[2014 TRC] South Africa v Australia in Cape Town (27/09/2014)

[Jaguares]

15 Willie le Roux
14 Cornal Hendricks
13 Jan Serfontein
12 Jean de Villiers (c)
11 Bryan Habana
10 Handré Pollard
9 Francois Hougaard
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Oupa Mohoje
6 Marcell Coetzee
5 Victor Matfield
4 Eben Etzebeth
3 Jannie du Plessis
2 Adriaan Strauss
1 Tendai Mtawarira

Reserves:

16 Bismarck Du Plessis, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Bakkies Botha, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Pat Lambie
23 JP Pietersen.

15 Israel Folau
14 Adam Ashley-Cooper
13 Tevita Kuridrani
12 Matt Toomua
11 Joe Tomane
10 Bernard Foley
9 Nick Phipps
8 Ben McCalman
7 Michael Hooper (c)
6 Scott Fardy
5 Rob Simmons
4 Sam Carter
3 Sekope Kepu
2 Saia Fainga'a (WTF?!)
1 James Slipper

Reserves:

16 James Hanson, 17 Benn Robinson, 18 Ben Alexander, 19 James Horwill, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Nic White, 22 Kurtley Beale, 23 Rob Horne.

Stadium: Newlands Stadium
Capacity: 51,900
City: Cape Town
Country: South Africa
Referee: Nigel Owens

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I will be one of the 51900 attending. Fully expecting a sold out venue; this is Newlands after all. Newlands' field isn't condusive to huge scores but hopefully the weather will be nice and we see some enterprising rugby.

The team should feel at home; all of Etzebeth, Louw, JdV, Pollard, Hougaard, Hendricks and Le Roux and on the bench Steyn and De Allende born this side of SA while Vermeulen and Habana have been part of WP rugby for a good while now.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I will be one of the 51900 attending. Fully expecting a sold out venue; this is Newlands after all. Newlands' field isn't condusive to huge scores but hopefully the weather will be nice and we see some enterprising rugby.

The team should feel at home; all of Etzebeth, Louw, JdV, Pollard, Hougaard, Hendricks and Le Roux and on the bench Steyn and De Allende born this side of SA while Vermeulen and Habana have been part of WP rugby for a good while now.

Are you sure the stadium will be full? it's not the All Blacks we're facing there, so nearly half of the regular visitors at the stadium from the Flats won't pitch up...

Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to some rain-free Rugby...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Are you sure the stadium will be full? it's not the All Blacks we're facing there, so nearly half of the regular visitors at the stadium from the Flats won't pitch up...

Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to some rain-free Rugby...

Half! I am hoping all of them won't pitch which is the draw for the rest of us to do so; if the Cape never host the ABs again, I won't argue.

Anyway, my hopes for this game;

- Pollard to get the nod again.
- Hougaard to not kick a ball at all; IMO he should be doing one of two things- getting the ball to Pollard or Le Roux as first receiver or taking the defense on if there is a half gap and both he should have decided which to do before he has his hands on the ball.
- A backrow of Coetzee/Alberts/Vermeulen with Whiteley on the bench
- Frans Malherbe fit and starting, otherwise Marcel van der Merwe gettting the start
- Strauss to play the 80 unless BdP has gotten his accuracy back.
- Continued improvement from Etzebeth

 

[TRF_heineken]

Half! I am hoping all of them won't pitch which is the draw for the rest of us to do so; if the Cape never host the ABs again, I won't argue.

I mean, they occupy half of the Stadium. the other Half are passionate Springbok supporters...

 

[Icemn]

if the boks actually use all the turnover ball in this match as opposed to kicking it away in the test against the AB last week... they are going to murder the wallabies... i cant believe i just said that... i need to go on leave...

SA must have the best fetchers now... god did i really say that??? Vermeulen, Coetzee, louw (on a good day) even bissy at the ruck... the problem is... the backline then doesnt know what to do with it, so peinaar or whoever kicks away good attacking ball while the opposition is on attack and obviously out of a defensive formation...

but, aus could step up a notch as put one out of the hat away from home with a lot of injuries...

the only good thing for AUS is that they can blame the loss on injuries

 

[Big Ewis]

I have a feeling this one could sting the Wallabies a little. The script could be pointing towards that: Wallabies get away with ambiguous, narrow win at home against rivals the Boks; get smashed in Cape Town later in the tournament. Payback time. Then again it's the Wallabies, they could just as easily feel like actually playing that backline to its ability to pile up the 7-pointers as they sometimes go and do. South Africa would fight back into the game (as THEY always do) and lose narrowly.
Don't need to look at the lineups here, I say the Boks win this. They've come very close in both their last away fixtures, and the Aussies have difficulty in S.A. I would say Springboks by 13.

 

[Bull]

Francois Louw has been ruled out of the RC.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Francois Louw has been ruled out of the RC.

Yeah, this is bad news for us, and they haven't yet called up a replacement for him.

JP Pietersen has been called up in place of Ruan Pienaar. So it looks like Francois Hougaard will start with Cobus Reinach making his debut.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yeah, this is bad news for us, and they haven't yet called up a replacement for him.

JP Pietersen has been called up in place of Ruan Pienaar. So it looks like Francois Hougaard will start with Cobus Reinach making his debut.

Coetzee has been fantastic playing an openside style game. I doubt Louw will be missed all that much. If anything brining in one of Willem Alberts if 100% or Warren Whiteley should bring an added dimension to our game. Alberts is 100% garuanteed go-forward and sucks in defenders while Whiteley's pace, linking play (7's skill) and work rate (top tackler both in number and completion rate in Super rugby this year! on top of being an incredible ball carrier- looking for space) might just be what we lacked these last two games.

Against NZ Whiteley made almost as many tackles in 10 minutes as Louw did in 70 and in one carry managed to make inifinately more ground and beat 1 defender whereas Louw was ineffective ball in hand. If Alberts won't be available to play (even off the bench) who would be on the bench is the question to be asked IMO. Mohoje? He is in the squad but will they actually use him? Prinsloo is injured, right? With Brussow and Burger having stints in Japan, Juan Smith seemingly off the pace.. maybe I am showing my provincial colors here but I'd like to put Nizaam Carr's name into the hat here; behind Whiteley and Coetzee the form SA (and overall apart from Hooper) loosie in Super rugby and still setting things alight in Currie Cup leading nearly all stats and it's not just quantity; his carries and tackles are as effective as they are numerous.

I am not worried.

I have a feeling this one could sting the Wallabies a little. The script could be pointing towards that: Wallabies get away with ambiguous, narrow win at home against rivals the Boks; get smashed in Cape Town later in the tournament. Payback time. Then again it's the Wallabies, they could just as easily feel like actually playing that backline to its ability to pile up the 7-pointers as they sometimes go and do. South Africa would fight back into the game (as THEY always do) and lose narrowly.
Don't need to look at the lineups here, I say the Boks win this. They've come very close in both their last away fixtures, and the Aussies have difficulty in S.A. I would say Springboks by 13.

That loss in Aus was frustrating. I am sure the players will feel it even more heavily. Newlands Cape Town's surface is heavy underfoot and tends to be wet through condensation with Table mountain there having an impact on the local already coastal climate. Aus sides tend to struggle there. I fully expect a win but then again, things are so tight one moment 'out of the expected' can swing it either way so I'll not be overly confident.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Coetzee has been fantastic playing an openside style game. I doubt Louw will be missed all that much. If anything brining in one of Willem Alberts if 100% or Warren Whiteley should bring an added dimension to our game. Alberts is 100% garuanteed go-forward and sucks in defenders while Whiteley's pace, linking play (7's skill) and work rate (top tackler both in number and completion rate in Super rugby this year! on top of being an incredible ball carrier- looking for space) might just be what we lacked these last two games.

Against NZ Whiteley made almost as many tackles in 10 minutes as Louw did in 70 and in one carry managed to make inifinately more ground and beat 1 defender whereas Louw was ineffective ball in hand. If Alberts won't be available to play (even off the bench) who would be on the bench is the question to be asked IMO. Mohoje? He is in the squad but will they actually use him? Prinsloo is injured, right? With Brussow and Burger having stints in Japan, Juan Smith seemingly off the pace.. maybe I am showing my provincial colors here but I'd like to put Nizaam Carr's name into the hat here; behind Whiteley and Coetzee the form SA (and overall apart from Hooper) loosie in Super rugby and still setting things alight in Currie Cup leading nearly all stats and it's not just quantity; his carries and tackles are as effective as they are numerous.

I am not worried.



That loss in Aus was frustrating. I am sure the players will feel it even more heavily. Newlands Cape Town's surface is heavy underfoot and tends to be wet through condensation with Table mountain there having an impact on the local already coastal climate. Aus sides tend to struggle there. I fully expect a win but then again, things are so tight one moment 'out of the expected' can swing it either way so I'll not be overly confident.

I'm not worried either. But Louw has the knack of getting the ball at a ruck at crucial times in the game. Against NZ we had very little possession, and I just think that with him out, we might be under the same type of pressure. Whiteley hasn't done anything wrong IMHO, so he deserves a shot. Maybe his ballskills will just help us in being more attacking. As for the subs, I don't know how far Willem is with his rehabilitation, but if he's fit, he should play. Mohoje is the next in line, but I'd much rather prefer Carr than him. Mohoje for me is better at playing lock than Flank

EDIT: Schalk Burger has been called up!!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

^ Yes, I just saw Burger was called up. I wonder whether he'll leapfrog Whiteley and Mohoje. He probably should Mohoje when we consider he is a more like for like replacement to Louw. I wouldn't mind Burger starting with Whiteley getting 20 minutes at the end. Coetzee, Burger, Vermeulen is a very balanced loose trio IMO. Burger bringing in more of a running and linking element than Louw. Those Schalk Burger skip passes seem to always come off since he's been back, maybe because everyone is expecting him to take contact.

Carr, Mohoje etc unlucky but flank is a position we have a lot of depth in quality so someone will lose out.

 

[TRF_heineken]

^ Yes, I just saw Burger was called up. I wonder whether he'll leapfrog Whiteley and Mohoje. He probably should Mohoje when we consider he is a more like for like replacement to Louw. I wouldn't mind Burger starting with Whiteley getting 20 minutes at the end. Coetzee, Burger, Vermeulen is a very balanced loose trio IMO. Burger bringing in more of a running and linking element than Louw. Those Schalk Burger skip passes seem to always come off since he's been back, maybe because everyone is expecting him to take contact.

Carr, Mohoje etc unlucky but flank is a position we have a lot of depth in quality so someone will lose out.

Yeah. It will make the linking better in certain areas. I would also start Schalla ahead of Whiteley.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

So are we looking at..

1 Mtawarira
2 Strauss
3 Du Plessis*
4 Etzebeth
5 Matfield*
6 Coetzee*
7 Burger*
8 Vermeulen
9 Hougaard*
10 Pollard
11 Habana
12 De Villiers
13 Serfontein*
14 Hendricks
15 Le Roux

* 6 players where we don't have our 1st choice. Injuries are starting to take it's toll. Still think we have a good enough starting XV. Critical for me will be will our tight five stand up (ATM either way off form or not 1st choice) and how will Hougaard play.

16 Du Plessis
17 Vd Merwe
18 De Jager
19 Whiteley
20 Reinach
21 Steyn/Lambie?
22 JPP/Lambie/De Allende?
23 Nyakane

 

[TRF_heineken]

So are we looking at..

1 Mtawarira
2 Strauss
3 Du Plessis*
4 Etzebeth
5 Matfield*
6 Coetzee*
7 Burger*
8 Vermeulen
9 Hougaard*
10 Pollard
11 Habana
12 De Villiers
13 Serfontein*
14 Hendricks
15 Le Roux

* 6 players where we don't have our 1st choice. Injuries are starting to take it's toll. Still think we have a good enough starting XV. Critical for me will be will our tight five stand up (ATM either way off form or not 1st choice) and how will Hougaard play.

16 Du Plessis
17 Vd Merwe
18 De Jager
19 Whiteley
20 Reinach
21 Steyn/Lambie?
22 JPP/Lambie/De Allende?
23 Nyakane

Being a bit harsh on Jan. but that's because the captain is in his spot and should actually have a * behind his name...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Being a bit harsh on Jan. but that's because the captain is in his spot and should actually have a * behind his name...

LOL, very possibly. I was actually trying to put my Meyer hat on and implied one of Jaque Fourie or JPP would been his first choice. Even De Allende got in thee before him though I'll admit he has done a bloody job coming in at 13. We just need some quick ball to bring him into the game on attack as well; he is generally very good at taking the ball up. At least attack was his forte and defense was a bit suspect but boy has he turned that around. It can only be good for SA to have all these options at center. I can still remember when there was no feasible option outside Wynand Olivier... we've come a long way, baby.

Early still but I am looking at some combo of Serfontein/De Allende/Jordaan in the centers post RWC2015.

 

[Icemn]

Burger ??? you have got to be joking... i dont think he is up for this level of test rugby anymore... he might be the reason you lose this one... scalky is no-where near his former stampkar/crashball self, shame...

 

[Jaguares]

Burger ??? you have got to be joking... i dont think he is up for this level of test rugby anymore... he might be the reason you lose this one... scalky is no-where near his former stampkar/crashball self, shame...

Yeah, Burger is a former player

 

[Big Ewis]

fkn hell, makes me hungry every time I read that name...every - time.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Knock Burger all you want but I say he has 1 clean break, 2 try assists and 12 tackles come the end of the game. I'll put money on him having a good game.