2007 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe

The 2007 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe were a series of rugby union matches played in November and December 2007 in Europe featuring the 2007 Rugby World Cup winners South Africa. Although the matches had been arranged well in advance of the World Cup,[1] the mini-tour was seen as an opportunity for South Africa to showcase their talents and to say farewell to their outgoing coach, Jake White, who retired after the second game.[2] In the event, several members of the World Cup squad were unavailable for either game, because of retirement (Os du Randt), injury (Percy Montgomery, Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha), club commitments (Butch James), or other reasons (Victor Matfield), and the captain, John Smit, who had just joined French club ASM Clermont Auvergne, was released to play only in the first match.[3]

Week 1

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The first match, and the only one with full Test status, was against Wales, on 24 November 2007, at the Millennium Stadium. Although Wales had more possession and dominated territorially, they managed to score just two tries, both from kicks. The first was scored by Welsh full-back Morgan Stoddart, who was making his Test debut. The second, the result of a bad mistake by Springbok full-back Ruan Pienaar, was scored by Colin Charvis; it was his 22nd Test try, a new record for a forward in Test rugby. South Africa made better use of their more limited possession, scoring five tries, including one by Ryan Kankowski, also a Test debutant, as the world cup winners won the match 34–12.[4][5]

24 November 2007
14:45 GMT
Wales  12–34  South Africa
Try: Charvis 39' m
Stoddart 53' c
Con: Hook (1/2)
Report[6]Try: Smith 20' c
Fourie (2) 28' m, 31' c
Pietersen 44' c
Kankowski 67' m
Con: A. Pretorius (3/4)
Pen: F. Steyn (1/1) 3'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 56,000
Referee: Chris White (England)
FB 15 Morgan Stoddart   69'
RW 14 Mark Jones
OC 13 Sonny Parker
IC 12 Gavin Henson
LW 11 Tom Shanklin
FH 10 James Hook   76'
SH 9 Dwayne Peel   53'
N8 8 Jonathan Thomas
OF 7 Robin Sowden-Taylor
BF 6 Colin Charvis (c)   61'
RL 5 Alun Wyn Jones
LL 4 Ian Evans   53'
TP 3 Gethin Jenkins
HK 2 Huw Bennett   53'
LP 1 Rhys M. Thomas   69'
Replacements:
HK 16 T. Rhys Thomas   53'
PR 17 Duncan Jones   69'
LK 18 Luke Charteris   53'
FL 19 Alix Popham   61'
SH 20 Mike Phillips   53'
FH 21 Ceri Sweeney   76'
FB 22 Tom James   69'
Coach:
  Nigel Davies
FB 15 Ruan Pienaar
RW 14 JP Pietersen   75'
OC 13 Jaque Fourie
IC 12 François Steyn
LW 11 Bryan Habana
FH 10 André Pretorius   59'
SH 9 Ricky Januarie   78'
N8 8 Ryan Kankowski   78'
OF 7 Juan Smith
BF 6 Schalk Burger
RL 5 Johann Muller
LL 4 Bakkies Botha   40'
TP 3 CJ van der Linde   75'
HK 2 John Smit (c)
LP 1 Jannie du Plessis   64'
Replacements:
HK 16 Bismarck du Plessis   77' to 80'   75'
PR 17 Heinke van der Merwe   64'
LK 18 Albert van den Berg   48' to 58'   40'
N8 19 Hilton Lobberts   78'
CE 20 Wynand Olivier   59'
WG 21 Akona Ndungane   75'
FB 22 Conrad Jantjes   78'
Coach:
  Jake White

Week 2

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The second match, at Twickenham on 1 December 2007, saw a Springbok XV facing a Barbarians side that included such big names as Jerry Collins, Martyn Williams, Matt Giteau, and the retiring Jason Robinson. The Barbarians' plans were disrupted when the English Premier clubs decided not to allow players to be released,[7] and the Irish provinces followed suit. As a result, Brian O'Driscoll, who had been named to captain the side, had to withdraw, as did Andrew Sheridan of Sale Sharks, but Mark Regan of Bristol defied the ban and led the Barbarians,[8] an act for which he was later sanctioned by his club.[9] The match itself proved to be somewhat one-sided affair, the lacklustre Springboks, who included just five World Cup final starters, losing 22–5 to a Barbarians side that played with flair and creativity. The Barabarians scored three tries, the South Africans only one, scored by Barend Pieterse, who was making his first appearance in a Springbok jersey in place of Schalk Burger, who had broken his nose in the game against Wales.[10][11][12]

1 December 2007
15:00 GMT
Barbarians22–5  South Africa
Try: Giteau 18' m
M. Williams 40' c
Elsom 42' c
Con: Giteau (2)
Pen: Giteau 3'
Report[13]Try: Pieterse 34' m
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 58,186
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
FB 15   Jason Robinson   68'
RW 14   Joe Rokocoko
OC 13   Conrad Smith   58'
IC 12   Ma'a Nonu
LW 11   Isoa Neivua   63'
FH 10   Matt Giteau
SH 9   Justin Marshall
N8 8   Jerry Collins
OF 7   Martyn Williams
BF 6   Rocky Elsom
RL 5   Brent Cockbain   51'
LL 4   Justin Harrison   63'
TP 3   Federico Pucciariello
HK 2   Mark Regan (c)   51'
LP 1   Salesi Ma'afu   51'
Replacements:
HK 16   Schalk Brits   51'
PR 17   JD Moller   51'
LK 18   Troy Flavell   51'
FL 19   Michael Owen   63'
FH 20   Peter Grant   68'
CE 21   Tom Shanklin   58'
WG 22   Ben Cohen   63'
Coach:
  Eddie O'Sullivan
FB 15 Ruan Pienaar
RW 14 Akona Ndungane
OC 13 Jaque Fourie
IC 12 François Steyn
LW 11 Bryan Habana
FH 10 André Pretorius   33'
SH 9 Ricky Januarie   43'
N8 8 Ryan Kankowski
OF 7 Juan Smith
BF 6 Barend Pieterse   66'
RL 5 Johann Muller (c)
LL 4 Johan Ackermann   54'
TP 3 CJ van der Linde   75'
HK 2 Bismarck du Plessis   71'
LP 1 Jannie du Plessis   43'   75'
Replacements:
HK 16 Tiaan Liebenberg   71'
PR 17 Heinke van der Merwe   43'
LK 18 Albert van den Berg   54'
N8 19 Hilton Lobberts   66'
CE 20 Wynand Olivier   33'
WG 21 Wayne Julies
FB 22 Conrad Jantjes   43'
Coach:
  Jake White

References

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  1. ^ Hands, David (24 November 2007). "Match against world champions provides Welsh with chance to prove their point". Times Online. London: Times Newspapers. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[dead link]
  2. ^ Kitson, Robert (22 November 2007). "South Africa captain calls for a White-hot farewell". Guardian Unlimited. London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  3. ^ "Springboks name testing Cardiff line-up". Guardian Unlimited. London: Guardian News and Media. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  4. ^ Jones, Stephen (25 November 2007). "South Africa run Wales into submission". The Sunday Times. London: Times Newspapers. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[dead link]
  5. ^ Butler, Eddie (25 November 2007). "Wales are devoured by Burger with relish". The Observer. London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  6. ^ "Wales 12-34 South Africa". BBC News. 24 November 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  7. ^ Hands, David (27 November 2007). "Clubs refuse to let Mark Regan and Andrew Sheridan play for Barbarians". Times Online. London: Times Newspapers. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[dead link]
  8. ^ Rees, Paul (29 November 2007). "Regan is Premier Rugby's Baa-Baa black sheep". Guardian Unlimited. London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  9. ^ "Regan punished after Baa-Baas row". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 4 December 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  10. ^ Barnes, Stuart (2 December 2007). "Baa-Baas magic lives on". The Sunday Times. London: Times Newspapers. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[dead link]
  11. ^ Cain, Nick (2 December 2007). "World caves in on champions". The Sunday Times. London: Times Newspapers. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[dead link]
  12. ^ Butler, Eddie (2 December 2007). "Baa-Baas laugh off the goodbyes". The Observer. London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  13. ^ "Barbarians 22-5 South Africa". BBC News. 1 December 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2017.