Boks will storm to win
23 Jun 2006
Home ground advantage will swing Saturday’s one-off test against the French the way of the home team in Cape Town.
Is this French team good enough to beat the Boks? For sure.
Will they beat the Boks? Unlikely.
All indications from within the French camp are that they are pysched for the test. They want to give teammate, the South African-born Pieter de Villiers, a memorable occasion after the frontranker spent the week mourning the death of his younger brother. The French, it is said, have something to play for. The emotion, so necessary when France turn it on, is said to be there.
The Boks, though, also have something to play for. Individually, De Wet Barry and Pedrie Wannenburg are playing for their test careers and continued involvement in the World Cup plans. Barry has in the past produced inspirational one-off performances and that is why he has been picked to terrorise the French. His strength, his rush defence, can also be his vulnerability as he has been culpable of rushing out of line. New Zealand a few years ago took him out of the game by skipping the inside centre and setting up their plays from the outside centre channel. France may just have studied that tape.
Barry remains a factor at Newlands, where his defence will be critical to the Boks’ ability to force the irrational out of the French attack.
The Boks don’t lose easily at home. They have not lost in 13 matches and going unbeaten in 14 I am told is a new record. It is a different record, in my opinion, but it does not compare with those teams who won 13 successive times at home. This Bok side won six, then drew one which broke the winning sequence. They now have six wins in succession again and are playing for number seven.
The unbeaten home run has become an obsession within the squad when it should really be a matter of course. The All Blacks have won 18 in succession at home and have lost just three times in five years at home. Quality teams like New Zealand and South Africa are expected to win at home.
It would take a special effort from the French to beat a Bok team that has structure, is well organised and is well coached. But if one team can produce that something special it is France.
My hunch is they won’t be able to because their pack won’t get the momentum that turns their back division from solid into spectacular.
France, by all accounts, believe that playing a conservative game against the Boks gives them more of a chance. They were hurt in Durban and Port Elizabeth last year by intercepts and breakaway tries, all a result of their own mistakes on attack.
Bok coach Jake White is comfortable if a conservative French side arrives because he believes he has a pack that can’t be troubled by the visitors. The loss of Schalk Burger cannot be underestimated. His ability to slow ball down at the breakdown and to commit two and three defenders to the ruck won’t be replaced. None in the Bok loose-trio can play that kind of game. None of the current loose-forwards can keep two or three Frenchmen busy at ruck time. And not one of the loose-forwards reads the game as well as Burger.
The Boks, without Burger, are like the All Blacks without McCaw. Both teams lose intensity at the breakdown. We saw how average the Boks were against the Pumas last year when Burger warmed the bench. And in the second 40 we saw his impact.
To win, the Boks are going to have to produce a team effort similar to the one we saw in Port Elizabeth a yea ago when the Boks pulverised the French 27-13.
They are going to have to put France under pressure for 80 minutes and this unrelenting intensity will cause the visitors to self-destruct.
There will be life after Schalk Burger, but Saturday will give us an indication of the quality of life we can expect for the rest of the international season.
The bones’s call: Boks by 15 and Habana to get two seven pointers on the break!
In other tests, Australia will be too clinical for Ireland and the All Blacks will win narrowly in Buenos Aires, although the best result for the game would be a first ever Pumas win against the All Blacks.
As for the Baby Boks … victory against host France … and by more than the four points they got in the league win against them a week ago.
292 Comments
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23 Jun 2006, 14:36 pm
There’s only one CC game on tv this weekend ? Tonight’s game the bulls game ?
How can that be ? only one game being broadcast
23 Jun 2006, 14:37 pm
Spook and Skim,
You brothers/sisters/related somehow…..
23 Jun 2006, 14:38 pm
barb of aucland,
How you doing man…..
23 Jun 2006, 14:38 pm
brickwall,
i’m having a pussycat moment, (rough table meeting last night..) do you mean JF or FDP?
23 Jun 2006, 14:41 pm
Bluebarb
Jaques Fourie
23 Jun 2006, 14:45 pm
Hows everybody
Well I’m settled in at my new home
Computer back on line so good to be back
Bokke, Lions, Bulls, Cheetahs, Wp to win.
Take it, Ive seen all the games already.
Anyone interested drop me a line and I’ll make you a copy
23 Jun 2006, 14:46 pm
No worries blue
23 Jun 2006, 14:47 pm
Bluebarb – you kill Jorrie……
There will always be ambulance chasers
23 Jun 2006, 14:48 pm
Hmmm
My bru. It sounds like you did not get my mail.
23 Jun 2006, 14:52 pm
IG – are your guys trying to find out what is happening with Jake? The announcement of his contract was cancelled. Please find out!!
Thanks bigg (top 20 poster)
23 Jun 2006, 14:54 pm
Bigg – check out 235…..
23 Jun 2006, 15:00 pm
hello deep thought,
things are a bit fragile today. rough night..just had 9 koeksusters, and the sugar rush is slowly coming on.
23 Jun 2006, 15:01 pm
Ig,
i was toying with the idea of shooting the lawyer and pistolwhipping Jorrie to death..
23 Jun 2006, 15:04 pm
bluebarb
that still doesnt take care of gus “the gas man” theron
23 Jun 2006, 15:09 pm
ROLF – good solution Bluebarb….i probably switch em round….beating the lawyer would be satisfying
23 Jun 2006, 15:13 pm
Ig – thanks, Do you think it is still on track?
23 Jun 2006, 15:15 pm
bluebarb,208 I don’t what it is but he just isn’t the same as 2 years ago, Everyone has a dip that said if we are aiming at playing a fast paced game then clearing the ruck quickly is vital.
For what it’s worth Jake has missed his opportunity for Ruan to have a real go and push for a tri spot.It creates competetion and FDP then doesn’t rest on his laurels.
23 Jun 2006, 15:16 pm
Steady Eddie to once again lay the steady platform for victory. Go Eddie! Go Bokke!
23 Jun 2006, 15:16 pm
yoda,
the question is in the answer. a bit of gas, a bit of fire and your problems will dissapear in a puff of smoke..
23 Jun 2006, 15:16 pm
Mossel on 233, and others, are correct – we don’t have a backline – or rather one that is flowing – see Aussies, Kiwis, French, Irish and Argies for what I’m talking about.
There is a view expressed quite often above that if the French have come for the wine they’re toast. Not so. It doesn’t matter if they are all baableass. Josh Kronfeld played was invited to play for the French Barbarians against the Springboks and was just horrified at the lack of preaparation – they hadn’t even discussed strategy running onto the field; one guy actually drank 12 espressos for his hangover in front of fitness-fanatic Kronfeld. He thought a slaughter was coming up.
Guess who won – clue: it wasn’t the Boks.
Nobody knows who will turn up until it starts – but if they are playing for Pieter de Villiers brother ….
I think with all the Bok-bashing and their poor performance last week the Boks are also likely to turn up and if it rains heavily Percy will win it with penalties and team-defence (if it is very wet).
Both sides to show up – if it’s dry and France are on song – they will win.
John Cowper – Detroit
23 Jun 2006, 15:18 pm
i’d have ruan in the 15 ahead of FDP without even thinking about it..
23 Jun 2006, 15:18 pm
Bigg – i hope so – we have no-one to replace him realistically, but also i don’t see Jake jumping ship pre the WC…..
The extension should go ahead.
23 Jun 2006, 15:22 pm
At this level of the game you don’t really need a coach. The players should be the finished article and just need to be managed. That is why in footbal for example most of the top coaches were not high profile players.
But then again our players are not the finished article when they get selected for the Bok team. Like Pierre Spies for example. He is an excellent young player. Give him 2 years to develop and he will be a great.
But I bet you Jake is probably going to select him for the Trinations. If not definitely for the EOYT.
23 Jun 2006, 15:34 pm
My brain has not yet engaged.
Those lobotomies are finally taking effect.
23 Jun 2006, 15:39 pm
capes,
I got it eventually.
You missed a game..the second boks vs frog game (the baby version)…..who to be victorious…or is that the only one you haven’t seen.
23 Jun 2006, 15:41 pm
No must have missed that one
23 Jun 2006, 15:45 pm
Coffee anyone?
23 Jun 2006, 15:46 pm
cms 167,
I agree…..anyone that plays from the bench for Wp can’t be that good…..
23 Jun 2006, 15:48 pm
O well capes, then we will have to wait and see what happens on Sunday evening
23 Jun 2006, 15:49 pm
Ig
Get Keo to roll the bones again and tell us if the JW story will affect the result in any way.
23 Jun 2006, 16:13 pm
Yes dawn,
And not the vending machine ****** type thank you……..
23 Jun 2006, 16:28 pm
Too optimistic. As South Africans we tend 2 believe every time Springboks play, they’ll win. This time they up a very good French side who are hell-bent to beat ‘em @ home, giving ‘em psychological edge for next year’s WC @ home. The only possibility of a storm would be Cape Town weather.
23 Jun 2006, 16:34 pm
12 people are killed by vending machines falling on them each year.
23 Jun 2006, 17:07 pm
kamate,
Not optimistic, patriotic…..
we believe in our boy’s and one thing (although boring most of the time) is that they never seem to be embarrassed, they know where to dig and how deep to go…..
23 Jun 2006, 17:09 pm
skim,
660 people break a limb by slipping on, or trying to avoid, dogshit in Paris each year.
23 Jun 2006, 17:48 pm
lol cab…
23 Jun 2006, 18:20 pm
I have a question for Keo:
If this Bok team “has structure, is well organised, and well coached” then why can’t they get quick ball? Or does winning quick ball fall into the domain of individual brilliance?
24 Jun 2006, 09:06 am
Bash them Barry! Just don’t get sent off please.
24 Jun 2006, 09:40 am
HELP – anyone who can tell me where I can watch the game here in Nottingham, England? Most pubs I go to are just showing the world cup!!
cheers!
24 Jun 2006, 10:32 am
Good one, Viper6!
Go Barry – Go Bokke – and do what you boys need to do!
24 Jun 2006, 17:33 pm
Viper6
After Barry’s performance you must be feeling like a garden snake.
24 Jun 2006, 17:34 pm
The bones got it wrong again. They should be condemned to extinction.
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