By AFP
December 6th 2009 @ 1:08am
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Habana hat-trick fires Barbarians to All Blacks win
A brilliant Bryan Habana hat-trick fired the Barbarians to just their second ever win over New Zealand – the international selection running out 25-18 victors at Twickenham on Saturday.
The South African flyer scored two breakaway tries in the first half and finished a close-range effort in the second to seal a 25-18 win for the invitational side masterfully led by Australian playmaker Matt Giteau.
Giteau hit two conversions and a penalty, with Morne Steyn kicking a penalty two minutes from time to seal the Baa-Baas’ first win over the All Blacks since the 1973 victory that featured Gareth Edwards’ famous try.
A second-string New Zealand, lacking the leadership of Dan Carter, scored tries through Ben Smith and Anthony Boric, with Stephen Donald successful with a penalty and conversion and Mike Delaney hitting a late penalty.
It was a poor end to the All Blacks’ European tour, which saw them notch up wins over Wales, England, Italy and France without conceding a try.
“This rates up there with the best,” Habana said of the win.
“To finish off with three tries is great.
“To beat the All Blacks, who haven’t lost on tour or conceded a try, is very special. It’s great to finish off as we did.”
All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith added: “It’s disappointing really, but the Barbarians are a great team.
“We let a couple of simple opportunities slip by and we couldn’t get it back. It was a pretty good game of rugby but we threw a couple of good balls away that made the difference in the end.”
Donald opened the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty and Habana dived in for the Baa-Baas’ first try five minutes later after an offload from fullback Drew Mitchell who had gathered a loose ball just metres from the hosts’ line.
Smith hit back for the All Blacks after the Barbarians had been spread too thinly when Giteau was drawn in, the winger finishing off a move set up by a scintillating midfield break from Luke McAlister.
Habana scored his second after intercepting a Donald pass in midfield, juggling the ball before sprinting away, with a brief look around in glee at the chasing All Black skipper Richie McCaw.
McAlister punched well above his weight early in the second-half, knocking Rocky Elsom into touch after the Australian No.8 had gathered a Giteau cross-kick and seemed bound for the tryline.
Crucially, the All Blacks failed to make a 15-minute period of pressure tell, scrum-half Leonard in particular guilty of hogging the ball with the line at his team’s mercy.
Giteau stretched the Barbarians’ lead to seven with a well-struck long penalty in the 57th minute.
But just minutes later, Boric burrowed his way over after another break from the on-form McAlister set up quick ruck ball down the right wing.
Replacement outside-half Mike Delany missed the conversion.
With 12 minutes to play, Habana bagged his hat-trick, crossing in the corner after Giteau drew two defenders with Steyn providing the definitive pass.
New Zealand opted for a penalty kick to bring the score back to 22-18, but Steyn had the final say, kicking three points after the All Black scrum folded to seal a memorable win.
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Ora said | December 6th 2009 @ 7:53am | Report comment
Good win by the Barbarians,
One thing that irritates me is how the New Zealand squad that played this morning is given the title All Blacks when it is very paramount that this team doesn’t come close to the team that took to the field against France. I don’t want to take anything away from the Barbarians who had an exceptional game for a team that has only been together a week (however with an amassed 900plus test caps between them).
Back to the point and this is something that should be aimed at the NZRFU really, the team who took the field this morning are and were woefully inadequate and it was clear as daylight why many of these guys would not make a match day 22 against the likes of Scotland let alone France and South Africa.
It was a festival match that was it. The Barbarians didn’t come close to playing the real All Blacks and headlines such as this only help add to the myth they played a full squad. I guess New Zealand fans are now going through what SA went through after their mid-week loses to club teams with their (SA) no names.
Jerry said | December 6th 2009 @ 4:41pm | Report comment
That’s not true, I imagine this lineup would be pretty similar to what Henry would send out against Scotland. And losing to a team like the BaaBaa’s isn’t really as bad as losing to an (understrength) club side. The AB’s would never do that and under no circumstances were a couple of minutes away from doing so last year.
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 6:31am | Report comment
Jerry I guess you didn’t watch the national news last night.
Henry himself stated that many of these guys did not meet expectations and should be nervous re their role in the wider AB squad.
Also have a look at todays herald he also talks about the gulf between the True AB squad and the stand ins
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10613927
Jerry said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:48am | Report comment
I’m not sure what that has to do with my post.
Other than the joke about us almost losing to Munster last year, the point of my post was that Henry would have sent out that same side if they’d been playing Scotland. Look at the team that played Scotland last year, it was full of second stringers and debutants.
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
Jerry some of these guys who played the BaaBaas will be lucky to wear the black shirt again
Jerry said | December 8th 2009 @ 11:15am | Report comment
Again, I’m not sure what that has to do with my original post.
The players were the ones selected as the second stringers. Henry was always gonna give them a run against the BaaBaa’s just like he did last year against Scotland and against Munster.
The fact that some of them didn’t perform up to standard has absolutely nothing to do with that.
jake said | December 6th 2009 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Blame the NZRU for agreeing to this unecessary (revenue raising only) fixture and blighting the Blacks unbeaten tour record. Barbarian matches used to be something special now they’re just a joke. Northern clubs wont release players and touring teams play their 2nd 15s.
And does anyone know how much coin the RFU made out of hosting this match and why they should have made anything? They supplied NO players yet the game was played at Twickenham and God Save the Queen was played as the Baabaa’s anthem – more of a joke than the Sth African anthem played before the the French test and you could tell some of the Baabaas clearly thought so too.
Yet another example of how weak and dollar driven the NZRU is and now this same NZRU seems to be backing down on it’s plan to cull four teams from the ANZ Cup. Good decision but another example of how pathetically run the game is in NZ.
Temba said | December 6th 2009 @ 8:39am | Report comment
Nick Mallet should be contracted to coach the Vic Rebels in the S15, good game plan and not bad for a team thats been flung together in a week. Good to see the Baa-baa’s win one, it means it has a future.
Not a full strenght team for the AB’s so no need for them to stress, over all a good outcome! Nice to see what Habana can do when he gets some ball.
Now we all get to take a break from rugby and get right back into 2010 season… Ill bet its going to be one of the best S14 ever, with the teams even closer. Most improved teams for next year will be Waratahs and the Stormers. I think it will be a Waratah Stormers final. Narrow losses in the semi’s for the Hurricanes and Chiefs.
AB’s to take back the 3N, SA and Aus fight a bloody battle to avoid the wooden spoon.
Most of all I think/hope attractive rugby will be the making a comeback in 2010.
By the way I am not a Stormers supporter but their team is looking very good…
katzilla said | December 6th 2009 @ 8:48am | Report comment
It definately sticks in my throat watching our Northern Unbeaten record go down in flames.
But then again the only thing northern about that team was the Jersey (oh and Jamie Roberts, can’t not mention him seeing as he had a great game). For the most part this was a 3Ns All Star team vs the ABs 2nd squad.
Still a wins a win and it just shows again how not up to scratch some of or second stringers are.
Donald really does need to go now and let Delany be that place holder until Cruden steps up.
stillmissit said | December 6th 2009 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
Guys lets lighten up a little. I dont know what you expected, after all the Barbarians games have been played for a hell of a long time and what will happen is well known. This sounds a lot like Kiwi whinging over what I thought was one of the best Barbarians games for a very long time. I thought that the Kiwi’s who played in that game would have come out of it pretty proud when you think of who was in the opposition and how fast the game was.
I thought it was a great game and IMHO the best game to watch of this whole Nth Hemi tour. Christ you Kiwi’s can get stiff necked sometimes.
katzilla said | December 6th 2009 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
I realise its different for you but losses aren’t taken lightly by us. No matter who wears the jersey and who we play, scratch team of superstars or not.
You surely know that by now?
Same with Richie McCaw, if you saw his face after the game as he watched the Baa Baas get their trophy you’d know what its all about. He was gutted, regardless of who it was. Being upset about losing is what drives a winning attitude.
Sure im not as disappointed as I would have been with a loss in any of the other games, but it is what it is.
I won’t lose sleep but I dont like seeing them lose, and personally I think Henry should have left a few of those boys on the bench.
stillmissit said | December 6th 2009 @ 5:03pm | Report comment
Katzilla – yes I know how it is. I played a season in Christchurch many years ago. We won every match bar the grand final you’d have thought somebody died!
Afoa went well and seemed to hold his side well. Was a bit concerned by Brendon Leonard, thought he was good around the ground but his pass seemed poor. Cory Jane was great again and Ben Smith looked sharp.
Donald is totally in the dark shadow of Carter. I read here about a young 5/8 who I thought was in the tour party and I was looking forward to seeing him. Maybe he didnt get to tour?
katzilla said | December 6th 2009 @ 5:55pm | Report comment
There was talk before the tour about Cruden travelling but in the end he was left out which i think was a good call. He may have been who you were thinking of? Delany was the other new five eight yet he is not young at all. 28 or 29 I think?
Mungehead said | December 6th 2009 @ 3:58pm | Report comment
FWIW, I agree with you stillmissit. I’m a Kiwi, but I was cheering the Barbarians on in that game, and why not? We can’t win them all amd honestly, I can’t think of another game I would have rather lost this year than that one. It was mostly our second-stringers after all, and they will learn much more from a loss than they would have from a win. Sometimes I worry about the aura of the black jersey; it won’t do the young ones any harm to learn that you don’t just have to turn up to win.
ohtani's jacket said | December 6th 2009 @ 7:27pm | Report comment
Yeah, I dunno why people are upset. I came home after a huge night out, read the result and was pleasantly surprised.
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 6:34am | Report comment
You would be in a very small group of people if you think that was the best match on the NH tour.
Gee I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact New Zealand lost.
I don’t know many educated rugby minds who would say that was the best of the Northern tours.
Colin N said | December 7th 2009 @ 6:37am | Report comment
Ora,
What do you think was the best match on the tour?
Personally, although I thought the game on Saturday was a great game, I think the France-South Africa match was the best.
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:02am | Report comment
I think France New Zealand then France South Africa actually not much between the two matches to be honest.
But to say the BaaBaas vs NZ second string team was the match of the NH tours leaves me somewhat flabbergasted
pothale said | December 8th 2009 @ 3:16am | Report comment
I thought Scotland v Australia was up there for sheer bloody-minded tension as to whether they’d do it. And they did.
The Scotland v Argentina match was the dourest.
The Ireland v Fiji match was the wettest and coldest. I can personally testify to that.
Whilst I rhapsodised about Nz v France – it ended up being very lopsided by the second half.
England v N Zealand had its moments, given the ABs only scored one try.
Australia v Wales was boring – for non-Oz fans – after you realised that Wales hadn’t turned up.
Ireland v Australia was entertaining, and had the biggest kick in the stomach ending with BOD’s try – you knew it was going to happen, it was just a matter of when – and I’m sure it still hurt.
France v Boks was the best clash by far in terms of mixing it up in a game of rugby.
Colin N said | December 8th 2009 @ 3:55am | Report comment
I knew you would say France – New Zealand. Just because New Zealand won
For me, although they played the best rugby by any side on the tour, it wasn’t a contest and therefore, as a neutral, it took the tension out of it.
Ora said | December 8th 2009 @ 5:12am | Report comment
Colin the fact NZ won had something to do with it.
However if you noticedhere at the roar and throughout the world media. It was dubbed as the game of the season and a defining moment in world rugby.
So I think I’m more inclined to go with the professionals.
Colin N said | December 8th 2009 @ 5:22am | Report comment
“However if you noticedhere at the roar and throughout the world media. It was dubbed as the game of the season and a defining moment in world rugby.”
Have you got any examples of this?
Just as a point in reference
“So I think I’m more inclined to go with the professionals.”
So you think a good rugby game is judged by the press, not your own personal taste?
Ora said | December 8th 2009 @ 5:50am | Report comment
Also not surprising Pothale finds the Irish game the most entertaining now is it?
I can see your clearly trying to pick an argument so I won’t bother answering some of your questions.
I said earliert that I thought the NZ France game was the best and then SA France, I also said colin that I actually didn’t think there was much between the two matches.
As for the professionals I’m certainly taking their opinions a hell of a lot more seriously than some faceless blogger.
You have your opinion and I have mine lets leave it at that.
Also you may want to go back and read the archives here at the roar and also use that wonderful thing called google and search reviews
Colin N said | December 8th 2009 @ 7:11am | Report comment
“I can see your clearly trying to pick an argument so I won’t bother answering some of your questions”
I’m not trying to ‘pick an argument’, I’m just interested where these articles are. I haven’t seen them you see.
“Also you may want to go back and read the archives here at the roar and also use that wonderful thing called google and search reviews”
Again, I haven’t seen them, that’s why I was hoping that you could provide me with these examples. Is it too much to ask?
“As for the professionals I’m certainly taking their opinions a hell of a lot more seriously than some faceless blogger.”
That’s another interesting one. I tend to read rugby match reports to see what their take on a game was, such as the tactical nuances, not whether they thought the game was good or bad.
MarkR said | December 7th 2009 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
StillMissing…yep it was one hell of a game,congratualtions to the barbarians – a team of champions who played like they could beat anybody vs an AB side that really didn’t seem to gel (haven’t I already seen that this year ??). The only plus I could think of after watching it was at least we lost to a very good Barbarians side….not to Scotland %-)
What frustrated the hell out of me though was the Abs ‘run from everywhere’ approach, OK you’re playing the Babas (can we call them lambykins instead ?) but THEY were kicking for territory, what the heck were Cruden & Donald thinking.
Great way to finsih the year & proof that the barbarians aren’t over yet.
Jerry said | December 8th 2009 @ 4:06am | Report comment
Cruden was probably thinking “Gee, I wish I’d been selected for the All Blacks”.
Delaney was the substitute 10.
MarkR said | December 8th 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment
Thanks Jerry…actually Cruden was probably thinking ‘glad I’m not in that eff up”
Warren said | December 6th 2009 @ 5:38pm | Report comment
Enjoyable game to watch. Did I have the Bundy gogs on, or did Gits look the business with the service he got from Du Preez? It looked like he had time and space – something I have not seen him have a 10 for a while. Du Preez is a fantastic 9 and I’m not sure he has a weakness.
Blacky said | December 6th 2009 @ 7:51pm | Report comment
I thought Du Preez was one of the weekest links in the baa baa’s backs. His passes were crisp but if you watch closely he was often quite slow at offloading the ball from behind the ruck.
In the 14th minute when he kicked the ‘up and under’ for Habana to chase, my heart sank for a few minutes as I thought the saffa contingent in the baa baa’s were going to revert to their kick an chase game plan….thank god they kept the ball to the ground.
It was interesting at the end of that kick and chase that Habana was finally given a penalty for taking out the AB catcher. As Spiro has mentioned before, the springboks have made making a shoulder charge look like an attempt at catching the high ball an artform this year, and I was happy to finally see a ref catch them out. If you watch a replay of the catch you can clearly see Habana jump into the air but lead in with his shoulder rather than straight on with his arms out as you would expect someone to jump when trying an attempt to catch the ball. I also noticed it was only Habana and Du Preez who were complaining to the ref about his decision.
Habana’s interception try was well read and it knocks the wind out of the opposition when that happens to a team. Habana is a master reader of the game which is exactly why he does that so often. The other two tries have to be taken into perspective. The first try came from some great work from Drew Mitchell. I was impressed with how well he collected that lose ball whilst already running near full speed and then he did well to attract the defender to him which opened up the field for Habana to run in a simple try. I haven’t seen a replay but I thought Drew’s pass was well forward but I’ll stand corrected if I see a replay to prove me wrong. The third try was also a well executed try orchestrated by Matt Giteau who read the opposition, drew in two players and passed out the ball to Habana for an easy run in try.
I recall seeing Rokococo lining up in the baa baa’s jersey and I did see him collect a pass that wasn’t meant for him as it flying over his shoulder but then that was the last I saw of him the whole game…..except in the final try scoring replay you could see him in the back ground watching Habana score the try. I highly doubt that performance did him any favours.
And why didn’t Roko do the Haka in reply to the AB’s Haka?
Rin said | December 6th 2009 @ 9:59pm | Report comment
you thought he was a “weak link” geez you must of been seeing things!
MarkR said | December 7th 2009 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
Rin – I’m with you, I thought he had an excellent game & Gits looked good, although he needs to stop standing so deep when he’s already decided to kick.
Rin said | December 6th 2009 @ 7:43pm | Report comment
Great game to watch…these ones are always the best cause the side feels they can take more risks and throw it around more and see what happens…
just imagine a super 14 team with du preez and gits at 9 and 10 they look like they were meant to play together!!
Blacky said | December 6th 2009 @ 7:54pm | Report comment
I’m hoping that game will be Giteau’s last at 10. I want to see him at 12 next year.
allblackfan said | December 6th 2009 @ 10:16pm | Report comment
I’m disappointed with the result, naturally, but it was a 3Ns team (with a few Italians thrown in for good measure!!) after all so it has worn off a lot faster than usual.
I reckon the experience was character-building for the 2nd string ABs who played (I didn’t watch the game myself). How these blokes pick themselves up and improve next year will speak volumes about how far they can go in the game. Can’t wait!!
I can only imagine how the Italian players must have been feeling afterward!!
Is it just me or is Like McAlister struggling to reclaim the form he was in before he went north? ‘d almost swear that his form (ie skills, instinct) reverted in the time he spent up north! (That may just be me!)
For the record, it’s the AB team that’s allowed to perform the haka; not individual NZ players playing for other teams. For the Munster-Kiwi players to perform their haka required a special dispensation from NZ (ie Maori).
Colin N said | December 6th 2009 @ 11:48pm | Report comment
“Is it just me or is Like McAlister struggling to reclaim the form he was in before he went north? ‘d almost swear that his form (ie skills, instinct) reverted in the time he spent up north! (That may just be me!)”
Yes, it’s just you.
Mungehead said | December 8th 2009 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Nope, I think he was playing better before he went away. But a season in the Super 14 will straighten him out. That or finish him.
Colin N said | December 8th 2009 @ 6:44pm | Report comment
“Nope, I think he was playing better before he went away”
The effect on the North on him is……….
Look, I could easily say because despite having talent he never reached near his potential for Sale that Southern rugby is overrated. It’s obviously not the case as it’s as stupid as saying he’s lost some skills because he’s been ‘up north.’
MarkR said | December 9th 2009 @ 7:55am | Report comment
Colin, a lot seems to depend upon the player,
McDonald went to Japan & came back a better player, so good in fact he was a tie with Mils for a while
Flavell went to Japan & struggled to hold down his AB place once he got back.
McAllister was in a supporting role b4 he went North & unfortunately has had the same problem once he came back (one season earlier & he’d be the choice 12 instead of Nonu).
Carter played really well on occassion this year, no doubt influnced by his half dozen games in France %-).
Colin N said | December 9th 2009 @ 8:39am | Report comment
MarkR,
I think you are probably right, but I just wanted to dispel the notion that because he’s not playing well is because of ‘weak’ competition up north.
Mungehead said | December 10th 2009 @ 7:06am | Report comment
“Look, I could easily say because despite having talent he never reached near his potential for Sale that Southern rugby is overrated”
It’s possible that he burned out early. It’s possible that successive injuries have taken his toll and lowered his potential so he’ll never be as good as he could have (actually I think that’s quite likely). It’s also possible he never had the potential some people thought he had. But if he did have the potential, but didn’t reach it at Sale, then I’d be more inclined to point the finger at the Sale coaching staff as substandard (and please don’t extrapolate that remark into “all NH rugby is bad”).
At least some of these possibilities should become clear by the end of next year’s S14, that was my point.
“it’s as stupid as saying he’s lost some skills because he’s been ‘up north.’”
I didn’t say that, you inferred it. I know you see a lot of SH arrogance here but you don’t have to be completely defensive all the time!
Colin N said | December 11th 2009 @ 4:18am | Report comment
“But if he did have the potential, but didn’t reach it at Sale, then I’d be more inclined to point the finger at the Sale coaching staff as substandard”
Actually, it could be various things – such as a lack of professionalism, the player not working hard enough etc etc.
The players who do succeed up north on the ones who adapt to the culture, work hard and obviously the right skill levels. McAlister was seen as a bit of a playboy be some people. Perhaps that’s what happened here?
Ora said | December 11th 2009 @ 5:40am | Report comment
Here here Mungehead, it’s not that he’s defensive so much but more of a chip on his shoulder when it comes to NZ and Australian rugby. I have noticed over time how certain people from both hemispheres are 99% of the time always posting negative comments about certain countries and their rugby.
MarkR said | December 11th 2009 @ 8:09am | Report comment
ABFan – “For the Munster-Kiwi players to perform their haka required a special dispensation from NZ (ie Maori).”
Ummm, given Maori are made up of multiple Iwi (tribes) all with their own haka (even the Black Power gang have their own haka for Petes sake) who would they have got ‘poermission’ of. Far as I was aware NZRU, AllBlacks, or any Iwi don’t have a copyright on the haka. If so all those schoolboy teams doing their school haka better start saving up for the lawsuit.
Can you advise if this is fact or opinion, if fact can you validate it please.
Cheers
mark
Dingbat said | December 7th 2009 @ 12:31am | Report comment
AB’s better hope nothing happens to Dan Carter before the 2011 RWC. He is a much bigger influence than McCaw. AB’s just don’t fire quite so well without him.
Dingbat said | December 7th 2009 @ 12:43am | Report comment
oh dear, looks like aussie Cooper is a klepto…
katzilla said | December 7th 2009 @ 5:38am | Report comment
I’d wait for the full story, i wouldn’t be surprised if hes been at some party and played a prank on someone.
The first headlines are always going to be worse possible scenario.
PastHisBest said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
Yeah..that’s it…a prank. Or maybe he was drunk and thought it was his place. Are you in PR katzilla???
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 6:37am | Report comment
I wonder how long before the start saying NZ born Cooper of Maori decent was caught burgling……..
ohtani's jacket said | December 7th 2009 @ 1:24am | Report comment
I wonder how good South Africa could be if Mallett were their coach. Bit of a scary proposition actually.
Dingbat said | December 7th 2009 @ 3:26am | Report comment
oj, that wld be waaaay too sensible and easy. we tend not to make things easy for ourselves. winning despite a bunch of obstacles, rather than because of a bunch of sensible decisions, is the way we tend to go. makes life a bit of a rollercoaster, but makes the highs that much better!!
Damo said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:06am | Report comment
Regarding Cooper – Hope it’s a beat up. But it’s not his Kiwi birth-place that made him do something so silly. It’s that haircut
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:12am | Report comment
Yes that haircut certainly influences bad decision making lol,
NickSA said | December 8th 2009 @ 12:22am | Report comment
Ora
I agree 100%, i am a south african and it was killing me every time i heard that the ‘world champion and tri nations champions springboks’ had lost to leciester and saracens!! they should give other names to these teams as they are not the first teams…
Hoy said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:40am | Report comment
I have only seen highlights, but a few things stand out.
Donald is ordinary. If he plays again, I will be surprised. Surely this young bloke everyone is talking about, Crudin, can do a better job, even as a youngster. Maybe watch out for him next year. Who does he play for in Super 14? Anyone yet? on a different topic, I have noticed that NZ bring their youngsters through a lot slower than Aus. Nothing wrong, in fact it always works a lot better than our system. To all those who say we have to play them young as we have noone else, I disagree, I think Aus gets caught up in the second coming tags given out by media and throws the youngster in at the deep end.
He might be struggling, but McAlister’s running lines are the best of any centre I have seen. Man he can pick a line, and just run a hole so easily. It looks fantastic to see him break the line clean like he did in that game, and also another one that stands out in my mind is against France at the last world cup. Great runs. I think the problem is he is shuffled around so much, it is hard for him to settle into what his role is. I also don’t know how much above his weight he is punching, in knocking Elsom out into touch, as I imagine they would be very similar weight brackets.