he was getting from Burgess? I wouldn't be surprised to see a different player starting at number 9 next week - Will Genia has looked good whenever he's come on, so perhaps he has earned a chance? With the Wallabies' chances in this Tri Nations now gone, they surely don't have a lot to lose, and should focus on using the remaining matches to build some momentum going into the second half of the season.

Springbok scrum problems

The Springboks didn't have things all their own way either. They were again outscrummed by the Wallabies, and conceded numerous penalties in this area of the game. There are still lingering doubts about John Smit's ability at prop, and this is something of a dilemma for the coaching staff. There is no doubting Smit's value as captain of the team, but you can't have a player on the field who's not on top of his own game. For now the situation is still under control, but if the scrum becomes an area of weakness that other teams can target, it will undermine the rest of the Springbok game, as it did to an extent on Saturday, and something will have to be done. Either Smit will have to move back to hooker, or perhaps the captaincy could be handed over to another player while Smit plays himself out in the first 50 to 60 minutes, to allow an impact player on in the closing stages.

State of the tournament

It's now hard to see the Springboks not winning this tournament. The All Blacks will have to win their remaining two matches with bonus points, and also rely on the Springboks losing their remaining two. Of course, this is not at all outside the realms of possibility, but with the way the Boks are playing at the moment, you'd have to back them to at least pick up a couple of bonus points, which will be enough to see them home. To be honest though, I believe they're aiming for far more than that, and will not be satisfied with less than at least one more win, if not a clean sweep.

Australia 18 - 19 New Zealand: Tri Nations round 5

Saturday's Tri Nations encounter between the Wallabies and All Blacks in Sydney was every bit as entertaining as we could have hoped. Both teams played with ambition and intensity, but the All Blacks broke Australian hearts by edging it in the last few minutes to keep hold of the Bledisloe Cup for another year, and more importantly, to keep alive their chances of winning the 2009 Tri Nations.

Backline play

It was refreshing to see both teams try to bring their backlines into the game, in contrast to the effective but rather boring tactics we've seen from the Springboks in the tournament so far. Dan Carter had a clear impact on the game in respect of moving the ball out wide and bringing his outside backs into the action, and while neither backline really fired on all cylinders, the teams are to be commended for their efforts.

Defensive pressure

The fact that we only saw a single try in the game is testament to the commitment of both teams' defence. It was positively ferocious at times, a fact underlined by the amount of blood lost by players from both sides! In fairness the All Blacks could have scored several tries in the second half, but were let down by minor infringements at the last moment each time.

New Zealand had all the territory, possession and momentum in the second half, and probably deserved their victory in the end. But by now the Wallabies must be wondering what they have to do to get a win in this competition. They didn't play badly at all, and showed clear improvement in some of the areas that have let them down in previous matches. So far this year they've been starting well, but have proved unable to keep hold of their lead for the full 80 minutes.

State of the competition

Things are nicely poised going into round 6. All teams still have a chance of winning the tournament, although Australia must beat South Africa in the next match to stay in it. The Springboks have the "luxury" of being able to afford a couple of losses and still win the tournament, and although I'm sure they will want to nail it down at the first opportunity, that knowledge in the back of their minds may be their undoing on Saturday. One thing's for sure, you can never write off a side like Australia while they still have a fighting chance.

Teams for Tri Nations round 5: Wallabies vs All Blacks

Having reached the half-way point in the 2009 Tri Nations, we return on Saturday with the Wallabies hosting the All Blacks in a crucial match in Sydney. This Bledisloe Cup match is a must-win for both teams, as whoever loses can kiss their chances in the tournament goodbye. Both sides have a point to prove after unconvincing starts to the Tri Nations, and even their respective Prime Ministers have gotten into the act with a friendly bet on the outcome of the match: the loser has agreed to wear the official tie of the opposition on Monday!

Wallabies team

The Wallabies will be without talismanic captain Stirling Mortlock who was injured in their last game against the Springboks. But James O'Connor is a tremendously exciting prospect and seems very comfortable in the test environment. The team is also bolstered by the timely return of Rocky Elsom, who will no doubt make his presence felt around the pitch.

15. James O'Connor
14. Lachie Turner
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
12. Berrick Barnes
11. Drew Mitchell
10. Matt Giteau
9. Luke Burgess
8. Richard Brown
7. George Smith (captain)
6. Rocky Elsom
5. Nathan Sharpe
4. James Horwill
3. Al Baxter
2. Stephen Moore
1. Benn Robinson

Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Alexander, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Will Genia, Ryan Cross, Peter Hynes.

All Blacks team

The All Blacks welcome Dan Carter back at flyhalf, and will be hoping he can put them back on the front foot. It's a lot to ask from one player, but if anyone can deliver, he can!

15. Mils Muliaina
14. Joe Rokocoko
13. Conrad Smith
12. Luke McAlister
11. Sitiveni Sivivatu
10. Dan Carter
9. Jimmy Cowan
8. Kieran Read
7. Richie McCaw (captain)
6. Jerome Kaino
5. Isaac Ross
4. Brad Thorn
3. Owen Franks
2. Andrew Hore
1. Tony Woodcock

Replacements: Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Jason Eaton, Rodney So'oialo, Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald, Ma'a Nonu.

Kick-off is at 8pm Australian time (11am GMT).

Springboks 29 - 17 Wallabies: Tri Nations round 4

The Springboks completed a clean sweep of home games on Saturday with a deserved 29-17 victory over the Wallabies at Newlands in Cape Town. The Wallabies got off to a great start, scoring in the corner from a set move in the 2nd minute of the game. But it was all South Africa thereafter, their pressure game once again squeezing the life out of the opposition.

Wallabies lineout woes

The Wallabies had a dismal day in the lineout, conceding numerous turnovers on their own throw, while not managing to put any pressure on the Springbok lineout. To be fair, the Springboks didn't have too many throw-ins, because the Wallabies refused to kick for touch. One has got to give credit to the Boks here for their dominance though - the Wallabies are generally regarded as having one of the better lineouts in the game, but Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha were all over them on Saturday. And added to the way they performed against the All Blacks in the last couple of games, one has to admit this is the best lineout around at the moment.

Wallabies ill-discipline

The Australians were also guilty of giving away too many penalties, mostly in kickable positions. Once again the reliable boot of Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn kept the scoreboard moving for the Springboks - he ended the match with a personal tally of 24 for the day. The frustration began to tell towards the end of the first half, which the Wallabies ended with only 13 men on the field: Matt Giteau was given a yellow card for a dangerous aerial challenge on Fourie du Preez (and was fortunate not to be cited after the match), and Richard Brown followed barely a minute later for a professional foul. George Smith also picked up a yellow in the last couple of minutes of the game for a similar professional foul, but the match was sealed by then.

By contrast, the Springboks kept their discipline throughout the match, and when they did concede penalties, they were mostly not in kickable positions. Obviously it's easier to keep your composure when things are going your way, and so far this season the Springboks have had most things their way.

Springbok backline?

Even though the game was won in convincing fashion, the Springboks once again failed to show much on attack via the backs. Sure, they were good on defence and putting pressure on the opposition, but one can't help feeling they are not living up to the potential they have. It's hard to criticise a winning strategy, and in fact it would be foolish to suggest the team abandon what is working so well for them at the moment, but one hopes they have a few moves up their sleeve in case they need to resort to Plan B one of these days...

State of play

The Springboks are currently in a strong position on the table ahead of their overseas leg. But let's not forget they are not the best of travellers. The other thing to bear in mind is that there have still not been any away wins this year; if that trend continues it will be a tight finish and will come down to bonus points or points-difference to seperate the teams. And so far the only team to have a bonus point are the Wallabies.

With the way they've been playing one should back the Boks to register at least one away win, which should see them win the tournament for only the third time - especially if the All Blacks and Wallabies split the rest of their matches. But there's still everything to play for when the tournament resumes on 22nd August.

Teams for Tri Nations round 4: Springboks vs Wallabies

Here are the teams for the Tri Nations clash between the Springboks and Wallabies in Cape Town on 8th August 2009.

Springbok team

The only change to the Springbok team is that fit-again Ruan Pienaar comes back into the squad for Wynand Olivier, having recovered from an injury sustained in round 2. Morne Steyn has been rewarded for an excellent game last week by retaining his place in the starting lineup.

15. Frans Steyn
14. JP Pietersen
13. Jaque Fourie
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Bryan Habana
10. Morné Steyn
9. Fourie du Preez
8. Pierre Spies
7. Juan Smith
6. Heinrich Brüssow
5. Victor Matfield
4. Bakkies Botha
3. John Smit (captain)
2. Bismarck du Plessis
1. Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira

Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jannie du Plessis, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Ricky Januarie, Ruan Pienaar, Adi Jacobs

Wallabies team

The Wallabies also retain the same starting lineup from their previous match, with one change on the bench: Peter Hynes in for Phil Waugh. To be honest, with the way Heinrich Brussow has been playing at the breakdown, I'm a bit surprised they've left Waugh out - he could have provided cover in case George Smith gets injured (or as part of a fetcher "double team" which they've employed in the past).

15. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Lachie Turner
13. Stirling Mortlock (captain)
12. Berrick Barnes
11. Drew Mitchell
10. Matt Giteau
9. Luke Burgess
8. Wycliff Palu
7. George Smith
6. Richard Brown
5. Nathan Sharpe
4. James Horwill
3. Al Baxter
2. Stephen Moore
1. Benn Robinson

Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Ben Alexander, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Will Genia, Peter Hynes, James O'Connor

Match Preview

This should be another fascinating clash. The Springboks deservedly start as favourites after back-to-back wins over the All Blacks, but despite the Wallabies poor record playing in South Africa, they are a serious threat. I thought they had the beating of the All Blacks in the opening game, even though they ended up losing, and I expect they'll be very competitive again today. The Springbok backline defence has looked a bit fragile this season, and if anyone can exploit that, this Australian team can. Of course, a lot depends on the quality and quantity of ball their forwards can provide, and the Springboks look to have the advantage in this area.

The Boks will also have to be spot-on if they employ their kick-and-chase game again - the Wallabies are very good in the air and can be dangerous on counter-attack.

Kick-off is at 4pm GMT (5pm SA time).