Bok Scrum vs. French Scrum

[rugbywriter]

The battle at the scrum is going to be fierce. I must say, my beloved Bokke are very lucky that there's no Barcella. I still think Gurthro and Smit will probably catch a hiding. There's a ton of pressure on BJ to scrum well. The scrum will steady a bit when CJ comes on for Gurthro, but things will go horribly wrong when Chilliboy replaces Smit. PDV is a criminal. Leaving out Liebenberg, Gary Botha and Schalk Brits for Chilliboy Rallepelle is a crime. Chilliboy has played just about no rugby this entire year. Gary Botha was one of the best hookers in the Super14 and Liebenberg made line breaks and tackle busts every game. The quota selections are getting out of hand and it will show when Chilliboy comes on and ruins our scrum. Hopefully the trio of CJ, Smit and BJ will stay for a while. If the Boks can correct their scrum, its even playing fields.

As for m prediction, while I feel that the Boks are probably a better team, there's a mental thing when it comes to France. With guys like Januarie and Kirchner in the team, I can't say I'm completely confident. Jaques Fourie has to have a blinder as France's centres are nothing too special, so if Fourie does play well it will probably show on the scoreboard.

I have to be honest though, if I were a betting man, I'd go with France. I think the Boks have a serious mental thing when it comes to France and Ireland and without du Preez's maturity to keep it away, I'm quite sure that it will be there on Saturday. Still, if the Boks scrum well, I could very well be wrong, which I hope I am.

 

[Charles]

THe new french scru machine. Check the beast...http://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/breves2010/20100604_193146_le-joug.html

I do think we will have the upper hand in the scrums, esp as we have selected a very heavy second row to start. I am a bit worried about the reffing of the scrum though. There's no point in putting pressure on the Bok scrum if you don't get something out of it, like a penalty kick or a turn over...

Some concerns: the "new" breakdown rule that effectively prevents almost any turnover in the rucks. We haven't played with this one at all...

And are we gonna make ground on our ball without the Panzer division of Jauzion and Basta. Mermoz and Marty are much lighter, Servat is not there, Picamoles will probably be out...The team is very very light (loosies and centres esp), which means no linebreaker at all except for Szarsewski and Rougerie.
Rougerie against Aplon is gonna be fun to watch though...

 

[rugbywriter]

THe new french scru machine. Check the beast...http://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/breves2010/20100604_193146_le-joug.html

I do think we will have the upper hand in the scrums, esp as we have selected a very heavy second row to start. I am a bit worried about the reffing of the scrum though. There's no point in putting pressure on the Bok scrum if you don't get something out of it, like a penalty kick or a turn over...

Some concerns: the "new" breakdown rule that effectively prevents almost any turnover in the rucks. We haven't played with this one at all...

And are we gonna make ground on our ball without the Panzer division of Jauzion and Basta. Mermoz and Marty are much lighter, Servat is not there, Picamoles will probably be out...The team is very very light (loosies and centres esp), which means no linebreaker at all except for Szarsewski and Rougerie.
Rougerie against Aplon is gonna be fun to watch though...

Aplon may be little but he really can tackle. He's a great defender.

 

[Iron Mike]

Haha Rougerie, poor Aplon, really.

Boks are going to get ruined, French front row is without a doubt, the best in the world right now, All Blacks would be second, but by quite a way. France have so much depth in the front row, it is scary.

I predict a close game, probably Boks just edging it though. Don't underestimate the power of the French centres, Yannick Jauzion is among the best in the world and is very solid. Wynand Olivier is good defensively but attacking wise is nothing special, Jaque Fourie is brilliant but after seeing him in the Wales game, he seems to have quietened down a bit since his amazing Super 14 form.

Also, don't forget Yannick Jauzion is 108kg, he is no small fry. I would have prefered Yann David in 13 rather than David Marty, I think that power that Yann David brings is essential, although Marty has an amazing attacking flair. Should be an amazing watch.

Jaque Fourie is big aswell, 105kg. This is a massive clash on every scale, wings, centres, flyhalf, halfback, forwards, everything.

 

[Darwin]

THe new french scru machine. Check the beast...http://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/breves2010/20100604_193146_le-joug.html

I do think we will have the upper hand in the scrums, esp as we have selected a very heavy second row to start. I am a bit worried about the reffing of the scrum though. There's no point in putting pressure on the Bok scrum if you don't get something out of it, like a penalty kick or a turn over...

Some concerns: the "new" breakdown rule that effectively prevents almost any turnover in the rucks. We haven't played with this one at all...

And are we gonna make ground on our ball without the Panzer division of Jauzion and Basta. Mermoz and Marty are much lighter, Servat is not there, Picamoles will probably be out...The team is very very light (loosies and centres esp), which means no linebreaker at all except for Szarsewski and Rougerie.
Rougerie against Aplon is gonna be fun to watch though...

This could be a real issue - it took some Super 14 teams a long time to adjust to these new interpretations. In addition Francois Louw was probably the best player in the whole super 14 at ruck time, with the new rule interpretations really suiting his game - I have a feeling France could really struggle at the breakdown.

 

[MunsterMan]

It is Maxime Mermoz playing 12 for France, a small skillful player who will cause SA problems but in a very different way to Jauzion.

France will have SA in trouble at scrumtime mainly due to the HUGE power coming through from the second row and Millo-Chlusky especially, while the Boks are a bit underpowered without Bakkies. French Front row will also have the upperhand, Domingo and Mas are excellent players even if not the best available (eg. Barcella)

If I was a Saffa I would worry about Aplon, he may be a good tackler but he is 30kg lighter than Rougerie :O who has plenty of pace and is agile too.

 

[rugbywriter]

It is Maxime Mermoz playing 12 for France, a small skillful player who will cause SA problems but in a very different way to Jauzion.

France will have SA in trouble at scrumtime mainly due to the HUGE power coming through from the second row and Millo-Chlusky especially, while the Boks are a bit underpowered without Bakkies. French Front row will also have the upperhand, Domingo and Mas are excellent players even if not the best available (eg. Barcella)

If I was a Saffa I would worry about Aplon, he may be a good tackler but he is 30kg lighter than Rougerie :O who has plenty of pace and is agile too.

No, at the moment Danie Rossouw is much better then Bakkies. He's just as strong.

 

[MunsterMan]

I don't know, I rate Bakkies, Millo-Chlusky and Simon Shaw as the top 3 second row powerhouses come scrum and maul time, Roussouw is a more athletic "around the park" style player in my oppinion. I will concede that I don't watch nearly as much South African rugby as you however, so will take your word for it, but I still expect the Saffa scrum to underpowered tomorrow, and will until I see otherwise for myself.

 

[Peat]

Shaw's only ever in that top 3 when he's fit i.e. virtually never... why we need Attwood to front up!

But going back on topic, I'd expect SA to have a horrid day of it in the scrums. And that's speaking as a big Botha fan...

 

[Darwin]

I don't know, I rate Bakkies, Millo-Chlusky and Simon Shaw as the top 3 second row powerhouses come scrum and maul time, Roussouw is a more athletic "around the park" style player in my oppinion. I will concede that I don't watch nearly as much South African rugby as you however, so will take your word for it, but I still expect the Saffa scrum to underpowered tomorrow, and will until I see otherwise for myself.

Rossouw is a very powerful player, and is in great form at the moment. Whether he is as good as Bakkies Botha as scrumtime is probably debatable, but he is a very similar sort of player.

Another player who would be among the most powerful come scrum time is Brad Thorn - I've heard a number of coaches/players comment on how he is the best scrummaging lock they've ever coached/played with.