Tri Nations: All Blacks - Springboks @ Westpac Stadium (30-07-2011, 07:35 GMT)

[Darwin]

Westpac Stadium, Wellington (30-07-2011, 07:35 GMT)

Game two of the 2011 Tri-nations sees the All Blacks facing South Africa at Westpac Stadium, Wellington. The All Blacks looked rusty last week versus Fiji but certainly look in better shape than the Springboks, who were well beaten by Australia. The understrength South African team has suffered several more injury blows, with both Gio Aplon and Flip van der Merwe ruled out of this weeks match. The All Blacks are expected to name a near full strength team, though key forwards Owen Franks, Kevin Mealamu, Brad Thorn, and Keiran Read have all been rested again this week.

 

[FlukeArtist]

never thought i'd say it but....

Its a bit of a nothing game isn't it?

Boks without about- what is it now- 25 players?
ABs not playing about 5 regular starters, and shifting players about.

I'd be pi55ed off if I had made arrangements to travel to the Capital to watch the game before knowing what the teams were going to be.
But then again- its a cup year. This was always on the cards.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I thought ABs would pretty much walk it originally, but now Aplon is gone too, it's going to be a murder

33 - 6 seems to be the biggest victory the ABs have had over SA, and I think we might see a similar margin
Maybe SA will get more points, but I can see ABs winning by 30


Would like to be proven wrong though - for the sake of an exciting game to watch

 

[Sam Owen]

To make matters worse for the 'Boks, I hear the All Blacks are totally focused as if they were playing the 'Boks in the world cup final. Not that you'd expect anything less from the ABs.

Very unfortunate amount of injuries for the 'Boks however if the 'Boks B side start winning, it'll be suprising to see how many of their top players will be back out of injury early, trying to win their jerseys back. The 'Boks wining is hard to see at the moment but the top 'Bok players returning to take over any glory achieved from the B side isnt.

 

[Darwin]

never thought i'd say it but....

Its a bit of a nothing game isn't it?

Boks without about- what is it now- 25 players?
ABs not playing about 5 regular starters, and shifting players about.

I'd be pi55ed off if I had made arrangements to travel to the Capital to watch the game before knowing what the teams were going to be.
But then again- its a cup year. This was always on the cards.

I terms of the Tri-nations, it most likely will be (unless South Africa somehow pull off an upset). This will be a very important game for the AB's in terms of RWC preparation though, as they only have this and 3 more games together as a team before he RWC starts. It is going to be important for building combination, and the players have a lot to play for, as Henry recently admitted their starting 15 is not nailed down yet, and there are still places up for grabs in the 30-man RWC squad (particularly in the outside backs).

According to reports the AB's starting lineup looks like it will be:
Crockett, Hore, B Franks, S Whitelock, Williams, Kaino, McCaw, Thomson/Messem, Cowan, Carter, Guildford, Nonu, Smith, Jane, Muliaina.
SBW is expected to be named on the bench.

It will certainly be a big game for Wyatt Crockett, as he is only in the squad due to Woodcocks injury. He was ok against Fiji, but will want to have a big game v South Africa to really push his case for inclusion in the final 30-man RWC squad. I'm not convinced about Whitelock and Williams as the locks - it will certainly help the AB's lineout, but the scrum may suffer slightly as neither are usually 'tighthead locks'. Williams really needs to up his performance from last week too! I'm not sure what the loose-trio will look like - McCaw has spent much of the week training at 8, but Steve Hansen said today he will start in the 7 Jersey. This means either Messem will again start at 8 (if so he will need a big game) or Thomsom/Kaino will start in the 8 jersey (with McCaw possibly packing down in the number 8 position in attacking scrums).

It sounds they are planning on giving SBW 20-30 mins at 12 inside Nonu, which could be interesting. I looks like Cory Jane will get a chance on the right wing, and certainly has a lot to prove, as this may be his only chance with the likes of Toeava and Gear not far away from returning and Sivivatu looking sharp last week. Guildford too will want to have a strong game for the same reason.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Will be happy to see Kaino back, he's one of my favourite All Blacks


Looks a very strong NZ team, doesn't bode well for the Boks...

 

[dan the man nz]

i reckon the all blacks winning by twelve is simply a formality. lets hope the tab gives me handsome odds.

 

[Sam Owen]

i reckon the all blacks winning by twelve is simply a formality. lets hope the tab gives me handsome odds.

Ahhh...Dan, you dont happen to have a self proclaimed South African cousin who likes to post on here do you?...

 

[Larksea]

My origional feeling was that SA would perform better this weekend after one game and another week together. I only watched the first half of the aussie game but it looked like they had some potential to improve. And they did afterall come back and clock up 20 points against Aussie.

But now after hearing they've lost a couple players to injury I'm not so sure. I think it's more likely now the AB's will put 30 points on them. But that does depend on how the AB's improve from last week and what the selections are. Also depends on the weather, if it's cold and wet it's not likely to be a high scoring match.

part of me kinda hopes the AB lineup will be very similar though I expect Sonny Bill will be involved and Sam Whitelock to start. I'd also like to see Thompson and Messam get another go against a stronger side. Some rotation in the front row and maybe Dan Carter to start as well.

 

[james5000]

Biggest winning margin for NZ vs SA is 52-16 in 2003, I hope we win by 13+ because i'm thinking about putting my account on it

Its only paying $1.60 @ 13+ at the moment though, how confident are you guys of 13+

 

[Black Heart]

If Ali Williams doesn't pull his finger out in this game he needs to be dropped. Keeping hold of a fumbling cripple just for sentimental sake is bs.

Can't wait to see SBW and Nonu let loose with a bit of space aswell.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I thought ABs would pretty much walk it originally, but now Aplon is gone too, it's going to be a murder

33 - 6 seems to be the biggest victory the ABs have had over SA, and I think we might see a similar margin
Maybe SA will get more points, but I can see ABs winning by 30


Would like to be proven wrong though - for the sake of an exciting game to watch

you're missing the game at Loftus a couple of years back when the All Blacks beat the Boks 52-16. i was at that game...

but i don't think it will be a slaughter as everyone suspects, Patrick Lambie will slot in to the Full back position in place of Aplon and let's hope they boks use the same tactic as the aussies did with swopping cooper and Ioane last week. let Lambie be fly half on attack with morne at full back and on defence Lambie at full back.

I saw on tv kankowski training as a lock... might be a good idea to have him there in the mix...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I'm just hoping we keep it respectable. A losing bonus point would be great or keeping NZ down to 3 tries but if the margin is less than 15 I'd be a happy man. I hope these guys give a better account of themselves with 1 game and a week more together behind them. Still, the selections seem stop-gap and just goes to show PdV has no, zero absolutely nada, idea of what he is trying to achieve other than resting key players because Jake White did the same 4 years ago (in totally different circumstances). Then again, our injuries are legit even if it looks suspicious (at least according to the people I've talked to who are in the know, though I cant really say about the non-Stormer Springboks) so there's very little he can do apart from forcing players who can play but aren't 100% and taking a gamble.

 

[SelimNiai]

Based on last week then SA are going to be battered more than an overcooked chippy dinner. Hope not though, want a good close proper Tri-Nations game

 

[TRF_Olyy]

you're missing the game at Loftus a couple of years back when the All Blacks beat the Boks 52-16. i was at that game...

Ah, I just scrolled down the Wikipedia page looking at the scores, must've gone right past that one

 

[Shaggy]

I'm just hoping we keep it respectable. A losing bonus point would be great or keeping NZ down to 3 tries but if the margin is less than 15 I'd be a happy man. I hope these guys give a better account of themselves with 1 game and a week more together behind them. Still, the selections seem stop-gap and just goes to show PdV has no, zero absolutely nada, idea of what he is trying to achieve other than resting key players because Jake White did the same 4 years ago (in totally different circumstances). Then again, our injuries are legit even if it looks suspicious (at least according to the people I've talked to who are in the know, though I cant really say about the non-Stormer Springboks) so there's very little he can do apart from forcing players who can play but aren't 100% and taking a gamble.

Are well, it is what it is, and you can only play the personnel that have been selected ... although I did read reports that the injured players were training in Rustenburg with Rassie Erasmus, and that P.Div is denying it

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/5348940/De-Villiers-denies-fake-injuries

... anyway, I don't want to hijack the thread ... I expect that both teams will play better than they did last week, but the AB's will win comfortably

 

[Darwin]

All Blacks side announced:
Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Zac Guildford, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Adam Thomson, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Ali Williams, Ben Franks, Andrew Hore, Wyatt Crockett.
Reserves: Corey Flynn, John Afoa, Jarrad Hoeata, Liam Messam, Piri Weepu, Colin Slade, Sonny Bill Williams

Side as expected - though Thomson has been named at 8 I'd expect McCaw to spend at least as much time as Thomson (if not more time) packing at the back of the scrum. I'm assuming the Boks side will be named sometime today.

 

[Larksea]

All Blacks side announced:
Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Zac Guildford, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Adam Thomson, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Ali Williams, Ben Franks, Andrew Hore, Wyatt Crockett.
Reserves: Corey Flynn, John Afoa, Jarrad Hoeata, Liam Messam, Piri Weepu, Colin Slade, Sonny Bill Williams

Side as expected - though Thomson has been named at 8 I'd expect McCaw to spend at least as much time as Thomson (if not more time) packing at the back of the scrum. I'm assuming the Boks side will be named sometime today.

Will see, I think the main idea is to give Thompson time on the openside rather than 8 but at the same time McCaw needs as much gametime as he can get to get himself back into form. Thompson's move to 8 kinda mifs me a bit. He wasn't good there at all the couple of chances he get there for the highlanders this year. One of the later matches when he went to 8 he got the stuffing knocked out of him and it proved to be the highlanders downfall after Manu was so good for most of the match.

Good to see Cory jane get a shot. Sivivatu took his chance last week and got a lot of praise. Interestingly he's not in this week.

This is going to be a very important game for Jane and Guildford. Hosea Gear and Richard Kahui should be fit and ready for the next game so they need to take their chance now. Also pressure on Messam to add something off the bench as Kieran Read should be back next week too.

 

[Darwin]

Will see, I think the main idea is to give Thompson time on the openside rather than 8 but at the same time McCaw needs as much gametime as he can get to get himself back into form. Thompson's move to 8 kinda mifs me a bit. He wasn't good there at all the couple of chances he get there for the highlanders this year. One of the later matches when he went to 8 he got the stuffing knocked out of him and it proved to be the highlanders downfall after Manu was so good for most of the match.

I thought Thomson played fine in the few times he moved to number 8 for the Highlanders this year. He was outstanding when he played at number 8 for Otago before he was injured in last years ITM Cup too. I'm actually much more comfortable with Thomson at 8 than at 7 (though Thomson did do a good job when he moved to the openside against Fiji). I believe McCaw and Thomson will both play off the back of the scrum at times - if they are in their 22 McCaw may be used to crash up a few meters, while in attacking position they may try to use Thomson's pace off the back off the scrum.

Good to see Cory jane get a shot. Sivivatu took his chance last week and got a lot of praise. Interestingly he's not in this week.

This is going to be a very important game for Jane and Guildford. Hosea Gear and Richard Kahui should be fit and ready for the next game so they need to take their chance now. Also pressure on Messam to add something off the bench as Kieran Read should be back next week too.

I just read that Sivivatu wasn't considered this week due to a knee injury.

 

[dan the man nz]

if the weathers fine and the bok lineup is as ****-poor as last week then yes 13+ all the way. otherwise just go safe with an outright win and you stikll go home with cash.