The final insult
29 Aug 2008
The Springboks are expecting gracious favour from Lady Luck, God and the Highveld hoodoo but none of these intangibles will be enough to prevent another historic Australian win.
Slim chances of re-entering the Tri-Nations race evaporated with the capitulation at Kings Park, and there’s been subsequent talk about how this Ellis Park fixture is an opportunity to regain some pride. But what if the Boks fall to Australia on the Highveld for the first time since 1963? That would be the final insult. It would complete the plummet from champs to chumps in less than 10 months.
Keo.co.za looks at several reasons why Robbie Deans’s tourists will head back Down Under on a high.
BATTERY TAKES IT’S TOLL
Another week, another casualty. It’s a phrase that be will used to describe the Boks’ 2008 Tri-Nations campaign in years to come (as well as a few less-than-kind adjectives). The disaster in Durban cost South Africa another first-choice winger in JP Pietersen, a loss that comes just a week after Bryan Habana bowed out with a hamstring tear. CJ van der Linde has been banned for four weeks and will also be missed in a tight clash. For a side that’s already struggling, it’s almost unfair to expect the reserves to gel with the incumbents, let alone provide gamewinning touches.
The Aussies’ appeal of Rocky Elsom’s ban proved successful allowing the blindsider to hold onto his starting position. The Wallabies midfield looks no less formidable with Timana Tahu replacing the injured Berrick Barnes. The tourists may have lost lock Dan Vickerman but it is the hosts who are the more depleted and deflated outfit.
KICKING CHAOS
While it’s tempting to get stuck into those less-than-kind adjectives and phrases, it’s best to look at Peter de Villiers’s own errant slurs when it comes to tactical kicking. De Villiers assumed the Aussies had an inferior tactical kicking game ahead of that Kings Park Test, but Matt Giteau went on to break the Boks with his well-weighted chips behind the defence. Aside from Tahu, every member of the visiting backline has a healthy boot and the back three is strengthened in this area by the return of Adam Ashley-Cooper.
De Villiers has ignored last week’s result and picked two wingers not known for their kicking prowess, ditto the centres. Conrad Jantjes has the goods, but has failed to deliver in this vein in 2008, and the same goes for Butch James and Fourie du Preez. Why wasn’t Percy Montgomery selected for a match that is bound to see plenty of tactical kicking? A back three of Montgomery, Jantjes and Jongi Nokwe provides more balance in this regard.
BREAKDOWN WAUGH
Rumour has it he’s been locked in a dark cellar for seven days and fed on nothing but small scraps of meat, but Deans has finally decided to unleash the rabid force that is Phil Waugh. George Smith earns a break ahead of the Wallabies’ more important fixture in Brisbane, and so Waugh gets an opportunity to show the new coach what he can do with a start.
The problem with the South African back row is their failure to fire as a unit, and the persistence with Pierre Spies and the axing of Joe van Niekerk could prove costly. Elsom’s beat the law and you’d expect him to produce another big performance at the tackle point, and watch out for another prominent breakdown beast in Tatafu Polota-Nau.
SET-PIECE SCRAP
The scrumming was a positive for the Boks last week, but the problems at lineout time cannot be ignored. There was talk about the Aussie jumpers encroaching on the Boks’ side, but you’d expect experienced players like Victor Matfield and Juan Smith to rise above this sort of pressure. Hugh McMeniman and Elsom will look to spoil South African ball and James Horwill is one of the most underrated players in the Aussie side. They’ll miss Vickerman, but another bumbling Bok showing in this area will make their jobs a whole lot easier.
Prediction: It’ll be a sad end to a disappointing tournament for the world champions. Although they’ve been hit by numerous injuries, they will lament their own mistakes and perhaps finally admit that the current approach is flawed. Australia by 5.
Springboks – 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Butch James, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Andries Bekker, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Percy Montgomery.
Australia - 15. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14. Peter Hynes, 13. Stirling Mortlock (c), 12. Timana Tahu, 11. Lote Tuqiri, 10. Matt Giteau, 9. Sam Cordingley, 8. Wycliff Palu, 7. Phil Waugh, 6. Rocky Elsom, 5. Hugh McMeniman, 4. James Horwill, 3. Matt Dunning, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson
Subs: 16. Stephen Moore, 17. Al Baxter, 18. Dean Mumm, 19. George Smith, 20. Brett Sheehan, 21. Ryan Cross, 22. Drew Mitchell.
By Jon Cardinelli
1,238 Comments
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29 Aug 2008, 12:42 pm
#744 rangerman:
AH!!! now there you are buddy.
29 Aug 2008, 12:42 pm
#748 WP Till I Die:
Yeah, just don’t get caught offsides!
29 Aug 2008, 12:42 pm
#606 XhosaKid: i rate JF more than Rathbone
And besides one is a centre and the other wing
29 Aug 2008, 12:42 pm
#750 rangerman: hehehe no problemo, actually feel the same way right now…..send me those pics that everyone was raving about…….
29 Aug 2008, 12:43 pm
The English Rugby Football Union will offer 16 million pounds ($42 million) worth of rewards to clubs who don’t overload their rosters with New Zealanders and other foreign players.
Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper reported the influx of foreign talent has the RFU scared it could spell the end of its national leagues being used for the development of British talent – in the same way foreigners now dominate the soccer premiership at the expense of the English national side
29 Aug 2008, 12:43 pm
#745 ET: You keep repeating yourself. Are you also drunk?
29 Aug 2008, 12:44 pm
#746 BuckT:
girls love honesty
29 Aug 2008, 12:45 pm
*IR Bell (rhb) 59 from 45 balls!!!!!
29 Aug 2008, 12:45 pm
#745 ET: lol, having spent time with biff, i know he is not a skunk ET. he is a good guy.
i worked with his boet in fact.
his boet told me just before the second last test (you remember, where biff won the series for us) that biff may not play as his back was farked.
he played and what happened is in the record books. but sheeyit, KP is doing well at the helm it seems.
just dont forget a little game vs aus where the world thought we could never make the total.
we did.
p.s. as you can see, i am an eternal optimist.
29 Aug 2008, 12:46 pm
#754 EEE: will do!
29 Aug 2008, 12:46 pm
#714 Richie_7: have you already come out of the closet and I missed it ?
29 Aug 2008, 12:46 pm
#751 ET: Moenie kuk soek vandag nie, seblief….
29 Aug 2008, 12:46 pm
#756 MenaceToSobriety:
Your name suggets you are.
29 Aug 2008, 12:47 pm
#731 MenaceToSobriety: is that the same kind of flattering that the province forwards are going to do to the bulls tonight?
#754 EEE: it’s shocking really…was looking forward to a good game of cricket this evening….guess it’s just the currie cup
29 Aug 2008, 12:48 pm
Hello. Am I on the right site here! Using hands, STD’s, Help us out! Let me check if I typed in the right address.
Oh yes! Hello lonely heart clubs band.
29 Aug 2008, 12:49 pm
#757 Richie_7: and ladies love gentlemen
29 Aug 2008, 12:50 pm
#760 rangerman: #766 BuckT: #752 Richie_7: Howdy to you three too! Have no idea what is up today, but will just push my way in somehow.
29 Aug 2008, 12:50 pm
Middag Dames en Here.
GBS: sterke.
29 Aug 2008, 12:50 pm
#759 rangerman:
The greatest game ever played.
438/9 with a ball to spare.
29 Aug 2008, 12:50 pm
#764 BuckT: At this stage it is all we have hehehe although I tend to agree with Rangerman, Will wait till the end before giving up….both with the cricket and tri-nations!!!!!!!
29 Aug 2008, 12:51 pm
#768 Loosehead: Middag loskoppie
29 Aug 2008, 12:51 pm
#745 ET: how can you make such and accusation? do you know him personally or has all this venom resonated from his interviews?
29 Aug 2008, 12:51 pm
#769 WP Till I Die: It was AWESOME!!!!!!
29 Aug 2008, 12:51 pm
#763 ET: Of course. Drunkenness is my natural habitat.
#764 BuckT: It`s a flattening they`re going to get from the Bulls, the flattery will be directed at Wynand Olivier.
#764 BuckT: If it`s not 5 days it`s not real cricket anyway.
29 Aug 2008, 12:52 pm
Province to shock nation and take the bulls by 20.
29 Aug 2008, 12:53 pm
#767 Sniper: howzit!
#769 WP Till I Die: yip, nothings impossible!
29 Aug 2008, 12:53 pm
#775 iori Yagami: Bwaaahahahaha…no but seriously now…. not on your life
29 Aug 2008, 12:53 pm
#768 Loosehead: Fanks man, loslappie !
29 Aug 2008, 12:53 pm
#769 WP Till I Die:
Australia
Adam Gilchrist c Hall b Telemachus 55 (97 for 1)
Incredible tumbling catch, scooped one-handed off turf at mid-on
Simon Katich c Telemachus b Ntini 79 (216 for 2)
Uppercut to third man
Mike Hussey c Ntini b Hall 81 (374 for 3)
Full toss swatted to long-on
Ricky Ponting c Dippenaar b Telemachus 164 (407 for 4)
Blazing cover-drive plucked above head on boundary
Andrew Symonds not out 27
Brett Lee not out 9
Extras: 19 Total: 434/4
South Africa
Boeta Dippenaar b Bracken 1 (3 for 1)
Dragged onto off stump
Graeme Smith c Hussey b Clarke 90 (190 for 2)
Swatted to deep midwicket
AB de Villiers c Clarke b Bracken 14 (284 for 3)
Heaved to cow corner
Herschelle Gibbs c Lee b Symonds 175 (299 for 4)
Chipped drive to long-off
Jacques Kallis c&b Symonds 20 (327 for 5)
Diving return catch off firm drive
Justin Kemp c Martyn b Bracken 13 (355 for 6)
Toe-ended wide delivery to backward point
Johan van der Wath c Ponting b Bracken 35 (399 for 7)
Holed out to extra cover
Roger Telemachus c Hussey b Bracken 12 (423 for
Spooned drive, brilliant sprawling catch
Andrew Hall c Clarke b Lee 7 (433 for 9)
Slap to mid-on
Mark Boucher not out 50
Makhaya Ntini not out 1
Extras: 20 Total: 438/9
29 Aug 2008, 12:54 pm
#767 Sniper: Boring as hell today…obviously there will be more to talk about tomorrow after 17:00…
29 Aug 2008, 12:54 pm
#765 Sniper: Sgt Peppers. Decent album, and a great place to buy Doc Maartens back in the day, just off greenmarket square.
29 Aug 2008, 12:54 pm
Hellooooooooooooooooooooooo
#762 grootblousmile: In my thoughts GBS!
29 Aug 2008, 12:56 pm
#759 rangerman:
I know . Just playful ribbing and you know in this game things can change in a ball or 2 or 3.
#745 what song and about whom are those words?
THAT game had me jumping in my chair 6am that Sunday morning as when I saw that Aussie score I thought it was a 5-day game. Just amazing .IGibbs’ father and I worked together some time .
See you have 1 wicket already.
Cannot post further only read.
29 Aug 2008, 12:56 pm
#779 WP Till I Die: I remember watching Herschelle that day, he was outstanding …
29 Aug 2008, 12:56 pm
Wicket….Prior out 101/1 Albie morkel
29 Aug 2008, 12:56 pm
#767 Sniper: howdy..it’s a free for all, dive in
29 Aug 2008, 12:56 pm
#783 ET: ja, i know mate. no harm, no foul.
29 Aug 2008, 12:57 pm
#781 MenaceToSobriety: Oh yes! Sgt Peppers. Loved the album too.
#780 MightyQuin: I have no idea what’s up mate! Been in planning meetings. A short break now and then again at 13:30
29 Aug 2008, 12:57 pm
#784 poppa69: he was just awesome, in the zone!!!! hope they find the ‘zone’ today……..hehehe
29 Aug 2008, 12:57 pm
#785 EEE: aahhhh a collapse! 190 all out
29 Aug 2008, 12:57 pm
#771 Sniper: Hey Sniper, whats up?
29 Aug 2008, 12:58 pm
#786 BuckT: Dive right in the water is fine! That comes from the move ‘The Rose’! Bette Midler – now that chick makes me laugh.
29 Aug 2008, 12:58 pm
#790 BuckT: we can only dream
29 Aug 2008, 12:59 pm
#791 Loosehead: Nothing at the moment! Everything is down! Pardon the pun mate.
29 Aug 2008, 12:59 pm
#789 EEE: they need to… I remember watching that game in just utter disbelief… with Aussie making that score then SA actually knocking it off… was a fantastic days cricket, whod be a bowler aye
29 Aug 2008, 12:59 pm
#792 Sniper: Music was awesome, Love Janis Joplin…..
29 Aug 2008, 13:00 pm
Province to beat the Blou Koeie by 20 points.
29 Aug 2008, 13:00 pm
#777 EEE: I had to try and get some excitement in this place. Who thinks province stand a chance of reaching the play offs.
29 Aug 2008, 13:00 pm
#794 Sniper: You can get pills for that. The medical aid even pays for them.
29 Aug 2008, 13:00 pm
Excuse me! Let me greet again – H-E-L-L-O. Just because I am more beautiful than all of you put together doesn’t meen you don’t have to greet.
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