Rugby Springboks beat All Blacks
South African rugby is back on form and the English cricketers keep on crashing.
The Springboks managed to beat the New Zealand All Blacks. The Boks now face the Australians this weekend.Meanwhile Pakistan continue to dominate England in the cricket.
Cricket News
Pakistan beat England by two wickets to take the third one-dayer in their five match series on Tuesday. England are now 2-0 down with only two matches remaining and will be looking for something, anything - - to help them bounce back and win the next two, to level the series. They meet the Pakistani's at Trent Bridge on Friday and will desperately seek out a win to get their 2007 World Cup plans back on track.
Despite the poor run of results, South African born captain, Andrew Strauss is adamant that his side can still gain confidence and momentum ahead of the ICC Champions trophy next month in India.
Meanwhile Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer is not taking his sides recent run of success for granted and is determined that his side lift their intensity and performance levels in the next two ODI's.
Head on over to my blog section for the first of my brief introductions to the game of cricket - where I hope to slowly clear the haze around some of the confusion surrounding the game and just how the hell it works, and why so many people around the world actually worship this crazy and confusing sport!
Rugby News
In a complete turn around of fortunes, the South African Springboks beat the New Zealand All Blacks 21-20 last Saturday at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa - ending the impressive 15 match winning streak for the Kiwi's.
The Springboks stepped up the heat and recorded a narrow yet sensational victory! Much of the credit must go to a fit again Andre Pretorius, who's kicking from hand, at the poles and the way he managed to inject some of that much needed and sorely missed spark back into the Springbok backline, is a credit to the man - it's good to have him back. Springbok newcomer Pier Spies was man of the match and was all over the park, making life decidedly uncomfortable for Richie McCaw.
The Springboks will certainly take great heart from this win and look to carry some momentum into this weekends clash with the much revived Australian Wallabies at Ellis Park. The South Africans will be without their wing speedster Bryan Habana, but this opens up a chance for J.P.Pieterson to get a run at fullback as Jaque Fourie slips back to centre and Wynand Olivier heads out to the wing.
Meanwhile for the Wallabies, Benn Robinson makes his debut at loosehead prop and Super 14 sensation Cameron Shepherd gets his first start on the wing in the canary yellow jumper. Vice captain, Stirling Mortlock and lock Nathan Sharpe share their 50th caps.
The Wallabies will certainly be up for the challenge, yet I feel that the altitude and inhospitable home crowd, combined with South Africa's new found confidence will prove to much for the Australians.
