[2018 November Tests] Scotland vs South Africa (17/11/18)

[George Ford]

The Boks have been misfiring like 60% of the time in their last few games (Eng & Fra). The ABs game I'd say they got it right for 65 minutes straight and in spite of the loss, I'd say they played their best rugby yet in that period. Now the goal should certainly be to emulate that type of performance and to try and keep the error to the minimum.

Also, after last week's game, we should know better than to give the 9 too much of the decision-making on attack. We should allow our runners to have a go for at least 2-3 phases until we revert to an aerial assault if it's not working. Not on cue, we can kick for space if it's open at the back and our wingers should always be ready off the mark.

Most importantly, we need to come to the party come breakdown time. We have been coming off 2nd best to all the teams we faced so far this year. It was okay in TRC I guess, but it appears the NH teams place a lot of emphasis on this facet of play to get a leg up and for this I would expect our captain and/or the leadership to take some responsibility for this.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Pete Horne, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw (c), 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Sam Skinner, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Ben Toolis, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Gordon Reid

Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Josh Strauss, 20 Jamie Ritchie, 21 Ali Price, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Chris Harris

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I don't like the Scottish selection with Reid, Laidlaw, Skinner & Peter Horne starting. I'd put that side as 7-10 points worse than a first choice Scottish selection.

A bit gutted for Jamie Ritchie, a young Scottish loose forward who excelled last time out to be dropped in favour of lock Skinner played out of position.

Bench looks decent though, so if it is close at 60 then it's all to play for.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Pack selection has been made to counter SA's pack, I'm surprised they just didn't play Strauss at 6 instead of Skinner. However they have seemed to not gone for the bulk of Dunbar at 12, which again I'm a bit surprised at.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Pack selection has been made to counter SA's pack, I'm surprised they just didn't play Strauss at 6 instead of Skinner. However they have seemed to not gone for the bulk of Dunbar at 12, which again I'm a bit surprised at.

If WP Nel and Strauss started, it would have helped the Scots a lot in understanding what the Boks will be saying in Afrikaans. Maybe even aid in disrupting our lineouts.

 

[unrated]

If WP Nel and Strauss started, it would have helped the Scots a lot in understanding what the Boks will be saying in Afrikaans. Maybe even aid in disrupting our lineouts.

For a while I thought something like this works but, after a period of thinking about it I don't think that would have counted for anything.

I'm Afrikaans and I don't know what they are gonna do in the lineout before they do it, as they generally also yell out numbers that are meaningless to us.

Secondly, I think with the Currie cup they can't just use plain Afrikaans calls as most of the teams would understand them, so they had to use some kind of code language.
Therefore Strauss won't be effective in countering the Afrikaans calls

 

[TRF_heineken]

For a while I thought something like this works but, after a period of thinking about it I don't think that would have counted for anything.

I'm Afrikaans and I don't know what they are gonna do in the lineout before they do it, as they generally also yell out numbers that are meaningless to us.

Secondly, I think with the Currie cup they can't just use plain Afrikaans calls as most of the teams would understand them, so they had to use some kind of code language.
Therefore Strauss won't be effective in countering the Afrikaans calls

Maybe, but the general chatter on the field would have an effect. Strauss as a flanker, would be in the prime position to hear what the scrumhalf is saying, and we all know scrumhalves are chatty little shits. Maybe not the lineout, but general talks...

 

[SomeOke]

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Rudolf Snyman, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Lodewyk de Jager, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Cheslin Kolbe.

Talking points:
- Whiteley out for RG Snyman, while this does make our loose trio more balanced in my opinion, we may lack a bit of "graft" happy with the change but we'll see how it goes.
- Embrose in for Faf (maybe Ivan too) about time this lad gets some game time, but it's still going to be a tough ask for a a 21 year old who has barely played any senior rugby to run a Bok game in a hostile foreign land. Slight implication here is that we will kick less.

Nothing much else to add, our team is more or less settled baring a few positions.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

That is a decent Bok selection and with PSDT as a loose forward they may challenge Scotland's strength in the lineout. I think DDA and Kriel completely outsize Scotland's centres. I can see Scotland scoring 12 points or less despite the fine weather as I really do not like their selection.

Boks by 20

 

[Ireland Slam]

Surprised to see so much backing for the Boks. Scotland at home are a formidable beast, and I'd give them the edge.

 

[General Melchett]

That is a decent Bok selection and with PSDT as a loose forward they may challenge Scotland's strength in the lineout. I think DDA and Kriel completely outsize Scotland's centres. I can see Scotland scoring 12 points or less despite the fine weather as I really do not like their selection.

Boks by 20

I don't see the Boks running away with that easily. I see it being a lot closer and either side could win by a score. Reid is not a first choice prop and Horne is a bit lightweight but the Scottish bench is strong and I see them having a real impact.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

How come Faf returned to Sale?

 

[User1245]

Surprised to see so much backing for the Boks. Scotland at home are a formidable beast, and I'd give them the edge.

I agree with your sentiments. Scotland have only lost 1 of their last 10 home games, and that 1 loss was to the All Blacks by 5 points. The Boks don't travel well and also have been "stuck in the mud" at Murrayfield a good few times.
Very close game to call. My bias says Boks to sneak a close one.

For a while I thought something like this works but, after a period of thinking about it I don't think that would have counted for anything.

I'm Afrikaans and I don't know what they are gonna do in the lineout before they do it, as they generally also yell out numbers that are meaningless to us.

Secondly, I think with the Currie cup they can't just use plain Afrikaans calls as most of the teams would understand them, so they had to use some kind of code language.
Therefore Strauss won't be effective in countering the Afrikaans calls

No ways, Scotland needs somebody to tell the difference between "een, vyf, twee, piesang" and "drie, ses, een, doedelsak"

 

[TRF_heineken]

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Rudolf Snyman, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Lodewyk de Jager, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Cheslin Kolbe.

Talking points:
- Whiteley out for RG Snyman, while this does make our loose trio more balanced in my opinion, we may lack a bit of "graft" happy with the change but we'll see how it goes.
- Embrose in for Faf (maybe Ivan too) about time this lad gets some game time, but it's still going to be a tough ask for a a 21 year old who has barely played any senior rugby to run a Bok game in a hostile foreign land. Slight implication here is that we will kick less.

Nothing much else to add, our team is more or less settled baring a few positions.

With Papier and Snyman in the starting line-up I can see that we are going for the running game approach. and I expect to see a lot of sniping runs around the rucks and some sort of offload game.

 

[SomeOke]

With Papier and Snyman in the starting line-up I can see that we are going for the running game approach. and I expect to see a lot of sniping runs around the rucks and some sort of offload game.

Agree, although it's only two personnel changes Ivan van Zyl doesn't strike me as a running 9 whereas (frankly from the little I've seen, probably about 200 minutes total) from what I've seen of Papier he definitely does have that element to him.

RG is a ball carrying lock and what I do like about him is that he is in the new class of young SA forwards (along with guys like Kitsoff and JLDP) who as well as being big guys, also have a bit of subtlety and ability to pass and offload in their game. Exciting talent, one of the bright spots in an average Bulls pack this last year.

Rassie also implied in interviews we were kicking too much, so more of a running game from us is looking pretty likely. Hopefully it doesn't play into their hands, as I said early I don't watch much 6 nations so I have no idea what to expect.

Although I did watch this video:


So I guess you could say I'm an expert.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

How come Faf returned to Sale?

We had an agreement with SA that we wouldn't call him in for pre-season/TRC rest weekends if we could have him for the November prem games

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

A brilliant first couple of tries. Huw Jones showing that form is temporary. Sticking with my prediction though.

 

[bushytop]

We had an agreement with SA that we wouldn't call him in for pre-season/TRC rest weekends if we could have him for the November prem games

Does that mean he isn't playing next week?

 

[Leinster Fan]

F*** me. So stupid from Scotland. Just clear the ball and stop messing around in the 22. First 2 tries were lovely though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Does that mean he isn't playing next week?

As far as I'm aware he isn't*


*They mentioned in commentary for the Sale game earlier that he will be with Sale, but if South Africa call him up we can't(/wouldn't) stop them