Baa Baas send the Boks home with tails between legs!

Judgement Day

A belated gloat as the 'mighty' Boks lost once again to the Baa Baas this afternoon 26-20. It wasn't champagne stuff but not bad either with the Aussies Drew Mitchell in for two excellent tries and James O'Connor in for another courtesy of Ma'a Nonu. In a delicious moment South African born Quintin Geldenhuys who plays his rugby in Italy also scored a try for the Baa Baas. Poor old Boks, I guess it's back to the drawing board.

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Full report from scrum.com below:
http://www.espnscrum.com/barbarians/rugby/story/130527.html


Date/Time: Dec 4, 2010, 14:30 GMT, 14:30 Local
Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London
Barbarians 26 - 20 South Africa
Half-time: 19 - 3
Tries: Geldenhuys, Mitchell 2, O'Connor
Cons: O'Connor 3
Tries: Botha, Maku, Ndungane
Cons: Jantjies
Pens: Jantjies

Barbarians 26 - 20 South Africa

Wallaby winger Drew Mitchell notched twice as the Barbarians claimed an exciting 26-20 victory over South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.

The Springboks had been hoping to exact some revenge for their defeat at the hands of the Baa-Baas at the same ground in 2007 but they ultimately left themselves with too much to do after an opening quarter in which they conceded three tries, with Mitchell dotting either side of his compatriot James O'Connor.

Indeed, the Springboks, fielding only three of the side who started last weekend's 21-11 victory over England last weekend, were run off their feet in the first half as the all-star Baa Baas turned on the style. Coach Peter De Villers retained only winger Lwazi Mvovo, scorer of the second Springbok try which sealed England's fate, lock Bakkies Botha and flanker Juan Smith, who led the side in the absence of the injured Victor Matfield.

The Barbarians, fielding six All Blacks and six Australians, including 20-year-old Wallabies winger O'Connor at fullback, brought flair and attacking ambition to Twickenham. Wales flanker Martyn Williams was their only British starter but he was prominent as the Barbarians applied the early pressure which resulted in lively Australian scrum-half Will Genia's neat reverse pass sending countryman Mitchell powering in for the opening try after six minutes.

While the invitation side opted for scrums or tapped their penalties in true Barbarians tradition, South Africa opted to kick theirs to try and stay in touch and 20-year-old fly-half Elton Jantjies opened their account in the 10th minute.

But the Barbarians hit them with two tries in a devastating five-minute spell to stretch their lead to 19-3 after only 21 minutes. Prop Neemia Tialata gratefully accepted a long botched line-out throw from South African hooker Adriaan Strauss to drive to within a yard of the try-line. The Baa Baas whipped the ball along the line and Kiwi powerhouse Ma'a Nonu's gave O'Connor the space to run in unchallenged for a try which the youngster converted from the touchline.

Jantjies missed a rushed penalty attempt, after the ball fell over, but there was no stopping the flamboyant Barbarians and Mitchell struck again in the 21st minute. His Wallabies team-mate Adam Ashley-Cooper was felled as he kicked ahead but Mitchell won the chase to touch down loose ball and O'Connor was again on target from wide out.

A barnstorming run by flanker Willem Alberts, scorer of last weekend's first try against England as a replacement, enabled South Africa to mount their best first-half attack and hooker Strauss drove into the heart of Baa Baas' defence but it all came to nothing when scrum-half Francois Hougaard spilled a straightforward pass.

South Africa finally got a foothold in the game four minutes into the second half, courtesy of a telegraphed pass from Nonu which enabled right-wing Odwa Ndungane to intercept and race half the length of the pitch before touching down between the posts to leave Jantjies an easy conversion. However, Jantjies missed the chance to cut the deficit to six points when he missed another easy penalty shot after 57 minutes.

Giteau passed up the chance to stretch the Barbarians' lead to 12 points when he went for touch instead of kicking a simple penalty and, following a concentrated spell of pressure, the bold approach paid off when Quintin Geldenhayes, their South African-born Italy international replacement prop, bundled over in the left corner with O'Connor again on target.

South Africa rallied with two late tries, from lock Botha in the 71st minute and replacement hooker Bandise Maku in the last attack, to put a respectable slant on the scoreline but it was too little, too late.

irishbucsfan

Van Gyl was excellent. Good to see that

handsomecake

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Van Gyl was excellent. Good to see that

van zyl

JustinDee

They'll be glad for the break. Discount South Africa in 2011 at your peril.

Ciaran-Irl

I thought John Hayes was going to play, no? I assume he was injured?

I really hate that Irish lads are never released for these games.

Judgement Day

Ciaran-Irl wrote: »

I thought John Hayes was going to play, no? I assume he was injured?

I really hate that Irish lads are never released for these games.

He was needed for Munster's victory over Cardiff this evening.

Ciaran-Irl

Judgement Day wrote: »

He was needed for Munster's victory over Cardiff this evening.

Was he really needed?! He is hardly the reason Munster won, surely? I didn't watch it, but I know Buckley started.

In his final year of a prolific and extraordinary career, he deserves the honour of playing for the barbarians; following a fine tradition of internationals that line out for them in their last professional year.

Munster are guaranteed a top 4 place already, and it isn't even Christmas. Fair play. They didn't need to begrudge John Hays this chance.

Superbus

Ciaran-Irl wrote: »

Was he really needed?! He is hardly the reason Munster won, surely? I didn't watch it, but I know Buckley started.

In his final year of a prolific and extraordinary career, he deserves the honour of playing for the barbarians; following a fine tradition of internationals that line out for them in their last professional year.

Munster are guaranteed a top 4 place already, and it isn't even Christmas. Fair play. They didn't need to begrudge John Hays this chance.

Someone's in denial...

thomond2006

The Baa Baas fixture at the end of the AIs is a joke.

That game today was essentially a NZ/Aus selection against a 2nd string South Africa being played at Twickenham. It's stupid, just a meaningless money making exercise at this stage.

irishbucsfan

thomond2006 wrote: »

The Baa Baas fixture at the end of the AIs is a joke.

That game today was essentially a NZ/Aus selection against a 2nd string South Africa being played at Twickenham. It's stupid, just a meaningless money making exercise at this stage.

Did you watch it?

It may be a money making excercise for the unions, but for the players they seem to enjoy it. Neither team lacked motivation today. Great game to watch.

Digifriendly

thomond2006 wrote: »

The Baa Baas fixture at the end of the AIs is a joke.

That game today was essentially a NZ/Aus selection against a 2nd string South Africa being played at Twickenham. It's stupid, just a meaningless money making exercise at this stage.

Think this may change with reintroduction of proper tours from 2011. Last few matches have tended towards second string touring sides as respective coaches want to give players in the squad a run out who have not featured in the tests. With more midweek matches presumably to come we may see a stronger touring side face the BaBas in future. BTW why has London (Twickenham/Wembley) hosted last few games and not Millennium Stadium?

[Jackass]

Australia will win the world cup with England as dark horses.

buck65

Ciaran-Irl wrote: »

Was he really needed?! He is hardly the reason Munster won, surely? I didn't watch it, but I know Buckley started.

He scored a try and kicked all the points.

I'd wager Hayes was consulted by McGahan before this decision was made. In fairness those Southern Hemisphere lads are finished rugby for a while , Munster have a very important few weeks ahead and Hayes while not first choice is a big part of McGahan's plans still it seems.
Have to agree with Thomond here that these games are fairly meaningless and probably a bit of fun at most. Hayes has represented the Lions, won every trophy he could win bar a World Cup, I'd say a trip to London to play in a fixture like this, whilst an honour, wouldn't bother him too much.

Judgement Day

[Jackass] wrote: »

Australia will win the world cup with England as dark horses.

sock puppet

Judgement Day wrote: »

While I don't think Australia will win it the team we saw this year was missing Horwill, Ioane, Palu and Polata-Nau, with Robinson and Alexander struggling after injuries. England always seem to save their best for the biggest games too.