| Time |
Score |
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| 1 |
0 - 3 |
And it's first blood to South Africa with a simple penalty. The sort of start they needed after last weekend's disaster against Japan.
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| 2 |
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South Africa's forwards get the maul rolling. To the uninitiated that must look like a very strange play (six men acting like a pantomime snake, but without the covering.
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| 3 |
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South Africa look up for this. And the crowd are too. Scrum just outside the Samoan 22.
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| 5 |
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Samoa hold off the early South African fury and can finally breath again.
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| 6 |
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| 7 |
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Samoa's forwards attack South Africa head-on -- big forward against big forward -- and now have a penatly in front of the posts.
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| 8 |
3 - 3 |
Ooooh. Hits the post and goes in. 3-3.
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| 9 |
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| 10 |
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Scrum on the centre spot and the Samoan pack bully the South Africans and win a penalty. That initial Springbok surge has faded already. Are they in for another tense and torrid afternoon? Stanley will attempt the 3-points from the halfway line.
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| 11 |
6 - 3 |
No problem whatsoever. That went over comfortably. 6-3.
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| 12 |
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| 14 |
6 - 8 |
And with the Samoans on top the South Africans steal the ball -- Pietersen intercepts and runs 70 yards for a TRY!
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| 15 |
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But the conversion is missed and it's 8-6 to the Springboks.
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| 16 |
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| 17 |
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Samoa are dominating the early stats and have made all the running, but they are losing and that try might just settle the Springboks. Might. Might not.
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| 18 |
6 - 11 |
South Africa have another penalty and Pollard boots it over comfortably from 40-yards out. 11-6.
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| 19 |
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Under normal circumstances one would say that the South Africans have weathered the early storm and will go on and win this. But last weekend's thriller against Japan has changed all of that. Can the Samoans live with the Springboks in the same way?
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| 22 |
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It's all South Africa for the moment, moving through the phases in the Samoan 22, but a chip to the wing goes too far and out. But they are back for a penalty and three more points are on offer.
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| 23 |
6 - 14 |
Pollard slots it through the posts and it's 14-6.
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| 24 |
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That interception try has knocked a bit of the stuffing out of Samoa.
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| 25 |
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There's some exciting, open, broken play in the midfield which is getting the crowd excited but neither team are actually getting very far here. First one team attacks and then the other counters.
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| 27 |
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Samoa relieve the pressure with a long kick to touch. Back to the midfield.
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| 28 |
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And back to the Boks' rolling maul. And then the ball goes wide and reaches Habana and there's some thrilling passing and running and SA think they have a try, but it's NO TRY as a de Villiers foot went into touch.
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| 29 |
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Now the Springboks are moving the ball around and looking the better side. Samoa need to cling on here.
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| 30 |
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| 31 |
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We have a stoppage as Nanai-Williams undergoes treatment, but he's just had the wind knocked out of him and he's ok.
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| 32 |
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There's some argy-bargy among the forwards and the referee is giving them a talking to. Six of one and half-a-dozen of the other. But there are no cards and just a penalty to SA inside their own half.
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| 33 |
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South Africa swinging the passes left and right and probing inside the Samoan 22, but an interception by the prop Paulo finally ends that passage of play and relieves the pressure.
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| 34 |
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| 36 |
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Habana gets the ball 10 yards from the Samoan line and there's a huge roar, but he's brought down by two Samoans. There are some more phases of play and eventually Samoa give up a penalty in front of the posts...
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| 37 |
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Pollard makes it 17-6.
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| 38 |
6 - 17 |
Samoa have one last chance to close this gap before half-time. A long kick and some enthusiastic follow-up ends with a Springbok clearance, line-out, rolling maul and now the ball swings from the left to the right. The half-time whistle will go at the end of this passage of play, although the Boks are keeping it going. Samoa eventually win a penalty deep in their own half and try to run it. Pietersen stops Tuilagi wide on the wing with a professional foul. Tuilagi is judged to have gone down too easily and Pietersen escapes the yellow card.
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| 40+2 |
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Samoa are told they have no time to kick the ball to touch and take a lineout, so they will go for a penalty from 55 metres. At least.
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| 40+3 |
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But it doesn't make it and we have half-time with SA winning 17-6.
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| 40+4 |
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| 40+5 |
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Sam Bruce's half-time analysis: "This was always going to be a hugely physical encounter and little more than three seconds had passed before the first big hit had reverberated around the stands at Villa Park. The Springboks, clearly looking to lay down an early marker after last week's shock loss to Japan, got the better of the early exchanges before TJ Ioane rocked Adriaan Strauss with a Samoan special. The two sides swapped penalty goals through Handre Pollard and Mike Stanley before the Samoan landed a second for a 6-3 lead. Then, just as it seemed the Pacific Islanders were set for a promising attack, Springboks winger JP Pietersen picked off an intercept and sprinted 60 metres to score untouched. Three more penalties to Pollard secured the two-time champions a deserved 11-point lead at the break; though Samoa have shown enough to suggest they won't go quietly."
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| 40+6 |
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Will South Africa go on to win this game? Or can the Samoans battle back? Predictions to @Busfield via Twitter please.
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| 40+15 |
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Well, that half-time poll suggests that nobody thinks Samoa can come back here. We'll soon find out.
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| 40+16 |
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And we are off again. Loving the images from inside the Samoan control room, where they are all wearing their flowery shirts and necklaces.
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| 41 |
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South Africa break fast, there's passes, offloads and mismoves and a little chip over and a try looks on but the ball can't quite be gathered and touched down and there's a knock on and Samoa have a scrum on their own line.
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| 42 |
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Samoa survive and get a penalty but then fail to find touch with the kick and now the Boks are back.
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| 43 |
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| 45 |
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Samoa starting to look a little ragged and South Africa get a penalty in kickable range and opt to kick for the corner and a try-bid rather than the 3-points.
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| 46 |
6 - 22 |
The Bok line out is followed by a rolling maul and a dart at the posts and then some loving passing out to the wing and Pietersen scores his 20th international TRY!
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| 47 |
6 - 24 |
Quick hands all the way and Samoa just ran out of defenders. Pollard converts beautifully from the touchline on the right. 24-6.
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| 48 |
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Can Samoa come back here?
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| 49 |
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| 50 |
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Samoa have a penalty from out wide on their right. Stanley missed by a mile. Oh dear.
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| 51 |
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Scotland will face these two teams over the next two Saturdays. Japan's win means this group is wide open.
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| 52 |
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The Samoans are edging back into this game with some forceful forward play. Another penalty to Samoa as the Springbok pack kill the ball. Another long range penalty attempt for Stanley.
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| 53 |
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And another goes horribly wide. This game is certainly out of Samoa's range if they keep on missing penalty kicks.
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| 54 |
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Is JP Pietersen in your ESPN RWC Fantasy team? Some nice points from him today if he is.
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| 55 |
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| 56 |
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| 57 |
6 - 29 |
Samoa string together a beautiful set of passes and look like they have the men over but the Boks intercept. Again. And the move breaks down and RSA have the ball again.
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| 58 |
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South Africa swing the ball left and have men over and are set to score, but Habana is tackled beautifully at the last by Pisi. Great tackle. But RSA regain possession from a Samoan spill at the lineout and Burger goes over for a TRY!
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| 59 |
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RSA now comfortably in control. Pollard's conversion hits the post and the score is 29-6.
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| 60 |
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20 minutes to go and it is hard to see RSA letting this slip.
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| 61 |
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De Villiers gets a bang on the knee but the South African skipper looks like he can walk that one off.
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| 62 |
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Samoa TRY! Or not? Beautiful passage of play, passes strung together, Nani-Williams finds a gap and a chip and a pass inside...
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| 63 |
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NO TRY. It's a marginal call but the TMO takes it away. That's harsh. It was a beautiful try.
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| 64 |
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| 65 |
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South Africa are now chasing a bonus point try, but are giving away too many penalties. George Pisi is coming on for Samoa meaning that for the first time ever three brothers are playing for the same #RWC team.
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| 66 |
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Samoa are still giving it a go, trying to pass away from their own 22. But South Africa charge down the left wing, Le Roux heads for the corner and is bundled into touch just before he can offload to Habana.
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| 67 |
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| 68 |
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RSA still need that fourth try and put a penalty into the corner for the lineout and another assault.
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| 69 |
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And a big push in the maul leads to a TRY! And a bonus point.
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| 70 |
6 - 34 |
But Pollard misses the conversion. 34-6.
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| 71 |
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| 72 |
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RSA have plenty of fresh legs on the field now and are eager for more points here. The Samoans are holding on for pride though and eventually gain a penalty as the Boks hold on in the ruck.
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| 74 |
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There are no prisoners being taken in the rucking and mauling despite the late stage of the game and RSA's winning position. Credit to Samoa for keeping going. Samoa have spent the last few minutes tackling in their own 22 as if this game was still on the line. Points difference may yet come into play in this wide open group.
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| 76 |
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The Samoans hold off 17 phases but are then called offside. Kick for the corner and a lineout...
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| 77 |
6 - 39 |
Another rolling maul and then a pass to Pietersen and a HAT-TRICK TRY! Or not. TMO having a look...
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| 78 |
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TRY. 39-6 and Pietersen has 3 of South Africa's 5 tries against Samoa. Another wide conversion attempt.
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| 79 |
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Lambie's conversion attempt floats wide and it's still 39-6.
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| 80 |
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There's an intruder on the pitch. He's being marched away.
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| 80+2 |
6 - 44 |
The Samoans keep playing and then turn the ball over and the South Africans pass the ball wide, it reaches Habana and he romps home for a TRY!
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| 80+3 |
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And the conversion goes over and South Africa are back in the tournament.
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| 80+4 |
6 - 46 |
Lambie - conversion
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| 80+5 |
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Here's Sam Bruce's verdict from Villa Park: "South Africa's Rugby World Cup campaign is back on track after a powerful 40-point triumph over a disappointing Samoa at Villa Park in Birmingham. A highly-physical opening produced just three penalty goals before JP Pietersen picked off an intercept try and, for the most part, there was only ever one team in it after that. Leading 17-6 at the break, the two-time champions quickly took the ascendancy in the second stanza; Pietersen picking up his second via a dubious final pass just eight minutes after the interval. The hard-working Schalk Burger was soon rewarded with a try before being replaced, and then replacement Schalk Britz locked up the bonus point from a five-metre lineout drive. Pietersen iced the win by completing his hat-trick, and then Bryan Habana crossed after the final siren, ensuring those wearing green headed back up town in full song. For Samoa, there were none better than full-back Tim Nanai-Williams. "
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| 80+6 |
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Thank you for joining us this afternoon. You know what's coming next... England vs Wales. This is a biggie. Come back and join us soon!
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