Bring on the Aussies, enthuses De Villiers
2 Oct 2011
The Springboks will play Australia in the World Cup quarter-finals – and Peter de Villiers reckons it will be easier and more familiar than playing the Samoans.
It is the clash of the last eight with the Tri Nations champions against the defending World Champions.
Ireland, in emphatically beating Italy 36-6 in Dunedin, ensured a quarter-final against Wales in Wellington next Saturday with the Boks to play the Wallabies a day later in New Zealand’s capital.
Hosts the All Blacks will play Argentina in the late Sunday kick-off at Eden Park in Auckland and England clashes with France on Saturday at Eden Park.
The winner of the Boks match will play the All Blacks with the other semi-final an all Northern Hemisphere affair.
(Bok coach) De Villiers told the South African media website SuperSport he welcomed playing the Australians, added the Boks would have the advantage at scrum time and that he felt it would be easier playing the Aussies than it was against the unfamiliar Samoans.
De Villiers said he expected the Australians to try and match Samoans for physicality and didn’t believe either Australia or New Zealand could do that to the Boks. He also backed the improved Bok defence to counter Australia’s attacking threat.
Australia has won five of the last six Tests between the two countries, with two of the wins in South Africa. The Wallabies have also scored four-tries or more in four of the six matches.
De Villiers was unconcerned by this statistic and said that while the Aussies could also believe it to be easier because of the familiarity he felt the Boks were playing outstanding rugby at the World Cup and peaking at the right time.
The New Zealand media generally have backed the Boks to beat the Wallabies, but among former Australian players and within the media the feeling is the Australians will be too smart for the Boks and that David Pocock’s return will neutralise the Boks, as he has done successfully on most occasions in the last two seasons.
Former Australian World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones, in the Herald on Sunday, wrote the Boks looked like a champion at the end of the road and that the last 30 minutes showed the vulnerability of an aged giant. He commended the Boks’ fighting qualities and scrambling defence, but said too many key players were no longer the players who stood tallest in Paris in 2007.
Former All Blacks World Cup-winning prop Richard Loe, in the same paper, disagreed, saying the Boks would have too much muscle for the Tri Nations champions.
Quarter-finals (NZ kick-off times – 11 hours ahead of SA)
QF1: Ireland v Wales at Welllington Regional Stadium on Saturday, October 8, kick-off 6pm.
QF2: England v France at Eden Park on Saturday, October 8, kick-off 8.30pm.
QF3: South Africa v Australia at Wellington Regional Stadium on Sunday, October 9, kick-off 6pm.
QF4: New Zealand v Argentina at Eden Park on Sunday, October 9, kick-off 8.30pm.
511 Comments
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2 Oct 2011, 11:55 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-44:
He’ll do fine he can’t be any worse than Steyn so its even Stevens.
2 Oct 2011, 11:55 am
@JL1(JL1)-46:
****.
The only thing you need,
is more points on the scoreboard than the opposition.
Though I concede, a good pack and a solid defence help in this regard.
2 Oct 2011, 11:56 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-45: It’s a pity that SA and NZ weren’t seeded to meet in the finals, but that is NZ’s fault not ours
2 Oct 2011, 11:56 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-51: Oh he certainly did worse in the last match against SA
2 Oct 2011, 11:57 am
@JL1(JL1)-46:
Yip Samoa nearly knocked you out.
2 Oct 2011, 11:58 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-44: Even better is that in PE old Ted kept him on for more than 60 minutes,
Well as George Michael said “you gotta have faith”
2 Oct 2011, 11:58 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-55: kak. Samoa NEVER came within a win scoring margin… stop spreading a blatant lie you are getting as bad as Slack Panty.
2 Oct 2011, 11:58 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-54:
The NZ pack was sub standard in PE, we both know at the garden of Eden that won’t be the case.
2 Oct 2011, 11:59 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-50:
We averaged 9 tries a game in our pool Spooner. Hardly awkward.
2 Oct 2011, 11:59 am
I do rate Argentina… will not beat NZ but… a lot tougher than the AB”s, so can see a few injuries happening….
2 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
Easy wins over:
2nd string France
Canada
Tonga
Japan
or testers against:
Wales
Samoa
I know which preparation I’d rather have…
2 Oct 2011, 12:01 pm
@cane(cane)-59: almost too easy for you chaps, isn’t it?
2 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-55: Heh??
What game were you watching?
Could you do the math, we needed one point from the match
2 Oct 2011, 12:04 pm
I think I smell a South Africa vs Wales final. NZ and Aus score enough points but concede to much.
NZ conceded 49 that is the same as Samoa, while Aus conceded 48. Ireland and England also conceded less points than NZ and Aus, but they don’t score enough themselves.
France might just have one surprise in them.
Can we beat Wales again I am not so sure.
Go Bokke go.
2 Oct 2011, 12:05 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-61: Even Tonga beat France
2 Oct 2011, 12:07 pm
Wales really looking good. lets hope Ireland can take care of them…
2 Oct 2011, 12:08 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-62:
That is a worry.
But home town advantage will see us through.
2 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
The loss of Carter is a far bigger blow than just losing a great player. He is the one player in the ABs backline who is capable of decision making under the pressure of this WC. Slade will be desperately trying not to make mistakes and Nonu isn’t exactly a master tactician.
I’ve a feeling that GH might be considering bringing Mils back into the mix to add some calm experience.
2 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
@AndreE(AndreE)-64: The thoght has crossed my mind, but if they get past Ireland the Pomms will stop them
2 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
Boks by 19
2 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
Huge games SA vs OZ…All is going to be up to what type of ball the Wallabies get on the day.If SA plays the right balance with our pack and maintain ascendency with our bench in latter period of game,SA will win.Plus Oz rely now more than ever on scoring tries,no reliable kicker.Defenses even tighter in KO rounds and reffed in that manner too.
NZ will beat Argies BUT upfront the Argies r going to go full tilt.With McCaw and Read not at full fitness-that is going to be interesting.Plus with Woodcock also struggling,it’ll be collossal in there.But ultimately too much class in backs by NZ
Other half of draw is up in the air.Wales r the most dangerous team on that half of the draw,decent pack-fluid backs & confident.Ireland have a massive well oiled packs,decent wingers & goal kicker.England know how to win at this part of tournament-never count them out.France very erratic bt hey France are FRANCE.with likes of Clerq,Heymans,Picamoles,Dussetoir etc they can always beat anyone on any given day-they due a freak victory.
Australia fcked up the draw,now is 3N vs 6N..
2 Oct 2011, 12:11 pm
@AndreE(AndreE)-64:
We only leak the odd try, when for all intensive purposes, the game is over.
We still scored 240 points in 4 games.
AND we didn’t have a Namibia in our Pool.
2 Oct 2011, 12:14 pm
@David(David)-68:
If I was Henry I’d play Toeava at 10.
With Piri as back up on the bench.
And I’d arrange a bus to run over Slade.
2 Oct 2011, 12:15 pm
@cane(cane)-72:
With out DC you go a hope.
2 Oct 2011, 12:17 pm
@poppa69(p0ppa69)-70:
You want to cut back on the medication Popps. The swing has been too dramatic.
8)
2 Oct 2011, 12:18 pm
@David(David)-68: Ted may just give Mils the unlucky #13 jersey …. McCheat to break down and Nigel Owens will do the rest …. the choke will come … the good news for Ted and his boys is that they will not have to face the music at the airport.
2 Oct 2011, 12:19 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-58: It wasn’t sub-standard bar Richie by the end of the game and it still didn’t make a difference. What does make the difference is attitude.
2 Oct 2011, 12:19 pm
@AndreE(AndreE)-74:
Where there is life Andre,
there is hope.
Remember we have the Referees in our pocket.
8)
2 Oct 2011, 12:20 pm
@poppa69(p0ppa69)-70: Boks to squeak it by a razer-thin whisker against the Aussies. Hopefully this time we will manage to turn Cooper into a quivering blob of jello.
2 Oct 2011, 12:21 pm
@cane(cane)-73:
2 Oct 2011, 12:21 pm
@RL(RL)-76:
Friggen Nigel will be lucky to get another game. Gawd he was pathetic.
2 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-79:
With Quade it’s a fine line between jello and glory.
His last performance against SA was mesmerising.
2 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
Morne Steyn at this stage the leading points scorer in the competition, Lets hope his keeps his kicking form….
2 Oct 2011, 12:25 pm
@cane(cane)-78:
Hope you done get a certain blind Pom Barnes.
2 Oct 2011, 12:28 pm
Saffa Posters are now quite thin on the ground.
Many at Church most likely.
That is good,
because you Okes may need some divine intervention to get past Our Cousins.
2 Oct 2011, 12:29 pm
@AndreE(AndreE)-84:
No worries Andre.
Barnsey owes us one. And he knows it.
8)
2 Oct 2011, 12:41 pm
@cane(cane)-82: That it was. I was annoyed we couldn’t reduce him to jelly like you guys managed the match before.
Cooper is an annoying git.
2 Oct 2011, 12:44 pm
cant believe all the injuries to the 3n teams?
this wc is the first one where true cutthroat professionalism is biting i believe.
quite depressing really, i am as gutted about carter as i am about frans steyn.
secondly, this website has to repeat what pdivvy tells supersport because div wont talk to them. can anyone blame the wee maetro?
not i.
thirdly, a big f u k ou to the samoan team and the welsh poof. knuts.
2 Oct 2011, 12:48 pm
@cane(cane)-86:
Gonna miss our game against Aus. I am going to the Okavango delta in Botswana for 10 days. One of the most awesome places to visit.
2 Oct 2011, 13:20 pm
I’m trying to look on the positive side of the Frans injury saga. I guess it means that we don’t have to make any decisions about whom to play where in the backline anymore.
In Jean, Pat to 15.
At least it still has the look of a real chanpionship team..
2 Oct 2011, 13:21 pm
A combined team would have 5 Ausies in it. 4 if Hougaard starts in Habana’s place. And only 3 if its a bad weather game where a Morne Steyn type flyhalf is preffered over the erratic Quade Cooper.
The coaching team would be all Aussie though. That’s where we fall out of the bus a bit.
2 Oct 2011, 13:26 pm
I’m kind of glad where playing the Bokks, Pockock back, Barnes at inside centre compliments Cooper, Digby and Beale are back, could say we have a full strength team, well be up for it don’t worry about that, no more **** we’ve got a world cup to win
2 Oct 2011, 13:29 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-71: Sbali ndiyoyika uCarter umkhile, andazi uba kuza kwenzeka ntoni ngoba uSlade akekho kum ngangatho!
2 Oct 2011, 13:33 pm
@SAussie/QldRed(SAussie)-92: I’m glad the Boks are coming up a team with no recognized kicker … bad mistake going into a knockout match with no 80 kicker.
2 Oct 2011, 13:39 pm
The 3 nations teams just have too many injuries, I’d have preferred the ABs facing either a full strength wallabies or bok teams, this is just awful, Ioane, and Steyn are bad enough but Carter the greatest player at the WC by a country mile just typifies the state of affairs!
2 Oct 2011, 13:42 pm
Fair point, O’Connor do quite well against the Russians and if he struggles Barnes is handy as a kicker, May the best team win
2 Oct 2011, 13:45 pm
PDV has the right attitude. The Boks must relish the opportunity and enjoy what will be a great game. Previous encounters count for nothing just ask Australia (after Ireland) France and almost England.
Knock-out rugby pressure time. Let’s see who has the mental edge. Experience will count for too much here and coupled with a very physical Bok team – its BOK time next week sportsfans. BRING IT ON
2 Oct 2011, 14:17 pm
the Wee Maestro is up for this one, he’s bouncing around like muhammad ali.
2 Oct 2011, 14:18 pm
Only 2 quarters will be good contests. Ireland vs Wales will be ahard hard clash and I hope the Welsh boys take it. SA vs Oz same thing – will be a great clash. All Blacks vs Argentina is going to be another damp squib as the Argies have been awful this year. Ditto England France. The French are going to be a total walkover. Theres no team spirit left in them. So we may be looking at England vs Wales semis and Sa vs NZ – the Six nations vs Tri Nations. Would be really funny if it was a SA vs Wales final where we again play our stiffest opponents in our pool in the finals. How weird would that be?
2 Oct 2011, 14:21 pm
@cane(cane)-85: Saffas only go to church to check that everything is still as per the contract, and that god is indeed still on our side. Which he is. So all’s well.
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