Springboks slaughtered in Brisbane

July 15, 2006

"Tri-Nations defeats don't come more humiliating than this."

Via Keo (South Africa):

The Springboks suffered their second heaviest defeat in Test history when they were thrashed 49-0 by the Wallabies on Saturday. The home side led 30-0 at the break.

I'll have lots more to add later, but for right now this puts the All Blacks in the drivers seat.

If you want to know how Bok fans are spitting nails in real time, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the Keo post and check out the venom.

Jake White should hold off running for office. Apparently he's not the most popular man in the Republic today.

And for a good chuckle, pay particular attention to the comments from Bok fans who are blaming a 49-0 dismantling on the referee Paul Honiss.

Apparently the Boks themselves are using the same excuse and running with it. South African site Super Rugby reports:

Smit suggested an inspired Australian team were assisted by Honiss.

"They were allowed to flow. Every time we put them under a bit of pressure he would penalise us for offsides and every time we got our hands on the ball he said it was hands in the ruck," the Springbok captain complained.

"We didn't have much chance at the rucks, I think we only got one penalty there. I saw a whole bunch of hands in the rucks that weren't ours."

"Australia got away with murder at the breakdowns. I thought a couple of calls could have gone our way, but instead he kept pinging us. I thought they were lying all over the ball," White groused.

The Super Rugby columnist thinks there might have been a referree lapse on the first try, but then lays out the reality:

But if truth be told, four of Australia's next five tries were the result of ugly defensive lapses by the Springboks.

It's also good to see former Boks not griping about Honiss but instead slinging arrows where they belong:

Former Springbok players have called for the head of national coach Jake White after his side suffered a humiliating 49-0 loss to Australia in their Tri-Nations opener in Brisbane on Saturday.

The Afrikaans language Rapport newspaper's headline shouted, 'Jake must go,' while the English language Sunday Times sport's pages said, 'Now it's the Cry-Nations as Jake blames ref'.

Former Springbok scrumhalf Divan Serfontein told Rapport, "That was the worst ever performance by a Springbok team.

"It was shocking, the faster White resigns the better. He has no clue what's going on -- he must do the honourable thing and pack his bags. [...]

Springbok player of the century Frik du Preez told Rapport: "It's a scandal. It's never nice to lose, but to lose like that was pathetic."

Read the rest...