Compiled by GERRY THORNLEY
Springboks bask in latest glory
“I’ve waited for a long time for a win here in New Zealand; it’s the first one I’ve ever got. So it’s very satisfying for me as a person, but more so than ever I think this team has worked really hard. They’ve come from a World Cup which they’ve won and managed to keep that intensity. So I’m proud of the boys.”
– John Smit, the Springboks captain, after his side’s thrilling 32-29 win in Hamilton on Saturday saw the world’s number one side augment their World Cup and Lions’ test series successes with the Tri-Nations.
“I think he’s more of a rocket launcher than a kicker,”
– Smit, again, in reference to the Springboks fullback Francois Steyn after he landed three monster hits from well inside his own line prior to linking up with Racing Metro in Paris on a reputed annual salary of €600,000.
“I think they richly deserved to win the Tri-Nations. They’ve beaten the All Blacks three times and that’s a pretty convincing win.
“We played well in the last 20 minutes but didn’t play well enough in the first 60, to be frank, and I think that’s the basic reason we lost the game.”
– New Zealand coach Graham Henry.
Ulster clip Ospreys against all odds
ULSTER’S 20-16 win away to the Ospreys stands out as the result of the season so far, all the more so when one considers the build-up they had to the game. Firstly, their chief executive of the last 12 years, Mike Reid, announced his resignation in order to seek a new challenge. It was an amicable parting of the ways and he will remain in situ until a replacement is found.
They also chose not to play Paddy Wallace and Andrew Trimble, as part of the IRFU’s 2011 Rugby World Cup (which was exactly two years away as of last Wednesday) “player management programme”, wherein selected Irish players are limited to a certain number of appearances in each of three cycles this season (six out of nine in this first cycle).
Worst of all though, the IRFU rejected out of hand Ulster’s proposal to sign a sixth foreign player on a one-year contract to replace their influential captain Rory Best, who is sidelined for the season.
Ulster had hoped they’d be given exemption, as Munster were for the short-term signing of Toby Morland while Tomás O’Leary is sidelined. Ulster had lined up Gary Botha of Harlequins.
'Novice' Smit puts Evans right
NOTED AUSTRALIAN forwards coach Alex Evans had stoked up the Springboks, and especially their captain John Smit, in the build-up to Saturday’s set-to between the world’s top two sides.
Smit has long grown weary of the constant questioning of his late career shift from hooker to tighthead but his, and his team’s tough day at the office against the Wallabies in Perth re-energised the debate.
“I say this on behalf of the All Blacks and Tony Woodcock as well, Smit is a novice tighthead prop,” the former assistant Wallaby coach said. “He’s a danger to the scrum with his faulty technique. He scrums with the upper body, looks uncomfortable, he goes to ground or pops out. He’s getting away with it because of his great standing in the game. A lot of the penalties are his fault and hopefully the referee acknowledges he’s a novice.”
As significant as any of the game’s turning points was the All Blacks’ decision to opt for a scrum instead of a penalty at goal in the 60th minute when trailing by 10 points. Result? Smit’s side of the scrum destroyed the All Blacks’ put in to earn a relieving penalty.
Kelleher involved in troubling knock
BYRON KELLEHER, the 32-year-old All Blacks scrumhalf with Toulouse, is set to be sidelined for two months and appears to be in serious trouble with the French police after sustaining injuries in an alleged roadside brawl in the early hours of Friday morning.
According to various reports, Kelleher damaged a sports car when leaving an open-air bar. After an argument with the car’s owners, Kelleher and a group of friends drove off towards Toulouse centre.
The owners of the damaged car followed them and continued the argument at the next set of traffic lights. When two bystanders, who recognised Kelleher, became involved, a fight broke out. Punches and kicks were traded and Kelleher was reportedly knocked unconscious for a few moments.
The owners of the damaged car then called the police, who arrived on the scene and took all involved to Toulouse’s central police station. Kelleher was arrested and held in custody until the following day. He is also believed to have been treated at a hospital for a fracture to a bone in his face and shoulder pain.
IRELAND’S training camp over the next two days will afford the IRFU the opportunity to unveil the new Ireland playing strip tomorrow as part of their eight-year deal with new kit suppliers Puma. Insiders say while the new jersey will be modern it will not be in keeping with some of the more garish new kits, but mark more of a return to tradition.
Munster's de Villiers intercept king
“Well, he is the intercept king,” enthused Ian Smith on Sky Sports as Jean de Villiers picked off a pass by Dan Carter for a trademark try against the All Blacks on Saturday, adding: “They’ll make a tape about this guy and it will be called The Intercept.”
De Villiers signed off in style with the Boks with his 18th test try before arriving in Munster this week after Western Province cleared the way for the player’s release after speculation that the South African province mightn’t sign the relevant forms.
Munster will not play him next Saturday away to the Scarlets but are looking to have the 54-times capped centre involved in week four against the Dragons at Musgrave Park.
“I don’t think I could have asked for a better way to go off to Munster – to win the Tri-Nations and get a fantastic win,” said de Villiers after Saturday’s epic win. “There’s a lot of emotion right now. It’s a great way to finish it off and hopefully I’ll be back soon playing for the green and gold again in the near future. It would have been difficult to fly home and still not know if we’d won the tournament.”
O'Sullivan hooked
THE head-to-head between George Hook and Eddie O’Sullivan at times resembled car crash radio as the radio presenter and TV pundit weighed into the former Ireland coach in front of a live audience at the University of Limerick for Newstalk’s drivetime radio show The Right Hook on Friday.
O’Sullivan was publicising his book Never Die Wondering, and Hook said the string of falling-outs in it proved the coach “doesn’t need other people”.
“Maybe that’s true,” admitted O’Sullivan. “There are places in the book where I fell out with people. Maybe I’m a bit stand-offish like that in relationships, but I do have friends in the world.” “I’m delighted to hear that,” retorted Hook, “I just didn’t find any of them in the book.”
