Rugby Championship: Australia - South Africa (08/09/2012)

[Darwin]

Subiaco Oval, Perth (08-09-2012, 10:35 GMT)

Referee: N Owens
Assistants: W Barnes & G Jackson
Television match official: M Goddard


​

 

[TRF_heineken]

Right, So South Africa landed on Sunday afternoon in Perth, they will have a gym session on monday just to flush out any tiredness from the flight and will resume with training on Tuesday.

I'm very interested to see the Bok 22 for this match.

 

[Darwin]

As I've stated on another thread, if I was Aussie coach (my nickname would be 'Dingo Darwin') I would go with the following Wallabies 22:

1. Robinson, 2. Moore, 3. Alexander, 4. Timani, 5. Sharpe, 6. Gill, 7. Hooper, 8. Samo, 9. Genia, 10. Cooper, 11. Ioane, 12. Tapuai, 13. Ashley-Cooper, 14. Shipperly, 15. Beale
Reserves: 16. Polota-Nau, 17. Slipper, 18. Simmons, 19. Dennis, 20. Phipps, 21. Barnes, 22. Horne

I can't see that happening though - I would predict Deans will again include the likes of Higginbotham, Barnes, Faingaa and Horne in his starting lineup....

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Australian team announced:

15. Kurtley Beale
14. Dominic Shipperley
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
12. Berrick Barnes
11. Digby Ioane
10. Quade Cooper
9. Will Genia (c)
8. Radike Samo
7. Michael Hooper
6. Dave Dennis
5. Nathan Sharpe
4. Sitaleki Timani
3. Ben Alexander
2. Stephen Moore
1. Benn Robinson
Reserves:
16. Tatafu Polota Nau
17. James Slipper
18. Scott Higginbotham
19. Liam Gill
20. Nick Phipps
21. Mike Harris
22. Anthony Fainga'a

That's... closer to what the fans wanted I think, and rather ballsy.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

vBookie Wallabies-Springboks

vBookie added

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I really hope we see a backrow of Louw-Coetzee-Alberts with Vermeulen off the bench, Pienaar-Lambie as the halfback pairing with JdV-JdJ as centers and F. Steyn full-back

 

[TRF_heineken]

The Bok team will be announced tomorrow as usual with Heyneke.

From the reports I saw on TV and read on News24, all indications are there that Francois Hougaard will play on the wing, and Ruan Pienaar will start at 9. With only Francois Louw a change in the forwards in the place of Jacques Potgieter.

Strauss was the only injury concern after the Argentina clash and is still being monitored, so we could be forced to start Tiaan Liebenberg and have Craig Burden on the bench.

 

[Darwin]

Australian team announced:

15. Kurtley Beale
14. Dominic Shipperley
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
12. Berrick Barnes
11. Digby Ioane
10. Quade Cooper
9. Will Genia (c)
8. Radike Samo
7. Michael Hooper
6. Dave Dennis
5. Nathan Sharpe
4. Sitaleki Timani
3. Ben Alexander
2. Stephen Moore
1. Benn Robinson
Reserves:
16. Tatafu Polota Nau
17. James Slipper
18. Scott Higginbotham
19. Liam Gill
20. Nick Phipps
21. Mike Harris
22. Anthony Fainga'a

That's... closer to what the fans wanted I think, and rather ballsy.

A better lineup in my opinion. Good to see Higginbotham dropped back to the bench, though I would have been tempted to go with dual opensides (though I expect we will see that for the last 20-30 mins). I like the backline apart from Barnes at 12 - I still think they need a more direct runner there to complement Cooper, and allow him to play his natural game.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

edited out for pointless.

 

[welshglory]

I think they should have stuck with Higginbotham and played him in his preferred position at 6. Maybe Dean's has dropped him because he's lost some confidence, but Dennis has hardly earned a starting spot.

 

[SomeOke]

The Bok team will be announced tomorrow as usual with Heyneke.

From the reports I saw on TV and read on News24, all indications are there that Francois Hougaard will play on the wing, and Ruan Pienaar will start at 9. With only Francois Louw a change in the forwards in the place of Jacques Potgieter.

Strauss was the only injury concern after the Argentina clash and is still being monitored, so we could be forced to start Tiaan Liebenberg and have Craig Burden on the bench.

If this is true it's extremely good news. At least HM is acknowledging that something needs to change and I do think that would be a positive one.
If Morne get's dropped as well I will be ecstatic but I doubt that will happen.

I'm not exactly optimistic. The Wallaby team looks sexy, but I think we are in there with an outside chance.

 

[Darwin]

I think they should have stuck with Higginbotham and played him in his preferred position at 6. Maybe Dean's has dropped him because he's lost some confidence, but Dennis has hardly earned a starting spot.

I think Deans has decided that it would be better to have 8 forwards this week, rather than 8 backs

 

[welshglory]

More like 7 forwards

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Awesome good to see AAC at centre and shipperley into the 15.

 

[welshglory]

The problem is will Digby, Shiperly or Beale even get the ball? AAC like Horne, although not as bad hardly passes the ball

 

[TRF_heineken]

We must also bear in mind that this will be the first time since the RWC quarter final that these 2 teams will meet again... This time there is no Bryce Lawrence or David Pocock for the Aussies...

Us bok fans are still hurting, so I can imagine how some of the players would feel. It's Revenge time!

 

[madflyhalf]

Will this match show who's right?

Dingo in his previous selection, we criticized so much, but underlining lack of depth in test player in Australia?

We all (me too) thinking this is the best 22 available at this stage?


BTW, thank God Higginbotham and Horne dropped!

Though I've started Alexander and Slipper... but at this time, Bokke scrummaging could be more "affordable" than ever.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Though I've started Alexander and Slipper... but at this time, Bokke scrummaging could be more "affordable" than ever.

What do you mean affordable?

For once we have 2 good tightheads, and Strauss is not at all bad in the scrums. We didn't struggle at all in the scrums vs. the Great Argies and their scrum power.

 

[madflyhalf]

Your opinion about Cilliers, I liked him in Super Rugby but he has few minutes at this stage.
Also JdP is solid but slightly out of form, Strauss is given at 80% of fitness at best...

This is NOT what anyone expected in the startin TRC campaign, so IMO yes is much more affordable than ever (well in recent years, when also Steekamp was there and BdP of course).

If they lose Strauss dunno what can happen to the scrum with Liebenberg and Burden

 

[Icemn]

The Bok team will be announced tomorrow as usual with Heyneke.

Is it just me or is this the tactic that heyneke uses? proving that he doen't have game plan and that his plan is to spoil the other teams tactics... he doesn't announce his team, he 1st waits to see who starts and who is on the bench, then guess the other teams game plan based on the players and combinations etc. Then picks his team and players to out muscle the opposition :? i could be wrong, as always