RWC 2011 - Quarter final 3 : Springbokke v. Wallabies CLOSED

[PaarlBok]

Westpac Stadium

Time: 9 Oct 2011 @18h00 (SA 07h00)

 

[Dreaming]

Lets hope it's not the Wallabies!

 

[PaarlBok]

Springbokke had a tough workout from Wales in game 1 and Samoa game 4 to get here. Myself would have liked 4 tough matches but like in rugby, its always the last one that counts. Injury doubtfulls after today are Habana and Hougaard.

The routre I'd like to see our selectors go is to change back to game 1. Thought we were bureid for death but as soon as our bench get into it , all chance to gold. Not that worried about Smit/Bakkies/Guthro starting. We have solid impact from battleship, Danie and Beast playing from the bench and making a huge differense. Also not that convince about F Steyn in 12 and Lambie in 15 but either not worried if Jean starts in 12 and Frans move to 15.

Match 22 with players making a differense at the end to either close down the game or put in a match winning performance towards the end look like the way to go.

My Bokke match 22:
Lambie, Habana (Hougaard/Aplon), J Fourie, F Steyn, JP Pietersen, M Steyn, FdP, Spies, Burger, Brussouw, Bakkies, Matfield, Jannie Doep, Smit, Guthro

Bench: Beast, Battleship, Rossouw, Alberts, F Hougaard (Piernaar), J de Villiers, Aplon

 

[PaarlBok]

Lets hope it's not the Wallabies!

Ja I am hoping, should be easy for the Wallabies. The Bokke are their bitches now for a long time. Ierland will be difficult aswell, so hopefull we get Italy.

 

[#1?]

What team would the Bokke public want to be their opponent in the QF?

Do you want a tough game or an easy game?

There are many here in Aust who are devastated that we are now most likely having to play Bokke QF and NZRT SF before we beat Poms in GF to Bring Back Bill.

At the end of the day to achieve our goal of winning RWC 11 we ar egoing to have to beat a couple of good teams.

Is it better to play a lot of tough games, or have an easy run to the finals?

History suggests that most of the previous RWC winners have:
1. Not been the hot favourites
2. Done it tough during the pool and knockout games

This suggests that the most likely Saffer vs Wobblies QF may be the best game of the RWC with the winner going all the way.

 

[#1?]

My Bokke match 22:
Lambie, Habana (Hougaard/Aplon), J Fourie, F Steyn, JP Pietersen, M Steyn, FdP, Spies, Burger, Brussouw, Bakkies, Matfield, Jannie Doep, Smit, Guthro

Bench: Beast, Battleship, Rossouw, Alberts, F Hougaard (Piernaar), J de Villiers, Aplon

Smit may be a good leader, but I reckon he is past it.

If you want to have any chance against the Men in Gold, Bismark dP must play most of the match. Smit is a fat and slow liability. Victor is a better leader and on field general.

All Australians would like to see Smit play for 80 minutes.

 

[tigerland12]

All Australians would like to see Smit play for 80 minutes.

I think saying we would "like" to see that is a bit of an understatement

 

[PaarlBok]

What team would the Bokke public want to be their opponent in the QF?

Do you want a tough game or an easy game?

There are many here in Aust who are devastated that we are now most likely having to play Bokke QF and NZRT SF before we beat Poms in GF to Bring Back Bill.

At the end of the day to achieve our goal of winning RWC 11 we ar egoing to have to beat a couple of good teams.

Is it better to play a lot of tough games, or have an easy run to the finals?

History suggests that most of the previous RWC winners have:
1. Not been the hot favourites
2. Done it tough during the pool and knockout games

This suggests that the most likely Saffer vs Wobblies QF may be the best game of the RWC with the winner going all the way.

The Kiwis lame excuse after choking back in 2007 is that we had an easy draw. You can only play what is in front of you and myself would love to see us do it the hard way. Dont care if its Italy/Ireland/Wallabies. If you want to win it, win every game from here. If we lose against the Walabies in the quater it sure wont be the end of the day. Myself has never been a big WC lover, I dont like this competition for many reasons. I just want to see the Bokke win. That is all.

 

[PaarlBok]

Smit may be a good leader, but I reckon he is past it.

If you want to have any chance against the Men in Gold, Bismark dP must play most of the match. Smit is a fat and slow liability. Victor is a better leader and on field general.

All Australians would like to see Smit play for 80 minutes.

I will be over the moon if he plays 80. There wont be a reason to replace or shift him.

 

[Athilnaur]

NEVER mind Smit, I think PDv has an escape clause for whatever pact in blood it was he signed there, Hougaard should be playing 80, the bugger is superb.

But we play with the team and coaches we have. Bok looking pretty good indeed from where I sit.
Don't know who'd win Boks or Wallabies, but whoever it is will have the Kiwis thinking hard if the two meet at the QF.

 

[whatty]

Personally i would like to play the Wobbles then win the dam thing after beating AB's in the SF and England in the finals with a last minute drop goal to win 6-3 playing defense driven forward dominated play.

Then wait to see what lame excuse the Kiwi media comes up this time and at the same time complaining that no tries were scored and still not getting IT regards the RWC and what it take to win.

Its the internet you can dream and post anything.

 

[Blob]

Apparently Frans Steyn is gone.

From Keo http://www.keo.co.za/2011/09/30/frans-blow-for-boks/

Frans Steyn has sustained a serious shoulder injury and will play no further part in the Springboks’ World Cup campaign.

Steyn was clutching at his shoulder towards the end of Friday’s physical battle with Samoa. Head coach Peter de Villiers refused to comment on injuries right after the game, but on Saturday morning, he was in a despondent mood,

‘Frans is likely to go home,’ De Villiers said. ‘The doctor will confirm that it’s 100% later this morning, but at the moment it’s 95% that he’s on his way home, and that is a big blow for us.

‘I was lying awake [last night thinking about who to call in as a replacement]. We will still have to make a few calls and see.’

The obvious replacement for Steyn at No 12 is Jean de Villiers, and the Boks are further covered in the position considering the prodigiously talented Juan de Jongh is in the squad of 30.

What De Villiers, De Jongh and even a player like Morne Steyn lack is the ability to kick penalties from 65m out. The Boks will also miss Frans Steyn’s line kicking game, as well as his ability to slot in at flyhalf, centre, wing or fullback if the situation demands it.

There were bound to be a few injury concerns following such a brutal contest with the Samoans, but Peter de Villiers moved to play down the ailments of Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen and Francois Hougaard.

‘All those guys have got battle scars, but we hope that they can recover to take their places this coming week.

‘I don’t know what’s wrong with us. When we get injuries, we get them in one position. We’ve had problems at lock [during this tournament], and yesterday we lost three wings. So when Lady Luck turns her back on us, she turns it properly.’

De Villiers said that he was happy with the way Danie Rossouw and Victor Matfield performed as a second row combination, and hinted that this pair will front the Aussies in the quarter-final. For the moment, Bakkies Botha won’t be risked until he’s absolutely ready.

‘Do we really need him at 50 %, the way he is, or do we need him at 100%? Rather give him more time.

‘Danie is going very well and we’ve got Johann [Muller] who is properly healed, he will be in the mix this coming weekend. So to have Bakkies back is a soothing thought for me.’

The injury situation aside, the Bok coach said that the team had done everything they had set out to do at the beginning of the tournament.

De Villiers believes that winning ugly is still winning, and doesn’t think that the narrow wins against Wales and Samoa have shown the Boks to be off the pace when compared to the Wallabies and All Blacks.

‘When we won in Wellington by one point, we achieved what we came here to do, which is win games. A lot of people call it winning ugly, but it’s uglier if you don’t win. We scored 160 points for and 22 against [in four pool games]. That’s a difference of [about] 140 points so we came through quite well.

‘Our first goal is now achieved, we’re through the pool stage. We could have lost yesterday and could have been sent home, so to come through against Samoa is an achievement.’

 

[Running Rugby]

This is a big loss for SA. Steyn has been a revelation at 12. His option taking and direct running have been a major part of the Boks improvement. He also seems to cover the defensive frailties of Morne which allows Brussow and Burger to attack the tacked ball. JDV is an experienced replacement but changes the dynamics of the Bok attack and some of the line speed and versatility of their defensive patterns.

 

[Richo]

A serious shoulder injury... Was it dislocated?

 

[MrTimms]

A serious shoulder injury... Was it dislocated?

Couldn't have been, he is going home.

Dingo has shown that a shoulder dislocation is no grounds for replacement in a RWC squad.

 

[No4918]

Injuries aside i am less concerned about playing the Boks after Somoa got so close and a few unlucky calls that could have altered the way the match went.

Springboks will be without Steyn. Habana looks next worst.
Missed the last 20 so didnt see if Houggard came back but he is likeley out after the concussion and i missed JPP injury.

 

[No4918]

Dingo has shown that a shoulder dislocation is no grounds for replacement in a RWC squad.

Quite sad after all this time that Deans has been shown to be at least as, probably more, out of touch with the game than PdV. His belief that a 7's role isn't as a fetcher anymore also seems quite opposed to the Boks view who are in effect playing 2 in Brussouw and Burger and having far more success at the breakdown than we are.

 

[Swarley]

IMO, whoever wins between Australia and South Africa will win the RWC. I would have said SA yesterday, but with Steyn gone and BdP likely to head back to the bench, things are starting to swing in the Wallabies favour.

Likely teams: Springboks/Wallabies
15. Lambie vs. Beale
14. Pietersen vs. O'Connor
13. Fourie vs. Ashley-Cooper
12. de Villiers vs. Barnes
11. Habana vs. Ioane
10. Steyn vs. Cooper
9. du Preez vs. Genia
8. Spies vs. Samo
7. Burger vs. Pocock
6. Brussouw vs. Elsom
5. Matfield vs. Horwill (c)
4. Rossouw vs. Sharpe
3. du Plessis vs. Kepu
2. Smit (c) vs. Moore
1. Mtawarira vs. Slipper
-----------------------------
16. du Plessis vs. Polota-Nau
17. Steenkamp vs. Alexander
18. van der Linde vs. Vickerman
19. Alberts vs. McCalman
20. Louw vs. McCalman
21. Hougaard vs. Burgess
22. de Jongh vs. Mitchell

 

[Jay]

Frans Steyn is headed home with a bung shoulder according to reports.

Edit - already reported, I see.

 

[FrankLind]

I am picking the Aussies to beat SA in the quarters, but lose to the ABs in the semis.