Boks take yellow on the chin and move on!

Ex Supersport

South Africa steadfastly refused to criticise the referee (limp writed TWITS) but it was hard to escape the feeling (NO THE FACT) the Springboks had been robbed of a Rugby Championship win by an errant high tackle call for the second year in a row on Saturday.

The visitors were leading Australia 23-14 with 15 minutes remaining at Perth's Subiaco Oval when winger Bryan Habana, playing in his 100th test, was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Wallabies winger Adam Ashley-Cooper.(BUT NO CARD FOR HIGH TACKLE ON JEAN!!!!!!!!!!!)

Although Australia only managed a penalty while Habana was off the field, the last-ditch defending with 14 men took its toll and, two minutes from the end, the Wallabies found space to send Rob Horne in for a converted try to snatch a 24-23 win.

South Africa now head to New Zealand, where a similarly contentious call for a tackle on Dan Carter by Bismarck Du Plessis last year ultimately cost the Springboks the chance of upsetting the All Blacks in Auckland. (EXPECT TO GET SHAFTED AGAIN - PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE TACKLE BY BISSIE)

With No 8 Duane Vermeulen also penalised for a high challenge in Saturday's match (aNOTHER GREAT TACKLE PENALISED!), coach Heyneke Meyer was asked whether he thought the Springboks were being targeted for their tackling by officials.

"I'd love to answer that question but I'm not going to put my foot it in," he told reporters in Perth.

"At the end of the day, we respect all the referees, he has to make choices and we're never going to use it as an excuse (DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN AN EXCUSE AND A FACT MEYER AND SPEAK UP FOR YOUR TEAM WHEN THEY GET ROBBED BLIND). Again with Duane, I thought it was an excellent tackle (WHICH IT WAS!!!!)but that's the way the (BENT) referee sees it.

"I'll keep my integrity intact, we take it on the chin. On the day, I think we really played well but didn't get the result."

There was little doubt, though, that Meyer thought the decision had cost his side the game, disrupting his plans to bring loose forward Warren Whiteley off the bench for his first cap and sapping the defensive effort.(tHE WHY NOT SAY THE REF GOT IT WRONG AND COST US THE GAME - WHICH IS A FACT!!)

"Unfortunately, you can't play with 14 men in the last 10 minutes," he said.

"I thought the guys were brave, we just needed one more second, but we couldn't keep them out.

"I thought we controlled the second half very well, playing against the wind."

The loss means South Africa's hopes of winning a first southern hemisphere title since 2009 now all but certainly rest on getting a result against the All Blacks next week.

"It's a defeat and it really hurts," Meyer said. "We now need to set our sights on our next match, which is our third away from home on the trot, and rectify matters against New Zealand in Wellington.

"It will take a monumental effort and we've got a lot of respect for New Zealand, but I believe we can beat them there."

MEYER WAKE UP WHAT IN THE WORLD MAKES YOU THINK YOU WILL NOT GET SHAFTED YET AGAIN BY A BENT REF? ALSO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BEAT THE ABS TIGHT 5 PLAYING A TIGHT 4? ALSO DO YOU REALLY THINK KICKING ALL YOUR POSSESSION AWAY WILL BE THE WAY TO PLAY AGAINST THE ABS.

YOU AND JEAN ARE FAR TO MUCH THE GENTLEMEN. SPEAK THE TRUTH AND TELL IT AS IT IS!!!!BY NOT DOING SO YOU ENCOURAGE THE CONTINUATION OF THIS CHEATING.

There is a mounting jinx attached to Bok players celebrating their 100th caps, as the Boks increasingly find themselves playing second fiddle on such occasions to mar the milestone - ask John Smit and Percy Montgomery.

It was no different here.

But what makes Habana’s ton-up game especially mortifying is that he was on the grossly rough end of a yellow-card decision against him by Irish referee George Clancy at a key late stage of the contest when South Africa held a commanding nine-point lead and looked for all money like grinding out an imperfect, yet just about deserved win.

His desperate 66th-minute tackle on a flying Adam Ashley-Cooper was a little high and did merit a penalty, but was in no way malicious ... and the amazing thing was that Clancy still saw fit to brandish the card after a TMO viewing only seemed to confirm the player’s innocence.

It was the second time in two Championship seasons that the Boks have had their big-match - and by extension possibly title - chances crippled by lamentable officialdom: the Romain Poite/Bismarck du Plessis flashpoint against the All Blacks in 2013 comes to mind.

Earlier, there was the added irony of another standout Bok player on the day falling foul of Clancy’s eccentricity when Duane Vermeulen conceded a (duly goaled by the hosts) penalty for a ton-of-bricks but legal tackle on James Slipper.

That said, the Boks were also their own worst enemies in many respects for not having the nous or cool-headedness to close this one out when it was so invitingly there for the taking DESPITE WHATEVER ERRORS WE MADE DECENT REFFING WOULD HAVE SEEN US WIN THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here’s how I rated the Boks out of 10:

Willie le Roux: 6.5

Flair evident several times, including in smart lead-up work to lone Bok try. Sometimes his tactical kicking effective ... but also two or three occasions where he kicked out on the full.

Cornal Hendricks: 6.5

Sometimes you don’t see him for a fair while – often through no special fault of his own – but then he bursts into the picture at vital moments. Keeps getting on try-sheet, reminding of his finishing hunger and awareness.

Jan Serfontein: 5.5

We probably saw enough confirmation that outside centre channel is not his forte; Bok midfield mix must be rethought. One bizarre up-and-under decision with Boks looking stealthy on attack. That said, it wasn’t all awkward: competitive at breakdowns, some moments of deft hand-work and resolute defence in dying minutes.

Jean de Villiers: 5.5

Not yet back to known influence and sharpness after the significantly delayed start to his international season. Needs to go up a gear soon. Some good, some questionable aspects to his leadership decisions on the day.  

Bryan Habana: 7.5

The injustice meted out on the veteran wing in his ton-up game has been documented above (PLEASE NOTE ROOITWIT IF YOU HAVE ANY NOTION OF JUSTICE - BWAHHAHAHAHAHHA). Otherwise, razor-sharp from limited attacking opportunities; one sniping in-field break from a Bok lineout steal, and thrilling long-range run from deep on another occasion. Secured a turnover as well.   

Morne Steyn: 5

Until the vital last few minutes, things weren’t going too badly for the recalled flyhalf. Mostly landed his goals, and showed some tackling tenacity and flashes of hand skills. But Steyn loses a full point on our card for the way he unravelled in closing stages – that failure to find touch from a penalty was criminal and ultimately so costly.

Ruan Pienaar: 4.5

Slippery, wet conditions seemed tailor-made to his known tactical kicking strengths ... but once again the scrumhalf under-delivered in a Test start. Instead too many of his kicks were inaccurate or wrong option. Sluggish at passing, too. Some moments of alert defending.(TIME FOR A CHANGE )

Duane Vermeulen: 8

Tops our card as Boks’ best player in game they should have put to bed despite the officiating where he, like Habana, was done an injustice by Clancy. Consistently robust, constructive performance for full game and really got into Aussie faces.

Marcell Coetzee: 7

Did plenty to assure that, although his game is rather different, he is more than capable blindside stand-in when Willem Alberts sidelined. Strong engine, and big supplementary factor  – especially early on – in the pilfering department.  (MUCH BETTER THAN ALBERTS WHO WORK RATE IS APPALING)  

Francois Louw: 6.5

Gripping breakdown battle was one engaging area in otherwise mediocre clash; Louw was usual sprightly self, though more personal carries might have been useful to cause.  (GIVEN HIS FLU DURING THE WEEK IT WAS A VERY GOOD EFFORT) 

Victor Matfield: 6

His vast leadership experience in the area helped stabilise a lineout that went pear-shaped too often in Salta (RUBBISH IN SALTA WE LOST ONE LINEOUT AND STOLE 2 - HARDLY PEARSHAPED - MATFILED DID VERY LITTLE IN THE LNOUTS OF ANY NOTE IT WAS ETZEBETH THAT SHONE), but not especially assertive elsewhere and made one irksome error in being in front of the kicker at a kick-off. (PLUS VERY WEAK TACKLING DISPLAY - A USELESS PLAYER)  

Eben Etzebeth: 6.5

Not yet back to his A-game as he feels his way back from long injury absence this year. But he’s a restorative work in progress. Honest graft in tight-loose -- and some fine front-of-lineout steals.

Jannie du Plessis: 7

Best Test in some time for the battle-weary tighthead, who found reserves of energy. A couple of fabulous right shoulders in scrums, and upped his tackling and general work-rate elsewhere. (PLEASE NOTE OU MAAAIKE - THIS IS A FAIR ASSESSMENT)

Adriaan Strauss: 6

Competent showing, as you’d expect from this seasoned pro. Accuracy at lineouts a pleasing feature. But does he have the aura of the normal first-choice man at hooker?

Tendai Mtawarira: 5

Still nothing like the force of old, either at scrum-time or for once-famed surges in open play. It’s a concern.(NOTED)

Standout substitute:

Bismarck du Plessis: 7  

If this 19-minute cameo off the bench did one thing, it was confirm that Du Plessis must start against the All Blacks for the sheer “presence” he brings. Gave great breakdown power and energy in his short stay, and responsible for precious late turnover under pressure that should really have been Boks’ passport to victory if only they’d kept composure.

I do trust this thread will stop anybody trying to suggest, like the boneheaded rooitwit did, that the Boks were to blame for the loss. The ref robbed the Boks of a win. End of story

Remarkable how it was achieved in an identical way to Romain's effort!!!