Smith, Stirling for special attention
7 Aug 2009
John Smit singled out George Smith and Stirling Mortlock as the players who will pose the biggest threat in the Wallaby team they face on Saturday.
Smit described how the entire Wallaby squad were a quality unit – including the coaching staff headed by Robbie Deans – but highlighted the efforts of centurion Smith and captain Mortlock as the individuals who the side is built around.
‘Australia have a number of stalwarts, but if I have to single out there are a couple of guys,’ said Smit. ‘We were talking about George the other day and in those 100 Tests – and you can also include the Super 14 in this – we can’t remember when he had a bad game. He is just so consistent.
‘You can put Stirling in the same bracket. Around that pair they also have a number of quality players. Under Robbie they have emphasised the all-round effort and evolved, so we can expect what we’ve got from them in the last couple of years – and more.’
At the Sharks and with the Boks, the South African sides have continuously gone into games as clear favourites against the Australians. The result has not always gone as expected, and Smit realised the visitors have repeatedly worked out a blueprint to topple the Boks.
‘They have different strengths to the All Blacks,’ said Smit. ‘They prepare well, they do their homework, and they probably dissect South African rugby better than most. They have many ideas to beat us and have really engineered those wins over us.’
The Cape Town weather has cleared on Friday morning and is expected to be perfect for rugby by Saturday’s 5pm kick-off.
‘Whether it rains or the sun comes out, it makes no difference to our preparations. It’s one of my favourite cliches, but it will be the same for both sides. It would be good to have a dry pitch and see both teams showing all facets and strengths of their game,’ said Smit.
The Boks have been placed as favourites, not only for this Test, but the entire tournament, and Smit was quick to emphasise how they haven’t achieved anything extraordinary with their last couple of wins.
‘Everyone has put our name on the cup already, but we’ve only done the norm,’ he said. ‘We’ve just won two of our home games and need to win another. You only start to claim for the title when you get on that plane. It’s how you travel that really matters.’
By Grant Ball, in Cape Town
18 Comments
7 Aug 2009, 10:13 am
Gits?
7 Aug 2009, 10:16 am
It’s how you travel that really matters.’
…. stem saam…
7 Aug 2009, 10:24 am
Can’t wait to see how brussow measures up against smith
7 Aug 2009, 10:37 am
fourie will dominate matlock just wish him and devilliers and mre playing time together frm the start of the british tests
7 Aug 2009, 10:44 am
#3 superbowljoel: it is difficult to judge … only when each pack is equally balanced
7 Aug 2009, 10:46 am
“They have many ideas to beat us and have really engineered those wins over us.”
I think this is very good comment by Smit, its true, they are a very clever savvy sporting nation.
7 Aug 2009, 10:55 am
The most important comment from our captain is this one:
“Everyone has put our name on the cup already, but we’ve only done the norm,’ he said. ‘We’ve just won two of our home games and need to win another. You only start to claim for the title when you get on that plane. It’s how you travel that really matters.”
Says it all about this group of Springboks…
7 Aug 2009, 10:59 am
The Boks will find it harder to klap these Aussies than the All Blacks.
Snor, ****, Gary, John, Victor and Fourie had beter of read their copy of Rugby for Dummies this week.
7 Aug 2009, 11:16 am
loosehead,yeah, i guess they read it a few weeks back…the boks should never try and play kiwi or oz kinda rugby,the only thing the sjould do is play springbok rugby
7 Aug 2009, 11:46 am
ja iam not sure if i should be worried or not, as the boks might not win this one
7 Aug 2009, 11:51 am
SA 36- AUS 32
7 Aug 2009, 11:57 am
I can only hope that last week’s up-and-unders were the result of a caluculated game plan based on good technical analysis of the All Blacks. If that game plan “just happened to work on the day” then we will struggle against the Ozzies.
7 Aug 2009, 12:11 pm
#12 Yetirat: I think (hope!) that it was a calculated game plan specifically for the AB’s and the playing conditions.
I would be very surprised if we try to play exactly the sam plan against the Aussies.
7 Aug 2009, 12:44 pm
As usual, Smitty’s absolutely spot on. Giteau is a good flyhalf, but he’s terribly overrated, and Saturday will prove this again.
Australia’s two key cogs are Smith and Mortlock. They bring class and experience to a side that has talent but sometimes lacks stability. To me, Mortlock is the lynch pin — Australia’s success depends on his talismanic touches.
The formula is simple:
Accurate tactical kicks from our halfback combination + Brussouw over Smith + Fourie and de Villiers over Mortlock + not slipping first tackles = Boks by 7+
If we get 3 out of those 4, we win but by less than 7. If we get 2/4, we’re looking at a loss. If we get 1 or 0 out of those 4, we’re looking at an embarrassment. Don’t think these Wallabies will let us off the hook like the All Blacks did if we don’t stick the knife in deep and twist it a few times just to make sure.
7 Aug 2009, 15:21 pm
#14 MaraudingJ: Frank and brutal assesment but closer to the truth than most other posts.
7 Aug 2009, 17:20 pm
#11 Nguni Stud:
Yoh boet, are you expecting an open game?
Boks 25 Convicts 17
7 Aug 2009, 18:20 pm
Brussow. Get Gits. Make sure. Every time.
Smith & Mortlock. Fine players and fine men.
8 Aug 2009, 13:31 pm
Whats the weather going to be like guys
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