Boks vs. AB's in Durban

[Newb]

figured we should get a new thread going for this one....

All Blacks: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (capt), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 John Afoa, 18 Jason Eaton, 19 Kieran Read, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Luke McAlister, 22 Cory Jane.

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Springboks: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (c), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.

Reserves: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Andries Bekker, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Wynand Olivier.


should be another cracker. :yay

boks going with MSteyn after Pienaar's injury. big test for him, but he's looked good. Kanko off the bench for Bekker. lack of true backrow sub could be a concern, but the starters are currently playing out of their minds so who knows... i'd also say that Jacobs and Olivier are too similar, but that's just my opinion. Franzy to back up Morne. so to sum up: great looking XV but the reserves may be a bit curious.

AB's give Tialata the shaft and Leonard is gone too. Franks comes in at THP. will he stand the test? bogan Cowan back as well. Lucky Luke and Mealamu still on the bench after speculation that they should be in the XV. very similar pack to that that just got worked over in Bloem. perhaps more changes needed or maybe they front up this time?

 

[Blue]

Yeah some very curious bench selections. Bekker makes no sense and the only reason both Adi and Olivier are on the bench is because of Pienaar's injury, else he would be there.

The bottom line is that as long as they are fit, Januarie, Jacobs and Ralapele will be in the 22.

Franks looks the most talented AB 3 since that big bearded bastard. He is a strong mofo.

Anyhoo, should be a cracker.

 

[PaarlBok]

Yeah some very curious bench selections. Bekker makes no sense and the only reason both Adi and Olivier are on the bench is because of Pienaar's injury, else he would be there.

Only reason I can think of is to replace both Bakkies & Matfield in the 2nd half and fresh them up for the Aussies in Cape Town.

 

[Thomond78]

Yeah some very curious bench selections. Bekker makes no sense and the only reason both Adi and Olivier are on the bench is because of Pienaar's injury, else he would be there.

The bottom line is that as long as they are fit, Januarie, Jacobs and Ralapele will be in the 22.

Franks looks the most talented AB 3 since that big bearded bastard. He is a strong mofo.

Anyhoo, should be a cracker.

Chiliboy's what, 23, 24? He's unquestionably got the class. I would definitely think giving him experience in big games is a definite investment for the future, and a good idea.

Bekker is an interesting pick, mind. Oom PB's idea sounds the most logical reason.

Ricky Dank December is a very good player, but not on form.

 

[Blue]

Yeah some very curious bench selections. Bekker makes no sense and the only reason both Adi and Olivier are on the bench is because of Pienaar's injury, else he would be there.

Only reason I can think of is to replace both Bakkies & Matfield in the 2nd half and fresh them up for the Aussies in Cape Town.

Yes in isolation that makes sense. But not having a specialist loose forward doesn't. Rossouw covers well at loosie late in a game but not against the AB's if say after 20 mins Brossow gets injured.

Also, not many teams have the luxury of putting two props on the bench in a 4/3 split. We should be using that to our advantage.

 

[PaarlBok]

Look like we'll have rain tomorrow in Durban. That may make things even easier for the Bokke and Morne a even better pick.

Stegman playing from the bench for the Brutes, he'll be my first pick to cover Brussouw. Well hope Brussouw wont get injured, he has been nothing less then a revolation for the Bokke. He has been all our opponents worst nightmare thus far.

 

[Gagger]

And what a cracker it was.

The AB:

• wings under the high ball
• front row in the scrum
• line-out
• coach use of the bench

all cracked.

Great pressure from the Boks. McCaw got shown up as a slowing cheat. Brussow had him on toast.

Speaking of which, the two Saffa finds of the season: Morne Steyn (record points for a player in a 3Ns) and Brussow, are looking like a frightening point generation machine.

Big, BIG headaches for the ABs. Best of all, no bonus points again, for anyone.

 

[chriscullen]

Watch the "bring back Dan Carter immediately" campaign gain as much strength as the "bring back buck". Interestingly he played (just ok) in a losing Canterbury side which lost to unheralded North Harbour last night. I would give him a big big chance to play against the Wallabies in the next game.

 

[naza]

The AB:

• wings under the high ball
• front row in the scrum
• line-out
• coach use of the bench

all cracked.

I wish they played like that us against us.

The All Black back 3 were atrocious. More dropped ball than an U6s game. Their tactics were awful, running the ball inside their own 22 despite their high error rate.

Positive for the Wallabies is that the SA game plan is essentially just bustle and kick. The physicality is a challenge for us but the Bokke are very predictable.

 

[Scotty]

I think the only positive for the Wallabies is that the Boks should be pretty tired. It will help us compete physically, and if we can they we should have the creativity to win this game.

It is a big 'if' of course.

 

[Blue]

I think the only positive for the Wallabies is that the Boks should be pretty tired. It will help us compete physically, and if we can they we should have the creativity to win this game.

It is a big 'if' of course.

The Boks look more fit to me than I have ever seen them.

Not worried about that. More worried about the ability to get up mentally three weeks in a row which is anything, could be their undoing.

 

[cheezel]

The Boks looked extremely confident and played that way, they had smart tactics and were ruthless, I was very impressed.

The more I watched the game, the more I wondered how the Wallabies will able to beat them. They need to come out on fire and stay that way for 80, and we need are going to need a lot of mongrel than they have shown. Horwill needs to find his angry pills again and all of the forwards have to harden up more than just angry looks from Baxter.

I do think a lot of the media are getting ahead of themselves claiming Springboks as unbeatable, they were home games and are expected to win them.

EDIT: Why do the All Blacks constantly throw to back of their lineout when they are so close to their own tryline?

 

[Scotty]

Boks aren't always consistent in their performances, however if they put another one together like on the weekend, they will most likely beat the Wallabies.

I am not confident in winning this game - it would be a huge bonus to do so.

 

[RugbyReg]

agreed Scotty, Boks look too clinical for us. It would be a massive effort to win. We put one in a couple of years ago over there, and still lost (the two Steyn droppies).

Like many I think this tournament will be won by the an away win and I think the Boks look most likely to win that....although...I can't remember the last time the Boks have beaten us on the EAST COAST of Australia. They beat us in Perth in 05 was it? Unfortunately we play them once at Subiaco, and then in Brisbane.

East coast represent!

 

[PaarlBok]

Great win by the Bokke. Things really start to happen with the team like Gagger qoute about Steyn & Brussouw, add Frans Steyn play in 15, really looking better in the position with every single match, Habana & Jac Fourie in good form, Morne Steyn and Fourie du Preez in top form and the forwards looking in subleme form at the moment.

The best moment to watch was Beast on the run but overall the most satisfied wins for me since readmission by the Bokke.

Well they have to built from this one and when they go on tour they have to be in top nick and prove like Snor is doing at the moment, between the four lines. Thats where the talking should be done.

The worst ref performance so far by a mile. The only one he got right was that he was consystant, I mean consystant kak for both sides.

 

[Pfitzy]

EDIT: Why do the All Blacks constantly throw to back of their lineout when they are so close to their own tryline?

Some teams do this to fake out the opposition. When you're in your own 22, you're expected to throw towards the front of the lineout because the risks are lower. Particularly when you're up against blokes like Matfield. Throwing to the back is a risky strategy, but better than having your ball snaffled at 2 and driven 5m through your pack. Throwing to the back also allows your kicker a better angle because the ball can do wide more easily.

 

[cyclopath]

A good win no doubt by the Boks, but the ABs really threw the game into the SA lap with their tactics. Nonetheless, you have to deal with what's in front of you, and the Boks did that very well.
Bokke forwards did very well.
I am not as convinced with the backs as some others - I did not see them really pressured, especially Francois Steyn. Sure he looks OK, PB, when he has miles of space to play in. I would like to see how he copes with some closer attention to see how his decision making goes then. I remain unconvinced - talented player, no doubt, but unconvinced. But to his credit, he looks better at 15 than anywhere else. Morne Steyn too - sure he kicks it well, but what about the rest of his game? If the Bokke have to play another game plan, does he have it in him yet?
Unless the Wallabies DRAMATICALLY change their forward approach, we will be on toast. The habitual under-committment at the breakdown will cause us great problems, and having 2-3 "fetchers" running around (at 2nd receiver half the time) will worry no-one except Wallaby fans. We need some munters out there, and Rocky would be a good start. Guys like Horwill, Sharpe and Palu have to step up. If they don't, it won't matter what anyone else does.
Then again, we also need to take into account the ref lottery, and which particular offence gets up Rolland's nose this week, and which side of the coin we come up on.
To quote Scarfy, the return of the Honking Goose does not fill me with joy!
Can't see a Wallaby win myself.

 

[PaarlBok]

I am not as convinced with the backs as some others - I did not see them really pressured, especially Francois Steyn. Sure he looks OK, PB, when he has miles of space to play in. I would like to see how he copes with some closer attention to see how his decision making goes then. I remain unconvinced - talented player, no doubt, but unconvinced. But to his credit, he looks better at 15 than anywhere else. Morne Steyn too - sure he kicks it well, but what about the rest of his game? If the Bokke have to play another game plan, does he have it in him yet?

I am sure we have the backs to run it wide. Now with Ruaan back from injury I am pretty sure they'll bring him up in the 2nd half to break the game. Not that Morne can do it also, he just playing a bit deeper but isnt bad when he needs to run it. I judt feel saturday Jean de Villiers is due for a big one if picked. Frans Steyn is a big boy. He sure know to take the high ones and is solid in defense plus he can do more then just that. In fact he have all you need for a 15.