Preview: All Blacks vs Springboks
13 Sep 2012
RYAN VREDE analyses the key match-ups and picks the winner in Saturday’s Test.
Oh dear. The All Blacks. Dunedin. Massive pressure on the Springboks and their coach. I’ve seen this movie before. It ended in fairytale style in 2008 with Ricky Januarie’s late chip and collect to seal the win. Sadly there’ll be no replication of that memorable and rare result come Saturday.
Springbok victories in this fixture have predominantly been built on forward dominance and this Bok pack simply doesn’t possess the physicality, industry or experience in the measures they need to trouble their hosts in general play or at the set pieces.
The former will be particularly decisive. The Blacks boast some of the game’s best strike runners among their heavies, Kieran Read the finest of them. Their ability to offload in the tackle amplifies their threat and has ensured the Blacks’ attacks have a fluidity that is hard to counter. Nullifying their impact would require a cohesive, brutal and accurate effort, the likes of which Argentina achieved in Wellington last week. The Pumas stopped the Blacks at the gainline and harassed them at the breakdown for the bulk of the contest, ensuring a scrappy recycle to their potent back division. The Springboks’ second half effort in Perth in this regard doesn’t stir confidence and with new second and back row combinations, their synergy is sure to be affected.
I called for the inclusion of Francois Louw, but stressed that his value would only become apparent if the Springboks were consistently bossing the tackle fight. I don’t think they will, although Louw’s breakdown work will limit the damage this deficiency has the potential to promote.
Their struggles will extend to the scrums, where the Blacks have generally held the upper hand. The Springboks’ defensive lineout work used to be a cause of concern to the Blacks but they won’t be losing sleep at the prospect of having to negotiate the challenge of Juandre Kruger and co.
How will their attack fare? I fear not much better. Their heavies have failed to inspire as platform-laying forces and the absence of Eben Etzebeth – the one player who made a consistent impact at the gainline – further undermines their cause. Their kickers will seldom have the luxury of time and space to launch their bombs, and the Blacks’ high quality broken field runners have the capacity to hurt them for poorly placed punts.
I think the Springboks’ desperation and the emotion the rivalry evokes will translate into an improved performance. However, that improvement needs to be significant to close the gap in quality between the sides and put them in a position to win. It won’t be.
Prediction: All Blacks by 12
All Blacks – 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Subs: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Brodie Retallick, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Aaron Smith, 21 Beauden Barrett, 22 Tamati Ellison.
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Dean Greyling, 18 Andries Bekker, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Johan Goosen, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Pat Lambie.
1,091 Comments
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14 Sep 2012, 11:59 am
@Atreides-844: Thats the way… Like it
We might have Zane and Morne… And fark me it is enough to make many a grown Bok fan cry…
But their is light at the end of the tunnel… There is hope:
Piri Piri Weepu (… who ate Jimmy Cowan…?) is the 9 for the AB’s.
Fark me if thats not hope
14 Sep 2012, 11:59 am
@Atreides-810: precisely.
i mean who the f u k legislated this dance off as a sacred cow?
its important to kiws, i get it. it could even be important to me if it wasnt treated like it is.
but it is so its not.
some kiwis may think i am out to offend but i truly couldnt give a toss if the haka is there or not.
14 Sep 2012, 12:00 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-850: bakkies, please give me your opinion on Meuswessen ruling where he had no jurisdiction to do so?
is that not cheating? like when Jonker allowed the Bulls to score against the Brumbies after the most blatant knock on ever?
no surely not, that would amount to cheating wouldnt it?
hahahah
youre still pathetic
14 Sep 2012, 12:02 pm
@rangerman-852: but yet you continually go on about it.. surely if it didnt bother you, it wouldnt get a mention from you?
IRB made the 10m rule, not NZ, not the NZRFU..
kiwis actually prefer the response of Chabl et al, it means they accept the challenge..
perhaps you should voice your ire to the parties responsible? we hear none of this with any of the island team hakas, seems inconsistent?
14 Sep 2012, 12:02 pm
@Heavens Game-848:
What are you talking about?
Why bring up WW2 for your pleasure?
At least we served and helped. No matter what we did, we were there and lost alot of people.
Only a dumba$$ South African like yourself would mock it
14 Sep 2012, 12:04 pm
@poppa69-843:
you still crying that the tmo ruled a no try that clearly was…….a no try?
see there is the monster creepiong out of the kiwi again.
win at all costs, even if it takes cheating.
no, you are not funny and you are no rugby man.
14 Sep 2012, 12:05 pm
@Hurricane-855: yep, you know youre winning the battle when HG diverts like that, just dont tell him it was a kiwi who was the only man awarded a VC WITH Bar throughout the entire war.,.
14 Sep 2012, 12:07 pm
so to make yourself feel better about your cheating you point out supposed instances of foul play invoving saffas.
only problem is its endemic to your rugby and style of play and can be pointed out in each and every game you people are involved in whereas you mention one or two incidents in ours.
the larfable thing is you mention the first example which was a case of the tmo wrongly giving a CORRECT ruling on an instance of foul play by gues who…?..
no dont bother, too easy.
how many of those games have been won free of controversy boet, as opposed to the larf a minute ‘there’s nothing in it’ circus that is kiwi rugby.
your players are coached to cheat and they admit this.
why do you have a problem with me stating the obvious?
you are a filthy rugby playing nation and you will continue to be one until such time as the irb/saru put a stop to this.
14 Sep 2012, 12:07 pm
@rangerman-856: what monster Ranger? just trying to point out to Bakkies that all teams do their share of cheating, something he wont ever admit to..
me , I still think he made the right call, but it wasnt within his powers to do so..
cant you differentiate or is the hatred for me that strong that when I make what is a valid example you all think Im being precious?
beautiful, glad to see you guys think the world of yourselves..
14 Sep 2012, 12:08 pm
@Hurricane-855: I am talking about HERITAGE in RUGBY…
Something you farken Hakerena obsessed, rugby world only revolves around the ABs only, would not have a farken clue about, even if it came and dropped its pants and showed a collective browneye to that silly dance and everything else associated with arrogant AB Rugby superiority on that field tomorrow.
Yup… Its THE SPRINGBOKS vs All Blacks in NZ tomorrow…
4:1 underdogs versus massive favourites…
An “upset” would be GREAT for the Whole Wide World in Union…
14 Sep 2012, 12:09 pm
hahaha
these kiwis skeem they won the 2nd world war
hahahahaha
fark this is hilarious
14 Sep 2012, 12:09 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-858: I pointed out your cheating in the Aus/SA game bakkies, but you refused to answer any of it..
really, your continual attacks have surpassed mine, and you now have the distinction of being the blogger who needs the most medication.,
well done champ..
14 Sep 2012, 12:10 pm
@rangerman-856:
Ranger to be fair, rules are there to be obeyed, we all know players try there best to get away with everything, but When you get a South African official that does not obey rules, then you have a problem.
Even though it was a no try and he got it correct, it was not his call.
Plain and simple. If it was a kiwi that did that to the Bok team, this place would have gone off.
14 Sep 2012, 12:10 pm
@poppa69-857: More Saffas with VC’s from that righteous war than Hobbits…
Heck, there’s even a Sharkie who got one of them…
Naah, you Kiwis reckon you got the only righteous pedestal in Rugger.
14 Sep 2012, 12:12 pm
i can just picture the allies in a huddle discussing, looking stern amd sombre…
‘best we dont go in yet boys, the kiwis are’nt in the field yet’
what a farkin larf
14 Sep 2012, 12:13 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-861: Ja…
Fark, one movie about Gallipoli and they reckon thats all there was to it…
Like last years Rigged World Cup, when they fined the “cowardly” French for daring to give THE best response possible to their legislated unchallengeable farken Hairy Man “challenge”…
Farken myopic, arrogant little sheepshaggers…
They need to get knocked straight off their Pom like arrogant pedestal tomorrow, if only for their own damn good.
14 Sep 2012, 12:13 pm
@Heavens Game-860:
Stick your heritage up your a$$ clown.
I dont care what you were trying to say but your post was uncalled for.
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-861:
Who said that??
Show me where i said we won the war?
You are a pathetic person that reads things he wants to see. Watches rugby for things he wants to see, if not then makes it up.
Again show me where i said we won the war, go on .
14 Sep 2012, 12:14 pm
@Heavens Game-864: do we? is that why people like Bakkies and yourself think that any AB win is rigged, or that we are arrogant?
is it not your own arrogance thinking that you guys should be top of the pile, look at your posts about “heritage”
so only Saffas have rugby heritage?
youre the one who brought up the war HG, not us? me, I wouldnt make fun of anyones contribution to war, I respect the people who sacrificed too much to do that… but you continue belittling our countries contributions if it makes you feel better because your rugby team is not performing to your expectations..
14 Sep 2012, 12:15 pm
@poppa69-862:
you blame me for pointing out a truth which your team practises on a regular basis?
how can i be faulted if the team does it each and every time?
when they play dirty i point it out.
which is every time.
its chicken and egg stuff boet
your team acts filthy and i point it, i point it out that you team acts filthy and they act it….
14 Sep 2012, 12:16 pm
@Heavens Game-866: who fined the French?
wasnt the NZRFU was it?
liar… how pathetic really, but I understand, get all your shots in now so when you disappear after tomorrows game if you lose, youll still have some sense of worth..
well, dig in mate, go for it
14 Sep 2012, 12:16 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-865:
Pictures in your head??
Probably comes with voices as well?
Thats a problem Bakkies,you do know that.
14 Sep 2012, 12:17 pm
@Heavens Game-860: I am not that sure that swapping harmless whinge (to what we all are comfortably used) with what certainly will happen here after unlikely Boks win would be of any good to the “world wide world in union”.
Anyway, cheers.
P.S. And before any home-made Molotov coctails are thrown to me:
BLACKS TO WIN AND BOKS TO WHINE!!
(running for cover, bye)
14 Sep 2012, 12:17 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-869: so does yours bakkies, each and every game
ALberts taking men out past the ruck, Hoohaa getting away with taking men out in the air, all I ask is that you run your one eye over both teams, but you wont..
sad really, for a supposed rugby fan
14 Sep 2012, 12:18 pm
@poppa69-859: i have told you i bear no hatred towards you poops.
i pity you.
and its not because you are a maori or a cullart or whatever other label you want to wear, shout it out loud i am black and i am proud!
its because your posts have betrayed a sickness inside you buddy and i think this rugby obsession has done that sickness no favours.
but hey, its a virtual pub so have a ball buddy just dont try to slide bs past me ok?
@Hurricane-863: what would the score have been hurri?
its a non event surely if we both agree that the call was correct?
if the call was incorrect then it would have been a huge fk up agreed but it wasnt.
in addition, surely the ref asked him to rule and the ref could have overruled him?
the ref was oirish, same ref tomorrow
14 Sep 2012, 12:18 pm
@Heavens Game-866:
seriously
i lmfao for that little exchange
@Hurricane-867:
you sure do act like yu did hurri.
14 Sep 2012, 12:19 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-869:
look at this, side step Bakkies. Cant admitor even answerthe cheating the boks do.
Just carries on his lonesome no friends way. lol. Oh he has 2 friends, HG and Gunther.
The 3 stooges.
14 Sep 2012, 12:20 pm
@poppa69-873: now thats funny poops, seriously.
the abs hold people at every ruck and you are asking US to open our other eye?
14 Sep 2012, 12:21 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-875:
Again show me.
Where did we say we won the war or in fact even suggested we won it?
We have asked you to answer alot and show us things you believe we have said.
Yet you cant, are you really all there?
14 Sep 2012, 12:21 pm
@Hurricane-871:
come on, you gotta admit that was funny though
14 Sep 2012, 12:22 pm
@rangerman-874: so I have an obsession for pointing out an example to counteract someones post?
enjoy the game tomorrow ranger
14 Sep 2012, 12:22 pm
@rangerman-852: I think you need to view it against the background of New Zealand’s cultural depth and diversity. Which is virtually non-existent. I mean imagine, as a country, only getting your fist proper mammal after your first car. Sure, they’ve got cool mountains and decent sailors and that caddy and the guy who wrote the muppet song. But their criteria for legal cultural protection is something you and I cannot understand. I get the whole Haka nonsense. It’s like telling the Vatican City they mustn’t make such a big deal about the Pope.
14 Sep 2012, 12:23 pm
OH well.I am out.
Have a good night.
14 Sep 2012, 12:23 pm
ah well, i suggest we all pack this in and start talking about actual rugby
14 Sep 2012, 12:24 pm
@poppa69-873:
no poppa, we have nothing on the ab’s for filthy play. that award goes to you guys each and every time. seriously, but you know this.
and dont even start on what happens if we so much as mock coconut tackle you guys.
fark
then its game over reechee running the ref end of us stories
filthy and cowards… this is your rugby boet
sad
14 Sep 2012, 12:24 pm
@Hurricane-867: @poppa69-868: Boo farken hoo… Now look who’s whining
Fark, you fools are overwhelming favourites tomorrow, the “Supreme” World Champs, playing a game in your own back yard,
Pronouncing about cowardly Saffas
Pronouncing how you are not arrogant, yet “quietly confident”
Pronouncing how sh.yte the Boks are…
Facing a Bok team, hamstrung by its own coach and his selectorial confusion coming off a loss to the Wallabies…
AND YET
You still farken WHINE?
Farkoff you farken WHINING little hobbit fools with that arrogant Pom like attitude…
By Goodness, if it wont be for your OWN GOOD, if you should by some small chance get knowcked right off your own Rugby Godlike Pedestals you fools have placed yourselves…
(And then watch the bottles thrown on the field like when the underdog frogs beat you in your own backyard not too long ago.)
BOOM!
14 Sep 2012, 12:25 pm
@katman-881: got to agree, how silly of us to try and protect a culture, we should follow our SA brothers example and try and quash it, stomp it out with whatever means are necessary
14 Sep 2012, 12:25 pm
@poppa69-880: you too.
@Hurricane-882: cheers man.
@katman-881:
funny thing is you are probably spot on bud.
14 Sep 2012, 12:25 pm
Would be great if Meyer does a “Plum” comes out with a different team to what had been announced during the week.
Goosen, Lambie, and JdJ to start. Shifts Hougie back to sh moves JdV to wing. Also of course with those players, now the game plan is different. That would most definitely bamboozle the ABs. Would love it actually. Meyer come on get some guts and do it…haha. Nothing to lose here.
Okay with a faster game we will need Marcel to start in the loose trio as well. Alberts on the bench, then comes and causes havoc for later.
14 Sep 2012, 12:26 pm
@Nils-872: Yeah, fark off and go drown in your own farken Hakarena fantasising Latvian confused cabbage soup…
Twat
14 Sep 2012, 12:26 pm
@rangerman-883: I tried….
14 Sep 2012, 12:26 pm
@Hurricane-882:
cheers hurri
14 Sep 2012, 12:26 pm
@poppa69-886: protect it by all means but dont expect us to protec it or cherish it, mmmmkay?
14 Sep 2012, 12:28 pm
@rangerman-892: we dont, thats the point
again, it is an IRB directive about the 10 metres, not NZs..
is that really so hard to understand?
14 Sep 2012, 12:28 pm
@Atreides-890: haha, i feel a bit bad because i may have had something to do with setting the kiwis off.
like throwing a mongoose into a henhouse.
14 Sep 2012, 12:30 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-721: Compos mentis Usually non compos mentis
14 Sep 2012, 12:31 pm
@Heavens Game-889: (Counted till 10)
Are you ok now? Froth mopped? Good. Then have a nice day and enjoy the rugga.
Cheers.
14 Sep 2012, 12:31 pm
@rangerman-883:
you mean us going north?
i tried.
but amstill up for it.
14 Sep 2012, 12:31 pm
Campese used to throw the ball around and run about his own goalposts when the ABs did the haka, I dont recall any NZs getting all upset about that?
I understand you guys direct it at NZ and the ABs simply because we hold the position in rugby you guys covert, so be it..
14 Sep 2012, 12:32 pm
@ryecatcher-895:
yip, thats the one.
14 Sep 2012, 12:32 pm
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