Got a couple: Drew Mitchell
Two tries from Drew Mitchell were the difference between the Barbarians and Boks, with the 'hosts' winning 26-20 in an entertaining clash at HQ.
It was a fine advert for this historic spectacle, not least because the Baa-Baas were celebrating their 120th year. It was a very happy birthday.
Mitchell was again a key outlet on the wing while Anton van Zyl, very much a South African, put in a dominant performance in his adopted pack.
Several games across Britain were called off due to the weather this weekend but the London pitch looked in surprisingly decent nick for the contest. And that was great news for the supporters who had braved the cold to come out and watch such a star-studded Barbarians team in action. They did not disappoint either, with Ma'a Nonu dominating the midfield, Neemia Tialata lapping up some running up front and James O'Connor roaming.
It was that man Nonu who got the 'hosts' on the front-foot too as he slipped the net on halfway, beating three defenders to take his side up to the 22. From there the Barbarians mounted serious pressure on the Springbok whitewash with the score looking ominous. Finally it came on six minutes when Will Genia popped an inside ball to in-form Wallaby team-mate Drew Mitchell for the opening score of the day.
South Africa did knock over a response through a penalty from fly-half Elton Jantjies four minutes later, who made a nervy debut in green and gold particularly from the kicking tee.
But that only awoke the Baa-baas beast as a mistake at the Bok line-out saw All Blacks prop Tialata rampaging at the visitors' whitewash. He came close but the damage was done, with numbers to the left resulting in a simple run-in for O'Connor, who kicked the extras.
More was to come for the now warmed spectators though and it was arguably the moment of the match. Yet again from turnover ball, captain Matt Giteau stretched his legs down the left wing before a slick inside ball to Adam Ashley-Cooper then saw the centre chip over and from there it was a foot-race that Mitchell won. The Waratahs winger was definitely following up his hat-trick against France with another strong performance, this time at Twickenham.
Peter de Villiers had obviously had a stern word with his charges at the break and credit to them, the Springboks came out firing on 44 minutes. The try came from a Barbarians mistake however, as Nonu's speculative pass found the hands of Odwa Ndungane.
Jantjies sent over the simple conversion and the scores were 19-10 with a great deal of time remaining. But the Lions number ten then proceeded to miss the opportunity to cut the lead further just before the hour, and it was not the most difficult of shots.
A South African-born player then scored a five-pointer however, it was the Italian lock forward Quintin Geldenhuys who got over following another sustained period of possession. O'Connor added two more points and the game as a contest seemed to be over.
The Boks did rally late on though as Bakkies Botha and replacement hooker Bandise Maku crossed on 71 and 80 minutes respectively to cap an entertaining affair at Twickenham.
Man-of-the-match: Many put their hand up for this gong but we have gone for a South African playing in Barbarians colours. Anton van Zyl was a real physical presence for his side and led the pack with a powerful performance. Mentions go to Ma'a Nonu, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Drew Mitchell, who were all threatening throughout.
The scorers:
For Barbarians:
Tries: Mitchell 2, O'Connor, Geldenhuys
Con: O'Connor 3
For South Africa:
Try: Ndungane, Botha
Con: Jantjies
Pen: Jantjies
Barbarians: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau (c), 9 Will Genia, 8 Colin Bourke, 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Rodney So'oialo, 5 Chris Jack, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 John Yapp, 18 Quintin Geldenhuys, 19 Daniel Braid, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Seru Rabini.
South Africa: 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adi Jacobs, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 François Hougaard, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Juan Smith (c), 6 Willem Alberts, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Werner Kruger, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Keegan Daniel, 21 Charl McLeod, 22 Gio Aplon.
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistant referees: Christophe Berdos (France), Peter Allan (Scotland)
By Adam Kyriacou
Comments
Bokswillprevail says...
The problem is that using the term 'HQ', implies that there is a Force to be reckoned with upon visiting this place. Should be called Kindergarten.
Posted 19:04 05th December 2010
Ramage says...
@Sandal "Twickenham may be headquarters to English rugby, but I doubt anyone else considers it to be HQ.
Couldnt agree more Sandal and in a rugby sense I thought the IRB Head Office is in Dublin so another reason to stop this ridiculous naming of Twickenham as HQ.
So come on Planet-Rugby you are an International website so stop this ridiculous reference as it is an insult to every other playing nation. Twickenham is NOT and NEVER will be Rugby's HQ so stop this Colonial nonsense as World Rugby has NO HQ .
The editor says.... No one is suggesting that Twickenham is world rugby's headquarters. 'HQ' is nothing more than a widely-used nickname, just like the 'House of Pain' or the 'Shark Tank'.
Posted 09:14 05th December 2010
bloemboy says...
While it was nice to see some pride from the boys in green in the second half, I must admit that it is disappointing that earning a cap in South Africa seems to be getting easier. Dare I say that many of the players are not at the standard required to boast a Springbok cap. In the backline, only Hougaard and Lambie really look the part, with Mvovo a possibe for the future. Among the forwards, Hargreaves (and VD Merwe when he arrived) were completely overshadowed by all the other locks on display. Kankowski is a decent provincial player, but a country blessed with so many fine loose forwards can surely find someone better.
The front row was like a revolving door and the only standouts there were The Beast when he came on, and Strauss (who unfortunately lives in a country who must have the greatest depth in the world at 2 with players like Schalk Britz, Gary Botha, Bizmarck Du Plessis, John Smit and of course Chilliboy.
Please let every occasion that a person is handed a Springbok jersey be something special and not something we cheapen. I so wish we could go back to the days when only a few international games are played every year and the anticipation of an All Black tour was almost as good as the tour itself.
Posted 05:23 05th December 2010
sandal says...
Twickenham may be headquarters to English rugby, but I doubt anyone else considers it to be HQ. Some may not even know that English scribes mean Twickenham when they refer to HQ (yes, the article does mention Twickenham, but it is way, way down). Unlike Fleet Street, whose primary audience is English, Planet Rugby caters to an international audience; many in that audience probably don't like being required to adopt an anglocentric position by default.
Posted 23:09 04th December 2010
sandal says...
Selections such as this demonstrate that the concept of Barbarians rugby has been mislaid, if not betrayed. These matches used to be the final fixture for a touring team, in which the tourists could let their hair down after the rigours and restraints of test rugby. The result didn't matter as much as the entertainment. Barbarians teams were chosen with that in mind; uncapped players were always present, not least so the tourists wouldn't feel restrained.
Eventually, such fixtures became opportunities for people to see a Lions team (in all but name) playing at home ¿ and against fatigued and jaded tourists at that ¿ what luck! The Barbarians' rugby became conservative and attritional; the tourists continued to play with abandon, however ¿ till they realised they were being mugged.
Is the purpose of the fixture now to best a Tri-Nations team? Who has faith in the concept? Neither the All Blacks nor the Springboks, who these past two years have fielded teams well below strength. So, no chance to see what the tourists' best could do when they let their hair down. Just an opportunity for the Barbarians to claim an international scalp.
But are these really the Barbarians? Martyn Williams is the only Briton. There are no uncapped players.
Change is not intrinsically bad, and the Barbarians selectors can do what they like, I suppose. I didn't see the game; there were tasty combinations and no doubt some tasty rugby on display. But I don't respect what the Barbarians are doing.
Posted 23:07 04th December 2010
Sanders101 says...
I always try so hard not to mention the ref, but on this ocassion, I just feel that he was only ref-ing one team today. I thought the barbarians got away with murder!! So sez this Scottish neutral anyway....
Posted 16:55 04th December 2010