Preview: Scotland vs Springboks
16 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, in Edinburgh, analyses the key match ups and picks the winner in Saturday’s Test at Murrayfield.
I’ve written extensively about the importance of the victory over Ireland in Dublin last week from Heyneke Meyer’s perspective and what it would have done for the mental growth of the collective. However, the quality of the performance needs to improve against a determined Scotland side who come into the Test with confidence gained from having beaten the Springboks recently and indeed tested the world champion All Blacks last Sunday.
I think there will be three key areas the Springboks have to master if they are to win: The gainline and breakdown on attack (I’m confident they’ll do so on defence), the lineout and goal-kicking.
Scotland have great belief that their rush defence system will blunt the Springboks’ aerial assault, cutting down the tourist’s primary strike runners’ space and time and consequently creating broken-field opportunities from poor punts. The tourists’ strike runners were poor in the first half at Lansdowne Road but upped the ante after the break which saw a drastic change in the Test’s attacking complexion. They have to be on point, not only for the efficiency of their kicking game, but also the fluency of their ball-in-hand attack, with Scotland exhibiting an appetite for spoiling play at the breakdown. It is therefore imperative that they win the collisions and clean well if they hope to ease their attacking task.
With their attack in what Meyer called the ‘goal zone’ (between the 22m and opposition tryline) unlikely to show marked improvement, they will rely heavily on their lineout mauling as a try-scoring weapon. Territory is key in this regard and if they are able to set up drives close to the aforementioned zone I cannot see Scotland’s pack denying them regularly. Expect them to crumble under the force of the Springboks’ shove or concede penalties, which then heightens the importance of goal kicker Pat Lambie.
The Springbok flyhalf kicked relatively well last week, but with his side’s now chronic struggles to cross the chalk, he will be acutely aware of how critical it is that he contributes with the boot.
The forecast is for heavy rain on Saturday, which will demand a tight approach from both teams. In a war of attrition, the Springboks have an edge but Scotland will be combative for at least three quarters of the match. The vistors’ bench boasts some strong impact players and they could prove to be a determining factor in the result, but they must have a platform on which to build, as I suspect that chasing the game with the Scots galvanised by the prospect of another Springboks scalp and passionate home crowd roused, could be terminal to the Springboks’ cause.
There has been a patent determination about the Springboks this week and their supporters will hope that translates into a clinical performance. Victory is non-negotiable.
VREDE’S CALL: Springboks by 10
Scotland – 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Greig Laidlaw, 9 Mike Blair, 8 David Denton, 7 John Barclay, 6 Kelly Brown (c), 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Ryan Grant.
Subs: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Kyle Traynor, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Alastair Kellock, 20 Stuart McInally, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Peter Murchie.
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermuelen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Subs: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Jaco Taute, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
272 Comments
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16 Nov 2012, 23:49 pm
every one of those Samoan warriors are built like a battle tank
that was carnage out there tonight.. Wales got roped into a war and they came off second best.. I don’t think hardly any team would beat Samoa in that kind of belligerent mood. They came looking for a barney and they stuffed the Welsh up up front.. when Samoa want to get tough then they right up there with the toughest of the tough.. those Samoan warriors are no frills kind of moer hulle sag toughness and Wales got stuffed up by two SH teams in Argy and Samoa who can show the rest that when its do or die time these nations are at the forefront of the battle line.
Boks are lucky they not playing Argy or Samoa on this tour they’d get stuffed up as well.
16 Nov 2012, 23:51 pm
i’ll rather spend my money going to Old Trafford,Anfield and other English stadiums to see proper football.
16 Nov 2012, 23:52 pm
What do you know? You think every and any team will beat the Boks.
Your bias is sickening.
16 Nov 2012, 23:55 pm
you are such a sucker for punishment!skoppie set you up perfectly with that last sentence of 201
16 Nov 2012, 23:55 pm
what do you know you dumb imbecile doos.. Boks beat Wales by 1 point with a fully laden A team in the WC and just squeaked home vs Samoa and drew with Argy by virtue of a lucky packet charge down try otherwise they were losing
Argy took Wales apart at home, and so did Samoa.. which equates to the fact that both Argy and Samoa are playing better rugby than Boks are right now.
16 Nov 2012, 23:55 pm
Wnnb then why are u so concerned about the boks….they are ranked nr 2 in the world….. Bafana nr76… Do you post the same stuff on sa soccer blogs?
16 Nov 2012, 23:57 pm
Skopdikan… Yes but pdv was the coach then… The guy was mental… No clue… A rugby clown
17 Nov 2012, 00:00 am
If Pdv had left Smit on another 5 minutes in the WC pool game vs Wales then Boks would have lost.. luckily he broaught on Bismark Alberts and Hougaard just in the nick of time to get out of jail..
Samoa were reading Boks the riot act in the pool game at the WC second half.. Boks were lucky to come out of that game with a win..
Samoa in the mood they were tonight would stuff up the Boks up front same way they stuffed up Wales on their home turf.
There are no soft little mommy’s boys in this Samoan team.. there a few soft little mommy’s boytjies in the Bok team.. Samoa pummeled the tough Welsh front row into the dirt.
17 Nov 2012, 00:02 am
@suffer_guy-206: i don’t follow SA football.,i follow bok rugby AND I WILL CONCERN MYSELF WITH THE BOKS WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.SORRY CAPS
17 Nov 2012, 00:04 am
when Samoa and Argentina get up to speed in the technical and skills side of the game then they can beat anyone because when it comes down to sheer tough attitude and raw power they far tougher than most as Wales found out at the coal face tonight and last week
17 Nov 2012, 00:05 am
If boks lost to samoa ….they would’ve played france in the semi’s ……
17 Nov 2012, 00:08 am
Personallyand i also think that Samoa would have stuffed the Boks tonight.They were totally focused tonight and executed their game plan perfectly.Their tactics were spot on and it’s unfair to expect Meyer with his rockspider mentality to have matched it.Afrikaners and tactics???Big no no.
17 Nov 2012, 00:10 am
That Samoan No. 1 probably the toughest front row prop in the world today and that No.8 smashed through the Welsh defense at will, Samoan front 8 smashed Wales to a pulp, and the backs made ground through Welsh defense every time they ran at them.. Samoan warriors showed the Anglo Celts who’s boss on the rugby field, because the Samoan warriors ain’t pansies .. poor Welsh got a lesson in war zone rugby I reckon they not too keen to face Samoa again any time too soon.
Boks can be glad they only get Samoa on easy terms usually at home.. face a Samoan team in this kind of mood on neutral territory and Boks would also know they been in a war.. like they found out in Mendoza where Frans Steyn lucky charge down saved their arses from a certain loss.
17 Nov 2012, 00:13 am
It was wales “b” … Rockspider tactics? Lol…. Tell that to danie gerber, naas, joost, os, bismark, domkrag, matfield, wiese, ruben, jouba, uli, etc.. And thats just 1992 onwards….
17 Nov 2012, 00:13 am
Boks were lucky against FIJI in 2007 as well.On that occasion only Eddie Moans saved our bacon.Its’s only a matter of time before the boks regularly start losing against the islanders,samoa and fiji..
17 Nov 2012, 00:15 am
Johnson on tonights performance would have folded dok jannie .What a player.
17 Nov 2012, 00:16 am
Bakkies, schalk, j fourie, andre verter, honniball….
17 Nov 2012, 00:16 am
This result truly puts the huge army of cats amongst the pidgeons ahead of the WC draw, making almost every following Test important, if not crucial, to the rankings.
17 Nov 2012, 00:18 am
All blacks also kakked in the first half against fiji in 2004 rwc…. It happens against the kakker teams….
17 Nov 2012, 00:19 am
@suffer_guy-214: you see what i did there?Nobody can claim total monopoly to bait on this site, although some like katman and gunther do believe they have total monopoly to bait.
17 Nov 2012, 00:21 am
Samoa in this mood much tougher to beat than Fiji.. Samoans are natural born warriors they only know one way and its fok maar voort voorentoe.. if they tighten up on their kicking game and passing like they showed they can tonight they can smash any of the top teams, perhaps only NZ can beat them at their own game because NZ know how to steer clear of the direct rough stuff.. Wales walked straight into an ambush and got fck’d up.. and Boks with their domfok ek sal jou wys wies baas mentality would get fck’d up by these Samoans just the same because if it came to a face on war in the physicality stakes Boks would never out muscle these dudes they much tougher man to man than Boks are.
17 Nov 2012, 00:23 am
@Nils-218: True.Personally i don’t believe much in this rankings for the WC.You still need to defeat the best to call yourself champions.In 2007 the winners basically defeated second tier nations.
17 Nov 2012, 00:26 am
@suffer_guy-206: jeeps ,you are more up to date with bafana’s ranking.I never knew that they were ranked 76.Are you not perhaps a closet bafana fan???
17 Nov 2012, 00:27 am
@suffer_guy-219: 2004 RWC?
They have played only in 87 WC when Blacks won by 61.
The LOWEST winning marging ever has been 46 points.
When they kakked vs Fiji?
17 Nov 2012, 00:29 am
@suffer_guy-219: They would have if there actually was a wc played in 2004.
17 Nov 2012, 00:30 am
Only way to beat teams like Samoa and Argy is beat them with skill and speed.. if you want to try out muscle them like this dumb idiot Meyer wants to try and inculcate into Bok’s traditional game and Samoa come charging in like they bust that poor young Welsh fly half’s nose and arm and ribs in one tackle.. then they come off second best.. you don’t play Argy and Samoa with domfok ek sal jou wys rugby.. you got to beat them with skill and speed and brains like NZ mostly do.
17 Nov 2012, 00:32 am
@wnbb-222: Ranking are important for the upcoming draw.
Apart from NZ no one from the current top 10 can be dead certain in which drawing pot they will land, it was crowded enough until today and it is jam packed now. For example, Wales and/or Ireland are at huge risk to face 2 biggies in their pool, while Samoa may sneak into the top 8.
17 Nov 2012, 00:33 am
why are you okes into thrashing the Boks? didn’t france lose to Tonga @ the world cup? are they kak too?
if you reckon the filth those samoans were doing last year in new zealand is “war zone rugby” then good for you…
17 Nov 2012, 00:34 am
Jake was ons beste coach.
Bring hom terug.
/popcorn
17 Nov 2012, 00:34 am
@Nils-227: Probably for countries like that,but as a bok fan i believe that the boks should be able to beat all teams no matter who they are playing.
17 Nov 2012, 00:36 am
@wnbb-230: No argument, Boks are able to do that if play well, the problem is they aren’t playing that well for quite some time.
17 Nov 2012, 00:38 am
@wnbb-230: I also need to add that with HM at the helm teams like Samoa and Fiji won’t fear them.Those teams only have to prepare for the physical battle and nothing else.
17 Nov 2012, 00:38 am
@skopdiekan-226: why did the Argies lose to punch-drunk Aussie team that had just been pomped by the Boks @Loftus? Deans didnt even know if he could field a fit 15 yet the argies lost to the likes of brett sheehan.
17 Nov 2012, 00:40 am
@Nils-231: A Bok coach that can’t get his team to quarter final should never get a rugby job,in any capacity,in SA.
17 Nov 2012, 00:41 am
Samoans perhaps the toughest players man to man those okes are built like battle tanks and they relish in the rough stuff.. don’t try take Samoa on in the physicality trenches they will stuff you up, chew your bones and spit you out.
Boks are playing absolute kak rugby and they been playing kak rugby since 1998 .. Boks got a long way to go to try emulate the glory years before isolation
the little lucky packet WC in 2007 does not obviate the kak rugby Boks were playing since Mallet, Streaulie, White, PdV and Meyer all play kak rugby.. and Boks almost got taken out WC 2007 by both Tonga and Fiji.. that is how kak Boks rugby has become since we reverted to our so called 10 man traditional rugby ‘strengths’.
17 Nov 2012, 00:45 am
The Aussies blew hot and cold against the SH teams this year.I don’t read much into that defeat against the Boks.
17 Nov 2012, 00:45 am
@Transformation-233: by keeping the ball away from them and spreading it wide.. not through domfck ek sl jou wys fok maar voort brainlessness
Boks were beaten in Mendoza with our star studded WC winners like Frans Steyn who luckily charged down a low rake clearance kick otherwise Argies would have taken Boks to the cleaners that day.
17 Nov 2012, 00:55 am
@skopdiekan-237: how come they didnt do it at Newlands? Boks were playing with one are tied behind them if u consider that Keegan & morne started & Keegan got subbed for that kamikaze dom fok Pottie still argies drew a blank…
17 Nov 2012, 00:55 am
Heyneken gaan sy gat more sien met sy stampkar rugby!scotland will back off in the physicality stakes.Mallet is giving the dom peos sound advice to move the ball a bit,but will the idiot take that advice.personally i don’t think so,because the idiot is firmly stuck in his laager mentality.
17 Nov 2012, 00:55 am
@wnbb-239: will not back off
17 Nov 2012, 01:18 am
@skopdiekan-235: I thought, Boks handled Samoans pretty well in WC03 and WC07, unlike WC11.
@wnbb-234: Yes.
17 Nov 2012, 02:12 am
@wnbb-188: I see racists
17 Nov 2012, 02:22 am
@wnbb-220: they just do it with class unlike you wannabee.
17 Nov 2012, 06:30 am
@jet jungle-243:
Please fork off poe$. You are like a hemroid with vaseline issues.
17 Nov 2012, 07:05 am
Heineke Weier to pick quotas … Legend coach
17 Nov 2012, 08:05 am
Wakker skrik, julle naaiers. William Wallace bly nou in De Doorns.
17 Nov 2012, 08:13 am
Haven’t you got some stones to throw poeslap?
17 Nov 2012, 10:02 am
@skopdiekan-237:You are an absolute arsehole.I have never seen such stupid comparisons tool.Aus drew with abs.Frogs beat Aus by a mile.So does that mean Frogs are better than ABS DOOS.That is the same way you are comparing SA and samoa and argies.What a absolute **** you are or are you just a kiwi with a Sa nic.More than likely.Arrrseeehoole.
17 Nov 2012, 10:14 am
Maybe our backline issues are related to Ricardo Loubscher.
17 Nov 2012, 10:16 am
@JL1-249:
Ja… he also to small?
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