The 2007 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe were a series of rugby union matches played in November and December 2007 in Europe featuring the 2007 Rugby World Cup winners South Africa. Although the matches had been arranged well in advance of the World Cup, the mini-tour was seen as an opportunity for South Africa to showcase their talents and to say farewell to their outgoing coach, Jake White, who retired after the second game. In the event, several members of the World Cup squad were unavailable for either game, because of retirement (Os du Randt), injury (Percy Montgomery, Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha), club commitments (Butch James), or other reasons (Victor Matfield), and the captain, John Smit, who had just joined French club ASM Clermont Auvergne, was released to play only in the first match.
Week 1 The first match, and the only one with full Test status, was against Wales, on 24 November 2007, at the Millennium Stadium. Although Wales had more possession and dominated territorially, they managed to score just two tries, both from kicks. The first was scored by Welsh full-back Morgan Stoddart, who was making his Test debut. The second, the result of a bad mistake by Springbok full-back Ruan Pienaar, was scored by Colin Charvis; it was his 22nd Test try, a new record for a forward in Test rugby. South Africa made better use of their more limited possession, scoring five tries, including one by Ryan Kankowski, also a Test debutant, as the world cup winners won the match 34–12.
FB 15Morgan Stoddart RW 14Mark JonesOC 13Sonny ParkerIC 12Gavin HensonLW 11Tom ShanklinFH 10James Hook SH 9 Dwayne Peel N8 8 Jonathan ThomasOF 7 Robin Sowden-TaylorBF 6 Colin Charvis (c) RL 5 Alun Wyn JonesLL 4 Ian Evans TP 3 Gethin JenkinsHK 2 Huw Bennett LP 1 Rhys M. Thomas Replacements:HK 16T. Rhys Thomas PR 17Duncan Jones LK 18Luke Charteris FL 19Alix Popham SH 20Mike Phillips FH 21Ceri Sweeney FB 22Tom James Coach: Nigel Davies FB 15Ruan PienaarRW 14JP Pietersen OC 13Jaque FourieIC 12François SteynLW 11Bryan HabanaFH 10André Pretorius SH 9 Ricky Januarie N8 8 Ryan Kankowski OF 7 Juan SmithBF 6 Schalk BurgerRL 5 Johann MullerLL 4 Bakkies Botha TP 3 CJ van der Linde HK 2 John Smit (c)LP 1 Jannie du Plessis Replacements:HK 16Bismarck du Plessis PR 17Heinke van der Merwe LK 18Albert van den Berg N8 19Hilton Lobberts CE 20Wynand Olivier WG 21Akona Ndungane FB 22Conrad Jantjes Coach: Jake White
Week 2 The second match, at Twickenham on 1 December 2007, saw a Springbok XV facing a Barbarians side that included such big names as Jerry Collins, Martyn Williams, Matt Giteau, and the retiring Jason Robinson. The Barbarians' plans were disrupted when the English Premier clubs decided not to allow players to be released, and the Irish provinces followed suit. As a result, Brian O'Driscoll, who had been named to captain the side, had to withdraw, as did Andrew Sheridan of Sale Sharks, but Mark Regan of Bristol defied the ban and led the Barbarians, an act for which he was later sanctioned by his club. The match itself proved to be somewhat one-sided affair, the lacklustre Springboks, who included just five World Cup final starters, losing 22–5 to a Barbarians side that played with flair and creativity. The Barabarians scored three tries, the South Africans only one, scored by Barend Pieterse, who was making his first appearance in a Springbok jersey in place of Schalk Burger, who had broken his nose in the game against Wales.
FB 15 Jason Robinson RW 14 Joe RokocokoOC 13 Conrad Smith IC 12 Ma'a NonuLW 11 Isoa Neivua FH 10 Matt GiteauSH 9 Justin MarshallN8 8 Jerry CollinsOF 7 Martyn WilliamsBF 6 Rocky ElsomRL 5 Brent Cockbain LL 4 Justin Harrison TP 3 Federico PucciarielloHK 2 Mark Regan (c) LP 1 Salesi Ma'afu Replacements:HK 16 Schalk Brits PR 17 JD Moller LK 18 Troy Flavell FL 19 Michael Owen FH 20 Peter Grant CE 21 Tom Shanklin WG 22 Ben Cohen Coach: Eddie O'Sullivan FB 15Ruan PienaarRW 14Akona NdunganeOC 13Jaque FourieIC 12François SteynLW 11Bryan HabanaFH 10André Pretorius SH 9 Ricky Januarie N8 8 Ryan KankowskiOF 7 Juan SmithBF 6 Barend Pieterse RL 5 Johann Muller (c)LL 4 Johan Ackermann TP 3 CJ van der Linde HK 2 Bismarck du Plessis LP 1 Jannie du Plessis Replacements:HK 16Tiaan Liebenberg PR 17Heinke van der Merwe LK 18Albert van den Berg N8 19Hilton Lobberts CE 20Wynand Olivier WG 21Wayne JuliesFB 22Conrad Jantjes Coach: Jake White
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