White heaps praise on Boks
2006-09-10 00:17
Johannesburg - South Africa coach Jake White heaped praise on his Springbok players on Saturday, after they turned around a five-match winless streak by beating New Zealand and Australia on consecutive weekends on home soil.
The Springboks, 21-20 winners over New Zealand in Rustenburg, defeated the Wallabies 24-16 at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Boks had previously lost in Brisbane, Wellington and Pretoria in the Tri-Nations, to go with the July defeat to France in Cape Town - not to mention a 49-0 hammering by the Wallabies at the start of the tournament.
"It's been a really difficult time for the team, but everyone put their weight behind us and kept supporting us," said White.
"When you're on a downward spiral, like we were, it's so easy to fall apart. But the guys stuck to the task and showed plenty of character.
"To play New Zealand twice and then Australia to finish a very long, and tough competition is not easy. The guys stepped up really well."
Teams change sides at 3-3
The Boks scored two tries to one against the Wallabies on Saturday, with man of the match Fourie du Preez a thorn in the side of the Australians.
Young flanker Pierre Spies also enjoyed another big game after his debut in the 49-0 Brisbane massacre earlier in the year.
The Boks have looked a class side in recent weeks, with flyhalf Andre Pretorius overshadowing both Dan Carter and Stephen Larkham in the last fortnight.
After a poor first half, characterised by plenty of aimless kicking, the teams changed sides locked at 3-3. T
he Wallabies went into the lead five minutes into the second period when Larkham went over for his team's only try.
The Boks hit back almost immediately with a sublime individual effort by Du Preez, who took a quick tap penalty to charge over from 35m.
Stirling Mortlock closed the gap with two penalties, but the Boks enjoyed the majority of possession in the final quarter to seal the game.
Connolly says team did not 'execute'
Breyton Paulse scored his team's second try with seven minutes remaining and the Bok defence, so good all afternoon, saw out the result.
"The attitude of the players, on and off the field, is what's really impressed me," said White.
Bok skipper John Smit said the defeats earlier in the season had been an 'educational lesson'.
"Leading up to the World Cup we'll have a better perspective of what's needed to be successful. The hardships we've endured will have made us stronger," said Smit.
Australian coach John Connolly said his team had failed to execute properly in the face of strong Springbok defence: "The Boks put us under a lot of pressure at the back and forced us into mistakes.
"We were maybe a bit too anxious and played far too flat to get anything going. We just weren't allowed the space to gel."
- AFP