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Tri Nations: Springboks - All Blacks @ Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (20-8-2011, 15:05)

Darwin

AKA Dingo_Darwin
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Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth (20-08-2011, 15:05 GMT)

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[TABLE="class: grid"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]South Africa[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]New Zealand[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Pat Lambie[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Israel Dagg[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JP Pietersen[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Isaia Toeava[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jaque Fourie[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Richard Kahui[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jean de Villiers[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Sonny Bill Williams[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Bryan Habana[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Hosea Gear[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Morne Steyn[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Colin Slade[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Fourie du Preez[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Jimmy Cowan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Pierre Spies[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Liam Messam[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Willem Alberts[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Adam Thomson[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Heinrich Brüssow[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Jerome Kaino[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Victor Matfield (c)[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Ali Williams[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Bakkies Botha[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Samuel Whitelock[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jannie du Plessis[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]John Afoa[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Bismarck du Plessis[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Keven Mealamu (c)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gurthro Steenkamp[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Tony Woodcock [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]John Smit[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Andrew Hore[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tendai Mtawarira[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Ben Franks[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]CJ van der Linde[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Jarrad Hoeata[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Danie Rossouw[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Victor Vito[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ashley Johnson[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Andy Ellis[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Francois Hougaard[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Piri Weepu[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Butch James[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Cory Jane[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]








 
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Well, its back to the future isn't it?!

With the team PDV has chosen here, the Springbok game plan has been well telegraphed; kick & hope.

Du Preez and Steyn will pepper the all Black back three with high kicks, hoping for mistakes so that Steyn can push the score up in increments of three. Looks to me like PDV is "running home to mama", going back to a tactic that won them the Tri-Nations in 2009. I guess doing what you are comfortable with has some merit, but the only problem for him is that the game has changed now. No longer are the tacklers allowed to prevent the tackled player from placing or passing the ball at the breakdown; the emphasis has changed so that the team with possession is being allowed to execute their obligations.

I hope and pray that PDV's game plan doesn't work, not just because I want the All Blacks to win, but because I would not like to see the game taken back to the boring kickfest it was from 2007 to 2009; for the good of the game, the world does not need another World Cup final like 2007.

This weekend at Port Elizabeth, we could either see the game take a big backwards step, or the realisation, once and for all, that the Emperor does not have any new clothes on after all!!
 
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Darwin,

I love what you've done with the opening. Logo's, text, ***le... There's nothing else for me to do except vBookie and stick the thread. You are making my life too easy ;)
 
All Blacks are favorites? In an away game without McCaw & Carter?

Yes it's still a very strong team, no where near as bad as the one the boks sent for their away games but I would have thought the boks were the short money.

All Blacks can win this game but the boks have the most to lose, most to play for. This is close to their full strength side and their last chance to win a tri nations match this year. Plus travel and home ground is a factor.

Honestly I think the Boks are most likely to win. Mostly because the all black team will have a number of new combinations that would take time to settle in. But if those combinations do fire then I back the All Blacks.
 
I'd say the ABs are favourites, but this is a great opportunity for SA to get a win over them
 
Darwin,

I love what you've done with the opening. Logo's, text, ***le... There's nothing else for me to do except vBookie and stick the thread. You are making my life too easy ;)

No worries - I've obviously got far too much time on my hands!

Onto the match: I think the South African side looks stronger this week. Du Plessis is a big improvement on Smit, Alberts is an improvement on Rossouw (as he is actually a loose-forward), and Lambie is a big improvement on the long haired prop the Boks had playing fullback last week masquerading as Francois Steyn. Steenkamp for Mtawarira is an interesting change - I thought Mtawarira had a strong game last week, but Steenkamp was clearly the number one loose-head prop last year, so does need a chance to prove himself after returning from injury. I'm not surprised to see Morne Steyn return; as SmartCooky suggests this probably means South Africa will be doing a lot of kicking. I don't particularly rate Butch James in any case, so I don't think they loose much by including Steyn (like many I would prefer to see Lambie or even Peter Grant in the 10 jersey).

I'd expect the AB's side will be named sometime tomorrow, but from reports at training the backline will be: 9. Cowan 10. Slade 11. Gear 12. SBW 13. Kahui 14. Toeava. 15. Dagg. There is certainly plenty of firepower, but the main issue is that most of them (Cowan and SBW aside) haven't played much top rugby for a while, so it may take them a while to gel together. With the AB's squad to be named next week there will certainly be a lot of pressure on the likes of Kahui, Gear, Toeava, Dagg, Jane, and Guildford (if the later two get on) to perform, which is probably a good thing from the AB's perspective, as thus far competition has brought the best out of the players.
 
SA are favourites. NZ has untested combos allover the place, as well as numerous players coming back from lay offs. SA to win on the back of kicking and defensive pressure. The bok forwards I expect will shade NZ's. NZ won't have the fluidity to break down SA's defence, I'm very worried about Slade as well.

I'd be worried if this AB team was playing in NZ against this bok outfit, let alone in SA.
 
SA are favourites. NZ has untested combos allover the place, as well as numerous players coming back from lay offs. SA to win on the back of kicking and defensive pressure. The bok forwards I expect will shade NZ's. NZ won't have the fluidity to break down SA's defence, I'm very worried about Slade as well.

I'd be worried if this AB team was playing in NZ against this bok outfit, let alone in SA.

I think it will be a big test for the AB's. I'm not worried about Slade - he has looked very composed whenever he has played at test level. I don't think he has that many weaknesses - my only slight concern is his goal-kicking, as he is really unproven as a goal-kicker. He may not be Dan Carter, but I'd certainly prefer him over the man he is facing (Morne Steyn)...
 
An impressive looking Bok team, just a pity about the coach. Theres no secret as to how the Boks are looking to play, it'll be the same as every other game they play which has got them them an impressive 1 win from their last 9 tri-nation games. Truly. Awesome. Bro. If the Boks drop this game their in big trouble for the world cup and have no time to change anything in the way they are doing things. ABs drop this game and it won't matter too much in the grand scheme of things as the top AB side has walked all over the Boks since the rule changes. Hopefully ABs can weather the initial Bok storm, score the first try, get atleast parity in the breakdown/set piece and get their counter on and it's lights out for SA. Also watch for the Bakkie Botha yellow card. Think he's a bit overdue for a meltdown.
 
An impressive looking Bok team, just a pity about the coach. Theres no secret as to how the Boks are looking to play, it'll be the same as every other game they play which has got them them an impressive 1 win from their last 9 tri-nation games. Truly. Awesome. Bro. If the Boks drop this game their in big trouble for the world cup and have no time to change anything in the way they are doing things. ABs drop this game and it won't matter too much in the grand scheme of things as the top AB side has walked all over the Boks since the rule changes. Hopefully ABs can weather the initial Bok storm, score the first try, get atleast parity in the breakdown/set piece and get their counter on and it's lights out for SA. Also watch for the Bakkie Botha yellow card. Think he's a bit overdue for a meltdown.

I don't think the result of this game will have much bearing on how either side will perform at the RWC ... this is effectively this Bok combos 2nd outing together this year, and they will only get better as they play their pool games, and the AB side will be totally different during the RWC, plus, playing in front of a home crowd is a totally different from playing in South Africa
 
PDV said in a press conference yesterday that he's going to use this game as a final experiment on combinations for preparation of the World Cup.

i think he finally got our loose forwards combo right with Brussouw, Alberts and Spies.

Steenkamp seriously needs game time and i won't be surprized if he and Beast swops places more than once (seeing that their props).

With FDP at the inside of Steyn and De Villiers outside him, hopefully he'll have more confidence in himself...
 
I don't think the result of this game will have much bearing on how either side will perform at the RWC ... this is effectively this Bok combos 2nd outing together this year, and they will only get better as they play their pool games, and the AB side will be totally different during the RWC, plus, playing in front of a home crowd is a totally different from playing in South Africa

Maybe not much of a bearing but certainly some. The doubt must be growing amongst the Bok players with a record of 1 from 9, it's a perfectly normal human emotion when things just aren't working out. Drop this game against the understrength ABs and the alarm bells will be ringing big time. Low confidence heading in the world cup can't be a good thing, they have a tough pool and if they're not in the right head space they might just get rolled by the likes of Samoa who will relish the chance to bash the Boks (which I'm picking will happen). So I think the result can potentially effect SA world cup campaign if it's a negative one for them. Big ask for the ABs though for sure, but definitely a chance to kick the Boks while their down and make them really doubt what they are doing.
 
I think it will be a big test for the AB's. I'm not worried about Slade - he has looked very composed whenever he has played at test level. I don't think he has that many weaknesses - my only slight concern is his goal-kicking, as he is really unproven as a goal-kicker. He may not be Dan Carter, but I'd certainly prefer him over the man he is facing (Morne Steyn)...

Well he has like 3 caps, one against Fiji, one for a few mins on the wing so I think there is cause for concern. And before someone tells me how great he was in his debut against Oz, go back and watch it again, Nonu pretty much stepped into first receiver the whole time he was on he hardly touched the ball.

I hope he goes well, but I'd definitely take Steyn ahead of him.

I'll pick boks by 10.
 
Well he has like 3 caps, one against Fiji, one for a few mins on the wing so I think there is cause for concern. And before someone tells me how great he was in his debut against Oz, go back and watch it again, Nonu pretty much stepped into first receiver the whole time he was on he hardly touched the ball.

I hope he goes well, but I'd definitely take Steyn ahead of him.

I'll pick boks by 10.

Slade may not have that many caps (4), but the point is that he has looked very composed in the limited time he has had with the AB's. Because of this I don't think lack of experience is a big factor. Stephen Donald has had five times as many caps, but I would be far more concerned if he (or Cruden) were starting at 10 in this match! Slade did have a very good debut against Australia; he didn't try to make something out of nothing as Cruden had been doing for the last 60 mins, but rather played it as he saw it. Is there anything particular about Slade's game that you are worried about, or is it simply his lack of experience?
 
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Slade may not have that many caps (4), but the point is that he has looked very composed in the limited time he has had with the AB's. Because of this I don't think lack of experience is a big factor. Stephen Donald has had five times as many caps, but I would be far more concerned if he (or Cruden) were starting at 10 in this match! Slade did have a very good debut against Australia; he didn't try to make something out of nothing as Cruden had been doing for the last 60 mins, but rather played it as he saw it. What exactly are the weaknesses in Slades game that you are worried about?

Go back and watch the game, he didn't actually do anything. Like i said Nonu pretty much played first receiver the whole time Slade was on. Please don't lump Cruden in with Donald, Cruden has never played in a losing AB team.

I'm a bit worried he won't threaten the line on attack. I'm sure his kicking round the park will be good, not sure on the goal kicking. I'm just not sure I've ever seen him dominate a game and really stand out at any level. We shall see though i hope he is awesome as I want us to win.
 
I think the fact that Slade has never really been put under pressure before is a worry. I remember his first couple of Super rugby games at 1st five he was absolutely awful before switching to wing for the rest of the year, i just hope that was a freak occurance and not a susceptibility to pressure.. Also the situation where the less rugby he played, the more he was hyped up was very worrying. Honestly being injured so much has been his best career move yet, all he needs to do is sit in the stands, watch his competitors be average and his stocks soar..

That said he is very talented and appears to be the best option. I'm still unconviced at this stage however.
 
Maybe not much of a bearing but certainly some. The doubt must be growing amongst the Bok players with a record of 1 from 9, it's a perfectly normal human emotion when things just aren't working out. Drop this game against the understrength ABs and the alarm bells will be ringing big time. Low confidence heading in the world cup can't be a good thing, they have a tough pool and if they're not in the right head space they might just get rolled by the likes of Samoa who will relish the chance to bash the Boks (which I'm picking will happen). So I think the result can potentially effect SA world cup campaign if it's a negative one for them. Big ask for the ABs though for sure, but definitely a chance to kick the Boks while their down and make them really doubt what they are doing.

As is the case with NZ this is not SA's strongest combo yet. PdV has made 5 changes from last weeks game and Juan Smith, Frans Steyn & Schalk Burger (3 key players) barring injury will certainly strengthen the SA squad to feature in the RWC 2011.

Don't write off the SPRINGBOKS. How about another England & SA Final, lol... you heard it here!
 

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