2007 end-of-year rugby union internationals

The 2007 end of year rugby tests, also known as the 2007 Autumn internationals were a series of rugby union matches played in November and December 2007 in Europe. Because of the timing of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, most teams chose to take a break after that tournament and the end of year series consisted of just two matches (and only one Test match), both involving the 2007 World Cup winners South Africa.

Although the matches had been arranged well in advance of the World Cup,^[1] the mini-tour was seen as an opportunity for the world cup winners to showcase their talents and to say farewell to their outgoing coach, Jake White, who retired after the second game.^[2] In the event, several members of the world cup squad were unavailable for either game, because of retirement (Os du Randt), injury (Percy Montgomery, Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha), club commitments (Butch James), or other reasons (Victor Matfield), and the captain, John Smit, who had just joined French club ASM Clermont Auvergne, was released to play only in the first match.^[3]

Week 1

The first match, and the only one with full Test status, was against Wales, on 24 November 2007, at the Millennium Stadium. Although Wales had more possession and dominated territorially, they managed to score just two tries, both from kicks. The first was scored by Welsh full-back Morgan Stoddart, who was making his Test debut. The second, the result of a bad mistake by Springbok full-back Ruan Pienaar, was scored by Colin Charvis; it was his 22nd Test try, a new record for a forward in Test rugby. South Africa made better use of their more limited possession, scoring five tries, including one by Ryan Kankowski, also a Test debutant, as the world cup winners won the match 34–12.^[4][5]

24 November 2007 14:45 GMT

Wales	12–34	South Africa
Try: Charvis 39' m Stoddart 53' c Con: Hook (1/2)	Report	Try: Smith 20' c Fourie (2) 28' m, 31' c Pietersen 44' c Kankowski 67' m Con: A. Pretorius (3/4) Pen: F. Steyn (1/1) 3'

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 56,000 Referee: Chris White (England)

Wales FB 15 Morgan Stoddart  69' RW 14 Mark Jones OC 13 Sonny Parker IC 12 Gavin Henson LW 11 Tom Shanklin FH 10 James Hook  76' SH 9 Dwayne Peel  53' N8 8 Jonathan Thomas OF 7 Robin Sowden-Taylor BF 6 Colin Charvis (c)  61' RL 5 Alun Wyn Jones LL 4 Ian Evans  53' TP 3 Gethin Jenkins HK 2 Huw Bennett  53' LP 1 Rhys M. Thomas  69' Replacements: HK 16 T. Rhys Thomas  53' PR 17 Duncan Jones  69' LK 18 Luke Charteris  53' FL 19 Alix Popham  61' SH 20 Mike Phillips  53' FH 21 Ceri Sweeney  76' FB 22 Tom James  69' Coach: Nigel Davies

South Africa FB 15 Ruan Pienaar RW 14 JP Pietersen  75' OC 13 Jaque Fourie IC 12 François Steyn LW 11 Bryan Habana FH 10 André Pretorius  59' SH 9 Ricky Januarie  78' N8 8 Ryan Kankowski  78' OF 7 Juan Smith BF 6 Schalk Burger RL 5 Johann Muller LL 4 Bakkies Botha  40' TP 3 CJ van der Linde  75' HK 2 John Smit (c) LP 1 Jannie du Plessis  64' Replacements: HK 16 Bismarck du Plessis 77' to 80'  75' PR 17 Heinke van der Merwe  64' LK 18 Albert van den Berg 48' to 58'  40' N8 19 Hilton Lobberts  78' CE 20 Wynand Olivier  59' WG 21 Akona Ndungane  75' FB 22 Conrad Jantjes  78' Coach: Jake White

Week 2

The second match, at Twickenham on 1 December 2007, saw a Springbok XV facing a Barbarians side that included such big names as Jerry Collins, Martyn Williams, Matt Giteau, and the retiring Jason Robinson. The Barbarians' plans were disrupted when the English Premier clubs decided not to allow players to be released,^[6] and the Irish provinces followed suit. As a result, Brian O'Driscoll, who had been named to captain the side, had to withdraw, as did Andrew Sheridan of Sale Sharks, but Mark Regan of Bristol defied the ban and led the Barbarians,^[7] an act for which he was later sanctioned by his club.^[8] The match itself proved to be somewhat one-sided affair, the lacklustre Springboks, who included just five World Cup final starters, losing 22–5 to a Barbarians side that played with flair and creativity. The Barabarians scored three tries, the South Africans only one, scored by Barend Pieterse, who was making his first appearance in a Springbok jersey in place of Schalk Burger, who had broken his nose in the game against Wales.^[9][10][11]

1 December 2007 15:00 GMT

Barbarians	22–5	South Africa
Try: Giteau 18' m M. Williams 40' c Elsom 42' c Con: Giteau (2) Pen: Giteau 3'	Report	Try: Pieterse 34' m

Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 58,186 Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

Barbarians FB 15 Jason Robinson  68' RW 14 Joe Rokocoko OC 13 Conrad Smith  58' IC 12 Ma'a Nonu LW 11 Isoa Neivua  63' FH 10 Matt Giteau SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Jerry Collins OF 7 Martyn Williams BF 6 Rocky Elsom RL 5 Brent Cockbain  51' LL 4 Justin Harrison  63' TP 3 Federico Pucciariello HK 2 Mark Regan (c)  51' LP 1 Salesi Ma'afu  51' Replacements: HK 16 Schalk Brits  51' PR 17 JD Moller  51' LK 18 Troy Flavell  51' FL 19 Michael Owen  63' FH 20 Peter Grant  68' CE 21 Tom Shanklin  58' WG 22 Ben Cohen  63' Coach: Eddie O'Sullivan

South Africa FB 15 Ruan Pienaar RW 14 Akona Ndungane OC 13 Jaque Fourie IC 12 François Steyn LW 11 Bryan Habana FH 10 André Pretorius  33' SH 9 Ricky Januarie  43' N8 8 Ryan Kankowski OF 7 Juan Smith BF 6 Barend Pieterse  66' RL 5 Johann Muller (c) LL 4 Johan Ackermann  54' TP 3 CJ van der Linde  75' HK 2 Bismarck du Plessis  71' LP 1 Jannie du Plessis  43'  75' Replacements: HK 16 Tiaan Liebenberg  71' PR 17 Heinke van der Merwe  43' LK 18 Albert van den Berg  54' N8 19 Hilton Lobberts  66' CE 20 Wynand Olivier  33' WG 21 Wayne Julies FB 22 Conrad Jantjes  43' Coach: Jake White

References

1. Hands, David (24 November 2007). "Match against world champions provides Welsh with chance to prove their point". Times Online (London: Times Newspapers). Retrieved 1 January 2008.
2. Kitson, Robert (22 November 2007). "South Africa captain calls for a White-hot farewell". Guardian Unlimited (London: Guardian News and Media). Retrieved 1 January 2008.
3. "Springboks name testing Cardiff line-up". Guardian Unlimited (London: Guardian News and Media). 21 November 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
4. Jones, Stephen (25 November 2007). "South Africa run Wales into submission". The Sunday Times (London: Times Newspapers). Retrieved 1 January 2008.
5. Butler, Eddie (25 November 2007). "Wales are devoured by Burger with relish". The Observer (London: Guardian News and Media). Retrieved 1 January 2008.
6. Hands, David (27 November 2007). "Clubs refuse to let Mark Regan and Andrew Sheridan play for Barbarians". Times Online (London: Times Newspapers). Retrieved 1 January 2008.
7. Rees, Paul (29 November 2007). "Regan is Premier Rugby's Baa-Baa black sheep". Guardian Unlimited (London: Guardian News and Media). Retrieved 1 January 2008.
8. "Regan punished after Baa-Baas row". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 4 December 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
9. Barnes, Stuart (2 December 2007). "Baa-Baas magic lives on". The Sunday Times (London: Times Newspapers). Retrieved 1 January 2008.
10. Cain, Nick (2 December 2007). "World caves in on champions". The Sunday Times (London: Times Newspapers). Retrieved 1 January 2008.
11. Butler, Eddie (2 December 2007). "Baa-Baas laugh off the goodbyes". The Observer (London: Guardian News and Media). Retrieved 1 January 2008.