Der "Wilde Westen" » aggressive with it like I should have, lik

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Stand-in captain Kieran Read scored two tries as New Zealand earned a grueling 29-15 Rugby Championship win Saturday over a South African team reduced to 14 men by the sending off of hooker Bismarck du Plessis. Du Plessis received a yellow card in the 16th minute when, from an offside position, he made a jarring high tackle on flyhalf Dan Carter which forced the world-record points scorer from the field with a dislocated shoulder. The 29-year-old hooker, in his 51 test, was then sent from the field in the 42nd minute when he received a second yellow card for elbowing flanker Liam Messam in the throat. New Zealand exploited his absence, scoring four tries to two to remain unbeaten after four rounds of the four-nation tournament. "Its always hard when you play New Zealand. I guess when you play 50 minutes with 14 men it doesnt make it any easier," Springboks captain Jean de Villiers said. "What a way to disappoint yourself, dishing up a performance like that. But I think weve seen tonight how far we are still behind the All Blacks. Credit must go to them, the way that they played. Theyre a fantastic team and we can learn a lot from them. "Its definitely not fatigue that had the best of us today. Defensively we were very poor, we didnt make our tackles and thats something we pride ourselves on." New Zealand also ended the match short-handed, reduced to 13 men after French referee Romain Poite, bizarrely officious, showed yellow cards to Read, for a professional foul, and to centre Maa Nonu, for a late shoulder charge on Springboks captain Jean de Villiers. New Zealand scored a try to lock Brodie Retallick during Du Plessis first absence to take control of a brutally physical match. Du Plessis returned from the sin-bin to score a try of his own but his second and final dismissal left New Zealand with a numerical advantage which they exploited with Reads second try and another to flanker Sam Cane. The win left New Zealand and in a strong position to carry off the Championship crown, though they will have to beat South Africa again at Johannesburg. They ended South Africas nine match winning streak - stretching back to the last meeting between the teams in South Africa - and extended an unbeaten record at Eden Park which began in 1994. New Zealand enhanced its standing as the No. 1 team in world rugby with its 383rd test match victory which broke Frances world record of 382 wins in tests. The All Blacks achieved the mark in 505 tests whereas France needed 695 matches to reach 382 wins. The match was not one which enhanced South Africas reputation. They arrived in New Zealand in a high state of confidence after their ninth-straight test win, a 38-12 dismantling of Australia which gave them their first-ever test match victory in Brisbane. They expressed that strong sense of confidence in the lead up to the match, suggesting their four-year losing streak in New Zealand and 76-year drought at Eden Park were about to end. The Springboks talked about a new era in their own game in which they would build a new attacking style on the solid framework built by a dominating forward pack. But Saturdays match - from the fourth minute when Read scored his first try - showed the Springboks confidence was slightly misplaced. They had no ability to match the pace or scope of the All Blacks game and their first try, through Du Plessis in the 31st minute, came from a traditional rolling maul. South Africa competed physically, often ferociously, through the first half and were still in the match, with the help of Du Plessis try, when they trailed 17-10 at halftime. But, in keeping with the tone of recent matches between the teams, they faded as the second half progressed and as the pace of the All Blacks game exacerbated the physical toll of a match of giant collisions. The Springboks were not even dominant in the physical contest. They won an inconsequential victory when they displaced the first All Blacks scrum but from that point on New Zealand asserted itself and became better than South Africa in most aspects of the match. Read, who took over the captaincy from the injured Richie McCaw, and Sam Cane, who wore McCaws No. 7 jersey in his 10th test, produced courageous performances for New Zealand. Lock Retallick and flanker Messam were also outstanding as was Beauden Barrett, who took over at flyhalf from Carter. "Its very humbling. Everyone in the team put their body on the line and gave their all and we came out on top," All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said. "Someone like Sam Cane who I thought was outstanding tonight. He had some doubters around the country but I think he showed hes good enough to be here. "But he was ably supported by everybody ... all 23 played well. One of the big pluses for the All Blacks is that when were playing well our tight five are all ball-carriers and passers and the athleticism of those guys, which goes with their core roles and their physicality, gives us an advantage." Barrett created the try of the match in the 21st minute, slicing open the Springboks defence on a long, solo run which ended in a try to Retallick - the first of his test career. Read showed his immense power to twice breach the South African defence on lone raids from close to the line. On the first occasion, after a skewed kick by winger Bryan Habana, New Zealand forced an attacking lineout, went short and Read drove over on the openside. On the second occasion, in the 48th minute and after a long accumulation of phases, he crashed over under the posts to give New Zealand a decisive 24-10 lead. Cane, who repeatedly visited the blood bin and ended the match smeared in blood, scored in the 67th minute from another long buildup by the All Blacks forwards. South Africa hit back when New Zealand was down to 13 men with a try to replacement Patrick Lambie but missed an important bonus point. Rod Carew Jersey .com) - The St. Mike Trout Jersey . Catch all the action on TSN2 and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. San Antonio took the series lead Monday night with a 122-105 home victory in Game 1. The Spurs used a balanced scoring attack and clamped down defensively late in the third quarter to claim the win. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/kole-calhoun-angels-jersey/ . They probably ruined Tim Duncans hopes of a career change, though. Duncan wants to be a point guard, coach Gregg Popovich revealed Saturday, a wish that wont be granted. Custom Los Angeles Angels Jerseys . -- Deshorn Brown scored twice, the first coming 13 seconds into the game, and the Colorado Rapids beat the undermanned Seattle Sounders 5-1 Saturday night. Reggie Jackson Jersey . While the pair of Spain internationals return, midfielder Xavi Hernandez will not be included in the squad after failing to recover from a muscle strain to his left leg.FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Tony Gonzalez is still bitterly disappointed in himself for allowing a sack for the first time since 1999. The 13-time Pro Bowl tight end said Thursday that "it was laziness on my part," "embarrassing" and "inexcusable" when Saints linebacker Junior Galette to sack Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan for a 10-yard loss late in the second quarter of last weeks loss at New Orleans. With the Falcons (0-1) preparing to host St. Louis (1-0) on Sunday, Gonzalez knows that protection will be at a premium. The Rams pass rush is led by ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn, who combined for 22 sacks last year. Quinn had three sacks in last weeks win over Arizona. "All of us have to keep Matt upright and keep that pocket nice and clean so he can throw that ball down the field," Gonzalez said. "I thought we played well at times, but weve just got to be more consistent in holding up. Thats the biggest improvement were looking for this week." Gonzalezs mistake hurt Atlantas chance for a field goal that wouldve tied the game and was one of three sacks and six hits on Ryan. Other star playmakers had tough moments, too. Julio Jones lost a fumble that led to New Orleans first touchdown three plays later. Steven Jackson dropped a touchdown at the goal line on the final possession. But Gonzalez insists that missing three weeks of training camp and two preseason games didnt affect his performance, which included a 7-yard touchdown catch. The tight end said thats ridiculous. The Falcons allowed Gonzalez to take time off last month to spend time with his family and watch the first football practices of his 12-year-old son, Nikko, in Southern California. "He let me have it," Gonzalez said. "He said, Youre lucky that you scored the touchdown. Otherwise that wouldve been a bad game for you. Its something Ive been thinking about a lot. It wont happen again hopefully." Gonzalez was a third-year tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs when Gonzalez last allowed a sack. He went on to earn his first Pro Bowl invitation that seaason, but Gonzalez is still irritated about getting beaten by Peter Boulware for a 6-yard sack in Kansas Citys 1999 victory at Baltimore.dddddddddddd Thirteen years later, it happened again against Galette, a fourth-year linebacker with just two starts in 33 career games. "Its not like the guy pushed me into the quarterback," Gonzalez said. "Its one of those things that was a miscalculation on my part, which is inexcusable, and it happened the same way last time." Gonzalez prides himself on every part of his game from running crisp routes to making tough catches in traffic and using proper techniques on blocks. "I was thinking, Hes way out there (on the edge), and theres no way he can get to the quarterback," Gonzalez said. "Matts going to throw it by then, and I just had a slow, lazy kick instead of kicking it back there and getting aggressive with it like I should have, like Ive always done." Lamar Holmes, a second-year right tackle, struggled all afternoon in his first career start. Its possible that Jeremy Trueblood, an eighth-year veteran who signed after getting cut by Washington last month, could get some snaps against St. Louis. Atlanta could have issues at left tackle, too, if Sam Baker doesnt return from a knee injury thats kept him out of practice this week. "We determine who needs help, who doesnt need help prior to the game, and we try to make those adjustments," coach Mike Smith said. "Thats what coaching all about -- making those adjustments. Gonzalez believes pass protection is the offences biggest concern in facing the Rams. "Obviously weve got a couple of injuries right now, but well be ready this Sunday," he said. "Theres no doubt about it. We have to be because we have no choice. Were a good football team, and we can make it happen. Weve done it before. Well do it again." Notes: Baker, WR Roddy White (ankle) and DT Jonathan Babineaux (knee) did not participate in practice. ... WR Julio Jones (knee), CB Asante Samuel (thigh) and LB Sean Weatherspoon (knee) were limited. ' ' '