[2015 RWC] Quarter Final 1: South Africa vs. Wales (17/10/2015)

[woodwarj13]

I don't think Wales have enough to their game to pull this one off. SA look very strong and group stage upsets should not even be drawn upon at this stage (look at France in 2011). Wales scrum has been put under pressure in every game they have played so far and when you actually look at the group results Wales have scored 3 tries in 3 games against proper opposition with the rest coming from penalties. I never expected them to make the come back they did against England and fair play to them for that but I don't personally think they have shown enough to make me believe they can beat the boks unless SA lose their heads and give away a shed load of penalties.

 

[WaterboySA]

Oh believe me, we are under no illusion that we might lose this game. I don't know who gave us the favourites tag, as it is in my opinion 50/50. Both teams lost 1 pool game, so the only reason why we get the favourites tag is because we're not as injured-ridden as Wales, even though we lost our Captain.

Agreed. I'm not sure WHAT to think about the Boks.

 

[wayevs]

According to sources Cuthbert will be on the wing

- - - Updated - - -

I don't think Wales have enough to their game to pull this one off. SA look very strong and group stage upsets should not even be drawn upon at this stage (look at France in 2011). Wales scrum has been put under pressure in every game they have played so far and when you actually look at the group results Wales have scored 3 tries in 3 games against proper opposition with the rest coming from penalties. I never expected them to make the come back they did against England and fair play to them for that but I don't personally think they have shown enough to make me believe they can beat the boks unless SA lose their heads and give away a shed load of penalties.

I think if we are within touching distance come the 60th we could go to win it , there is no doubting the fitness of our squad we can play right through the 80 , so if there's one weakness I've heard about the boks is they can tend to lose games due to fitness levels in the last quarter

 

[AzaMatt]

According to sources Cuthbert will be on the wing

- - - Updated - - -



I think if we are within touching distance come the 60th we could go to win it , there is no doubting the fitness of our squad we can play right through the 80 , so if there's one weakness I've heard about the boks is they can tend to lose games due to fitness levels in the last quarter

Fitness could be key, if we make them run about a bit hopefully they'll end up giving away penalties and we might sneak a try towards the end

 

[saulan]

I think if we are within touching distance come the 60th we could go to win it , there is no doubting the fitness of our squad we can play right through the 80 , so if there's one weakness I've heard about the boks is they can tend to lose games due to fitness levels in the last quarter

I don't know so much about the lack of Springbok fitness anymore. Don't get me wrong, As a result of our last minute losses mid year and to Japan I don't feel comfortable in a game unless we are 15 points up with 10 minutes remaining or less. That being said, in our last three matches we have come back quite strong in the last 10 to 15 minutes of the game (Scotland second half was where most of our tries were, Scotland came back hard at the start of the second half but we came back hard to win the half and we just kept scoring in the last 15 minutes against the US).

 

[Rugby Jay]

I try to stay optimistic with our boys the fact that we have beaten the Boks recently might be enough to take away the fear factor that Wales usually have when facing them and. If we beat the Boks I will be very surprised though as I know that the Boks are trying their hardest to prove to the world what Japan did was a fluke, if we don't win I am still going to be a proud welsh man knowing we made it to a quarters without being at 100%. It's the knockout's and its all to play for, may the best team win.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Lourens, Heinie et al, have some faith (can't believe I'm the one having to calm the nerves prior to a match!);

Leave out the Japan match and SA has conceded 1 try in our last 3 matches and that was an intercept effort and Scotland had to work well off the ball after the interception to score in any case;


Sure, Wales WILL be a step up from Samoa and Scotland minus some of their best but I feel we've seen enough to say the defense is solid; around the fringes our forwards have been monstering all commers and Pollard/DDA/Kriel are solid unless the opposition are very clever in the way they stretch us and that's something I havn't seen Wales do convincingly this tournament. Habs, JPP both rocks out wide. Its the chips and stuff (inside balls with backs running good lines with our covering forwards possibly being exposed etc) we'll have to watch out for and while I don't have 100% faith in Le Roux there that is Du Preez's bread and butter (playing a sweeper role).

So, yes, it'll be a game. But lets back our boys.

 

[WaterboySA]

Just some butterflies I think. Wales and Ireland players are for me the same type of players as the Boks. HARD, sometimes too much, but never give up. I don't think we will lose, I just can't rate our form. Hope we stay disciplined, don't want to see a single yellow, from both teams. I hate that!

 

[Rugby Jay]

Lourens, Heinie et al, have some faith (can't believe I'm the one having to calm the nerves prior to a match!);

Leave out the Japan match and SA has conceded 1 try in our last 3 matches and that was an intercept effort and Scotland had to work well off the ball after the interception to score in any case;


Sure, Wales WILL be a step up from Samoa and Scotland minus some of their best but I feel we've seen enough to say the defense is solid; around the fringes our forwards have been monstering all commers and Pollard/DDA/Kriel are solid unless the opposition are very clever in the way they stretch us and that's something I havn't seen Wales do convincingly this tournament. Habs, JPP both rocks out wide. Its the chips and stuff (inside balls with backs running good lines with our covering forwards possibly being exposed etc) we'll have to watch out for and while I don't have 100% faith in Le Roux there that is Du Preez's bread and butter (playing a sweeper role).

So, yes, it'll be a game. But lets back our boys.

If we are to threaten the back line Hook is the man for the job he has a natural ability to make a defence drift and is good at watching where space is. Hook is actually a better centre than 10 but he and most coaches refuse to accept this so he always tries to be a good 10 where he is a great centre. To counter Habana I think facing him against Matthew Morgan would show his weakness he isn't as fast as he used to be and has always found it hard to side step and Matthew Morgan could catch him cold and maybe beat him on a kick chase.

Forwards are where Boks are most dangerous and fighting an arm wrestle with those boys is suicide. If we had Adam and Hibbard I wouldn't be as worried.

 

[WaterboySA]

If we are to threaten the back line Hook is the man for the job he has a natural ability to make a defence drift and is good at watching where space is. Hook is actually a better centre than 10 but he and most coaches refuse to accept this so he always tries to be a good 10 where he is a great centre. To counter Habana I think facing him against Matthew Morgan would show his weakness he isn't as fast as he used to be and has always found it hard to side step and Matthew Morgan could catch him cold and maybe beat him on a kick chase.

Forwards are where Boks are most dangerous and fighting an arm wrestle with those boys is suicide. If we had Adam and Hibbard I wouldn't be as worried.

He can run....not sure he will get past Brian, he's an old hand.....

 

[TRF_heineken]

Lourens, Heinie et al, have some faith (can't believe I'm the one having to calm the nerves prior to a match!);

Leave out the Japan match and SA has conceded 1 try in our last 3 matches and that was an intercept effort and Scotland had to work well off the ball after the interception to score in any case;


Sure, Wales WILL be a step up from Samoa and Scotland minus some of their best but I feel we've seen enough to say the defense is solid; around the fringes our forwards have been monstering all commers and Pollard/DDA/Kriel are solid unless the opposition are very clever in the way they stretch us and that's something I havn't seen Wales do convincingly this tournament. Habs, JPP both rocks out wide. Its the chips and stuff (inside balls with backs running good lines with our covering forwards possibly being exposed etc) we'll have to watch out for and while I don't have 100% faith in Le Roux there that is Du Preez's bread and butter (playing a sweeper role).

So, yes, it'll be a game. But lets back our boys.

I have faith.

I think we will win. and it's going to be either by 20+ points or just by a penalty or so. But we will win. We are peaking at just the right time...

 

[Wimero]

I've got a sneaking feeling Wales are going to pull this off.I really fancy them for a 6-10 point win.Pays 11/1 with William Hill.In my book that's a too good to miss wager.

 

[TheOvalBall]

Best team out of the 31 that they could've chosen. This team can make the final.

 

[MattB]

Charteris needs to start, he's a great lineout option and his defensive work in the mails is priceless. Also need to start with Paul James and Samson. Gethin's loose play is good but he's not as good a scrummager and we need to be able to compete there.

I'd have hook in the centre, Matthew Morgan instead of cuthbert and anscombe full back. I thought he did ok against Australia. The backline would have various ways to attack on good ball as each of the players brings something different.

Although I wouldn't say we're favourites it's a game we can definitely win. Agree with some of the others here who've said that Welsh fitness in the last 15 might work in their favour.

Looking forward to some great match-ups this weekend though can't wait!

 

[wayevs]

ales team to face South Africa: G Anscombe; A Cuthbert, T Morgan, J Roberts, G North; D Biggar, G Davies; G Jenkins, S Baldwin, S Lee; L Charteris, AW Jones; D Lydiate, S Warburton, T Faletau.

Subs: K Owens, P James, T Francis, B Davies, J Tipuric, L Williams, R Priestland, J Hook.

- - - Updated - - -

As expected from GATS, most pleasing was to see charteris starting , apart from that it's as I thought

 

[MojoPin]

Squad is exactly as expected, really.

Cuthbert needs to really watch himself - he's bound to be a target now. Would have preferred to see Matthew Morgan on the wing or even Hook in centre with Tyler Morgan out wide. Think Tyler is a much better choice in the centres though, so as long as Cuthbert doesn't have a total nightmare of a day think this is the best team we can field at the moment. Glad to see Lydiate back in the side too.

Fairly optimistic about the game itself - usually a good game with SA, as always it could go either way.

 

[wayevs]

Squad is exactly as expected, really.

Cuthbert needs to really watch himself - he's bound to be a target now. Would have preferred to see Matthew Morgan on the wing or even Hook in centre with Tyler Morgan out wide. Think Tyler is a much better choice in the centres though, so as long as Cuthbert doesn't have a total nightmare of a day think this is the best team we can field at the moment. Glad to see Lydiate back in the side too.

Fairly optimistic about the game itself - usually a good game with SA, as always it could go either way.

Yeah but this is gatland all over , when does he ever include anyone with an ounce of flair and excitement in the squad unless he is forced too because of injury?

 

[welshpete]

Yeah but this is gatland all over , when does he ever include anyone with an ounce of flair and excitement in the squad unless he is forced too because of injury?

I kind of agree, but there's an argument that there are a significant number of instances where people have said player X should be in for player Y, and Gatland's choices have come through with a win....I think he's earned my trust..(remember the Lions?)

 

[wayevs]

Of course , his choice have prevailed and I'm not doubting that at all , BUT he continues to play a out of form Cuthbert when he could easily replace him with Mathew Morgan , Lloyd or even bloody priestland!!! Ah well maybe he will prove me wrong and score a hatrick of tries on Saturday

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Is the Wales team as depleted as everyone says though? I've gone through the team and while I admit I'm not up to spedd with the form of the Welsh players it seems to me that bar 2 or 3 position out wide (least critical IMO) this is basically a 1st choice team anyway? I'm not sure what I was expecting but that looks a handy Welsh side if you ask me.. I feel cheated almost.