Boks to wobble
14 Jul 2006
Keo.co.za has the Boks on a downer in Brisbane. Call this Vodacom Tri Nations opener correctly and you can win a year’s subscription to SA Rugby Magazine.
Earlier in the week we wrote that the Boks would not have the all-round game to beat the Wallabies in Brisbane. Nothing has changed and we’re calling it for the Wallabies by 10 to 15 points. It is consistent with what they’ve done to us in Brisbane in recent times.
All the boasting within the Bok camp has been centred on the pack; the very same pack that got munched by the fiery Frogs in Cape Town. Too much focus has gone on the inexperienced Australian props and the Boks will realise there is more to test match rugby than scrumming two inexperienced front rowers in nine scrums every fourty minutes.
Jake White has gambled by not selecting an openside specialist and again we will see the enormous impact a player like Schalk Burger makes in these type of test matches. Burger’s intensity cannot be replaced because none in the loose-trio provides that kind of intensity. Ricky Januarie needs a monster game; one to match the size of his frame when he arrived at national duty. It was appalling that an international player should report for duty so overweight and out of shape. He now has a chance for redemption, but he is up against the most experienced test player in the history of the game in George Gregan.
The Wallabies captain has reached that stage of his career that no matter what he does he gets criticised, but his play this season has been better than good. Expect him to cause the Boks some trouble and also expect Stephen Larkham to be the architect of a few problems.
The Wallabies definitely have the edge in the backs, on the ground in the chase for the loose-ball and in the lineouts they’ve got a good enough shape to get some quality ball.
South Africa’s front row is stronger and Victor Matfield is world class. That’s where it ends and all the talk of Bok forward power will prove to be just talk.
White also knows that another defeat will add another nail to a coffin that is being prepared for him by the President’s Council, who have long since turned their attentions to White’s successor. The Bok coach has become too influential and too powerful within SA Rugby, just like Nick Mallett did in 2000. Back then it did not matter what results Mallett achieved. The administration wanted him out and they removed him. White is in a similar position. He has become the enemy of his own employers and they are comfortable to see him depart.
In the recent President Council meeting not one of the provincial presidents was supportive of White. None were in favour of a contract extension and the relationship will not be improved. It is a sorry state of affairs when the national coach is fighting an internal battle on par with anything his team will front in the away leg of the Tri Nations.
Locally, the Province Absa Currie Cup match against the Cheetahs should be a cracker, but Free State will prove too rounded for the Watson-inspired WP revival.
The Cheetahs, who have lost just once in their last seven Currie Cup matches against WP, will win by seven to 10.
And in Brisbane the Wallabies will win by 10 to 15.
Score in Brisbane
Wallabies 29 Boks 15
425 Comments
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14 Jul 2006, 17:55 pm
skim
get a job or get back to work!
14 Jul 2006, 18:45 pm
boks 22
Oz 17
An ugly but memorable win
14 Jul 2006, 20:05 pm
I met some of the Bok reserves today at the local gym…
JP Peterson, Chilliboy Rallapelle, Lawrence Sephaka, Brent Russel, Johan Muller and Solly Tybilika!
Pretty shocked to say the least! They’re all pretty cool guys…
Can’t wait for the game, we have 20 tickets, all South Africans! Gonna be wearing our Bok jerseys and shouting for the Boks!
Gooooo Bokke! + Luke!
14 Jul 2006, 20:39 pm
Cab said “really ChiefsFan, i find that strange since the only side to have beaten ABs successively in the last two years are the boks.”
Yes but until SA can play away from home, they are no threat in a World Cup. Your home record is of no importance to Graeme Henry and he won’t mind a loss to keep his team down to earth. So I think he will rest a few players and will definitely keep a few cards up his sleeve tactically. Not that he will set out to lose, merely that the Bok games are *currently* less important than the Wallaby and France games.
If the Boks dispose of Australia handily in Oz, then the NZ-SA matches in the Republic will be more important.
14 Jul 2006, 21:11 pm
Boks 17
Oz 21
14 Jul 2006, 21:11 pm
AUSTRALIA IS GONNA GIVE BOKS A RUGBY LESSON!!!
BOKS IS ONLY STRONG UPFRONT > BUT THEY PLAY STUPID RUGBY, VERY PREDICTABLE > AUSSIE BACKS FAR TO GOOD! HA HA HA!!!
14 Jul 2006, 21:25 pm
Whatever Keo says may still hold true, however, the difference between these sides are marginally and it will come down to creating & taking your your opportunities. That’s why the AB’s were so clinical last week.
14 Jul 2006, 23:31 pm
SA : 23
AUS : 27
14 Jul 2006, 23:32 pm
Chiefy and Cab
There definitely players from the AB squad going to Africa early (a la Argentina) to split the squad and reduce the jet lag/time zone change pressure.
I would say at least some of them will be there to start, so Henry is either resting players in round 6 against Aus or in round 7, the first SA home game.
My guess is a bit of both and I were Henry I’d be sending most of the tight 5 to SA early as it’s the big boys who seem to struggle with travel the most, and our 2nd string front row will still be a match for the Ozzies
It’s not a disrespect to Sa tho’ Cab it’s about what’s best for the team long term. Henry is good at looking at the big picture while we think about this weeks game
14 Jul 2006, 23:49 pm
bokke bokke bokke…..your days of boring unentertaining rugby will be thankfully put to rest in the tri nations this year..take your politics and affirmative action and kill S.A rugby for good,its starting to get very embarrasing that a team is selected on colour..i used to be a die hard supporter but this country beloved S.A has taken its toll on me…
aussies to win comfortably.I HATE TO SAY IT BUT WE ARE GOING DOWN…
SA 22 AUS 34
14 Jul 2006, 23:54 pm
jake white you are a great coach its a pity the guys higher up are not as professional as you are…we need to change S.A rugby now or we are gonna go the way the zimbabwe cricket team has gone,to the deep dark pits of sh!!!”£t please lets get real and select a side that will store pride in the world cup not utter embarassment…please..
14 Jul 2006, 23:56 pm
Let’s see.
No fetcher.
Therefore, back foot ball.
Therefore, JvdW on the back foot receiving the ball.
Pressured, JvdW has proven himself to be a poor distributor and a mediocre tactical kicker.
Result?
Springboks dominate possession with great set pieces, but Australia scores typical counterattacking tries off scrappy Bok ball. Defensively, the Boks will be okay, with the exception of the 10-12-13 combination, which will be exploited ruthlessly all night by the likes of Latham and Larkham. It’s not that they’re bad — it’s that they haven’t played together.
Score?
Australia by 7. 27-20. One Bok try from a maul.
14 Jul 2006, 23:57 pm
oh yess comment 410 i forgot to add that the 22 points the bokke will get will be from 1 try and the rest off percy’s boot
15 Jul 2006, 00:02 am
412 i agree we have no game plan we play 1 dimensional rugby…not bad if you win all the time but we dont so time for total change…i hope i am wrong
15 Jul 2006, 00:05 am
i have said enough bad stuff about the boks 2night,sadly its all true,only they can now prove me wrong..i cant see that happening though..
15 Jul 2006, 00:37 am
plz god!!! im wasnt gonna watch the game but now im gonna watch it just lets all pray for a miricle!! good luck bokke!!
15 Jul 2006, 02:25 am
Wallabies 32 Boks 12
15 Jul 2006, 05:21 am
Post 409 It will really show us where the Boks stand in world rugger. If the Ab’s can beat the boks two in a row then to Henry I would say mission accomplished. I can remember 99 when France annilated the Ab’s and got spanked there after to come fourth. But the players that Henry has now are a cut above what they had in 99
15 Jul 2006, 05:21 am
not sure if aussie will win convincingly. its more a case of the boks not offering consistent resistance. aussie by less than 5.
15 Jul 2006, 05:47 am
GO THE BOKKE!!! Jeez guys 1 loss and you’re all calling for Jake’s head? Pathetic. If the boys play smartly tonight and come out firing their is nothing stopping us from recording a win.
15 Jul 2006, 06:21 am
Matt Gituea maybe a attacking wonderkid but defensively he is a big liability Olivier and Fourie should exploit this and run at him all night. Everyone keeps talking about how Tuqiri is gonna destroy Ndugane well maybe our centres should be thiking the same with Gituea?
Anyway Go Bokke! I am quitely confident they can pull off a upset.
15 Jul 2006, 06:39 am
viper thats awesome, u shouldv challenged sephaka to a bench off, solly is my hero, GO THE BOKKE!
15 Jul 2006, 07:45 am
only 4 hours to go
15 Jul 2006, 09:11 am
Springbokke to do it and win!!!!
15 Jul 2006, 09:40 am
425 and waiting!
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