[RWC2023] South Africa vs Scotland (10/09/2023)

[OllyM97]

33-12 Springboks. I would fancy Scotland more against France and NZ who play a wider game. SA will be too strong and tactically savvy to give Scotland a sniff. I think they will do to the Scots what they did to us in the last RWC final. Relatively close at HT then SA to pull away.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I disagree, Springboks are happy to play without the ball, statistically they win the games they have less possession. We trust our defence above all else, if they try and play then they need to make damn sure they can match us at the breakdowns and collisions. We are known to kick it to a team and say here have the ball, try and get through us, dont make mistakes in your half.

Funnily enough I think SA should try to keep the ball a lot more in this pool than for the rest of the comp. Scotland need a lot of ball to win (not necessarily a higher possession % but a lot of touches for sure) and Ireland want it pretty badly too.

Despite this being one of the biggest fixtures of the pools on paper and Scotland playing a great style of rugby I'm not massively excited. I think SA will choke the life out of Scotland and win comfortably but in an unspectacular fashion.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Springboks:

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche. 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Duane Vermeulen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Willie le Roux


Glad to see Marx retained as starter.
Good to see 6-2. I was hoping to see a return too 5-3 but with 7-1 seemingly not beyond us I'll take the 6-2 split! Wouldn't put it past Rassie to go 7-1 or even a full 8 just to troll.
Happy to see Arendse in there but was hoping to see Moodie make it as well. Between those two and Kolbe passes cannot be forced. Not that Kriel has been poor mind you, I just thought that for this fixture in particular Moodies strengths would've shone.
Over the moon to see Williams on the bench. Would've preferred Smith ahead of MVS but can see the rationale if you consider Smith as an 8 (which I don't necessarily).
Overall happy enough.

 

[Jer1cho]

We have a strong team. Everyone knows how I feel re Marx. He simply must start. Not one player in that 15 is off form bar perhaps Wiese. Williams is gonna slap when he comes on. Guy has the potential to be one of the stars this WC. He is so good to watch.

 

[Becca]

Apparently Moodie has a hamstring strain.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I disagree, Springboks are happy to play without the ball, statistically they win the games they have less possession. We trust our defence above all else, if they try and play then they need to make damn sure they can match us at the breakdowns and collisions. We are known to kick it to a team and say here have the ball, try and get through us, dont make mistakes in your half.

You'll know more about the Boks, but I'm guessing the Pumas, Wallabies and (to lesser extent) ABs are all pretty ball hungry and reduce the average possession time of the Boks given these are their most played opponents?

 

[Which Tyler]

You'll know more about the Boks, but I'm guessing the Pumas, Wallabies and (to lesser extent) ABs are all pretty ball hungry and reduce the average possession time of the Boks given these are their most played opponents?

Have the AB's ever really cared that much about possession? They're more interested in getting the ball, scoring a try, and handing possession back again IMO.
Plenty of AB matches have seen them win on 35%ish possession.

 

[duncanb]

Scotland must try and run the Boks raged, if they can they are in with a shout.
Boks pack however is a mighty machine that I think will see them through.

 

[Grizwald]

I fancied the Scots for this one, more so than them getting one over on Ireland who are more familiar.

Then that game at Twickenham happened and I guess like a lot of people made me re-think where SA are at. I reckon it will go one of two ways, a tight cagey affair with the Scots edging it or they'll get blown away by two scores or more.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

No. No you do not.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

No. No you do not.

Agreed, did think that was funny to be fair though!

 

[AlRums]

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Bold move to go with Kinghorn as the 10 cover. Will be a serious problem if Russell goes down early.

 

[General Melchett]

I like the starting 15 but am miffed that G Horne didn't make the 23. He's in better form than Price and is a better replacement with more zip to his game.

 

[AlRums]

Bold move to go with Kinghorn as the 10 cover. Will be a serious problem if Russell goes down early.

Kinghorn moves up and smith comes on. Same as it would probably be if Russell was unavailable

 

[AlRums]

I like the starting 15 but am miffed that G Horne didn't make the 23. He's in better form than Price and is a better replacement with more zip to his game.

Price has all that experience playing against the boks from the lions tour

 

[retired9]

Kinghorn moves up and smith comes on. Same as it would probably be if Russell was unavailable

I'd far rather see Healy on the bench as 10 cover tbh

Also quite annoyed Horne isn't named either, he is an absolute menace around the ruck

 

[AlRums]

I'd far rather see Healy on the bench as 10 cover tbh

Also quite annoyed Horne isn't named either, he is an absolute menace around the ruck

Forgot about Healey

 

[AlRums]

I'm hearing reports that Horne is suffering from a concussion sustained from training