TRI NATIONS ALL VICTORIOUS BUT PLENTY OF QUESTIONS

Well the Tri Nations teams have comprehensively won the first round of matches with their 6 Nations counterparts.

The Springboks defeated Wales 20 – 5
The All Blacks defeated Scotland 32 – 6
The Wallabies defeated Italy 30 – 20

Of the three victors only New Zealand looked anything like a decent team, both Australia and South Africa were well below their best. With South Africa in particular fortunate that Wales conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

New Zealand are on course for the Grand Slam, The Wallabies will lose against Wales and The Springboks will win the remainder of their matches.

At the start of this tour I thought that the Tri Nations teams would steamroller the 6 Nations teams, this was purely based on the tri Nations teams having been playing under the ELV’s for longer. It seems that only New Zealand will really make that prediction come true.

2009 TRI-NATIONS FIXTURES ANNOUNCED

The fixtures for the 2009 Tri-Nations tournament have been confirmed by the executive of SANZAR (South Africa New Zealand Australia Rugby).

The 14th edition of the tournament will kick off in Auckland on July 18 with the meeting between New Zealand and Australia and also concludes with a fixture between the same opponents in Wellington nine weeks later on September 19.

South Africa open their campaign against the All Blacks in Bloemfontein on July 25 – the first time since 1976 that the New Zealand will have played a Test match at the venue.

The Springboks also play New Zealand in Hamilton – the first time the nations will have met at the venue.

Tri-Nations Fixtures 2009 (all kickoff times are local)

July 18 New Zealand v Australia Auckland 19:35
July 25 South Africa v New Zealand Bloemfontein 15:00
Aug 1 South Africa v New Zealand Durban 15:00
Aug 8 South Africa v Australia Cape Town 15:00
Aug 22 Australia v New Zealand Sydney 20:05
Aug 29 Australia v South Africa Perth 18:05
Sept 5 Australia v South Africa Brisbane 20:05
Sept 12 New Zealand v South Africa Hamilton 19:35
Sept 19 New Zealand v Australia Wellington 19:35

Tri Nations Rugby All Blacks and Springboks play out another classic

There is not too much to add to the title of this post.

Both sides, once again, produced great rugby. Some of the best seen in Dunedin in years or any rugby pitch in the world.

You have to wonder how the Sprinboks will raise themselves for the next tri nations rugbymatch against the Wallabies though?

Perhaps the Wallabies will undo the significance of this win with a surprise victory of their own.