England v South Africa

[mohamed_ali12]

​

Thought I'd get this one started nice and early.

Would expect to see Cole, Moody and Tindall come back into the starting team.

From an England point of view, I would guess:

1. Sheridan
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Palmer
6. Croft
7. Moody (c)
8. Easter
9. Youngs
10. Flood
11. Cueto
12. Hape
13. Tindall
14. Ashton
15. Foden

16. Thompson
17. Wilson
18. Attwood
19. Fourie
20. Care
21. Hodgson
22. Banahan

I reckon England will win this one, but not by much.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Same team I expect to see as well,
Attwoods done more with his time than Shaw did, and Banahan has been better than Armitage
Boks are going to hurting after losing to Scotland so I imagine they'll come out all guns blazing. England by 7ish I think

 

[Sam Owen]

This will be a very good game. I think this would be the most interesting game for this week. England the pride of the NH so far and the 'boks looking to restore some.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

My favourite 15 to start would be these ones:

--Mtawarira-B. du Plessis-J. du Plessis--
-------Botha---------Matfield----------
--Daniel-------Alberts-----Smith-------
-------------Hougaard----------------
--------------M. Steyn----------------
------de Villiers-----Lambie------------
--Mvovo---------------------Aplon----
--------------F. Steyn----------------


It would give Mvovo, Lambie, Daniel and Alberts a decent chance in a nice match to play. I expect Kirchner, Stegmann, Spies and Ndungane to play in stead. It's still PdV

 

[smartcooky]

--Mtawarira-B. du Plessis-J. du Plessis--
-------Botha---------Matfield----------
--Daniel-------Alberts-----Smith-------
--------------M. Steyn----------------
-------------Hougaard----------------
------de Villiers-----Lambie------------
--Mvovo---------------------Aplon----
--------------F. Steyn----------------

Interesting.... Morne Steyn at scrumhalf & Francois Hougaard at fly-half?

You sure you're not related to PDV? (no insult intended, just asking!!)

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Sorry, I mixed them up. GRRR

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I hope Willem Alberts decides to try some Sushi at a petrol station the night before the match

 

[gingergenius]

i hope for:

1. Sheridan
2. Thompson
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Palmer
6. Croft
7. Moody
8. Easter
9. Youngs
10. Flood
11. Cueto
12. Hape
13. Tindall
14. Ashton
15. Foden

16. Hartley
17. Wilson
18. Attwood
19. Haskell
20. Care
21. don't care
22. Armitage

 

[Teh Mite]

Being as it'll be -10'C on Friday night, don't anybody expect a fast paced, backs orientated match. For that matter, if it snows as heavily as the radio prophesied this morning, don't expect it to go ahead.

 

[Jer1cho]

If we fire our coach today, and replace him with a giraffe, we might have a shot. Otherwise no, we will lose. Spectacularly. Not going to bother naming a starting line-up, because it won't be what it should.

I'm really hoping England can beat us by a record margin. It's the only hope we have of getting a new coach before not making it past the group stages next year with Helium -please kick the ball away - de Villiers.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

For that matter, if it snows as heavily as the radio prophesied this morning, don't expect it to go ahead.

It's England v South Africa, not London Wasps vs London Wasps Academy

Pictured: Real rugby players

(image from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ru...uarter-final-spot-second-half-turnaround.html)

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Rugby in the snow. That will be something to remember haha.

 

[Shedhead #1]

Deffo want to see Tindall back in to the centres. He aint no wolrd beater, but Banahan isn't and never will be an International centre. Lambie has looked very shaky on this tour so far and i'd be sending Tinds down his channel on crash ball all afternoon. Yet to be convinced by Palmer, though its hard to crab anything he's done on this tour so far. Wouldnt hurt to see someone with a bit more dynamism at the breakdown get a chance i.e Attwood. Was really impressed with Fourie on Saturday, dont expect him to start, but his carrying would be an asset this weekend against the big Saffers.

 

[ShaheenJ]

Not looking forward to this one. Kinda ridiculous to want your country to lose a game of Rugby especially to old rivals such as England, but hey, what's there to do? How else are we gonna get rid of our coach, put a bounty on his head?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Allen, Simpson-Daniel and Robshaw have all been called up,
Don't see why though, as none of them will be even considered for the squad (though Robshaw on the Bench, Allen in the centres would be quality)

 

[gingergenius]

olyy stop tickling me.. you for real?

 

[iWin]

With those call ups, I'm praying for a Hape-Allen centre pair with JSD and Robshaw on the bench.
That said, Banahan and Fourie/ Haskell wouldn't be bad bench options but for English rugby in general I hope the others get in.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think Fourie will be ahead of Haskell for the bench after last week - Fourie was quality, whereas Haskell was solid but not outstanding
Not sure who'll be there out of Armitage/Banahan,
Armitage plays FB as well as wing/centre so that'll put him a notch above, but he was used as 13 cover against NZ and Aus, so they might be using the 22 as a midfield replacement, as Hodgson only plays 10 (like against Samoa where he came on and Flood moved to 12)
If Foden went off injured then I suppose Cueto (or at a very big push Ashton, as he played there in league) could cover FB with Banahan taking their place on the wing

Read an interview earlier where Haskell said he's targeting the England 7 shirt (probably realised he's not going to beat Croft for the 6) - Will be interesting to see if he mentions this to Stade Francais and gets some game time there for them,

 

[iWin]

As has been said elsewhere, England have a great wealth of talent in the back row.
I would happily have a Croft, Haskell, Easter back row, but similarly Fourie, Robshaw, Saul, Crane, Dowson, Wood, Skinner, Narraway, Moody and Guest have all made strong cases for themselves to a greater or lesser degree.
Can't wait to see what this sort of talent can develop into.

 

[primalskalas]

First things first aslong as stuart dickinson isint the Ref RSA stands a chance, if the boks can get a gameplan that would also help alot i mean how many times have you seen the wingers get the ball allmost never!!!!!! scotlands wingers got the ball more in one game the RSA's wingers gets in a season!!! and i mean cmon who would choose ruan pienaar instead of francios hougaard the guy is just brilliant, the kicking game isint working for us if that "poephol" of a coach of us cant see it he is blind, we should punish them by playing with our backline we have serious speed on the wings. would love to see some tries from them I love my country im a bok and allways will be.