Victor signs for Toulon

The Blue Bulls said on Thursday that their captain Victor Matfield had signed a sixth-month contract with French club Toulon.

Matfield, 30 has played 58 times for South Africa, will join Toulon on Jan. 1.

Matfield would assess his international future following the appointment of a new Springbok coach after the rugby World Cup later this year. Matfield said he hoped to represent South Africa against the British and Irish Lions in 2009.

Toulon have also signed Australia scrumhalf George Gregan and former All Black flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens. Tana Umaga, another former All Black, has been appointed team manager. The frenchies have quite a bit of cash behind them quite a team they are creating might be a bit over the hill.





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Our response to the Haka

The Sprinboks freaking out from the defeat at the hands of New Zealand, look set to unleash their own version of the All Blacks' famous haka based on an old Zulu war dance.

Springbok coach Jake White said he had asked the rugby authorities about reviving a dance that was last used more than 80 years ago in order to psyche up his players.

“The history books show that the 1926 Springboks performed a Zulu war dance in major matches on their tour,” , “New Zealand have come up with a new haka recently and, quite honestly, I would like to use ours as a challenge to them.”

White revealed that his team have already performed the ritual in the changing room but believes it could have a greater impact on the pitch.

I have done my own informal survey and initial reactions is that it is a bit naff and we are copy cats ,not to sure what I feel about it.

Will they have shields and a assegai maybe parts of old british miltary uniform from the kicking they got at isandalwana.




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Kiwis 33-6 SA

The All Blacks did beat us but they did not look invincible.

The Kiwi’s took 69 minutes to score a try on Saturday against a Springboks team lacking 20 top players. The All Blacks scored 21 points in the last 11 minutes to give their Tri-Nations victory.

The victory moved New Zealand into a tie for first place with Australia. The two teams meet in the final game of the tournament next Saturday in Auckland.
Until the 69th minute, when the substitute scrum half Brendon Leonard scored a dashing try, the All Blacks had stumbled to a 12-6 lead, due entirely to the goal-kicking of Daniel Carter.

Carter, the fly half, finished with 23 points, including a try in stoppage time, but even his form was not that great which is making the Kiwis nervous.
Late substitutions spurred a charge that restored New Zealand's ascendancy after it fumbled and faffed against a really weak South African team that produced determined but unremarkable defence.

The All Blacks problem is that they have only one more test match - against Australia - before the World Cup starts in France in September. It is likely that few All Blacks will play another match before the world cup kicks off.
Carter remains below par, He was reluctant to attack the Springbok line and preferred to kick the ball, even in promising attacking positions and would have easily added another ten points to the result.

Who knows we might have a realistic chance for this world cup.



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