RWC latest: North has advantage – Easter
5 Jul 2011
Keo.co.za brings you news relating to the Rugby World Cup.
North has advantage – Easter: England loose forward Nick Easter believes an extended Super Rugby format and the Tri-Nations could see southern hemisphere teams arrive ‘overcooked’ at the World Cup.
Easter told the BBC he believes England and the leading northern hemisphere teams have an advantage in scheduling. ‘We don’t have any rugby match now until the first warm-up game in August, so we have a good window to train hard and get prepared properly,’ he said.
‘But in the southern hemisphere their Super Rugby season is longer than usual and has gone on an extra month. Then they have the Tri-Nations. They might be a little overcooked, while for us it’s just like heading into a normal season. At our clubs we’d be doing pre-season at this time and start playing in September.’
Easter also questioned the sense of playing the Tri-Nations in a World Cup year. ‘I am surprised they’re playing the Tri-Nations. Maybe they’ll play weakened sides and rest their key players,’ he said. ‘I thought they might play each other as warm-up games like we do with other Six Nations teams, but with the same sort of warm-up schedule. I hope it leaves them tired.’
49 Comments
5 Jul 2011, 07:32 am
Easter is another Saffa playing or England, a Saffa dragon if you may
5 Jul 2011, 08:06 am
Correct, great grandson of former Bok Pieter Le Roux
5 Jul 2011, 08:09 am
“I hope it leaves them tired” ya cuz u frikken poms have no hope in hell beating a full strength and full fit bok, all black or wallaby side!!!!! Fak I hate the pommies!!!!!
5 Jul 2011, 08:21 am
@seabiscuit(seabiscuit)-3:
They have beaten the Aussies home and away recently but I think thats because half the teamnow is Kiwi,SAFFA, Samoan and Yankee.
5 Jul 2011, 08:22 am
@chucky(chucky)-2:He did play for Villagers in Cape Town
5 Jul 2011, 08:29 am
he should focus on just getting his side cooked to begin with instead of looking at other peoples kitchens.
‘people who live in hot kitchens should’nt throw naked chefs’…
5 Jul 2011, 08:50 am
I agree with Easter. Why the hell do we have a longer than usual Super rugby format starting in a World Cup year. And the calls to not play Tri-Nations in a WC year have also been heard before.
But, Mr Easter, I do not think England have a chance of taking the WC this year. It will be one of the Southern Hemisphere big 3.
5 Jul 2011, 08:55 am
i do think the tri nations teams are doing all they can to shoot each other in the foot ….should not be playing Tri Nations imo.
The conditions will suit the NH teams as well.
I reckon this may be the Poms or Frace s opportunity to take it….of course the Kiwis and Aussies will be favorites…..but I do wonder about the aussies ability to front up at set pieces against the Poms….
Boks probably go in about 5 th favorite imo…..based on injuries and a seemingly as yet undecided line up…
5 Jul 2011, 09:00 am
@grant10(grant10)-8:
at the last wc the bookies gave 10 to 1 odds on the boks. i remember reading about some guys who made big, big money betting on them. dont know what the odds are this year though.
5 Jul 2011, 09:07 am
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-9: at 10 to 1 i would put a grand or 2 on the boks….
then pray!
5 Jul 2011, 09:10 am
Guys, Easter’s great grandad might have been a Bok – but he is far from a SA. In fact, his one grandparent (daughter of the Bok) is his only link with SA. He was schooled at the very English & posh Dulwich College in London. And don’t get confused with his brother Mark, who turned out for Villagers a few years ago.
5 Jul 2011, 09:10 am
@grant10(grant10)-8:
NH teams have played aprox 100 tests in NZ and won 9 or ten times.
5 Jul 2011, 09:13 am
You can get $5 for the Bokke to win the WC at the NZ TAB, great money I would have thought.
5 Jul 2011, 09:15 am
Option 998
Tournament Winner
No. Selection Odds
1 New Zealand 1.75
2 Australia 5.00
3 South Africa 5.00
4 France 17.00
5 England 10.00
6 Ireland 30.00
7 Wales 50.00
8 Argentina 100.00
9 Scotland 100.00
10 Italy 500.00
11 Fiji 500.00
12 Samoa 500.00
13 Tonga 2,000.00
14 Canada 2,000.00
15 USA 2,000.00
16 Georgia 10,000.00
17 Namibia 10,000.00
18 Russia 10,000.00
19 Japan 10,000.00
20 Romania 10,000.00
5 Jul 2011, 09:21 am
The value bet has to be Australia, surely. I also doubt France are at 17s.
5 Jul 2011, 09:25 am
i like these odds 5 to 1′s not bad, but hope we have a really ****** 3natins and then the bookies push the odds even higher.
i’d definitely bet on boks as outsider/dark horses.
5 Jul 2011, 09:26 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-15:
yes, very good value bet
5 Jul 2011, 09:36 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-13:
is a dollar worth much in nz in buying power? maybe we could bet there and bring the cash back to sa and get the advantage of the exchange rate value.
hmmmm a cunning plan takes shape hmmmm…
5 Jul 2011, 09:37 am
i reckon england will take aussie in semi final and make the finals. they’re a decent knockout team and have a habit of dismantling aussie up front.
5 Jul 2011, 09:39 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-14: I wonder how many people put money on Romania? You know there are people out there who will!
5 Jul 2011, 09:47 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-19:
i really just dont see it happening
5 Jul 2011, 09:49 am
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-20:
ja, like those bets you can place at some bookies on aliens landing before christmas or micheal jackson coming back from the dead and so on hehehe people actually do haha
5 Jul 2011, 10:02 am
Although I doubt the extended Super Series would really have an influence, I do agree with Easter that the Trinations should be scrapped in a WC year. Chances are good the tri-teams will face each other in the World Cup, so it isn’t as if we’ll be losing a chance of facing each other.
Okay, yeah. It is about the money. But people are losing interest in the 3Nations series, because let’s face it… it happens every year. Having it every second year will really boost interest again, especially if you organize another (new) series in the season that’s left open.
Really, playing the All Blacks or Wallabies doesn’t have the same magic it had a decade ago.
But considering the majority of the Boks and ABs had unintentional injury breaks, I think we’ll be fine this year. But the future should really be planned better.
5 Jul 2011, 10:10 am
Hahaha yeah Nick Easter you keep telling yourself that. I´m not so sure about the Boks this year – all looking reather shaky if you ask me. But between Austalia and New Zealand there is no way that a Northern Hemisphere nation is going to take it this year. If the All Blacks keep playing like they are theyre going to absolutely wipe everyone at the WC. If they dont choke again of course – but in all honesty I think they may very well not on homesoil.
I´m seriously concerned about the Boks though. All looks good on paper but the reality is its just not happening. Sharks and Stormers were mauled by the Crusaders. There was very little attacking spark from either Stormers or Sharks. Fourie should easily have put that score away in the corner (by not going for the corner and cutting infield) but it seems a lot of our players have a lack of finishing ability lately and just go straight. Players like Houghaard, Aplon and Basson seem to have the spark but thats not going to help if they play Habana. Forwards – will we be up to the challenge? All Black scrum is looking pretty hardcore. Alberts looking tired and one dimensional lately, who is going to play 8? Will Brussouw have time to regain form? Will Matfield make the long haul and is our front row going to stand up to the onslaught with John Smit and Jannie du Plessis at the helm? I mean really. Are these guys top notch? Bismarck and BJ Botha or Brian Mujati would be a far more solid option but ja well no fine. We can really do with some strong attacking players like Sarel Pretorius but he wont ever be considered so how the f is our attack going to improve. Jean de Villiers and Jacques Fourie looked positively clueless against Fruean and SBW on Sat. Juan de Jongh is showing more hunger than either of them.
5 Jul 2011, 10:13 am
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-18:
Not these days but 5 to 1 for the 2nd and 3rd ranked sides is still very good money, whoever gets the wooden spoon in the 3 Nations will have their odds lengthened from here as well.
5 Jul 2011, 10:19 am
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-20:
Yer probably, you’d have to put a lazy 1000 rand on the Bokke at those odds?
5 Jul 2011, 10:50 am
@grant10(grant10)-8: injuries, seemingly as yet undecided line up AND apparent lack of any gameplan, backline moves, a Plan B to Plan A (plan A being kick it up and pray they knock on), thats what concerns me Grantie…
5 Jul 2011, 10:59 am
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-24: Slummies, I wouldnt read too much into Saders results against SA teams, international teams are different. On the flip-side we can say Stormers beat ALL Nz teams last year’s S14, and Bulls beat Saders twice, yet Boks still lost badly to NZ (granted they didnt play a Stormers gameplan, but still)…
I totally agree with your concerns above. A dilemma like Pretorius though – in my impulsive heart I want to play him at 9, but we have to remember defence wins RWCs and Sarel is not known for defending, especially around rucks.
It is the same concern that causes my lack of faith in Spies – his defence is not good enough for a man of his size (and his attack is no better). Vermulen MUST be #8.
Agree Alberts needs a rest and must be 7 or 8 (if Vermulen is not picked).
I was also very dismayed that Fourie did not score that try, but we have seen it throughout the season – SA wings and backs cutting in, or trying to out-step opponents, instead of backing their pace and going for corner.
JP was looking awesome, Aplon is magic, JDV and Fourie were great until the Semi where he was shocking. De Jongh is brilliant. Basson was also very good – especially on high ball, which the Boks might play (esp. if Steyn is at 10) Im just not sure about Basson’s defence, but might be wrong?
We have the players, but something is not right and not clicking
5 Jul 2011, 11:04 am
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-24: S15 form has no value in measuring test performance. There are too many variables. I believe the Boks will be a major force at the world Cup. Cheetahs did very well as an attacking force, they just started to gel late with all the injuries. Sarel Pretorius, Riaan Viljoen, Sias and Robert Ebersohn scored tries against some of the best backlines.
Cheetahs scrum, even without Juan Smith, Brussow, Frans Viljoen, and at times Wilhelm steenkamp secured enough possession.
So a bok team playing the right pattern will be well able to compete, and even win the WC. I reckon the following team against a semi in NZ can really be in contention: Obviously we will only know by then if all these players are fit, so I will list possible replacements in brackets:
1. Guthro Steenkamp (Beast)
2. John Smit (Bismarck) Strauss is a great option but unlikely
3. Jannie (Werner Kruger) CJ
4. Bakkies (Flip vd Merwe)
5. Victor ( Bekker)
6. Brussow (Flouw)
7. Juan Smith (Alberts)
8. Burger (Spies)
9. F dup (Ruan Pienaar)
10. Steyn (Butch/Lambie)
11. Habana (Mvovo)
12. Jean de Villiers (Frans Steyn/Butch)
13. Jaque Fourie (De Jongh)
14. JPP (Aplon)
15. Lambie (Frans Steyn)
16. Coenie Oosthuizen
17 Adriaan Strauss/Chilli
18. Danie Rossouw
19. Flouw/Alberts/Burger (depending on the starting combo)
20. Hougaard (can cover SH/ and wing)
21. Butch (can cover FH, centre and FB)
22. Viljoen can play center, wing and FB)
5 Jul 2011, 11:11 am
@BringItHomeBoks(bokfan1)-28: JDV and Fourie have been found wanting against SBW twice – not only defensively but on attack – i have always found JDV overrated and to be honest ithink it was a blessing for SA that he was injured last WC – time to bring Steyn back to 12
5 Jul 2011, 11:20 am
@stew(stew)-30: I will agree attack was not great, but it wasnt SBW personally stopping them or out-thinking them Stewie.
Even in the semi he had 1 or 2 great offloads to Fruean, but I wouldnt say he outplayed the Bok centres.
JDV is a great 12 and he always gets going forward and half-way through even if there is no gap, but I do hear/read your opinion. Steyn was amazing in 2007 RWC and personally I want De Jongh to be 12 – that guy will carve up opposition backline and make space for Fourie at 13 or Aplon.
Steyn seemed to big and slow when he played last for the Boks – and he was at 13 remember… but if Steyn comes back to SA and gets back to SuperRugby fitness he can defo be a great 12/13/15
5 Jul 2011, 11:26 am
@BringItHomeBoks(bokfan1)-31: I understand what you are saying but the 1 or 2 offloads to Fruean were game breaking decisions resulting in a try – they will need to counter this if they wish to get further than the semis of the WC ( were they should face NZ)
I hope De Jongh gets some game time in the Tri nations , havent seen alot of him this season
5 Jul 2011, 11:30 am
@stew(stew)-32:
SBW made one offloading to a rampaging Freaun of any true significance-even there it was Jaque Fourie’s fault for turning his back and not trusting inside defender who was Koster-who made the tackle on SBW..The other offload to Freaun early in game was by Kieran Read which was botched looked a certain try.
5 Jul 2011, 11:34 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-33: Whoevers fault it was it still was an amazing offload – so quick in real time – but it certainly the way to break open modern day defensive structures
I am really glad for once that the hype is true – glad he is playing for us !!!
5 Jul 2011, 11:35 am
England will be a big threat at the world cup how yous can suggest differently… pfft! something else. the southern hemisphere game is moving further and further away from test rugby. its fast, sure, but its also sloppy. defences are sloppy, set pieces are sloppy compared to up north. the boks do not look better than england at all. in their last meeting england’s backline totally outclassed ours. they were unusually soft upfront. youd be an idiot if you expected a repeat of that in a world cup! boks under these crazy fekless fools stand no chance. england will be tough, australia’s lack of hard/fast/penetrative running will see them fight but ultimately dance their way to defeat… again. and the offloading game that new zealand will be playing is not suited to test rugby at all. far less space ,far more physicality. i think new zealand will have shot themselves in the foot here. i hope someone takes advantage of it, surely someone will.
5 Jul 2011, 11:37 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-33: the offload is easily exploited at test level. dont worry bout Billy. he was anything but great on the end of year tour bwehehe. everyone is acting like offloading is something new. its a gimmick. build you campaign around it at your peril. it looked good in the hyper sloppy mess of a super 15 but thats all.
5 Jul 2011, 11:38 am
@stew(stew)-34:
Great offload in indeed.
Hype will only be proven at test match time and not against scots/Wales etc
so time will tell
5 Jul 2011, 11:38 am
It will be a cold day in Rugby Hell before we start taking advice from a vastly overrated Easter Egg.
5 Jul 2011, 11:50 am
@Bouts(Bouts)-23: What would be wonderful (but it won’t happen) would be a SH vs NH series in one of the seasons. Obviously the SH team would be selected from the SuperRugby series.
Year 1: Tri-Nations (soon to be 4-Nations) and 6 Nations
Year 2: SH team vs NH team (and have the Lions tour in the same year)
Year 3: Tri-Nations (soon to be 4-Nations) and 6 Nations
Year 4: World Cup
5 Jul 2011, 11:51 am
66 day to the RWC.
Nick Easter.
Fool.
The 3N is the perfect avenue for the SH Nations to fine tune selections, tactics, and fitness levels.
Unless of course, we knock ourselves silly in the process.
What will England have as a build up:
A couple of meaningless friendlies against Wales and France.
5 Jul 2011, 12:01 pm
@cane(cane)-40: actually our players have been run into thr ground over the last four years! tactics? what tactics? bwahahaa dont make me laugh man. unless divvy does a 2009 and hands the reigns over to rassie to see what he can do. so it looks like we have a gimmick of our own!! disco rassie!!!! the Dork may saved again. so lets overplay our guys some more. a tri nations on the eve of the world cup it friken stupid.
5 Jul 2011, 12:21 pm
England would have a big advantage if Easter didn’t have such a fat beer gut!
5 Jul 2011, 12:40 pm
can’t say I agree with Easter on this one… my personal belief is that facing tough opposition before a tournament usually helps, unless there’s a key injury. it might just be coincidence, but its worth noting that in the last 3 B&I Lions tours, the winners have gone on to win the 3N…
5 Jul 2011, 13:12 pm
Its the timing, when the Northern Hemisphere play the Tri nations at the EOYT, they are just starting their season and the tri nations are at the end of their seasons and generally the scores are a lot closer then the International matches at the end of the super 15 tournament. This is because the Tri Nations are generally better teams, but timing is crucial. So Easter is partly correct. What he has failed to say is that the Tri nations are better teams and that gives them a bigger advantage!!!
5 Jul 2011, 14:23 pm
I reckon, if the Irish could replicate their form in their 6N’s match against England they could be the “dark horse” at the WC. That is until they come up against the AB’s ofcourse. They still roll over and play dead everytime they play the ABs.
5 Jul 2011, 14:30 pm
@AlphaTango(AlphaTango)-45: Irish are worse chokers than the Abs ! LOL! ……………. I would seriously put a good bet on Aus
5 Jul 2011, 14:51 pm
@stew(stew)-46:
Hence the use of the term “dark horse”.
5 Jul 2011, 19:59 pm
@cane(cane)-40: Easter is bang-on.
By the time the knockouts come around the NH sides will have had:
a) a rest
b) recovery from niggling injuries
c) a strong pre-season
d) pre-WC friendlies (England play Ireland and Wales btw, not France this time)
e) tough group games
I do wish Easter wouldn’t say this in the media however, no need to flag it up for the SH sides, let them stumble through on their own.
5 Jul 2011, 21:08 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-48:
he’s nothing but a big fat wobbly Easter Egg and shouldnt be trusted
m’lard
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