Le Portugal invité pour un test en Afrique du Sud
La performance du Portugal à la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2023 a été telle que tous les yeux du monde du rugby se sont tournés vers cette équipe à qui on ne promettait pas grand-chose, si ce n’est la passion.
Et de passion, Os Lobos n’en ont pas manqué en fournissant à chaque fois un rugby exceptionnel. Deux moments resteront gravés dans l’histoire de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby : leurs premiers points gagnés dans la compétition lors du nul décroché contre la Géorgie mais, surtout, la victoire contre les Fidji, qui comptent parmi les outsiders de la compétition, au Stadium de Toulouse.
C’est précisément cette perf qui a tapé dans l’œil des Springboks qui viennent d’inviter le Portugal à leur premier test en Afrique du Sud.
Le lieu n’a pas encore été précisé, mais les Champions du monde ont d’ores et déjà arrêté la date du 20 juillet 2024 pour cette rencontre qui s’annonce extrêmement intéressante.
Le calendrier de la saison a été dévoilé par la fédération et le programme donne l’eau à la bouche à partir du 6 juillet. Sachant que la Nouvelle-Zélande, l’Irlande et l’Argentine sont également conviés sur les terres des Springboks, l’invitation faite aux Portugais – numéro 13 au classement mondial World Rugby – n’en a que plus d’importance.
Les autres invités de l’été 2024
Les Springboks sortiront de ce qui aura été pour eux une pause de 252 jours depuis la finale de France 2023 pour affronter l’Irlande – numéro 2 mondial – au Loftus Versfeld à Pretoria. Une semaine plus tard, les équipes se retrouveront au Hollywoodbets Kings Park, alors que les champions en titre du Six Nations – pour l’instant ! – effectueront leur première visite en Afrique du Sud depuis huit ans.
Les Springboks avaient remporté cette série de 2016, 2-1, mais depuis, l’Irlande a remporté les trois confrontations entre les équipes (et cinq des sept dernières) – plus récemment lors d’une victoire 13-8 à Marseille lors des phases de poule de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby.
Les autres finalistes de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby, la Nouvelle-Zélande – numéro 3 mondial – reviendront pour une série de deux tests en août et septembre dans le cadre du Rugby Championship. Les Springboks tenteront de remporter une troisième victoire consécutive sur les All Blacks, pour la première fois depuis 2009, lorsqu’ils s’affronteront à l’Emirates Airline Park de Johannesburg le 31 août.
Mais aussi, deux matchs à l’extérieur
Une semaine plus tard, la compétition se déplacera au Cap, où les All Blacks joueront pour la première fois au DHL Stadium. La dernière rencontre des deux équipes dans la ville mère s’est soldée par une défaite 25-24 des Boks à Newlands en 2017.
La saison des tests à domicile se terminera au Mbombela Stadium de Nelspruit pour la venue des Pumas d’Argentine – numéro 7 mondial – et la cinquième des Boks sur le site du Lowveld. Ils ont battu les Pumas 30-23 sur ce terrain en 2016 et affichent un bilan de 100 % aux abords de Nelspruit avec des victoires contre l’Écosse, le Pays de Galles et la Nouvelle-Zélande lors de leurs autres apparitions.
Le calendrier des Springboks pour les tests à l’extérieur compte également deux matchs contre les Wallabies en Australie en août, et un match à l’extérieur contre l’Argentine dans le cadre du Rugby Championship en septembre, ainsi que des engagements en Europe en novembre 2024.
Le programme des tests
- Samedi 6 juillet : Afrique du Sud vs. Irlande (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
- Samedi 13 juillet : Afrique du Sud – Irlande (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
- Samedi 20 juillet : Afrique du Sud – Portugal (lieu à confirmer)
- Samedi 31 août : Afrique du Sud – Nouvelle-Zélande (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)
- Samedi 7 septembre : Afrique du Sud – Nouvelle-Zélande (DHL Stadium, Le Cap)
- Samedi 28 septembre : Afrique du Sud – Argentine (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
Comments on RugbyPass
Great role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
63 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
63 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
63 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
63 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
63 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
63 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
63 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
63 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
63 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
63 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
63 Go to comments