Ken Borland

Wing Bryan Habana used his predatory instincts to claim a hat-trick of tries as South Africa squeezed Australia relentlessly and beat them 31-8 (half-time 14-3) in their Rugby Championship Test at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Springboks regained their attacking spark in front of a passionate crowd of 44 463 at their most secure home venue, but the victory was set up by their big men up front, who dominated the collisions and successfully disrupted the Wallaby lineout.

South Africa could have won by an even healthier margin, but goalkicking woes continued to dog them as flyhalf Johan Goosen missed the first two penalties and scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar then failed with two penalties and two conversion attempts.

Habana ran in tries in the 29th, 62nd and 79th minutes to become South Africa’s leading try-scorer against Australia with eight in 16 Tests, beating Breyton Paulse’s mark of seven.

Fullback Zane Kirchner and flank Francois Louw scored the other Springbok tries, with Pienaar adding three conversions.

Australia, who were ravaged by injuries and finished with 14 men because they had used all seven of their substitutions, scored a 66th-minute try through replacement centre Mike Harris, while flyhalf Kurtley Beale kicked a first-half penalty.

After the 20-year-old Goosen, starting in place of the experienced Morne Steyn, missed two penalties in the first 10 minutes, South Africa decided to aim their next kickable penalty to touch. The rolling maul was well-defended by Australia, and loose forward Michael Hooper almost stole possession at a ruck, but in the end the home side managed to get the ball out right where Kirchner darted over in the corner for the opening try.

A minute later, a brilliant attacking sally by Goosen was stopped just short of the tryline by centre Pat McCabe and the Springboks’ kicking yips continued when Pienaar missed a long-range penalty.

But in the 29th minute, eighthman Duane Vermeulen, who lit up the first half with his brilliant foraging at the rucks and steely defence, made a break, Goosen was in support, Pienaar threw a dummy and made a half-break before Habana pounced on the pop pass and sliced through for his first try.

Pienaar’s conversion put South Africa 14-0 ahead and they were well on top at halftime even though the lead was narrowed to 11 points by a Beale penalty.

Just a minute before half-time, Kirchner was forced out on the corner flag by Adam Ashley-Cooper, who was playing at fullback because Berrick Barnes went off with a chest injury. Ashley-Cooper knocked himself out in the process though and was taken to hospital with concussion.

The Springboks again relied on their rolling maul to set up their first try of the second half, Louw scoring as the Wallabies’ defence shattered. Replacement prop James Slipper was yellow-carded just before the try for ruck infringements.

Habana earned his second try through quick thinking, finding hooker Adriaan Strauss with a quick lineout throw and then getting the ball back and sprinting clear from halfway, before notching his second hat-trick in 82 Tests with a minute left in the game as he ran in a breakaway try set up by Louw’s break and quick hands from fellow wing Francois Hougaard and replacement flyhalf Elton Jantjies.

Australia’s only try was set up by Beale, making his first start at flyhalf, as he kept the defence guessing, embarking on a crossfield run before straightening and throwing the ball out wide for Harris to score.

But the Wallabies were then reduced to 14 men and just seven forwards when referee Alain Rolland ruled they were not allowed to bring on replacement hooker Saia Fainga’a for the injured Tatafu Polota-Nau because seven substitutions had already been made, with loosehead prop Benn Robinson returning to the field after being replaced in the first half.

While Habana stole the limelight, it was the outstanding Springbok loose trio of Vermeulen, Louw and Willem Alberts that kept their opposition on the back foot, the bonus point for five tries leaving South Africa on 12 points and still in contention for the title if Argentina upset New Zealand later on Saturday.

Scorers

South Africa – Tries: Zane Kirchner, Bryan Habana (3), Francois Louw. Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (3).

Australia – Try: Mike Harris. Penalty: Kurtley Beale.

Alistair Kettledas blazed his way to a hat-trick but the loose trio were the leading lights as the Leopards hammered the Valke 57-22 (halftime 29-3) in their Absa Currie Cup First Division match at Profert Olen Park in Potchefstroom on Friday.

While Kettledas, the competition’s leading try-scorer, cut through the Valke defences like a laser to score his three tries, the Leopards’ loose trio of Juan “Spanner” Pretorius, Robert Kruger and Morne Hanekom were superb, showing great penetration with ball in hand and being incisive at the breakdowns.

A large and enthusiastic tight five also had much to do with the Leopards’ victory and they were seldom in any danger of losing as they built up a sizeable 29-3 lead at halftime. Veteran former Springbok flyhalf Andre Pretorius is also clearly enjoying his new life in Potchefstroom as he kicked superbly in the gusting wind and also showed great vision at times.

The Valke made a lively start, but seemed to have the stuffing knocked out of them by a yellow card to prop Stefan Bezuidenhout for illegally disrupting a rolling maul close to his own tryline.

The power and skills of eighthman Juan Pretorius saw him charging over the tryline soon afterwards and the superb support play and pace of Kruger set up the second try, for centre Adriaan Engelbrecht.

The vision of Andre Pretorius, who pouched an interception and then sent a long pass out wide to wing Kettledas, set up the Leopards’ third try and, with a 22-3 lead after half-an-hour, the home side were already obvious winners.

Kettledas tapped and dived over for his second try just before halftime and the Leopards were soon swarming on to attack again from the second-half kick-off.

Wing Andrew van Wyk cleaned up well after an attack had been disrupted, drew a couple of defenders and allowed Engelbrecht to glide over for his second try.

Andre Pretorius’s fifth successful kick stretched the Leopards’ lead to 36-3, but the Valke’s balloon had not yet been burst and, keeping the ball alive for nine phases, they created the space for fullback JW Bell to go over for their first try.

But the Leopards struck back and made the score 43-10 two minutes later as centre Hennie Scorbinski made a half-break and made the space for replacement fullback Gerhard Nortier to dash down the right and score, and Andre Pretorius slotted an excellent conversion.

Just after the hour mark, great work by “Spanner” Pretorius and Kruger saw the Leopards swarming on to attack and Hanekom then dived over the tryline as if he was diving over breakers on the beach to score a spectacular try.

The Valke had not just been idle opposition in the second half, playing with great determination but not enough accuracy. But, in the 64th minute, replacement flyhalf Karlo Aspeling, who had been providing great balls for his backline, sparked another attack and scrumhalf Anrich Richter went over for the try as the Leopards defence scrambled.

There was even some humiliation in store for the Leopards as Valke right wing Sandile Ngcobo skinned the defence to score, but the home side had the last say as the pace of Kettledas took North-West from defence on to attack.

The Valke dropped the ball inside the Leopards 22, Kettledas kicked through, regathered and then got the ball back from Nortier to score the final try.

The Leopards’ victory keeps them in third position on the log and still in line for the semifinals.

SCORERS:

Leopards -Tries: Juan Pretorius, Adriaan Engelbrecht (2), Allister Kettledas (3), Gerhard Nortier, Morne Hanekom. Conversions: Andre Pretorius (6), Ernest Nortje. Penalty: Pretorius.

Valke – Tries: JW Bell, Anrich Richter, Sandile Ngcobo. Conversions: Karlo Aspeling (2). Penalty: Juan Kotze.

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup-first-division/news/120914/Leopards_hammer_Valke

Fullback Nick Abendanon scored a hat-trick of tries as England ran riot in a 57-31 (half-time 31-10) victory over the SA Northern Barbarians in their tour match at Olen Park on Tuesday.

With Abendanon making over a hundred metres running with ball in hand, and replacement wing Jonny May showing searing pace, England were an attacking threat throughout, although defensive lapses early in the second half allowed the Barbarians back into the game.

May expertly finished two tries in the 63rd and 70th minutes which settled the contest after the Barbarians had scored twice after half-time to close the gap to 24-31.

The 22-year-old May, who only arrived in South Africa last weekend as a replacement for George Lowe, came off the bench in the 26th minute after Ugo Monye injured himself in a tackle which knocked him out and damaged his neck.

Monye went to hospital for a scan, but England management are confident there is no serious damage to his neck.

Abendanon, himself a late call-up to the tour party, scored in the 19th, 32nd and 36th minutes.

Flyhalf Charlie Hodgson, who dominated the territorial battle with his boot but also sparked his backline well, missed just one kick at goals as he added seven conversions and a penalty.

Eighthman Ben Morgan and centre Anthony Allen were the other England players who scored tries, while the tourists were also awarded a penalty try in the last minute.

The Barbarians, drawn from B Division provinces, were thoroughly outplayed except in the third quarter, when scrumhalf Shaun Venter scored twice in three minutes.

Scorers

SA Northern Barbarians – Tries: Joubert Engelbrecht, Shaun Venter (2), Deon Scholtz. Conversions: JC Roos (4). Penalty: Roos.

England – Tries: Nick Abendanon (3), Ben Morgan, Jonny May (2), Anthony Allen, penalty try. Conversions: Charlie Hodgson (7). Penalty: Hodgson.