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Despite the highly anticipated test match between India and Australia ticket sales have not measured up with the excitement surrounding the match which will be played on the 26th of December.

A total of 22,000 tickets have been sold for the first day’s play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) which although is high for a non-ashes season is a disappoint meant compared to last year’s boxing day match in which 67,000 people turned up to the match.

Co-incidental to the 2005/06 season, when the South African’s toured Australia and only 11,000 tickets were sold.

Victoria Cricket staff held a 3 hour meeting On Wednesday to discuss promotional strategies to bring in more people to the game – hoping to be implemented sometime during December (most likely as soon as possible). However, fans are restricted from visiting the visitors, India, who will land in Melbourne with barley enough time to commence their three day match with Victoria at Junction Oval, beginning on the 20th of December.

Australian Fast bowler, Brett Lee, is comparing this match to an Ashes match – although the Ashes being one of the biggest events on the cricket calendar. Bringing up the fact, Cricket Australia is debating to have a 6 day tour for the upcoming Ashes in which England will play in every state around Australia.

Posted by WebMasters Mallorca at 4:12 PM 0 comments

Ashes, australia, cricket, england, Melbourne Cricket Ground, South Africa, ticket prices

White’s Farewell To The Springbok

Tomorrow Jake white (current Springbok coach) will say farewell to his team after they take on Barbarians in a non-test fixture at Twickenham.

White was always a man of his own decisions often media and the public would get in his way of deciding on a player suitable for the position. White would pick who he thought was suitable and what suited the team best – this lead to triumphing times and downfalls.

The 43 year old will walk away with his head high, leading the Bok to a world cup early on in his career. Leaving his team with a relatively youthful line-up White’s main concern during his coaching career was constant battles with South African administrators. As spoken about in his press conference:

"The match against the Barbarians at Twickenham on 1 December will be my last as Springbok coach," he said in a statement. "I walk away with no regrets, but with plenty of sadness.

"I heard from board members that there were certain people who said that the relationship wasn't healthy and someone has to go and the board members and the [union] presidents aren't going to go.

"I'm really disappointed with the way they have treated me and the way they have handled the process. My performance has not been reviewed and it says in my contract that I did not have to reapply for the position - but they have used the fact that I didn't apply as a cop-out for not putting me on the shortlist."

White’s harsh treatment after winning the World Cup upset him and eventually caused a downfall when South Africa couldn’t overcome a young New Zealand side. White wasn’t the greatest in terms of success rates but always gave it his all, that title goes to Kitch Cristie who won the 14 test matches he took control of in 1995.

White finished with winning a total of 36 out of 54 matches and having a total percent of 66.66. With White’s four season management the Bok’s were able to win a tri nations cup – world cup and go from being sixth on world rugby ratings to first at one stage.

White’s ability to stand up for himself against a team of administrators that were not used to being told what to do was possibly his greatest accomplishment ever.

Whites replacements will be - Allister Coetzee, Under 21 coach Peter de Villiers and 1995 World Cup winner Chester Williams, along with the Bulls Super 14-winning coach Heyneke Meyer.

Posted by WebMasters Mallorca at 2:14 PM 0 comments

Rugby, South Africa, Springbok, Twickenham, World Cup