Boks to fight fire with an inferno
27 Sep 2011
The Springboks intend to outbully the confrontational Samoans in Friday’s Test at North Harbour Stadium.
After a disappointing campaign in the Pacific Nations Cup, Samoa stunned the rugby world when they beat the Wallabies 32-23 in Sydney. Many believed the historic win signalled the beginning of something special, and the massive Samoan contingent in the greater Auckland area moved to buy tickets to the Samoa vs South Africa World Cup pool clash on 30 September.
The North Harbour Stadium will be at full capacity this coming Friday. There is a big South Africa-fan base in that part of New Zealand, but it won’t compare to the number of spectators clad in the blue of Samoa.
Both sets of fans will be expecting a physical romp, and there’s good reason to believe that this Samoa side will be tougher to top than sides of previous years. While they’re as physical as their predecessors, they play with more structure and purpose.
The Boks have taken note of Samoa’s performances at the 2011 tournament. They weren’t quite good enough to beat Wales, although they were competitive for large parts of that match. They steamrolled Namibia and hammered Fiji. They’re unlikely to dominate the Boks upfront, but there’s no doubt that they will try to win the battle at the collisions.
It will be a bruising contest, and there may be casualties if neither side is willing to move away from an attritional approach. Samoa have already spoken about moving the ball around, but the Boks intend to take the islanders on at the coalface no matter the cost.
It’s a strategy that should bring them the desired rewards, but they will be hoping that it doesn’t lead to further injuries to key players a week out from a quarter-final against Australia.
Bok centre Jaque Fourie said that playing two intensely physical matches back-to-back shouldn’t be a problem for this South Africa team. Following last week’s win against Namibia, the Boks enjoyed a couple of days rest, and Fourie believes this has made all the difference. The Boks have used this time to recharge and prepare themselves for an all out war at the point of contact.
‘It’s going to be physical, I’m sure we’re going to be feeling the bruises afterwards,’ said Fourie. That’s why it was important that we had the break. Your body needs to be fresh, but your mind needs to be fresh as well.’
Several players have stood out for Samoa in this tournament. Scrumhalf Kahn Foutali’i, who also plays for the Crusaders in the Super 15, has been one of the more direct No 9s while the 120kg winger Alesana Tuilagi will be an attacking threat if he’s brought into the line. Centre Seilala Mapusua is another who will look to impose himself in the tackle.
Fourie played down the threat of these individuals. While he acknowledged their talents, he believes the collective is more dangerous than before because Samoa are now using their natural talent and inclination for contact to pursue a common goal.
‘They’re a very physical team, and as is the case with the Fijians, if you allow it to get loose, they will punish you. If your kicking game and first-phase is not up to standard, they will punish you.
‘All round they’ve got a good team, so we’re not going to focus on one or two players. They stay in their structures, so we have to look at how we are going to beat the team rather than the individuals. They’re dangerous in broken play, but they seem to be even more dangerous now that they’re structured.
‘I think they’ve modelled their game on how the All Blacks play.’
The Boks have the pack to boss the islanders proving they don’t go into the game with a complacent attitude. They will also need to take the fight to the islanders in midfield, and this is where men like Frans Steyn, Fourie and even Jean de Villiers will need to prove their worth.
‘They’re very direct and physical, there’s no funny business,’ said Fourie. ‘You know what to expect, they just come straight and hard, and there defence is good as well.
‘We need to be clinical in what we want to do; we need to be as direct and physical as we can be.’
In the build up to the Fiji and Namibia matches, the Boks promised to play direct, pragmatic rugby. What transpired against Fiji was a looser albeit profitable approach against a weak defence. The Boks were also too adventurous during the early stages against Namibia, and the loss of structure led to frustration and unnecessary errors.
As Fourie suggests, the clash against Samoa will require a lift in accuracy and intensity. The Boks should beat Samoa, but their success will be determined by their ability to maintain a high standard over the course of 80 minutes. A consistently physical effort will ensure they beat the Samoans by a comfortable margin and take some much needed momentum into the play-offs.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Taupo
537 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 » Show All
27 Sep 2011, 09:31 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-86:
Agreed
27 Sep 2011, 09:31 am
@Brads(Brads)-90: Was racial profiling that procedure?
We know the deal, its the same reason you need a colour photo for your visa isn’t it?
27 Sep 2011, 09:32 am
anyway… work calls…
have yourself a good one everyone…
cheers
27 Sep 2011, 09:32 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-77: same **** – different day. phukking eejits
27 Sep 2011, 09:32 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-94: I remember the “maori piece of ****” comment you thought was funny to throw around..
27 Sep 2011, 09:32 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-94: Eish!
27 Sep 2011, 09:32 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-95: Only your dance, little man. Only your silly little angry, choreographed Thriller video that you feel compelled to show the world over and over, like a child who has learnt Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on the piano. And like good adults, we must just grin and praise it every single time.
27 Sep 2011, 09:32 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-105: So we not allowed to toss Maoris but Tindall and co. can toss dwarves to their hearts content… Apologise for tossing dwarves then I apologise for tossing Maoris.
27 Sep 2011, 09:32 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-95:
2 wrongs don’t make a right, but three lefts do
27 Sep 2011, 09:33 am
at the game they’re going Neil Diamond (Sweet Caroline) sieriaaaasly over the speakers….
…..
but then again it was a hit in 1987….
27 Sep 2011, 09:33 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-80:
he looks a likely lad…
27 Sep 2011, 09:33 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-105:
Maori is not an insulting term.
Even Maoris call themselves that, I think.
27 Sep 2011, 09:34 am
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-96:
Yes!
There you may see that Kitchener called me a w h o r e last night!
Another foreign twat.
27 Sep 2011, 09:35 am
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-102: Oh sorry that visa thing is for Australia, I forgot they weren’t the same country!
27 Sep 2011, 09:36 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-113:
No way!
You look nothing like Hore.
For starters, he has a bit more facial hair than you
27 Sep 2011, 09:36 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-37: I will watch him , Alberts has not played 8 in WC so we can not rate him there.
I think he could be great there wonder why the Sharkies don’t play him there ?
27 Sep 2011, 09:37 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-107: theres that racism again… I understand you and your ilk spent years trying to cull culture in SA, heck, you guys even went through a period of isolation because of all of it, but your comment shows that many like yourself havent learnt a thing..
27 Sep 2011, 09:37 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-94: Not quite. There are posters here that out of their sheer nature post insulting things about NZ. It’s been going on for years, and they persist with Poppa because it enrages him.
What Poppa doesn’t realize is that he will continue to get that response as white bloggers are tired of being described as hateful, racist, apartheid abusers, hence the perpetual attacks.
Also, WPTiD is right. There are horrible incidents of racism that occur all over the world, not just in SA, but it doesn’t make every person in those countries some sick racist. And based on the article he posted from Vata’s co – worker, you might sometimes in SA, find more tolerance, than elsewhere in the world.
27 Sep 2011, 09:39 am
@Staal(Staal)-110: heheheheheh, I have a theory on that Staal, believe that there is a secret code amongst the DJ’s at rugby matches, “Thou Shalt not play any song made in the last twenty five years, lest ye breach the quarter century quantum dynamic and place the world in jeopardy”
27 Sep 2011, 09:39 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-113: I had just browsed the last page. Things seemed to get outta hand there then.
27 Sep 2011, 09:40 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-105: yep call me a Xhosa piece of sshit any time you like because you are a piece of sshit buddy
27 Sep 2011, 09:40 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-117: Racism… For thinking a now farcical little pantomime before a game is not the be all and all in rugby… Howzat for stupidity…? Have you seen videos of an early Macarena? Very different to the fake machismo glee like performance seen now…
27 Sep 2011, 09:42 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-117: If I don’t like German oompah music, am I racist towards the Krauts? Or if I find Indian Sitar music painful, am I a flaming racist? If I find Polish folk dance just plain silly, does that make me a bigot? Or is this perhaps just a case of you clutching at straws to mask your massive inferiority complex?
27 Sep 2011, 09:42 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-117:
There is nothing racist about comment 107.
Explain how you perceive that comment to be racist.
I’m sure you won’t, but for the benefit of everyone else here, I want to make sure you don’t justify your racism by claiming ‘return serve’ or such like
27 Sep 2011, 09:42 am
If the Boks win certain people will all of sudden change there view and say Samoa is a minnow team and the Boks should have won by more. These same people were ones that Samoa will knock the Boks out of the pool and tournament
27 Sep 2011, 09:42 am
You can’t dictate what a person carries in their heart, but you can direct society’s views. The fact is our society in SA is not racist, even though there are many racists among us. The story is different for NZ and Aus. They have touble even identifying racism, this makes them biggots.
27 Sep 2011, 09:42 am
@Staal(Staal)-110: I’m seriously going to take up the point there with New Zealand. Their DJ’s really play the strangest music at matches. The only NZ Dj’s that get it right are the guys that do the 7′s in Wellington.
I was watching a game during the Super 15 where they actually played a slow R and B love song! AT A RUGBY MATCH?
Now we can’t talk too loudly, because our stadium Dj’s are also pathetic. Esspecially at Loftus. “bokke, bring die beker huis toe!” Is not a hot track!
27 Sep 2011, 09:44 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-122: it may be a pantomine for you guys, but it has significance for many kiwis…. why is that so hard to understand???
its like the Springbok symbol on your rugby jerseys, the haka has the same sort of significance to many kiwis, but you guys think it hilarious to poke fun at it and then wonder why people like myself throw all the rubbish I do..
its called respecting our differences, but you guys cant…
27 Sep 2011, 09:44 am
@ufo(ufo)-98:
Go back and read my posts exactly as they are written, don’t skip any and don’t make assumptions.
Failing that, can you help me here please.
In future when you make an outrageous comment that is tongue in cheek, support it with a smiley, because I can’t work out what you intend as a wind up and what you believe is the gospel truth.
27 Sep 2011, 09:44 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-123: I can’t stand citar music either, even bangra makes me aggro.
27 Sep 2011, 09:44 am
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-118: Thing is, i don;t really understand the fuss…..he wasn;t abused by the cops, they ere doing hteir jpobs….by his own admission, he was the only black dude there, and the cops got a tip off about a black man dealing drugs….its not for the police to decide who is or isn;t guilty, heck if they hadn’t followed up they’d prob be accused of being incompetent or lazy
It was a n unfortunate incident for sure (perhaps someone spiteful made the call to the cops, who knows) and they even said they took hom to the station to avoid embarrassment in front of his friends and other patrons…quite professional I would say… really don’t see what all the fuss is about….when they realized their was a mistake they apologised and released him. South africans tend to be a bit precious about race to say the least….I mean, because he’s a black south african and they made a mistake, are they supposed to throw themselves on the ground, grovel,, beg for forgiveness and immediately resign? Puh-lease.
@poppa69(poppa69)-105: Lol you’re such a victim!
27 Sep 2011, 09:44 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-123: Well if you you use the word “Krauts” you certainly are. Great post (dripping with sarcasm).
27 Sep 2011, 09:45 am
@heboric(heboric)-125:
the important thing is that the boks win a lot more convincingly against them than the welsh did. this will prove the difference between the boks and welsh.
27 Sep 2011, 09:45 am
Players born elsewhere in the Samoan RWC 2011 squad: Census Johnston (Auckland, New Zealand), Anthony Perenise (Wellington, New Zealand), Olé Avei (Wellington, New Zealand), Daniel Leo (Palmerston North, New Zealand), Kane Thompson (Paraparaumu, New Zealand), Kahn Fotuali’i (Auckland, New Zealand), Jeremy Sua (Wellington, New Zealand), Tusi Pisi (Auckland, New Zealand), Sailosi Tagicakibau (Auckland, New Zealand), James So’oialo (Wellington, New Zealand), Ti’i Paulo (Christchurch, New Zealand), Filipo Lavea Levi (Hamilton, New Zealand), Junior Poluleuligaga (Auckland, New Zealand), Tasesa Lavea (Taihape, New Zealand), Paul Williams (Auckland, New Zealand)
16 in all. Come on they ARE a NZ B side. If you can’t make the All Blacks go play for the Samoans. Only remember your roots!!!
Who gives a toss where they were born, they chose to play for Samoa and that’s where there allegiance is to. You cant take that away from the players or there supporters. Already, some on here are talking about who Springboks will meet in the quarter final… The arrogance of some South Africans supporters showing once again. There have been no big upsets in the world cup as of yet and every world cup there usually is a big one. Samoa are no amateur team and they showed that against Wales. They played poorly against Fiji and still won comfortably. A muppet of a first five (Tasesa Lavea) denied Samoa of another world cup victory against Wales. Springboks love a physical challenge but guess what? Samoa thrive on a physical game and love to run straight and hit hard!!
Biggest upset in world cup history about to happen this Friday!!
Go Manu Samoa.
27 Sep 2011, 09:45 am
Poppa has lost the moral high ground, if he ever had it.
This morning has proven once again that his racism is real and not an act of self defense.
I have just re-read the thread and poppa really has been shown to be the instigator.
27 Sep 2011, 09:46 am
What a bunch of children on here tonight
27 Sep 2011, 09:47 am
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-96:
there was a young lady named rossi
who could be exceedingly bossy
once she got you in bed
she made you stand on your head.
whilst letting you look at her posse.
27 Sep 2011, 09:48 am
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-127: careful Ross, this conspiracy goes deeper than you know, all the way to the top. A friend of mine tried to infiltrate the cult of Rugby DJ’s and barely escaped, by the time we found him, he had grown a mo and was wearing a vinyl jump suit and singing disco inferno.
They could even be watching us now I tell ya.
27 Sep 2011, 09:48 am
@Atreides(Atreides)-131: I don’t think anyone including Vata has a problem with the procedure followed. Mistaken identity. But put yourself in his shoes. I would also be a little outraged if someone told me they suspect me of being a drug dealer! Esspecially in a forgein country. Haven’t you seen the movies! Those guys never go home.
The point the journo is making is that it’s not the first time this has happened to them when covering a tour.
27 Sep 2011, 09:48 am
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-132: I call them Krauts in the most affectionate way possible. Some of my best engineers are German.
27 Sep 2011, 09:48 am
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-126:
In my world making a sweeping statement like that is akin to the frying pan calling the kettle black?
27 Sep 2011, 09:49 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-128: Haka… and Kapa o Pango… You could make a Kiwi episode of Glee… Showbiz, thats what it is now…
I respect nothing in Rugby but the Green and Gold and Le Bleus… Two best teams on the planet.
27 Sep 2011, 09:49 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-128:
Maybe we don’t respect the haka, but it is certainly not a racist thing.
You don’t respect SA culture like a south african does, that does not give us the right to be racist, does it?
I have tried to understand where you’re coming from, but you are showing yourself to be the very bigot you accuse everyone else of being.
27 Sep 2011, 09:50 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-128: So by that argument, if you were to make fun of the springbok, we could call you a culturally insensitive racist, capable of beating people to death on weekends? Just getting my head around the logic here.
27 Sep 2011, 09:51 am
Pops
Why don’t you just leave us to deal with our demons.
27 Sep 2011, 09:51 am
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-139: Fair enough, and I don;t think it was right, but the point is they didn’t just do a spot check and decide he was a suspect based on his colour…they were tipped off that someone of his description was dealing…crappy situation for him (and yes, I’d be upset too!) and the cops…I just don;t agree with the media painting Taupo as some kind of racist redneck backwater because of it
27 Sep 2011, 09:51 am
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-118: my point is Poopa was a ‘decent’ blogger up until tri-nations 2009, this is a guy who was expressing concern about schalk burger’s calf injury before the b&i lions series.
but came bloemfontein, boks vs all blacks and poppa lost his sshit after the all blacks lost without anyone BAITING him or vilifying new zealand”
he had these ideas about SA and Afrikaners festering in his heart and mind all along, it’s just that now he has an excuse that “everyone else is doing it against my country”
let him answer who provoked him to say this:
487.poppa69:
1 Aug 2009, 18:52 pm #471 bdb: BDB, go back to stringing up black people mate… seems all your countrymen are good for !!!!!
27 Sep 2011, 09:52 am
@Gunther(gunther)-137:
@francois93(francois93)-138: Hahahahahaha. Something has to be done! Must be in their contract to only play strange music. I actually want to beat up Will I am, for “tonight gonna be a good night.”
27 Sep 2011, 09:52 am
@Helen(Helen)-143: fight fire with fire Helen… it seems we cant say anything about SA, but boy can the knives come out for NZ… constantly… so guess what, I’ll fight for whats dear to me, like Im sure you all do for whats dear for you..
banter is one thing, but it goes beyond banter on this site, often…
27 Sep 2011, 09:53 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-144:
Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.