Tri Nations.
New Zealand will be running out at Eden Park trying for their 20th consecutive win.
The All Blacks look a bit shaky and could be a match to watch as the Wallabies have done really well in their last few International matches. Still think NZ will take it as they will be better at the breakdown.
Prediction: NZ by 3
McCaw and Burger finally get to play on the same team
Tonight we are in for a treat! Jake White former Springbok and RWC winning coach has selected a Barbarian team to take on the Wallabies. The Barbarians have a line up that would make the Rugby Gods druel, with 4 of the last 5 IRB player of the year in their squad of 22 players.
Jake White selected his old skipper from the Rugby World Cup to lead the Baba’s into battel against the Wallabies. George Gregan makes an apperance on the bench and will hopefully get a run against his old team mates.
Here are the line ups for tonights Australia vs Barbarians game.
Barbarians team:
Percy Montgomery (SA);
Joe Rokocoko (NZ),
Rico Gear (NZ),
Jean de Villiers (SA),
Bryan Habana (SA);
Francois Steyn (SA),
Fourie du Preez (SA);
Federico Pucciariello (Ita),
John Smit (SA, capt),
Census Johnson (Samoa),
Bakkies Botha (SA),
Johann Muller (SA),
Jerry Collins (NZ),
Richie McCaw (NZ),
Schalk Burger (SA).
Replacements: Mark Regan (Eng), Rodney Blake (Aus), Chris Jack (NZ), Nick Koster (SA, uncapped), George Gregan (Aus), Ollie Smith (Eng), Shane Williams (Wal).
Australia team:
James O’Connor;
Lote Tuqiri, Ryan Cross,
Adam Ashley-Cooper,
Digby Ioane;
Quade Cooper,
Brett Sheehan;
Sekope Kepu,
Tatafu Polota-Nau,
Matt Dunning,
Mark Chisholm,
Hugh McMeniman,
Dean Mumm,
George Smith (capt),
Richard Brown.
Replacements: Adam Freier, Ben Alexander, Peter Kimlin, David Pocock, Luke Burgess, Lachie Turner, Drew Mitchell.
by: http://www.rugbyworldcupblog.com
TriNations
Australia have not won much in South Africa of late, but South Africa have not won much in the Tri-Nations this year.
The ‘third match’ in this Tri-Nations has been a tough one. The Springboks lost their third match, All Blacks lost their third and the Wallabies lost their third. This is not a third Tri-Nations match for the Springboks but it is their third successive match starting with one against the Pumas, a costly match for the winners as it ended tough man Bakkies Botha’s Tri-Nations. Third match suggests a Springbok defeat. The Springboks have had two matches while the Wallabies had two weeks off.
Home ground? It does not work miracles. The Springboks have not been good at home this year – not against the enfeebled Welsh, not against the dogged Italians, not against the enfeebled Pumas, and not against the All Blacks when they fell over their own feet, missing out on match-winning opportunities. All of that said, there is no reason on earth why the Springboks should not win. But home ground alone will not do it.
Prediction: It’s hard. Who knows what side is going to play and how. But looking at the situation as it has been one would suggest that Australia will win by more than 10.
With South Africa’s local provincial tournament taking a back behind the national team’s Tri-Nations endeavors for the last time, this weekend will host the second half of the round nine encounters.
Three of the “big five” provinces will making way for another heated top table battle.
The Sharks, currently in third position on 28 points, travel to Wellington to face the Cavaliers. Friday’s second encounter between the Blue Bulls and Western Province (WP) at Fort Loftus.
Prediction: A potentially bland game considering the wet conditions, but the Sharks should walk away win it fairly comfortable, by 10 or more points.
Prediction: Province will fight, but the Bulls are bounds ahead this season and will out-muscle their Cape opponents by 8 or more points.
Tri Nations
The All Blacks waited until the last second of the match to score the bonus point and therefore fourth try and even had to go upstairs before Nonu’s second try was confirmed. They shrugged off their two recent defeats and bounced back with interest against their trans-Tasman rivals, dominating all facets of the game from start to finish!
Two All Blacks scored the tries with the first two coming from forward Tony Woodcock and the second two coming from Ma’a Nonu who was able to find considerably more space than last week all night.
A big concern for the Wallabies going forward will be their line out which fell apart once hooker Stephen Moore went off and was replaced by Tatafu Polota-Nau.
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