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, 14:24 pm
#1046 Rugby_Princess:
29 Aug 2008, 14:25 pm
#1026 Rugby_Princess: Frank Zappa!
#1031 Rugby_Princess: Only if you cut off your arm.
29 Aug 2008, 14:26 pm
a womans four favourite animals
a tiger in the bedroom
a minke in the closet
a jaguar in the garage
and an *** to pay for it all….
29 Aug 2008, 14:27 pm
#1048 vindicated:
There was a *** blogger called Vindicated
he really liked guys that lactated
After he blew Richie_7
Richie cried out: “I am in heaven!!”
29 Aug 2008, 14:27 pm
what do you give a blonde that has everything ???
Pennicillin !!!!
29 Aug 2008, 14:28 pm
#1049 Rugby_Princess: Turn around…and we’ll see.
29 Aug 2008, 14:28 pm
#981 iori Yagami: National Treasury in Ptown
29 Aug 2008, 14:29 pm
#1055 poppa69: The blonde shouted: “F*ck me silly…so I put on a clown suit.
29 Aug 2008, 14:31 pm
#1058 MightyQuin:
did she like your extra long, red hard ….. shoes ?? lmao.
29 Aug 2008, 14:32 pm
#1050 WP Till I Die: afraid I would not be able to read that!
But 4man is right, these languages need ‘air’
29 Aug 2008, 14:33 pm
#1049 Rugby_Princess: Hello. Please to meet you.
29 Aug 2008, 14:34 pm
I am new. I think the Aussies are going to win tomorrow and the All Blacks will come second.
29 Aug 2008, 14:34 pm
Hey Vindi – how you holdin up there? Good to have you around to keep us honest!
29 Aug 2008, 14:35 pm
#1061 Irish Devil: Ethel Ethel Ethel……..
29 Aug 2008, 14:35 pm
#1059 poppa69: Then the blonde shouted:
” F*ck me hard and hurt me”…so I f*cked her twice and hit her in the head with a brick.
29 Aug 2008, 14:35 pm
#1062 Irish Devil: Huh?
29 Aug 2008, 14:36 pm
#1062 Irish Devil: the ABs play Aussie for the 3Ns title on the 13th of Sep in Brissie….
29 Aug 2008, 14:36 pm
The Average South African:
A recent study conducted by Wits University found that the average South
African walks about 1200 km a year.
Another study by the South African Medical Association found that South
Africans drink, on average, 100 litres of alcohol a year.
This means, on average, South Africans get about 12 km to the liter.
Kind of makes you proud to be South African
29 Aug 2008, 14:36 pm
#1062 Irish Devil: Howzit Ethel…
29 Aug 2008, 14:37 pm
#1065 MightyQuin: lmfao classic…
29 Aug 2008, 14:37 pm
#1057 EEE:
Just got the word, GBS Maximus has decided to fight no more…
He passed away two minutes ago.
RIP, big man, warm tears are flowing here, far away, because I know what you gave, and how much you loved.
Anyong-Hasayo, Sansangnim !!!
O God, take this brother and put him in your best team up there….
29 Aug 2008, 14:38 pm
There was a young maiden from Komati
Who met Percy Sledge at a party
said she to Mr Sledge
you can feel round the edge
but aikona faga pagati.
29 Aug 2008, 14:39 pm
#1068 EEE: and that is the city, i wonder what we do on the open road.
29 Aug 2008, 14:39 pm
#1071 Pietman: Agge nee……….devastating
29 Aug 2008, 14:40 pm
Pietie wil TV koop en soek ‘n remote
Agent sê geen remote is nodig, jy noem net die stasie en hy skakel
self
oor.
Pietie se “CNN” en wragtig dis op die skerm. Hy sê “e-tv” en
dis op die
skerm.
Hy vra die agent wat kos die tv? . Agent se “R 120 000.00?.
Pietie sê “Kaaaaaak” en highlights van die Bokke se laaste 2
wedstryde
kom op!
29 Aug 2008, 14:40 pm
#1071 Pietman:
Jammer om te ****. Gaan in vrede, ou grote. Nou kan jy rus.
29 Aug 2008, 14:40 pm
#1071 Pietman: sad news Piet… my condolences an thoughts are with GBS and his family…
29 Aug 2008, 14:41 pm
#1071 Pietman: Sorry to hear that Pieta, I sent him a message this morning with encouragement. But it comes to us all.
RIP
29 Aug 2008, 14:41 pm
#1072 confuzzed: prbably about 7k’s a liter….
29 Aug 2008, 14:43 pm
What’s all this naked business
29 Aug 2008, 14:44 pm
#1080 Dawn: shocking isn’t it?
29 Aug 2008, 14:44 pm
#1064 EEE: Hello I am the Irish Devil. Don’t know who and what you are talking about.
29 Aug 2008, 14:44 pm
agreed – another big win for wallabies.. by 15.
boks like a strong tractor with a weak trailor – 3 tyres and a leak. We will move forward from the front, but our quota ladden backline will fail again and again.
sigh.
29 Aug 2008, 14:45 pm
#1080 Dawn: must be that when the sportsteams are not performing men degenerate and turn to *** hehehe
29 Aug 2008, 14:46 pm
#1066 4man: Huh!!!
#1067 poppa69: Thanks
#1069 MightyQuin: Who the #@!@$ is Ethel!
29 Aug 2008, 14:47 pm
#1082 Irish Devil:
#1083 riverduck70: Welcome….clueless.
29 Aug 2008, 14:47 pm
#1082 Irish Devil: Hmmmmm ja ja ja Etheltjie
29 Aug 2008, 14:47 pm
jammer gbs. sterkte ou maat.
29 Aug 2008, 14:47 pm
#1080 Dawn: Dawn, drop me a mail @ kf4 at clicks dot co dot za, I have some info that would be to your benefit.
29 Aug 2008, 14:48 pm
#1061 Irish Devil:
Are you new or just a re-branded WPTID /Ethel ?
#1071 Pietman:
Oohh Piet – Poor GBS
29 Aug 2008, 14:48 pm
#1087 EEE: I speak English
29 Aug 2008, 14:48 pm
#1085 Irish Devil: Ehtelis Alice’s sister
Ok everyone, gotta go, have a great one…..
Go Bokke!!!!
29 Aug 2008, 14:49 pm
#976 4man:
29 Aug 2008, 14:49 pm
#1082 Irish Devil: You`re Martin Baillie?
29 Aug 2008, 14:49 pm
#1084 EEE:
Should be the other way around !
29 Aug 2008, 14:49 pm
#1091 Irish Devil: that was english except for the ja part…..everyone
29 Aug 2008, 14:50 pm
#1095 Rugby_Princess: men never seem to get it right
…. enjoy the weekend
29 Aug 2008, 14:50 pm
#1095 Rugby_Princess: Damn right!
29 Aug 2008, 14:50 pm
#1090 Rugby_Princess: I like princesses because our neighbours have a queen.
29 Aug 2008, 14:51 pm
Sympathies GBS.
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