2007 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe

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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]

Contents

Week 1

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  Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg12–34Flag of South Africa.svg  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)
FB15 Morgan Stoddart Sub off.svg 69'
RW14 Mark Jones
OC13 Sonny Parker
IC12 Gavin Henson
LW11 Tom Shanklin
FH10 James Hook Sub off.svg 76'
SH9 Dwayne Peel Sub off.svg 53'
N88 Jonathan Thomas
OF7 Robin Sowden-Taylor
BF6 Colin Charvis (c)Sub off.svg 61'
RL5 Alun Wyn Jones
LL4 Ian Evans Sub off.svg 53'
TP3 Gethin Jenkins
HK2 Huw Bennett Sub off.svg 53'
LP1 Rhys M. Thomas Sub off.svg 69'
Replacements:
HK16 T. Rhys Thomas Sub on.svg 53'
PR17 Duncan Jones Sub on.svg 69'
LK18 Luke Charteris Sub on.svg 53'
FL19 Alix Popham Sub on.svg 61'
SH20 Mike Phillips Sub on.svg 53'
FH21 Ceri Sweeney Sub on.svg 76'
FB22 Tom James Sub on.svg 69'
Coach:
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Nigel Davies
FB15 Ruan Pienaar
RW14 JP Pietersen Sub off.svg 75'
OC13 Jaque Fourie
IC12 François Steyn
LW11 Bryan Habana
FH10 André Pretorius Sub off.svg 59'
SH9 Ricky Januarie Sub off.svg 78'
N88 Ryan Kankowski Sub off.svg 78'
OF7 Juan Smith
BF6 Schalk Burger
RL5 Johann Muller
LL4 Bakkies Botha Sub off.svg 40'
TP3 CJ van der Linde Sub off.svg 75'
HK2 John Smit (c)
LP1 Jannie du Plessis Sub off.svg 64'
Replacements:
HK16 Bismarck du Plessis Yellow card.svg 77' to 80'Sub on.svg 75'
PR17 Heinke van der Merwe Sub on.svg 64'
LK18 Albert van den Berg Yellow card.svg 48' to 58'Sub on.svg 40'
N819 Hilton Lobberts Sub on.svg 78'
CE20 Wynand Olivier Sub on.svg 59'
WG21 Akona Ndungane Sub on.svg 75'
FB22 Conrad Jantjes Sub on.svg 78'
Coach:
Flag of South Africa.svg Jake White

Week 2

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
Barbarians 22–5Flag of South Africa.svg  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)
FB15 Flag of England.svg Jason Robinson Sub off.svg 68'
RW14 Flag of New Zealand.svg Joe Rokocoko
OC13 Flag of New Zealand.svg Conrad Smith Sub off.svg 58'
IC12 Flag of New Zealand.svg Ma'a Nonu
LW11 Flag of Fiji.svg Isoa Neivua Sub off.svg 63'
FH10 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Matt Giteau
SH9 Flag of New Zealand.svg Justin Marshall
N88 Flag of New Zealand.svg Jerry Collins
OF7 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Martyn Williams
BF6 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rocky Elsom
RL5 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Brent Cockbain Sub off.svg 51'
LL4 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Justin Harrison Sub off.svg 63'
TP3 Flag of Argentina.svg Federico Pucciariello
HK2 Flag of England.svg Mark Regan (c)Sub off.svg 51'
LP1 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Salesi Ma'afu Sub off.svg 51'
Replacements:
HK16 Flag of South Africa.svg Schalk Brits Sub on.svg 51'
PR17 Flag of South Africa.svg JD Moller Sub on.svg 51'
LK18 Flag of New Zealand.svg Troy Flavell Sub on.svg 51'
FL19 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Michael Owen Sub on.svg 63'
FH20 Flag of South Africa.svg Peter Grant Sub on.svg 68'
CE21 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Tom Shanklin Sub on.svg 58'
WG22 Flag of England.svg Ben Cohen Sub on.svg 63'
Coach:
IRFU flag.svg Eddie O'Sullivan
FB15 Ruan Pienaar
RW14 Akona Ndungane
OC13 Jaque Fourie
IC12 François Steyn
LW11 Bryan Habana
FH10 André Pretorius Sub off.svg 33'
SH9 Ricky Januarie Sub off.svg 43'
N88 Ryan Kankowski
OF7 Juan Smith
BF6 Barend Pieterse Sub off.svg 66'
RL5 Johann Muller (c)
LL4 Johan Ackermann Sub off.svg 54'
TP3 CJ van der Linde Sub off.svg 75'
HK2 Bismarck du Plessis Sub off.svg 71'
LP1 Jannie du Plessis Sub off.svg 43'Sub on.svg 75'
Replacements:
HK16 Tiaan Liebenberg Sub on.svg 71'
PR17 Heinke van der Merwe Sub on.svg 43'
LK18 Albert van den Berg Sub on.svg 54'
N819 Hilton Lobberts Sub on.svg 66'
CE20 Wynand Olivier Sub on.svg 33'
WG21 Wayne Julies
FB22 Conrad Jantjes Sub on.svg 43'
Coach:
Flag of South Africa.svg Jake White

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References

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  6. "Wales 12-34 South Africa". BBC News. 24 November 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
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