[2014 EOYT] England vs South Africa

[Mumbles119]

Definitely. For once I feel more optimistic about this game than I have for the last five!

Like others my optimism was increased when I saw the Lambie change. He is a great player no doubt, but seeing him and Reinach there makes me feel England are now matched in the half backs. Rather than underdogs to higher talent.

Elsewhere across the teams, the pack feels matched too, regardless of experience, but in potential and only if England bring the dog and power they lacked last week at the breakdown.

But it is the back line that seems the most unknown for matching, especially with 6 caps Kyle versus 103 caps JdV, and 0 caps Watson versus 104 caps Habana. Plus le Roux and Brown both proven game changers, but Brown has been too quiet and lacking recent form.

Personally I feel this game will be won by England, if they are ferocious in the pack and the halfbacks sort the aimless kicking out.

PS watching the Gloucester v Quins game last night, just frustrated me more that Dan Robson is not in the England squad. His passing (without steps) is superb.

 

[Darwin]

I have no idea who is going to win this. Not a clue. I am therefore going to make my prediction by rolling a dice.
*rolls dice*

Either South Africa or England by exactly 4.

 

[Mikel92]

I'm sticking to my guns and see Springboks winning. England are certainly capable of it, but for some reason I've struggled all week to see the Boks being that poor again, even though they are the away team. I think South Africa have the experience and some bruising physicality to get the job done. You don't just beat the All Blacks, albeit at home, by being slouches. I'm just not sure about Lambie. I would have started Pollard, but hey, we'll see.

England need to keep the ball in hand and not gift them opportunities. They need to be aggressive at the breakdowns. Personally I felt the Springboks, in part, beat us this year because they deprived us of possession and were so aggressive towards us; there was nothing we could do about it because we didn't have the ball. That's why I feel it's so important that England show patience and just keep it in hand. Kicking for the 22 and relying on set pieces against the 'Boks isn't something I'd rely on. Not with their forwards.

 

[Patchey]

I agree with Mumbles that I feel happier with Lambie starting. Of course, now I've said that he'll have a blinder and test us apart!

Bottom line, we have to compete properly at the breakdown and we have to execute properly. We cannot win purely by trying to play territory or by defending for long periods and hoping to kick enough penalties to outside the Boks.

 

[Big Ewis]

I don't think the Boks were 'poor' in Dublin. I think they definitely got surprised by just how much they were getting fkd, yes, but I don't think they weren't playing their game and genuinely doing everything they can through their usual game and style to get back into it.
I don't think England have it in them to shut them down as integrally as Ireland did, but that doesn't mean they can't still win this. They don't have to put 30 on them and keep them below 15pts like Ireland, I mean, England aren't exactly Ireland (yes, 100% JUST to wind the rosbifs up)

Thing is, whichever way you look at it, you HAVE TO, have to have to contain the Boks up front, there doesn't seem to be a way around that and I don't think I've ever seen a notable win when some side was thin up front but still somehow managed a higher score 80 minutes later. Obviously it's Rugby and in any fixture the forwards win you the game, okay, but we've seen sides very in-tune up front and dominant there but still losing to a team like the Wallabies or All-Blacks, Samoans just because the latter sides have such athletic ability and attacking flair which eventually compensates.

Another loss for the Boks would be dramatic, while another loss for England would be very disappointing (5 in a row) but in fairness they'll have been playing the best 4x straight and then the 2nd best. But if England are serious about being a fearsome powerhouse for the WC at home, and want to be respected as such, it starts now. They came close but couldn't quite smite the might of the Blacks in four fights (awwww shieeeet..), now they've got another chance, and at home.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Yeah England aren't Ireland because Ireland is already Ireland. Would be a bit confusing if England was Ireland and Ireland was Ireland.

I agree about beating SA up front, Ireland played some good tactical kicking which did a lot to make life hard for SA without absolutely dominating up front. English forwards can put in big shifts and make a lot of tackles but they haven't shown themselves to be particularly powerful at the breakdown. Making the tackle is only half the job, trying to slow the recycling or get a turnover is the other half and it's a half we are not so good at.

 

[j'nuh]

I don't think England have it in them to shut them down as integrally as Ireland did, but that doesn't mean they can't still win this. They don't have to put 30 on them and keep them below 15pts like Ireland, I mean, England aren't exactly Ireland (yes, 100% JUST to wind the rosbifs up)

Just googled "rosbif". TIL the French have an equivalent to "frogs" :huh:

 

[Big Ewis]

Just googled "rosbif". TIL the French have an equivalent to "frogs" :huh:

noooo, you'd think ! Oh and, it's not singular. It's not "an" equivalent there's a poetic one too, my personal favorite: "la perfide albion" but you're Welsh now, so you're spared from this.

Aaaaahh this thing is in less than half an hour !!! Allez les Boks !!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Aaaaahh this thing is in less than half an hour !!! Allez les Boks !!

Les Boks aren't playing until later, pal.

 

[Tony Manx]

Les Boks aren't playing until later, pal.

Funny I am watching it start in a few minutes on Sky?

Ah....see what you did there!!!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Whaaaaat, that was a textbook example of taking out the 9, yet SA get the penalty.

 

[Groundhog]

Tom Wood really killing the Jack the Ripper look. Wouldn't like to be a prostitute around that lad during November.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tom Wood really killing the Jack the Ripper look. Wouldn't like to be a prostitute around that lad during November.

Or..........would you ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[TommiG88]

Farrell got away with that. Brainless

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Why did Farrell run that?!
I mean fairplay he made a bit of ground but he should've just smashed it away and into touch.

 

[TommiG88]

Error after error. Really making it hard for ourselves.

 

[Big Ewis]

Boks look a bit casual to start this one off..

 

[Tony Manx]

Load of pedestrian headless chickens who cannot hold the ball.....there is only one winner of this game and it is not England!

Edit and there is the result.........................

 

[ratsapprentice]

That's why having a TH lock is important ... You can actually maul properly.

 

[TommiG88]

Looking terrible.