Boks Still in Tri Nations Driving Seat

September 9 - The super Springboks were dealt a minor blow in their meteoric rise to claim the Tri Nations title, when they lost to Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.

Yet the Boks are very much still in the driving seat of this rugby extravaganza and they are now putting Australian fiasco behind them to concentrate on their next hurdle - a game against the All Blacks this weekend.

There were a few reasons for Saturday's loss. Some put it down to referee Wayne Barnes' handling of the game, others say the 'bounce of the ball', while others simply said that the Boks looked flat.

The Wallabies have been under immense local pressure to improve their game and bring some honour to the nation's battered spirit in the Tri Nations 2009 tournament. This pressure seemed to do the job and the Australians came on to the field fuelled and motivated to batter the Boks, even if there Tri Nations dream ended even before this test.

Nevertheless, the Boks are looking ahead and checking to see where they can improve this week before the much awaited Hamilton Test.

There are a few elements that will make this game easier on the Springboks. For one, the South Africans have dominated the Kiwis in the previous two tests, crushing the All Blacks confidence in a mighty swoop. This should go a long way in making the Saturday event less stressful overall.

On the flip side, the All Blacks have enjoyed a restful three week break and are roarin' to go on their home field.

While the Boks remain a firm favourite to win the Tri Nations, we all know by now that nothing is sure until the final whistle is blown in major sporting events, and anything can happen until then...

Visit our Tri Nations Betting page.

Tell A Friend