Preview: Argentina vs Springboks
24 Aug 2012
RYAN VREDE analyses the key match-ups and picks the winner in Saturday’s Test.
Nothing that happened at Newlands was a surprise – not even the fact that the Springboks were patchy on attack and failed to bag the bonus-point. I don’t think that is going to be as decisive in the final analysis. That school of thought assumes that the Springboks will be close to New Zealand points-wise going into the final Test of the tournament in Soweto. This won’t be the case. The Blacks will already have bagged the title by then.
The Pumas will undoubtedly be buoyed by passionate home support and you can expect a reasonably strong challenge from their forwards. Their heavies would, however, have to make an exponential improvement in this facet of play to stand a chance of victory. That level of improvement is beyond them in a seven-day turnaround. One can also reasonably confidently assume the Springboks’ forwards would have made gains towards greater synergy.
Defence will be the root of their success, with their dominance there in general play ensuring consistently poor ball for a backline shorn of their most potent attacking weapon, Juan Martin Hernandez. Furthermore, the Springboks defied expectations that they would struggle at the set pieces and I don’t believe the Pumas will improve markedly in this regard. Halting the rolling maul will be a priority and much of this responsibility rests with Andries Bekker, whose reading of the defensive lineouts made the Pumas’ hookers resemble tanked-up darts players at times last week.
On attack, the inclusion of Jacques Potgieter at blindside flank will amplify the Springboks’ punch at the gainline, an area they dominated in Cape Town. This is important in light of what they lose in this regard with the absence of Bismarck du Plessis. The likes of Marcell Coetzee, Eben Etzebeth, Beast Mtawarira, Willem Alberts and Frans Steyn will be central to getting the Springboks the momentum they need in the collisions to ensure the back division has the space and time to execute the course of action they deem most appropriate. That said, the ball protection at the breakdown was inconsistent at Newlands and they must remedy this shortcoming.
The Springboks’ halfback pair played well in their opener and Francois Hougaard in particular must replicate his largely accurate tactical kicking for the Springboks’ game plan to work as envisioned. I think it will, and while this victory won’t be as comfortable as what they achieved last week in terms of the physical examination they face, the scoreline will reflect the Springboks’ superiority.
VREDE’S CALL: Springboks by 12
369 Comments
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24 Aug 2012, 21:50 pm
@Robzim-242: I hope they dont ride him Robzim, personally dont like it, but there is that element in every crowd today unfortunately
Aussie are much more dangerous with him in the side, and theres nothing like being given no hope to actually inspire a team to do the impossible…france in 99 springs to mind..still think the ABs will be too strong, and reckon it will be another 8-12 point win for the ABs..
24 Aug 2012, 21:50 pm
@Heavens Game-245: 20 = to. Went dyxlesic for a moment
24 Aug 2012, 21:54 pm
@poppa69-239:
> Im just surprised that you havent done the same to the Fijian/Samoan/ Tonga hakas?
Nope, only with the AB one, it’s a respected part of Maori culture
The problem is the hypocritical pale males happily haka’ing together, firstly it’s not part of their Fush and Chups culture
Secondly when their grandpa’s first saw it, they didn’t join in, no siree the whiteys were main course for the dinner after the Cannibal Foxtrot
24 Aug 2012, 21:55 pm
@Jeraldjay-248: us “security guards” are up at all hours mate… but yeah, just finishing off the reorg at work..
@Heavens Game-245: not even a nibble mate?
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-249: hehe dishonesty wise? my god, that tokoloshe has grown to king kong proportions for you hasnt it… sad mate, but I understand… I do hope you become a man one day and front up..
24 Aug 2012, 21:55 pm
@thesaint-244:
saint, i dont know how long yu’ve been blogging here but theres a history to poppa, nzchina and a few other kiwis.
total shitstirrers, baiters and trolls of note.
the jibes dont come out of nowhere, honest.
24 Aug 2012, 21:56 pm
@victoriabok-253: “Cannibal Foxtrot”…. shitabrick
24 Aug 2012, 21:57 pm
@poppa69-254: No, no, no… My name is HG… not Lunch, yeah?
Just making sure…
24 Aug 2012, 21:57 pm
@victoriabok-253: yawn, you and HG in the same boat? sharing the same rod?
do try harder mate, you really havent got the hang of this yet have you?
24 Aug 2012, 21:59 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-255: awww how precious… did the lil kiwis upset the big bad saffa? hehehe I hope you dont feel cheated…
24 Aug 2012, 22:00 pm
@poppa69-258: Ag, Poops… Why you not playing…?
You been taking your pills regularly again, eh
Farken spoilsport…. Killjoy
24 Aug 2012, 22:02 pm
@poppa69-251:
true pops, that element is there indeed. like the bottling of a sharks player in the in-goal area as the dived to score, in auckland. and worse still the dirty little blues stadium management & nzru cover up which ensured.
ja boet, that element is there indeed.
24 Aug 2012, 22:03 pm
Poppa
Did you see my response 204?
You missed several infringements in the Chilli photo…
24 Aug 2012, 22:04 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-261: I agree, we are one step away from having someone run onto the field to clobber the ref..
I hope we dont get to that most basic, primal level
24 Aug 2012, 22:05 pm
@poppa69-254:
gawd, how i wish the same for you pops… how i wish the same…
@Heavens Game-260:
he’s no fun tonight.
24 Aug 2012, 22:05 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-255:
I have to disagree with you.
Personally i find most overseas bloggers including the kiwi’s nice knowledgable people who treat you with respect if you do the same to them.
Ths bullshit stuff comes from both sides man-here are lots of local trolls as well – nobody is always right or wrong or innocent or …whatever..
You must let this kiwi- hatred go- it’s making you look silly, and you are losing credibility by continuing with the same boring old story day in and day out…….you are much better than that, just leave it ….
24 Aug 2012, 22:08 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-261: Talk about bottling… I saw a pic, forget which stadium, after the French played there – think it was year before last – where the ground was littered with bottles gooi’d at the Froggies…
Myself, I had to get involved on the way back from Twickers once – farken little Sheepshagger was gooi-ing stuff at Saffa’s just after a Baa Baa’s match… Got a little clip for his troubles…
Never saw so much whining afterward in my life….
24 Aug 2012, 22:08 pm
@willievz-262: I did Willie thanks… agree with you re trying to extend the ruck…
if it was all legal I still wouldnt like the idea of the “centipede” or whatever one wants to call it.. someone mentioned the 5 second rule earlier, i think that is really going to have a positive effect..
24 Aug 2012, 22:08 pm
@poppa69-263:
pops old pal, now you look me straight in the eye and tell me the gatkruipertjie refs of today aren’t in need of a good clobbering..?..
24 Aug 2012, 22:10 pm
@Robzim-265: Relax Hippy… Its Fun Friday… Nothing is sacred here… Not even the Haka.
24 Aug 2012, 22:14 pm
It’s like I’m reading the same thing over and over and over again
24 Aug 2012, 22:14 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-268: look you straight in the eye? I dont have a ladder that big, what with all the bricks youve used
if we clobbered refs mate then we’d end up without a game, its not an easy job they have and the system isnt currently working at optimum levels… I dont know the solution though, two refs may be an idea, it should imo at least get trialled…
24 Aug 2012, 22:16 pm
Vrede now like Keohane also trying to sound like a predictive analyst. Keep saying the same thing over and over. I knew-you all should have known-why were you all surprised-supporters need to get smarter bla bla bla.
Comments on keo have more substance past 3 months.
24 Aug 2012, 22:18 pm
@poppa69-267: One can potentially find an infringement at most rucks, if you study them closely. Referees don’t have the advantage of these snapshots, but certainly I agree that they should police these centipedes more strictly.
Personally I feel this is a very negative tactic, but I can see the value of it in terms of giving the chaser in the kick chase a greater running start.
I think the decision to bind or not to bind at the centipede is going to become increasingly important in gameplans.
I’m all for the 5 second rule, but only outside the respective 22s…
24 Aug 2012, 22:22 pm
@Robzim-265:
thank you rob, i will take this on board and give it consideration.
in my defence i will say i do not hate kiwis, it just makes no sense when i try to talk about the patently clear organised cheating which nz partakes in, simply just to discuss the facts of it in relation to its effects on the game and especially in relation to its effects on the team i support… that its treated in such an abnormal way by kiwis bloggers (mostly) and a few locals too…
as if i am totaly befok and talking a load of kak and insulting and offending them deeply.. huh?… i do not want to trade insults for no good reason… i do not want to trade insults at all.. i just want to discuss the simple facts of a matter….
and that is that it involves cheating
that the cheaters involved are kiwi is incidental to the fact of there being cheating
why am i a bad person for pointing out the ogre in the room?
24 Aug 2012, 22:23 pm
@Dawn-270: Well dont read then… Go to bed… Tie yourself up… use handcuffs.
24 Aug 2012, 22:23 pm
@Heavens Game-266:
mooi so !
of liewers
beeyoooootiful ..!
24 Aug 2012, 22:25 pm
@willievz-273: yeah, I personally dont like it, but I am also not a fan of the rolling maul… so it has that same sort of element of obstruction to me… but thats just a personal preference thing, if its executed properly it is an effective weapon..
I do like the idea of the 5 second rule/law being applied outside the 22, havent read the rule/law yet so not sure of its actual workings… what concerns me with it is again, it will be down to interpretation, and we will have the variation between refs as to when the 5 second starts etc… again, this is only what I can imagine without having read the law yet..
24 Aug 2012, 22:27 pm
@poppa69-271:
thank you for that, pops.
i dont think were at a two refs stage just yet. rather follow through with the new extended tmo law regulations for a start.
its being trialled here in the cc and i’ve watched two games in which it was positively used. i dont know how it would affect nz rugby if applied but it certainly has the potential to shake the game for the next few years.
24 Aug 2012, 22:28 pm
@poppa69-258:
> sharing the same rod?
HG would love it to have a rod that stretches from SA to the West coast of Canada
Then we’d call him MISTER HG
24 Aug 2012, 22:30 pm
really is a neat set of powers the tmo’s have and the extent to whic h they are able to intervene in the course of events in the match.
24 Aug 2012, 22:32 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-278: the tmo changes are about time tbh… still wont get every thing right though..
I am out for now
cheers guys..
HG, bring some fresh bait next time mamparra
24 Aug 2012, 22:33 pm
@Dawn-270:
50 shades of grey?
24 Aug 2012, 22:36 pm
@Dawn-270:
f5 – Refresh?
24 Aug 2012, 22:36 pm
@poppa69-277: Ironically, for a rolling maul to be at its most efficient (ie gaining the territory), you need to be properly bound…
24 Aug 2012, 22:36 pm
@poppa69-281:
yip, after lagging behind the times compared to other sports like football we’ve certainly started to take what seems to be a few huge leaps. hope it works.
cheers pops, and no.. i dont hate you.
chop
24 Aug 2012, 22:40 pm
@Heavens Game-275:
Kinky!
Chocolate body paint?
24 Aug 2012, 22:41 pm
@poppa69-281: Cheers you cheeky farken coconut
24 Aug 2012, 22:43 pm
@victoriabok-286: No, cuzzie… Read 282… Bakkies on big form tonight
24 Aug 2012, 22:48 pm
@Heavens Game-288:
it would come as no surprise if she actually was reading 50 shades of grey
24 Aug 2012, 22:50 pm
righty then, china you’re up next..!..
wakey wakey…
24 Aug 2012, 22:52 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-289: Ja… I reckon Dawny could actually be a bit of Mamba in the bedroom stakes… Deadly
24 Aug 2012, 22:52 pm
@victoriabok-227:
Unfortunately for you, the stats are the same on all websites. Even the South African ones.
The stats dont cheat.
24 Aug 2012, 23:08 pm
@Heavens Game-288:
Ha ha
24 Aug 2012, 23:11 pm
@Heavens Game-291:
hosh tokolosh
24 Aug 2012, 23:14 pm
@The Donkeys Egg-292:
are you and china tight?
where is he?
24 Aug 2012, 23:16 pm
@The Donkeys Egg-292:
tell him to stay on his side of the blog tomorrow and i will stay on mine.
the world is better off this way.
24 Aug 2012, 23:17 pm
ok, i’m out
nag almal
24 Aug 2012, 23:25 pm
@The Donkeys Egg-292:
Donkey’s Nuts
Are you one of the 95% on Silver Fern that said you’d bend for Sir Ritchie, or were you in the 5% who preferred Graham Henry?
You sound like the Sugardaddy type?
24 Aug 2012, 23:54 pm
@poppa69-277: the maul is a fundamental part of RU, without it and the scrum you’d effectively be watching Rugby League.
The centipede is *** though, I would not mind seeing it being outlawed although the precise wording would be difficult.
24 Aug 2012, 23:56 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-214:
Actually wasnt their a couple South Africans that were caught as drug cheats as well a few years ago?
@victoriabok-298:
Looking through the posts seems you have out done yourself.
If you were aiming to look like an idiot and a person with a huge chip on the shoulder then i must say you mission accomplished.
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