Springboks, Stillknocks flies SA flag high Down Under while Proteas shine in Guyana

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It was a remarkable weekend for South African sports across multiple disciplines. Firstly, the Springboks reaffirmed their status as world champions by defeating the Wallabies for the second consecutive week. In cricket, the Proteas triumphed over the West Indies on their own turf, securing the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy with a 40-run victory in the final match of the two-test series in Guyana. Additionally, Dricus "Stillknocks" du Plessis successfully defended his UFC Middleweight title against fellow African fighter Israel Adesanya.


Focusing on the Springboks, Coach Rassie Erasmus made extensive changes to his match day squad for the second and final test, a decision that some Australians perceived as disrespectful towards the Wallabies. However, Erasmus clarified in his post-match press conference that the decision was intended to give all squad members playing time.


The Springboks began the match strongly, scoring a penalty and a try within a minute to take an 8-3 lead. Just 10 minutes later, they added another 3 points following a scrum penalty by the Wallabies. Feinberg-Mngomezulu confidently converted the kick, bringing the score to 11-6 with 14 minutes remaining in the first half. Australia's Noah Lolesio managed to slot one of two penalties before halftime, narrowing the gap to 9-11.

Three minutes into the second half, Marco van Staden scored his first test try as the Boks drove the Wallabies back from a lineout. Sacha converted the try, extending their lead to 18-9. Lolesio then kicked a penalty, bringing his team into double figures, trailing by just six points with over 30 minutes left to play. The Boks dominated the remainder of the match, scoring two additional tries to secure a 30-12 victory and maximum points, maintaining their position at the top of the standings after two rounds. The Boks will return home to prepare for two test matches against their long-standing rivals, the All Blacks, in Johannesburg and Cape Town. It remains to be seen who Rassie will select for those matches.

While the performance wasn't flawless, the Boks still managed to excel under the challenging conditions. In other sporting news, Dricus du Plessis brought honour to his nation by defending his UFC Middleweight title against Israel Adesanya with a fourth-round submission. The Proteas also performed admirably, securing a 40-run victory over the Windies in the second and final test, clinching a 1-0 series win following a draw in the first test. 



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