Aus face 'assault and battery'

[tdevil]

Look at Ollie Le Roux's comments made on a South African news site, what an @sshole.......I guess we'll take it from who it comes.....a BIG nobody (wannabe)

Aus face 'assault and battery'
13/06/2007 10:20 - (SA)

Cape Town - The South African public have already written off the Wallabies' chances of beating the Springboks on Saturday, but former Test prop Ollie le Roux has gone even further.

Le Roux, a regular Wallabies Test opponent over the past decade, predicts that the Boks will inflict a thrashing similar to Australia's 49-0 rout of South Africa in Brisbane last year.

"I think there may be a few charges of assault and battery laid at the local police station after Saturday's match, because it's going to be an absolute massacre," Le Roux told the South Africa media. "The Springboks will be disappointed if they don't put Australia away by plenty, as there is no way they will be able to front up to the South African pack."

Le Roux believes Australia's only hope is to resort to nefarious means to stop the South African forward onslaught. "The Aussies may resort to a few negative tactics this weekend," he said. "They've done it before and I wouldn't be surprised to see them spoiling and slowing the ball down when the Boks are on attack."

The Springbok selectors are expected to recall all their big names when they announce their team on Wednesday.

"Pierre Spies - Juan Smith and Schalk Burger are our best loose trio combination," Le Roux said.

Also back on deck will be Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha and veteran prop Os du Randt, who is expected to start at loosehead.

[Burgs]

Gotta catch them first fat boy...

[hopep]

Goodo, more fat slow Yarppies in the scrum.
de runt cant run to save his life.
burger can't tackle (legally).
botha can't think and move his legs at the same time.

le roux couldn't keep up with the game today - has been

HMMM! maybe I should rethink my tipping ?

[Jess]

I don't reckon being tackled by Le Roux would be that bad... kinda like being hit by a giant pillow or marshmallow. Until he lands on top of you that is!

I just can't believe how big he is! I swear the earth was shaking when he walked (waddled) off the field when he got injured at Subi Oval while playing the Force.

And I was listening to Dad's sports ears and Kearnsey and the team were suggesting he may have lied about his weight and that when he moves to Ireland (is that where he's going?) he'll put on another 10 kilos due to guinness consumption alone.

Oh I do love a good Aussie commentary laught.

[MRGRAY]

The boks have looked good the last few games they have played , but we have the players to do something about that if they just start to play as a team...Maybe I am dreaming , but i cant give up on my team just cause they have put in some crap performances.....

[Nick]

Well hopefully both teams will be thouroghly tenderised by the end of the game just in time for the All Blacks to come through

In all seriousness I think comming off the all South African Finals to the S14 there are going to be some very amped up big boys out there, Im glad the AB's get the Wallabies 1st up in Melbourne, becuae it's going to be a very tough Welcome to the Republic...

He may not be the smartest bloke rolling around on the field but I'd hate to be in a front row against him thats for sure. They've got a locking combination that is pretty deadly too, I hope it's a great game but on paper it's looking a bit grim. Look at as a good oportunity to test the steel of the Wallabies to harden them up for the World Cup.

[Burgs]

Wallabies expectations low

Greg Growden in Cape Town
Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Stirling Mortlock was the last man to provide Australia with success on South African soil, with an injury-time penalty goal seven years ago, but even he knows how crucial it is to be ultra cautious when approaching the Springboks in their own territory.

Mortlock, who is expected to regain the Test captaincy in the Tri Nations opener at Newlands on Saturday night, yesterday stressed the importance of not getting overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment, suggesting high expectations may have derailed previous Australian campaigns in this part of the world.

You could excuse Mortlock for leading the Wallabies' charge. It was, after all, his goal-kicking feat that brought about Australia's last win in South Africa, a 19-18 victory at the 2000 Durban international. However Mortlock does not rate that Test as an overwhelming triumph, arguing it was a tight result, rather than a convincing act of domination.

It was best not to go on about being ultra-confident, or completely determined to end the rot which has resulted in Australia winning only two of 14 internationals in South Africa since 1992, because those motivators have been used before, and failed. Better, as Mortlock explained, to turn down the temperature a little bit.

"The losses we have suffered here over the years have been on the back of us going into the games feeling quite confident about how we prepared," Mortlock said. "So we don't want to build this up as being the be-all and end-all. We basically haven't played well in Africa for a hell of a long time.

"We are under no illusions that as a team we have let ourselves down here for a long period."

When asked if it was best to try to forget about the team's terrible record in South Africa, Mortlock said: "It's a hard thing to exactly focus on. If you focus so much on the result you might lose sight of the things that get you there.

"We know it would be great to win here, because it would be terrific for us confidence-wise and moving forward as a team … But you don't want to put too much onto just one result."

While the Wallabies try to keep their calm, as usual they have walked into a state of chaos in Cape Town. But this time it was not their own doing.

Each time they arrive in South Africa, they discover that the Springbok coach Jake White is once more under siege.

The latest "Groundhog Day" scene-stoppers include an allegedly tipsy White in a heated argument with a journalist, who was later attacked at a urinal.

This is on top of reports that White, who is affected by the dubious player quota system that is aimed at having 10 non-white players in the South African starting XV next year, will meet President Thabo Mbeki on Friday over selection interference.

"There are a lot of things I can talk to him about that I am unhappy about, and the same applies to the president," White said. And what occurred between a journalist and White, who had a disagreement in a Johannesburg cafe before the scribe was belted behind the ear by another person in the toilet, changes every few minutes, depending on who you talk to.

But we are still told that White is "cracking under the pressure".

The Wallabies are sceptical because they have heard it all before, and then a few days later have observed White lead his team to another home victory. They have decided not to bite.

Instead, Wallabies coach John Connolly plans to announce on Wednesday Australia's best XV, after weeks of shadow-boxing.

"Both teams will put close to their best line-up out, and in many cases a lot of decisions in the squad are still 50-50," Connolly said.

"I'm pretty certain that's the case with the Springboks, and with us there are quite a few close calls. It will be tough here, but we are not practising to lose."

[Burgs]

South Africans due for fall

By Peter Jenkins, in Cape Town
June 14, 2007

AUSTRALIA star Matt Giteau hurled an explosive taunt into the South Africa camp last night, accusing the Springboks of preening themselves over recent successes.

The millionaire centre and owner of the fiery onfield moniker "Kid Dynamite" is prepared to do more than dance for his money in the Tri-Nations opener at Newlands on Saturday.

He is also willing to voice his belief that the Wallabies can end their long-running misery in the republic on Saturday night.

One victory from 12 Tests on South African soil since 1996 is hardly the fuel for igniting confidence.

But Gtieau remains convinced a Boks side arguably as good as any they have fielded in the professional era can be undone, despite the emotional high they are riding after a South African title grab in Super 14 and a two-Test demolition of England.

Asked whether the pressure of the Wallabies' poor record in Africa was cause for anxiety, Giteau replied: "Not really. It's more about desire.

"Every time you come over, and I've never won here playing for the Wallabies, it increases that desire to win. You want it more.

"I don't feel any more pressure in this situation. If anything the South Africans are putting themselves under pressure.

"We've got the underdog tag, which suits us pretty well.

"Obviously while they're playing really good rugby, they are talking it up a fair bit.

"We haven't had the best preparation, we haven't played that well. But we are looking forward to a big game this weekend."

Giteau could be excused if he was feeling the heat, individually and as part of the team.

This is the bloke who started the season at halfback because the Wallabies wanted his flashing feet working their magic at the scrumbase.

Within a week he was also earmarked as the next best option at five-eighth if Stephen Larkham breaks down with injury between now and the end of the Wallabies' World Cup campaign.

Throw into that mix his latest deployment - a back-to-the-future selection at inside centre.

Giteau has not started there in a Test since the Wallabies went down to the All Blacks in Auckland last August.

His experiment at halfback was initiated on the end-of-year tour to Europe and continued through a recently completed two-Test series against Wales, before a knee complaint sidelined him from the flogging of Fiji in Perth five days ago.

He returns to the No.12 jumper to face a Springboks back division growing in self-belief and reputation.

"In the first two Tests against the Welsh I moved back to inside centre (during the second half) and felt completely comfortable," Giteau said.

"I felt at ease. I could just get out there and play my normal rugby.

"The guys we've got in the backline, too, I've obviously played a fair bit of football with them so it shouldn't be a problem."

There is no mask of trepidation, even though he shoulders both gamebreaking responsibilities and the expectations that are tied to his standing as Australia's highest-paid player.

His crack at the Boks, while sure to stir their emotions, is made with similar fearlessness. Giteau knows the Wallabies face a challenge this weekend as imposing as Cape Town's famed Table Mountain.

But it is one he intends to embrace rather than hide from.

"The younger players in their backline are starting to develop into pretty experienced international players," he said.

"The way they're playing, too, it looks like they've got a fair bit of freedom and that's probably when they're at their best.

"This is a pretty good Springboks side, probably the best we've played.

"And whenever you play the Springboks, they lift that extra bit playing at home so we have to lift our game as well.

"We've got to match them physically and that's not just in the forward pack, but throughout the whole side.

"Once we do that we have to look to outsmart them.

"Patience will be the key. In the first three Tests we didn't have too much patience when close to the line.

"We tried to score off every phase. That's something we need to work on.

"We definitely need a fast start too, to silence the crowd as much as we can.

[Jess]

Here's to a 50-0 scoreline!!

'The Millionaire Centre'... what a title!

[Happy]

too much salt is battery for you!!

[frontrow]

The lads definately have thier work cut out for them....But i actually have a bit of a gut feeling an upset is on the cards, and i have a pretty big gut...

[Nick]

Well after the last couple of Internationals that have been on the box Im just excited to see (Hopefully) some decent rugby, played by a couple of good tough teams.

Gut feeling or not I think the SA boys are just going to be to hard to roll at home comming off the S14 high. But the way the game is played on the weekend will really determine the whole nature of the Tri-Nations.

When I shoot over to Melbourne to see The AB's vs Aust It might be a different story.