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, 07:12 am
#192 Disa: Hello my Cape mates! I am a province boy in the middle of bluebull country. I hear you guys are having some bad weather. Been here for nearly 16 years. It’s tough mates, especially with our performances over the past few years.
29 Aug 2008, 07:13 am
#199 Boerboel: OK, ek maak so. Ek het niks teen die ou nie.
29 Aug 2008, 07:13 am
#200 bryce_in_oz: Exactly what I said a few days ago!
29 Aug 2008, 07:13 am
#200 bryce_in_oz: lmao , only for the ladies my friend , ONLY FOR THE LADIES lmao….
29 Aug 2008, 07:13 am
#159 poppa69 : God coulnt help the Reds with that scrum….cant blame Eddie for that! You’de have to be very short sighted to believe that!
29 Aug 2008, 07:13 am
#191 ansie: The million dollar question, die ou praat nie net stront nie maar hy haat letterlik vir Jake White en waarvoor hy staan. Hulle sien hom as n tweegat oppurtunis, weet nie waarvandaan hulle kom nie want ek hom ontmoet in 2004 en hy was regtig baie aangenaam die aand.
29 Aug 2008, 07:14 am
#198 ansie: He loves getting booted off the site! He always agrees to disagree.
29 Aug 2008, 07:14 am
Morning All. I think that the Boks will win this one.
29 Aug 2008, 07:15 am
#205 Bolski: but didnt he run out on them when the going got tough ?? 1 year into a 3 year contract if memory serves me…
29 Aug 2008, 07:15 am
#204 poppa69: Well that’s what we were thinking! Were you considering anything else?
29 Aug 2008, 07:15 am
#201 Sniper: Howzit Sniper, im a province boy in the middle of the australians (dont know which one of us is worst off?).
Hope you going to the game tonight, would give my linkerbal to see the game live on telly
29 Aug 2008, 07:16 am
#196 ansie: Perth
29 Aug 2008, 07:16 am
#208 Loosehead: and I have a better chance of falling pregnant than the Boks winning this one!
29 Aug 2008, 07:17 am
#210 Sniper: hahahaha no mate , NOTHING else .
29 Aug 2008, 07:17 am
#211 Disa: Yep I am! But the Lord must have mercy on me! Are you in Freemantle?
29 Aug 2008, 07:17 am
#206 Disa: Jong, ek moet se dit pla my as iemand ‘n ander haat. Maar volgens wat ek van sy goed gelees het kom dit beslis so voor. So ‘n persoon is gewoonlik baie ongelukkig en ek kry hom jammer. Veral omdat hy die indruk gee dat hy nie onnosel is nie.
29 Aug 2008, 07:18 am
#214 poppa69: Thank goodness! We thought for a moment you were Brokeback Mountain.
29 Aug 2008, 07:19 am
#212 Disa: Nice, problem free place, although a bit boring. I lived in Floreat Park for a while after I finished playing. Know the place well and have a lot of friends there.
29 Aug 2008, 07:19 am
#180 ansie: hel het julle nog tuinjonge , hier noem hulle hulself Tuin Ingeneurs
29 Aug 2008, 07:20 am
#218 ansie: Where you now mate?
29 Aug 2008, 07:20 am
#217 Sniper: well I do live in Sydney
but no…. no cowboy here
29 Aug 2008, 07:21 am
#34 Robzim:
Rob with all due respect he would say that, he wants the DoR job and knows what his masters want to hear. He’s not a heavyweight and should never be considered at this level until he has a lot more experience. We don’t have a suitable person for the job in Saffa at the moment.
Looking at tomorrows game I’ll be rooting for the Boks.
Losing hurts, but should never end up in vitriol.
29 Aug 2008, 07:21 am
#207 Sniper: Everyone was running away from the rubbish reds at that time buddy…..!!! they were and still are rubbish…..you cant compare the quality of players at the Reds to the Boks!!!
29 Aug 2008, 07:22 am
#221 poppa69: Live in Sydney! Who is he?
29 Aug 2008, 07:22 am
opps…meant for Poppa69
29 Aug 2008, 07:22 am
#215 Sniper: Nah not in Freo, Northen suburbs of Perth, so many South Africans there you buy Ms Balls, boerewors, biltong etc in the supermarkets these days. Enjoy the game tonight, havnt been to a Province game since we won the Blue Bulls in the finals on Newlands in 2002 if i can remember correctly
#216 ansie: Ja vra hom net heeltyd asjulle saam online is wat dink hy van Jake White as Direcor of rugby, jy voel eindelik hoe kook die ou se bloed. Seker Jake het hom nie gekies vir die 1ste span by Jeppe nie omdat hy te vet is of iets
29 Aug 2008, 07:23 am
#223 Bolski: why ? seem to be playing at the same level ?? and honestly, with all the politics that go on behind the scenes, do you think Eddie has the nous and understanding to gel it all… I think not…
29 Aug 2008, 07:23 am
#218 ansie: Did you play for a club here in perth?
29 Aug 2008, 07:24 am
#220 Sniper: Singapore, flying home tonight
29 Aug 2008, 07:24 am
#223 Bolski: Ok was a bit confused here, but no probs. Howzit anyway.
29 Aug 2008, 07:24 am
#216 ansie:
Hy ken baie van rugby, as jy hom iets vra kry jy dem goeie antwoorde.
Maar die manne haal hom uit, druk sy knoppies.
29 Aug 2008, 07:24 am
#224 Sniper: lets just say I am a kiwi who has increased the IQ of both countries
NZ by leaving, Aust by living here 
29 Aug 2008, 07:25 am
#194 Koos: Howzit Koos ek praat eindelik van die Jake White storie op Keo sorry
29 Aug 2008, 07:25 am
#226 Disa: Me knows! I travel alot, but most of my time downunder is in Brisbane. I am off to India on 21 August.
29 Aug 2008, 07:26 am
#213 Sniper: Sadly, you are right.
29 Aug 2008, 07:26 am
#227 poppa69: with Jake White as Director he just might be able to do the job without all the extrenal pressures!!! And No, the reds were not playing at the same level as the Boks !!
29 Aug 2008, 07:26 am
#229 ansie: Where’s home now?
29 Aug 2008, 07:27 am
#230 Sniper: All lekker this side buddy!
29 Aug 2008, 07:28 am
#219 superBul: Hy is seker nie ‘n tuinjong soos in die ou dae nie. Die outjie swat op Ikeys en gaan iets van sy lewe maak. Hy bly gratis by my – sy bydrae is om die tuin aan die kant te hou. Hy beskryf homself as die “**********”.
29 Aug 2008, 07:28 am
#228 Disa: Played for Cottesloe for a season.
29 Aug 2008, 07:29 am
#234 Sniper: Been here for 5 years and somehow never been to the East Coast can you believe it, 4 hours flight and bloody expensive as you know. Thailand/Bali/Indo is half way and the tickets are half the price as well so rather go there. Not as many aussies (except Bali) as well which is a bonus
29 Aug 2008, 07:29 am
#236 Bolski: maybe , but would Eddie be a “quota” selection ? all Im saying is he did sweet f’all with the Wallabies, and I think he would do the same with the Boks… just my opinion… but I would be quite happy if you guys had him as coach….
29 Aug 2008, 07:29 am
#236 Bolski: Thats right, no team as on as low a level as the Boks currently are.
29 Aug 2008, 07:29 am
#236 Bolski:
Go to JW’s blog and see exactly why he shouldn’t get the job of DoR.
And I am neither anti or pro JW at all. I am grateful for the silverware he brought home and respect him for it. But he has shortcomings, manipulation being one of them.
29 Aug 2008, 07:29 am
#235 Loosehead: Loosehead most know that I am the most loyal Springbok supporter – but eish – it is so hard to swollow! I must remain positive though!
29 Aug 2008, 07:30 am
#239 ansie: Nice club, must be one of the few ones that got an ocean view. Did you come here to play rugby or did you work as well?
29 Aug 2008, 07:31 am
#245 Sniper: swallow Snipes ? hmmm now I understand the brokeback mountain reference
lmao…
29 Aug 2008, 07:31 am
#237 Sniper: Constantia
29 Aug 2008, 07:32 am
#245 Sniper: Close to all the Keo bloggers are loyal to the Boks, as hard as it is.
29 Aug 2008, 07:33 am
#241 poppa69: I dont really buy into your opinion about him achieving nothing with the Wallabies!!! The only just lost the 2003 final to a very, very well coached and drilled Eng team…if they had won, he would still be their coach!! The bottom line Poppa69, is that no South African coach will ever be able to pick a team totally on merit…whether he is black or white!!! The only hope that SA has, in my opinion, is an oversea’s coach!!
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