Preview: Ireland vs Springboks
9 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE analyses the key match-ups and picks a winner of the year-end tour Test in Dublin.
The optimism among Ireland supporters appeared to be high when I first arrived in Dublin last Saturday, but I’ve since sensed a steady shift to something bordering pessimism, in light of injuries to key and experienced players. They still hope for an Ireland victory, of course, but there is none of the strong belief that had accompanied their ambition in recent meetings at Lansdowne Road.
Ireland have won three of the last four Tests in the city. Experienced and respected men among their media contingent predict that dominance will end, despite acknowledging the Springboks’ own struggles with injuries and their poor form in 2012. I think they’re right, although any Springbok victory will not be accompanied by glowing praise of the beauty of their performance.
The forecast is for cold but clear conditions at kick-off, which will assist the attacking play of both sides, not that either team is likely to thrill in their own territory. The Boks won’t veer from the kick-chase method when in their half, and they will look to put Ireland’s receivers under pressure with committed chasers. The hosts have consistently pointed to the importance of putting their primary punters – Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie and Zane Kirchner – under pressure. I don’t foresee them achieving this, with the Springboks’ pack likely to be dominant and in so doing buying the aforementioned players time to set themselves and pick their spots (they’ll target fullback Simon Zebo), whether that be up-and-unders or kicks into space.
Pat Lambie’s tactical game showed improvements in the Currie Cup, but the pressure of Test matches is incomparable and he’ll be under close scrutiny in this regard. Lambie will also be thrust further into the spotlight if the Springboks succeed in pressuring Ireland into penalties in kickable positions. He has kicked superbly of late and needs to replicate that form on the international stage. Certainly if Ireland find their attacking groove they are capable of punishing the Springboks for infringements, with Jonathan Sexton and Ronan O’Gara among the most accurate Test goal-kickers in 2012.
If Lambie wobbles with the boot the Springboks have problems. Statistically no team in the world has spent more time in the opposition’s 22m than they have this year, yet the return in terms of tries scored has been desperately poor. They have consistently conceded penalties or made handling errors when on attack in this zone. There needs to be a dramatic reduction in both counts. The Springboks simply have to be more clinical.
The Bok pack has fronted well in set and general play, even against the All Blacks, who are widely regarded to be the strongest eight in the game. They’ll be too good for the Irish, who’ll miss Paul O’Connell’s physicality and leadership and Sean O’Brein’s industry and potency at the breakdown. If Francois Louw can impose himself at breakdown time (off the back of a good gainline contest) it will further compound Ireland’s attacking struggles. I think he will, with Declan Kidney’s team not possessing enough high calibre strike runners to boss the tackle and render Louw a non-factor.
Expect parity at scrum time, while the tourists will boss the lineouts, where their rolling maul will be a massive weapon.
Overall, Ireland will be a fierce competitor but not one with the quality to take advantage of a significantly weakened Springbok side.
VREDE’S CALL: Springboks by 10
1,019 Comments
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9 Nov 2012, 13:25 pm
@gunther-348:
She is the cat’s mother.
9 Nov 2012, 13:27 pm
@Nils-343:
technically, no.
a martyr requires the person/s to suffer persecution, torture and eventual death at the hands of another group of people due to their rejecting either rejecting some set of beliefs or advocating a different set of beliefs to those shared by their persecutors.
so would not have been a suicide per se
even i knew that.
9 Nov 2012, 13:27 pm
The Irish are fired up for this match.When Fields of Athenry lights up the Aviva tomorrow it will signal the beginning of the end for Anneke Meyer .
9 Nov 2012, 13:28 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-352:
That is intense coming from you.
9 Nov 2012, 13:28 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-352: I just wondered what happened. Another set of bloggers emigrating or what.
9 Nov 2012, 13:29 pm
due to their rejecting either rejecting some set of beliefs (should read) =
due to their rejecting either some set of beliefs held by others or advocating a different set of beliefs to those shared by their persecutors
9 Nov 2012, 13:31 pm
@cane-349:
Do you put ice in?
Nom nom nom.
9 Nov 2012, 13:31 pm
@Nils-355: 3 sharks bloggers left. Puma, Shalks Lover and Sharksgirl
They are now exclusive to Rugby-Talk. I blog there too but it’s very quiet.
9 Nov 2012, 13:32 pm
Cane has been going on about the Sharkies exit for a while no.Were you in love with Puma or what.You Kiwis can be very dodgy at the best of times.
9 Nov 2012, 13:32 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-356: Swallow a dictionary this morning??
9 Nov 2012, 13:32 pm
@wnbb-359: now
9 Nov 2012, 13:33 pm
I take full responsibility. Now get over it.
Two little dicky birds sitting on the wall.
One named
9 Nov 2012, 13:33 pm
@stormersboy-358:
Exclusive to Rugby Talk.
Special Offer for a limited time only.
Terms and Conditions apply.
9 Nov 2012, 13:33 pm
@cane-349:
You in love with Puma or what
9 Nov 2012, 13:35 pm
@Nikita-354:
i know hey, i dont know wtf is wrong with me today. the electrical wires in my brain have gotten crossed somehow. i’m like freakin einstien at the moment.
it come in waves though.
@Nils-355:
yes, two at most three sharkies became angry with a certain young lady and stormed off never to return. personally i think they are just being a tad too senstive and should get over themselves (no offence S_L, Puma and sharksgirl, i mean well).
9 Nov 2012, 13:36 pm
@stormersboy-358: Shame whatever the reason. Seemed nice okes.
9 Nov 2012, 13:37 pm
@stormersboy-347:
I acknowlege and respect your post Stormboy.
Because it is so true.
But that does not mean I cannot see the passing of GREAT posters without some due respect.
They may never pass this way again…………………………………………………
9 Nov 2012, 13:37 pm
I actually do miss Sharkslover.You will not find a more passionate Sharks supporter anywhere in the world than old sharkie.Come back bud.
9 Nov 2012, 13:38 pm
@Nils-366:
Blame it on global warming Nils. Tallin or Riga?
9 Nov 2012, 13:38 pm
my tuppence is i may… scuse the long post…
i was very surprised to see puma, sharks lover, sharks girl, ranger et al absent on keo… and even more surprised to be told they’d left en masse due to constant bickering and insult flinging…
great pity… and would be awesome for them to put aside their differences and blog here again…
things get way over the top here sometimes and i feel that the biggest problem is the generalising about different groups that goes whether they be fan-groups, national-groups, racial-groups or religious-groups or groupy-groups…
groups are the cause of all evil in the world… one group trying to promote their own and dominate another is the cause of every war that was ever fought… as soon as people target a group the individual becomes canon fodder and sacrificially expedient for the ‘greater good’… however, if the individual is recognized, respected, cherished and engaged the welfare of every and any group is automatically taken care of…
on keo instead of taking the easy, cowards way out in a debate by labelling all people in our own self-defined groups and tarring all with the same brush why don’t we all simply respond to the individual who offends us without all the foortnotes, asterisks, and snide comments about whatever group we perceive them to belong to…
instead of having a go at a sharks or stormers supporter AND adding typical farken sharks/stormers supporter or what else can we expect from a bulls/stormers/sharks supporter… etc… just click on the reply button and address the individual comment made by the individual blogger? everyone here represents only themselves as individuals and no one else and no particular group of supporters… so address them back as individuals and not as members of any group…
if all reasonable rational genuine rugby loving banter loving supporters all did this… and all tried to encourage everyone else to do this… 90 per cent of the unpleasantness and nastiness on keo would evaporate…
we need to stop getting into a feeding frenzy when one person has a go at another or at a whole group of people… we need to all try and debate and banter without descending into pitiful, juvenile name calling and oneupmanship…
let the reasonable people here be the bigger/better people and not return serve or respond to the insults of the trolls and shitstirrers whoever they may be…they don’t beling to or represent any group… just ignore them because reactions are exactly what they they are looking for…
finally… for what it’s worth…
puma, sharks girl, sharks lover, ranger and other who have left whether sharks/bulls/lions/cheetahs/stormers… come on back and let’s chat… let’s take responsibility upon ourselves to stop the hating…
worth a try…?? maybe…?
9 Nov 2012, 13:38 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-365: Well, for a good deal of time this indeed is a rather angry place. When Bokkes united do not clash with the foreigners they fight even fiercer amongst themselves.
9 Nov 2012, 13:39 pm
my tuppence IF i may…
farken smilies…!!
9 Nov 2012, 13:39 pm
@Nikita-369: Tallinn is for my northern neighbors, I reside in Riga. You, presumably, in Cape Town?
9 Nov 2012, 13:40 pm
@wnbb-368:
Two little dicky birds sitting on the wall
Come back bud. Sounds good.
9 Nov 2012, 13:40 pm
@cane-367:
Old Puma was a decent chap with only two faults.
An unnatural fondness for Patrick Lambie.
An inability to understand that red wine should be slightly chilled in the African summer unless you have an appropriate cellar.
9 Nov 2012, 13:41 pm
@Nils-355:
and might i add, as a result of this happening i have now had to suffer about 30 to 40 articles since, dedicated to either patrick lambie, some other sharks player OR patrick lambie AND some other sharks players together, the sharks coach, the sharks assistant coaches, the sharks stadium, the sharks legendary fans… or a combination of all of the above….
@stormersboy-360:
i know!
i’m on farking fire!
9 Nov 2012, 13:42 pm
@ufo-370: Good post, I just disagree a bit with “groups are the cause of all evil in the world” – IMHO, better starkly different factions than one united puree.
9 Nov 2012, 13:42 pm
@Nikita-374:
.
9 Nov 2012, 13:42 pm
@ufo-370:
Post of the week
9 Nov 2012, 13:42 pm
so we are hammering the aussies at this point.
early days, you have to love test cricket.
hope the boks have a pearler tomorrow and taute is a standout then JdJ comes on and completes the rout.
that will just show how lucky we are to have such a diversly talented team.
9 Nov 2012, 13:44 pm
@Nils-373:
Yes
9 Nov 2012, 13:45 pm
@Nils-377:
shot bud…
what ever way you slice and dice your ‘cuisine’… at the end of the days it is about groups…
@Nikita-379:
thanks sunshine..!
9 Nov 2012, 13:45 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-376: That’s temporary. Depending on how Test vs the Paddies go the focus may shift again.
9 Nov 2012, 13:45 pm
@cane-367: Fair point. They did add a lot to the site,
The sad truth is that the chief trouble makers that ramp up the tensions like HG and Wooden Spoon and some of the Cape Bloggers are still here, and Puma and co have left. So everybody loses.
9 Nov 2012, 13:46 pm
@The Rangerman-380:
ranger… how you doing bud…? you been awol…
have you changed your nic and added the THE…?
9 Nov 2012, 13:46 pm
@ufo-370: hey i never went anywhere bud.
blerrie typical stormers supporter!
9 Nov 2012, 13:46 pm
@gunther-375:
Indeed. It is an unnatural fondness. Quite bizarre.
9 Nov 2012, 13:46 pm
@Dawn-364:
No my darling.
But those who crucify him,
will be judged accordingly.
9 Nov 2012, 13:46 pm
@Nils-371:
hehehe
welcome to the jungle….
@gunther-375:
far… far.. too many of them have an unnatural fondness for patrick lambie.
serious outbeak of man boy love doing the rounds in durban.
9 Nov 2012, 13:47 pm
@gunther-375:
Don’t forget Keegan
9 Nov 2012, 13:47 pm
@ufo-385: howzit man, nah i was away for a while on holidays.
going away again next weekend too.
to transies neck of the woods actually.
congrats on the stormers cc win bud.
9 Nov 2012, 13:48 pm
@The Rangerman-380:
Who is this
9 Nov 2012, 13:49 pm
@The Rangerman-386:
good…!
seemed like all the sharks supporters had gone walkabout…!! good to see that’s not the case…
9 Nov 2012, 13:49 pm
@ufo-370:
so in short; poppa is a doos kiwi troll who exploits the provincial rivalries of saffas on this site..?.
9 Nov 2012, 13:49 pm
@cane-388:
Indeed.
Dawnie with her knitting needles next to the guillotine.
9 Nov 2012, 13:50 pm
@The Rangerman-380:
You’re not supposed to be here, didn’t you know?
9 Nov 2012, 13:52 pm
@The Rangerman-380:
At 02:30 in the morning it had the makings of a top notch suspence thriller with Pattison having a full go at Amla.
9 Nov 2012, 13:52 pm
@gunther-395:
I stick them in the eyes in case they’re still alive after the chop
9 Nov 2012, 13:52 pm
@ufo-370:
Your Tuppence is worth a thousand rand.
9 Nov 2012, 13:53 pm
@Nils-383:
fark, this is hard enough for them as it is.
there’s no need for you to put any added pressure on patrick
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