Springboks put World XV to bed

Montgomery kicks guests to death

The Springbok XV edged out the World XV to maintain their unbeaten record over the star-studded visitors, but Saturday's drab 30-27 victory at a half-empty Ellis Park wasn't quite the celebration of rugby that the overpriced match-tickets had promised.

Nor did the game really serve its purpose as a warm-up match ahead of South Africa's gruelling schedule of game.

South Africa fullback Percy Montgomery was perhaps the only man to benefit from this mess -- he got his eye in by slotting all but three of his side's points.

Indeed, the World XV contributed the only tries of a penalty-strewn encounter that compelled organisers to pump jaunty music through the PA system in an attempt to engender some sort of atmosphere -- a ploy that fell as flat as the few efforts to run the ball on the bone-dry pitch.

Ellis Park had some 30,000 spectators at the match.  That meant it was roughly half full.  The other half certainly made the better choice for this was a low-level match of poor skill, low intensity and much mindlessness -- and the Springboks were the side mainly to blame, winners or not.

Two tries to nil suggests a winning team.  The World XV had the two tries but had a lower score at the end.  Yet their contribution to the match, even with the two tries, was certainly not sparkling.

They said beforehand that it would not be a "Barbarians match", presumably that it was not going to be a match of adventure and skill.  If that is what was meant, it certainly was the case.  The first half was drab, drab, drab.  The second half was drab, drab, drab.

There was a little sparkle when Ruan Pienaar, Wynand Olivier, Gary Botha and Pedrie Wannenburg came on but they soon succumbed to drabness as well.

There were many penalties to add to the drabness -- 19 to the Springboks, 13 to the World XV and there were seven free-kicks.  That did not help.

There were 18 scrums, in which there were 13 resets and three penalties.  That did not add any sparkle.

There was no sparkle.

It was drab.

The Springboks had the majority of territory and possession but gave every impression of lacking any ideas, even simple ones.

It started at halfbacks where a podgy Enrico Januarie continued his poor form of the Super 14, passing slowly and poorly and taking good ball for himself.  No that the forwards provided a comfortable platform for a scrum-half.

It continued at fly-half where Jaco van der Westhuyzen had a poor game in judgement and execution.  But then he had played fullback during the Super 14.

That left the outside backs cut off from the game.

But look at things that happened -- the sight of Danie Rossouw robbed by little Thomas Castaignède, Rossouw plodding towards the touch-line, Wynand Olivier taking a quick throw-in to Albert Olivier with Radike Samo behind him and so clumsily on.

The Springboks had four five-metre line-outs.  They got over once but in a tight bundle leaving referee and TMO unable to award the try.  On the other occasions they made little impression on the World XV defenders.  They had a five-metre scrum as well.  The defence was made easier by the lack of variation or inventiveness.

To their credit the Springboks, three times in quick succession, kicked for the line-out instead of at goal.  The intentions were obviously good, but not the execution.

It did not help that Cobus Visagie, told he was not wanted in the Springbok team, destroyed first Deon Carstens and then Lawrence Sephaka.  The Springbok scrum was under pressure and they lost one against the head.

The World XV did not bother about running, not even on counterattack, but they got the only try of the first half -- not a spectacular one -- and the only try of the second half, probably a fortunate one.

After Matthew Burke had kicked a penalty when Wikus van Heerden tackled Sébastien Chabal late.  Then Percy Montgomery equalised when England lock Tom Palmer held on at a tackle.

Then the World XV had a chance to attack.  From a quick scrum on their right, Chabal picked up and bashed down the blind side.  In saving, Albert van den Berg conceded a five-metre scrum.  Again Chabal picked up and bashed down the blind side, through and past AJ Venter.  Justin Marshall ripped the ball off him and plunged over for the try.  That made it 8-3.

Then kicks went back and forth until half-time came with the Springboks leading 15-11 -- four penalties by Montgomery and one, from inside his own half on the stroke of the interval, by Gaffie du Toit.

Venter was sent to the sin-bin for punching early in the second half.  While he was missing the World XV scored a try of ridiculous simplicity.

Carlos Spencer kicked a diagonal to his right.  Isa Nacewa jumped for the bouncing ball.  Montgomery flung arms out wide in respect for the airborne player but kept his eyes prayerfully cast down.  Nacewa came to earth and ran away from the prayerful fullback to score a try under the posts.  Burke converted.

The rest of the half was characterised by penalties and replacements as each player got a chance to play.  Montgomery kicked five penalties, Burke three.

When the whistle mercifully put a strop to the bungling, one wondered what purpose could possibly have been served.

Man of the Match:  The award goes to Sébastien Chabal, part biblical patriarch and part pirate, all energy and personality in a match which lacked personality.

Moment of the Match:  The final whistle.

Villain of the Match:  The easy thing is to say it was AJ Venter for getting a yellow card.

The scorers:

For Springbok XV:
Pens:  Montgomery 9, Du Toit

For World XV:
Tries:  Marshall, Nacewa
Con:  Burke
Pens:  Burke 5

Yellow card(s):  Venter (Springboks XV) -- punching, 43

The teams:

Springbok XV:  15 Percy Montgomery, 14 André Snyman, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Gaffie du Toit, 10 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 AJ Venter, 6 Wikus van Heerden, 5 Albert van den Berg, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Eddie Andrews, 2 Hanyani Shimange, 1 Deon Carstens.
Replacements:  16 Gary Botha, 17 Lawrence Sephaka, 18 Johann Muller, 19 Pedrie Wannenburg, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Wynand Olivier, 22 Brent Russell.

World XV:  15 Matt Burke, 14 Isa Nacewa, 13 Thomas Castaignède, 12 Fraser Waters, 11 Bruce Reihana, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9 Justin Marshall (captain), 8 Sébastien Chabal, 7 Olivier Magne, 6 Xavier Rush, 5 Radike Samo, 4 Tom Palmer, 3 Cobus Visagie, 2 Raphaël Ibañez, 1 Dave Hewett.
Replacements:  16 Mark Regan, 17 Christian Califano 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Sam Harding/Toutai Kefu, 20 Mark Robinson, 21 Ludovic Mercier, 22 Joe Roff.

Referee:  Tappe Henning
Touch judges:  Jonathan Kaplan, JC Fortuin
Television Match Official:  André Watson