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2008 South Africa Rugby Union Tour
The 2008 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe was a series of matches played in November 2008 in Great Britain by South Africa national rugby union team. Results -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- {{DEFAULTSORT:South Africa 2008 rugby union tours 2008 in South African rugby union 2008 2008–09 in British rugby union 2008–09 in Welsh rugby union 2008–09 in Scottish rugby union 2008–09 in English rugby union 2008 2008 2008 2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ... November 2008 sports events in the United Kingdom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South Africa National Rugby Union Team
The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks (colloquially the Boks, Bokke or Amabokoboko), is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys, with white shorts and their emblem is a native antelope, the Springbok, which is the national animal of South Africa. The team has been representing South Africa in international Rugby Union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. They are currently the reigning World Champions and have won the World Cup on 3 occasions, (1995, 2007, and 2019). The Springboks are equalled with the All Blacks with 3 World Cup wins. The team made its World Cup debut in 1995, when the newly democratic South Africa hosted the tournament. Although South Africa was instrumental in the creation of the Rugby World Cup competition, the Springboks did not compete in the first two World Cups in 1987 a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gareth Cooper
Gareth Cooper (born 7 May 1979 in Bridgend) is a former Wales international rugby union player who played in the scrum-half position. Career Cooper started playing rugby with Pencoed before moving to Bath in the West Country. Cooper made his international debut in 2001 against Italy, when many were claiming him to be the successor to Rob Howley. He toured to Japan in later that year. After Howley's retirement in 2002 he was given his first run in the side in 2003, becoming first choice for the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He returned to play in Wales after that tournament with the Celtic Warriors, but he found himself scrapping with the Scarlets Dwayne Peel for the scrum half jersey during the 2004 Six Nations. He joined the Newport Gwent Dragons in 2004 when the Celtic Warriors were disbanded, but his form went downhill and Dwayne Peel secured the scrum half shirt with some stunning performances during Wales' Grand Slam in the 2005 Six Nations. Despite playing mostly on the bench ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Smit
John William Smit, OIS, (born 3 April 1978) is a former South African rugby union player and former chief executive officer of the Sharks. He was the 50th captain of the South Africa national team, and led the team to win the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He played most of his senior career as a hooker, but also won 13 caps as a prop, where he had also played for South Africa's under-21 team. He retired from international rugby following the 2011 Rugby World Cup as the most-capped South African player ever, with 111 appearances. Smit was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame on 24 October 2011 (while still active at club level), alongside all other World Cup-winning captains and head coaches from the tournament's inception in 1987 through 2007 (minus the previously inducted John Eales). Early life Born 3 April 1978 in Pietersburg, South Africa, Smit attended Fields College (then Fields Primary School) in Rustenburg and then went on to Pretoria Boys High School where he was head pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adam Jones (rugby Union, Born 1981)
Adam Rhys Jones (born 8 March 1981) is a Welsh former professional international rugby union player for and the British & Irish Lions. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams, including Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Ryan Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Alun Wyn Jones. Club career Jones began his career with Neath before switching to the Ospreys with the regionalisation of Welsh rugby in 2003. In his early career Jones was often criticised for a lack of scrummaging power, but he has answered those critics with several seasons of dogged and dependable work in the front row of both Wales and the Ospreys. He developed the ability to scrum very low, and to manipulate his weight positioning, in order to drive the loosehead's head towards his left knee. After the 2013–14 season, Jones left the Ospreys, refusing to sign a new contract until a dispute between the Welsh regions and the WRU was resolved. On 19 August 2014, he was unveil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bakkies Botha
John Philip "Bakkies" Botha, (born 22 September 1979) is a South African former professional rugby union player who played as a lock for the Springboks until 2014. He was a member of the national team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France in addition to winning two Tri Nations titles in the 2004 Tri Nations Series and the 2009 Tri Nations Series. Botha plays for RC Toulonnais in the Top 14 after signing from Blue Bulls provincial team in the Currie Cup competition and the Bulls Super Rugby team. Botha was also a member of the Toulon squad which won the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Heineken Cup/ European Rugby Champions Cup Finals. Botha became widely associated with fellow international lock Victor Matfield for their highly successful onfield partnership with the Springboks. Career Botha played for the under-19 and under-23 Springbok sides before being chosen for the South African "A" team that toured Europe at the end of 2001. The following year he was selected for the Sprin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alun Wyn Jones
Alun Wyn Jones (born 19 September 1985) is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for the Ospreys and the Wales national team. He is the world's most-capped rugby union player. Jones also holds the records for the most Wales caps and the most Wales caps as captain. Jones is the former captain of Wales, former captain of the Ospreys, and was the captain of the British & Irish Lions for their 2021 tour to South Africa. He is one of only four players to have been selected to play on four Lions tours, in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021. He is one of seven Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams and was named as the best player of the 2019 Six Nations Championship. He was nominated for world player of the year in 2015 and 2019. Early life Jones was born in Swansea to Tim Jones, a solicitor, and Ann Jones, a secondary teacher. Both Jones' father and grandfather had previously played rugby for Swansea. Jones grew up in Mumbles, initially playing football befor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Victor Matfield
Victor Matfield (born 11 May 1977) is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played for and South African rugby union captains, captained the South Africa national rugby union team, South Africa national team (Springboks) as well as the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and the Bulls (rugby union), Bulls franchise in Super Rugby. He is generally considered one of the best Lock (rugby union), locks to have ever played for South Africa and had a long successful partnership with Springbok and Blue Bulls teammate Bakkies Botha. Matfield was known for his success at disrupting opposition line-out (rugby union), line-outs – this skill was a cornerstone of their 2007 World Cup success, where he was crowned IRB (International Rugby Board) player of the Rugby World Cup. In 2008 he captained the first team to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand since England in 2003. Matfield initially retired after the 2011 World Cup, leaving the game as the record Springbok cap holder, b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ian Evans (rugby Union)
Ian Evans (born 4 October 1984) is a former Wales international rugby union player. Since 2017, Evans has been on the coaching staff of the Newport Gwent Dragons. Evans was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was brought up in Aberdare, and began playing his rugby at Abercwmboi RFC and then moved to Pontypridd RFC once he was eligible for senior rugby. He quickly made his mark upon Wales' Age-Grade selectors with a succession of athletic and promising performances for the Valleys' team. Joining up with Swansea RFC in 2004, he progressed through the internal system to play for the Ospreys in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup, and has played for the national team. His usual position is at lock. He was the tallest member of the national team at 2.03 meters, but has since been demoted to 2nd tallest with the inclusion of Luke Charteris. He represented Wales at both under-19 and under-21 levels. Evans made his Celtic League debut against Munster as a replacement in Septem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Schalk Burger
Schalk Willem Petrus Burger Jr. (born 13 April 1983) is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played as a flanker for Saracens in the English Premiership and has won 86 caps for South Africa. He was a member of the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning team, has twice been named South African Rugby Player of the Year (in 2004 and 2011), and was named IRB Player of the Year in 2004, among other accolades. He also holds the record for the most appearances (84) and most tries scored (13) by a Springbok flanker. However, Burger's physical approach has also resulted in him being shown a yellow card six times in international rugby, second only to Italy's Marco Bortolami (7 times) as of June 2014. Burger has also suffered injuries, especially to his neck and knee, which have sidelined him for considerable periods at a time. He has also played four times for the Barbarians. Early life Burger is one of a handful of second-generation Springboks. His father, also called Scha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ryan Jones
Ryan Paul Jones (born 13 March 1981) is a Wales former international rugby union player who played at number eight, blindside flanker or second row. He was involved in three Grand Slam wins, in 2005, as captain in 2008, and 2012. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams including Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Alun Wyn Jones. Early life Jones was born in Newport, and played junior football for Bristol City as a goalkeeper until the age of 14. He took up rugby union at age 17 to be with his friends at Risca RFC. Ryan Jones studied at UWIC, noCardiff Metropolitan Universitygaining a BSc (Hons) from 1999 to 2002. He played over a hundred games for UWIC RFC and captained the firsts in his final year. Jones said of the University: "I was a student at Cardiff Met's Cyncoed Campus for three years. I was really inspired by the ethos of sporting excellence and University rugby was the springboard for m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Juan Smith
Juanne Hugo Smith (born 30 July 1981) is a South African former professional rugby union player who represented South Africa in international test rugby, the Cheetahs in the Super Rugby competition, and the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup. He mainly played as a blindside flanker, although he has also played number eight. Career Smith made his international debut for South Africa on 7 June 2003 as a reserve in the 29–25 victory over Scotland at Kings Park Stadium in Durban. He was also named in the Springboks' team for the second Scottish Test the following week. He then played at number 8 during the 2003 Tri Nations Series against Australia and the All Blacks. Smith was included in the Springboks squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. He played in four matches at the World Cup and scored a try in the match against Manu Samoa. Although he only played the one Test for South Africa during 2004 – against Wales at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in November, he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martyn Williams
Martyn Elwyn Williams, (born 1 September 1975) is a former Wales and British & Irish Lions international rugby union player. A flanker, he was Wales' most-capped forward with 100 caps until surpassed by Gethin Jenkins on 30 November 2013. He remains Wales most capped back row forward. Club career Williams played club rugby for Pontypridd, with whom he won the 1996–97 Welsh league, then moved to Cardiff RFC in 1999. He captained Cardiff from 2002 until 2005, when Rhys Williams took over the role. In the Heineken Cup semi-final match against Leicester Tigers on 3 May 2009, Williams missed a crucial kick in the penalty shootout after the game had finished level after extra time, allowing Jordan Crane to step up and score the winning kick. It was the first time that a professional rugby union match had been decided by a shootout. In March 2012, Williams announced that he would retire at the end of the 2011–12 season. International career Wales After gaining internatio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
