Australia klapped the injury-ravaged Springboks 39-20 in their opening Tri-Nations encounter in Sydney on Saturday. It was painful to watch and now even more painful to blog about... So instead of using words, I'll do what I do best... use pictures.

The Springboks kick off  the 2011 Vodacom Tri-Nations tournament against Australia at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney at 12:05 (SA time) on Saturday (23 July 2011).

There has been much talk of team selection and South Africa sending a "B" team in order to rest players ahead of the Rugby World Cup. Hell,  Graham Henry has done the same with his squad ahead of their clash with Fiji, which kicks off later this morning.
Call them what you like, our 'second stringers' are there to compete, and to win. That's what Springboks do.

The Vodacom Super Rugby Semi-finals are finally upon us. As a Lions supporter, who hasn't seen his team in action for two weeks, and is dismayed by the current rumblings and fall-outs in the Lions boardroom, I find myself firmly supporting the Stormers. It is a rare thing indeed, to find myself screaming for the Cape side. But they're the last South African team in the competition, and they deserve all our support.