New Zealand vs. Australia

The final game of the Vodacom Tri-Nations kicks off in about half an hour and in reality it is a bit of a non-event considering the Springboks wrapped up the tournament last week.

However for the Australian and All Black coaches there is plenty on the line. Both have been under some serious fire for the way their sides have performed.

While I expect the All Blacks to come out on top I'd expect both sides to run the ball - they've got very little to lose and I've got an each way bet on the first points being scored via a try.

In terms of my try-scorers I don't think you can look beyond Matt Giteau (18/1) and Dan Carter (16/1). Giteau has been in good try-scoring form and Carter looks like he is coming back to his best - with a running game on the cards - I'd expect these two to be prominent.

Tri-Nations predictions

The Tri-Nations decider kicks off in a few hours time and it looks likely to be a titanic clash. The All Blacks are favourites to win after the Aussies found a couple of chinks in the Bok armoury last week.

Judging from the media war that has accompanied the two teams this week one can imagine there is no love lost between these teams.

A couple of bets here:

Gone with the Boks to win

First points scored - gone each way on tries and also put a few bucks down on a drop goal. Traditionally the Boks have reverted to the old fashioned drop kick when they want to put a side on the back foot and I wouldn't be surprised to see them try it here.

First try scorer again was split four ways on Fourie Du Preez, Pierre Spies, Joe Rockockoko and Richie Mccaw.

C'mon the Boks!

Tri-Nations betting

Australia and South Africa clash today with the Springboks needing just two points to wrap up the Tri-Nations.

Again I don't see how anybody can look beyond the Springboks today - even if they do have a couple of walking wounded.

I'm expecting both sides to play a running game. The Boks want the points and the Aussies have nothing to lose so I'm banking on the first points to come from a try. I've gone each way on the sides at 3/1 for the Boks and 5/1 for the Aussies.

First try-scorer is a tricky one and I have tried to cover my bases taking Spies (22/1) and Du Preez (20/1) again this week and then Matt Giteau (16/1) and James O'Connor (14/1).

Odds supplied courtesy of World Sports Betting.

Boks vs Australia predictions

Well the Boks take on an Australian side which is definately down in the dumps after four successive losses and rocked by a couple of injuries.

On current form I don't see how you can bet against the Springboks.

Our predictions for todays match

- Boks to win
- First points scored - Australia Try
- First try scorers - Bryan Habana / Matt Giteau with Fourie Du Preez a handy 25/1 outsider

Go the Boks!

Giteau gets off?!

That's impossible - how can Matt Giteau not be cited for that "tackle" or assault on Fourie Du Preez.

It was probably one of the worst non-tackles I have seen this year and coming from a player of Giteaus class and ability, it is simply shocking.

Not citing a player for an incident like that sends the wrong message out to players and fans alike and without trying to come across as "sour grapes" - one has only to think of Bakkies Botha and Schalk Botha serving "sentences" for dirty play and then wondering where the consistency is.

Bakkies got four weeks for charging into a ruck and Schalk got eight weeks for "intentional contact with the face" (I think that was the end decision, not eye gouging).... what Giteau do in that instance?

Simple does it

I have to say that was probably one of the most accomplished performances from a Springbok side that I have seen in a long time.

Yeah we have been on a high and the wins against the All Blacks were good but the composure that we showed throughout the match was brilliant.

The Morne Steyn success story continues and if you look at the last five matches - if we hadn't had a kicker to put the points on the board, our record would look rather shoddy.

Somebody said a fair thing to me the other day: "Super 14 rugby is won by try-scoring sides, Test match rugby is won by sides whose kicker takes the points that are on offer"

Was just reading the match summary on the Keo.co.za website and one word that stood out - Simplicity - that I think is what the Boks did well. They played a tactically simple - not naive - game of rugby and they won it comfortably.

Good side.

Made it...

Phew well eventually the Springboks got home but it certainly wasn't as comfortable as it could have / should have been.

Guess I didn't have anything to be worried about after all....

Pienaar had an indifferent game and the fact that he scored a try shouldn't count too much in his favour - it was a straightforward run-in for him.

If the All Blacks had been down an extra 8 points at the half-time whistle then the second half could have been far more straightforward and allowed our team to run.

Thought our backline looked the most effective it has in a longtime. Defence was solid and on attack the All Blacks always looked like they were going to be making a lot of tackles. Apart from where Conrad Smith slipped through I thought we looked top drawer and Frans Steyn impressed me for the first time in a long while - good composure and decision making.

Hope the Devilliers injury isn't too serious.

Amongst the forwards the two guys who impressed me were Bismarck Du Plessis and Bakkies Botha. Both of them put in some good solid graft. I am not a Bismarck fan but he worked hard today and things happened every time he touched the ball - was good to see.

A nice start to our Tri-Nations campaign.

Boks. vs All Blacks

I don't mean to be negative about this match up against the All Blacks but I just have a niggling bad feeling about this fixture....

... Hope the Boks prove me wrong.

Tri-nations thoughts and predictions

The Tri-Nations kicks off shortly and I must say that as far as I can see, the money must be on Australia to take the trophy this year.

Australia are the outsiders according to the guys over at World Sports Betting, but this year is probably going to one of the closest contested tournaments ever.

New Zealand are on form but have not really had a run against some decent Southern Hemisphere opponents and the Australians are playing really well at the moment.

There seems to be some real poise in the Australians and they seem to have a great ability to control the play. Think they are going to be a real handful for anybody.

The Springboks of course are as unpredictable as they come. On form they can challenge and beat the best in the world and the lineup has a great deal of battle hardened experience... their ability to control the game though appears to be in serious doubt.

Even though I am an ardent Springbok supporter I'm afraid my money is down on Australia..