There is little doubt that Burke is one of the most successful and respected international fullbacks of recent times, notching up the second highest all time points tally for an Australian Test player.
For the Waratahs he is the highest ever points scorer and the second highest capped player, with his illustrious Sydney career spanning from 1992 to 2004.
Check out this 80m try in 1996…
Source: rugbydump.co.za
The Springboks could not seal the deal and win the Tri-Nations on Saturday against the Wallabies at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The Boks lost 21 - 6.
Although the Boks might have quibbles over the refereeing of Englishman Wayne Barnes they cannot argue that they were well beaten by a quicker, fitter more focussed Wallaby side.
After a week in which they were lambasted by their media George Smith’s re-jigged combination turned up determined to match the Springboks’ physicality and succeeded admirably as they scored the only two tries of the match and kept the Sprinboks scoreless in the second half.
All the changes made by Robbie Deans — especially Tatafu Polota-Nau at hooker, David Pocock on the flank and Berrick Barnes at inside centre — worked a treat as the Wallabies gave their Kiwi coach, who celebrated his 50th birthday on Friday, the perfect present.
For the Springboks it was a case of the chickens coming home to roost as the pessimists, who had cautioned against the unrestrained acclaim being heaped on John Smith’s team, received plenty of justification.
The Springboks had to make two changes due to injury to their match 22 to face the Wallabies in their Tri-Nations encounter at the Suncorpe Stadium in Brisbane this Saturday.
Coach Peter de Villiers announced today that Sharks wing Odwa Ndungane will take the place of his provincial team mate JP Pietersen in the starting line-up, whilst Vodacom Blue Bulls lock Danie Rossouw makes a return to the bench in the place of Vodacom Western Province’s Andries Bekker.
Both Pietersen (hamstring) and Bekker (shoulder) have returned to South Africa after sustaining injuries in the 32-25 win at the Subiaco Oval in Perth last week.
De Villiers also confirmed that concerns over minor ailments to Bakkies Botha and Bryan Habana had eased and that both players would be ready to fill their places on Saturday. Botha was rested from practice on Tuesday but Habana took part in the session.
Springbok captain John Smit praised his team for a “job well done” after their 32-25 victory over the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday, which strengthened their grip on the 2009 Tri-Nations trophy.
Outscoring the Australians by four tries to three, despite having been branded as boring by their Australasian rivals in recent weeks, South Africa have taken a near unassailable lead in the competition.
With two more games - against the Aussies in Brisbane next week and New Zealand in Hamilton a week later, two more points will give the Boks their third Tri-Nations title.
But it was the clinical manner in which the Boks dismantled the Wallabies in the first half in Perth, taking a 23-6 lead at the break, that really impressed.
And becoming the first team this year to score a four-try bonus point also sent a strong message to their rivals.
The Bok captain, Smit, said his team got the result they wanted - five points on the standings from the game.
“We shortened our week [arriving in Perth in two shifts, on Monday and Tuesday] and we were fresh. We saw the energy in the first 50 [minutes],” Smit said in his post-match reaction.
He admitted that the Boks got into a bit of a “defensive mode” in the last 30.
“The one thing about the Aussies, they just keep coming for the 80 minutes, no matter what,” the Bok skipper added.
Asked about being the first team this year to score four tries in a Tri-Nations game, Smit said it was all part of the plan.
“We said all along that we will do whatever we need to win and tonight was a bit of running and a few tries and it did the job,” the Bok captain said.
He admitted that they were happy with their defensive effort, for most part, despite conceding two late tries - in the 75th and 79th minutes - to give the Aussies a bonus point.
“We spoke about it [defence] at half-time, about getting another half-a-metre, just getting on the referee’s good side.
“There was a lot of penetration coming and we just needed to stay organised,” he said.
He admitted that Bryan Habana’s 52nd minute try was the killer blow.
“Half-time [leading 23-6] there was big talk about putting just one more nail in just after the break and the boys listened for a change,” Smit added.
(via: Rugby 365)
The Springbok coach Peter de Villiers have named two changes to the Springbok team to face the Wallabies this Saturday in Perth in the Nelson Mandela Trophy / Tri-Nations encounter.
As expected Pienaar moves from the bench, where he started the previous Test against Australia at Newlands on August 8, to fullback in the place of Frans Steyn, who is amongst the replacements.
The other change sees Schalk Burger returning to the bench in the place of Danie Rossouw, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.
Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez will earn his 50th Test cap for South Africa on Saturday.
The decision to bring Pienaar into the side at the expense of Steyn in the No.15 jersey will be questioned by some and applauded by others.
The 24-year-old Pienaar has only started at fullback for the Boks twice before - against Tonga at the 2007 World Cup and Wales on the year-end tour in 2007.
The Wallabies‘ Tri-Nations aspirations have been dealt a serious blow with both Nathan Sharpe and Berrick Barnes having been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with the Springboks.
Sharpe has failed to overcome a shoulder injury sustained in the loss to New Zealand last Saturday, while Barnes is still suffering concussion after taking a heavy knock in the one-point loss.
Bottom of the Tri-Nations table after three losses, the Wallabies’ odds of upsetting the Springboks have lengthened considerably following the loss of two key players.
Sharpe is regarded as one of the world’s best line-out exponents, while Barnes’ kicking game and composure in the midfield will be sorely missed.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is yet to make an announcement on replacements.
The All Blacks beat the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday by 19 - 18 in their Tri-Nations encounter, but paid a dear price for their victory with injuries to their mid-field pairing of Luke McAlister and Conrad Smith.
Not only did the win keep New Zealand in the Tri-Nations race, behind leaders South Africa, but it ensured they retained the Bledisloe Cup - with two rounds of the latter competition still remaining.
However, it is doubtful that McAlister and Smith will play again in either the Tri-Nations or Bledisloe Cup series.
McAlister fractured a cheek bone after two head clashes in a torrid match and Smith has another hamstring injury which Henry listed as “serious”.
The injuries apart, Henry was happy with the mental strength and desire his side showed - a victory that came after a 0-2 series whitewash in South Africa earlier this month.
“I’m very proud of the character of the team,” Henry told a media gathering in Sydney.
“This win was the result of mental toughness. We didn’t get the roll of the dice but we kept coming back and performing.
Juan Smith did not partake in the Springbok training on Friday, which means that Schalk Burger will probably wear the no. 7 jersey against Wallabies in Perth next Saturday.
The Boks open the away leg of their Vodacom Tri-Nations campaign against the Wallabies at Subiaco Oval next Saturday, and coach Peter de Villiers has confirmed that Smith, who was in excellent form during the home leg of the Tri-Nations and is rated by many as the top blindside flanker in the world, is a doubtful starter.
“We will make a decision on whether Juan will play against Australia once we get to Perth on Tuesday,” said De Villiers at a press conference in Pretoria on Friday.
But observers at the training session said Smith looks most unlikely to play at this stage as he is not moving easily, and Burger looks set to come straight into his place as per the configurations at what was a physical contact session.
The Springboks beat the Wallabies 29 - 17 on Saturday at Newlands to make it three wins in a row in the Tri-Nations competition.
The oldest axiom in rugby — that forwards win matches — was provided with massive emphasis as the Springboks overwhelmed the Wallabies with the sheer intensity of their pack.
The Wallabies caught the Springboks unawares with a clever short-ball lineout ruse to provide the Wallabies with a try to Adam Ashley-Cooper before two minutes had elapsed, giving them a 7-0 lead with Matt Giteau’s conversion, but after that there was only one side on the field in spite of the Australians scoring two tries to the Springboks’ one.
The dominance of the Springboks forwards meant John Smit’s men played most of the match in a comfort zone — a zone that enabled Morné Steyn to improve his remarkable record with seven more penalties and a dropped goal.
On tuesday Peter de Villiers named an unchanged Springbok team to face Australia at Newlands on Saturday in Cape Town.
The Bok coach kept intact the team that beat the All Blacks by 31-19 in Durban last weekend to win their second consecutive Vodacom Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand.
The only change to the Springbok team is on the bench, where fit-again Ruan Pienaar takes the place of Wynand Olivier.
Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha will play together as a lock-pairing for the 50th time in a Test for the Springboks. Matfield will play in his 86th Test and Botha in his 60th.
Jean de Villiers, who played in his 50th Test last weekend, will on Saturday surpass De Wet Barry’s record for the most capped Springbok centre of all time, when he will run out in the midfield for the 40th time. He played on the wing and as a replacement in his 11 other Tests.
The Springbok team is (Test caps in brackets):
15. Frans Steyn (32)
14. JP Pietersen (28)
13. Jaque Fourie (47)
12. Jean de Villiers (50)
11. Bryan Habana (50)
10. Morné Steyn (5)
9. Fourie du Preez (48)
8. Pierre Spies (24)
7. Juan Smith (59)
6. Heinrich Brüssow (6)
5. Victor Matfield (85)
4. Bakkies Botha (59)
3. John Smit (86) – Captain
2. Bismarck du Plessis (26)
1. Tendai Mtawarira (15)
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